Transitioning to Post-Collegiate Athletics

In the fall of 2006, Bryan Berryhill, who was the head Cross Country coach at Colorado State University, sat in my living room and offered me a spot in CSU’s athletic program. The only thing that stopped me from committing to the offer on the spot was advice from my high school coach to “make him sweat a little.” Knowing Berryhill, he did just that, replaying the visit over in his head trying to decide if he did the right things, said the right things, until my call came a few days later letting him know that my future was in his hands. 

My decision to go to Colorado State was long since decided, as I grew up a Ram fan in Ft. Collins. Even as a talented high school runner, the gold and black down the road (University of Colorado in Boulder), never truly captured my attention. So for five years I bled green and gold. I poured my heart and soul into the cross country and track program. I trained - I raced - and I trained some more and for five years my performances were above average but never terrific. My last track season, in the spring of 2011, left me bitter and vowing to never step out on a track again in my life (this attitude has since shifted into a more positive place!).

During my last cross-country season, in the fall of 2011, the finality of the journey seemed to be pressing in. Was I really ready to be done running competitively? I had miraculously survived college injury free, mind and body not beaten to pulp by the ravenous system they call Division I Athletics. And I was terrified about would happen to my body if I stopped running completely. So I decided to register for the Colorado Marathon. My idea being that having a race, especially something new and exciting in my future, would encourage me to keep training on my own. This idea worked to an extent as I found that juggling running and student teaching in my last semester of school was a real challenge and it was at that point I decided to forgo a teaching career and focus my attention on continuing my running career. 

I was not good enough to gain a professional contract or sponsorship. My PR's (personal records) were probably well below acceptable for any elite athlete. But the potential I felt drew me to dream big; yet, I am no novice to reality. I knew there were several things I needed to accomplish if I wanted to have any sort of legitimate shot at making a career out of running.

 First, I needed a coach and preferably a group of people to train with. That is how I found the Boulder Track Club. Since I was “shopping” for a new program in the spring when most teams had already determined their 2012 roster and would not be accepting applications until the fall, my choices were exceptionally limited. But the BTC did not have any sort of deadline on their application to be a member of their local race team. They require you to be a club member and meet their time standards, which I easily did. 

I got in touch with the coach, Lee Troop and we met sometime in April for a brief introduction. What Lee told me about both his club philosophy and coaching philosophy were very encouraging. I must admit I have not been a huge fan of Boulder, as at times I have just found that attitude to be different from everywhere else in Colorado but the attitude of the Boulder Track Club seemed to have me change from that negativity. I quote from Lee “it is not about what you get, but what you give.” That applies to relationships with sponsors, your coach, and your own career. I expect to work for everything I earn in one way or another. What a refreshing attitude in an era when so many professionals take their bounty for granted. Unlike college, where I felt the choice to attend CSU was pre-written, I decided to join the BTC based on my appreciation of their humility and work ethic.

This leads me to noting the differences between college athletics and post-collegiate athletics, and believe me there are plenty. If you think college athletics are cut throat, just wait until you hit the real world. No one is there to supervise your progress, there is no scholarship waiting for you and you are stacked up against the best in the country, even the world. Now it is all coming from within!

I drive my own destiny. If I want to succeed, I make sure I do every little thing I can to become a better athlete. It takes a tremendous amount of dedication and determination. In college, we were held accountable for our training, lead through workouts, and carted around the country to race in prime conditions. The only person holding me accountable at this point in time is me. No one is watching me workout, making sure I am doing things just right. I have to know how hard to push myself and what my limits are. And I have to make the best of any and every race situation because it is my time and my money that got me there. 

Please don’t misinterpret my honesty for negativity. What I have experienced of post-collegiate running has been phenomenal! I absolutely love pursuing my dreams on my own terms. There is no pressure hanging on my shoulders. I set my own expectations, or as of late, go into races with no expectations and simply try to do my best. There are no time constraints on my goals except the natural physiological process of aging, hence I have multiple years of training to do before I can begin to assess if I have reached my full potential, and even then, if it will be enough. The freedom is priceless.

I have an inkling that my situation is even better than I realize at the moment because if I achieve my dreams and become a professional athlete, I can’t say I will be living quite as pressure free as I am currently. How does that saying go, with greatness, comes great responsibility? In this sense, an athletic contract would be both a blessing and a curse. Whereas now my husband and I are stressing about our financial situation, we get to see each other every day, sleep in the same bed every night. Running for a living requires you to commit most of your time to your sport, leaving significantly less time to devote to the other things you love. This is not to say you cannot be a professional athlete and live a very fulfilling life. But anyone who thinks life is just going to get easier from here out has another thing coming to them. I expect life to continually challenge me, no matter how much money I make, where I live, or what I do for a living. And I strive every day to get the most out of life, in light of the less pleasant daily responsibilities of most adults.

For anyone else out there who might be a developing elite athlete, or who even just has a dream of an athletic achievement, my word of advice is to "not shy away from the challenge." As a recent graduate, I have been bombarded with people asking me what I am going to “do with my life” now that I am out of college. And let me tell you, most people may feign acceptance when you tell them you are trying to become a professional runner, but I am almost certain most of them don’t think there is a shot in the dark. Yes, it is a selfish conquest. But who says humans aren’t selfish. One of my mottos in life is "that you cannot love another until you love yourself, fully and completely." Likewise, you cannot care for another until you care for yourself. I am resisting the urge to go off on a tangent about how this impacts the relationships in one’s life. But for now, I will simply comment on how you should never be ashamed to take the time YOU need for YOURSELF to pursue YOUR dreams. I can guarantee you will not regret it. 

This is why I stand proud and tell anyone who asks, "that I am an aspiring professional athlete" and yes, I do know that it is going to be a long, hard journey. What they don’t know is that I may be one of the most dedicated, hardworking people they have ever met. I have to be. Because everyone I am competing against is the most dedicated, hardworking person in the sport. At least that is what they think.

e.