Rising star: Yorba Linda area youth athlete Avery Landi鈥檚 run to the top
YORBA LINDA, Calif. — For many athletes, distance running is a lifelong pursuit. For Avery Landi, it started as a way to stay fit for club soccer. But by September 2024, the midfielder realized her “soccer stamina” was actually a national-level talent.
“I knew I had a talent for it when I was only running once a week and still breaking my personal records by 30 seconds or more every week,” Avery shares. That talent was on full display at the USATF National Championships, where she surged from a 49th-place finish last year to a staggering 17th in the nation, earning her All-American honors.
The Mid-Race Mindset
Avery鈥檚 success comes from a blend of physical grit and mental toughness. During the halfway point of the national course, while others were fading, Avery felt her confidence surge. “No one was passing me,” she recalls. “I was in sight of the leaders for about eight minutes, which gave me the confidence to keep going.”
The Road to High School
As she prepares to enter high school, Avery is shifting her focus to a specialized training regimen involving strategy, strength, speed, and endurance under the guidance of coaches like Matthew Resquer (CRS Sports and Fitness Academy) and Ricky Etheridge. Her secret to staying grounded? A consistent pre-race ritual鈥攁 ponytail, a braid, and her “lucky” socks鈥攁nd plenty of time hanging out with friends to balance the intensity of the track.
“When I get tired, I just tell myself: ‘You’re almost done, and once you finish, you can have all the fun celebrating. So don’t quit.'” 鈥� Avery Landi
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