Where Are They Now? Featuring Katie Rainsberger

LC) How were you initially introduced to track & field?

KR) I started out as a soccer player...I was always in the scene of running because that's what my mom did, we would always go to fun runs and that sort of thing, but my main focus was still always soccer.

When I got to middle school, though, they didn't have a fall soccer team, but my parents wanted me to try out a different sport, so I thought it would be fun to try out cross country, really just to stay in shape and have fun.

From then, I won my first cross country race... However, I didn't take it too seriously, I really just did it for fun... I mean we would go play in the creek and stuff like that, but from then on I really just grew into loving the sport.

LC) Tell me about one of your most memorable accomplishments from your time at Air Academy.

KR) I think there's a ton of great memories from my time at Air Academy, but my favorite memory would have to be from my senior year when I won the state cross country meet individually, but we also won the team title - that was really incredible.

Also during my senior year, my best friend at the time was running on the team with me, and at the state track meet we ran the 800 together and I think she was seeded pretty low... But I won the 800 that day and when I turned around, she was right there behind me in second place.

We both missed our graduation for that state meet, so we wore our cap and gown up on the medal podium... It was just such an incredible moment to share with her.

LC) What would you say was your most memorable accomplishment as a college athlete?

KR) My first moment is definitely from my freshman year at Oregon when we won the triple crown (we won nationals in cross country, indoor, and outdoor) and this was the first time a women's team had ever done that, so that was a really cool moment to be a part of.

Another cool memory was during my fifth year at Washington.

I had encountered some setbacks and struggles but I came back and got third in the steeplechase at NCAAs. To be able to share that with my coach who had seen all of the trials and everything. For her to be there with me was such an incredible moment.

LC) At what point in your career did you realize that running professionally was an option? Was this always a dream for you?

KR) Ever since I was in high school, I had a dream of going pro. I think it was something that I knew I could achieve because I had seen my mom be a professional athlete... It was one of those things where when you see your parents do something, it's very easy to think "well if they can do that then so can I."

This gave me a lot of motivation, she was a really present role model. I knew I had to work really hard at it, but it really was always a huge goal of mine to be a professional athlete.

Editor's Note: Lisa Rainsberger (Larsen Weidenbach) won the 1985 Boston Marathon, and the Chicago Marathon in 1988, and 1989.

LC) What has been your favorite memory as a professional runner so far?

KR) It's hard because I've only had one season of racing as a pro, however, last summer I went to the USATF meet and my teammates and I went 1, 4, and 5 in the steeplechase... That was a really incredible moment to be a part of.

Along with this, I think that just seeing my teammates do so well at the World Championships has been so motivating... Just to see what it really takes to get to that next level and to see people that I work hard with every day succeed, that's the biggest thing... Just remembering that I still have a lot to learn.

I have such an incredible group that is really helping me to lay the foundation and reach that next level.

LC) What are some goals that you have for this year?

KR) The main goal right now is to set myself up to have a great 2024.

While this year is still important of course, 2024 is an Olympic year, so I really just want to create good habits for myself this year. There are a lot of little things that I need to work on in terms of steeple form, mileage, getting my nutrition down, learning how to nap during the day... All of those things are going to be really important to pat down heading into next year.

I just want to have a really consistent and healthy summer where I learn, race, and put myself in new positions that I haven't been in before... So that way when I get into next summer, I feel really confident.

LC) Is there any advice that you would give your younger self or other high school runners?

KR) I think that there is no magic bullet, as much as you see people have what you would think is overnight success... There really is no such thing as overnight success.

It requires a lot of persistent consistency. There's gonna be a lot of hard days as well... However, it's more about stacking together the good days than any single great or bad day. I think that a lot of times, people think that patience is just waiting for things to happen, but patience is really just having a good attitude while you work towards the things that you want.

With that, having patience, being consistent... And when things don't look the way that you may want them to, just be careful with how you react.