2024 Fall Preps Preview: Lewis and Clark senior cross country runner Katie Lubbe has sights set on state

Big brain. Big heart. Big smile.

“That best describes Katie,” Lewis and Clark girls cross country coach Maegan Gomes said of her senior standout, Katie Lubbe.

Lubbe is a leader in and out of the classroom. She and her twin sister, Lauren, are ranked at the top of the class with weighted 4.381 grade-point averages and will be in contention for salutatorian honors.

She wants to leave a mark, though, on cross country. She will be looking to qualify for the State 4A meet for a fourth year this fall.

Lubbe is the top returning runner in the Greater Spokane League. She will be pushed by Missouri transfer Mariah Denney, who has landed at University. She took fourth at state last year in a time of 18 minutes, 34.2 seconds.

Lubbe was 36th at state as a freshman, 19th as a sophomore and three spots out of earning a medal before slipping to 26th last year.

She’s set her sights high this year. She wants to finish in the top 10 at state and lead her team to a podium finish (top four). LC took second in her freshman season.

Six of seven Tigers who ran at state last year return. So LC has high expectations.

“She’s just the perfect example of somebody who has gotten better and better since her freshman year,” Gomes said.

Last year, she was LC’s leader in each race by an average of 40 seconds. That margin could grow this year but not because her team has digressed – quite the opposite. Lubbe expects to be much improved and she sees much improvement from her teammates.

She averaged 30-40 miles training each day this summer. The goal wasn’t miles but quality.

“It was more about intensity,” Lubbe said. “I want to have a better finishing kick this year.”

Lubbe set her personal best last year when she finished in 18 minutes, 42.2 seconds at the Battle for the 509, a meet hosted by Cheney at the Spokane Polo Grounds. It’s a flat course that inspires hot times.

She hopes to shave more than 30 seconds off and get into the low 18s.

The state meet was an aberration for Lubbe last year. It was a rain-filled race and slippery course at Sun Willows Golf Course in Pasco. She slipped and fell going down a hill.

“I wasn’t happy with my race last year,” Lubbe said. “It wasn’t my day. The weather got to me a little bit. Mentally I was stressed out and wasn’t as confident going into the race.”

She wants to make amends for that this fall. To that end, she will approach each race as preparation for state.

In the classroom, meanwhile, Lubbe has never had less than an A. She hopes to add to her GPA this year by taking four challenging advance placement classes: environmental science, calculus, government and psychology. She’s also taking Honors Spanish 4 and creative writing.

Her daily routine is defined. Classes, two-hour practice, a 30-minute break when she gets home before dinner and diving into homework.

“I try to get to bed at a decent time,” she said, smiling.

She already knows what she wants to pursue in college. The daughter of a cardiologist and physical therapist, Lubbe wants to be a veterinarian. She’s visiting Washington State and is looking at Oregon State, Washington, Montana State, Montana and Colorado State. If it works out she may even run in college.

“I’ve always had a passion for animals and always wanted to be a vet since I was very young,” said Lubbe, whose grandfather was a veterinarian.

“She’s on a high trajectory,” Gomes said. “What I love about her is she has the biggest heart and biggest engine and biggest smile, and she’s a rock star in the classroom.”

In cross country, Lubbe feels like she turned a corner last season – the state meet notwithstanding.

“So I’m excited for this year to push more and see what happens,” she said. “I really want to improve at state and push myself in every race.”

Now she awaits the results.