Chasing excellence

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By Brittany Brownrigg, April 8, 2010

Brown’s earliest memories of running competitively involve her sister, Traci, who is four years older. Initially Brown did not want to have anything to do with sports. It was not until high school that she even considered running.

 

“My sister was the one that ran and I had nothing to do with it and I didn’t want to at all,” Brown said.

 

At Muncie Southside High School, where both sisters attended, the cross country coach approached Kristi about joining the team. The coach had been involved with Brown’s older sister’s athletic career and saw potential in Brown. She was encouraged to attend practice and run in one race just to give the sport a chance.

 

Brown adhered to the coach’s request and achieved immediate success.

 

“I was the number one runner for Southside all four years and I had the records there,” Brown said. “I think that’s what kept me [on the team].”

 

Throughout Brown’s high school career at Muncie Southside, she was named team MVP in both cross country and track after all eight seasons. Throughout her junior and senior year of high school, Brown served as captain of both the cross country and track and field teams.

 

Brown said the wonderful experiences she had throughout high school athletics got her to where she is today and that the year she shared in high school with her sister was a special one.

 

“We were a close team [in high school],” she said. “It was good to know that I had my older sister there.”

 

Not only did running provide Brown with tfuture oortunities, but it also helped her find herself.

 

“I got to meet people and let people know who I actually am,” she said. “Since I was good at running it gave me confidence to be who I am.”  

 

Her success in athletics and new-found confidence opened doors which landed her at Franklin College. 

 

“I’m the first person in my family to ever go to college,” Brown said.

When Brown initially started looking at colleges she thought that Indiana University would be perfect for her. But after visiting Franklin, Brown knew she wanted to be a Grizzly.

 

“Just looking at it was enough for me,” Brown said. “Instead of being a number at IU, I get to have a relationship with my professors.”

 

Brown said that she felt at home at Franklin and that if she would have gone to IU she probably would have given up running. Once at Franklin, Brown committed to taking running more seriously and has improved as a result. She increased her weekly workouts from 17 miles to up to 70 miles.

 

“When I was in Muncie I was the best there, but I wasn’t as good as I am now,” Brown said.

 

The team support that Brown has received at Franklin has only helped her fall more in love with running. She said the Grizzlies have a passion for the sport that is contagious, which has helped her improve and find more of herself. 

 

“Running … when I was in high school helped develop who I am and Franklin, I feel, developed who I am even more,” Brown said. “I feel like I’m becoming more successful each day.”

 

During Brown’s junior cross country season Franklin won the HCAC title, another huge success for Brown. In the fall of her senior year, the team tried to earn another conference title, but was unsuccessful. Brown said that this struggle has motivated the team to work even harder for this spring’s track season.

 

Senior teammate Scotch Swango said the team admires Brown for her hard work and dedication.

 

“She is the one girl on the team that I think the boys and girls look up to,” Swango said. “She leads by example.”

 

Senior Lauren Patterson agrees. She said Brown leads by example and that Brown’s actions and demeanor at practice are noticed and admired on the team and that she brings a sense of fun for everyone.

 

“She brings humor to the team,” Patterson said.

 

This season, the Grizzlies have made the HCAC Title their goal and are working hard to make it a reality. Brown said that she told the team to take last season’s loss and turn it into motivation. Losing has made the team want to win even more, she said.

 

Brown’s individual goals include repeating as the HCAC steeplechase title winner, while setting a new school record.

 

 In May, Brown will be graduating from Franklin with a degree in psychology, but she had some advice for her returning teammates next year.

 

“If you’re going to have a goal, go after it with full force,” she said. “Every day is not going to be easy … [but] you just have to get past those days and realize that there’s better days to come and that in the end it’s worth it.”

 

This fall, Brown will be attending graduate school at Rosalind Franklin University in Chicago.

 

“I had to keep the Franklin momentum going,” Brown joked.

 

Brown sees herself one day becoming a psychologist at either a mental hospital or a privately-owned practice.

 

“I’m going to be able to take this degree and do something with it,” she said. “I get to help people and try and improve their quality of life.”

 

Before moving to Chicago, Brown has one track season left as a Grizzly and is hopeful for her team’s goals.

 

“We push each other and we strive to be the best every day,” Brown said. “We’re a big team that likes to cheer.”