Determined Kreft sisters attribute their success to an active country lifestyle

It?s a special time for Randy and Karen Kreft as they watch their three daughters compete on the Rogers City cross-country team this fall. This is the one and only season Lacey, 18, Chelsea, 16, and Kaylee, 14, will run together for the Huron squad. While the season is nearly a month old, it wasn?t until Saturday at Petoskey that they actually ran together for the first time. Lacey is the senior, who has been a four year member of the high school team, wasn?t able to take part in competition because of severe shin splits, an injury that occurred during the track season last spring. She just started running again two weeks ago. The road to recovery required trips to rehab twice a week, but she finally worked her way back to the cross-country course.

RANDY AND KAREN were both concerned about how she would handle the first race. ?We were a little worried to see how she would do,? Randy said. ?I kept asking her if her ankles were sore.? The senior finished strong and didn?t complain of any problems the next day. Lacey finished fifth in the 11th and 12th grade race, while Kaylee was first among ninth and tenth graders. Chelsea was the next highest placer from Rogers City, earning a 17th place finish. Randy said it was ?nice to see all of them together.?

It?s an interesting situation having three athletes competing against each other in a high school sport. Karen said she wants each one of her girls to do their best all of the time. ?When the race starts they (girls) are competitors and as soon as they get across the finish line they are sisters, so hopefully if somebody had a break down along the trail I tell them you have to go past (your sister). You can?t turn around,? said Karen. ?You?ve got to trust that somebody else will help them.? The Kreft girls will be key performers for the Hurons if the cross-country team wants to make it back to the state finals in Brooklyn.

WHAT THE Kreft girls already had going for them before they started running cross-country was a love of the outdoors, and any type of physical activity. They enjoy riding their bikes, swimming, riding and running with the family horses, or opening up the homework books in their back yard. ?They are country kids,? Karen said. ?These guys are active,? Randy said. ?They like to be outside if they don?t have school work, or if they are not doing their pictures.?

The Kreft girls have been spotted on their bikes in different areas of the county. ?A teacher saw them in the middle of nowhere,? Karen said. ?It just so happens that we live in the middle of nowhere.? The Krefts are nestled in the rolling hills of Moltke Township on Algenstedt Highway. Riding their bikes or running on some of the steepest hills in the county have made the girls stronger runners and have prepared them for pretty much any type of course, Karen said. The girls have been known to ride their bikes to Ocqueoc Falls and back, or to their grandmother?s house for a swim. Grandma Pat Brege doesn?t live around the corner either, she lives at Lake Nettie 17 miles away. Karen believes swimming is good for their ankles, so, whenever possible they go for a dip. Randy took the girls for a picnic by the water Saturday in Petoskey and they went for a plunge off the pier despite a wind of about 15 m.p.h.

ON THE FARM, they like to run with their father?s horse Chestnut. Chelsea said their horse Lucky isn?t into running. The girls take Chestnut out in the field for a workout. ?We usually win the race,? Chelsea said. One of the family dogs, Zipper, likes to run as well, but the girls have worn the dog down. Karen said they?ve had to put Neosporin on the pads of Zipper?s paws because the dog has run so much. Karen believes their love of the outdoors started when they were young.

?When they picked on each other I would take them all out for a walk,? she said. They were so preoccupied that the fighting stopped. All three watch what they eat, although they would like to have the metabolism of Kaylee, who seems to not be slowed by anything she eats. All three avoid fast food meals, butter, and junk food. Lacey skipped eating birthday cake when she turned 18 last week, so she would be ready for that first race Saturday. ?Lacey is very determined,? Randy said.

ALL THREE are honor students, with Lacey finishing at the top of her class as a junior and probably will be in the running

for valedictorian this school year. Karen said her daughters have a breakfast of bananas, oatmeal, or cereal, which she believes gives them an advantage over other students who skip breakfast. All three remain determined to do well on and off the race course. Lacey and Chelsea want to beat their personal records each time they step on the course, while the freshman Kaylee has her sights set on the many records held by Lauren Fairbanks. Kaylee shaved 34 seconds off a course record at Newberry a couple of weeks ago, which had been set by Fairbanks in 2002. If injuries don?t slow her, more records will probably fall.

Kaylee also said another thing that drives her is that she doesn?t want to disappoint her two older sisters ?because they would kick my butt if I quit.? ?What?? Lacey reacted, a little surprised at the answer. A little family strife among sisters, it?s still not too late for a friendly family walk down Algenstedt Highway.

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