Athlete Spotlight: James Wood cross country runner Izzy Newman

James Wood High School 17-year-old senior

Sport: Cross Country

Parents: Carla and Bryan Newman

Hometown: Winchester

What do you love about cross country?: All of the little moments of cross country. It’s just so much more than crossing the finish line. I love getting to run with the team and pushing myself to the greatest capability. Also, the feeling after a race is pretty phenomenal.

Most memorable moment in cross country: My sophomore year, when we got second in the region and we got to go to states for the first time as a team in 33 years. We had worked so hard, and it kind of sparked me wanting more in the sport.

Most embarrassing moment in cross country: Last year, I fractured my foot, so in order to stay in shape, I would bike. One time I was biking on the track while the team was doing a workout, and I actually hit one of the runners (Jacob Oliver). There were some screams when we had the collision, but we now can laugh about it, me and Jacob Oliver. We can’t decide whose fault it was.

Most difficult moment in cross country: Definitely last March. I ran in all of the meets during the last cross country season, but I was having a lot of pain in my foot, and I had to make the decision whether to opt out of districts or run at districts in and possibly make the injury worse. I ended up running in the race. (Newman placed 13th in 21:18.4 and was the No. 2 runner on the Colonels.) After the race, I found out it was a stress fracture. Definitely dealing with that injury and coming back has been the most difficult, but also the most rewarding.

Four people you can have dinner with, dead or alive: I was invited to a dinner when [James Wood cross country runner] Nathaniel [Woshner did [his Athlete Spotlight]. I’m like, ‘I can’t copy him,’ but [James Wood runners] Elena [Farinholt], Liam [McDonald], Lauren [Beatty] and Nathaniel, there’s no one else I’d rather have dinner with. This year, we’ve totally connected on a different level, and I’ve never been more supported. I would eat dinner with them any day of the week.

Biggest athletic influence: [Former James Wood runner and current George Washington University runner] Kenzie Konyar. She’s one of my favorite people on this planet and one of my favorite training partners. I started training with her during COVID, and she has always been supportive. We have so many fun memories and we’ve developed a really close friendship. It was such an amazing thing to be able to run and learn from her, and now she’s crushing it at George Washington.

Favorite teacher: Ms. [Suzanne] Miller from Frederick County Middle School. She was my eighth-grade English teacher. I love to write, and she really inspired me to write. I had a lot of ideas, and she really pushed them and really inspired me to love the English language. I’m really grateful for that.

Favorite athlete: [Distance runner and Olympic silver medalist] Shalane Flanagan

Favorite sports team: New York Yankees

Favorite movie: “Twilight”

Favorite TV show: “Stranger Things”

Favorite song: Any song by Taylor Swift

Favorite food: Carb-heavy things — pasta, bread, cake.

Worst thing you’ve ever eaten: My brother and my dad during squirrel season last year got a squirrel. They had us try it, and it was not good.

Plans after high school: I’m talking with a bunch of coaches right now, so I’m going to run at the D-I or the D-II level. I’m going to go into nursing school. After nursing school, I want to be a nurse practitioner in oncology. I actually have a mentorship with an oncologist right now. It’s one of the best experiences of my life. I’m a huge people person. Working with oncology patients really helped me realize how crazy-short life is, and I just really value it.

— Compiled by Robert Niedzwiecki