Anna Laman – The Stanford Daily https://stanforddaily.com Breaking news from the Farm since 1892 Wed, 06 Dec 2017 06:20:49 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://stanforddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/cropped-DailyIcon-CardinalRed.png?w=32 Anna Laman – The Stanford Daily https://stanforddaily.com 32 32 204779320 Justine Fedronic: Injuries can’t stop Olympic dreams https://stanforddaily.com/2017/12/05/justine-fedronic-injuries-cant-stop-olympic-dreams/ https://stanforddaily.com/2017/12/05/justine-fedronic-injuries-cant-stop-olympic-dreams/#respond Wed, 06 Dec 2017 06:20:49 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1134436 There was something unique about the brown-eyed 22-year-old girl named Justine who I met on my very first day visiting Stanford University three years ago. I watched her complete a workout on the bright-red colored track that made her speed look effortless.

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There was something unique about the brown-eyed 22-year-old girl named Justine whom I met on my very first day visiting Stanford University three years ago. I watched her complete a workout on the bright red-colored track that made her speed look effortless.

She bounced around the track with two other distance athletes, lopey strides, toned calves and sculpted arms. Her face told a story of pure determination and belief that resonated within me. I never forgot her countenance. What it portrayed in hindsight was a woman who would eventually go on to represent her country at the Rio Olympic Games, despite dozens of career-threatening injuries.

Justine Fedronic signed a Nike contract and agent, Ray Flynn, straight out of college. Despite her incredibly unique formation of extreme highs and lows, she forged on to tell the story of a young, talented running star that struggled her way to keep her body, literally, in one piece through college to become the experienced, strong and competitive Olympic athlete she is today.

There are two things that define Justine Fedronic, the former Stanford runner: speed and injuries. But the latter she spends every day of her life working to eliminate: “We do strength and skill based training every day. I spend hours before workouts each day doing rehab exercises and recovery after workouts to eliminate injury.” 

Justine’s progression as an elite track star evolved from learning how to be a happier and healthier person. “I learnt to gain a positive perspective and a grateful heart,” she said via Skype.

Overcoming obstacles is a common life lesson many Olympic athletes have in common, yet not many have experienced the bewilderment of some of Justine’s very obscure injuries. 

Fedronic fractured a rib during an indoor track meet her senior year in college from coughing. It was her final year and season representing Stanford University, where she competed in the prestigious distance medley relay. Despite hours of coughing and splattering after the team event, she remained persistent to make it through the whole NCAA National meet in all of her three events, despite continually re-opening the fracture. 

She went on to race the international track circuit that year and represented France at the World Relays and the European Championships in Zurich. “It was an incredible year despite my injury upsets,” she said. “Nothing ever quite healed completely but I raced fast, thankfully.”

Within a few months, she was back on the injury wagon again, with a tear in her hamstring in two places. Her mind waffled with confusion of what to do, where to go, where to take her future with running. She realized she needed a new place, a new environment. 

A world away from Stanford University, she chose to pursue training with the professional Bowerman Track Club, based in Eugene, Oregon, home of Nike — home of anything to do with track, really. The iconic athletics track in Oregon is named Hayward Field, where Pre-Profontaine created a new running culture in the seventies after winning 120 of the 153 races he ran in college. Bowerman never lost a collegiate national NCAA track race longer than one mile at the University of Oregon.

Despite the attempt to start fresh in Eugene in 2015, she continued to experience immense problems with the onset of more obscure injuries, heightening to the point where she was even unable to walk at one point, which left most physiotherapists in total bewilderment. 

That’s when she met John Pierce, who would soon change her life. He is known today as a miracle worker in Justine’s eyes. Pierce gradually helped blood flow back to the left side of Justine’s body as she experienced her own blood having a platelet concentration above baseline. Platelet-rich plasma, PRP for short, helped promote healing of her various musculoskeletal, biomechanical issues.

She was taken through months of rehabilitation processes to fix the biomechanics faults she lived with due to the multitude of her “bandaged college injuries,” as Justine called it.

“2015 was a year of focus on running mechanics — literally nothing else” Justine said. “Financially, I wasn’t paid a cent, but long-term it helped me more than anything else would’ve.”

In hindsight she looked positively on the experience of chasing doctors down, but in the moment she just wanted a normal 20-year-old woman’s life.

Daniel Mackey shortly afterwards became her coach. Green Lake became her favorite running destination; only a few-minutes jog from her front doorstep. Based in Seattle, she then began her focus towards the French Olympic trials.

