PALMYRA, Va. (CBS19 SPORTS) -- Sophie Farley has encountered more hurdles than most in her life. 

She was born with the brain anomaly, Polymicrogyria, which effects her coordination and speech.

"A typical human you have these large folds creases in your brain," her father, Chris Farley said. "Someone with polymicrogyria, the folds are much more shallower and there's more of them."

And just seven years ago, she was also involved in a horse riding accident that left her with a severe brain injury.

"Of that time I was in the hospital, I got told that don't remember much, but I got told I was screaming at the doctors," Sophie Farley said. 

Farley was hospitalized for four days due to the injury and once she recovered and was cleared for physical activity, she was introduced to a new sport -- distance running.

"It has helped me so much because it has helped go through everything that was traumatic," she said. "Running makes me feel like no one is near me and I'm just here."

"She is the textbook definition of hard work and dedication," Fluvanna County cross country and track and field coach Melanie Kennedy said. "She has a competitive spirit that I wish I could instill in every single athlete I've coached."

And as a result, she has broken several school records and just last week, signed to continue her career at Longwood University in the fall.

"Having always these people here was amazing." Sophie said. "They've supported me through everything that I've been through."

"I'm super excited that she's going to be at Longwood because I know that I can just hop into a car and be there in a short amount of time," her mother Shelly Farley said. "I've already told her we are going to have dinner dates and things like that, so it makes me happy that we get to keep her close."