Katie Rainsberger is greeted by her overjoyed two asst. cross country coaches, Allie Wintterle and Lu Sultze (left to right). Rainsberger was surprised with the Gatorade National Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year on Thursday, July 21, 2016. Katie was drawn to the locker room and surprised by a room full of media, coaches, family, and cross country teammates. A school wide assemble was held later in the morning. Katie Rainsberger, the Air Academy girls' cross country star runner, was named the Gatorade National Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year on Thursday. In addition to her second consecutive Class 4A state title, Rainsberger also posted the fastest time in the nation in a race in Arizona in 2015. Photo by Jerilee Bennett/The Gazette (JERILEE BENNETT, THE GAZETTE)
It seemed fitting when the announcement came, even if Katie Rainsberger wasn’t expecting it.
Rainsberger, the Air Academy girls’ cross country star who has ruled Colorado for two years, expanded her reach Thursday when she was named the Gatorade National Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year.
“I had no idea,” said a stunned Rainsberger, as she received the award in a surprise ceremony at the school.
In addition to her second consecutive Class 4A state title, Rainsberger also posted the fastest time in the nation in a race in Arizona in 2015, winning the Desert Twilight XC Invitational in Casa Grande in 16 minutes, 23 seconds.
“It’s exciting, but the season isn’t over yet, and I have to keep at it,” Rainsberger told The Gazette days after that victory.
She was right. The season had plenty ahead.
She romped to her second consecutive Class 4A state title, winning in 17:39 at the Norris-Penrose Event Center. It was the second consecutive season that the Air Academy star ran the fastest time in the state, regardless of classification.
Rainsberger, who will run for Oregon in the fall, won every high school meet she raced this season – many not even close – helping her land the Colorado runner of the year award from Gatorade earlier this month and The Gazette Girls’ Cross Country Peak Performer of the Year award for the third consecutive season.
Gatorade’s award earned her consideration for the nation’s top runner.
“It’s a really surreal moment,” Rainsberger said Thursday. “It’s hard to put into words. All the hard work you’ve put in for years, or months, seasons, it’s accumulated to this, among other moments.
“To be named Gatorade athlete of the year is an immense honor.”
Rainsberger hasn’t been afraid to talk about her Olympic dreams. She mentioned them again Thursday when asked about future goals.
“The next step is always evolving,” she said. “… There’s small goals, like for track season … and there’s larger goals, like how I want to compete May, June, July. And it is an Olympic Trials year, so that’s something to think about. Then I’m off to Oregon in the fall and that’s a big goal of mine just to do well there.”
After the state high school season ended, Rainsberger went on to win the Nike Cross Nationals (a race involving the top high school runners in the country and multiple high school state champions) in a course record 16:56.8 – 19 seconds better than the record set in 2014. As if the record wasn’t impressive enough, she also blew away second-place finisher Ella Donaghu, of Portland, by 14 seconds – the event’s widest margin of victory. The award also takes into account athletes’ academic accomplishments. Rainsberger carries a weighted 4.49 grade-point average.
Numbers and performances like that could have made the award seem like a forgone conclusion. But not to Rainsberger.
“Just to be mentioned or honored on the same trophy as Peyton Manning … is a huge honor,” said Rainsberger of the award the Broncos quarterback won in 1994 for football. “And I don’t think I deserve it; I don’t deserve to be on such a trophy with such outstanding company.”
Past national winners also include Emmitt Smith for football, LeBron James and Kobe Bryant for basketball and Allyson Felix for track and field.
