June 30, 2004

Back to the table of Contents Page

Classifieds

Palo Alto Online

O Canada

Stanford grad Elmore in the running to represent Canada at the Summer Games

by Keith Peters

As long as she can remember, Malindi Elmore was a runner. Growing up in Kelowna, British Columbia, she'd race to the mailbox, or in local meets, during cross-country season or on the soccer field.

Elmore was always on the move, as if preparing for some unknown future goal.

"Track evolved naturally for me," she said. "I have always been a competitive person who loves to run. Long before I was specifically an athlete, I used to challenge kids to races."

Elmore is now 24, a 2003 Stanford graduate and still challenging others. Only the competition is more difficult and the stakes a bit higher these days. In less than two weeks, Elmore will be competing against Canada's best in her country's Olympic track & field trials in Victoria, B.C.

Four years ago, Elmore ran 4:26.94 in the 1,500 meters and finished sixth in Canada's trials. Only the top three finishers were eligible for trips to the Summer Games in Sydney, Australia.

"I was actually pleased with my performance at the 2000 trials, as I was in the midst of about 2-3 years of pretty chronic injuries," Elmore said. "I had run fast in high school, but really struggled until the end of my junior year at Stanford. I decided to race the National Trials in 2000, despite not being extremely fit or ready to race because I wanted the experience for 2004 . . . this year!"

Elmore said that being hurt for a couple of years forced her to evaluate what it meant to her to run and that it was something worth working for.

"It allowed me to take advantage of a lot of other great opportunities at Stanford and in life," Elmore said. "Nevertheless, I certainly expect a huge improvement this year over the last Olympic trials!"

Elmore ran a career-best 4:04.06 at the recent Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Ore. Not only did the time surpass the Olympic "A" standard, it moved Elmore to No. 6 in the world and No. 1 in Canada this season.

"My race at Pre is only the beginning of what's still to come," Elmore said in an e-mail from England, where she's competing in some races before the Canadian Trials get under way July 9. "I knew, given the right conditions, I was ready to run the "A" standard. I have been running personal bests and competitive races all year, and I was really looking forward to putting everything together in one race. It's one thing to say what you can do, and another to actually do it."

Elmore said one of the most significant outcomes of that race on June 19 "was the realization that I do belong in world class meets and the Olympics.

"It's really fun to be competitive against people who have been my role models for a number of years," she continued. "When I was warming up at Pre, I felt so fortunate to be there, surrounded by world-class athletes. At the same time, I knew that when the gun went off it was really no different than any other race I had run in my life - requiring patience, strength, toughness and heart. Now I can really approach the meets in Europe and the Olympics with the mindset that I belong here, and I can handle any type of race, conditions or field."

Elmore said she has always thought of herself of an elite runner, needing only the time to confirm her conviction.

"Last year I returned home from a really close finish at the World University Games, where I was third to some girls who had PRs significantly faster than mine," Elmore said. "At that point, I started thinking of myself as a 4:05 runner, not a 4:10 runner. I have always done this, thinking of myself ahead of where I actually am. All I needed was the official results to prove it. Now that I have run 4:04, I am now considering myself as a 4:00 runner."

Elmore remembers her high school coach (Mike Van Tighem) telling her that, after she ran 4:23 as a 16-year-old, that he believed one day she could run a sub-4:00 time in the 1,500.

"At the time, that sounded absurd," Elmore said. "But, I am starting to really warm to the idea."

Elmore came to Stanford with solid credentials. She was a three-time British Columbia champion in the 1,500 at Kelowna Secondary School and was the No. 1-ranked Canadian junior in the 800 and 1,500 from 1996-98 in addition to winning junior national titles in those event from 1995-99.

As a freshman at Stanford, Elmore had bests of 2:09.85 in the 800 and 4:28.67 in the 1,500. As a senior, Elmore broke school records in both events held by Regina Jacobs - lowering 21-year-old marks by the four-time Olympian to 2:04.35 and 4:10.42. That, Elmore said, was a big deal - especially in the metric mile.

"It was for me," she said. "As very old record and one belonging to a top world-class athlete, I was very motivated to break Regina's record. Although I had set other goals coming into Stanford, this was one of my most important goals. The fact that I broke the school record (in the 1,500) in my final race in a Stanford uniform at NCAAs last year was really fun."

That record was perhaps fitting for Elmore, who gained so much from her experience on The Farm.

"Much of my season's success (this year) can be attributed to the past five years," she said. "Although I fell short of some of my athletic goals at Stanford, I am extremely grateful for the experiences and opportunities afforded to me over my five years in Palo Alto.

"It really became a home to me while I was there, and I know that part of who I am today is what I learned - personally, academically and athletically - while at Stanford. I met some absolutely amazing and inspiring people, who will remain close to me even when I live in another country."

One such person is Lauren Fleshman, who won three straight NCAA titles in the 5,000 and graduated with Elmore last season. The two were in Albuquerque, N.M., this past January and wound up buying matching brown suede Aussie hats.

"They have been declared our traveling hats. We both wear them to meets," Elmore said. "It's kind of symbolic of our friendship and support for each other, especially as our running takes us in different directions now that we are no longer on the team together. We also figured it would be an easy way to identify and find each other when we are competing abroad!"

That could happen this summer. While Elmore is competing in her national championships, Fleshman will be attempting to make the U.S. Olympic team in Sacramento. She still has to finish among the top three and run the automatic Olympic "A" standard of 15:08.70 (before the Summer Games) to earn a trip to Athens.

As for Elmore, she's already half way there. And the work to reach this point has been worth it.

"I think that it is important to recognize that things don't just happen overnight, and that any success I am having this year is the culmination of many years of hard work, consistency and steady improvements," she said. "The same is true for any other athlete who suddenly has a breakthrough year - they believed in themselves before the actual performances gave proof to their abilities.

"Running in the Olympics and being a top Canadian athlete has been a dream of mine for a long time, and it certainly helped me through some long pool sessions and tough times!" Elmore said. "In any case, this year is certainly coming together as well as I could have hoped, but essentially it is still the same me. The biggest difference now is that I have the strength to change gears in a way that I was unable to do until recently. The first 1,000 meters is not any different than my previous years' races. My ability to close well is what's making the difference for me now."

Elmore also will be competing at nationals in virtually her own backyard.

"Victoria is about as close to home as I ever race these days," said Elmore, who lives in Calgary, Alberta. "I grew up racing in Victoria and playing in soccer tournaments, so it is very familiar. I have many friends and family who will be coming to the meet, so that makes it certainly feel like a homecoming of sorts."

Elmore said knowing she can run 4:04 will help in her approach to the Olympic trials.

"It is still relatively early in the season, but I have always run my best races late in the season and at the championship races. I definitely want to be ready to go once I hit Athens," she said. "I am not setting my goals at simply making the team.

"Now that racing in Athens is looking like a reality, my dream of dreams is to make the final. Once I make it through the first two rounds and into the finals, it is anyone's race," she continued. "I will leave Athens a happy camper knowing that I ran with integrity, confidence and heart, and gave everything I had on the track."

E-mail a friend a link to this story.