“Everything felt like a bargain for survival. Even at the French Olympic Trials, my knee blew up in the final, and I was lucky to scrape through the Games; adrenalin got me through,” she said.

She then spent the next six weeks struggling with bursitis and patella tendinitis leading up the Olympic Games. “I surrounded myself with the right people. Luckily, they got me through the Games.” 

Before Justine’s Olympic debut in the 800-meter, her coach wasn’t sure whether she’d run faster than two minutes and 15 seconds over the distance. Justine finished with an astounding two minutes and two seconds, extremely close to her all-time best of two minutes flat. 

Despite her goal to run one minute 58 seconds, she realized living through the Olympic Games was something she’ll never forget. “It was a great memory moving forward; I learnt a lot from it. I was lucky to have an incredible medical team by my side,” she said.

Despite her uplifting spirit regarding the Olympic Games driving through the interview I had with her, I couldn’t help but question her about the conflict I’d heard from Stanford athletes concerning her loss of a Nike contract post-Olympic Games.

“The strict guidelines a contract requires of professional athletes are highly unreasonable,” she said. “Being on a Nike Europe contract is extremely difficult for any Track athlete, with strict reduction clauses, which include faulty performances resulting in a reduction of salary.”

Losing her top-30 place in the world cost her 20 percent of her small salary. Twenty-five percent of her salary was reduced as a result for not reaching Nike’s requirements. It’s a business investment for them.

Medical appointments, healthy food, housing, electricity, running shoes, training attire, travel and entry costs — it’s an expensive job. Unless you’re Usain Bolt, the financial side of things isn’t your first priority as an athlete.

“You do it because you love it and hope theoretical prize money follows through every now and again — sometimes it doesn’t,” Justine said.

The fall of 2017 was a period where Justine experienced depression. After all the blood, sweat and tears she’d experienced, all she got was a loss of financial support when she needed it the most. “I questioned whether it was all worth it — all the heartache and pain I went through to compete at the Olympic Games.”

But here she is a year later, a strong, wiser and more determined woman than ever. “2017 is going to be an incredible year. I’m finally completely injury free, and the world is truly my oyster. I’m free at last.”

Justine is currently training in altitude in Albuquerque alongside Claudia Saunders, another former Stanford University track athlete, and they together dream of representing their country at the Olympic Games.

“Justine is an incredible teammate. I cannot wait to see what this year brings for both of us. We work together just like we did three years ago at Stanford. It’s so fun,” Saunders said.

 

Contact Anna Laman at alaman ‘at’ stanford.edu.

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Sara and Ryan Hall: After the Olympic Dream https://stanforddaily.com/2017/06/06/sara-and-ryan-hall-after-the-olympic-dream/ https://stanforddaily.com/2017/06/06/sara-and-ryan-hall-after-the-olympic-dream/#respond Wed, 07 Jun 2017 02:31:51 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1127747 After graduating Stanford in 2005, Sara and Ryan Hall succeeded to represent Team USA at the Pan American and Olympic Games, respectively, and it doesn’t stop there. Together they co-founded and run The Hall Steps Foundation to help fight world poverty.

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Two world-class distance runners. Bony frames. Lopey strides. Lightning speed. Countless laps. Two or three times a day. Long runs, sprints, weights, physio treatment, recovery. It never stops; for most, it’s a full-time job. After graduating Stanford in 2005, Sara and Ryan Hall succeeded to represent Team USA at the Pan American and Olympic Games, respectively, and it doesn’t stop there. Together they co-founded and run The Hall Steps Foundation to help fight world poverty.

Sara and Ryan continuously strive to make immediate changes in the lives of the less fortunate. The foundation’s standing goal is to help build stronger communities. Together they drive “lifestyle philanthropy” that encourages their supporters to make a personal commitment to their own health and wellness.

In 2014 alone, The Halls Steps Foundation invested $50,000 in micro-loans in East Africa, built a well in Mozambique, donated to Kiva and redid a maternity clinic in rural Senegal.

“The foundation is run solely by a combination of donations, prize winnings, people fundraising at races and individual donations,” Sara said.

The foundation has been entirely volunteer-run since it was founded in 2009, with a full-time staff member in the first year to help get it started. Volunteers and the Internet have been essential to keeping the foundation running.

“We have a lot of volunteers helping out when we travel, thankfully,” Sara said. “Otherwise, all you really need is wifi!”

While Ryan and Sara were in East Africa last summer, one of the biggest areas of need they saw was giving people a head start to work and get themselves out of poverty.