Katie Rainsberger is greeted by her overjoyed two asst. cross country coaches, Allie Wintterle and Lu Sultze (left to right). Rainsberger was surprised with the Gatorade National Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year on Thursday, July 21, 2016. Katie was drawn to the locker room and surprised by a room full of media, coaches, family, and cross country teammates. A school wide assemble was held later in the morning. Katie Rainsberger, the Air Academy girls’ cross country star runner, was named the Gatorade National Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year on Thursday. In addition to her second consecutive Class 4A state title, Rainsberger also posted the fastest time in the nation in a race in Arizona in 2015. Photo by Jerilee Bennett/The Gazette (JERILEE BENNETT, THE GAZETTE)After taking first place, Katie Rainsberger cheers on her teammates in the 4A cross country in state at Norris-Penrose Event Center on Saturday, October 31, 2015. (Jerilee Bennett/The Gazette) (JERILEE BENNETT, THE GAZETTE)Members of the Air Academy cross country team celebrate before going to the stage to get their team first place in state 4A competition at the Norris Penrose Event Center on Saturday, October 31, 2015. Katie Rainsberger took first place in the individual competition for the third year in a row and was wearing a University of Oregon hat. (center) (Jerilee Bennett/The Gazette) (JERILEE BENNETT, THE GAZETTE)Katie Rainsberger of Air Academy poses for a portrait at Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs, Colo., on Friday, Dec. 11, 2015. Rainsberger, a senior at Air Academy, is the Gazette’s Peak Performer of the Year for cross country. Photo by Daniel Owen (DANIEL OWEN)Katie Rainsberger is greeted by her two asst. cross country coaches, Allie Wintterle and Lu Sultze (left to right), after being surprised with the Gatorade National Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year on Thursday, July 21, 2016. Katie was drawn to the locker room and surprised by a room full of media, coaches, family, and cross country teammates. A school wide assemble was held later in the morning. Photo by Jerilee Bennett/The Gazette (JERILEE BENNETT, THE GAZETTE)Katie Rainsberger is greeted by her two asst. cross country coaches, Allie Wintterle and Lu Sultze (left to right), after being surprised with the Gatorade National Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year on Thursday, July 21, 2016. Katie was drawn to the locker room and surprised by a room full of media, coaches, family, and cross country teammates. A school wide assemble was held later in the morning. Photo by Jerilee Bennett/The Gazette (JERILEE BENNETT, THE GAZETTE)Air Academy Cross Country runner Katie Rainsberger and her mother, Lisa Rainsberger (left), read some of the other names on the national Gatorade Player of The Year trophy, including Peyton Manning and baseball great Derek Jeter. Rainsberger was surprised with the trophy on Thursday, January 21, 2016 at her high school. Rainsberger was also the Colorado state Photo by Jerilee Bennett/The Gazette (JERILEE BENNETT, THE GAZETTE)After being surprised at her high school in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Air Academy Cross Country runner Katie Rainsberger holds an impromptu press conference while holding her national Gatorade Player of The Year trophy. Rainsberger, the Air Academy girls’ cross country star runner, was named the Gatorade National Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year. In addition to her second consecutive Class 4A state title, Rainsberger also posted the fastest time in the nation in a race in Arizona in 2015. Photo by Jerilee Bennett/The Gazette (JERILEE BENNETT, THE GAZETTE)Air Academy Cross Country runner Katie Rainsberger gets surprised with the national Gatorade Player of The Year trophy in a locker room at the high school in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Rainsberger, the Air Academy girls’ cross country star runner, was named the Gatorade National Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year. In addition to her second consecutive Class 4A state title, Rainsberger also posted the fastest time in the nation in a race in Arizona in 2015. Photo by Jerilee Bennett/The Gazette (JERILEE BENNETT, THE GAZETTE)Matt Waitz with Gatorade sets up a display of other Gatorade Players of the Year, before an assembly for Katie Rainsberger. Rainsberger, the Air Academy girls’ cross country star runner, was named the Gatorade National Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year. In addition to her second consecutive Class 4A state title, Rainsberger also posted the fastest time in the nation in a race in Arizona in 2015. Photo by Jerilee Bennett/The Gazette (JERILEE BENNETT, THE GAZETTE)Air Academy Cross Country runner Katie Rainsberger and her mother, Lisa Rainsberger (left), read some of the other names on the national Gatorade Player of The Year trophy, including Peyton Manning and baseball great Derek Jeter. Rainsberger was surprised with the trophy on Thursday, January 21, 2016 at Air Academy High School in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Katie Rainsberger, the Air Academy girls’ cross country star runner, was named the Gatorade National Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year on Thursday. In addition to her second consecutive Class 4A state title, Rainsberger also posted the fastest time in the nation in a race in Arizona in 2015. Photo by Jerilee Bennett/The Gazette (JERILEE BENNETT, THE GAZETTE)Air Academy Cross Country runner Katie Rainsberger gets surprised with the national Gatorade Player of The Year trophy in a locker room at the high school in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Rainsberger, the Air Academy girls’ cross country star runner, was named the Gatorade National Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year. In addition to her second consecutive Class 4A state title, Rainsberger also posted the fastest time in the nation in a race in Arizona in 2015. Photo by Jerilee Bennett/The Gazette (JERILEE BENNETT, THE GAZETTE)
