After playing volleyball for eight years, senior Norah Peyton qualified for the state cross country meet. 

“I was looking for a new passion,” Peyton said. “I thought trying something new with a new group of people would benefit me.”

Peyton didn’t have much distance-running experience before joining the cross country team. “I struggled trying to find the right pace,” Peyton said.

Peyton experienced success instantly, though. In just her second meet of the season, she won the junior varsity race at Oelwein.

“It was eye-opening. It showed me what I was capable of, even if I didn’t believe it,” Peyton said.

After winning the junior varsity race, the coaches put her on varsity. In her first varsity race, she finished fifth and was the fastest on the team. Coach Ben Moser loved the success Peyton brought to the team.

“It was awesome. Basically, as soon as we found out she was going to join our team, we knew we would be adding somebody special to the team,” Moser said. “We knew her work ethic was second to none, and she was going to make everyone around her better.”

After running her personal record of 19:44 and finishing eleventh place at the qualifier meet, Peyton earned a trip to Fort Dodge at the state cross country meet, along with three-time state qualifier junior Brynn Kartman.

Kartman loved having a new teammate who pushed her, even though Kartman initially struggled with the competition.

 “She (Norah) is an insane athlete,” said Kartman, who was used to finishing first on the team. “I was selling myself short. It was disheartening that someone was better than me.”

Kartman felt that having Peyton on the team motivated everyone to run faster. 

 “It pushed me,” Kartman said.  “She was an encouragement to everyone because she is such a hard worker.”