Senior Grace Boleyn has been running for the school district since seventh grade. Although she didn’t start running until Junior High, she participated in the Mississippi Valley Track Club as a kid, partaking in field events such as javelin, high jump and long jump. She is now committed to run for The University of Iowa’s Girls Track and Field team, where she will major in Mechanical Engineering.
As a varsity cross country and track runner, Boleyn’s schedule is pretty consistent. “I wake up at 6:15-6:30 a.m. and go to school and then practice from 3:45-6 p.m. and go to the Bett Plex to lift afterwards. Then I shower and eat dinner and usually go to bed by 8:30 or 9 p.m,” Boleyn explained.
Between track and school Boleyn stays busy. With limited time in her schedule for doing homework, balancing her athletics and academics can be a challenge. “I would say the biggest challenge of balancing running and school is missing time in class for meets,” she explained. Keeping her priorities straight is the easiest way to manage this challenge. “I always prioritize sleep because usually both my academics and athletics suffer when I neglect it,” Boleyn said.
Boleyn’s focus on consistent sleeping habits has ensured that her athletics rarely suffer. She made All-State twice for cross country during her high school career. Additionally, she was a part of the relay team responsible for breaking the state meet record in both the 4×800-meter relay and the 4×400-meter relay. Boleyn is a three-time Drake Relays champion and two-time state champion as well as team champion for both track and cross country. Her unwavering dedication to the sport is evident in everything she does.
Senior Ani Wedemeyer runs both cross country and track and field with Boleyn. “Grace is the most dedicated and hardworking person I know. It’s easy to forget how hard it is to balance school and sports when you’re at Grace’s level, but she does it all and on top of that she’s a great person, teammate, and friend,” said Wedemeyer.
Boleyn’s outstanding athletic talent and rigorous school workload made her a sought after collegiate athlete. Although numerous schools were in pursuit of Boleyn, The University of Iowa stood out to her. “I chose Iowa for running because of how driven and passionate the girls on the team were as well as how dedicated the coaching staff was,” Boleyn explained. “The team had a great culture and the school supported athletics very well. Iowa also has an amazing history of developing athletes, especially middle distance.” For Boleyn, a middle distance specialist, The University of Iowa was the clear choice.
Grace Boleyn has been a vital component of both the cross country and track and field teams all four years at the high school. And although it will be hard to lose such a great leader and athlete, there is no doubt that she has a promising future and will continue to flourish at The University of Iowa.
