Allie Ostrander

Allison "Allie" Ostrander (born December 24, 1996) is an American long-distance runner from Soldotna, Alaska. The repeat NCAA Division I steeplechase champion in 2017, 2018 and 2019, she competed for the Boise State University Broncos. In July 2019, Ostrander announced her plans to forgo her final season of NCAA eligibility and begin running professionally.[1]

Allie Ostrander

Ostrander winning the steeplechase at the 2018 NCAA West Regional
Personal information
Nationality	United States
Born	(1996-12-24) December 24, 1996 Kenai, Alaska
Residence	Seattle, Washington
Height	5 ft 1 in (155 cm)
Sport
Sport	Track and field
Event(s)	1500 m, 3000 m, 3000 m steeplechase, 5000 m, cross country, 10,000 m, mountain running
College team	Boise State
Club	Brooks Beast Track Club
Turned pro	2019
Coached by	Corey Ihmels 15-19 Danny Mackey July 2019-Present
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)	800 metres: 2:11.30 1500 m:4:14.76 Mile: 4:33.5 5000m: 15:24.74 10,000m: 32:06.71 3000 metres steeplechase: 9:30.85
Medal record Women's athletics Representing the  United States World Championships

Personal life

Ostrander was born in Kenai, Alaska in 1996, the daughter of Teri and Paul Ostrander. She has an older sister, Taylor, who was a top middle distance, steeplechase and cross country runner for Kenai Central High School and at the NCAA Division III Willamette University, where she had a best steeple time of 10:40:06 as a sophomore in 2014.[2]

A standout in both athletics and academics, Ostrander graduated from Kenai Central high school in 2015. She began competing in the steeplechase while running for the Boise State Broncos, where she was an Honors student, finishing with a 4.0 Grade Point Average.[3][4]

Ostrander frequently competes in the Mount Marathon Race in Seward, Alaska, which she began running in grade school. She won the half-distance, junior version of the race six consecutive times from 2009-2014, beating not only the girls but the boys in her final year of the Junior race.[5] In 2015, in her first senior race, which climbs to the 3,022-foot summit[6] and returns to sea level, she finished under the standing 25-year-old female runners record, but was beaten by world skyrunning champion Emelie Forsberg.[7][8] In 2017, Ostrander won with her best time to date, 49:19.[9]

High school career

Ostrander played on the basketball team as well as running, being coached by her mother in the latter. Her main events were in cross country, hurdles (48.31 PR for 300m),[10] and distance running. She won her first state 4A (large school) championship when only a sophomore. In 2013, despite only six weeks of training, she finished second to Alexa Efraimson of Washington state, clocking 10:03.66 in the prestigious Arcadia Invitational 3200m in California. In 2014, her senior year, she won the Nike National Cross-Country high school championship.[11]

Collegiate career

2015

In September, Ostrander finished second in the 6 km Roy Griak Invitational cross country race. On October 16, she won the prestigious Wisconsin Adidas Invitational 6 km in 19:19.5. Two weeks later, she won her Mountain West Conference championship, followed in another two weeks by a NCAA Division I West Region victory. On November 21, she finished as the runner up in the 2015 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships in 19:33.6, a performance others called remarkable for a freshman.[12]

2016

In January, Ostrander set a personal record (PR) for 5000 m, with a 15.21.85 second-place performance at the University of Washington Invitational indoor meet. At the Husky Classic in February she set another PR, running 8:54.27 for 3,000 meters. Later that month she anchored her Broncos distance medley team to a first-place finish at the Mountain West Indoor Track and Field Championships, but was sidelined with an injury soon afterward. In July she finished in 8th place in the Olympic Trials 5,000 meters.

2017

Ostrander returned to form by winning the Stanford invitational 3000 m steeplechase in 9:55.61. In May, at the Mountain West Championships, she set a PR while winning the 10000 m running in 35:51.2. She finished second in the 5,000 in that meet with a time of 16:20.45. In June, she won the 2017 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships steeplechase title in 9:41.31. Just a few hours later, she finished fourth in the 5,000 meters. In November, she ended her hiatus from cross country finishing second in the 6,000 meters in the NCAA West Region Championships with a career best time of 19:16.5, then finishing fourth at the NCAA Championships on November 18.[13]

