Lia Smerina is a sophomore public health major in the Dual DO program. She is also in the Razors Edge Leadership program as well as the Honors College.
Smerina is a track and cross-country runner on Nova Southeastern University’s competitive team and has been running since she was in the sixth grade.
“In sixth grade, it was really casual. It was just a way to get middle schoolers active, it was not very competitive at all. We would just have practice a couple days a week and just have fun,” said Smerina.
After getting her introduction to running in middle school, Smerina began her high school career where she made varsity as a freshman.
“High school was my favorite time that I ran because I made so many friends, we were really like a family, and one of the best in the city. I became the captain my junior year and it was a lot of fun,” Smerina said,
Last year, Smerina was redshirted because of COVID-19 and heatstroke during the track season, so this year is one of her first real years as a college runner.
“I really wasn’t sure whether I wanted to run in college or not because I knew it would be a big commitment, but I knew it would be an opportunity for cool experiences like the ones I had in high school,” said Smerina.
Smerina discussed that the transition from high to college competition running was a dramatic change and walked through a standard day for her as a student athlete.
“Wake up [at] 5:15 a.m. and be at practice at 5:45 a.m. until 8 a.m. Then we have 15 to 20 minutes and sometimes grab Starbucks as a team. Then we go to lift from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., [and] grab a protein shake. Then I will walk back to my room to shower and eat, and then it’s off to class by 11:00 a.m. After that I usually cross train since I’m missing a practice time and then have some dinner, study, then go to sleep and do it again in the morning,” Smerina said.
With such a busy practice schedule, Smerina manages school, her premier scholarship programs, all while still making time for friends.
“I’m here as a pre-med student, my intentions are to go to medical school and to use what I learn on my team to work with people and to apply that as a physician,” Smerina said.
Smerina also took the time to shout out her team and all the work they have put in.
“I think that the cross country and track team do not get a lot of spotlight in the shark athletics community and that we deserve to get some recognition, because me and my teammates work really hard and we have been killing it,” Smerina said.
