Katerina Shuble finds the parallels between her success as a member of the track team and her work as a master’s student in architecture to be clear.

“Hard work and dedication to the craft is definitely a parallel between running and architecture, both require hours upon hours of time dedicated to working towards an end goal,” she said.

Her athletic accomplishments show the dedication pays off.

The fifth-year senior has been part of the winning distance medley relay (DMR) team for three year. The medley relay features four runners each running a different distance – 1200 meters, 400 meters, 800 meters, and 1600 meters – and she’s filled multiple roles.

“I have raced as the lead 1200 runner and as the anchor 1600 runner,” said Shuble, who has been part of four of the five fastest DMR times in school history. “The DMR has a special place in my heart. In my junior year, the first year we won, I was the 1200 lead leg. I remember going into the race wanting us to finish top three overall. As I started racing, I found myself leading the race and brought in a big lead before handing off the baton to the next leg.”

That job falls to another runner now but the results remain consistent.

“As Kailee Perry ran as the lead runner the past two wins, we have kept the same momentum,” she said. “The past two wins, I had the chance to run as the anchor leg. In my opinion, this is the more nerve-wracking leg, but I love it just as much. Being able to cross the finish line in first place is such a special feeling. Our team always goes crazy and the sense of pride and love for the team truly shows.”

She said she enjoys being a consistent member of the DMR team and helping it earn first in the last three indoor Mid-American Conference Championships and adds that consistency has been a big factor in why she’s able to compete at such a high level.

During the indoor season, Shuble raced at the Grand Valley State University meet and ran the mile with a time of 4:49, marking her career personal best and marking the second-best time in school history. She now holds six of the top 11 times in school history in the mile run. She cites three factors for her ability to perform at such a high level for an extended period.

 “Consistency, dedication, and trust are the biggest reasons that I have been able to compete competitively at such a high level over the past five years,” she said. “My dedication to running has also gotten me here. I hold myself to a certain standard that I aim to pursue with each workout or race that I run. Finally, trust is what has allowed me to continuously go after my goals. My trust in the training process, coach, and myself is huge. I know that I am putting in the work every day that will allow me to reach my goals. This faith is honestly what allows me to keep going after it.”

Shuble is also a member of the cross-country team where she also enjoys success including a 2nd place finish at the Bobcat Invitational and a third-place finish here at home at the Mel Brodt Open. Success in this venue, she said, doesn’t come without its challenges.

“One of the biggest challenges I had coming in was believing that I could be a cross-country runner,” she said. “I have always had the belief on the track, but I challenged myself in cross country.”

And so the parallels between her athletics career and her career path continue.

“In Architecture, there is always something I can improve or add to my design. In running, I find myself in the same situation,” she said. “After I reach a goal, I am already eager to reach the next one. I will never truly be able to reach them all, but I can keep working to improve and be the best I can be.”

Shuble is picking up right where she left off from the indoor season into the outdoor season. Shuble won the 800-meter dash at the Blizzard Buster at Miami University earlier this season and she joins the team this weekend in California for the Mount San Antonio College Relays.