2018

Running as a redshirt sophomore at the Mountain West Indoor Championships in February, she set a PR for the mile run in 4:46.06, finished second in the 3,000 meters, and again anchored Boise State's winning distance medley squad. On May 10, 2018, Ostrander finished less than a second behind collegiate event record holder Karissa Schweizer in the 2018 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships at 3,000 meters, registering a time of 8:54.35.[14] On March 29, 2018 moving outdoors, she set a PR, winning the Stanford Invitational, with a steeple time of 9:38.57. It was the world's fastest time in 2018 for the event by that date.[15] Dropping in distance, she ran a PR 4:15.06 for 1500 m at the Bryan Clay Invitational. At the Mountain West Outdoor Championships, she won the 5,000 meters and finished second in the 1500. On May 25, 2018, Ostrander again qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships by running 9:40.20 in winning the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the NCAA West Preliminary Championships in Sacramento, California. A day later, she qualified for the 5,000 meters as well, by finishing second in her heat in 15:27.46.[16] In a repeat performance at the 2018 NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, she posted the fastest time in the steeplechase preliminary heats, winning the final after running easily with the leaders for six laps, then leaving the other medalists five seconds behind. In the 5,000 meter race, a little over an hour later, she ran with the leaders until the last 200 meters, finishing eighth, less than five seconds behind first place.[17]

On November 9, Ostrander won the NCAA Division I West Region Cross Country Championships, prevailing over a formidable field by 13.5 seconds, in a personal best of 19:09.0/ Her effort helped take the Broncos to finish as the second team, four points behind Oregon.[18] On November 17, along with Anna Rohrer she led the tightly packed leaders through the first 4,000 meters of the NCAA Championship. She faded slightly toward the end, finishing sixth to Colorado's Dani Jones in 19:56.9, 1.7 seconds out of fourth place. Her efforts guided the Broncos to a 6th place team finish.[19][20] On December 1, she began her indoor track season by setting a PR in the 5,000 meters, running 15:16.38 in the Boston University, finishing fourth, 1.6 seconds out of 1st place. She was just behind NCAA Division I distance running standouts, Kenyans Sharon Lokedi of the University of Kansas, and Ednah Kurgat and Eritrean Weini Kelati, both of the University of New Mexico.[21]

2019

On January 26, Ostrander broke the Boise State school record for the mile at the University of Washington Indoor Meet, setting a personal record 4:35.79, for third place, .59 seconds behind Nike Oregon Track Club's Hanna Green and Oklahoma State University's Sinclare Johnson. With her running the mile leg, her distance medley team set a school record.[22] At the Stanford Invitational on March 29, 2019, Ostrander bypassed the steeple to run the invitational 10,000m, finishing third in 32.06.7, the year's best time through April by a collegian, to professionals Emily Sisson and U.S. record holder Molly Huddle.[23] On May 2, she returned to the steeple at the Payton Jordan Invitational in Stanford, California, to win in her closest finish ever, .05 seconds over New Mexico State's Adva Cohen.[24] On June 8, as a redshirt junior, she repeated her NCAA steeple win, marking the first-ever woman to win the event three straight times. Her winning time was 9:37.73, breaking her own stadium record and setting a personal best in 98-degree heat. New Mexico Lobos standout Charlotte Prouse, finished second, almost seven seconds behind.[25] On June 30, she finished 13th with a personal best of 9:31.44 in a star-studded international field in Palo Alto, California, at the Prefontaine Classic. She was the fourth American in the race.

Professional career

After the 2019 Prefontaine Classic race, Ostrander decided to forego her last seasons of college eligibility to go professional. She signed contracts with agent Ray Flynn,[26] and with Brooks Running to become a member of the Brooks Beasts Track Club, under the tutelage, in Seattle, of Danny Mackey.[27][28] On July 28, Ostrander finished fourth in the steeplechase at the 2019 USA Track & Field Outdoor Championships, trailing the trio who had represented the United States in the 2016 Summer Olympics. Because Emma Coburn, who ran 9:25.63 was the defending World Champion from 2017, and consequently was an automatic qualifier to the 2019 World Championships, U.S. record-holder Courtney Frerichs, who ran 9:26.61, Colleen Quigley, with a 9:30.97, and Ostrander, at 9:38.52, all also qualified to run in Doha, Qatar in September.[29] On September 8, she ran in New York City's extremely competitive Fifth Avenue Mile, running the road race in 4:33.5 and finishing 16th out of the 20 elite runners.[30] In February 2020, she won the 3,000 at the venerable Millrose Games in New York City, in a personal best of 8:48:94 despite a nagging Achilles injury.[28] In Doha, Ostrander had run 9:30:85 in her heat, barely missing the final, while trimming seven seconds off her Personal Best.[28] On April 2, 2020, she received platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy to help accelerate the healing of her torn Achilles tendon.[28] She trained at altitude in New Mexico with NCAA 1500 meter champion teammates Karisa Nelson, and Marta Pen Freitas, and 5000 runner Allie Buchalski.[28]

