Name: Desiree Veeser
Parents: Becky Falish and Brent Veeser
Activities: Cross country and track and field
Instagram: @desireeveeser
Desiree was the top senior girl on the Tritons cross country team this past fall and was the team’s second-fastest runner. She is a 400 meter specialist in track and field, competing in both the 400 meter dash and the 4×400 meter relay.
How did you get started in running?
“I joined about halfway through the season my freshman year. Some friends had me try it out, and despite the ‘everybody hates running’ thing, I actually fell in love with it.”
What made you fall in love with it?
“It’s definitely the runners high. That feeling when you’re done, the ‘oh my gosh, I just did that’, it’s better than anything.”
What is your ideal cross country course?
“Absolutely no hills and running on grass. That’s the best.”
The varsity lineup can change every week in running. How has that impacted you?
“It affected me towards the beginning of my freshman year in track, just never knowing, all unexpected. Now it affects me because my team is my family, and I just never know who I am going to be running with.”
There are only seven varsity runners in cross country. How is the bond on the team?
“The entire cross country team is really close, it doesn’t matter varsity or junior varsity. It’s actually a part of what I love about that team.”
Do you prefer indoor or outdoor track and field?
“Definitely outdoor. The indoor tracks, the curves are tighter, so you’ve got a higher chance of injury. Outdoor, everything is more open and it is more fun.”
What is your ideal running weather?
“A little bit chilly. Not cold, but on the brink of being cold.”
Do you ever go out to eat after races?
“I don’t really go out to eat after races, but in cross country, we always had team dinners and we all loved going to Noodles & Company the day before races.”
Who are a couple of the artists on top of your music playlist?
“Niall Horan and 5 Seconds of Summer.”
What have you been binge watching recently?
“I like The Gilmore Girls.”
What are a couple of your hobbies?
“I actually love to crochet. It started as a quarantine hobby. I somehow found a crochet hook under my bed and it really took off from there. Right now, I’m on a kick of making blankets, but I love making little stuffed animals. I’ve made a lot of bees and hedgehogs.”
Do you have any pets?
“I have a couple dogs. They’re all mixed. We think one of them is mostly boxer, but beyond that, we really don’t know.”
Where is a favorite place that you’ve traveled to?
“Florida, the Gulf Coast. The beach was really relaxing.”
What do your plans after high school look like?
“I am going to UW-Stevens Point to major in communication sciences and disorders.”