After competing in co-ed relay last year, Granados grateful to run for U.S. in ‘main event’ senior women’s race at Great Stirling XCountry International Challenge 

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

When Ayla Granados left Scotland last year, the former Chico State All-American thought she might never have the opportunity to race again in Edinburgh, with the future uncertain surrounding the prestigious cross country event held each January at Holyrood Park.

When Granados learned only six American women would be selected to compete in the 6-kilometer race – as opposed to nine in previous years – for the Simplyhealth Great Stirling XCountry International Challenge at its new venue in City Park, the assistant coach at Notre Dame de Namur University was even less optimistic about her chances of competing for another U.S. team this winter.

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Following an 11th-place finish Dec. 8 at the USATF Club Cross Country Championships in Washington, Granados not only secured her place on the American roster to compete Saturday in Scotland, but will run in the senior women’s race after being a member of the U.S. co-ed relay last year.

“I’m feeling ultimately grateful about this opportunity. I wasn’t expecting to be a part of it this year. I wasn’t counting myself out of it, but my mindset had been a bit more day to day, week to week during the 2018 fall season because of all the setbacks I had during my 2018 winter, spring and summer seasons,” said Granados, who enjoyed a significant improvement from her 37th-place finish at the 2017 USATF Club Cross Country Championships in Kentucky.

“I didn’t know how quickly I’d bounce back from the health issues I found out about at the end of the summer, so my main priority this fall was just getting healthy again. Being able to not only get healthy but fit enough to run well at club cross was quite the cherry on top.

“I didn’t put a ton of pressure on myself to make this team. I just wanted to race as best as I could at club cross and if that was good enough for a spot, that’d be great, but if not, I wouldn’t be hard on myself.”

Granados joins women’s team captain Anne-Marie Blaney, along with Olivia Pratt, among the returnees from last year’s American roster that competed in Edinburgh. Blaney was 19th and Pratt finished 20th in the 6-kilometer race for the U.S. women, who placed third behind Europe and Great Britain for the third year in a row.

Granados contributed to a seventh-place finish in the co-ed relay, along with Rebecca Mehra, Travis Mahoney and Will Geogheghan.

“I’m always grateful and I think it’s important to keep that perspective at all times. That this is a blessing. Running for Team USA is a blessing. But just being able to get out the door for a run and feel good doing it is also a huge blessing,” Granados said. “It’s easy to be ungrateful during the hard times or the unglamorous times. I’ve tried to switch my perspective from not only being grateful for opportunities like this, but to be grateful everyday, for something.

“I’m so stoked to be one of the three returning athletes this year and I’m even more excited that this is a team event. There’s something about a team dynamic and having others to push you to give that extra sense of purpose, it makes racing really special.”

The best performance for the U.S. women in Scotland was a second-place finish in 2015. Europe has won five women’s titles and Great Britain has prevailed twice since the team competition was introduced for the female athletes in 2012, one year after it was added to the men’s program.

Grace Barnett, Marisa Howard and Rachel Johnson are joining Blaney, Granados and Pratt in the American lineup, which is still looking to produce its first individual winner in the senior women’s race in meet history. By comparison, the U.S. men have won the individual title the past six years.

“This is what it’s all about. This sport is so special because we are all so competitive in our individual pursuits; to make a national team, a world team, etc., but at the same time genuinely compassionate and empathetic toward one another. And not just our own teammates, but even to our competitors,” Granados said. “This sport is ironic in that sense where our competitors can quickly become our teammates. Most runners and people just want a reason to be a part of something bigger than themselves and a reason to come together with like-minded individuals. I’m grateful for this opportunity because that’s exactly what it does, brings a unique group of people together to go after something big.”

After a 30-second improvement at the 6-kilometer distance, helping Strava Track Club finish fourth as a team in Washington, Granados is inspired to again be part of a strong group effort in Scotland, looking to help the Americans produce a memorable performance competing against some of the best distance athletes in the world.

“As runners we always want to be able to affirm and reaffirm that we belong. We always want something to reassure us that we are consistently good in what we do, not a ‘One-hit wonder,’” Granados said. “I know it’s silly to think that, but sometimes those were the thoughts I had when I went from experiencing some success followed by a season of struggle.

“I’m hard on myself, as most runners are. I didn’t race anywhere near how I wanted to last year on the relay, so getting the chance to come back and be a part of the main event, and being fit and healthy going into it, it feels extremely rewarding.”