Eating Disorders

"I wanted to be thin and unfortunately suffered greatly not being able to compete my senior year," she said.

She attended graduate school at Lehigh University, and worked as an assistant cross country coach under Mark Will-Webber with the first-ever women's team.

In 1987, she came to Wallkill Valley to teach special education and coach freshman girls' basketball.

A year later, she took over the cross country program.

"I put together the girls team, but I don't know my overall record because I don't (care) about wins and losses," she said.

"I am sure my losses are greater in number, but the personal victories of the athletes competing in their first meet, thinking that I was crazy telling them they could run three miles ...

that is a victory alone." Lucas said she was fortunate to have coached Jim Lame for his last three years at Wallkill Valley.

Lame is the only three-time SCIL Festival winner.

After 10 years of teaching and coaching, Lucas stepped down to spend more time with her family.

The break was only temporary.

She returned four years later.

"I timed my return well because I have had the pleasure of coaching two-time State Sectionals winner Aimee Chegwidden and Mikey (Pachella)," she said.

"Both the Wallkill Valley boys' and girls' cross country teams are large for a school that doesn't have one middle school and Hardyston is the only one of our sending districts that has cross country for seventh and eighth graders," Lucas said.

Lucas doesn't try and...

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