The Oval Magazine (MAY 2021) : simplebooklet.com

by David Melly, Tracksmith Running I'm old. Well, maybe not old in the grand scheme of things, but I’m old in runner years. I’ve been running “seriously” (deﬁne as you please) for over a decade, and I’ve now been a post-collegiate runner for longer than I was a collegiate runner. In that time I’ve been extremely fortunate to have all sorts of incredible opportunities offered to me by the sport, but I’ve also been extremely fortunate to have made a lot of mistakes along the way and to still be running. The sad reality is that’s not true for everyone. The grind of “serious” running often takes a physical and emotional toll on young runners that can do serious, and sometimes irreparable, damage. A big part of the reason why you don’t see many post-collegiate runners running at the level they ran at in high school or college is because something happened: an injury, or a string of injuries. Not making a team, or not feeling at home on your team. Mental health challenges coming from both inside and outside the sport. And perhaps most sadly, a lot of “serious” runners just sort of… fall out of love with the sport. I’m incredibly lucky to still be running at a high level and to still love the sport. And I want to share a few of the lessons I learned over my time running in college — and beyond! — that I hope might make your high school, or college, or post-collegiate relationship with running a little better, a little more sustainable in the long run. Because I truly believe that far too many love affairs between serious runners and serious running are cut short by obstacles that only become insurmountable when you don’t have the tools to conquer them. 1. A happy runner is a fast runner. We all convince ourselves that college is supposed to be hard, and therefore we are supposed to be suffering all the time. And as a result we normalize the idea that the chronic stress of trying to be a successful student, athlete, and person is not just normal; it’s something we should strive for. There are times when school is, and should be, hard. But to try and succeed at all the things we’re asked to succeed for and thrive as an athlete on top of all that is a Herculean task. And it’s silly to compartmentalize all the different ways in which we’re pulled in one direction or another and to act like that won’t affect your performance on the track. If you’re worried about your ﬁnals, or your summer job, or your relationship, the odds are pretty good you won’t have your best day on the track. Simply being aware of the connection between your mental health and emotional well-being and your career as an athlete can make all the difference. You’ll be able to identify some of the many factors that impact performance that don’t show up in your running log and think about how to improve them. You will never be happy and relaxed all the time, but if you take care of your mental health with the same dedication that runners take care of their bodies you’ll have a much better shot at showing up to the start line ready to perform. 2. Staying healthy is way more important than staying ﬁt. I set personal bests every year of college. Was it because I was more talented or trained harder than any of my teammates or competitors? Probably not. The secret behind my long-term progress as a runner was that, in four years, I never took more than 3 or 4 days off for injury or illness. 5 Things I Wish I Knew in College Photo credit: Michael Scott

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All the ﬁtness in the world won’t matter for shit if you have a stress fracture by the time your conference meet rolls around. I’ve seen teammates with 10 times my talent come out of high school with shiny PRs and a head full of steam and never put together a signiﬁcant college career because they can’t last two seasons without getting injured. Stringing together months and years of healthy training is far more effective than crushing the ﬁnal rep of a workout or putting in one 100-mile week. You can always look at someone running a little faster or a little farther and think, “well if I just do more, I can get to that next level,” but if you don’t build up your training in a smart, methodical way, you’re never going to get there. 3. The NCAA season is insanely long. There’s a reason you don’t see many pros racing for nine months straight and peaking three times a year. Learning to think big-picture when it comes to goal-setting is hard when you need to make the travel squad for cross-country or get a qualiﬁer for a big invitational, but no one in the history of track and ﬁeld has ever been in 100% peak shape 100% of the time and you can’t expect yourself to be the ﬁrst person to crack that one. A big part of this is trusting your coach to have your best long-term interests in mind, but you also need to actively remind yourself in the moment that this weekend’s results do not necessarily predict this year’s outcomes. When you live and die by your most recent race, you’re only going to create a feedback loop that becomes a self-fulﬁlling prophecy. Planning (and training) for the long haul may not be glamorous in the moment but it pays off in the postseason. 4. Disordered eating is not a “girl problem.” I’ve struggled with disordered eating in varying ways since high school, and there were many times in college where I engaged in very unhealthy behaviors in the pursuit of my running goals. I think a big part of why I struggled to develop long-term healthy nutrition habits was because the signs and symptoms of disordered eating in male distance runners often present differently than they do in women, and many unhealthy behaviors are even normalized. And too often, those behaviors were mirrored back to me by my teammates. I’m not an expert and do not want to give anything resembling scientiﬁc or medical advice on this issue, so I’ll just say this: If you are concerned about yourself or a teammate, talk to someone with professional training in nutrition. A trusted coach is a great place to start, but coaches are not experts on disordered eating. If your team or athletic department does not have a way to quickly and effectively connect athletes with professional help, that is a huge problem and needs to change. 5. If you don’t like your team culture, you can change it. I remember my coach telling me once that, in his experience, team cultures change completely every 5 years. My team was very different when I was a freshman and when I was a senior. We had completely different attitudes toward training, partying, masculinity, and almost everything in between. But that didn’t happen by accident — it was a conscious, concerted effort by a lot of guys to make our team the way we wanted it to be. College sports teams, particularly men’s teams, don’t exactly have the best reputation for being the world’s most accepting, inclusive environments. But the nice thing about most teams being relatively small is that it only takes a few squeaky wheels to get things turning in the right direction, and once you have the momentum, team culture can change quickly and dramatically. If you don’t feel at home on your team, don’t walk away. You deserve to ﬁnd a place where you ﬁt in, and if you don’t ﬁnd one right way, make one. I still don’t have all the answers, and I’m learning new things about myself as a runner every day. But a little thoughtful reﬂection goes a long way, and doing it now rather than looking back years later is a much more effective strategy if your goal is to graduate with fewer regrets. Your body, your mind, and your relationship with running will be better off for it. Photo credit: Jonathan Green

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The Oval: You and your teammates had an incredible indoor season. I’m sure it’s difﬁcult to pick one moment, but is there any moment that you can pinpoint as your favorite from indoor? Athing Mu: A favorite? Let’s see. I don’t know, I don’t really have a set favorite but I think it might be when we broke the national record in the 4x400 just because, as a group, it was really hard. It took us some time to ﬁgure out who was going to be on that relay and how we were going to be able to run, like what leg everyone was going to do. So we didn’t know how it would go. So being able to do that after switching up the relay every single weekend, that was pretty crazy and a very, very successful day. I enjoyed that. TO: Looking into this outdoor season and the rest of the summer, what are you most excited about? AM: I guess there are two things I’m really excited about. Because, for me, deﬁnitely the 400 because I deﬁnitely want to go at it this outdoor season to see what I can do because it went really well [this indoor season]. But beyond that I’m deﬁnitely looking forward to Olympic Trials and just seeing how that goes. I have a pretty positive outcome that I’m thinking of but I’m just excited to see how it is and how it goes and, you know, it’s just trying to do whatever God has planned for me. TO: For the trials, are you planing to do the 400 and the 800 or just to focus on the 800? AM: I think we’re just going to focus on the 800 there. TO: Would you say that your big goal for this season would be the Trials and Olympic qualiﬁcation? AM: Yes, I think so. I’ve accomplished quite a few things this past season/college freshman year. So I’m just looking forward to the summer, just trying to ﬁnish off strong and do the best there because that’s where it matters the most. TO: Texas A&M is a very big school, was that transition difﬁcult to make? AM: Actually I feel like my transition went pretty smooth. I knew from my junior year I was going to go to a pretty big school just because, for one, that’s the environment I kind of wanted to be in and then just for two I knew that my abilities were going to take me there so it really wasn’t that bad of a transition. Here at Texas A&M it kind of feels like home and everyone’s very welcoming and everything. It’s a big school but it feels kind of small at the same time because everyone is kind of brought together as one. TO: Shifting back to track, we want to congratulate you on your 1:57. What an incredible race. Can you take us through that race a bit? Did you expect that going in or was it more of a surprise for you? AM: Yeah, I don’t know. I was not expecting that ﬁrst at all. Going into the race, it was my ﬁrst 800 since SECs so it’s been kind of like over a month. But I’m just like okay, wishing to God here, see how it goes. I knew this would be fast because I knew this would be a professional race as well. I guess my thoughts were kind of ﬂuctuating that day just because I knew there were fast people in the race but it’s been a while since I’ve run [the 800]. So I have expectations but I also don’t have expectations at the same time. Q&A with Collegiate Record Holder Athing MuPhoto credit: Texas A&M Athletics

