Messenger photo by Britt Kudla Lea Friedl runs for Eagle Grove during last year’s state cross country meet.

EAGLE GROVE — During her final meet as a freshman, Lea Friedl accomplished a feat that would spark a goal for the rest of her high school career.

The current Eagle Grove senior qualified for the state cross country meet and placed 70th in her maiden voyage four years ago. That would provide all the motivation Friedl needed to get back to Fort Dodge as often as possible.

“Being a four-time state qualifier means a lot,” Friedl said. It was a goal that I wanted to accomplish from that point on. From where I started off running my freshman year, to where I’m at…it’s a huge leap. I was once the seventh scorer on my team.

“Being a four-time state qualifier means that all of the hard work, long days, and painful workouts were worth it for the end results. I am blessed with the opportunity to be able to get out of bed and go run every day.”

Friedl, who will compete for the Eagles on Saturday at Lakeside in Class 2A, started running when she was in the sixth grade. Once she hit high school, her level of interest took off.

As a sophomore, Friedl jumped up more than half the spots of her freshman campaign (34th). Friedl was 107th last fall, running despite not feeling the best.

“I can’t really say running was my main focus (at first),” Friedl said. “I just enjoyed the fact that I could be around a good group of girls, and that we all got along well and had a great bond.

“But I guess you could say running became a focus for me when I figured out that I could go out and run and actually compete with other very good runners.”

Friedl knows without the Eagle Grove community, her success wouldn’t have been possible.

“The people who have influenced my running and have helped me get better each year have been all of my teammates and my coach, Mike Herrington,” Friedl said. “They all believed in me and my abilities to do well, so I always wanted to do well for them and with them in each meet.”

Friedl is currently undecided on which college she will attend, but plans on majoring in kinesiology and exercise science. She wants to be a physical therapist and follow a pre-chiropractic path.

The 2A girls race will start at 10:30 a.m.