Whether you’re sifting through emails from upper school athletic director Dan Molin, browsing through the Harker Athletics instagram page or listening to the Eagle Update during school meetings, you’re likely to come across Kara Kister’s (12) name frequently, especially during the fall and spring seasons. In the fall, Kara hits the cross country trails, and in the spring, she takes to the track — no matter the season, her dedication and hard work render her a standout member of the Harker Athletics community.

After joining Harker in ninth grade, Kara signed up for the cross country team with her father’s encouragement and her desire to try out a new activity. The supportive community surrounding the sport warmly welcomed Kara, who soon found friends with similar interests. 

“As a freshman, I was a really shy person and scared to talk to new people,” Kara said. “Cross country is the main reason why I have improved my social skills and became more confident in who I was as a person. I enjoy it so much because although it can be draining and painful, the feeling you get after you complete a hard workout or race is the best reward.”

Through training and running races in cross country, Kara has developed a strong sense of self-worth. Rather than fixating on where she stands in comparison to others, Kara focuses on improving her own times.

“If you’re racing for a place when you’re racing, you’re not going to do well because there’s only one winner of hundreds of people,” Kara said. “But you’re supposed to compare yourself to your previous times so that you can improve yourself and not focus on others.” 

During her time in track and cross country, Kara has also been able to reflect on her core values. By maintaining an optimistic attitude and a positive outlook on life, she has developed the resilience to navigate tough times, such as recovering from injuries. 

“After one bad race or one bad moment, you can only go upwards,” Kara said. “I’ve had times where I haven’t had a personal record or I’ve had bad races back-to-back. I would get super down and lose my confidence. But after, you have that one race where you get a big PR and you’re super happy. No matter how bad the situation you’re in right now is, if you have a positive attitude, it will get better.” 

Upper school cross country head coach Kevin Oliver has found that Kara’s infectious enthusiasm contributes to team spirit, creating a supportive and encouraging environment for her teammates.

“In terms of my role as cross country coach, I’m always happy to have someone who’s really fast and really hard working,” Oliver said. “That’s fantastic, but what I appreciate even more is her attitude. Every single day, she comes to practice with a smile on her face whether she’s just going on a run or she’s got a hard workout. That type of thing is contagious.” 

Kara’s commitment to pursuing her aspirations has become a great asset, strengthened by her ability to effectively manage her time. On average, she runs six to eight miles every day, often dedicating time outside of scheduled practices to the sport. 

“For the two years I’ve known her, every day she goes to practice, and when she doesn’t go to practice, she goes on runs in the morning or at night just for fun,” close friend Grace Hoang (12) said. “She puts her all into sports, and even then she makes time to put her all into school too, which I really admire about her.”

Despite the physically taxing nature of cross country and track, Kara derives her energy and enthusiasm from the two sports. Sometimes, bonding with friends at practice is just what she needs to improve her day. Even in the midst of stressful times, such as before a race, Kara values the opportunity to catch up with old friends from other schools and meet new people. During meets, Kara and her team set up a camp where they warm up, relax and prepare for their races. 

“I’ll see all my cross-country friends at practice, and I’ll completely forget about why I was sad that day,” Kara said. “Sometimes when I’m not feeling great or I’m feeling unproductive, I’ll go for a run and I’ll feel better after.” 

Outside of running, Kara also values her friendships. Annmaria Antony (12) met Kara at the beginning of their freshman year, and the two quickly developed a strong bond. During the summer especially, they frequent cinemas, watching films ranging from “Sing 2” to “Elvis.”

“She’s always been that kind of inspiration because she works so hard and she deserves everything she has,” Annmaria said. “Kara is the kind of friend you want around you because she makes you a better person and reach your full potential.”

Every race marks another opportunity for Kara to improve on her previous time. Likewise, a fresh day represents the chance to find out something new about herself. For Kara, one of these discoveries that came to light throughout her years at Harker is her love for mathematics.  

“Throughout high school, Kara’s been able to explore some of her interests, and she’s been able to try new things,” Annmaria said. “Kara is really into math now, and she wasn’t into math when she first came to Harker. It’s cool that she’s figured out that math is something that she’s passionate about.”