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So, going into the race I kind of was just like, I’ll probably just go out here and sit on somebody or let somebody else take the lead in the race. Because there’s a lot of people in the race so I don’t really know how everyone’s going to run. And then just ﬁnish off how I would usually do. But after we started the race, that’s what I was following the ﬁrst 200 or at least that’s what I thought. I was like, okay, the ﬁrst 200 I’ll just follow what I just said and I’ll go off with someone else but then by the time we got to 200 I was like, okay, you know what, I'm the leader right now so there's no reason to move my position somewhere else just to try and change the race so I just went out and did that. But the race still didn't go how I thought it would go, especially if it's run 1:57, like I didn’t think I was gonna negative split. That's how you know like I was kind of being iffy about how it's going to run the race. Because the ﬁrst 200 was like 28 or something. Next 200 was pretty, pretty slow. So, third 200 is always the best 200 or should be your best 200 in any 800 race so I just went out there and just like all right let's just go now. And then the last 200 I just brought it home, did not see the time. TO: That’s awesome. I’ve never actually heard someone say that your third 200 is your best 200 in an 800. Is that something your coach told you or have you always done that? AM: Yeah, no, I mean, my youth coach deﬁnitely told me about that and it makes sense because, you know, after about, I feel like the ﬁrst 200 you're getting out, you're going fast but the next one you're kind of relaxing a little bit but not too much so if you continue to relax, you know, for the next few hundred you're not setting yourself up that great for the last 100 which is also important. You just have to start your closing speed that third 200 to get you home. Maybe not the fastest but deﬁnitely, you're going to get up, you're gonna have to start going a little faster. TO: Do you have any race-day rituals or like lucky socks or anything? What does your race-day routine look like? AM: I literally have no race day routine at all. Like it’s nothing at all. I feel like I switch it up every single time. I just wake up, you know, eat breakfast, and it's just the usual. I listen to music but it's not like I have one set thing. Lately I've been listening to some gospel music before heading to a track meet or whatever so I guess that's kind of coming into a ritual but other than that, there's not really a ritual. TO: You’re really open with your faith, has that been something that has that been something that has helped you your whole life or is that more of a recent thing? AM: Yeah, for me, I deﬁnitely have always been a Christian growing up in the family, deﬁnitely been in church a lot. Every Sunday we go to church – Mom, Dad – all that type of stuff but I think later on as we grew up, we kind of shied away from it a little bit just because we got older and as the siblings were just kids, we would always do it with the family just because it's something that we do, not really because we know why we're doing it, or at least this was my experience. So after a while, when I grew up, and I think really this past year or I guess maybe my junior year of high school I was like I'm deﬁnitely faithful but I'm not really doing the things that I can be doing to be faithful, like it's there subconsciously but I'm not really consciously doing everything I have to or really having a walk in faith. So I think when Covid hit I was kind of just like, you know what, I want to be serious about this. Because I kind of was going through a rough time and the only person that's going help me is God, so I just wanted to start over and actually start my walk in faith. Not really starting over but continue it from when I was younger, and that's deﬁnitely been something that's helped me a lot just since Covid up until this part in college as well. So, yeah, I’ve just been very optimistic about everything, whether it's good, whether it's bad, I mean, I just, like it's a reason for everything and there's a plan that God has set before. Photo credit: Texas A&M Athletics

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TO: You’re pretty much a household name in the world of track and ﬁeld now. How is that? Was it weird for you or do you like it? AM: I feel like it's not really weird or new just because, even when I was in AAU I wasn't a household name, but I still was pretty known I would say, and people knew of me but they didn't know everything about me. So they deﬁnitely knew me but I wasn't out there like, say, Tyrese Cooper or someone like that. It's a gradual growth that I went through of people knowing me. But I think when I was 16 I ran that American record, that kind of took it up a notch. But then coming here freshman year, and getting all these accolades really just put it out there. So I mean, It's pretty exciting. I don't like attention, but it makes you feel good when people are actually giving you the respect that you need, and being knowledgeable of who you are and what you do. That's one thing I like because I feel like it's just a gradual thing so I feel like everyone just watched me grow up from the club days up until now so I think that's pretty cool. TO: So, have you been running your whole life? Or when did you start running? AM: I think I started running between the ages of 5 and 6 or 6 and 7. But I really got into track when I got my ﬁrst national title in my club days was when I was 9 or 10. Like before those years before I was running just to be running. But when I was like 9, that's when it really kicked in. So, a little over, I don't, I guess, over 10 years but almost 10 years for "serious" running. TO: That’s really cool that you found your passion so young, I think a lot of people don’t ﬁnd it until they’re older. AM: Yeah talking about passion, to be honest, I feel like I really didn't ﬁnd it until high school. I didn't really think that this is something that I was super into until I got to high school. TO: You started running at such a young age, did you have other family members who ran or was it just big in your hometown? AM: Oh my gosh. Literally I have four brothers and two sisters. Everyone has run. Yeah, just not my parents but everyone. My eldest brother – he'll be 29 this year – he started off. He basically started the family off with running, and then it went on to my sisters and my brothers and then we all just did it until I came down the line. And so we all kind of all did the same thing too, we all ran for the same high school team and then I'm pretty sure we all touched Trenton Track Club, which is the youth team that I was part of, so, I don’t know, it kind of all just came together at some point. TO: Wow, really runs in the family there. Are you the youngest of your siblings? AM: I have one younger brother. He’s three years younger than me. I guess Covid kind of messed up all of his stuff because he's a freshman in high school. So, I guess he was just getting started with the stuff. But, yeah, he ran, played soccer, did basketball, kind of did everything I guess he’s still ﬁnding his way at, you know, what he wants to do but he deﬁnitely has run before. Photo credit: Texas A&M Athletics

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Quick Facts about Athing TO: If you had never gotten into running, what sport would you want to do? AM: The only other sport that I've done seriously was swimming and that was my 8th grade year in middle school. So, I guess swimming since it's fun -- it's a lot of work but I don't know any other sport, nor do I feel like I'm good at any other sport. But if I could do anything else I would probably sing. I love to sing. TO: What’s your favorite artist or song? AM: I like Giveon right now. I’ve been spending a lot of time with some R&B and also Gospel. Those are the two things but Giveon – so good, so good. TO: Okay, I ’ v e n e v e r heard anyone describe swimming as fun, unless they were a swimmer. AM: I mean, okay. Only because I like to go, I went to the beach a lot when I was at home so that was pretty fun. So, it’s tiring but it’s enjoyable. TO: You mentioned your birthday is coming up, do you have any fun plans that you’re excited about? AM: We’re literally going to be at Oregon [for NCAAs]. So no plans except running, but I'm excited just because in our 800 group it's basically 95% freshmen. So I'm the last one to be 19. Caden’s 19 next month, and I'm going to be last one so I'm probably going to be with the group. So I mean that’s the only exciting thing. 19 is just 18 basically. TO: What is your go-to pre-race or post-race/post-season meal? AM: I love eating oatmeal before. I feel like this is just a regular track thing but oatmeal before, the day of in the morning. Pasta I guess is a ritual, but every track person does pasta before a meet. But, I can't really say this is like an end of a season thing because I deﬁnitely have broken this and I deﬁnitely have dove into it in between the seasons, or in between like meets, which is not good – actually, it’s ﬁne. But deﬁnitely pizzookies. My roommate has deﬁnitely got me into those, which is a cookie with ice cream on top. It’s so yummy. And then deﬁnitely burgers. Post-meet though, I don’t think I go that crazy. Post-season. Celebration is what it is. TO: Do you have a favorite show to binge watch? AM: I l o v e Grey's Anatomy. That's my all-time favorite show. But, the thing is, I ﬁ nished watching every single episode. I t h i n k t h e y have a new season but I d o n ' t t h i n k they put it on on Hulu yet, like, I think it's been aired. So, but I love Grey's Anatomy. I ﬁnished it though so right now I'm just watching Criminal Minds but not really binging it just because I just really use it for background noise or like just hop on but it's been good. TO: Who is your favorite Grey’s Anatomy character? AM: 007. George. Before he died… but we don’t have to talk about that. TO: What is your dream vacation? AM: I deﬁnitely would just go somewhere that has water because I love water. And somewhere that you can like adventure around. Greece is so pretty. Maybe even Morocco. Photo credit: Victor Sailer / Photo Run

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by Juliette Whittaker, Mount De Sales Academy I am a runner. But I am also a student, a sister, a daughter, a leader, and a friend. Sometimes, when a sport takes up so much of your time and energy, it can become easy to make that sport your identity. I remember for the longest time, when someone asked me about myself, I would say “I am a runner.” Looking back, I wholeheartedly regret the many times I said that statement. Yes, after school I go to track practice. Yes, on the weekends I wake up to go on a long run. Yes, I go to track meets. But to say I am solely a runner? That would be an insult to every other hobby and passion in my life. I am more than just a runner. I am someone who runs, but I am also someone who learns, someone who reads, someone who has fun. Running is a HUGE part of my life, but it is not my life. I have struggled for so long understanding this. I made running my one and only identity and forgot the other aspects of my life. Placing my entire self-worth in running made every failure, every mistake, every loss the end of my world. I thought I was just a runner, I believed that if that one part of my life didn’t go to plan, I was a failure. I created my whole purpose around the sport that I played instead of embracing it as only part of my being. Not only am I more than a runner, but the sport itself is so much more than just running. Over the years I have realized that this sport is not something that keeps me in shape or gives me something to do outside of school. This sport has shaped and impacted my life in more ways than I can count. The amount of incredible people that I have met through this sport is absolutely insane. The sport of running has created a community of people from different states and backgrounds, united by the common experience of pushing ourselves in unimaginable ways. One of the best experiences that I have had in my running career happened this past January at the Virginia Showcase. Myself and three other girls -- Roisin Willis, Sophia Gorriaran, and Bailey Goggans -- broke the World U20 4x800 record. While, yes, breaking records is incredible and fulﬁlling, the most memorable part of this race was that each of us hailed from a different state -- Maryland, Wisconsin, Rhode Island, or Texas -- yet we were able to unite as one team for one common goal. This is the beauty of running. We each share an understanding of the common sacriﬁces we have made to be where we are. I would never have met half of the friends I have today without this sport. Meets like Foot Locker Nationals, New Balance Nationals, and even just my small dual meets have surrounded me with a community that I will have forever. ! Running has also taught me so much about myself. It has taught me to push my body beyond the nonexistent limits I place on myself. It has taught me to have conﬁdence in myself and to not be afraid to set goals that appear seemingly high. It has taught me that I am so much stronger than I would have ever believed. It has taught me how to be present in everything that I do and how to balance my life. It has taught be about my love I have for nature and being outside. It has taught me how to have a good relationship with food and know how to fuel myself. It has taught me how to truly be physically, emotionally, and mentally happy. No matter what may be happening in the world around me, running has always stayed my constant. When I feel overwhelmed, stressed, sad, angry, I can run and feel instantly better. So, running does so much more to me than just keeping me in shape. Just as I am more than a runner and the sport itself is more than running, my purpose extends beyond the desire to win medals and break records. I can name so many reasons why I run, but what each reason has in common is the understanding that I run for something greater than myself. Before each and every one of my races, one thing I always leave time for is praying. I pray to God to give me strength and conﬁdence and the ability to run for Him and His glory. Not only do I run for God, but I run for my family, my friends, the sport, female athletes, and those who are not as fortunate as I am to be given such opportunities. Viewing the sport this way transforms it into a humbling and gracious experience. When I step out of myself and realize that there is so much more to running than the PRs and victories, this sport is given a new purpose. So, yes, I run and running keeps me in shape and winning is fun, but this sport is SO much more than that, which is why I love this sport immensely and why this sport has impacted my life so deeply. I began my journey with this sport on Girls on the Run in elementary school and carried it into high school track and cross country and over these years, running has become more than just a sport. It has become my passion, my motivation, and a part of who I am. I am a runner. More than Just RunningPhoto credit: Victor Sailer / Photo Run

