Outdoor Track and Field on Flotrack 2013

Meet Hillary Holt, The Best Runner You've Never Heard Of

May 9, 2013 by Mitch Kastoff

In our Things We Missed this week, we introduced you to the College of Idaho's Hillary Holt. At the Oregon Twilight 1500m, the Holt took down a solid field, set a seven second personal best, and hit the USATF "A" standard. We wanted to introduce you to the best runner you've never heard of, but now we'd like you to get to know her.

Going into the Oregon Twilight 1500m, did you see 4:11 coming? What about a win at Hayward Field?

I definitely did not see 4:11 coming. I did not even see a win coming, for sure. My objective for the race was to run a fast 1500 in a good, elite field and my coach and I were hoping the time would take care of itself. I knew I was physically ready to run 4:13, but mentally I was like, "Ohh, can I do this? Can I actually run that fast?" When I got on the line and the gun went off, I just got into race mode... When I hit the finish line, [I was in] total and complete shock. I wanted the win, but I definitely did not see it coming at all.

Right before the bell, you took the lead from OTC's Jemma Simpson. What's going through your mind with 400m left no one in sight?

With 400m left, my thoughts were just on finishing as hard as I possibly could. I wasn't thinking of who I was running against or what I would run, just finishing. My coach told me to take the race to everyone in the field and that's all that was running through my mind.

Now you have the USATF "A" standard. Did a 5:09 girl from Meridian, ID ever think that she'd be in the mix at the U.S. Championships?

Coming out of high school, I never would have imagined myself where I am now. I knew I was going to really commit to running once I got to college, but I never pictured myself going from 5:09 to roughly 4:30-4:29ish. My goal was just to try to be an all-American my freshman year. [Laughs] Every time I think about what I ran, I have to stop and be say, "Whoa. Did that actually happen? Was I just dreaming?" Then I remember that I [actually] did it and get super happy and smiley.

It's incredible what a difference one year can make. Last spring, you won one NAIA Outdoor title in the 1500m (which was your old PR before this season). This year at NAIA Indoors, you won a triple crown in the mile, 3000m, and DMR. What's your goal for this upcoming NAIA Outdoor Championship?

My old PR actually came from Portland Track Festival that summer [where] I ran 4:25. It's not on my TFRRS profile though because that race came after the final NAIA list was submitted, at least I think that's why. [Laughs]

From goyotes.

But, this year has been incredibly different. I can't even believe how much has changed. XC nationals and Indoor nationals were incredible for me, but this year at NAIA outdoors, I definitely want to defend my 1500m title. I also would like to try and win an additional title in the 800m. I originally thought I would run the 5k, but my coach thinks the 800m is much more crucial to my speed development for the 1500m, so I'm thinking I'll be going with the 800m. The 800m is actually my favorite race, so to win a title in that and possibly get a huge PR would be awesome for me. Especially since there are some pretty good girls who will really challenge me in the event. Our 4x400m relay team has an NAIA "A" standard right now, so I would really like to help that team to an all-American honor as well.

We read that last year, you picked up a stress fracture in your fibula. When did that happen? How was the recovery process?

I got the stress fracture in my fibula at the very end of February last year. It was actually about the week before NAIA Indoor Championships, which was a huge bummer for me because I had one of the top times in the mile as well as the DMR. My goal was to win them both, but the stress fracture kind of got in the way of that. It was weird because it happened right after I was coming back from an IT band injury. So I was running really low miles and doing a lot of pool work.

The recovery process from the stress fracture was really rough at first. I was pretty upset, and it was really hard for me to sit on the sidelines while I watched my team do hard workouts and get so much better. But, I just put my all into my pool workouts and trained harder than I ever had and I think that mentality helped transform me into the runner I am right now. It helped me to realize how truly special this is and to make the most of it.

It [also] taught me how to really work for something. I wasn't running so I had to work twice as hard in the pool to get myself into a good spot to come back and try to win the 1500m at outdoors. After the recovery process and not even knowing where I would be, it made the win that much more special.

What's a typical week of training like for you?

A typical week of training for me isn't too crazy. I actually do not run a lot of mileage. I make sure whatever I do is quality, but I don't think I even crack 45-50 miles a week. I have the usual long run, hard workout, easy run, tempo run kind of set up. [There's] lifting and strength training thrown in there, too.

I [also] do a lot of swimming. I really enjoy swimming. After my injury last year it kind of came to me as a blessing in disguise. It's really relaxing to me. So I make sure to swim a few times a week.

This is an honest question from an ignorant east coaster: How's Idaho?

[Laughs] Ohh man. Idaho is great. The weather is crazy and weird. It doesn't stay one temperature for longer than a few hours [laughs]. But I LOVE Idaho. I am a proud Idahoan, born and raised here. It's starting to get hot, so that kind of sucks. I don't like the heat all that much. Some of the mountains and wilderness here are incredible. This summer I will be training in BEAUTIFUL Ketchum, Idaho (which i am totally stoked for).

If you could pick one song to be your entrance song, (a song that plays every time you walk into a room) what would it be?

[Laughs] An entrance song? Ohh my goodness. This question is SO HARD. There is so much to choose from!! I don't know... I wish I could come up with a totally legitimate, sweet, and original answer. My coach would tell me to say "Wagon Wheel." That's our team's song and we sing it pretty much wherever we go (no joke, we sang it at an open mic night at some restaurant we went to in Ohio while we were at indoor nationals... coach's idea).

But if I had to pick a song... I think I would pick a song called "Seventeen Years" by Ratatat. It doesn't even have any words, it's just one of my favorite songs of all-time. Either that or something like "Girl on Fire" by Alicia Keys :)

And just like that, we've listened to this song a few hundred times today.