Handley High School 17-year-old senior
Sport: Cross country
Parent: Veronica Doran
Hometown: Winchester
What do you love about cross country?: The team aspect more than anything else. I just love being able to go out and run with a whole bunch of other people rather than on my own.
Most memorable moment in cross country: Joining the team for the first time in freshman year. It was the first time I really ran in earnest and the first time doing a more centralized team sport.
Most embarrassing moment in cross country: Running poor times at Judges Classic a few years in a row, especially last year. I had a very poor showing. I definitely pulled it together this year at the Judges Classic. (Doran placed 15th in a 3.1-mile time of 17 minutes, 46.03 seconds.) [Before], I think I was not ready for the course and not so feeling so well day of.
Most difficult moment in cross country: Finding ways to overcome the challenges that we faced from injuries last year and this year. This year we lost Will Thomas, so it was hard to keep my team together and make them feel like we still had a good chance of making a good showing of ourselves.
People you can have dinner with, dead or alive: My dad James; he passed away a few years ago. He died before I was really able to get to the point in my running career where I feel like he would have been most proud of me. I felt like we missed out on a lot, and I think it would have meant a lot to him that I was able to finish out this year much stronger and be a good captain to my team. Any of the players from the Washington Capitals, because they’re my favorite sports team. I like all of them. And [British middle-distance runner] Josh Kerr; I like seeing him run and win races. It’s just really enjoyable to see people who are at the pinnacle of the sport.
Biggest athletic influence: My mom. She’s a runner, and she’s the one who made me join the team freshman year, and I ended up loving it.
Favorite teacher: Lenny Vasquez. He’s my [information technology] teacher, and I also had him last year. IT is one of my favorite fields. Right now I work for the city in the IT field. [Vasquez] is the one who taught me a lot of what I know.
Favorite athlete: Washington Capitals goaltender Charlie Lindgren
Favorite sports team: Washington Capitals
Favorite movie: “Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery”
Favorite TV show: “Brooklyn Nine-Nine”
Favorite song: “Vengeance” by Blue Oyster Cult
Favorite food: Chicken wings. I like to get them anywhere I can, but Buffalo Wild Wings is a personal favorite of mine.
Worst thing you’ve eaten: Sauerbraten
Plans after high school: I want to go to the University of Montana, which I just recently got accepted to. I want to learn to become a park ranger. I’m very outdoorsy. I love being outside. The idea of working in the field of nature really interests me, and I love the park system in particular.
— Compiled by Robert Niedzwiecki