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We sat down with Zach Litoff, the Santa Clara senior athlete whose work as a graphic designer was pivotal in raising awareness for the #Reinstate48 movement, a successful attempt to return the ﬁeld size at NCAA Regionals to 48. The Oval: What inspired you to be such a vocal advocate for #Reinstate48? Zach Litoff: My coaches mentioned that the committee in charge of choosing the number of individuals that q u a l i f y p e r e v e n t w a s reconsidering their decision. Often the NCAA prioritizes money over their athletes. However, through my time on SAAC — Student Athletics Advisory Committee — I have seen that they still somewhat care about what their athletes want. I was following the hashtag on Twitter, but didn’t see a lot of conversation around it. I quickly realized that the NCAA wasn’t going to hear the voices of athletes unless more people were talking about it. My design account @litoffstudio has a decent following of NCAA runners. It kinda just hit me that I’m probably one of the best people to start the conversation. I doodled a badge and threw down all the facts I had researched or heard from my friends and coaches. TO: How did the decision to Reinstate 48 impact you personally? ZL: Personally, I was pretty conﬁdent that my steeplechase time of 8:54 would qualify me for regionals regardless of the #Reinstate48 decision. I was also pretty conﬁdent that I could run even faster later in the season, which I ended up doing after this decision was made. However, this decision was huge for my team. My team is currently on the brink of transitioning from a decent team to a good one. We’ve sent only ﬁve guys to regionals throughout team history. However, with 48 individuals per event, we’d likely send ﬁve or six guys this year alone. These are ﬁve of my best friends. My roommate Christian Raslowsky, a 5th year who stayed an extra year in hopes of making regionals, would be on the bubble with his current 8:56 high steeplechase time. When he heard that the NCAA reinstated 48, he started screaming and ran over to me. It was such a memorable moment. Knowing how much that meant to Christian and our whole team, I can only imagine the amount of joy that this decision produced across the NCAA. TO: W i t h d e c i s i o n s s u c h a s #Reinstate48 and #SaveClemsonXCTF, what are your thoughts on the increased agency and voice track and ﬁeld athletes are getting within our sport? Where do you see improvements for it? ZL: Right now we're in a very unique time in the NCAA. NIL — Name Image and Likeness — is just getting passed, meaning a lot of rights are being taken back from the schools and given back to athletes. We are also experiencing movements like Black Lives Matter, which is seeing a lot of support from professional athletes speaking up. I think movements like both of these show athletes that their words can have power and cause change. That is cool. I'm a huge fan of the increased agency. There’s so much wrong with the NCAA. Just look at Loyola Marymount’s track/cross country program. While it can be hard to cause change to happen as an individual, it’s really powerful when a lot of people come together. We saw a glimpse of this with #Reinstate48, and we saw even more with #SaveClemsonXCTF. I hope to see much more in the future. As far as improvement goes, I think it is important for people to realize that re-sharing a post is good because it keeps the ball rolling, but it’s even better for people to start the action too. If more people were making unique posts, or bringing up these topics in conversations with friends, or making adjustments to their lifestyle, or walking the walk along with a re-share. That is when the real change would happen. The Man Behind the Reinstate 48 Movement: Q&A with Zach LitoffPhoto Credit: Joe Hale

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TO: How did you get into graphic design? ZL: When I was a 6th grader one of my best friends torrented Adobe Photoshop onto my computer so we could make sweet skateboard and parkour edits. It’s kinda embarrassing now, but I owe that friend so much. Without digital arts, my academic endeavors would be SO, SO much different. And likely way less fun for me. TO: How does it serve as an outlet from the track for your creative pursuits? ZL: I’m the type of person where I would go crazy if I only focused on running. If I stopped having fun, I would not run as fast. Design gives me a good outlet for something else to be passionate about. TO: How has your training been going and what goals do you have going forward? ZL: My training has been going really well. I have been able to comfortably click off 70 mile weeks throughout the season. Our coach Felipe Montoro has really mastered his training plan, so I’m super excited to see what I can do during the rest of this year and next. When I decided to run for Santa Clara I was really sold on the idea of joining a team that’s trying to do something it's never done before. Now t h a t I ’ m a n upperclassman, I feel like I've done a good job helping the team towards that goal. Almost all of our top ﬁve times are in the past three years, but w e s t i l l h a v e s o m e unﬁnished business. As a team, I really want our team to qualify for XC nationals next year. We’ve never done that as a program, and next year we’ll have our best team yet. Individually, I think the best thing I can do is help inspire the younger guys on the team. Personally, I want to be an All-American on the track before I graduate. Quick Facts about Zach TO: Favorite spot to eat in Boulder? ZL: Rincon Argentino. It is this little empanadas place that is SO GOOD. TO: Favorite spot to run in Boulder? ZL: Doudy Draw loop through Eldorado Canyon TO: Best track you have run on? ZL: Probably Stanford’s during Payton Jordan. Running with track fans watching is electric. TO: If you weren't a runner, what sport or hobby would you play/do? ZL: I mean deﬁnitely drawing, graphic design, arts. Outside of that, I love growing plants, so probably that. Also since college, I’ve gotten really into climbing. TO: Biggest design/creative inspiration? ZL: I have two. #1 Will Bryant. His stuff is super simple, but it’s just SO good. I love it. He doesn't really match my style of art, but I hope I can be as good as him one day. #2 Joe Hale. His photos are really sweet. He’s more of an inspiration because of the way he sent it. He combines the things he loves like photography and running. TO: Anything else you would like to add? ZL: Keep an eye out for Santa Clara. Our program should be turning some heads over the next couple of years. Also, until the NIL law gets passed I don’t know if I'm allowed to self-promote but…I have an Instagram @litoffstudio. Not going to say anything else, just gonna put that out there. Photo Credit: Joe Hale

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by Josette Norris, Reebok Boston Track Club Relax the ﬁrst 3k, be brave the last 2k. This is the message I texted myself a few hours before the 5000 meter race at the Trials of Miles Texas Qualiﬁer on February 27th. I like to send myself a m e s s a g e o r quote to read before I warm up for a race so it is fresh in my mind. It helps me focus on my g o a l f o r t h e race. Going into this race I was both excited and nervous; this meet had been on my schedule since December 2020 with my eyes set on running the Olympic Trials qualifying time of 15:20.00. Training and racing had been going really well in the months leading up to this meet and I was eager to show my ﬁtness in a competitive 5000 meter race, but there were still a lot of nerves because my two previous races at this distance had gone poorly in 2020. Truth be told, you can’t fake the 5k! When the Olympics were postponed last year, I was ﬂooded with a sense of relief. I was in the middle of my ﬁrst year as a professional runner with Coach Fox’s Charlottesville, VA based Reebok Boston Track Club, and the best way that I can describe being a new professional runner is being a freshman in college all over again. New teammates, new coach, new training, new home, new pressures. There was a lot to adjust to and I found myself struggling in workouts and not realizing how tired I was going into races. The extra time in 2020 to focus on training, to become better acquainted with the new program, and to ultimately thrive as a stronger runner have been crucial for my development. After a year under the program, I am stronger, more conﬁdent, and more comfortable with the intensity of the workouts. So going into the Trials of Miles 5000m, I knew that I was in better shape than I was in 2020 and wanted to prove it to myself and everyone else. At my tune-up workout before the race Coach Fox reminded me, “Anything under 15:20 would be a GREAT day,” and that really struck a chord with me. I didn’t need to do anything crazy, I just had to do what we both knew I could do and check off the box of an Olympic Trials Qualiﬁer! The meet was in Austin, Texas, which ﬁlled me with a ton of nostalgia because this was where I ran in my ﬁrst (and only) NCAA Track and Field Championships. Here at Austin I ﬁnished fourth and earned All-American honors in the 5000m. Being back in Austin, this time for another 5000m race, it felt equal parts familiar and empowering. The night of the race was hot, humid, and windy — not the most ideal conditions for a 5000 meter race. There was talk about the race being paced for both 14:50 and 15:15 — I planned to go out with the 15:15 pace, since I didn’t want to go out at a pace over my head — but things quickly changed as soon as the gun went off. Control Your DestinyPhoto credit: Joe Hale

