Lundberg runs ahead after injury

The sweat drips from his face, his legs are aching, he’s nervous, he hopped he could stay up, his legs were wobbling. Zach Lundberg had only one thought on his mind “I had to finish the race”.

It was Zach’s first cross country meet as a cross country runner.When he crossed the finish line all his nerves have been turned into excitement.

“Finishing my first race was great, all my thoughts were turned into excitement.” Lundberg said.

As soon as he finished his first race that’s when Zach knew he wanted to keep running.

Junior, Zach Lundberg is a Omaha North High runner who runs the four by eight, two mile, and the mile for track and field, he is also a top cross country runner.

Lundeberg has started running competitively ever since seventh grade. He had a lot of supporters at a very young age. His friends and family always noticed that he was fast as a kid.

They never made him play any sports but were always active. He just kept getting faster and faster, and when he got in sixth grade his PE teachers noticed.

His PE teachers asked if he was thinking about running competitively. When he reached seventh grade, he was able to run for McMillan. Lundberg took the opportunity and never looked back.

Before Lundberg started his first high school cross country season he tore the meniscus in his leg while playing basketball. He lost a lot muscle in his leg because of it and became nervous about running the following year.

Throughout his running career, Lundeberg has many accomplishments. He ran a 4:41 one mile and a 9:37 two mile. His other records are 2:04 800, and a 16:54 5K. In cross country last year he had made it to state for cross country and finished 12th.

His sophomore year is the first time he hit it big. He made it to state for the first time that year.

“It was really cool to see the older runners run and learn from them,” Lundberg said.

Lundberg is a big believer in conditioning. He runs and lifts weights as much as he can just to prepare.

Zach made a schedule of how to work out per week. Monday through Thursday, Lundberg does core workouts. He conditions his body almost nine hours a week.

He does about five hours of running and four hours of weight lifting. He runs on the treadmill and elliptical on cold days and runs outside on the warm days. After, he lifts weights.

“Conditioning is important; it keeps me in shape and ready to start the season,” Lundeberg, said.

In his opinion doing core workouts, running a mile, and doing core again is the hardest day of conditioning. The easiest is just a light run.

The worst part of running for Lundberg is that there’s never enough time to run, and when you do run it’s a constant struggle to fight through the pain.

Lundberg is looking forward to this season in track and field. He has high hopes for himself and the team.

“This year we have a good chance for state,” Lundeberg said.

There’s a lot of returning runners and throwers this year that could take them to state.

Lundberg loves running and loves being with the runners. Each season comes with a set new friends. Lundberg believes it’s easier to make a bond with the cross country runners, since it’s just only runners.

Luwndberg admires the story of olympic runner, Louis Zamperini. Zach’s motto is the same as Zamperini from, Unbroken,“If I can make it, I can take it.”