Competitions

[31]

Year	Competition	Venue	Position	Event	Notes
Representing Boise State University
2015	Wisconsin Adidas Invitational	Madison, Wisconsin	1st	Cross country running	19:19.5
2015	NCAA Women's Division I Cross Country Championship	Terre Haute, Indiana	2nd	Cross country running	19:33.6
2016	2016 United States Olympic Trials	Eugene, Oregon	8th	5000m	15:24.74
2017	Stanford Invitational	Palo Alto, California	1st	Steeplechase	9:55.61
2017	NCAA Women's Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships	Eugene, Oregon	1st	Steeplechase	9:41.31
2017	NCAA Women's Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships	Eugene, Oregon	4th	5000m	15:38.93
2017	NCAA Women's Division I Cross Country Championship	Louisville, Kentucky	4th	Cross country running	19:31.3
2018	NCAA Women's Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships	College Station, Texas	2nd	3000m	8:54.35
2018	Stanford Invitational	Palo Alto, California	1st	Steeplechase	9:38.57
2018	NCAA Women's Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships	Eugene, Oregon	1st	Steeplechase	9:39.27
2018	NCAA Women's Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships	Eugene, Oregon	8th	5000m	15:46.50
2018	NCAA Women's Division I West Cross Country Championship	Sacramento, California	1st	Cross country running	19:09.0
2018	NCAA Women's Division I Cross Country Championship	Madison, Wisconsin	8th	Cross country running	19:56.9
2019	Stanford Invitational	Palo Alto, California	3rd	10,000 metres	32:06.71
2019	Payton Jordan Invitational	Palo Alto, California	1st	Steeplechase	9:45.66
2019	NCAA Women's Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships	Austin, Texas	1st	Steeplechase	9:37.73
2019	NCAA Women's Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships	Austin, Texas	16th	5000 m	16:28.19
2019	Prefontaine Classic	Palo Alto, California	13th	Steeplechase	9:31.44
Representing Brooks Beasts Track Club
2019	USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships	Des Moines, Iowa	4th	Steeplechase	9:38.52
Representing the  United States
2019	2019 World Championships in Athletics – Women's 3000 metres steeplechase	Doha, Qatar	17th	Steeplechase	9:30.85[32]
Representing Brooks Beasts Track Club
2020	Millrose games (Indoor)	New York, New York	1st	3000 meters	8:48.04[28]
2020	Last Chance Invitational (Indoor)	Boston, Massachusetts	8th	5000 meters	15:19.71[33]

Honors

• 2019 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field First-Team All-America- 3000m steeplechase,
• NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Second-Team All-America- 5,000m,
• Mountain West Outdoor Track and Field Champion- 5,000m
• First-Team All-America- Indoor 3000m
• First-Team All-America- Indoor 5000m
• NCAA Elite 90 Award Winner- Indoor Track and Field
• Mountain West Champion- Distance Medley Relay
• Mountain West Conference Champion- Indoor 3000m
• 2018 Cross Country NCAA All-American
• NCAA West Region Cross Country Champion
• NCAA Outdoor Track and Field First-Team All-America- 5,000m
• Mountain West Outdoor Track and Field Champion- 5,000m
• NCAA Indoor Track and Field First-Team All-American- 3,000m
• NCAA Indoor Track and Field First-Team All-American, Distance Medley Relay
• Mountain West Champion- Distance Medley Relay
• 2016. 2018, 2019 Honda Sports Award Finalist- Cross Country[34]
• NCAA Elite 90 Award Winner- Cross Country
• NCAA 5,000m First-Team All-American

[35]

Critique of athletics coverage

In 2018, NCAA commentator Jill Montgomery referred to Ostrander as the NCAA steeplechase, as the "baby-faced assassin," and said she looked like she still played with "Barbie Dolls". Dwight Stones said, "She may look like she was just playing with her 'Barbies,' but she’s the reigning National Champ." In 2019, Ostrander wrote, "This year, the commentators found it necessary to state (incorrectly I might add) my height and weight multiple times. Not only were these comments objectifying and unnecessary, they drew attention away from the real focus of the event. People attend this event and listen to the commentary because they want to see what we're capable of, not what we look like we're capable of. So why do the commentators insist on providing information that has nothing to do with the sport? In a sport where eating disorders and body dysmorphia are so common, the media has an opportunity to help women (and men) feel capable and powerful and worthy, but by focusing on appearance and body proportions, this opportunity is missed." ESPN subsequently responded with a statement regarding the comments in question, saying: "We greatly appreciate Allie bringing this important conversation to light. Commentary about height & weight was not broadcast on ESPN."[36]

