Yanibel Collado ’15

When Yanibel Collado ’15 was in ninth grade, she enrolled at Milton Hershey School and found her passion for running. Originally from Freeport, New York, moving to a more rural environment was different for Yanibel—but running helped her relax.

“My sister told me to try track and field. I did it because of her, but I found it helped me relax and unwind.”

After joining the school’s cross country and track teams, Yanibel gained experience running everything from the 800-meter all the way to the two-mile, long-distance run. Over time, she grew to love running one-mile races and decided to pursue running in college.

Yanibel graduated from MHS in 2015 and began attending Juniata College. She is currently studying marine biology and manages multiple responsibilities, including her classes, a semester of scientific research, an on-campus job, and her track and field practice.

“When I have free time, I try to manage it,” she said. “At MHS, it was so structured and I structure my life like that now. To this day, I still do my homework at the same exact time as our study hour at MHS.”

When it comes to maintaining her fitness, Yanibel also draws from lessons she learned at MHS such as eating healthy and taking her workouts seriously. Thanks to her focus and work ethic, Yanibel has achieved a Juniata College record and personal best for the 1,000-meter run on the indoor track with a time of three minutes and 13 seconds.

Her advice for succeeding as a runner and achieving your personal best?

“Some days, there will be people who are better and faster than you,” Yanibel said. “Don’t give up hope. Keep working hard. As long as you work hard, it will show.”

*Photos courtesy of Juniata College.