New Country, New Team, New PRs – Rono Leading Talented Blue Dragon Women’s Cross Country

By Chris Lachenmaier
Sports Editor
IG: @chrissylach

Starting a new journey can be hard with difficulties and challenges coming your way.

Running can change from country to country. Mildred Rono from the Hutchinson Community College women’s cross country team is the perfect example of grit and dedication to where she is today. Being from Iten, Kenya, running is way different, as running is in their everyday culture. “I’ve been running in camps since I was a child, but I’ve always liked to run the 3,000 meter,” Rono said.

Rono has always been close to her Kenyan teammates. She has had plenty of time trials with men’s team runners Cornelius Kogo and Titus Kiprotich.

Blue Dragons coach Jafet Molinares has played a huge role in her success and confidence throughout her season.

“During her time trials that she would run she would run pretty well, and her also being close with Titus and Kip Rodich on Mildred’s team got us all connected,” Molinares said.

Progress has been the key point to making sure that Rono keeps running her times.

“We do speed work, we must make our times, so everytime I’m going out and I’m hitting that time, proving that I’m seeing progress, with Coach always giving me goals every mile,” Rono said. “For example, if I run a 5:50 mile she will push and me and get me to run that 5:45 so that Coach sees my progress.”

Practices feel the same with the intensity staying the same.

“From day one, the standard is set that it’s all about making it to the championship season,” Molinares said. “We are excited for what we have been waiting for and what we have been working really hard towards, but honestly when it comes to energy we have had great energy from the beginning. But now going into the postseason I would say everybody’s pretty locked in.”

With Rono running record-breaking times for the Blue Dragons, Molinares said Rono has turned into one of the top runners in Region 6.

“Mildred is in a realistic position to win it, with her being runner of the week in our region, and in the Jayhawk Conference,” Molinares said. “She did lose to another juco at Iowa Western – that girl is extremely talented – so in all honesty, the way she ran it as close as she did to her definitely gives us confidence knowing that she belongs there, and her helping out and leading our team, the girls are able to see the work that she is putting in. But then she shows up and keeps doing what she’s been doing, and it gives everybody that confidence and faith that everybody is going to do good.”

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