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The pace slowed once the pacers stepped off at 2k, and though I was ﬁve seconds behind the lead pack at the mile — which I passed through in 4:55.1 — I gradually worked my way up to connect with them over the next mile. Going into the race, I knew a range of times I could be at the 3000 meter mark to keep me on track for the Trials qualifying time. I went through 3000 meters in 9:16.2, which was about six seconds slower than I anticipated, but only two seconds outside of the slow-end of my range to still hit the Trials Standard. As the pace continued to slow the next few laps, instead of giving up and relegating myself to the outcome that the pace was “off,” I made the decision to take the lead with 3 laps to go. I needed to give myself a chance to make my dreams come true. So I boldly took the lead against a ﬁeld that included the World Champion in the steeplechase and the Indoor American record holder in the mile (4:16!) and I started to pick up the pace in earnest. I’d be lying if I said that I wasn’t scared of taking the lead. I felt vulnerable making the move to the front and putting myself on full display, unsure if I could commit to the move. But once I did, I felt comfortable and empowered putting the fate of the race in my hands. I ended up getting passed on the last lap by two women, but I leaned as hard as I could when I crossed the ﬁnish line, unsure if I had dipped under the standard or came up just short. There was no scoreboard to see the results immediately following the race, but luckily my agent Ray Flynn was hitting refresh on the results page on his phone, and after what felt like an eternity, we saw 15:19.31 ﬂash up next to my name. A 10 second personal best and less than a second under the Olympic Trials Qualiﬁer. I yelled out, “I got it!” and the biggest smile soared across my face. I had just qualiﬁed for my ﬁrst Olympic Trials, something I had dreamed about doing since middle school. Looking back, I accomplished much more than earning the Olympic Trials standard. I proved to myself that I can be brave against the best runners in the world and be rewarded for sticking to my race plan. A race plan of being brave is intentionally ambiguous, because in each race it could mean something different. On that night it meant taking the lead, and tomorrow it could mean hanging on until the last 100 meters. Trusting my instincts is what gave me the best chance of success in Austin, and it only gives me even more conﬁdence to trust myself next time. As happy as I was and still am with the result of this race, I haven’t forgotten the feeling of getting passed by two people on the last lap and that hollow sting has only added fuel to my ﬁre. With weeks to go until the Olympic Trials, I have my sights locked on earning the Olympic standard in the 5000m, 15:10.00, and ﬁghting for a spot in the top 3 at the Olympic Trials. With faith in myself, fearlessness and determination to own my journey, I believe that anything is possible. Photo credit: Joe Hale

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by Nathan Green, Borah High School When I was asked to write this article, it took me a while to ﬁnd a good topic to write about and share with everyone who may read and enjoy. After a lot of thinking on what makes me really excited and happy about running, I’ve chosen to write about the absolutely amazing people who helped make me who I am today and who helped me get to where I am as a runner. These are the great people behind the scenes that don’t get the love and recognition I feel they deserve. To start off, I’d like to talk about Quincy Ellis. Quincy has been my friend and running partner for the last 4 years. In that time we’ve run countless miles together in the foothills, on the Greenbelt and on the track. This past year we lost a lot of senior leaders and great runners to graduation, and although we thought it was going to be a tremendous blow to our training and racing, Quincy stepped up and overachieved to our greatest dreams. Through his leadership, hard work and commitment to the team, and at the same time helping get me and himself better, we’ve strung together an incredible outdoor track season thus far. He is tenacious and makes me do the things I never want to do but need to do (stretch, core, ﬁnishing mileage, rolling out, ice baths, keeping good pace) without being asked of it. He wants to see me succeed and be my best self, and it’s awesome to have that kind of teammate around. To follow Quincy, I’d like to give my mom a big shoutout. To say that she’s been through a lot would be an understatement, and there will never be enough words to completely thank my mom for all she has done for me. Through all the highs and lows she has seen it all, and has always been there to give me a big hug — before and after races — no matter how sweaty and smelly I am. She is an incredibly inﬂuential person in my life, and that pours into running, everyday life, and all things I do. If you’re reading this, go give your mom a big hug for me. On this list I’ve got to also add my long time friend Jimmy Lee. Jimmy and I have known each other since kindergarten, and throughout the entire time I’ve known him, he has been reliable, kind, honest, and hardworking. He does what he loves (traveling, running, video games), and is always ﬁnding new running trails for us to adventure on and is always pushing me to become better with every run. Jimmy has always been a good friend to me, and I’m extremely thankful to have him in my life. Next on my thank you list is Alyssa Kernin. Never letting up with her support and words of wisdom, Alyssa has always been a huge motivator in my life. She keeps me disciplined and helps me see the bigger picture of my workout plans when I’m not motivated and helps me keep focus of why all my training is worth it. Alyssa goes the extra mile, and rolls my legs out when they hurt and I’m being a baby and won’t do it myself, and will pester me constantly to eat healthy foods instead of fast food and in particular my long time addiction to Chick-ﬁl-A. As serious as she may sound though, she is still very energetic, goofy and fun to have around. Now we have Zach Garey. The legend that got me into running in the ﬁrst place. He got me into cross country, kept me on track, and has always made it fun while we did all of our gruesome workouts together. He made running so much fun. I truly fell in love with the sport and have never regretted my choice to be in running, no matter how much it may hurt, in large part to Zach. Another one of the biggest and best inﬂuences in my life, Zach truly is my best friend. He has never doubted me, has only ever wanted me to succeed and do better, and is always around when I need him. Losing him on the team this past season sucked if I’m being honest. Miss you Zach. Coach Tim Severa. The maestro. The genius behind all my mileage plans, workout plans, and racing strategy. He has taught me everything I know and there is still much to learn from Tim. Coach Tim is the one who sent Zach to recruit me for cross country. He had faith in me and my running before I had even begun to run as fast as I can. He saw potential, and through his coaching and his genius am I capable to be who I am today. I am forever thankful and in his debt for all he has given me, taught me and shown me throughout my years under his coaching, the greatest coach I could have asked for. This is a small but truly important list of people who make me a better person and a better runner every day. The credit to who I have become is owed to them, and I hope that this helps give the credit where credit is due. The people behind the scenes that make all this just that much more worth it. My Inspirations

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by José Peñalver, Samford University Before the start of my collegiate track and ﬁeld career I was someone who feared change. I loved my routine and was wary of the day that I would have to break away from it. However, I soon found myself facing many unexpected situations. Since my freshman year of high school, I have attended ﬁve different schools and have competed under ten unique coaches. I transferred from my ﬁrst high school to another school in Florida for my senior year, and, in the midst of that year, my life surprisingly changed forever. I underwent surgery for a tumor and unfortunately missed the entire cross country season. It was a long journey, but I was ﬁnally able to walk again in January of 2017. Not even 120 days after I regained my ability to walk, I ran the 800m in 1:52.3 at the Florida Relays. However, I graduated high school with no offers from college coaches. I was unable to ﬁnd a place as a walk-on or even attain a partial scholarship from any school. As I prepared for the IAAF U18 World Championships, my high school coach told me about George “Pup” Williams, who was a coach at St. Augustine University. The school had less than one thousand students, and yet had won thirty-nine national championships in the last forty years. After a brief conversation Coach Williams offered me a full scholarship, and I packed my bags for Raleigh, NC. Looking back on my naive seventeen-year-old self, I understand now that I did not fully appreciate the knowledge of Coach Williams, which came from his former employment as the head coach of the US Olympic Track and Field Team. I simply went through the motions of practice and consequently began to lose my passion for running. In the midst of this mental journey, I began my ﬁrst indoor track season and helped my team continue their legacy of victory at the conference championships. After participating in the 4x400 meter relay, the 800m and the 1600m, our team celebrated St. Augustine’s twenty-ﬁrst conference victory. However, I once again found myself on a new path after a few disagreements with the coaching staff. I told Coach Williams it would be in my best interest to move back home and take care of my sister. In the summer of 2018 I was back in South Florida with no plans as to where I would head in the coming fall. About a month before school started, I got a call from my old coach, who I’d competed with during my freshman through junior years of high school. He informed me that he got a job at St. Thomas, an NAIA university near my house. Before I could even Google the details of NAIA Track and Field, I found myself saying, “Yes, let’s go.” After enrolling in St. Thomas University, my passion for running began to revive itself. In each workout and time trial, I saw the results of my hard work and diligence. A turning point occurred when my coach and I decided that I should run the 600m in a time trial. That day, I ﬁnished in 1:18. At that moment, we knew that I was capable of running sub-1:50. A Piece Here, A Piece TherePhoto credit: Samford Athletics

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The goal of winning nationals consumed our minds from that point on, and we decided that anything less would be a failure. However, in an unanticipated turn of events, I opened up my season by missing the sub 1 : 5 0 m a r k b y . 11 seconds. Feelings of frustration followed after seeing how close I was to becoming a national champion. Despite these trails, I met so many wonderful, hard-working individuals during my races at St. Thomas. While I ended the last meet of my season ranked #1 in NAIA, I fell s ho r t o f a n a ti on a l championship by placing 7th in the ﬁnals. I was looking forward to the coming year’s potential, but time seemed to repeat itself as changes in the coaching staff confronted me. After speaking with my parents, we decided that it was best for me to leave. I once again found myself searching for a place where I could hit the times I knew that I was capable of running. I emailed over two hundred coaches from all different parts of the country, but, to my surprise, the ﬁrst email I sent warranted a response that would lead me to the school and coach that were perfect for my future. After just a short conversation with Coach Balyo from Samford University, I knew that he was the coach that would be able to mentor me up to the next level. He was the ﬁrst collegiate coach who told me what I needed to hear rather than what I wanted to hear concerning my training. I took some time to consider the other offers I had received, and I was thankful that over twenty-ﬁve schools saw my potential. Though it took a lot of hard work and unexpected changes, the time came for me to experience the “recruiting process” that I never had during my senior year of high school. While there were many options to choose from, I envisioned Samford in my future after I spoke with Coach Balyo a second time. I arrived in Birmingham, Alabama on January 2, 2020, and I was met with a workout that I remember to this day. Coach Balyo was able to target my weak points and, since then, has helped me to improve upon the small things. I believe that our chemistry is exactly what I need to make m e n t a l a n d p h y s i c a l improvements in every practice and meet. We abide by the philosophy that I should focus on winning every race rather than just concerning myself with times. Competition, in our minds, takes precedence over running for a speciﬁc time because it creates a drive for victory. Being coached by coach Balyo for the past eighteen months has allowed me to experience stability that I’ve never had before. A f t e r making the jump to NCAA Division 1 Tr a c k a nd Field, each serious competition has pushed me to learn more about myself and the craft of running. This journey has been quite the roller coaster, and it certainly did not adhere to the routine life I once enjoyed. However, I value this experience too much to ever trade it in for another path. Each team was unique, and I am happy to say that the interactions I’ve had at those schools have shaped me into a better athlete. Photo credit: Samford AthleticsPhoto credit: Samford Athletics

