Over the hills and through the woods: Deerfield Windsor’s Charlotte Augenstein working to win state

Running over the hills and through the woods for a cross country race is more challenging than running on a track because you are competing with yourself more than with others, said Deerfield Windsor’s leading female cross-country runner Charlotte Augenstein.

“With cross country you really have to fight to stay focused and stay in tune to where you need to be,” Augenstein said Tuesday before practice at the Albany State West soccer fields. “It is really more mental, you have to be mentally strong, more so than when you are competing on the track. On the track there are others to encourage you and motivate you, not so much during a cross country race. With the track it is more my mind against someone else’s mind. In cross country it’s more about me against me.”

Augenstein is leading the Lady Knights through their cross country season this fall as they prepare for the state cross country championships to be held in Albany at Albany State West. Saturday, she finished second overall at the Deerfield Windsor Invitational that saw hundreds of runners from around the area and the state compete. Her time of 19:59 was second only to Tift County’s Emily Golden who finished at 19:09.99. But that wasn’t Augenstein’s best. Her best time was at an Americus meet where she finished the course in 19:34 and her long-term goal is to beat that 19-minute mark.

But Augenstein doesn’t run because she just loves running. What she enjoys is the feeling after the run.

“For me it’s about the feeling afterwards,” she said. “It gives me a boost and it makes me happy that I have accomplished something. It makes me happy with myself and proud that I was able to do it.”

She began running in middle school but did not really get serious with her sport until her sophomore year. Before then she was doing several different sports, and now it is only running. She runs year-round and will be competing for the Lady Knights in the spring on the track. She is working toward running on the college level as well.

“I’ve talked with coaches at several schools,” said Augenstein. “The ones I like right now are Georgia Tech, UGA, FSU and KSU (Kennesaw State). I’m not sure where I’m going yet, but those are the ones I like.”

Her cross country and track coach Jake Clawson believes Augenstein can definitely achieve those goals.

“Charlotte is the most physically gifted runner we’ve had at Deerfield, boys or girls,” the coach said. “She has incredible range from 800m up to the 5,000m. She’s one of the top milers in the state on the track and I’ve been pleased with her progression this summer and fall. We’re still developing her aerobic capacity, but her speed gives her a tool that most distance runners don’t have. I expect for her to contend in every race she’s in. If she’s up front with 400m left, she’s going to have a chance to win.”

Another goal Augenstein is shooting for is a state championship for the girls’ cross country team. Last year the Lady Knights finished second to Augusta Prep in Class AAA of the GISA. This year she wants to win it.

“It seems it is always between us and Augusta Prep,” she said. “Last year they won, but this year we have a stronger team. They lost some runners to graduation and have a new coach. Plus, we will have the state meet here at home in Albany.”

If there is any comparison to make from Saturday’s meet, the Lady Knights had seven runners in the top 20 GISA finishers at the Deerfield Windsor Invitational. Augusta Prep had three. Augenstein’s teammates who finished in the top 20 were Gabrielle Harris (5th), Hadley Holt (6th), Bailey Irvin (9th), Sarah Katherine Harris (15th), Jane Strickland (18th) and Cece Lukes (19th).

The state meet is scheduled for November 2 at Albany State West.

Charlotte is the daughter of Ralf Augenstein and Hanna Lin. She intends to study biology or a related field in the medical field in college.

Special Photo: Joe Whitfield