Clarissa Rivera, Kern County’s all-area girls cross country runner of the year, will be running for Bakersfield College in the fall.

Rivera, 17, is currently a senior at Delano High School.

She is in track, cross country, National Honor Society, California Scholarship Federation and Earlimart 4-H club.

Rivera was named Kern County’s Runner of the Year in 2004.

She has been running for Delano for three years, including three seasons on the track team and two on the cross country team.

Rivera joined track her sophomore year without any former training.

“A friend told me that I should consider joining track because of my speed. So, I decided to try out and it turned out I liked it,” Rivera said.

In cross country she runs 5 kilometers (3.1 miles), and in track she competes in the 1,600-meter run (one mile), the 800 (half a mile), the 3,200 (two miles) and the 1,600-meter relay.

Rivera motivates herself to keep running because it makes her parents proud and it keeps her in great health.

Delano track coach Jay Smoljan said Rivera is self-motivated and a go-getter athlete.

Her training consists of long miles and speed work. She practices four days out of the week and spends one day racing.

Rivera said she enjoys running because it gives her a sense of freedom and it takes away any stress. “When I run I think about the positive things that are going on in my life,” Ramirez said.

In only her second year of competing in cross country, she qualified for the state meet. She finished third with a personal best of 19 minutes 29 seconds – the top time in Kern County – at the Grand Masters Meet.

She was 10th in Central Section Division I (19:54), second in East Yosemite League finals and finished 75th in Division I at the state meet in 19:45.

All of Rivera’s accomplishments were not easy to obtain.

During the EYL finals this past season, Rivera was expected to win the race but due to having the flu, she crossed the finish line second and collapsed.

“I felt like I had let my family, coaches and teammates down,” said Rivera.

After collapsing at this race Rivera set herself to reach state finals. Rivera did just that by qualifying for the meet. “After that experience I realized I had to do my best and just go out there and give it all I have for something that I love,” said Ramirez.

Rivera plans do give it all she’s got at BC.

After graduating from Delano, she will begin her first semester. She will be balancing 19 units, track practice and competitions.

Rivera will be majoring in liberal studies to become an elementary teacher.

Rivera’s consistency, hard work, self-motivation and dedication will add to BC’s current track team with current key competitor, Brittany Grimes.

After BC, Rivera plans to transfer to California State University, Fullerton and continue running.

“Whichever university I decide to transfer to I want to run for them,” said Ramirez.