Somewhere in the mass crowd of cross country runners, junior Jessica Kalathil races with a steadily accelerating pace. The finish line is not far from her, and she can feel her heart rate increasing as she lengthens her stride to finish strong. Hearing the cheers of her fellow members and other West students, Kalathil sprints through the finish line and immediately collapses.

Kalathil has been an avid runner for the Niles West cross country team since her sophomore year. According to Kalathil, cross country provides her with something that can help her take her mind off things and ease any anxiousness she might feel.

“Cross country is definitely my favorite activity, because I love running in my free time,” Kalathil said. “When I run, I’m able to clear my mind of all the problems of the day, and I get an overall pleasant release from all of my issues I might have that day.”

Kalathil was initially reluctant to join cross country. She first became a member because of a nagging friend, but later found pleasure in the sport.

“I had a friend who woke me up at 5:30 a.m. every day in the summer to go on runs to help us get fit for basketball season, and she later convinced me to join cross,” Kalathil said. “When I started racing, I realized that I was actually pretty good at it and it became more and more enjoyable over time.”

Before each race, Kalathil finds herself becoming quiet and residing mainly in her thoughts. She comforts herself while simultaneously reminding herself of the goal that she is attempting to achieve.

“Usually I’m super quiet [before a race]. I don’t like talking and I just listen to music until it’s time to head to the start,” Kalathil said. “I get anxious and super nervous. Right before they shoot the gun, I try to convince myself that it’s just like any other jog I’d go on when I’m at the park.”

The main difficulty many long-distance runners face during a race is the pain of continuing to race at a constant speed for an average of about three miles. However, unlike most runners, Kalathil has rock-solid determination. She is able to constantly push herself until the very end of every single race.

“During a race, I convince myself to get up close to the next runner in front of me and then keep passing up. As I finish, I try to give it my all and I think of breaking my personal record every time. I make a habit of always sprinting at the end, which is helpful in decreasing my time,” Kalathil said.

Kalathil’s coaches believe that her motivation during a race extends to other runners.

“She’s been the eighth or ninth runner, and she pushed herself to become the seventh during this last race,” assistant coach Nicole Reynolds said. “She’s always pushing other members to do better and motivating others as well.”

Kalathil’s determination is also visible in other extracurricular activities that she’s a part of. Kalathil is a member of HOSA, Relay for Life, and Indopak, and she also plays basketball.

Even Kalathil’s friends can agree that the level of determination at which Kalathil strives to achieve her goal is remarkable and admirable.

“I’ve know Jessica since fifth grade. As a friend, she’s always been there for me and is never judgmental,” junior Daisha Etienne said. “I think she always puts 100 percent into everything she does and I admire her devotion and persistence.”

Though Kalathil is unsure about whether she’ll continue with cross country, she’s sure that she’ll always run long distance.

“I don’t know if I’ll continue running competitively, but I’ll always take long runs just for fun,” Kalathil said.