(Was gonna put pictures, but I have to go to class and y’all can check my insta in a few days for some career recap photos)

As a kid, I was always a runner. I played outside and ran around for hours every day. I grew up playing soccer and softball so when I got to high school I knew that’s what I wanted to do. During the winter I wanted to stay in shape for softball, so I ran indoor track with my sister Kirstin. That year I ran the 55, 300, and 500 without spikes and without blocks lol. My best event by far was the 500. (Although somehow I managed to have the 55 m dash school record and had the 300 for a minute there before one of the real sprinters beat me)

The next year came around and I ran about a 5:30 mile at a soccer team time trial in October (my first time breaking 6:30). During indoor, a spot opened up on the 4×800 and with a small team I filled the spot and ran the fastest leg. After that, I was an 800 m runner and I loved it. Then we got 3rd place at states and I had a decision to make: stay with softball like I had the year before or run outdoor track for the first time ever. It was Kirstin’s senior year and we had a good chance at winning states outdoor, so I took a chance and decided to run outdoor track. I had a great time with it (except the first time I ran a 1600 and I won, but Kirstin and a few people didn’t talk to me for a few hours after because I only won after running a 15 second last 100 in the race to beat Kirstin, oops) and we got 2nd at states by 0.01 seconds (cough cough Boonsboro not putting in fast runners til states). This 4×800 also set the school and county record (9:43 I think). I also got 2nd in the 800 and ran a 4×400. This was also the year I was forced to take an ice bath one day or I wouldn’t be allowed to run at regionals and states and then ran a workout the next day and strained a ligament in my knee and ran anyways (this is why I hate ice baths).

Junior year was my year. I won the 1600 indoor (2nd in the 800) and the 1600 and 800 outdoor at states. I also won my first UCBAC (conference) championship in the 800 (which was honestly harder than states because we were a 1A school). Following the outdoor season, I was invited to a DMV Meet of the Elite where I focused on the 800. I unofficially ran a 2:17.97 and officially ran a 2:18.03 to break the school record and secure a few college offers. Once I got back apparently the record didn’t count because I ran unattached to the school (there was some behind the scenes drama too, but y’all don’t care about that). So, my goal going into senior year was to break the school record again and break the 1600 record (I think it was a 5:06 and I ran a 5:11 this year).

Senior year we won a region championship in soccer for the first time in many years. I went on an official visit at Louisville and an unofficial with UMD and got quite a few verbal offers. Then I went on to win the indoor 1600 and get 2nd in the 800 again. Then, outdoor season came along and y’all know what happened… COVID. I was devastated to lose my chance to break the school records and my senior year but decided to focus on what was to come. I signed my roster letter to UMD and began training to increase my mileage and prepare for D1 athletics.

That summer running was great. I got to train with Kirstin again and was feeling really good. When I came in the fall I started having a few problems in October/November. Cross country had been moved to January so I wasn’t concerned about that. I was in and out of quarantine housing because of some close contacts and a false positive test (that does happen when you get tested 3x per week rapid and 1x per week PCR, but they didn’t have a protocol for false positives so I had to get a bunch of tests done for that). I ended up having stress reactions in both of my shins diagnosed on February 28, 2021, after finally getting an MRI (you have to get an x-ray first and all kinds of steps to get one). At that point, my track season was over for that spring and I focused on recovery. I slowly returned to running after about 2 months of active recovery (lots of swimming, Alter-G, rehab, PT, modified lifting, supplements, nutrition meetings, etc). I spent the whole summer building up mileage to get back to running workouts in the fall and continued PT, rehab, and modified lifting at home to prepare myself.

Sophomore year of college I knew I wouldn’t run cross country, so I decided to focus on indoor and getting my body ready to compete again. However, soon after returning to campus I started having some shin pain again and found out that I had a stress fracture in my left shin, a strained muscle in my left shin and foot, and a stress reaction in my right shin (like November 2021ish). So, I repeated the active recovery process all over again. This time, my ortho told me to get a PCP to write my recovery plan because apparently, that’s not his job (but he did it the first time so…). I had a wonderful PCP that ran way more tests and found a few different causes that the ortho hadn’t even thought to look at. After 6ish weeks in a boot, I started more intensive active recovery (I had access to the underwater treadmill this year because JHH had opened so that was fun) and eventually started running again. Around May 2022 I was scheduled for a follow-up MRI since this was my 2nd stress injury and about a week before I started having some pain again. The MRI came back to have stress reactions again. After getting lots of opinions from all the medical teams I wanted to keep running after 10-12 weeks completely off from running (no active recovery). However, after multiple conversations with the coaches, they decided that D1 was no longer for me. At the time I was heartbroken because my teammates were the only people I knew (COVID freshman) and I had no idea what I was going to do next. I took off the whole summer and started running on August 1, 2022.

When I came back to school junior year I felt alone and a little scared. After I few weeks I worked up the courage to go to club running practice and this was one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life. Sohan and Diana made me feel so welcome from day 1. So many other people grew to be some of my closest friends and my family here at UMD. We won our first IM championship in IM soccer and I met some new people that would grow to be some of the most important people in my life. After slowly training and building my strength back up in the fall, I competed in my first meet in 1090 days (just one week shy of 3 years) at the 2023 Happy Valley Invitational. I ran the 800 and had a great time. Then the rest of the season flew by as I competed in meets almost every weekend, had a fun filled spring break trip in Shenandoah, and made so many friends.

