My name is Preston Short in the class of 2027 and I run track and cross country at Lincoln Community High School in Illinois. Running has always been a passion of mine, and the desire to improve has continued as I have gotten older. This fall, I have continued to work hard and develop my frame of 6’1” to improve my times on the cross country course by close to 30 seconds. I plan to continue this momentum and run a low 15 minute 3 mile at the Class 2A IHSA championships. My sophomore year of track I managed to run personal records of 4:33 in the 1600 and 9:54 in the 3200. For my next track season, I have set goals of sub 4:20 in the mile, 9:20 in the 3200, as well as a 1:58 800. Off of the track, I push myself academically with a GPA of 3.87 while mostly taking all of the accelerated classes that are offered.  

From the first day I joined the cross country team in junior high, to today, I have always been dedicated to improving myself by always working my hardest. I take pride in being a leader on my team and holding not only myself, but others accountable. I am looking forward to continuing my running career at a college where I can have a strong bond with my teammates and I can grow to my full potential. Off the track, I keep myself busy with my other activities. I have played varsity basketball at my school for the past couple of years. I am also a part of the National Honors Society and FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America) where I volunteer and make a difference in my community.  

I am determined to work to improve my marks not only on the track, but also in the classroom as well. For more information, please email me at prestonshort2027@gmail.com.