Senior Emilia Weinrobe has been running almost her entire life, spending the time she wasn’t in school or taking photographs practicing to improve her speed.

Weinrobe’s love for running emerged at a young age and has since grown.

“Emilia was a very energetic child,” Josh Weinrobe, Weinrobe’s dad, said. “One day while relaxing in Piedmont Park, when Emilia was still in elementary school, she challenged her younger brother to a race around the meadow. After one lap her brother dropped out, but Emilia kept on going. At that point, we knew we had a runner.”

Weinrobe joined the cross country team in middle school and decided to continue in high school, where she immediately felt welcomed by the program, furthering her passion for the sport.

“In summer training, I met everyone and I loved the running community,” Weinrobe said. “I realized how good all the girls around me were and I really looked up to them and I wanted to be like them, so I started taking running seriously.”

Over her four years on the cross country team, Weinrobe has built lasting friendships and a strong relationship with her coach, Jeff Cramer.

“With cross country, we’re all just a huge family, girls and boys,” Weinrobe said. “I’ve had the same cross country coach, Jeff Cramer, for the past four years, and he and I definitely have formed such a strong connection and we get along so well. The environment has really contributed to my successes on the team because I’m not running for myself, I’m running for the other girls too.”

Josh Weinrobe, being a runner himself, has been a mentor for Weinrobe, offering his knowledge and experience while supporting her along the way.

“I’ve tried to share what I’ve learned about the sport and what it takes to get the most out of training, avoid injury, develop healthy eating habits, and prepare for race day,” Josh Weinrobe said. “Most of all, I love watching Emilia run, compete, and generally enjoy the sport. We all have good days and bad days. I try to be there for her to celebrate the good ones and help her learn and move on from the bad ones.”

Junior and teammate Cary Schroeder appreciates Weinrobe’s leadership qualities and contributions to the team as a runner and person.

“She’s a really good competitor,” Schroeder said. “She is competitive in her own way which is really great to have at meets and she always pushes me and other people in practice.”

After overcoming some challenges in her junior year, such as getting Covid, Weinrobe began to explore potential options for collegiate running.

“I started looking at my times and comparing them to college athletes that were in the Division 3 level and I was like maybe this is something that I can pursue,” Weinrobe said. “So I started talking to colleges.”

Weinrobe committed to Colorado College in December. She loves the location and atmosphere and is excited for the balance the school offers between school and cross country.

“Colorado College was at the top of my list throughout the entire recruitment process,” Weinrobe said. “Even when I would go visit other schools, I would come back home and I would think about it and realize ‘Yeah, Colorado College is the place for me; that’s the one place I can see myself.’”

One thing that drew Weinrobe to Colorado College was the unique course schedule, with only one class being taken at a time. Weinrobe was extensive in making sure that the school suited her personality and desires.

“Although running in college was not her first priority, Emilia was diligent about finding schools that fit other criteria important to her, then began contacting coaches,” Josh Weinrobe said. “Colorado College checked all the boxes and she really enjoyed her visit there in September. I think the beautiful view of the Rocky Mountains from campus was what sealed the deal for her.”

Cramer can see Weinrobe’s enthusiasm about the school and believes it will be a good fit for her.

“When Emilia’s excited about something, she’s grinning from ear to ear and when she’s not excited about something, she’s giving me some kind of shake of her head or frown on her face,” Cramer said. “So, she’s very excited about it.”

Cramer is proud of Weinrobe’s dedication to not only cross country but other aspects of her life as well. The two have developed a close relationship, learning from each other and sharing advice.

“I really enjoyed watching her work on some of the things like the yearbook and photography, those are things that she shares with me and we talk about and share ideas on how you become excellent at anything that you do,” Cramer said. “I think that we both have learned a lot from each other about what it means to excel, whether it’s at sports and academics or any other extracurriculars. That’s the message that I try to get across to the kids constantly.”

Weinrobe is looking forward to running her last track season at Midtown and is excited for the future.

“I’m really excited to meet all the girls and guys on the Colorado College team,” Weinrobe said. “I’m excited to form new connections and explore the mountains and Colorado as a whole.”