Confessions of a Redshirt

As a collegiate cross country and track runner, I am always traveling and competing. Cross country season runs from August until November, Indoor track season picks up in mid-January through March, and Outdoor season immediately follows...and has lasted until late-June in some years. During my typical collegiate year, I travel to just over 20 meets. When I am not traveling, I am still intensely training. I have grown accustomed to the fast-paced, busy lifestyle and have grown to love it.

This year started out differently. I came off of my summer training with minimal miles logged due to an achilles flare-up followed by a lingering round of plantar fasciitis in both feet. After 9 consecutive seasons for UGA, I had to take my first redshirt. 

Cross country season, however, carried on without me, and I began to realize how it truly feels to be a redshirt. 

You wish for nothing more than to be on trips with your teammates

Dressing up for flights, team pasta dinners, exploring new college towns. I love everything about the ritual. I never knew how hard it would be to see my teammates packing up for trips and feeling left behind in Athens.

Results stalking is inevitable

And you subconsciously determine your place in each meet.

What seems like freedom transitions into boredom

There were several times during my 9 consecutive seasons when the idea of redshirting sounded great. All the traveling gets exhausting. There were times when I missed my friends and I missed big events in Athens. No Georgia-Florida game. No 'Twilight' festival. No 2013 ESPN College Game Day where Georgia took the nail-biting win against LSU. 

So at first, redshirting was great. I had my weekends completely free. I didn't have to follow a strict schedule and I had time to just sit. I could focus on school, my grades were the best they had ever been, and I felt like a normal student for once.

Then I became jittery. I had never spent more than four consecutive weekends in Athens. I wasn't sure what to do with all the time I had on my hands because I never had this much time on my hands. 

Your funds disappear out of nowhere 

All of a sudden, I fit the true definition of a broke college kid. The only explanation was that my credit card had been stolen over the course of the semester. I had not changed my spending habits. Not my fault. My roommate, also redshirting, expressed the same mysterious realization. Then I calculated our "per diem" allowed for meal money and travel expenditures. During one cross country season, I estimated I was earning nearly $900 in compensation. My current source of income as a redshirt: $0. No more fancy dinners or shopping sprees.

Racing feels like another lifetime ago

Ultimately, I missed competing. I missed gearing up in my Georgia uniform and the adrenaline rush that could only come from toeing the start line. I missed the feeling of exerting every bit of energy I could manage. I missed the post-race "runner's high," a rare sensation, but 110% satisfying and rewarding. I was still putting in tough workouts and training, but nothing compares to the thrill of racing. 

Seven long months have gone by, but finally indoor competition has begun. My semester spent as a redshirt has reconfirmed my love for the sport and heightened my excitement for my last two seasons with UGA. Even when traveling home from meets on a miserable Red-Eye flight, I vow to be thankful for traveling at all.

11 Reasons Why I am Thankful for Thanksgiving

Senior year of high school, I could not wait to leave for college. Senior year of college, I can't wait to go home. As much as I have loved my time at the University of Georgia, I have grown to cherish the rare times I get to go back to my northern roots in Ohio. Especially for us out-of-staters, the week of Thanksgiving brings a lot to be thankful for.  

1. Nothing tops Northern Fall.

Nothing. November is absolutely beautiful up there. Until the winter blizzards and below-freezing weather hits for three months - then I am eternally grateful to go back south. 

2. My dog. 

One of the worst parts about leaving for college is the fact that I can only see my dog four times a year. You can't text your dog like you can text your parents (even if your parents are extremely sub-par texters). Therefore, I am prompted to make the most out of our short time. Unfortunately for Bailey, that involves dressing up. 

3. Rooting on your hometown team with people that actually care.

I have run into a grand total of 2 fellow Cincinnati Bengals fans in the south. I have to go to extreme and creative measures in order to get friends to watch the games with me, so nothing is more refreshing than going out to watch at home with true (and willing) fans. Who knew the sound of old men slamming their fists and beers would be so comforting? Who dey. 

