From Fort Lewis to the finish line: Elijah Smith鈥檚 pursuit of excellence in XC and track
DURANGO, Colo. — Elijah Smith, a junior at Fort Lewis College, is making strides both on the track and in the classroom. As a dedicated cross-country and track & field athlete, Elijah is working toward big goals with a resilience that has carried him through five years of distance running. Representing Fort Lewis College鈥檚 Cross Country and Track & Field teams, Elijah has already made a mark as a second-team all-conference athlete in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) and has his sights set on becoming an All-American, breaking 14 minutes in the 5k and 29 minutes in the 10k, and, ultimately, making it to the Olympics.
Distance running isn鈥檛 without its hurdles. Elijah鈥檚 greatest challenge is finding the motivation to get up and run after a grueling workout the previous day. Yet, he leans on his teammates, whose camaraderie makes the miles pass by quickly. For Elijah, the bond with his teammates is invaluable. 鈥淭hey make the thousands of miles we do together go by in a flash,鈥� he says, expressing gratitude for the team that supports him through each stride.
One of Elijah’s driving philosophies is to 鈥渄ream big.鈥� This advice has helped him keep focused, especially when facing critics. 鈥淧eople will judge you no matter what you do, so enjoy what you do and aim to be the greatest,鈥� he recalls. With dreams of achieving excellence in running, Elijah pushes himself to the absolute limit, and he enjoys talking with teammates on runs, which makes the training process both fun and transformative.
When he’s not running, Elijah has other interests that feed his mind and spirit. He is an avid computer programmer and has a passion for studying astronomy. His involvement in extracurricular activities is equally impressive鈥攈e serves as President of the Fort Lewis Black Student Union and has interned at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, a prestigious achievement that highlights his commitment beyond athletics.
Elijah believes that achieving great things is possible with hard work and determination, a lesson reinforced by his high school coach鈥檚 advice to 鈥渉ave the courage to believe in yourself.鈥� Running up to 100 miles per week, Elijah is proving doubters wrong and showing that with dedication, every mile brings him closer to his dreams.
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