Sadie Engelhardt, an eighth-grader at Cabrillo Middle School in Ventura, Calif., and reigning AAU national cross country champion in the girls 13-14 division for Valley United, looks to add the USATF National Junior Olympic Championship in the same age group Dec. 13 at Bourbon County Park in Paris, Ky. Engelhardt, 14, joins DyeStat editor Erik Boal to discuss winning AAU individual and team championships Dec. 5 at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee, Fla., and the potential for she and her teammates to pull of a rare sweep of the national titles at both postseason meets in Kentucky. Engelhardt shares how much she appreciated a competitve race against Sydney Collier of Cascade Striders and Tessa Walter of Kokopelli Racing Team, which helped her achieve the fastest 4-kilometer cross country time ever run at Apalachee Regional Park of 13:19.82. She also reflects on the experiences of competing the past two years at USATF National Junior Olympic events in Nevada and Wisconsin against Colorado standouts Bethany Michalak of Air Academy and Kokopelli Racing Team, along with Mia Prok of Niwot and REAL Training, and how racing against them prepared her to capture her first national cross country championship in Florida. Engelhardt also revisits her record-breaking summer on the track, including an AAU national 13-14 record in the 1,500 meters by clocking 4:34.18, along with personal bests in the 3,000 (10:05.34) and 3,200 (10:43.63). Engelhardt looks ahead to her future at Ventura High and the prospect of competing in 5-kilometer cross country races, along with her excitement for returning to the track next year and pursuing more national championships and age-group records.

Watch the USATF National Junior Olympic Cross Country Championships live on USATF.TV Saturday and Sunday, December 11-12.