4. The local Turkey Trot

Because you are secretly dying to know which of your high school friends are still in shape enough to complete this annual run. 

5. Realizing just how small your town is.

You would think that after leaving town for 4 years, you lose track of the people still there. Not the case. I can't go anywhere without running into an old teacher, classmate, friend's parent, etc. There is something nostalgic and heartwarming about reconnecting with the ones who have known you since childhood. The longer I am away, the smaller it seems to get. 

6. The Mirror Lake Jump

Which I am still yet to complete, but promise myself each year that this is the year. Perhaps the most insane college tradition (regardless of snow or below-freezing temperatures, thousands of college kids WILL jump), but what else can be expected from a rivalry as rich as Ohio State v. Michigan?

7. Old friends are the dearest friends.

The biggest downfall of attending an SEC school is the awful separation from my hometown friends... the friends I have had since sixth grade who will remain my best friends for the rest of my life. Distance genuinely sucks, but it has made me realize how special they are. When I come back for break, it's as if nothing has changed at all, and we can carry on right where we left off.

8. Sleeping in your Childhood Bed

Nostalgia at an all time high. Waking up in your childhood home is a warm feeling, especially when parents are there to provide coffee, eggs, and pancakes. 

9. Black Friday Shopping 

I fall into the category of the crazy souls that wake up at an ungodly hour to participate in Black Friday. I knowingly put myself at risk, (Fact: more people die from Black Friday shopping than from shark attacks) but I do it for tradition instead the deals. My mom and I have gone every year since I was in middle school. The event has created a bonding experience over the past 9 years that no one except my mother and I can share. 

Plus I usually manage to get a few pairs of shoes each year...don't mind that.

10. Family 

If there has been anything in my life I have taken for granted, it has been my family. After years of teenage bickering and (frankly) being a diva, I have grown to realize how awesome and supportive they have been this whole time. I have even grown to love their company (which is a far stride away from the girl who wouldn't take them out in public). This gratitude extends from my immediate family out to all of my grandparents, cousins, uncles, and aunts. There is nothing more special than sharing life and a meal with them. 

11. Feasts on feasts. 

No commentary needed, but duh.

8 Signs You were Born a Runner

I never considered myself a "runner" until I joined the school track team in 7th grade. Up until that point, I was a soccer player. That's what I was born to be and that's what I would be. If you ask any other collegiate runner how they got into running, few would tell you that running was their main sport growing up. My guess is that 85% of us are transfers. We come from all kinds of diverse backgrounds - soccer, basketball, cheerleading, tennis, softball, swimming. One of my training partners is even an ex-ballerina. (Then there are the other 15%...so uncoordinated that running was really their only option to begin with.)

I find it fascinating that so many of us just "fell into running." How does this transition happen? There are several red flags that reveal you might just be a runner:

1. Symptoms develop at a Young Age.  
I surprised a lot of people, including myself, when I started breaking records. Not my neighbors. Supposedly, they had their suspicions since I was in 1st grade. I will start off by saying that I have never been a morning person. I learned to snooze my alarm at a very young age, and as a result, mornings before school were complete chaos. From my window, I could see when the school bus would roll up to the stop, a little under 50m away from my house. Unlike the rest of the kids patiently waiting, I went into a 30-second panic mode in order to get down the stairs, grab my lunch, and flat-out sprint to catch the bus. This happened often enough that my neighbors took notice and would jokingly time me. To this day, they claim that my success in running started from bus stop sprints. Six years old, red flag number 1. 

2. You actually looked forward to the gym class mile.
Secretly, of course.

3. And therefore, you are part of the minority group that "enjoys" running.
Whenever "going on a run" is brought up in casual conversation, the most common responses are along the lines of "Gross.", "Why?" or, "No thank you, but absolutely not." If you respond any differently, you might be a runner.


4. You are known as "fast girl" (or boy) in your sport. 
In my soccer career, opposing coaches never vocally respected my jersey number or footwork or passing abilities. Instead, my identity was "fast girl." Coach after coach would yell to their players to "Mark the fast girl!" When your speed takes emphasis over your skills, red flag that you might be a runner.

