Zach Rhodes is a junior at Elk City and competes on the cross country team. Rhodes began running in the seventh grade and first picked up the sport because of his dad’s influence. Wanting to get in better shape was also a motivating factor for Rhodes. Over the years Rhodes has learned  little things that have helped him in competitions.

“Aim to be fast and dedicated,” Rhodes said. “You have to run every day. When you miss a day, the next day will be a lot harder. You also have to be consistent and set goals for yourself.”

Outside of cross country Rhodes is active in soccer and uses cross country as a way to stay conditioned. After high school Rhodes said he’d like to earn the opportunity to play soccer at the collegiate level.

However, Rhodes has set some goals for himself in running as well and would eventually like to work his way up to running longer distances. He has been inspired by Brandon Culver, a fellow runner who has competed in ironman competitions and sparked Rhodes’ interest in the events.

“I’d like to run half marathons, marathons, and a few iron man competitions,” Rhodes said.

He knows what it takes to accomplish these goals.

“Strong legs, having a good sleep schedule and eating right,” Rhodes said. “Being friendly and competitive are good traits to have, too.”

So far the season has been going well for Rhodes and the Elks this season with spirits being high. The team has stayed healthy and everyone has been happy with their pace as the season begins to wind down.

As Rhodes continues his junior year he is starting to look ahead toward college.

“I don’t know what I’ll end up doing career wise, but I’ll figure it out,” Rhodes said. “I would like to visit every state in the U.S. and get a hat from every major college in the country. As for my education I’d like to get a masters degree in whatever field I end up studying.”