BLANCHARDVILLE - A friend of Pecatonica High School junior Josie Penniston challenged her to jump over a hurdle last week at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville Invitational. Not wanting to back down from a challenge, Penniston leaped over the hurdle.
That caused a hamstring injury, but it hasn't slowed Penniston from chasing down her goals this season. She competed in the 55-meter dash after jumping over the hurdle.
"I did it once (jumping over the hurdle) and it I had a twinge a little bit," she said. "After I ran the 55 dash it got worse."
Penniston, who runs for the Pecatonica-Argyle track and field team, is the defending Six Rivers East Conference champion in the 100-, 200- and 400-meter dashes. She holds the school record in the 400 at 58.51 seconds and has her sights set on setting school records in the 100 and 200.
"I want to get faster times and get the school records in the 100 and 200," Penniston said. "It motivates me to get better because I want to do better than last year. I know it will be difficult. I just like the competition."
She seems born to run and started at an early age. She competed on the middle school track team and that fueled her competitive drive to get better.
"It (running) relaxes me," Penniston said. "It takes my mind off of things."
Unlike most sprinters, Penniston doesn't back down from a long-distance challenge. She runs cross country and welcomes the challenge of running a 3.1-mile course.
"I like running cross country because it gives me stamina in the 400 and keeps me in shape," she said.
Penniston's mother, Heather Penniston, ran on the track team at Oshkosh West High School. She has acquired her mother's passion for the sport.
"My mom is a big runner and she always runs with me before cross country and track to get me prepared," Penniston said.
When not running, Penniston she said she enjoys hanging out with friends and going to movies.
"I think I'm an outgoing person," she said.
The signature event for Penniston is the 400. It's a combination of speed and endurance.
"There is a lot of strategy in the 400," she said. "I like to go out at a decent pace in the 400 and when I get to the 200 then I push it as hard as I can."
Penniston didn't run the 100 at the Glendenning Invitational on Monday because of her hamstring injury. She showed no ill effects in winning the 400.
"I was afraid because it's such a quicker race than the 200 and 400," she said of the 100 that requires an explosive start out of the blocks. "The 200 and 400 are sprints, but they are not as fast as the 100."
That caused a hamstring injury, but it hasn't slowed Penniston from chasing down her goals this season. She competed in the 55-meter dash after jumping over the hurdle.
"I did it once (jumping over the hurdle) and it I had a twinge a little bit," she said. "After I ran the 55 dash it got worse."
Penniston, who runs for the Pecatonica-Argyle track and field team, is the defending Six Rivers East Conference champion in the 100-, 200- and 400-meter dashes. She holds the school record in the 400 at 58.51 seconds and has her sights set on setting school records in the 100 and 200.
"I want to get faster times and get the school records in the 100 and 200," Penniston said. "It motivates me to get better because I want to do better than last year. I know it will be difficult. I just like the competition."
She seems born to run and started at an early age. She competed on the middle school track team and that fueled her competitive drive to get better.
"It (running) relaxes me," Penniston said. "It takes my mind off of things."
Unlike most sprinters, Penniston doesn't back down from a long-distance challenge. She runs cross country and welcomes the challenge of running a 3.1-mile course.
"I like running cross country because it gives me stamina in the 400 and keeps me in shape," she said.
Penniston's mother, Heather Penniston, ran on the track team at Oshkosh West High School. She has acquired her mother's passion for the sport.
"My mom is a big runner and she always runs with me before cross country and track to get me prepared," Penniston said.
When not running, Penniston she said she enjoys hanging out with friends and going to movies.
"I think I'm an outgoing person," she said.
The signature event for Penniston is the 400. It's a combination of speed and endurance.
"There is a lot of strategy in the 400," she said. "I like to go out at a decent pace in the 400 and when I get to the 200 then I push it as hard as I can."
Penniston didn't run the 100 at the Glendenning Invitational on Monday because of her hamstring injury. She showed no ill effects in winning the 400.
"I was afraid because it's such a quicker race than the 200 and 400," she said of the 100 that requires an explosive start out of the blocks. "The 200 and 400 are sprints, but they are not as fast as the 100."
