Transfer student Olling happy to be home, competing in conference championship meet
Following an impressive high school career and an experience at a much larger school to start her collegiate running career, Kristen Olling is ready to take the Central Michigan University track team to the highest level.
Olling will compete in the 3,000-meter and 5,000-meter events for the Chippewas track and field team, along with Munising senior Abbey Kelto and Freesoil junior Kelly Schubert.
Olling began her career at Breckenridge High School, where she won Michigan High School Athletic Association cross country state championships and was a Gatorade Runner of the Year in 2013 and 2014.
“People always say I brought all this publicity to Breckenridge and made the town known,” Olling said. “I guess that is kind of cool but at the same time I don’t feel like I did that. I’m just a person running that came out of a small town.”
Her talent took her from Mid-Michigan to the desert. Her high school counselor recommended she attend Arizona State University. Olling eventually decided to transfer closer to home in December 2014.
She is glad to be in Mount Pleasant, a short drive from her animals, friends, and family. Olling said she loves CMU and her team so far.
“We all get along here and we are all friends,” Olling said. “It’s more tight-knit and friendly here than at Arizona State. I love the school as of right now. Running with the team is great.”
Kelto, Schubert, and Olling each run 70 miles per week, plus hurdles and weight training as part of their conditioning process.
“We run with each other pretty much every single day,” Olling said. “We know a lot about each other. I think all that hard work brings us all together and helps us compete with each other.”
Olling has a motto that has brought her success: “Winter miles bring spring smiles,” she said.
She hopes that success will continue this weekend.
“It’s a metaphor that during these hard winter months,” she said. “When you don’t want to go out and run, you do it so in the spring you will be a lot better.”