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We sat down with Coach Rhonda Riley of Duke University. In her ﬁrst year of being the men’s head cross country coach at Duke University, where she has been the women’s coach for ﬁve years, Riley led both programs to the NCAA Cross Country Championships, breaking a nine-year drought. She discusses her coaching philosophies, thoughts on the rising wave of female coaches within the sport, and offers advice for women who want to break into the coaching profession. The Oval: How did you get your start in coaching? Rhonda Riley: I started my coaching career in 2004 as a volunteer assistant at my alma mater Oregon State. I was fortunate to be mentored by Kelly Sullivan during my time there. I was able to gain a lot of valuable experience during that year before I moved to Arizona State to get my master’s and be a graduate assistant for the Sun Devils. After 2 years I moved further east to Vanderbilt where I was an assistant for 9 years assisting Steve Keith. It was an amazing experience that helped set me up for my ﬁrst head coaching job at Duke. TO: What are your main philosophies as a coach? RR: I believe in a four-year approach of developing our athletes. I want to see my athletes piece together seasons of training and racing and contributing to the overall success of the program. I hope they can leave Duke with a sense of accomplishment on and off the track. One of the things I try to develop with my athletes is a sense of trust. Trust is not given, it is earned. Once that trust is established, I can understand them better and how to reach the goals that are set. TO: After having both your teams qualify for NCAAs (breaking a long NCAA qualiﬁcation drought for Duke) and other female coaches like Diljeet Taylor at BYU have immense success this past XC season, what kind of message does that send about women’s coaching abilities? RR: This has been a great year for the female coaches in our profession. Four of the top ﬁve women’s cross country teams at NCAAs were led by women head coaches. It sends the message that females can coach and they are doing a great job of bringing their programs to the top. It has always been men leading these programs and that is not the case anymore. TO: Since being appointed as the head men’s XC coach at Duke in addition to the women, how has the team’s success shown the potential for women to lead at other powerhouse programs? RR: I have enjoyed taking the lead with the men’s distance runners this year. Combining our men’s and women's programs has been the best thing for Duke Distance in my opinion. It has allowed us to ﬁnd a bigger purpose in what we do as a team. I have told anyone who asks me that coaching men has been one of the best things for me both professionally and personally. I encourage female coaches to think about coaching men as it will challenge them and will help them grow as a coach. TO: Have you had to change your coaching strategy for coaching men as opposed to coaching women, whether that’s in terms of personal interactions, training philosophies, or some other manner? Interview with Duke XC/TF Coach Rhonda Riley

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by Joe Cullen, Duke University When I was a freshman in high school, I remember the prestige associated with earning a spot on my team’s storied 4x800 meter relay. Everything we did — our training, our individual races, our meet schedules — was designed to give us a shot at winning the elusive 4x800 meter relay at the PA state championship. After ﬁnally securing that spot on the relay, I was the happiest 15 year-old kid on Earth. Since that day, I can’t think of outdoor track without thinking of the 4x800. The race and the wide range of emotions it has brought me serve as a perfect microcosm for our sport. Especially in track, where the team aspect sometimes feels neglected relative to cross country, nothing beats the incomparable feelings of experiencing the ultimate victory or the worst heartbreak with your closest friends. This brings me to the thesis of my article: Why isn’t the 4x800 raced outdoors collegiately? Sure, a couple conferences here and there race the event, but for the most part, the NCAA ignores this event that is ingrained to the fabric of track to so many distance runners. Sprinters enjoy two relays outdoors — the 4x100 meter relay and the 4x400 meter relay — which brings into question why distance runners don’t get any. This illustrates a disparity in opportunities for distance outdoors, especially when considering a distance relay exists indoors yet none are competed outdoors. A side beneﬁt worth considering is that as our sport contemplates how to grow in popularity and attract more fans, integrating one of the sport’s most popular and exciting relays into the NCAA’s DNA would not just attract more fans to watch the championships themselves, but also incentivize both participating in the sport’s famous relay meets. Several huge collegiate relay meets exist, including the Penn Relays, perhaps the sport’s most famous meet. That’s not to mention the Raleigh Relays, Arkansas Relays, Drake Relays and Tennessee Relays, all of which garner top schools and competition. If they were to have the added incentive of being a popular destination for championship qualiﬁers and serving as a prelude to the showdowns at the national championships, these meets, especially the Penn Relays, would regain some of their former glory and be viewed as more than just one-off runnings of the 4x800. Most importantly there’s something beautiful about relays. There is something special about counting upon your teammates and trusting them to do their job. There is something about the sense of pride representing your school and the obligation to race hard not just for yourself, but for the three men or women depending upon you, and being part of something bigger than yourself. And without the 4x800 outdoors, thousands of collegiate distance runners miss out on this camaraderie. So here’s my plea to the NCAA: Put in a 4x800 at championship meets and you won’t regret it. Fans will love the thrill of schools going up against each other instead of individuals just pursuing glory, athletes would kill for a chance to line up side by side with their teammates, and coaches would appreciate the extra opportunities for their athletes and the extra wrinkle of strategy. So to paraphrase a recent Instagram comment section, your move, NCAA. RR: The biggest change I have made since taking on the men’s program has been to be even more intentional at practice in connecting with my athletes. I have doubled the amount of athletes I coach so making sure I communicate the best I can with the team when with them is important to me. My core beliefs and principals have remained the same and have grounded me during the addition of responsibilities. TO: What advice do you have for other women looking to break into the coaching profession? RR: I encourage all women to understand the impact that coaching can have. It’s a very rewarding profession and one that can bring a lot of joy. Many coaches say that what we do is a “grind.” I don’t see it that way. This is something I choose to do and all of the “sacriﬁces” that I make as a coach is something that I want to do. The advice I have for women getting into this profession is to be a master of your craft. Do your job to the best of your ability, work hard, help your athletes achieve great things, and enjoy the journey.An Argument for the Collegiate 4x800

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by Caroline Miller, University of Tulsa On Halloween in ﬁrst grade, I dressed up as a nurse. I spent that day pretending to listen to my classmate’s hearts, putting Band-Aids on skinned knees and running around as if I were saving lives. Honestly, from that moment forward I was obsessed with the idea of being a nurse. I never hesitated through middle school and high school when people asked what I wanted to be when I grew up. The answer was always quick and certain. But as high school progressed, I realized I had another passion. I was always an athletic kid and tended to excel in sports, but when I decided to quit soccer and pursue track and cross country in high school things really transitioned. After a year or so I realized I was likely good enough to do this at the collegiate level. Little did I know how challenging it would be to ﬁnd a program that also allowed me to pursue that dream that started in ﬁrst grade. Throughout my recruitment process, school after school told me that what I wanted was not possible. Pursuing a nursing degree was not going to work while being an athlete. Sometimes it was the coaches that told me this, but other times it was the nursing program that denied me. Then I found Tulsa. There was something different about how Coach Steve Gulley spoke to me about my dreams, and how the nursing program said they were more than willing to work with me. After taking a visit, I came home giddier than I had ever been as my dreams were becoming a reality. I was going to be a college athlete, and I was going to be a nurse. Now, to admit, going to nursing school and running at the Division 1 level has been the hardest thing I have ever done, but it also has brought me more joy than I could have ever imagined. Some days are really hard and make me question why I chose the path I did. I will have huge tests, clinical, and then a race and it all seems like too much. And yet, other days I truly cannot wipe the smile off my face. My teammates get to deal with me telling them all of the incredible stuff I go to do in clinical and the patients I have taken care of. They hear the joy in my voice when I talk about the deliveries that I have been a part of. My teammates are truly the best. They support me in my dreams and put up with miles and miles where I cannot stop talking about all of the stuff I have seen. I could not do it without them. The teammates who have gone before me and achieved their dreams of becoming a nurse as well are a source of inspiration to me every day. Coming to Tulsa has been the best decision I have ever made, and the joy it has brought me makes the hard days easier. I have learned so much about myself in the last three years of college athletics and even more in the last year that I have been fully enrolled in nursing school. It is no secret that college athletes are gritty. We ﬁght hard for our dreams, for our schools and for our teammates. We are not afraid of hard work and never b a c k d o w n f r o m a challenge. The skills I have learned in running have helped me to excel in nursing school. I always tell my classmates how much I attribute my passion for nursing school to being an athlete. I know how to ﬁght hard for my dreams and advocate for my patients, and I will not back down from the challenge because of what running has taught me that I am capable and strong. I see parallels between running and life every day, and I challenge you to ﬁnd them too. You will see that you too are strong and capable of hard things, and I promise it will make you more conﬁdent with every step you take through life. Two Big Dreams Photo credit: Tulsa Athletics

