For an elite runner, it can be tough to find a guy who can keep up. Fortunately for Sara Gorton-Slattery, this was no longer an issue when she married fellow professional runner, Steve Slattery. Despite their competitive natures, the Slatterys are a team when it comes to their marriage. “I’ve learned a lot from Steve. I think we help each other,” Sara said, “There is never a dull moment in our relationship.” The Slatterys have been each other’s biggest supporters since they were teammates at the University of Colorado. Sara, 26, began dating Steve, 27, as a college freshman in 2000, but they had been good friends since high school. The couple initially met at the 1997 National Footlocker Championships. Steve was a senior at Mt. Olive High School in Flanders, New Jersey, and Sara was a sophomore at Mountain Pointe High School in Phoenix, Arizona. Sara and Steve kept in touch and continued to see each other at different meets, including the 1998 World Cross Country Championships. When the time came for Sara to choose a college, Steve was already attending CU along with some of their other friends. She knew CU had an excellent cross country and track program as well, so it was the right fit. Before she came to Colorado, Sara read Chris Lear’s book, “Running With the Buffaloes,” to get an idea of what the team was like. Lear’s novel chronicles the 1998 CU men’s cross country team, when Steve was a freshman. She said the book is very true to the program and the training is “pretty much mapped out.” Sara claims that Steve’s “character” in the book represents his personality well. “He’s a very animated person. He’s not very shy or quiet.” Sara described, “I’m a lot more mellow. We balance each other out really well.” At first, Sara did not want a relationship on the team, fearing that it might cause too much drama. “I didn’t want there to be weird tension if it didn’t work out,” she said. A few months into her freshman year, Sara decided she liked Steve too much and gave dating a shot. The two agreed that even if they broke up, they would try their best to remain good friends. Lucky for them, they stayed together. However, they did not make the relationship too obvious. At practice and in races, Sara and Steve were focused on running. Steve went pro after he graduated with a degree in economics in 2002, but stayed in Boulder while Sara was still in school. When they were not busy with running, the Slatterys spent a lot of time together. They lived on the same street near campus, so they were able to stay close. Steve would even join the team at practice sometimes. “The team has a close dynamic. I’m lucky to be a part of it,” Sara explained, “A lot of the people are still my best friends.” The couple was engaged during Sara’s senior year of college, and married a year later. Sara finished school in 2005, with an undergraduate degree in economics and business and a master’s in education. The Slatterys are currently both professional runners, living in Lafayette, Colorado. What is a typical day at the Slattery’s like? Sara said they usually wake up, run, do some housework, catch up on emails, run again and rest as much as possible. When they are not running, Sara and Steve enjoy hiking, bowling and reading. “We live as simply as we can,” she said. That is sometimes easier said than done with the demands involved with the sport. Heavy training, travel, injuries and other disappointments are all part of the ups and downs of running. It is helpful to share similar experiences. “I feel really lucky to have Steve be involved in the sport. He understands the demands and emotional aspect,” Sara said, “We keep each other sane.” The Slatterys recently finished the 2007 season at the Fifth Avenue Mile, September 29, in New York. Since then, they took a two-week break to rest, but will now resume training. Sara, with personal best times of 15:08.32 in the 5k and 31.57.94 in the 10k, hopes to make the Olympic team along with her husband Steve, who has run 8:17.87 in the steeplechase. Sara trains by herself most of the time, but Steve will join her for easy runs. They will also run with the CU team and other Boulder runners, such as Alan and Shayne Culpepper. Since they are currently both self-coached, they often help each other. “We’re honest to each other. Steve is the most honest person I know,” Sara described, “We know each other’s weaknesses and strengths. I know what he’s saying is probably the best. It’s nice because we want each other to do well. We feel lucky.” If she was no longer running professionally, Sara would like to still be involved with the sport. She said she learned a lot from a sports marketing internship with Nike and really enjoyed it. Sara also said she might like to teach and coach. Right now, she is happy balancing her running career and marriage. “Family is definitely important to Steve and I,” Sara explained, “We want to have kids.” The Slatterys do not plan to have children soon, but it is certainly a goal for their future. Sara believes that because they got married at a young age, they need more time together before starting a family. There is no doubt that the Slatterys can handle almost any personal or professional challenges that might come their way as long as they have each other. “We’re both really lucky,” Sara said. *The photo of Steve and Sara is from Sara. The photo of Sara running is from eliterunning.com.