Name: Ali Kallner
High School: Chaparral High School
Signed with: Colorado State University
First things first, if crocs came out with a track spike what color would you want it to be and would you be the first to buy it?
OH HECK YES I 100% WOULD BE THE FIRST TO BUY THEM. I love crocs. So much. I have some that look like hamburgers, the tops are brown for buns and in the middle there are little meat and lettuce and tomato pieces. Hamburger croc spikes would be pretty sweet.
What did you like about Art's program that made you choose Ft. Collins?
Coach Siemers's program and CSU as overall is everything I was looking for in a university all rolled into one: beautiful state, awesome college town, GREAT coach, a young rising team with lots of potential, really good academics, and one of the best veterinary grad schools in the country (hopefully I get to continue there after undergrad studies!)
Have you ever run at altitude before? Are you worried about the adjustment?
I actually have a decent amount of experience with running at altitude! I spend most of my summers up in Utah so I know I can handle training, but it will be interesting to see how it factors into races.
If you could pick one high school moment to relive what would it be?
If I could relive any moment it would be the few seconds prior to and few hours following the 1600 at Chandler a couple weeks ago. I reached a really meaningful personal goal in the race, my family was there and I after the meet I ate delicious food with my favorite people alive (Rachel, Amalia, and Jasmine- they rock). We had nachos and they were topped with guacamole, chicken, and lots of pride. I also got to meet my future roommate that day (SHE'S SO COOL).
When you started high school did you think you would get to run in college? When did you catch the vision that "yeah, Im a D1 runner!"
I had no clue I would get to or even want to run in college. I started out as a self proclaimed "soccer player who runs for fun." I once ran down the side of a highway exit during a traffic jam, trying to make it from a cross country meet to a soccer game on time. After freshman year cross country I told my coach "I don't do circles" (I should be slapped) and wouldn't be participating in track. Of course I ended up coming out "just for relays," did the mile at the first meet and quit soccer two years later to pursue running more seriously. To be honest I don't think I really recognized my own potential until the Desert Twilight cross country invite a few months ago, even after I was already committed to run next year!