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LFC cross country alum and current Washington University cross country runner, Kiera Olson, achieved All-American honors at the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships in Louisville, Ky., on Saturday, November 20, concluding a remarkable high school and collegiate career. In the six kilometer race, Kiera ran a personal best time of 21:47 and placed 35th of 394 runners, leading her team to a 5th place finish of 32 teams.
“When I began running cross country nine years ago, I didn’t know just how wonderfully impactful it could be. But from the very first practice at LFC, I met some of my closest friends and fell in love with the sport and the community it provided,” reflected Kiera. She feels lucky to have been part of an amazing high school team that allowed her to make three state appearances (two team, one individual) and win three conference titles (two team, one individual).
But her career didn’t end there. “Between the wonderful coaches, parents, and strong friendships with the girls on my team and on other southeast Minnesota teams that lead to many of my favorite memories, I knew that cross country was something I didn’t want to give up entering college,” Kiera shared. Her search for division III colleges with an engineering department ultimately led her to attend Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) in Cleveland, Ohio, where she competed for another 2.5 years before COVID-19-induced season cancellations. “The CWRU team was much larger than my high school team, but I still felt the strong friendships that running provided and I loved the balance of athletics and academics,” stated Kiera who graduated with a degree in chemical engineering in May 2021.
Not quite finished with cross country, when Kiera started looking for graduate schools she considered the possibility of using her remaining running eligibility because she was not ready to give up the sport. “I chose Washington University in St. Louis for its Doctor of Physical Therapy program, but I am so thankful that it also happened to allow me to run my final season of cross country. This past season has been so special, mainly because I wasn’t expecting to get another season. Similar to high school, I was lucky to have a team with teammates at a similar fitness level and a wonderful coach that continually pushed me in practice and gave me a pack to run with in races. At the beginning of this last season, my only goal was to make the most of it and have fun. I honestly had no idea until I crossed the finish line in 35th that I was capable of being an All-American. I am sad that cross country has finally come to a close, but I am beyond grateful for all the close friends and memories it gave me over the years.”
Over the years, Kiera exemplified the qualities sought in student athletes – excellent teammate and competitor, coachable athlete, and exceptional student. By adding All-American to her already impressive resume, Kiera Olson solidified her status as one of the most decorated and competitive runners in LFC Cross Country history.
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