Hailey Hill
Las Vegas, Nev.
Class of 2023
Why did you choose Central?
I chose Central because of all the opportunities that Central can provide. From awesome professors, amazing coaches and great people, I knew that Central would be a place that I could thrive. Even though I didn’t know anyone who lived in Iowa, I knew that I would have a support system within my teammates, friends and professors who could help me with anything I would need.
Favorite professor and why?
My favorite professor is Dr. Benedict, so far I have taken two classes with him and he has helped me succeed in both. Whether it was helping me study outside of class or allowing me to learn more about Midwest ecosystems I could tell that he really cared about my academic and personal growth. He also has some great jokes which always makes class really fun.
You’re majoring in Biochemistry because?
I am looking towards becoming an epidemiologist. Biochemistry will help prepare me for graduate school so I will be able to pursue a career in epidemiology.
Besides athletics, what else are you involved in on campus?
The other main thing I am involved in on campus is poetry club. I heard about it through one of my teammates and decided to give it a shot. I have previously written poetry but I had never found a group to hear others writing and to share my writing with. Going to a poetry club allowed me to meet people outside of my sport and major. I was able to connect with others and it was awesome being able to share some of what I have written in a supportive environment.
Who are your go-to musical artists?
I have two main go to musical artists, one is Hozier and the other is Eminem. Shocking considering how different each artist is but both are awesome. Eminem is a go to because I was taught all the words to all of the songs in his Recovery album when I was ten years old so it is something that I always fall back on. Hozier is my other go to because sometimes I just want to chill out and Cherry Wine by Hozier hits different walking back from Geisler at 12:00am. I would say though that I have more go to playlists that go to artists, so if anyone is looking for a playlist to listen to I highly recommend Jammin Frickin Jams on Spotify.
How has attending Central and playing a sport impacted your life?
Attending Central and playing a sport has greatly impacted my life. It was a big life change moving from Las Vegas to Pella. I knew no one coming here, I had never been to Iowa before and this would be my first time not knowing anyone on my team.But by participating in cross country and track it was basically like I had a built in friend group. I was able to get advice about running and academics from my teammates who I hung out with everyday.
How is training different in Las Vegas and Pella?
In Las Vegas there is no humidity but there is full sun, thousands of stoplights, and a lot of busy streets. While training in Las Vegas some days I couldn’t run because of how bad the air quality was or how hot it was getting outside. I also was always dodging cars that try to turn way to fast or forget to check for runners. There was nowhere I could run that didn’t include at least 8 stoplights and the occasional middle school group that would yell “Run forest run” when we ran by. When I got to Pella it was like I had stepped into a whole different world. There were places to run for 13 miles without having to run in loops, the streets weren’t busy and I no longer was constantly worried about cars not seeing me. I was even grateful for the humidity, to me it was a much needed break from the full sun in Las Vegas. The biggest difference though is the ability to train on grass loops or dirt roads, in Vegas we only had sidewalks. Even the cross country races consisted of 95% concrete and pavement and 5% grass or dirt. I have had some of the best training of my life training in Pella simply because of how many great places there are to run.
Dream vacation?
My dream vacation is to go to Patagonia with my cousin and grandpa. The three of us are very much outdoorsy people and we have always wanted to do a backpacking trip in Patagonia. It would be awesome to see all of the cool wildlife, plants and different landscapes.
What language do you wish you could speak?
I wish that I could speak Portuguese, the main reason I can think of is because I have tried to learn it before when I was in 6th grade and a girl I knew spoke it but I never quite got the hang of it.
If you could sing one song on American Idol, what would it be and why?
My go to song to sing on American Idol would have to be Tik Tok by Kesha. It is an iconic song that not only would I be able to belt it out on American Idol I could also add in the dance my friend and I created for it in 4th grade. My singing would probably be rated a 2/10 and my dancing a 1.5/10 but maybe it would average out to be an entertaining 2.35/10. All I know is that this song would be the #1 pick if I had to sing something on American Idol.
Favorite TV Show
My favorite tv show is Diners, Drive Ins and Dives. Guy Fieri, the host of the show, is an absolute legend. I have watched this show with my dad since I was a kid and it was always a goal of ours to go to some of the restaurants that have been on the show.
What’s it like to run for Coach Dunham?
Coach Dunham is awesome, he has helped me grow into his training while also embracing my goofy side. I can truly say that he cares about my growth as an athlete and as a student. His training plans are exactly what I was looking for when I chose Central and I love that he is always available to talk whether it is about running or about something going on in school.
What’s your favorite part about being a member of Central cross country?
My favorite part about being a member of the Central cross country team is the people I get to meet through it. This includes not only my teammates but also the people I get a chance to meet with while traveling to different competitions. There is nothing better than going on a long run with my teammates and being able to talk to each other for 2 hours uninterrupted in the middle of nowhere on some random road outside of Pella. It really allows you to form relationships with everyone and so far some of my best memories of running at Central have come from those Sunday morning long runs.
What do you hope to be doing 10 years from now?
Ten years from now I hope to have a job as a clinical researcher, potentially even having a job abroad in another country. I still have a lot of schooling ahead but it would be fun to be able to live abroad after graduate school so I can meet new people and figure out where in the future I would like to live full time.
Favorite food from Central Market
My favorite food from the Central Market is the froot loop bars. Marshmallows and froot loops are the main two ingredients and let me tell you they are life changing. My friend Lauren Coon and I have always joked about taking a whole tray of them from the Market because of how good they are and I have no doubt that by the end of our four years at Central we will be able to say we have done that.
Bucket list
- Learn how to drive a lawn mower
- Travel abroad at least 15 different times before I am 35
- Learn new yo yo tricks
- Get into grad school
- Convince my teammates to go on an adventure run
- Go backpacking in Patagonia
- Publish something
