Run University

Brace Yourselves: Summer Training has begun.

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My prayers and thoughts are with Keisa Monterola and her family.

June 8, 2012

Despite Tragedy, Monterola Will Compete Sunday in Venezuela

Eastern All-America pole vaulter will compete at the Ibero-American Championships in wake of the shooting death of her brother

Unable to compete in the NCAA Championships on Wednesday because of the tragic death of her brother, Eastern Washington University All-America pole vaulter Keisa Monterola will compete in his memory on Sunday in her home country of Venezuela.

Monterola’s 26-year old brother, Keldeson Monterola, was killed in a robbery on Tuesday near their hometown of Caracas, Venezuela. Keisa was in Des Moines, Iowa, to compete in the NCAA Outdoor Championships, but returned to Venezuela upon being informed of the shooting. According to Eastern women’s track and field coach Marcia Mecklenburg, she learned of his death en route to Venezuela.

Mecklenburg said that following the NCAA Championships, Keisa was going to return to Venezuela anyway to compete in the Ibero-American Championships in Athletics in the Venezuelan city of Barquisimeto. The meet is a last chance for athletes to qualify for the Olympic Games in London, an accomplishment that Keisa has been chasing all season at EWU.

Mecklenburg said that EWU pole vault coach Eric Allison left Des Moines for Venezuela with Keisa’s pole vault poles on Thursday (June 7). Keisa will compete on Sunday.

“Her family had planned on going to watch her compete, including the brother that passed away,” said Mecklenburg. “Since his death, we weren’t sure if she would be competing in that meet. We learned (Wednesday) night that her family wants her to compete for her brother.”

According to the Caracas newspaper El Universal, Keldeson was visiting his girlfriend when he was stopped by armed men and shot twice in the head. The gunmen fled with a BlackBerry cellular phone that he had possessed. He later died in a hospital emergency room.

The Ibero-American Championships brings together over 400 athletes from 25 countries over the weekend in Venezuela. With a career-best of 14-4 (indoors), Keisa has been striving to clear a height of 14-5 1/4 and meet the Olympic Provisional qualifying standard. Her home country has promised the Venezuelan record-holder a spot on their Olympic team if she hits the mark.

In March, Monterola competed in the NCAA Indoor Championships and placed fifth with a height of 14-1 1/4. She has competed and placed in the 2011 Pan American Games (fifth), 2010 Central America and Caribbean Games (first), 2009 NWAACC Championships (first) and the IAAF World Youth Games (second). She is also the reigning indoor and outdoor Big Sky Conference Champion.

With a school-record mark of 14-0 hit at the 41st Annual Pelluer Invitational, Monterola was 13th in the nation heading into the NCAA Championships. Had she hit that 14-0 mark in Des Moines, she would have placed sixth. Katerina Stefanidi (Stanford) won the title with a mark of 14-7 1/4.

Keisa made her Eastern debut on Dec. 3, 2011, at the Candy Cane Invitational with a school-record effort of 13-11 1/4, breaking the previous record of 13-4 1/2 set by Sarah Hegna in 2007. Nearly two months later, Monterola broke the Big Sky Conference indoor record for the women’s pole vault in January with a career-best 14-4 at the UW Team Invitational in Seattle, Wash. The previous record was 14-1 1/4 set by Elouise Rudy of Montana State in 2008.

“She has had plenty of good days in practice preparing for this meet,” said Allison before they left for the NCAA Championships. “She looks good. Really good. Keisa is ready to jump high.”

howtorunfree:

The best American runner.

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Ahhhh heights =S

Someday I will conquer my fears because this looks too awesome to pass up.

Would you do this run? 

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suyeda:

I love that runner’s high. Step after step. Breath after deep breath. Sweat after sweat. It feels incredible to finish that daily run. Some people feel miserable after a run, but compare my high to something to like to do. A dancer after a rehearsal. A sports player after practice. Someone who loves food inhaling that damn delicious meal (also me). It all feels damn good to put in that time and effort into something you enjoy. 

My name is Dani. I am a student-athlete at a university in the US. I have been running since I was in middle school track, about ten years now. That was back in the day when I was still convinced I would become some great throwing legend. 

The sole reason I tried a distance race in middle school was because I was bribed by my mother. Remember the Golden Ruler: Mom knows best. My mom knew running was my thing and ever since I’ve been hitting the pavement. She helped me discover my great love.

Over the past few years I’ve struggled with being trying to be consistent with my running because I’ve faced various injuries. However, I’ve always noticed something when I stop:

• I’m not happy
• My apetite is abnormal
• Food cravings are awful 
• My sleep patterns askew 
• Mood swings
• Time managment problems
• Weight gain
• Leg pain
• Emotional issues

The truth of the matter is that running is my self-medication. It forces me to organize my time and allows me to organize my thoughts during those runs. Endorphins improve my moods and consistently running regulates it. My legs need the motion of activity and my sleep patterns depend on exhaustion from running. I crave healthy food instead because my body knows what fuel it needs in order to keep going. Overall I’m happier and healthier- now its only natural for me to run.

To all you couch potatoes I have one thing to say that changed my outlook on running: Humans are built to run. It doesn’t matter if your “big-boned”, scrawny, tall, short, fat, or average- you were born to run. Find your reason to run and don’t let that motivation slip from you. Hold tight to what makes you happy.

-Dani