“We saw a lot of people that had a desire to work, there was just a lack of opportunity and start-up funds to begin a business,” Sara said.

Sara and Ryan Hall: After the Olympic Dream
Sara Hall during her time at Stanford. (KRISTIN COHOON/The Stanford Daily)

The Halls made a $5,000 donation to Kiva to keep loans going and help alleviate poverty. Kiva is partnering with local NGOs to provide loans for those in need to start their own businesses.

“What is amazing is that there is a 98.97-percent repayment rate, and you can then reinvest the funds that are repaid into another person to help give their business a start,” Sara said.

Guided by their faith and seeking a way to use their athletic success in service of others, Sara believes being a follower of Jesus allows her to understand how central helping the poor is to God’s message.

“It is what first had me traveling outside the U.S. and seeing the poverty outside our borders that prompted the charitable work,” she said.

A New York Times article in 2012 explains the way Ryan ties together his passion for running and his faith: “It is while running or thinking of running, Hall said, that he feels most conversant with and dependent on God. And it is through this professional excellence that Hall believes he is best able to show God to the world, to display his goodness and his love.”

Tracing back to where this all began, Sara and Ryan both attended Stanford where Sara, the head director of the foundation, graduated with a human biology degree and Ryan with a sociology degree. The Farm is not only where they first met but also where they learned how to manage sport and a rigorous academic schedule simultaneously.

During Sara’s time as a Stanford athlete, she posted three second-place finishes in the 5000- and3000-meter races, a third place finish at the NCAA Cross Country Championship and made an appearance at the 2004 Olympic Trials. After college, she went on to become the 2012 U.S. National Cross Country Champion and a Gold Medalist at the Pan American Games in the steeplechase.

Meanwhile, Ryan was plagued by injuries for most of his time running at Stanford. He witnessed sporadic victories from 2001 to 2004, winning first place in the Stanford Invitational as a sophomore and leading the team to NCAAs as Cross Country Athlete of the Year as a junior. In 2005, he captured the NCAA individual title in the 5000-meter with a time of 13:22.32. Since college, he has risen to fame running for the U.S. in the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games, posting the best times in the marathon and half-marathon. He currently holds the U.S. record for the half-marathon.

However, while Stanford was the springboard for the couple’s athletic careers, it also enabled the beginning of their philanthropic endeavors.

Sara first began chasing her philanthropic visions during her time at Stanford through a mission trip to Costa Rica with one of the Christian groups on campus. However, she mentioned that most of her philanthropic work during college was domestic, “like teaching janitors English and tutoring kids in East Palo Alto.”

The Halls’ determination to make a change started locally, reaching out to and interacting with Stanford student-athletes when they lived in the Bay Area in 2012. Jess Tonn, a current senior on the track and field team, said Sara was a fundamental resource and role model for her personally, as well as an integral part of the support team at Stanford.

“I felt so comfortable to reach out to Sara when I needed advice,” Tonn said.

She still remembers when the Halls stopped by practice at the track on their bikes when she was a freshman.

“Not only did this show that they still hold the program close to their hearts, but also how deep the passion behind Stanford track and field runs in those that have graduated,” Tonn said.

Sara and Ryan Hall: After the Olympic Dream
Ryan Hall running a marathon while attending Stanford. (MASARU OKA/The Stanford Daily)

As any sportsman would know, being a world-class athlete is a full-time job. Training vigorously two or three times a day takes a lot of effort, physically and mentally. Yet Ryan and Sara have always enjoyed combining both their academics with sporting commitments. Since leaving Stanford, they have simply shifted their academic pursuits to running the day-to-day foundation duties.

“It can be challenging and there are tax filings and things that aren’t fun,” Ryan said. “But making a difference and spending time abroad reenergizes my work.”

The philanthropic spirit has always been one of Sara’s great passions. Back in 2006 when she was a student-athlete, “Runners World” asked, “If you weren’t running, what would you be doing?” She replied, “As soon as I stop, I want to do mission work in Latin America. I really have a heart for it. Ryan and I, as soon as we have the money, want to buy a house in Mexico, to reach out to people in need.”

Today, the Halls may not have a house in Mexico, but they continue to work with numerous foundations to reach out to people in need: Kiva, Kickstart, World Vision, The Kenyan Kids Foundation, Back on My Feet, Global Children’s Movement, International Justice Mission and Global Children’s Movement, just to name a few.

