A lot of people back home have
asked me the question, “Why Oregon? Why can’t you just train and do what you do
at home?”. That’s a fair enough thing to
wonder, seeings how running is not a team sport like Football or Basketball,
especially at the professional level.
There are many ways that professional track athletes can successfully coordinate
training and life around the sport, which is one of the most beautiful things
about it. All it takes is prioritizing,
figuring out what works for you, and believing in the system you come up
with. In my case, Oregon is the best fit
right now for a number of different reasons.
Coming
right out of college, I wasn’t really sure how I was going to make running a
career until the very last minute. When
I was offered a spot on the Oregon Track Club, I saw it as an opportunity to
jump all-in. I have other things I would
like to do with my life eventually and I figured this was going to be the
quickest (while probably most painful) way to really test myself and see if I
had what it takes to be great at this level.
I knew there were many risks involved but if I couldn’t handle it or it
really just wasn’t for me, I would find out soon and be able to move on. Plus, I had always wanted to move out to the
West Coast for a little while in my life and this was an opportunity to do that
too!
Training
here for a year and a half now, I am very happy with my decision. Even though running is not a ‘team sport’ so
to speak, it was clutch for me to be surrounded by athletes who had been at the
highest level during my transition. They
helped me set the highest possible standards for myself and were there to share
personal experiences and helpful advice about any challenges I might go up
against. It was also nice to have immediate
friends in a new place and to be able to travel with people I knew to far away
meets.
Financially,
this was also a fitting choice. In
addition to my personal contract with Nike, the Oregon Track Club comes with
some extra funding that makes life a lot more comfortable for me. One of those bonuses is paying my coach. Don’t get me wrong, I would pay him in a
heart-beat because I believe that he is worth every penny, but that is a really
nice thing for me to have taken care of.
From the beginning, I was excited to get to work with Coach Mark Rowland
because of his personal credentials- he won the bronze medal in the
Steeplechase for Great Britain in the 1988 Seoul Olympics. He runs the club extremely professionally,
forcing us athletes to take a lot of initiative about our own careers. As an
athlete you get a great sense of accountability and empowerment.
On top of
all that, the weather and environment in Oregon is almost ideal for the runners
lifestyle. It does rain a lot but its
not Midwest rain. Sometimes it lasts for
days but its usually not down-pouring and if you time it right, you can
generally sneak in your runs around the slower drizzles and not get soaked to
the bone. There are trails galore and I never
have to fight traffic or risk my life trying not to slip off the side of a road
shared by gravel dump trucks or semi’s. The
community understands running and is very supportive to us. Health and exercise
are high priorities, no matter the level or activity.
I do miss everyone
back home and in State College a lot- no one can replace those people in my
life. I have been so blessed to have family
and friends who are willing to accept my decisions and encourage me to do what
it takes to chase my dreams. When I come
home, its tough to train like I need to because I get sucked into wanting to
spend time with them and help out. The
Midwest is a place I will always come back to and claim as ‘home’. With so many
great memories and emotions, it is my ‘comfort zone’, ‘my happy place’. It has become my ‘vacation’ and right now,
that’s perfect!
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