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by Alex Holbrook, Exeter Township High School I woke up on June 19, 2019 to get ready for my ﬁrst cross country practice as a sophomore. After a great freshman season, I couldn’t wait for what this year could potentially hold for me. My goals were to break 16 minutes and qualify for the PIAA State Championships. Little did I know, a few hours later my new goal became to be able to run again. When I got to practice everything was normal. All my teammates were excited for the season because we had a pretty solid team that year. Our head coach talked to us for a few minutes, then sent us out on our run. It was around 8 o’clock AM when we started, and the roads were pretty busy. The varsity team and I went to cross the road, and I was hit by a car going 35 MPH. I thought it was a dream, my vision was super blurry and I had no clue what was going on. My coach rushed over and immediately called my dad from his phone because he wasn’t sure if I was going to survive and he wanted me to speak to him. Nobody knew the extent of my injuries until the ambulance arrived. They knew immediately that I broke my femur and wrist — they were basically bent in half. When I got on the ambulance, I still thought that I was dreaming because I didn’t feel a thing. At that point, I wasn’t even worried about anything because I was expecting to wake up and everything be back to normal. The pain eventually set in and it was the worst thing I have ever experienced in my life. It felt like my whole body was on ﬁre. When I got to the hospital, I was rushed to the trauma center and needed stitches put in my chin. According to the doctors, my chin bone was completely exposed. While getting stitches, my leg was having spasms so it made it next to impossible for me to stay still. I got taken into surgery to repair my femur and wrist. If the surgery went bad, my whole leg would have been put in a cast for months. Since I had a clean break in my femur, the surgeon was able to line it up perfectly with a permanent metal rod down the center of my bone. In my wrist, I had temporary pins put in and a full arm cast for 2 months. When I was in the recovery room, reality ﬁnally started to set in. Around 4 o’clock that afternoon, a physical therapist came into my room and told me to try and walk a few steps with a crutch. I was expecting it to be easy, but I wasn’t able to do it. I needed help from two doctors to not even move more than ﬁve steps. It took everything out of me. The Long Road to NormalPhoto credit: Holbrook family

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The doctors were amazed I was able to do that, but I w a s s t i l l e x t r e m e l y disappointed in myself. That's all the physical therapy I did that day, but the doctors told me to try and move around as much as possible so I wouldn’t develop blood clots. I was exhausted so I decided to try and fall asleep, but it took me a long time to fall asleep because I would have constant panic attacks. At that point, my arm was starting to swell up in my cast so it was extremely tight and painful. I fell asleep around 3 AM that night. I got woken up that morning so I could get a CT scan to see if I had any head injuries. I was lucky to have no brain damage but they found that I broke my nose and that I chipped a bone under my eye. The doctors also checked for potential spine injuries and they found that I didn’t have any. When I got back to my room, physical therapists came in and told me to try and walk again. I was able to walk about 10 steps. That made me feel great because I was already doing better than the day before. After that, the orthopedic surgeon came into my room and reviewed the X-rays with me. After seeing the X-rays, I asked him if I would ever run again and he said it would be a very long time. I knew that I was going to prove him wrong. Three days later, I was out of the hospital. I was very excited to be home and start going back to normal. That night, I went to track practice so I could be there with the team. It was extremely hard for me to be there but I was glad I got to see my friends. I tried my best to be around my friends as much as possible. It was the only thing that made me forget about my situation. Every morning at 7:30 I would wake up to my dogs barking out the window at the cross country team. The whole team ran to my house every morning before practice. Them being there motivated me to work even harder so I could hopefully be running with them again. The next few days went very well for me. I was able to walk around more and feel a lot stronger. However, things went downhill pretty quickly. I was having trouble eating any hard foods because my teeth were hurting. At ﬁrst I thought that my jaw was sore from the impact but when it didn’t feel any better after a few weeks, I ﬁgured that I should go to the dentist to get it checked out. Photo credit: Holbrook family

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The dentist found that I had 7 teeth that were cracked and 3 of them needed to be removed. The reason it hurt so bad was because the nerve endings were exposed. I was very upset because that meant I needed to get another surgery. Although I was upset, I was also excited because that meant I could ﬁnally start eating again. I already lost over 15 pounds in those two weeks due to not eating. Once I got my surgery, things started to go better. I was able to eat again so I felt a lot stronger than before. I started physical therapy and I progressed faster than I would’ve ever imagined. My left quad muscle wasn’t working so it took a lot of work to get any movement. It eventually started ﬁring again and I improved drastically af ter that. I was able to w a l k w a y further and it felt easier. I went to p h y s i c a l therapy 3 days a week and on the other days I went to the gym to cross- train. I rode a stationary bike and swam laps most of the time. I think that those activities helped me keep my endurance up while I couldn’t run. I was eventually cleared to run again on September 11th, 2019. It was a great feeling to ﬁnally be able to start training again. However, I was very nervous about how it was going to feel and where I would start off. I started by running 10 minutes a day for 3 days a week and I increased mileage every two weeks. I noticed that when I was running, I favored my right leg, so I took more time to strengthen my broken leg. After about 2 months of training, I decided to do a mile time trial to see where I was at. I had no expectations and I just wanted to see what I could do. I ended up running a 4:52. The ﬁrst time I raced was during my indoor track season. I didn’t do so well in my ﬁrst race back, I let all the nerves get to me. I thought something was going to happen to my leg and it caused me to panic. In my second race, I felt the same way and it didn’t go much better. That ended up being my last race until cross country due to Covid. I took advantage of the opportunity and trained very hard. The shutdown gave me time to focus purely on training and not worry about any races. It was hard to stay motivated at times but I fought through it. I was looking forward to cross country and getting the opportunity to train with friends again. My cross country season didn’t go the way I wanted it to. At the county race I had a heat stroke and ended up in the back of an ambulance again. I was very disappointed. I was leading the whole race by about 10 meters until the last quar t er mile. All of a sudden, everything started going black and I felt like I couldn’t move. I was still able to take a 3rd place ﬁnish but then I collapsed, and I just didn’t have the strength to stand up on my own. At that point, I was mentally and physically beat up and had a bad district race the week after. I decided to take a two week break and focus on track. Overall, I am very proud of the progress I made in such a short time. I think that my accident made me a better runner. It made me realize that you can’t take anything for granted and to make the best of every situation. I’m very thankful for all my friends, teammates, and coaches who supported me along the way. Photo credit: Mary Ann Magnant

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by Luke Janik, Tracksmith Running If you grew up in New England like me, you know someone who has run the Boston Marathon. They are the runners in town, like, they deﬁnitely won the Turkey Trot and they might even make the cover of the sports page in the local paper. Once I got to high school, it became a tradition to skip school on Patriot's Day to make the hours-long trek down to Boston and spectate the race from Heartbreak Hill. During my senior year, my coach asked us to write down our lifetime running goal. I wrote: "to run the Boston Marathon." In college, I joined the club running team at Northeastern University in Boston, many of whose members run the marathon every year. When I saw their training plans — almost all of which included 10 mile repeats for workouts and 20 mile long runs — I realized the incredible dedication that every marathoner puts in just for one single race. In the dining hall after practice, my teammates raved about the challenging Newton hills and excitedly discussed their plans to get on a bus at 5 AM to make it to the start line. As I stood at the corner of Comm Ave and Hereford on race day my freshman year, a shudder ﬂowed through me as I witnessed the gratitude of every runner making the second to last turn of the race, and I knew I too needed to race the Boston Marathon. Fast forward to 2019, and after a great season of training, I ﬁnished the Providence Marathon in a time of 2:37, well under the Boston qualifying standard of 3 hours. I was relieved. I had ﬁnally earned my spot on the line in Hopkinton. The following January, three months before the big race, I stacked 100 mile week after 100 mile week. My workouts got faster and my long runs got longer. But that was all about to suddenly change. Days before a tune-up half marathon in early March, an email from the race director notiﬁed us that the race was cancelled due to Coronavirus concerns. The state of Massachusetts had single digit conﬁrmed cases at the time. A week later, the Boston Marathon was postponed. My Strava caption from that day reads, "It’s hard to accept that I won’t be crossing the ﬁnish line on Boylston in a few weeks. The last couple months of grinding out miles has been a real ride and I know I’ll be better for it in the future. At least there’s more to running than just racing, and I’ll happily take that right now." The following months were extremely uncertain for everyone on the planet — runners included. In an instant, we went from having half a dozen races to choose from on any given weekend to zero for a full year. For a lot of us, the light at the end of the tunnel was gravely dim, but I kept thinking back to my caption — there's more to running than racing. I used my time during the pandemic to ﬁnd out what that really meant. Even without racing, I can still push my ﬁtness beyond the limits I thought possible. And I could change up my training by exploring less crowded routes, stretching more, cooking healthier meals, and taking time to reﬂect on my training. The news that the then-postponed Boston Marathon was also cancelled came to nobody's surprise: The pandemic was only getting worse. I had waited years to run this race, and now I, and thousands of others, had to wait even longer. Late in the summer I decided I'd run the race virtually, less as a test of my ﬁtness, and more to become part of a unique point in the Boston Marathon's rich history. I chose to avoid running the actual Boston course, as I believe it's too sacred. Instead, I mapped a course along the beautiful New Hampshire seacoast on the roads that I grew up running on. A few close friends offered to run alongside me in the race, and with their help I was able to pull off a new personal best of 2:29 — good for 6th place in the virtual event. While there were no spectators, no Heartbreak Hill and no real ﬁnish line, when I ﬁnally paused my watch 26.2 miles later, I felt all the emotions that had been building up since the start of the pandemic. Exhaustion from the grueling race. Gratitude for the help from my friends and family. Respect for the marathon. Now it’s in the spring of 2021, and it’s been over two full years since the last Boston marathon was held in person. We have a new potential date on the calendar — October 11, 2021 — and runners everywhere are hoping that they can ﬁnally have their chance to showcase their hard work. Although I can’t be certain when I’ll actually be able to toe the line for Boston, I know that it will have been worth the wait. A Race Worth Waiting For

