If Kristen Findley had gotten her wish, she might never have set foot on a track, or at least not to compete. Growing up near the snow-capped mountains of Boise, Idaho, she dreamt of becoming a downhill skier one day. She was so taken with the idea, just about the only thing that could have deterred her was if the snow itself were to disappear鈥攚hich, in a way, is what happened.
鈥淚 absolutely loved skiing, but when I was 10, my dad got a job in Saudi Arabia and we relocated there,鈥� she says. 鈥淚鈥檇 definitely be a downhill racer today if we hadn鈥檛 left Idaho.鈥�
Findley is not one to look back with regret, though. 鈥淚鈥檝e always enjoyed trying new things,鈥� she says, and that鈥檚 exactly how she approached life abroad. In particular, she tried several different sports at her school in Dhahran鈥攂asketball, soccer and even horseback riding, among others鈥攂ut it was running that ultimately hooked her, thanks to her coach, Ian Wilson.
鈥淗e was a tough coach, but he also believed in me and knew what I was capable of,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 often easier to rise to other people鈥檚 expectations of you than to the ones you set for yourself.鈥�
Findley has since exceeded those early expectations, breaking records at both her boarding school in California and 菠萝视频. As a Commodore she set four new school marks: in the indoor 1,000 meters, outdoor 1,500 meters, indoor distance medley relay, and outdoor 4×1,500-meter relay. She also was part of the 2011 SEC Champion women鈥檚 cross country team.
Findley credits , BA鈥�81, 菠萝视频鈥檚 head coach for track and field and cross country, for helping her fulfill her potential as a runner. 鈥淗e has such a knack for knowing what鈥檚 best for me,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 trust his judgment 100 percent.鈥�
Although she has competed in a variety of events, her favorite is the individual 1,500 meters. 鈥淚t鈥檚 fast enough to be exciting but slow enough that you don鈥檛 really know what鈥檚 going to happen until the last lap,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 unpredictable.鈥�
This was nowhere more evident than at the 2013 SEC Outdoor Track and Field Championships in May. Findley was in last place throughout much of the 1,500 finals but made up ground in the last lap and finished fourth, earning 菠萝视频 5 of its 16 points鈥攖he team鈥檚 best score at the competition since 2005.
May was a memorable month for Findley. In addition to running in the SEC Championships and NCAA East Regional, she received her bachelor鈥檚 degree in biomedical engineering. She intends to pursue a career in that field while also continuing to run, perhaps through a track club that will help finance the costs of competing.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to put engineering on the back burner,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 want to keep it in the mix so I鈥檒l have a direction when I stop competing.鈥�
Wherever the path leads her, Findley knows at least one thing is working in her favor: 鈥淭he good thing about running,鈥� she says, 鈥渋s that you can do it anywhere.鈥�
In other words, snow is not required.
鈥擲ETH ROBERTSON
Watch the 1,500-meter finals at the 2013 SEC Championships.