5. Freakishly competitive nature, no matter what the competition entitles.
Competitive nature and racing go hand-in-hand. Many successful runners are not just competitive on the track, but also with the ridiculously random tasks in life. I remember my 2nd grade class held a competition that whoever read the most books was dubbed the "Star Reader." I doubt I read a single book that whole year, but all of a sudden I was knocking out three or four entry-level books a night (competitive nerd). When I realized my classmate Matt was still ahead of me, I upped my game and the daily question each morning became, "how many books did you read last night??" It got to the point where the teacher had to set a limit. Whether it is book-reading, eating competitions (I have talked a lot of game about completing the Fudruckers 3-pound burger challenge...success pending), push-up records or keg-stand records, the challenge will almost always be accepted. 


6. You love to prove people wrong. 
Some spectators like to believe they know everything when it comes to sports. Especially when they do not, and especially when they are on the internet. In high school, I acquired my first anonymous internet hater. This person would create very snarky weekly posts on Ohio's high school running forums. The common theme was that I was a mediocre high school runner, choked in big races, would never amount to anything in life, etc. I honestly can't think of  a soul (besides my mother) that would actually read these forums, but I got a kick out of it. The year the posts started was the first year I won a state championship...coincidence?

7. You are driven by setting and breaking goals.
Running is an individually-motivated sport, so being goal-oriented is key. There is no better feeling than setting the bar high and crashing through it. 

8. You can't stop. 
Sometimes during a long season, nothing sounds more appealing than a week free from two-a-day workouts and ability to sleep in. A shared fantasy among the running community is to "quit running forever, eat lots of fast food, get fat and happy." However, whenever I am actually on a break, I don't know what to do with myself. I'm left with too much energy, no outlet, and a 2-day span before I crave going on a run. If you don't consider yourself a runner yet, be careful before starting the habit. Studies have literally proven that running is additive. 


My parents have never logged a mile in their life. There is no genetic requirement, no expensive lessons, no fancy equipment required. All a runner needs is a goal, the drive to reach it, and a pair of running shoes. 

Remember what l told you about the selfie era?

A very special guest will be present at tonight's AFC North matchup between the Bengals and Browns...

The proclaimed selfie queen, Leah Still. I discussed her story a few weeks ago, and support continues to flood in. 

I am so touched to see the NFL continue to back Leah and change the lives of children all across the country as they fight against cancer. 

Tonight's game is dubbed "The Battle of Ohio," but this little girl represents a greater victory than a win of any football game. 

Fans, cheerleaders, football players, and the opposing teams can rally behind Leah and what she represents: hope and love. What better way to channel these virtues than a selfie? This is one the four-year-old will surely frame.

Last week, I mentioned that selfies were not quality photos. They just aren't. There is rarely artistic value. However, it is the quality of the people in the photo that really matters. Following the lead of the #SelfieQueen, the NFL is still #LeahStrong. 

On that note, let's go Bengals.      

The era of Selfie Marketing is here to stay

We are diving head first into the era of selfies. The selfie phenomenon has taken the younger generations by storm, but older populations are taking part of the movement, too. The rise of Instagram has created the perfect platform for selfie placement. 

Who can Participate?

Anyone with a camera-phone. 

-Younger Generations: 

Pre-teens and teenagers love their selfies. They are the biggest drivers of this movement. These kids either love to show off their braces, or crave peer engagement but have nothing better to take a picture of.

-Baddie Winkle: 

Baddie Winkle has defied age boundaries. She has been dubbed "World's Coolest Grandma," and her fame has stemmed purely from hilarious selfie content. Her selfies have paved the way to 355k Instagram followers and appearances on ABC News and Australia's Today Show.

-Celebrities: 

As crazy as Miley Cyrus might be, she knows how to reach her fan base. At concerts, she takes a break from her performance to pose and snap a selfie with fans in the crowd. Later, she posts them on her Instagram and Twitter accounts. This is an easy, yet highly effective way for her to connect. 

