SISSON EYES USA JUNIOR CROSS COUNTRY TITLE
By Chris Lotsbom
(c) 2010 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved. Used with permission

Entering tomorrow's USA Cross Country Championships in Spokane, Wash., Chesterfield, Missouri's Emily Sisson is ready to continue upon what has already been a successful senior year of high school.  The 18 year-old is looking to finish in the top six in the junior women's race, which would earn her a trip to Bydgoszcz, Poland, where the IAAF World Cross Country Championships will be held on March 28.

"I feel very excited heading into Saturday's meet," Sisson wrote in an e-mail message to Race Results Weekly from Spokane.  "I know there are a ton of very talented girls here, though, so I am definitely a bit nervous as well."

In her senior season at Parkway Central High School, Sisson qualified for the Foot Locker National Cross Country Championships for the fourth year in a row, where she finished the 5000m course in third place, with a time of 17:19.  That was her best finish at Foot Locker since her freshman year, where she also came in third.
   
"I was very happy with Foot Lockers," she continued.  "Coming back after two somewhat disappointing years, I really just wanted to finish strong. I was also just extremely happy and thankful for being able to experience the event for the fourth time. I am definitely going to miss it next year."

More recently, Sisson has shown that she is still in top shape, as she raced the 3000m at the Jayhawk Classic in Lawrence, Ks., in a new personal best of 9:25.7 just two weeks ago (her time also broke the Anschutz Pavilion facility record).  This record only adds to her already noteworthy high school career, one in which she has competed internationally for the U.S. at the Junior Pan-American Games (2007), and has won the Nike Outdoor Nationals 5000m (2009).

Earlier this month, Sisson committed to attend the University of Wisconsin, where she will continue to run and plans to study business.  Originally from Wisconsin, Sisson said she knew she would attend the University there as soon as she visited the school.

"I just knew on my visit that Wisconsin was the place for me, because I loved the girls, it has a great business school, and the campus is amazing!  Coach (Jim) Stintzi is also very knowledgeable and I look forward to improving as a runner under him."

But, right now her focus is on the Cross Country National Championships.  She has already seen the Plantes Ferry Recreation Park course, where the meet will take place.  The junior 6 km race will be contested on one 2000m loop, which competitors will run three times.

"It is not hilly and the footing is pretty good," Sisson concluded.