Quincy, IL Senior Portrait SessionQuincy, Illinois Senior Portrait Session featuring a track star at the Blue Devil's Flynn Stadium in Quincy, IL and South Park. Lydia is a cross-country runner and athlete. Quincy, IL Senior Portrait SessionQuincy, Illinois Senior Portrait Session featuring a track star at the Blue Devil's Flynn Stadium in Quincy, IL and South Park. Lydia is a cross-country runner and athlete. Quincy, IL Senior Portrait SessionQuincy, Illinois Senior Portrait Session featuring a track star at the Blue Devil's Flynn Stadium in Quincy, IL and South Park. Lydia is a cross-country runner and athlete. Quincy, IL Senior Portrait SessionQuincy, Illinois Senior Portrait Session featuring a track star at the Blue Devil's Flynn Stadium in Quincy, IL and South Park. Lydia is a cross-country runner and athlete. Quincy, IL Senior Portrait SessionQuincy, Illinois Senior Portrait Session featuring a track star at the Blue Devil's Flynn Stadium in Quincy, IL and South Park. Lydia is a cross-country runner and athlete. Quincy, IL Senior Portrait SessionQuincy, Illinois Senior Portrait Session featuring a track star at the Blue Devil's Flynn Stadium in Quincy, IL and South Park. Lydia is a cross-country runner and athlete. Quincy, IL Senior Portrait SessionQuincy, Illinois Senior Portrait Session featuring a track star at the Blue Devil's Flynn Stadium in Quincy, IL and South Park. Lydia is a cross-country runner and athlete. Quincy, IL Senior Portrait SessionQuincy, Illinois Senior Portrait Session featuring a track star at the Blue Devil's Flynn Stadium in Quincy, IL and South Park. Lydia is a cross-country runner and athlete. Quincy, IL Senior Portrait SessionQuincy, Illinois Senior Portrait Session featuring a track star at the Blue Devil's Flynn Stadium in Quincy, IL and South Park. Lydia is a cross-country runner and athlete.

Oh how I love Senior Portrait Sessions! Lydia is a 2019 graduate of Quincy Senior High and a cross country track and field athlete that was named 2017 All Area Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year. For the session, we started out at South Park to take in the green and foliage, then moved to Flynn Stadium to capture her in her essence. It was funny, I almost thought she was shy until the track uniform came out. Suddenly, a different energy filled the space with a confidence and passion that hadn't been there previously.  It was the neatest thing to witness and allowed me to capture her smile, personality, and love for running. She truly came out of the shell the minute she put on the running shoes and the experience of capturing that passion was amazing! A Quincy Blue Devil, she's made a place for herself in the high school athletic.

I thought it was interesting, because she didn't talk about her accomplishments, but the way she held herself differently in uniform made me wonder. A. Lot. A little research and I was able to find out that she was the All Conference Champion of the Western Big 6 in 2017, All Conference 1600 and 3200 meters Champion for 2016-2017, and the Spring 2017-2018 All Conference 1600 and 3200 meters Champion. The list went on and on, so I've included it below.

Lydia holds three school records at Flynn Stadium and plans to continue running in college. Graduating this year, she will continue on to run for Memphis into her college career. It was absolutely the neatest thing being able to capture this time and we definitely had some fun on the track with the lighting. I absolutely loved everything about the evening; a chance to celebrate with someone the conclusion of a chapter of their life marked with passion and dedication, the stories of races ran, it was fantastic to just breathe it all in.

Congrats, Lydia, for completing the 2019 season and enjoy Memphis! 

Western Big 6 All Conference

Fall 2016-2017: Cross Country

Fall 2017-2018: Cross Country

Fall 2018-2019: Cross County

2017 All Conference Cross Country Champion

2016-2017 All Conference 1600 and 3200 meters Champion

Spring 2017-2018 All Conference 1600 and 3200 meters Champion

Illinois Class 3A State Qualifier

2016: Cross County

2017: Cross Country

2017: Belleville Sectional 3200 meters Champion

2017: Track 3200 meters

Quincy Senior High School

School record Holder:

3 mile: 17:27.3

5K: 20:25.0

3200 meters: 11:11.65
 

2017: All Area Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year

2017: 15-16 Girls USATF Junior Olympics Illinois 2000 Meter Steeplechase Champion.

2017: 15-16 Girls USATF Junior Olympics National Runner Up 2000 Meter Steeplechase

2018: 17-18 Girls USATF Junior Olympics National Championship, 2000 Meter Steeplechase, 3^rd Place

2018 Cross Country 3A state qualifier