-Rising Techno Stars? 

I am unsure if "The Chainsmokers" group actually qualifies as techno stars. As annoying and catchy as their single, "#Selfie," has proven to be, it was played on all the mainstream radio stations and made its way into the 16th position on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.

What's the draw? 

The truth: Selfies are rarely quality pictures. They are not artistic or significant. They clog Instagram timelines, and will often lead to an "unfollow" if an individual posts too many. 

HOWEVER. There are several striking features to the art of a selfie. 

1- Convenience. 

No need to pester and recruit a stranger off the street to become your personal photographer. 

2- Bonding Aspect. 

I once fit 11 people into one selfie. In that context, selfie-taking became an "event" as a crew squeezed together to fit into the shot.

3- Individual Expression

There has been a spur of creativity in the selfie realm. The "donut selife" is a recent trend. 

Business Value? 

High potential. Individualism and consumer customization is the buzz in the marketing world. Dove's "True Beauty" and Coca Cola's "Share a Coke" campaigns have shown major success because of the emphasis on the individual consumer. The selfie, the ultimate form of individual expression, should be integrated into the content mix of a company's social media strategy. 

The NFL has a Soft Spot, too

Over the past year, there has been an appalling amount of negative limelight surrounding the NFL. The Ray Rice domestic abuse scandal dominated the news in September after TMZ publicly released a video of him slugging his then-fiance. That same month, the Viking's star running back, Adrian Peterson, was reprimanded for beating his four-year-old son with a tree branch until he was bloodied and bruised. These stories are shocking to hear, but unfortunately, are not uncommon within the NFL community. Player arrests, failed drug tests, and lawsuits make headlines frequently.

Adrian Peterson mugshot & son's scars

A new story has developed over the current pro-season, gathering explosive awareness and support since August. This story stands out. It does not have any association with violence, law-breaking, or abuse. This story means more than a 60-minute football game, and more than a win or a loss. This story is about a father, his four-year-old daughter, and a national effort to fight for her life. 

Leah Still was diagnosed with Stage 4 neuroblastoma, a rare form of cancer, in June. In late September, she underwent almost six hours of her fifth surgery to remove the tumor. Fortunately for Leah, her father is the defensive tackle for the Cincinnati Bengals...and he brought the entire NFL to her side. 

The Bengals franchise and fans have shown overwhelming care for Devon and Leah since her diagnosis. The team gave him permission to take as many paid absences as he needed, then went above and beyond to support their player by spreading national awareness. The franchise posted his story on the team's official website and spread the word through Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 

It wasn't long before Leah's campaign went viral. The Bengal's marketing department created the hashtag #LeahStrong, which has been trending on Facebook and Twitter over last two months. After her surgery went well, the campaign continued with the hash-tag #StillStrong to further create awareness and funding for cancer research.

Major news sources took hold of the story. ESPN, The Today Show, Fox News, and The Ellen Show were just a few mainstream outlets that had something to say. 

In response to the awareness generated, millions of dollars of donations have poured in from across the country for pediatric cancer care centers and research initiatives. Support has come from an array of unlikely sources. The New England Patriot's Cheerleaders all wore Still's jersey during their game against the Bengals on October 19th. Ellen DeGeneres donated $10,000 for cancer research. The Indianapolis Colts franchise matched her $10,000 contribution. Devon's jersey sales have exceeded $1.2 million, and the revenue will be donated back to support Leah's cause.



With all the scandals saturating NFL news, this story gives the league a refreshing new light. It allows the league to become more than just the touchdowns, million dollar contracts, and Sunday night entertainment. This story places family, community, support, and love at the forefront of the entire NFL.   

5 Things the Road to Success is NOT

My experience as a University of Georgia cross country and mile runner has shaped my character in more ways than I can count. Like the majority of athletes, I have always been driven to reach success. However, my definition of success has dramatically transformed over my past three years at UGA. Through victory, defeat, heartbreak, and breakthroughs, my road to success has been an evolving journey, and it will continue to be that way. 