In 2012, The Hall Steps Foundation donated $20,000 to complete the building of the Kenya Hospital. They also donated $50,000 to Iris Ministries for construction of a health clinic and $6,000 to build a well in Mozambique. $2,500 was donated to Girls on the Run Northern Arizona to encourage healthy lifestyles in young girls near where Sara and Ryan train in Flagstaff, Arizona.

Going to physically see the transformation The Halls Foundation makes to the lives of others is a crucial step in their process. Ryan said seeing the hospital in Kenya they funded was an extremely rewarding experience.

“A large percentage of the community showed up, and you could tell how appreciative they were. The community shared stories of lives that had been saved as a result of the hospital,” Ryan said. “It’s then that you know it’s all worth it.”

This story originally appeared as a blog.

Contact Anna Laman at alaman ‘at’ stanford.edu.

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Triathlon team to host 700 competitors in 12th annual Treeathlon https://stanforddaily.com/2016/03/04/triathlon-team-to-host-700-competitors-in-12th-annual-treeathlon/ https://stanforddaily.com/2016/03/04/triathlon-team-to-host-700-competitors-in-12th-annual-treeathlon/#respond Fri, 04 Mar 2016 20:50:43 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1112131 It is an exciting weekend for the Stanford triathlon team, which will be hosting its 12th annual Stanford Treeathlon this weekend. This year, Stanford triathlon expects more than 700 competitors, with the number of participants rising each year. There are three races featured at the event, including the classic sprint triathlon, a race for all levels of triathletes from […]

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It is an exciting weekend for the Stanford triathlon team, which will be hosting its 12th annual Stanford Treeathlon this weekend. This year, Stanford triathlon expects more than 700 competitors, with the number of participants rising each year.

There are three races featured at the event, including the classic sprint triathlon, a race for all levels of triathletes from inexperienced to elite; the draft-legal race, specifically for experienced athletes and junior elites who want a highly competitive field and the Saplingathlon, a recreation race for kids under 12 years old.

Treeathlon 2016 comes at a critical phase at which improved support and recognition of triathlon is emerging. While Stanford’s triathlon team is co-ed, the NCAA recently confirmed it as an emerging sport for women, an important step in becoming an official NCAA championship sport. Stanford triathlon coaches and athletes are enthusiastic for Treeathlon to foster this development in women’s collegiate triathlon.

“Athletes come from all over California to participate in the Treeathlon, and we are really excited to put on a great race for the triathlon community,” said Lauren Van Wassenhove, the race’s director. “We believe this event and others like it will promote triathlon for female collegiate athletes.”

Head coach Gina Kehr was a triathlete with professional racing experience from 1998 to 2009. She finished eighth overall at the 2000 Olympic Trials, and recorded one of the top 10 overall finishes by a female at the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii.

“We look forward to being able to host the Stanford Treeathlon every year. It could be interesting with the weather forecast this year,” Kehr said, speaking of the impending weekend rain.

Todd Logan, a member of the triathlon coaching staff, mentioned the biggest strength of the team being the variety of experience levels of its athletes.

“We’ve got some elite athletes but also many first-time athletes,” Logan said. “This Treeathlon fosters a great environment for the Stanford team to bond and get to know athletes of all calibers.”

Westpoint Harbor President Mark Sanders continues to support Stanford triathlon with Westpoint Harbor’s facilities, especially their docks, from which the competition begins with the swimming portion of the race.

“We look forward to being able to host the Stanford Treeathlon every year and continuing to support this community event,” Sanders said.

Melody Rodriguez is an athlete to look out for this weekend, racing in the draft-legal on Saturday at 3 p.m. Ben Khoo is also racing for Stanford in the classic sprint as a graduate student, after racing for Cal last year.

Treeathlon will take place this Saturday and Sunday, located at the Pacific Shores Center and Westpoint Harbor in Redwood City.

 

Contact Anna Laman at alaman ‘at’ stanford.edu. 

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Men’s and women’s swimming and diving kick off season in home doubleheader https://stanforddaily.com/2016/01/22/mens-and-womens-swimming-and-diving-kick-off-season-in-home-doubleheader/ https://stanforddaily.com/2016/01/22/mens-and-womens-swimming-and-diving-kick-off-season-in-home-doubleheader/#respond Fri, 22 Jan 2016 10:42:45 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1109690 The Stanford men and women’s swim and dive teams will compete against the University of Arizona and Arizona State University this weekend. Both teams have been working extremely hard over the winter break — building a solid base, consisting of heavy weight training and at least three hours a day in the pool. With Pac-12 meets getting into […]

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The Stanford men and women’s swim and dive teams will compete against the University of Arizona and Arizona State University this weekend.

