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Gulliver's Danielle Velez set a personal best and a
school record in the three-mile run at 19:08.16, the fastest time in
Dade County.
Gulliver's Danielle Velez leads the way in a recent distance race
The cool, calm, collected five-foot-seven-inch senior
is a veteran on the Raiders cross-country team and has been a distance
runner since she was in the third grade.
Velez was named All-State in cross-country in her
sophomore and senior year and All-Dade in her freshman, sophomore and
senior year. As a sophomore, she placed second in the 400-meter relays
at the state track and field finals.
"This season is going real good," Velez said
energetically. "I set a personal record in the three-mile run and
they told me it's the fastest time in Dade County. It's pretty
exciting."
Last year, Velez came up short during the season.
"Last season was a bad year because of my
anemia," she said. "I don't know how it happened, but I got
it and it just slowed me down. I probably wasn't eating the right
foods in the summer. But, now I'm eating healthy.
"It wasn't that bad, I could run but I was just a
lot weaker," she continued. "I would have to run three races
in one match and it killed me. I'm a lot better now."
With a 4.2 grade point average, Velez is not only
involved in running,
but also is president of the Z Club, a member of the
Health Interested Students of America (HISA) and volunteers in the
sports ability games for children with disabilities.
"I'm pretty outgoing and I like to be around
people," Velez said. "I like to laugh and make other people
laugh."
Born and raised in Miami, Velez' parents divorced when
she was just two-and-half years old.
"I live with my mom, but my parents get along
real well," she said. "They both go to my races and cheer
for me. You wouldn't even know they were divorced."
When Velez isn't running or attending club meetings,
she likes going out with her friends to dinner, parties, movies or
anything sports related.
"Being on the cross country team has given me the
chance to really bond with my teammates," she said. "It's
like being with family. We're a real close-knit group, which is good
because we are there for each other through the pain and the
workouts."
On the final leg of her high school cross-country
career, Velez is looking at several universities for a potential new
home.
"I'm looking at the University of Florida, Wesley
in Boston and Columbia in New York," she said. "I might run
in college, but it depends on where I end up. But, I will stay active
in running, and if I have to do it all by myself, I will."
Velez doesn't know it, but she's already found the
secret to succeeding in the race of life -- never give up.
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