For an outsider looking in on my track career, it might appear that my path has always been full of blue skies and podium appearances. They might be surprised to hear the real story behind the medals, and I have been even more surprised to discover that the road to the medals has not been exactly what I envisioned it would be.   

5 Things the Road to Success is NOT:

1. A STRAIGHT SHOT DOWN THE HIGHWAY

There are those perfect times when the journey is like a road-trip with your friends: windows down, perfect weather, great music, clear roads. 

Anyone who has driven through Atlanta at rush-hour knows that this is not always the case. You will get stuck in traffic. You will get bored with the drive, and wonder if the destination is really worth all the trouble? You will get lost. You will get back on the right track, then wind up lost again. You will hit an occasional pothole that slows you down, or get involved in a serious accident that changes your destination completely. 

I have fallen in races. I broke my foot the week of the SEC championships. I have been slowed down by anemia, mono, strep, food poisoning, the swine flu, the regular flu, strep again. You name it. I have been disqualified. I missed qualifying for a national championship by less than half a second. Twice. The truth? As rough as all of these experiences were at the time, I am thankful for those struggles and potholes. They make the victories and clear roads sweeter. 

2. CONSISTENT 

Coming out of high school with list of accolades, including a state championship title, I assumed that my triumphs would carry over into immediate collegiate success. I was wrong. I ran slower times in my freshman year of college than I ran during my freshman year of high school. By the time the SEC cross country championships rolled around, I felt so weak that I could not physically finish the race. I was confused and humiliated with my performance. I later learned that I had become severely anemic, and learned a bigger lesson that the road to success has its peaks and dips. I was clearly in a dip, but I had a choice. I decided to let go of my embarrassment, overloaded on my intake of iron, and get back into training with a new fire (and raised hemoglobin levels). At the SEC championships one year later, I had the best race to that point of my career and captured a 4th place podium finish. 

No matter how consistent I am with my diet and supplements, I can still get sick. No matter how consistently I see the trainers, I can still get injured. In the unpredictable world of track & field, the only thing I have complete control over is my attitude and behavior. Although the road to success is not consistent, attitude and work ethic SHOULD be.

3. EASY

You've heard the phrase, "If it were easy, everyone would do it." Cliche? Yes. Overused? Yes. True? Yes. I've been knocked down more times than I can count. I've accumulated a leg full of spike scars. I've woken up before the sun comes out every day to get my miles in before class. The road to success can be lonely. If you are the very best, you might look around and notice that few others have hiked to the same "above and beyond" level. It's all fun and games until you reach that point in the race where you can't tell which burns worse - your lungs or your legs - and it takes all of your strength not to collapse before the finish line. In my case, going that extra mile is not just a metaphorical phrase, and it makes all the difference.

4. GLAMOROUS 

My freshman year at Georgia, I was nothing more than a mediocre college runner. My goals were mediocre, my work ethic was mediocre, and as a result, my performance was mediocre. I looked at the girls grabbing the top spots at NCAA meets like they were a foreign breed of humanity. In my head, they did not put in the hard work; they were simply born fast. In my head, I did not think racing was painful for them. I did not think they had to give anything up to reach that level. They lived in a perfect world of speed, glamour, and awards. 

One year and 14 seconds shaved off my mile PR later, I found out that I was completely wrong about those girls. I had worked my way to the "All-American" status that I had previously gawked at, but realized it required all of my mental and physical strength, plus some. Unfortunately, races never became any less painful. In fact, they hurt like hell. I traveled to compete almost every weekend, so my "glamourous" Friday nights were replaced with carb-ing up on pasta dinners and watching HGTV in a hotel room before calling it a night at 9:00pm. When I was actually in town, numerous tears were shed walking around UGA's hilly campus after grueling workouts. 

The awards are glamorous. Getting there is not. 

(Completely worth it though).

5. ENDING

The road to success will never end. You might reach your goal. You might exceed your goal. What does that mean? Time to go find yourself a new goal. 

I have learned that the road to success is not always what it appears to be from the outside, but the journey itself makes it worthwhile.