Not even food poison capable of slowing down Ostrander
Allie Ostrander
The Boise State University freshman runner was sick with food poisoning.
“There was something funky in our cafeteria,” she told flotrack.org. “I had to come back from being up all night, sick.”
She admitted to feeling apprehensive, but it didn’t show today.
Ostrander stayed in the lead pack the whole way and finished second among 243 NCAA D1 women at the 30th annual Roy Griak Invitational at the University of Minnesota.
Cal-Berkley’s Bethan Knights won the 6-K race in 20 minutes, 53 seconds, followed by Ostrander in 21:09.
“I was really happy,” she said of her finish, especially given the circumstances. “It was my first big race, so it was nice to get one under my belt and to get second place.”
Ostrander, of Kenai High fame, led the 20th-ranked Boise State women to the team win, beating defending national champion Michigan State by 37 points.
Boise State had three runners in the top 6 and four of the top 11.
“It’s so nice to have that team dynamic,” she said. “We were just going out to run and develop race instincts. We haven’t trained to peak at all; really no speed work.”
Ostrander was one of four underclassmen to score points for the Broncos today.
They are young, they are fast and they made a statement with today’s team win.
“Toward the end of the race there was three of us together, ‘C’mon pack it up, let’s go together, power in numbers,’” Ostrander said. “It’s very empowering.”