Madison Carr '25 Recruiting Profile

I did not start running till summer of 2021. Before that, I never was really active and overweight for my age and definitely didn’t go run miles upon miles for fun. I started dancing when I moved to Florida and did other sports that didn't peak my interests like running did. I had a rough year before I started running. As a dancer, I grew at a severely low weight losing really close to 100 pounds within a years time span. I never really noticed how much my body felt so lethargic, fatigued, and foggy at this time, but all I thought about was becoming a better dancer. I went from practically doing nothing every day to dancing for hours each day at really high intensities. Until the point that we all noticed that I had lost a lot of weight, did not look healthy and decided to figure out what was going on. It was something mentally and physically hard to work and go through, but I never gave up until I knew I was strong and healthy.  

In this time period, I started doing more research and learning about Low Energy Availability in Athletes and leaning more about nutrition and how to become a stronger athlete. I became very interested in the idea that stronger + healthier= a better athlete not thinner+leaner.  I got very interested in learning about sports nutrition, training, and recovery. At this time, many individuals had doubted me and my abilities but I had my parents to back me up and support me on my journey to becoming healthy again. 

By that time, I was both physically and mentally drained from dance, and I was looking to find something knew to be passionate over. I worked hard over the course of a few months, gaining weight back, becoming stronger, and prioritizing my health. By the end of my 8th grade year, I became weight restored and was good and healthy thanks to some help from a dietitian I actually came across from Tik Tok who really helped, Derek Lipton. I decided to stop dance once the season was over because I was always taught to finish what you started. 

My friend one day in robotics class started talking about running. And that’s when Cross-country peaked my interest. Once my dance season was over, I hopped on the running wagon. I grew such a fond love for it. The first few steps. I truly fell in love. It was something I was a natural at.  

Continuing along in my running career, it has taught me so much and I have met so many amazing and incredible people along the way. From mental toughness, to taking care of your body to keep it strong and healthy to perform at it's best, I have learned a lot. And I still have a long ways to go, but this sport, it's something always worth fighting for in the tough times.  Running isn't just a sport, it's a lifestyle. And running has brought me a lot in my life and things to cherish deeply. That it’s not something I have to do, it’s something I GET to do. And I’m forever grateful for it. 

The lord himself has kept me strong and healthy, and has kept me going even when I want to stop in the midsts of it all. Life can be a struggle at times, getting so busy and overwhelming . Trying to make time for everything and everyone. It’s not possible and it will burn you out. It’s all about balance. Have fun, stay consistent and don’t forget who your are outside of your training and your sport. And don’t make comparisons. Every athlete is different and adapts differently to training, nutrition, and different lifestyles. 

My collegiate goals are to stay consistent and disciplined to running at my best performance. I am one to keep a positive mindset and be encouraging to the teammates around me as they are performing. I aspire to do my personal best and remember that hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard. I am a student athlete driven to work towards the hard things and not run away as they embrace my maximum abilities.