References

1. Allie Ostrander to forego final year NCAA looks to run professionally, KTUU, Kortnie Horazdovsky, July 2, 2019. Retrieved July 8, 2019.
2. Taylor Ostrander profile at TFRRS
3. Allie Ostrander Competing for USA, Boise State, 2016. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
4. Boise State’s only three-time national champion will skip senior year to turn pro, Idaho Statesman, Rachel Roberts, July 2, 2019. Retrieved July 8, 2019.
5. Seward's Mount Marathon Race Champions. Retrieved July 4, 2019.
6. Seward's Mount Marathon Race, Facts and Trivia, Seward.com. Retrieved July 8, 2019.
7. Allie Ostrander 2nd & Course Record In Mt. Marathon Senior Race Debut, MileSplitUSA, Brandon Miles, Jul 4, 2015. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
8. "The top-15 women at the 2015 Mount Marathon Race". iRunFar. Archived from the original on 2015-07-04. Retrieved 2018-05-28.
9. The legend grows, Allie Ostrander wins Mount Marathon title, Anchorage Daily News, Nathaniel Herz, July 4, 2017. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
10. Ostrander Returns to Her Roots In 3000m Steeplechase, Runner'sTribe.com, Chris Lotsbohm, June 9, 2017. Retrieved July 4, 2019.
11. Alaskan Allie Ostrander is the NXN Champion, Runners World, Marc Bloom, December 9, 2014. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
12. NCAA Division I Cross Country, NCAA, 2016. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
13. NCAA Division I Championships - Women 6k, NCAA, November 18, 2017. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
14. NCAA Division I Indoor Championships at 3,000 meters, NCAA Division I, March 10, 2018. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
15. Ostrander runs current world fastest time in winning 3K steeplechase, Peninsula Clarion, April 1, 2018, Retrieved May 28, 2018.
16. Ostrander pulls off double as Boise State qualifies a record number for nationals, Idaho Statesman, Rachel Roberts, May 26, 2018. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
17. Run, jump, repeat: Alaska’s Allie Ostrander wins 2nd straight NCAA steeplechase title, Anchorage Daily News, Beth Bragg, June 9, 2018. Retrieved June 10, 2018.
18. NCAA Division I West Region XC, NCAA, November 9, 2018. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
19. NCAA Division I Championships, Track and Field Reporting Results System, November 17, 2018. Retrieved November 20, 2018.
20. Jones, MacDonald sprint to NCAA Cross Country titles, Runnerspace, November 17, 2018. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
21. Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener, Track and Field Reporting Results System, November 17, 2018. Retrieved January 29, 2019.
22. Ostrander breaks 2 indoor records in Seattle, Peninsula Clarion, Joey Klecka, January 26, 2019. Retrieved January 29, 2019.
23. Stanford Invitational 10,000 meter run invite, Record Timing, March 31, 2019. Retrieved April 30, 2019.
24. Allie Ostrander 1st Place Women's Invitational 3000m Steeplechase - Payton Jordan Invitational, RunnerSpace.com, May 2, 2019. Retrieved May 22, 2019.
25. Alaska’s Allie Ostrander wins 3rd straight NCAA steeplechase title, Anchorage Daily News, Beth Bragg, June 8, 2019. Retrieved June 9, 2019.
26. Alaska runner Allie Ostrander decides to go pro, Anchorage Daily News, Rachel Roberts, July 3, 2019. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
27. Brooks signs NCAA champs Allie Ostrander and Karisa Nelson to sponsorship contracts, LetsRun.com, July 3, 2019. Retrieved July 4, 2019.
28. Allie Ostrander Making The Most Of Break In Action, Track and Field News, Rich Sands, June 10, 2020. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
29. Boise State alum Allie Ostrander takes 4th at USATF Championships, KTVB, Jay Tust, July 28, 2019. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
30. Ostrander takes 16th at 5th Avenue Mile, Peninsula Clarion, Jeff Helminiak, September 9, 2019. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
31. Allie Ostrander, Track and Field Results Reporting System. April 29, 2019.
32. 3000 METRES STEEPLECHASE WOMEN IAAF WORLD ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS DOHA 2019, IAAF. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
33. AR Tops Incredible Distance Times Track and Field News, February 2020. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
34. "Finalists for Class of 2019 Honda Sport Award for Track & Field Announced". CWSA. 2019-06-11. Retrieved 2020-04-07.
35. Allie Ostrander, Boise State University. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
36. Boise State's Allie Ostrander Calls Out ESPN Broadcasters, Sports Illustrated, Jenna West, June 14, 2019. Retrieved June 30, 2019.

External links

• 2017 Mt. Marathon win and interview