Allie Ostrander missed Team USA four times this season. She lined up anyway, fought for every spot, and kept going. Then a call came that changed everything. Here's how she earned a spot on Team USA for the World Road Running Championships in Copenhagen.
FOUR MISSES IN A ROW
I try to go into every race with a process-oriented mindset. Yes, I have concrete goals that I want to achieve, but I also understand that there's more to gain from the race than just the result. Each competition is an opportunity for me to learn and build fitness for my future races. Even though it was disappointing to miss four teams in a row, I also walked away from all of those races knowing that I had given everything I had and that I was a better athlete because of the experience.
FIGHT FOR EVERY SPOT
Going into every race, my coach, David Roche, always says, "fight for every spot." It doesn't matter if I'm in 2nd place or 35th, I'm going to be fighting with everything I have right to the line. Not only because every spot matters from a competitive standpoint, but because pushing my body to the limit IS a training stimulus — one that I only get on race day. Every race is a competition, but it's also practice for every race that comes after it. I always want to practice racing to the line, because you never know when those tenths of a second could matter.
RACING AS AN OPPORTUNITY
There have been times in my competitive career when I really dreaded racing. I was super specific about which races I did because I wanted to minimize the number of times I "had" to race. Now, with an opportunity mindset, racing is really fun. I'm always begging to add more races to the schedule, and having to hold myself back from overcommitting. I look forward to racing and approach it with an open mindset, curious to see what I'll be capable of on the day and excited to find out how I stack up against a high level of competition. That doesn't mean I care less about the results, it just means I know they don't define me.
THE CALL
Not much was going through my head because I was too busy crying, screaming, and jumping around. I immediately ran into the backyard and jumped into Spencer's (my husband) arms, then texted David and called my family and my best friend, Lauren Gregory. I couldn't wait to share this news with the people who have been so supportive of me through all my Team USA misses. Once I actually settled down and reflected, the biggest thing going through my head was how excited I was to compete against a new level of athletes and test myself against the best.
REPRESENTING TEAM USA IN COPENHAGEN
US teams are incredibly difficult to make, so I'm grateful for this opportunity and not taking it for granted. I will do everything in my power to be at my best on the day and represent the USA well. I know that it will be a talented field, but I'm hoping that I can rise to the level of competition.
THE TRAINING BLOCK
My training recently has been focused on the 5–10k road distance, so not much will change. The basic structure is: Monday 10 miles & hill strides + bike double, Tuesday speed workout, lift, and bike double, Wednesday long cross-train (2–2.5hr), Thursday 10 miles & hill strides, Friday threshold workout, lift, and bike double, Saturday long run (14–16 miles), Sunday recovery day.
FUELING THE BUILD
My approach to fueling is to make sure that I structure fueling well throughout the day to avoid within-day-energy-deficits. This maximizes adaptation to training and minimizes injury risk. For me, this looks like pre-run pancakes (I love the Kodiak Cakes birthday cake mix), mid-run carbs (current fave is SIS Beta Fuel neutral flavor), and post-run protein and carbs (David Bars and summer fruits like nectarines and peaches have been my go-to).
Part of my fueling is also performance-enhancing products. I take a Nomio shot the night before workouts and in the morning, 3 hours before my sessions. For my most important workouts and races, I also take bicarb 1.5hr before warm-up.
I've also decided to add tart cherry juice to my nutrition plan. It's great for reducing inflammation and enhancing recovery, so I've started taking it after hard workouts, long runs, and long cross-training sessions.
TRAINING THROUGH WEDDING WEEK
Honestly, getting the news that I would be competing for Team USA was the best wedding present. It did mean that I was training during the week of my wedding, but I love training so it wasn't a hassle. I feel incredibly grateful to be balancing two things that bring me so much joy.
WHY EVERY SPOT ALWAYS MATTERED
It's cool thinking back to racing the 5k because pretty early in the race, I knew I was out of contention for the Worlds spots. There was a breakaway pack of 5 that went out at a pace that felt unsustainable to me, so I settled into the chase pack. That World Team was something that I really wanted, so in that moment, during the race, I did feel disappointed, but I chose to keep fighting and get the most out of myself on the day. I ended up working my way from 10th to 5th in the last mile and a half.
At the time, 5th and 10th both would have meant that I missed the team. It would have been easy to think that it was pointless to try to fight for spots that didn't mean "anything" in terms of making the team. But now, those spots made a huge difference in my life. They always mattered, but this turn of events really cemented how important it is to stay competitive, even if it feels like you're watching your goal slip away.
LOOKING AHEAD TO COPENHAGEN
I've spent most of this year competing on the US Road Racing Circuit, and it's been so fun, but I compete against a lot of the same athletes again and again. In Copenhagen, I'm excited to race against some new faces and see how I stack up. To everyone that's been following the journey, I would just like to say thank you for being supportive through the highs and lows, and buckle up because we are just getting started.
