One of NC State's most decorated athletes has a chance for a cross country three-peat

They are pretty remarkable accomplishments for someone in a collegiate career.

Tuohy, however, has another word to describe herself.

"I'm pretty boring," she laughed. "I just run, and hang out with my friends and family, and that's about it."

When you're a runner, especially at her level, it's hard to think about anything else.

"People who run cross country have a certain mindset that they just want to go as hard as they can all the time, just train their butts off," Tuohy said.

To put the training in perspective, during the season, Tuohy said the team can run 80 to 85 miles over the course of a week. During a "taper," when they're running less, that number drops to an incredibly understandable 55 to 60 miles.

"I'm always asking for more mileage or more reps. We drive Coach (Laurie) Henes crazy, but I think she likes it secretly,"

All the hard work has certainly paid off for the program. The NC State women's cross country team has finished with four individual NCAA Championships (most recently, Tuohy in 2022) and 12 top-five NCAA Championship finishes since 1981, including its incredible back-to-back team championships in 2021 and 2022. Even The year prior (2020) when the Wolfpack didn't finish in first, they finished in second.

"It's an honor to run for the Wolfpack, honestly. NC State, especially on the women's cross country side, has a really rich history," Tuohy said.

Laurie Henes, who works as the director of track & field and cross country, the men's and women's track & field head coach, and the women's cross country head coach has seen a lot of that success during her tenure. Henes was a former national champion in track & field and an All-American in cross country at NC State. She joined the coaching staff in 1992 and was named the women's cross country head coach in the fall of 2006.

"She's helped me a lot, guided me. She's a great coach – she doesn't just care about us as athletes, but as people. If it wasn't for her, I definitely wouldn't be where I was today," Tuohy said.

On Saturday, Nov. 18, NC State will get a chance to compete for a three-peat in women's cross country. The NCAA Championships start at 10:20 a.m. in Charlottesville, Virginia. There will be tough competition for sure, but the Wolfpack have the chance to make something special happen.

"It would mean a lot. Each year is just so special. I think the journey is what makes it all worth it, just going through the whole year, just waiting for that day. We all look forward to it. We all love cross country," Tuohy said.

The postseason has already been very successful for NC State. The Wolfpack won its eighth-consecutive ACC Championship in the end of October, with Tuohy winning her second straight individual ACC Cross Country Championship. It's the fifth time in five years that an NC State runner took home the individual women's ACC Championship.

Last weekend, the team also won the Southeast Regional at USC Upstate, its seventh-straight NCAA regional title.

The only other programs to win three NCAA Championships in a row in women's cross country are Villanova, which won six in a row between 1989-1994, and Stanford, which won three in a row from 2005-2007.

As a senior wrapping up the cross country season, it's a natural time for reflection, and there's a lot to reflect on when it comes to her time in Raleigh. Tuohy says the people here have molded her into her current iteration.

"I love my teammates. I love the coaches. They taught me a lot of lessons, and I really just look up to everyone here, whether they're older or younger than me," Tuohy said.

"We run for each other. It's really special doing something bigger than yourself when you line up and want to run for your teammates."

A focus this season has been to not just run, but to run with gratitude.

"No matter how hard I push myself and work to get to where I want to be, I wouldn't be here without the people that got me here."

"It really does take a village to get to where we are," she said.

When you run, you can't let anything slow you down, especially the weight of expectations. It took time for Tuohy to realize that. Now, she's doing a better job at finding peace.

"I think I need to give myself a little more grace," she said. "It's really cool seeing your goals come true."

Tuohy has her eyes set on Saturday. No matter what happens in Charlottesville and what comes after that, she knows what she wants.

"Win races, set PRs and just keep running for as long as I can 'cause it's what I love to do."