Alivia Bear just completed her sophomore cross country season at Lafayette. However, she hasn’t forgotten her Catasauqua roots.

“I think running at Catty gave me a really good attitude to take with me to collegiate running,” reflected Bear earlier this year. “Most of my teammates at Lafayette come from teams with a very different culture than the one I had. The cross country program at Catty shines through the individuals that find success in it whereas in college, it is much more focused on the goals of the team.

“My coaches in high school helped me so much to be ambitious with my own personal goals. They also kept the sport really fun and our team culture in high school made me love going to practice every day even to run workouts alone. I think coming from Catty has given me such a unique perspective about the sport.”

While at Catty, Bear earned four letters in cross country and track. A team captain, Bear placed eighth and ninth at the District 11 meets and was a two-time state qualifier.

Rough Riders’ head coach Kyle Rusnock knew he had a special runner and a trendsetter.

“Alivia Bear means a lot to the program,” gushed Rusnock. “She was an outstanding athlete for us over the years. Her commitment and dedication set the tone for other athletes on the team.

“Her making it to states has given a goal for everyone else every season. It’s an honor to see her running in college at Lafayette. She makes us proud and is a role model for all to follow.”

However, Bear has quickly discovered that college cross country has been a high bar. Her best time was an 11:09 in the outdoor 3k at Bucknell, and she also ran a 5:33 mile indoors.

“Being at Lafayette is a whole new level though. I run triple what I did in high school and my everyday runs now are harder than anything I’ve done in the last four years,” stressed Bear before her sophomore season started. “I have a really great coach who puts a lot of effort into helping us succeed, even if we aren’t at the top when it comes to times.”

Bear’s most memorable race as a freshman was the 6k at Lehigh’s Paul Short Invitational in which she ran a 24:50.

“I just felt so good during the whole race,” beamed Bear before the season. “It was the first time I felt the difference in my fitness after months of my coach’s training and it was a great feeling to finish the race feeling so strong. I’m confident my cross country times are going to take a big jump this year since I’ve now had a full year of higher mileage to prepare me.”

Bear saw last season as a learning experience, and she was looking to reach another level this fall.

“[Freshman] year was definitely a building year for me, and it was all about getting stronger and learning how to race at a different level,” reflected Bear. “It’s also really great having a big group of girls to run with every day because in high school I was alone for most of my cross country practices.

“That also means I have a much bigger support system of girls who are experiencing everything with me, and it’s so motivating to be around such talented athletes who want to work hard.”