Both teams have been working extremely hard over the winter break — building a solid base, consisting of heavy weight training and at least three hours a day in the pool. With Pac-12 meets getting into full swing, the squads are now entering a gradual taper phase, where the swim teams will be mainly focusing on speed and strength with less endurance work.

“It’s so nice to get back into the racing state,” senior Sean Duggan stated. “This weekend should definitely give us a chance to rebound. We’re not fully in taper but are definitely not feeling the hammer from the tough two weeks of winter training.”

“Both Arizona swim and dive teams have a lot of talent but we’re looking to really match up with them,” he added.

This weekend’s meet is just the start to some outstanding Pac-12 competition this season. Last year Stanford’s men’s swim and dive team placed second at the Pac-12 Conference and sixth at the NCAA Championships. Head coach Ted Knapp doesn’t believe Stanford will miss a beat and is looking for the team to improve on last year’s results.

Due to the loss of a few very high scoring seniors to graduation, both athletes and coaches have prescribed to a team-oriented approach to this season. Among those that do not return this year is David Nolan, one of the most versatile swimmers in Stanford’s history. Nolan was a huge asset to the men’s swim team last year, winning nine Pac-12 titles and two NCAA titles, while setting three school records and the American record in the 200 IM.

While this edition of the team — which has gone 3-1 overall and 1-0 in the Pac-12 so far this season — lacks individual stand-outs like Nolan, the squad is focused on using its balance and depth to their advantage.

“We had Nolan that was a superstar last year, we don’t really have any outstanding guys this year, so the team will come together and all do our bit to make up the deficit of last year’s talented seniors,” said sophomore Sam Perry.

Arizona will compete on Friday against Cal, which will give Stanford a great indication of the competition it is facing over the weekend. It’s no secret that Arizona (3-2, 0-1), the No. 13 team in the country, and ASU (3-2, 0-1) have a number of extremely talented athletes.

“ASU and Arizona have different strengths, and they will definitely test our versatility and depth,” said Knapp.

Arizona’s men feature Riccardo Maestri, Chris Wieser, Renny Richmond and Nick Hogsed, who have all made swimming Olympic trial cuts.

Five-time All-American and two-time Pac-12 champion diver Rafael Quintero will be competing this weekend, looking to cement his status as one of the top divers in the country.

“He’s outstanding, placing second at nationals last year, and is definitely someone to watch,” said sophomore diver Tarek Abdelghany. “I wish my diving was like his.” 

Stanford will look to counter with some impressive divers of its own, not only Abdelghany but also junior Bradley Christensen, who has been battling an injury in recent months but will be competing this weekend.

Fifth-year senior Connor Kuremsky, an All-American in 2013, will also be one to watch this weekend.

“He’s a very consistent diver with the right mentality,” said teammate Ted Miclau.

Against ASU, the Cardinal will be expecting big things from Patrick Park and Richard Bohus. Bohus won the 100 yard backstroke and freestyle against Wyoming last week, earning him Pac-12 Swimmer of the Week honors. 

Meanwhile, the No. 3 Stanford’s women’s swim and dive team (2-0, 2-0 Pac-12) will look to keep the pace it set last year, when the team finished second in the conference and third in the country.

Junior Lia Neal is one of Stanford’s incredible talents on the women’s side, owning the school’s second-fastest times ever in the 100 and 200 free, six top-three NCAA placings last year and an American record of 3:08.54 as part of the 400m freestyle relay.

Senior backstroke and freestyler Bonnie Brandon, a six-time All-American from Arizona, will be great competition for Stanford after breaking the Wildcats’ record in the 1,650 freestyle and 200 backstroke last year. Brandon was also recently selected as one of five finalists for the prestigious Wooden Citizenship Cup, awarded to the one NCAA athlete that best displays character and leadership off the field.

Paige Kremer, Ainnie Ochitwa and Sara Borendame, all of whom recently made Olympic trial cuts, round out the No. 11 Wildcats’ deep roster. While ASU (2-3, 0-2) doesn’t have any major stars, the Sun Devils have some depth, as seven different women came out with victories against Wyoming in the team’s latest meet.

The meet against Arizona State commences on Friday at 1 pm and will be broadcast live on the Pac-12 Networks. The teams return to the pool on Saturday at noon to take on Arizona. Both meets will be held at the Avery Aquatic Center.

 

Contact Anna Laman at alaman ‘at’ stanford.edu.

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