Sophomore Liam and senior Maggie Powers are a dynamic sibling duo who have shared the passion for running since their early years. It all began when the two young soccer athletes discovered their love for running in second grade through Geist Elementary’s Friday-morning running club. What started as a secondary sport that kept them conditioned for soccer slowly transformed into a primary focus, and they haven’t looked back since. In this Q&A, the siblings discuss their achievements, setbacks, and tight-knit journey so far. From motivating each other during tough times to friendly competition, they perfectly exemplify the synergy of family and sport.
What are some of your accomplishments so far?
Liam: In my 8th grade year at Fall Creek Junior High, my cross-country team won the Indiana Middle School State Championship. It was also the first time I ran under 10 minutes in the 3k (9:59). My freshman year, I placed third in our sectional meet and advanced to state. Another personal accomplishment was running under 16 minutes for the first time in the 5k (15:42) at the Hamilton County Championship (HCC). This season, our team recently placed 5th at the State Championship and overall, I have grown much closer to them and the girls as well.
Maggie: I am most proud of receiving All-State honors in my junior year and placing 16th overall at the State meet. My sophomore season, my team placed 4th at State and earned a spot on the podium. I am also a 3-time Sectionals Champion and just recently got 3rd in a very competitive regionals race, the highest I’ve ever placed. This helped qualify our team for my 4th straight State meet. Winning the HCC meet this year was also exciting.
What have been some setbacks/obstacles in your career so far and how did you overcome them?
Liam: Running is a difficult sport not just physically, but mentally. This previous season, I struggled with nagging injuries and had to take time off and cross-train on the stationary bike and elliptical. This season’s injuries challenged my mental toughness and my ability to stay consistently motivated. Recovering from these injuries was very difficult.
Maggie: For the first time in my running career, I really struggled with inadequate nutrition and very low iron levels. This combination caused my bodyto feel extremely drained and fatigued, leading to very low energy during both practices and races. I knew something was wrong when I was unable to finish a workout. I had to resort to biking and taking days off from running. At one point during our team’s Conference race, there came a point where I felt so defeated and wanted to drop out, but I knew that our team was counting on me to keep going and finish. After having blood work done, my doctor was able to diagnose the primary issues and thankfully, I feel like I now have a plan to help me maintain my energy and regain my confidence. In the last month, I started to slowly recover with the help of the right vitamins and nutrition. I am almost fully recovered now.
How do you build off your sibling?
Liam: Maggie and I [are] both passionate about running, we have been able to not only train together, but help each other stay motivated and learn from each other the strengths and weaknesses in the sport. We train together year-round and are always very involved with the sport.
Maggie: Because we are both running fanatics, Liam and I love building off each other’s running passion by keeping each other motivated throughout the year, even on those cold winter days when nobody wants to run! Being able to train together is a huge advantage during the post/off-seasons. Motivating yourself to go on a long run or do an individual workout can be challenging so we keep each other accountable on those low days when we don’t want to run. Always having someone there is great!
How have you helped your sibling in their career?
Liam: Maggie has been a huge inspiration to my running career with how hard-working and dedicated she is. I constantly work to motivate her and cheer her on, not only on the course, but especially in her process of making a college running decision (Loyola). Maggie is an exceptional runner and having her guidance has been helpful in navigating my own running career.
Maggie: When I started running back in elementary school, Liam soon followed in my footsteps (pun intended)! We have been running together ever since then and have always been each other’s biggest fans. We find that cheering on each other during races and always encouraging each other is the best and most impactful way to help boost each other’s confidence.
Are the two of you competitive? If so, how?
Liam: We’re not exactly competitive as we are at different levels in our athletic careers and aren’t the same gender. We want one another to be successful and happy when running, physically and mentally.
Maggie: There has always been some competitive nature and drive between us. The battle is to see who can improve their personal best time the most at each race. Comparing actual race times is a difficult measure as males are typically faster than females. Being able to train with each other at home can make for some great runs when trying to pace one another.
Do you feel you have grown closer with your sibling because of cross country? If so, how?
Liam: Absolutely! We are very close since we spend a great deal of time together running, traveling to practices/meets and talking about running. It will be immensely different without her as a leader on the HSE Cross Country team next fall.
Maggie: Yes, 100%! Running has been a huge passion of our entire family for as long as I can remember. It has brought our family closer together, and many of my closest friends have come from being involved in cross country. The running community is truly such an incredible and amazing group of young individuals all striving for different goals, which I find so amazing. With both of us in the same sport, it always makes it so much easier to train, compete, and build a sibling relationship.
