New Haven Register (New Haven, CT)
Steffen built quite the record collection
Few runners took advantage of the condensed cross country season the way Hand senior Anna Steffen did.
In Hand’s six races on five different courses, Steffen broke four course records, including during the SCC Championship at East Shore Park.
“I really didn’t have to talk with her about much, she had it all in control,” Hand coach Steve Swift said. “A few weeks into the season I told her I didn’t know how much more I had to offer her because she was doing so great, why would I mess it up? Keep doing what you’re doing.”
Steffen broke the records at East Shore Park, Hamden, Sheehan and her home Madison Surf Club.
“I was so happy, I wasn’t expecting to beat the SCC course record,” Steffen said. “I didn’t even know what the record was going into it, so when they told me at the finish it made it that much sweeter.”
Following a junior season of battling through anemia and seeing her times regress, Steffen was determined to turn things around.
“She came around as a junior and she ran into anemia,” Swift said. “That was disappointing because it really just took the rug out from under her.”
Steffen finished the 2019 SCC Championship in 22:36 for a 28th place finish compared to her 18:46 record breaking run this fall.
“I’d say I had a chip on my shoulder just because last year I didn’t compete very well,” Steffen said. “I was iron deficient for
most of the season without knowing until the end, so this year I really wanted to show what I can do.”
Steffen received her diagnoses in the final weeks of the 2019 cross country season and regained her form in the indoor track season.
“In indoor track she set a couple records in the 1,600 and 3,200 meters,” Swift said. “But once again the rug was pulled out from under her when there was no outdoor track. She was focused and doing a great job but then all spring sports were shut down.”
Her focus never wavered however, as the cancellation led to the most intense training of her career.
“I was disappointed I didn’t get to show what I could do during spring track so I think it added motivation,” Steffen said. “I probably trained the hardest I ever had and I started doing biking and doing more yoga to get stronger which helped in the long run.”
By the time the fall season had arrived, Steffen was ready for redemption.
“She came into this fall prepared,” Swift said. “I spied on her Summer running and I saw that she was doing a really great job. I thought she would have a great year but she surpassed those expectations.”
Like many other top runners in the state, Steffen continued to compete in out-of-state meets once the conference championships were over.
At the Northeast XC Championships, Steffen finished 14th overall and was the fourth Connecticut finisher with a time of 18:20.4.
She also finished 20th overall and fourth of Connecticut runners at the
East Coast Cross Country Championships with a time of 19:19.2.
“Those races were cool because a lot of those girls are committed to some of the top running schools in the country,” Steffen said. “Getting an opportunity to compete with these amazing runners was a great experience.”
Though the senior has not committed to a school yet, she has plenty of options including Notre Dame, Columbia, Brown and MIT to continue her running and academic career.
Wherever she ends up, Swift believes that her talent and leadership will lead to continued success down the road.
“I’ll always remember when we ran against Sheehan this year,” Swift said. “Again, she set the course record but she spent the next nine or 10 minutes at the finish line cheering on the rest of her teammates. She is a true leader and a great kid.”