Coming into senior year I decided to run cross country for the first time ever. Honestly, I really thought I would hate it, but after a summer of training at Fair Hill before and after work, it wasn’t too bad. It definitely took some adjusting to the 6k, but I loved my team. Cross country is way more of a team sport than I realized and having my girls there for me and even the guys too was just so fulfilling. Then indoor came around and I got the flu, so no Happy Valley for me. I also struggled with recovery from the flu and did not run well at Capital Relays. After a few more frustrating meets, I started having some pains in my shins (bone pain, after 2 years of injuries I can feel a difference whether it’s my bone or muscle which ig is a good skill to have but also sad that ik that). I ended up having to scratch my 1500 at NIRCA Nationals because I was in too much pain. But I ran the 800 the next morning and just decided to run for fun and I ran a SB. Then I took 4 days off and was in so much pain I was limping everywhere. Then I did a few easy runs and had no issues. But after my first 2 years here I had a pretty good idea of what I was dealing with and knew that even if I was feeling good now, in 2-3 weeks I wouldn’t. So I decided that the 4th Annual Terrapin Invitational would be my last ever track meet (not counting when I come back and win the Alumni Mile next year). I have never felt so appreciated in my life. I got the senior meet I never had, I had so many people congratulating me, and I was able to just have fun. I opened the 4×800 (Me, Anna, Rachel, Mandy) which is the first event I really fell in love with in track and is what kept me running. We won that event, so I got a custom pint glass. Then I helped run some of the meet (they even let me ring the bell for the women’s 1500 and women’s 800). Then I anchored the 4×400 (Jasmin, Diana, Morgan, Me) to come in second place (behind some of my younger teammates who I am very excited for their futures). On the home stretch of my 400, I had my entire team cheering for me and I felt so much joy. I ran my SB in both events and the women’s and men’s teams won the meet. I got to do all of that in front of my family from home (parents and sisters all came to watch) and my family I found here (my team). It was such an amazing day that ended with a dinner with my family and then a team BBQ where we all hung out, played some spike ball, played some soccer, and had a great time. Now all I have left is the rest of my IM women’s soccer season (prob the first ever and I’m so proud of everyone on that team and everyone who comes to watch and support).

As I reflect on my career, I know I made a lot of mistakes, but I don’t regret any of them. I wouldn’t be who I am or have the people in my life that I do without them. I hope to continue to run in the future (after about 8-10 weeks off) and be active throughout my life. With graduation coming up and new unknowns approaching I am both excited and nervous for what’s to come. I hope I have left some type of legacy behind and hope to continue to support my friends in the future! Best of luck to you all and thank you for everything (all my thank yous below)! If you actually read this whole thing props to you and thanks for reading, love y’all <3

Thank yous:

 My parents for always supporting me, coming to almost every meet, and being there when I need them! Shoutout to my dad for being my coach for the last 2 years and for always keeping me focused. And shoutout to my mom for being my biggest cheerleader and letting me complain about my training plan from time to time haha.

Kirstin for getting me into running, training with me, pushing me, teaching me, and always supporting me!

Julia for being my rock! She was never really into running, but she knows a lot about sports, the mental and physical challenges, and the importance of having fun with the sport and has always been supporting me.

My high school teammates for getting me to run instead of playing softball again and bringing me so much joy.

My friends for always being there. Y’all know I have been through a lot and y’all have always been there to support me.

My D1 coaches for giving me the opportunity to compete at a high level, even if it didn’t end up working out for me in the end.

My D1 teammates for their consistent support through all my ups and downs and for giving me a place to improve myself as an athlete and a person.

My trainers, sports psychologists, doctors, physical therapists, nutritionists, lift coaches, and all the support staff and interns for helping me through all of my injuries, aches, pains, modifications, athletic testing, mental and physical battles, and even just being my friends and support system. I got a lot of bad news over the 2 years I ran varsity and I know that can’t have been easy, but you all were always there to support me and provide me with the care I needed to try and get back to competition. Unfortunately, my body had other plans, but I will never be able to explain how much gratitude I have for all of these people. A lot of times they go underpaid and underappreciated without much of any recognition, but they were fantastic and I can’t thank them enough!

Finally, my club team. After 2 years of struggles, I finally found a home! These people have been some of the most important people in my life. You all know who you are. We’ve laughed, we’ve cried, we’ve won IM championship(s), and had so much fun. I am going to miss every one of you. I truly cannot express my gratitude for this team and the family I have found here. From being a junior and being new and scared people would have high expectations for me to learning to have fun with the sport again and trying to become a mentor for people, this team has helped me grow in so many ways. I have made so many new connections and lifelong friendships that I hope to continue. I have never failed to feel loved and appreciated by this team and I can’t put into words how much that means to me. I love all of you and cannot wait to see what you all do in the future! Stay in touch (and catch me at the alumni mile next year)!