UH-Hilo senior Meghan Langbehn had a lot on her plate last season with soccer and cross-country at the same time and nursing as a time-consuming major.
In December, she had arthroscopic ankle surgery, the only obstacle that could slow her down. Langbehn, from Folsom, Calif., is still on UHH’s soccer roster but hasn’t played in a game.
Her lateral movement is still limited, but she’s charging hard in her second sport and placed ninth at the UHH Invitational on Saturday at the Naniloa golf course, running the six-kilometer course in 26:35.
She was surrounded by her freshmen Vulcan teammates. Olivia Jarvis was third in 24:51, Makena Morris (seventh, 26:09), Annaka Barragan (eighth, 26:22), Caitlin Kawaiaea (12th, 27:14), Lily Gavagan (15th, 30:18), Kathy Perez (16th, 31:21), and Shaelee West (17th, 31:31).
“We train together and usually stick together,” Jarvis said. I’m excited with our freshmen that we can run as freshmen until we’re seniors.”
Jarvis, who’s from Oceanside, Calif., found a good fit at UHH. She’s a marine science major and wanted a small school.
She’s also a lot like Langbehn, who was a starter and captain for the Vulcan soccer team. Jarvis was a senior captain for the boys and girls El Camino High cross-country teams and played junior varsity basketball for three years.
“I like to keep busy,” Jarvis said. “I like doing things and not sitting around.”
Langbehn followed friend and former UHH goalie Jenna Hufford to Hilo, and at first nursing and soccer ran into time conflicts. Langbehn, not one to sit around, reached out to cross-country coach Jaime Guerpo, who noticed her fitness stats from soccer and welcomed her aboard.
The soccer and nursing time conflicts were resolved, and Langbehn decided to pull double duty in both sports. This year, her nursing time commitments, which include volunteer work at the Hilo Medical Center, increased, which means no mainland trips for cross-country.
“I’m a person who’s on the go, and it was crazy fun,” said Langbehn, who fondly remembers her crazy-fun schedule.
She woke up at 5:30 a.m., went to cross country practice at 6 a.m., then to school and soccer practice in the afternoon. Langbehn would fall asleep on her books studying and follow the same routine unless there was a game for both.
In four of her five meets last season, Langbehn later played in a soccer game. Somehow, she maintained a 3.5 GPA and was named to the PacWest Scholar Athlete teams for both sports.
Last season, in her first race, Langbehn was third among her Vulcan teammates and 19th overall at the UH Wahine’s 5K Big Wave Invitational in 21:11. (A target time for a 5K is under 20 minutes.)
While Langbehn’s time may seem ordinary, her accomplishment was far from it. It was her first cross-country race ever. She never ran at Folsom High because she was a full-time soccer player.
“I’m hoping to get into the Navy ER,” Langbehn said. “They like fit people. That’s what they said and well-rounded ones, too.”
That’s a good self-description as any for Langbehn, who already got a nod of approval from Guerpo.
“She’s every coach’s dream,” he said. “She’s dedicated to the team. She’s a go-getter. It’s like a passing of the torch because Olivia is the same way.”