Peabody runner Rocha gearing up for senior year

In just three years at Peabody High School, running phenom Catarina Rocha has made a name for herself not just within her school, but throughout the entire state. After completing her junior year, Rocha has been preparing for what could be an even more impressive encore performance.The question is? how do you improve on a season as special as last fall?As an individual, Rocha will be looking to defend titles in the state and Division 1 EMass two-mile races, while her Tanners will look to repeat as league meet champions. With all the individual talent she possesses, Rocha still puts the team’s goals at the forefront of her personal list.”While I’m always looking to improve as an individual, I would really like for our team to succeed,” said Rocha of the upcoming season. “I’m hoping we can go out and win the NEC meets and make it back to the All-States again.”For the Tanners to succeed at a high level, it will be up to Rocha to quite literally put her best foot forward. As the saying goes, “practice makes perfect,” and Rocha seemed to take the quote to heart as she recently wrapped up a grueling summer training regimen.After returning from a trip to Nationals in which she finished 13th overall in the two-mile after winning her first heat, as well as 9th as part of the Tanners relay team, Rocha took some time off before getting right back to work.”I thought I did really well at the Nationals, as did our relay team,” said Rocha. “It was a great first-time experience.”After a short break, Rocha got started right back up again with preparing for her senior season. July featured easy running before the intensity picked up in August. Rocha followed a training schedule that her father, Tanners head coach Joe Rocha, designed himself, as he does for every returning runner on the squad.”I expect Catarina to have another very successful season,” said the elder Rocha of his daughter. “She followed her training all summer and has dedicated herself to becoming a better runner.”When asked what his own goals might be for his daughter, Rocha kept things simple.”The goal is to get better. As a captain I expect her to compete at a high level and lead the team in getting better and better,” Rocha explained.As a team, the Tanners finished 3rd overall at the Division 1 EMass meet and 10th at the All-States.”I’m really excited for the season to start,” said the younger Rocha. “The team got together a lot and trained over the summer. We are all very close-knit; both the boys and girls teams have great chemistry.”