Sometimes when Kiki Twardosz runs, she’s California dreamin’.
When the Hinsdale South sophomore traveled west for a family wedding while in the eighth grade, the Willowbrook resident was quickly hooked by all that Southern California could offer. So it wasn’t surprising when the Hornets’ cross country runner jumped an opportunity in July to attend a one-week running camp at Pepperdine in Malibu.
“It was really beautiful there. You can see the ocean from the campus anywhere,” Twardosz said. “It was pretty running by the ocean a few times and also seeing the mountains.”
Back to reality and far away from mountains and oceans, Twardosz is the top runner for the Hornets this fall. Her training last summer paid off when Twardosz placed 11th as Hinsdale South’s top runner at the West Suburban Gold meet on Saturday, Oct. 17, at O’Brien Park in Downers Grove. Sophomore teammate Neha Chinwalla took 12th for the fourth-place Hornets (84).
Twardosz clocked 19 minutes, 53.7 seconds at the conference meet and will run next in the Class 2A Marist Regional at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, at Midlothian Meadows in Markham. Hinsdale South finished eighth in its regional last season and hopes to become a top five team at the regional and advance to the Wheaton Academy Sectional Oct. 31.
Twardosz, who also competes in gymnastics for the Hornets, said she picked up a lot about competitive running from her week at Pepperdine.
“I learned about training, when in practice you train a certain amount,” Twardosz said. “If you train too hard, it will make you slower in your next run. But if you train too little, you’ll run slower.”
She said the Pepperdine camp wasn’t just about running. Many of the participants went swimming at a local beach in their free time.
“I think that I would like to live in California,” Twardosz, whose first name is Alexandra, said.
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In her second varsity season in cross country, Twardosz is Hinsdale South’s top runner after standout Sarah Leganski graduated. Sophomore Elizabeth Lowery beat Twardosz by under a second at the Hornet-Red Devil Invitational Sept. 5, but Twardosz was the first runner across for the Hornets at the Spring Invitational in Peoria Sept. 19, the Hoffman Estates Macnider Invitational Sept. 26 and the Niles West Pat Savage Invitational Oct. 3.
“I am not surprised,” Hornets coach Gail Huster said. “She did good in track last season. She was one of our better half-milers last year, but she’s not quite a two-miler. She’s better at the quarter or half mile.”
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