Dynamic duo makes its mark on East Meadow

Katherine and Isabel Marsh, both 17, are twin magic for the East Meadow track and cross-country team. Both sisters’ track passion stemmed from their childhood in Brooklyn where they fell in love with the idea of racing their cousins.

“We would always be running whether we were at the park or around the block,” said Katherine. “I never really saw running as a talent I had, especially one that I would be able pursue in high school.” They joined their first official team at Woodland Middle School, running cross-country in seventh grade.

“I think one of the biggest accomplishments I have achieved is being more confident in my capabilities,” said Katherine. “I always felt that I couldn’t be good enough or fast enough. I would go into my races scared out of my mind and filled with so much anxiety. I think it’s because I was afraid to see myself fail.” She handles the pressure a lot better now, she said, adding that she learned to not let her nerves affect her performance. “I now try to stay as calm as possible and I [do] see a difference in my races.”

Twin, Katherine Marsh, faced a potential career ending challenge in the eighth grade. “In eighth grade I probably faced the worst challenge throughout my running career,” she said. “After one of my seventh-grade races I collapsed and had four seizures. I wasn’t able to run for the rest of the season and all of my eighth-grade year.”

Katherine went to multiple neurologists and cardiologists and was prescribed different medications, but doctors still could not figure out what was wrong. As the end of eighth-grade approached, she made sure she went to the high school cross-country sign ups in hope of returning to the sport that she loved. Eventually, in the summer, Katherine was cleared by the doctor to participate in sports again.

“As I started running again, I would feel light-headed and like I was about to pass out,” she said. “But nothing as severe like seizures and ending up in the hospital after every race.”

Katherine did not let her biggest obstacles define her as an athlete. Her current high school running record makes her a four-time All County cross-country athlete, a two-time All County athlete in both winter and spring track and she competed on the state level for cross-country three times. Her accomplishments do not stop here, as her four-by-eight team has also been to states two times, once in winter and once in spring, and made it to nationals three times.

Both Isabel and Katherine are unsure of where they will be going to college, but they have plans on attending the same one when they make their decision. As much as they both enjoy track, they found that continuing track in college would be too much of a struggle.

Isabel said, “As much as I would love to see where I would have gone in my track career, I also can’t see myself doing it as a full time profession.” Isabel is another running star as she is a six-time all county runner and she made all conference annually since freshman year.

Isabel and Katherine’s biggest inspiration is their Track Coach Josepher. “My coach inspires me as a track athlete,” Katherine said. “Though he isn’t one now, I admire the things he has accomplished and the work and time he put into our practices and workouts. Even though workouts are a pain, he’s been through the same and I trust his coaching ability and the improvement that naturally comes with it.”

Isabel agreed and added, “He has inspired me to become the best athlete I can be and to just trust the process.” Both twins train about six days a week for about twelve hours. A workout day for them consists of about three miles and, for an easy day, they run four to five miles.

As graduating seniors, they hope to give advice to young aspiring runners who may be nervous about their first big race, “ My message to them is to trust the process and not every race is going to be your best. You can learn from and go into your next race wanting to be better than before,” said Isabel and Katherine added, “My advice would be to not let the stress and the anxiety get to you. You have to believe in abilities and come to practice everyday ready to give it your all.”