JEFFERSON TWP — Mandi Moxie whined and whimpered through her first 5K race.

That was seven years ago when Mandi, now a Knox junior and standout cross country runner, was just 9.

“She didn't know what she was getting herself into,” said Mandi's mom, Dorothy, 49. “She started running with me at home and wanted to try it herself. To try and walk or run three miles at any level is tough.”

During the first mile of that first competition — The Rainmaker, at North Park in Allegheny County — Mandi tired herself out by sprinting ahead of her mom and jumping on rocks. There were times when she had to walk, but she finished the race.

Mandi didn't just persevere through the race, she won her age group: her first of many triumphs, and a lesson for the distance runner who will compete at the PIAA Class AA cross country championships for the third time Saturday.

“I remember that I got an award at the end when I came in first in my age group,” she said. “I thought if I trained more for another race, I could do the whole things without stopping. I wanted to be stronger. Now I am.”

Mandi helped Knoch finish second in WPIALs last week. She was the Knights' top finisher, placing fifth with a time of 20 minutes, 33 seconds.

Dorothy thought when Mandi got her medal after winning her first 5K, she could tell it meant something.

“Winning that medal was the day she thought, 'I could do it,'” Dorothy said. “It was all over from there.”

Mandi cites Dorothy, who wasn't an athlete at Deer Lakes High School, as her inspiration. Dorothy started running eight years ago, dropping 100 pounds in the process. Six months after she started running, she ran in the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C., and took Mandi with her.

Dorothy, who hopes to run a marathon in all 50 states, will run in the Boston Marathon for the second time in April.

“I remember going to my mom's first marathon with her,” Mandi said. “It was really fun and I wanted to be like her, so we started running together.”

Going to the marathon also endeared her to the competition. Running, unlike team sports, is more like a community of individuals who happen to compete.

“I think it was the whole atmosphere. Everyone was really kind to each other,” Mandi said. “This sport, everyone is nice to each other. It's not like football, where schools are against each other. Running is something where everyone comes together and it's different. There's a really good atmosphere.”

That first experience started her competitive fire. Mandi's older brothers, who ran track, helped keep her fire going.

At states, Mandi finished 92nd her freshman year with a time of 21:05 and 83rd (21:01) last season.

Dorothy said she sees a different side of Mandi, who is normally reserved, when she runs.

“When she gets out there, you can almost see a mean streak and aggressiveness, she wants to get there and be the one in front of everyone else,” Dorothy said. “When she crosses the finish line, she just runs off to her teammates and makes sure they are OK.”

There's no whimpering anymore.

Just passion.

“I'm a competitor and I really like competing,” Mandi said.