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by Emily Bryson, Tracksmith Running My freshman year in college I felt like I was constantly getting asked one question, “Why did you go D3 when you could have gone D1?” And if I wasn’t getting asked the question it was my parents, coaches, and sister who were the ones being bombarded. Truth be told I never loved getting asked that question. It made me feel guilty for the choice that I had made, almost as though I had made the wrong one, but looking back on my 4-year c a r e e r a t Brandeis I have no doubt I m a d e t h e right one. First, for a bit of context, I started running when I was 5. I grew up dreaming of r u n n i n g f o r some big-name Division 1 school and can r e m e m b e r thinking of how advantageous my skill set as a runner would be in getting me into the college of my dreams. Fast forward to high school and I was a miler and 2 miler with personal bests of 5:16 and 11:00 heading into my senior year, prepared for any number of D1 offers that came my way. Sure enough, those opportunities came rolling right towards me, as my senior year I got a handful of offers to run for Division 1 schools. Ultimately, however, I turned them all down and decided to run for Brandeis University, a small Division 3 school outside of Boston with growing track and ﬁeld and cross country programs. So why then did I end up choosing a Division 3 school when I could have gone to a Division 1 school? Ultimately, it was in Division 3 where I felt I had the most potential, where I thought I would see the most growth as an athlete and a person. My choice was never some plea for greatness, a sought out shortcut to success, or some unyielding desire to etch my name in a school’s record books, but rather as an opportunity I saw to be impactful and help in growing and evolving a program. On top of that, I was fearful that I would struggle to thrive as an athlete on the Division 1 stage, that the pressures to perform at the D 1 l e v e l would o v e r w h e l mme. That I’dfall throughthe cracks in at e am o f 30other womena l l w i t hidentical if notbetter timesthan mine, leftin aperpetuatingcycle of neverfeelingcompetitiveenough. At aDivision 3school, I feltI’d receive theattention Ineeded andbe adequatelychallenged just to the right limits where I could excel themost. We often thrive most in those environments forwhich we are the best suited and thus I felt that for methat was D3 and that my best chances for success restedthere. I’d be challenged but never overburdened, ableto be realistic, never overly idealistic and defeated inthe goals I sought after, and would leave conﬁdent inthe holistic and expansive college experience I wouldhave gained.Why D3? Pursuing Excellence in Spite of Stigmas Photo credit: Brandeis Athletics

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As a high school runner, I think it’s easy to get pulled into the allure and dazzle of Division 1 running, I know I did. When letter after letter and phone call after phone call come pouring in with coaches making the hard pitch for why you should attend their institution, all while offering large sums of money, you feel like you’re on the top of the world. I remember getting off the phone one night with a Division 1 coach and just being in awe of what it must be like to run at such a high caliber. On top of all of that, there’s so much hype surrounding Division 1 competition. Rarely do you see any Division 3 coverage and if you do it pales in comparison to D1. Thus, there at times develops this preconceived notion in high school runners that commitment to a Division 1 school is what will label you as a talented athlete. In addition to that, there can be so much pressure and bias from parents, coaches, teachers, teammates, and classmates put on the names and labels of schools. That you have to go to the school with the best name, the best competition, or the lowest acceptance rate. However, there is little value in these afﬁxed labels, but rather much greater value in the experience that lies in them. These labels may propel you through high school, but they become more trivial once you set onto the college scene surrounded by people all with those same labels. Though I experienced many of these same pressures from some involved in my college selection process, I feel fortunate to have had parents, teammates, and a high school coach who gave me the liberty to make my college choice free from their bias. To add to this, some people may also ﬁnd themselves immediately gravitating to Division 1 running because of some preconceived notion that Division 3 isn’t “good enough” for them or it won’t challenge them the way that Division 1 would. I can name at least a handful of conversations I’ve had in the last 5 years with parents and prospective student-athletes where I’ve heard such commentary. Every time I do, I just feel my whole body tense up a little bit and the frustration slowly and quietly builds up inside me, disheartened by the far too many overzealous assumptions surrounding D3 competition as some kind of “lesser” force. Maybe sometimes these comments are elicited and these athletes are destined for D1 running, what do I know, but more often than not, it isn’t always the case, and Division 3 competition continues to fail to get the credit it deserves. Of course, it’s no secret that the times and l e v e l o f competition at the D1 level are f a s t e r a n d higher, but that doesn’t mean that if you were a high school runner like me that you won’t be challenged at the D3 level. The reality is that Division 3 competition is only getting faster and higher every year. Some serious greats in track and ﬁeld are a testament to this, from Nick Symmonds and Will Leer to more recently Emily Richards and Wadeline Jonathas. All widely successful pro runners whose roots are that of Division 3 competition, and whose more recent successes speak volumes to what one can accomplish as a D3 student-athlete even after graduation. Regardless of their afﬁliated divisions, athletes’ capacities to work hard remains the same. One’s work ethic should not be undermined, nor deﬁned by their athletic division and I’d be convincing myself otherwise if I didn’t believe I worked just as hard as most other collegiate athletes. Of course, expectations for D1 athletes to work hard may be higher but that does not mean that serious D3 athletes cannot share in that same potential. Photo credit: Brandeis Athletics

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That being said, Division 3 has been and continues to be grossly underestimated and the stigma surrounding D3 competition as a place for those who aren’t “good enough” should be quickly extinguished. Just because you go Division 3 does not mean there will be some cap on your growth as an athlete or limit to the goals you can set. I believed that with my times and skillset, I could grow just as much as an athlete with a program and the coaching I was getting at Brandeis as I would at any other D1 school. If not more, given the fact that I’d likely receive more coaching attention on a smaller t eam at the Division 3 level. And when I needed more competition, my coach sought out to give me every opportunity to succeed, driving and ﬂying with me to meets with ﬁelds o f a t hle t es ac ros s a ll divisions, to ensure that I would still be able to push myself to run the times I needed. On top of this, when m a k i n g y o u r c o l l e g e d e c i s i o n , I t h i n k i t ’ s important to stay grounded in reality. For me, I knew based on my times that I was good enough to pursue Division 1 running if I wanted to, but at the same time, I knew that the success I dreamed of accomplishing on the collegiate level would be a bit out of reach for me there. For example, in high school, I had a coach who was an All-American and dreamed of accomplishing the feat for myself someday, but I knew that telling myself that I could be a D1 All-American may not have been realistic, and rather than convince myself of my chances, I settled for reaching this goal at the D3 level. One of the other unique aspects of being a Division 3 athlete is that you have the opportunity to deﬁne yourself in other outlets and passions outside of your sport. Division 1 has a higher level of athletic performance, while Division 3 places more of an emphasis on having a more integrated and well-rounded college experience. You’re less conﬁned by the demands of your sport, from the travel to rigid practice times and high-level competition. Rather as a D3 athlete you have the opportunity to explore your options and seek other avenues through which to craft an identity for yourself. You have more ﬂexibility to pursue other passions and interests, from studying abroad, to research in a lab, to involvement in a community or advocacy group to different clubs and hobbies. It’s not to say that you can’t take advantage of these opportunities at the Division 1 level, but often that the demanding and rigorous lifestyle of being a D1 athlete makes it more of a balancing act. One of the other aspects I admire about Division 3 competition is that everyone is there largely because they want to be there. They compete for the love and passion for their sport and the team camaraderie that comes with it. There are no athletic scholarships that athletes are bound to or feel obligated to compete for, or even in some cases feel forced to compete with fellow teammates over. Athletes in D3 are more intrinsically motivated and compete because they love what they do without the ﬁnancial pressure to do it, which can also help in fostering a stronger and healthier team environment. In some cases, I realize this poses an imposition for some prospective student-athletes who may rely on athletic scholarships more than others. However, it’s important to note that even though Division 3 does not offer athletic scholarships, according to the NCAA, about 75% of Division 3 student-athletes will still receive some kind of merit or need-based ﬁnancial aid, offering a ﬁnancial opportunity without the obligation of one. This is not to say at all that D1 athletes don’t share the same passion for their sport as D3 athletes, as I’m sure most do, and for some the money may even be an after-thought or devoid completely in their college selection process. However, there’s no denying the reality that for some D1 athletes scholarship money speaks volumes in their decision and many may later ﬁnd themselves facing more deep-rooted ﬁnancial pressures to perform because of this. All of this said, there’s no shame in attending a Division 3 school, especially as a high school talent. You’re not depriving yourself of an opportunity, but rather revitalizing a new one. There’s still plenty of competition at the D3 level, it’s just about evaluating what your goals are and where they will be most attainable. Photo credit: Brandeis Athletics

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So, Division 3 doesn’t bring the same glitz and glam of Division 1 running with its lack of scholarships and partnerships from big shoe companies, but for some, it may give them far greater opportunities beyond those, ones they would otherwise struggle to achieve at the Division 1 level. The assumption that high school talents can’t walk onto the D3 stage and thrive to the same extent they would at D1 is exactly that, an assumption. D3 athletes can see just as much growth as all other athletes and along the way can have the opportunity to be well-rounded student-athletes and leaders. Ultimately, it was at Brandeis where I felt I was going to be given the best opportunity to succeed and grow as a person and an athlete and I knew my coach Sinead Evans was going to be there to invest in me long-term as a runner and a person. Today I have no doubt I took the right path in pursuing a Division 3 career there. For me, it was in the moments like winning a national title with my distance medley relay team members, one of whom being my twin sister, that made the decision worth it. A feat I know I never could have accomplished at the Division 1 level because o f t he s t a r k reality that I just wasn’t good enough. I’m proud to be a product of Division 3 running, as well as the product of a great program in Brandeis Cross Country and Track and Field and coaching from such an accomplished runner in her own right as my coach Sinead, a former D1 All-American and Olympian whose knowledge, experience, and resources for this sport exceeds expectations. Over the course of 4 years, I dropped over 22 seconds in my mile time and 25 seconds in my 3k (based off converted 2 mile time), a feat I don’t believe I would have accomplished at the Division 1 schools I was looking at and a testament to the kinds of success that can happen on the Division 3 level. As a high school senior, I never dreamed I’d accomplish the things I did or run the times I ran on the D3 stage, but I trusted that D3 running was where I belonged, and I let the rest fall in place from there. That being said, my advice to prospective college athletes is that when it comes to the college decision process, I think it’s healthiest and wisest to consider all options. Don’t be quick to rule out D3 or even D2 or be afraid to deviate from the norm of what others are doing. Just because you’re talented does not mean Division 1 competition is the only path for you. However, if your dream is to run for a Division 1 school, there’s nothing wrong with that either. The reality is, some high school runners are better suited for D1 careers and will achieve more there, with some running times well beyond the ones I ran in college. However, for those athletes like myself, for whom the choice may not be as seemingly obvious or maybe a bit more out of reach, I think it’s important to leave behind the stigma of D3 running and broaden your horizons to the scope of opportunities that lie before you. It’s important to note that this is only my opinion and unfortunately I can’t speak to the many positives behind D1 competition and the reasons athletes pursue careers at the level because that was not my path. However, my hope from this is to share my insight into why I decided to pursue a D3 career and to shed a bit more light on some of the widely cast-off positives of D3 athletics. At the end of the day, there is no right or wrong choice here, both divisions yield their own strengths and weaknesses and come with their own ill-mannered preconceived notions, but ultimately both have the potential to yield great successes amongst all their athletes. Just make sure that when it comes time to make your choice you do your best to drop the stigmas. Photo credit: Brandeis Athletics

