Downs native Stephanie Brown competes in the 1,000-meter run Saturday in Boston. (Photo courtesy University of Arkansas sports information department)
By Bryan Bloodworth
BLOOMINGTON – Former Tri-Valley High School and Downs native Stephanie Brown makes her professional running debut Saturday in the 1,000-meter run in the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix in Boston.
Brown, who was an eight-time All-American during her career at the University of Arkansas, will be competing in a field of nine world-class runners. The meet will be televised live on the NBC Sports Network from 5 to 7 p.m. and Brown will run at approximately 5:30 p.m.
“I’m real excited because I finally get to focus on myself, which when I was running for Arkansas I really focused on the Razorbacks. I was running for the Hogs first and then myself second, so it’s a little bit different now,” said Brown, who still lives in Fayetteville, Ark.
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“I’m actually really excited about going out there and showing them what I’ve got. I’m happy with where my fitness is at. This is probably the most fit I’ve been in a long time as far as my speed and strength.”
Brown, who primarily ran the 800 and 1,500 in college, tuned up for the 1,000-meter event in a January meet by winning in 2 minutes, 41.31 seconds.
“ I definitely want to break that 2:40 barrier, but most importantly for me is just to compete and not give up,” added Brown. “If it turns out to be a tactical race, then times are out the window, which I have no idea if that will happen or not. I just really want to go after it and really give myself the opportunity to win.”
Brown, who has raced against many of the runners in the field in the past, said this is the first step in her professional career under her NIKE sponsorship.
“I’ve run in my NIKE uniform twice, but this is the first race where I’m stacking up against other professionals where I’m a professional myself,” she continued. “Before when I would run against professionals I was just a little college kid, so now it’s almost like this is the first ‘rise to the occasion for me.’ I just need to get out there and feel a more sense of belonging for me and use everything I’ve worked for to compete with these ladies.”
Brown’s times of 2:02.4 in the 800; 2:41.31 in the 1,000; and 4:11.0 in the 1,500 rank among the best in the United States.
“Definitely my times in the 800 to 1,500 range are knocking on the back door of being at the higher level of elite, so I’m pretty excited about pushing toward that,” said Brown. “This is an opportunity for me to get my time down even further and push myself further up the list to being one of the more elite women in the United States.”
The phrase on Brown’s twitter page – either you run the day or the day runs you – best sums up her attitude toward running and life.
“I always like to have something a little fun up there,” she said. “Basically, anyone can wake up every morning and go through the run-of-the-mill day and go through the process. Or you can wake up and say ‘I’m going to try to be a better me today.’
“How am I going to push myself to be better even if it’s just one little thing like watching what you eat a little more or when you don’t want to do something putting yourself out there to do it is what that means to me.”
Bryan Bloodworth can be reached at [email protected]
