(null), May 15, 1012 - 1:06am DMA's Payne named "WDEL HS Athlete of the Week"
By Sean Greene
Video Story on Travis Payne
Delaware Military Academy cross country runner Travis Payne is this week's WDEL High School Athlete of the Week.
Travis won the Division II championship at the State Cross Country Championships at
the Brandywine Creek State Park Saturday in a course record time of 16:27.
What was Travis feeling when he broke the tape?
"I felt real good. I kind of passed out at the line though. All I remember is
coming down and 'yes, all the training paid off!"
Many courses in Delaware are pancake flat, but not Brandywine Creek, and Travis says
he has no problem dealing with elevation.
"I personally do better on hills. I'm a hill guy. Ever since the beginning of high
school I've just done awesome on hills. I love hills."
So what is the key to dealing with the ups and downs of cross country?
"You really have to have that mental toughness. If you don't have that, the course
is just going to break you. You just have to go out and take one hill at a time, every
step, just break it down and you'll be set."
Travis is planning on running a 26.2 mile marathon on December 11. What most
attracts him to running?
"It's really relaxing, it's calm. We run through the woods so it's peaceful, it's
just a stress reliever for me."