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by Liam Galligan, Franciscan University “Why do you run?” The age-old question that people inside and outside the sport often ask me. “Why do you train so much? Why do you run so early? Why do you work so hard for your goals?” Often, these questions can be answered with “I love the sport.” “I want to be the best.” Or even, “It is who I am.” But as runners, we know running has played a huge part in our lives and many of us deeply love the sport we are thankful to be a part of. With its unique community, one-of-a-kind demand for self-improvement and unmatched energy, running often mixes itself with our personal identity. When we are succeeding and meeting our goals this is never a problem, but when the going gets tough and we can never catch a break our identity can be shattered. It can become shattered because we didn’t run that time we wanted or didn’t qualify for that state/regional/national meet we set out to reach. Up until my senior year of high school I was okay with running being my identity. Without any major hiccups, injuries or failures, running had always given me joy and excitement. Of course I had had bad races and some tweaks here and there, but my identity wasn’t shaken to a level that would put me in my toughest spot. That changed in September 2017. After a simple double and a workout in the afternoon, my left hip didn’t feel right. Long story short, I suffered my ﬁrst long term injury — a femoral neck stress fracture. Losing my senior cross country season made me rethink my identity of who I was. Without running, who was Liam Galligan? If he isn’t the runner he says he is, who is he really? To answer this question I needed to do some soul searching. While I thought this journey would take me to different places I had never experienced, the answer was in the sport of running the whole time. I began running at 5 years old for St. Francis of Assisi CYO cross country practice. CYO programs are built around creating disciples of Christ through the experience of sport. At that time, I had little idea how signiﬁcant a part of my life running would play. Being able to watch my older sisters compete made me excited for the opportunity to be out there, so my parents signed me up. Running as A Means of Virtue Photo credit: Franciscan Athletics

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Early on in what you could say is my running “career,” this joy cultivated in getting the best out of myself or being fortuitous. My training became based on giving 100% every time I stepped into my shoes. It became my drive, my intensity, my motivation. I woke up ready to get my run in, ready to push harder. It almost became everything I talked about. That’s how it became my identity. To the secular eye, I found my purpose, which is something to be celebrated. But to the Catholic Eye, placing one’s purpose in earthly endeavors deviates from our true journey towards Heaven. Dealing with that injury during my senior year forced me to face the reality: Running was never and should never be my identity. As my older sister Grace — now an NCAA All-American, whoop whoop — put it to me in a letter: “No matter how good you are or how much you think you are just a ‘runner,’ we truly are sons and daughters of a most high king, the creator of the universe.” While I thought running was my identity, it wasn’t even near the real me: Being a son of God. Running became a means of virtue, a way of getting home to Him. In college I rediscovered this love and joy for running. Not through running fast times, but a community of like-minded runners. At Franciscan University (yeah, you’ve probably never heard of us), running and all sport is the using of our gifts to glorify God and run beyond being the best. We ﬁnd our best by being followers of Christ and this journey binds us together in our running. “Running is the quickest way man masters himself.” This quote by o ur f o r m e r team chaplain Fr. Zachary Burns is easily one of the most applicable statements to being Catholic and a runner. As I enter my ﬁnal years of college, ﬁnally able to kindle the joy of running again, it is all attributed to things I learned in CYO: Fortitude and Joy. I am not doing this for selﬁsh and prideful reasons, but rather learning to be a better follower of Christ through the opportunities running has provided me. Whether that is in times of struggle or joy, God grants us opportunities to meet Him on our journey. For me, running has been those opportunities in various forms: grueling workouts, 5 AM runs, and even deathly cold Ohio runs. Running is a means of cultivating these virtues and making a habit of the gifts God has given us. That’s my WHY. My WHY centers around the gift He gave me and the opportunity to give it back to him. All for his glory and for something greater. Photo credit: Mary Raskob

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When most people hear the two words “black diamond” together, the ﬁrst thought that immediately is their favorite ski slope in a picturesque backdrop as their family or friends shredded snow in the winter. Or maybe you don’t come from a family of skiers and the two words simply go over your head. It seems that either you ski, or you don’t ski.! But for a third group of people, relatively smaller in size and region, the words “black diamond” cause an immediate desire to get in a car, go to the Finger Lakes, and run on the Black Diamond Trail. The Black Diamond Trail, in brief, is a one-way ticket to a runner’s high. It is an 8.4 mile connection between the town of Trumansburg, New York and the Cornell college town of Ithaca, New York. What was once part of an industrial northeast railroad line, the Black Diamond Trail starts by Taughannock Falls State Park and follows a gradual descent all the way to Cass Park, which is right at the water level of Cayuga Lake on the Ithaca Waterfront." As you start to head south towards Ithaca, the ﬁrst couple miles of the BDT are so gradual in your decline that it almost feels ﬂat. The crushed, smooth surface of the trail is supportive and cushioning, and yet it still provides some good spring. With the passing of each quarter-mile marker on the trail you ﬁnd yourself going deeper into the trail and into the woods, and you just feel each and every worry start to fade away. The early stretch of the trail needles you through many different farmlands, and while some of them are homely, be careful early on if you take to take a little break to stretch or take a photo — not everything is safe for trespassing! But worries aside, the landscape along the trail morphs from farms and plains into more woods, gorges and trees as you go closer to Ithaca. You become shrouded in the trees, you run across several connecting backroads to continue onto the trail, and you run over several small footbridges that allow the many little waterfalls and gorges to pass below the trail as they ﬂow into Cayuga Lake. The last few miles are the most steep in terms of descent, and after a lovely ﬁve-mile or so warmup, gravity’s desire to go faster is met with a resoun ding “o ka y !” instead of concern. The drop in elevation always remains comfortable, so the gradual load on the body never gets too severe. As you make your ﬁnal push towards Ithaca, you come out of the densely packed woods section and ﬁnd yourself with more open skies, and you look up to ﬁnd yourself running under a ski lift." You get to the bottom of the Black Diamond Trail feeling accomplished, refreshed and frankly at peace with a lot of things. After you catch your breath, you are faced with a choice: Stay here and go into Ithaca, or turn around and run the trail all over again? On a trail this good, I always know which answer I’m choosing.! Rating: Reader’s Review: The Black Diamond Trail (Ithaca, NY)Photo credit: NYS Parks

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Never on Your Own by Rachel Sessa A year ago I saw my life was changing I looked down and I saw my shoes were gone I felt the Earth beneath my feet start shaking And despite the quakes I silently marched on I knew that where I'd journey, none could follow In fact, I didn't know where I'd end up Like a nomad in the desert I was searching For any sign of life to cheer me up My soles were stolen but my soul unbroken I arrived with joy and fear mixed into one Before I had the chance to second-guess it They took me by both arms and said "Let's Run" It felt a bit like home but not familiar Unsure of who I was or what to do I looked down bashfully, but then I noticed My newfound friends were running barefoot too I guess perhaps my shoes had not been stolen By leaving I had lost nothing but time And even then I gained more than I'd wished for I ﬁnally found a home I could call mine. Poetry Corner1. “Run This Town” by Jay-Z ft. Kanye West and Rihanna 2. “Lost It” by Rich the Kid 3. “Rise and Shine” by J. Cole 4. “Guidance” by Travis Scott 5. “Wants and Needs” by Drake 6. “Cinderella Man” by Eminem 7. “RICO” by Meek Mill ft. Drake 8. “Low Life” by Future ft. The Weeknd 9. “Sold Out Dates” by Lil Baby and Gunna 10. “White Sand” by Migos The Pre-Race Playlist: Rory Cavan, Duke University Reﬂection of the Past by Thierre Siewe Yanga There is a past hidden behind those retired legs. Once was a rare breed among species that was admired. A past long forgotten, but a legacy that has tales going for days. Every day after the sun had set, there she rose from the shadow of the dust settling. A day ﬁlled with many miles just running around. Running was not all this emu ever knew, it was all she ever had. Moving her limbs short and quick one after the other was a way of life, unlike others who did for a hobby. Speed so fast, even cougars bowed to show respect. "***** Creasing through the endless winter months in Antarctica, this was no unfamiliar territory for her. Against all odds who said she could not do it, she took them odds, and ran with it. Made of what seemed an impractical situation, a beautiful gift from life. " ***** Often whispered about amongst strangers, the mumbles only propelled her for greatness. When studied throughout history, many questions gaze about the strange odyssey she took. Driven by ancient critics, she had a tenacity like no other during her lifetime. The lack of viscosity in her legs made up for her speed when moving. Long after glaucoma handicapped her abilities, she laid still in her niche in the hotter weather on the east side of Australia. A place which later welcomed her with open arms, now serves as the home for her grave. Showered by the rain every now and then, "are the written words on her death stone which read “Free At Last” Freedom—was all she was ever after.

The Oval Magazine (MAY 2021)

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