Freshman Saina Making Strides

By Sean Sullivan, Iowa State Athletics Communications

AMES, Iowa - As far back as middle school, Iowa State freshman Betsy Saina was determined to run in the United States. A dream nestled in the soles of her running shoes, measured in the length of her stride.

Growing up in western Kenya in the town of Eldoret, Saina had aspirations of running in the U.S from a very young age.

“When I was in school, there was a group of people that would come through all the schools,” Saina said. “They were telling us that if you run well you can get a scholarship to go to the United States and study there and run as well, which will give you a good future.”

After finishing 12th at a provision-level cross country meet, Saina's then-coach predicted her bright future. He encouraged her interest in running, and more importantly, in university study in the United States.

Saina's first meeting with Iowa State track and cross country head coach Corey Ihmels was in June of 2008, at the Kenyan Time Trials. While Saina was injured at the time of the races, Ihmels knew of her potential from her previous marks in the 3,000- and 5,000-meter time trials.

“She had gone up through the ranks and had done pretty well in the Kenyan Schools Races as she was growing up,” Ihmels said. “She had participated in quite a few time trials, so we knew that she had a lot of potential coming in. Obviously, anytime you can be competitive in the Kenyan Schools Races, you're going to be pretty successful.”

Originally, Saina intended to run at Butler Community College. Saina saw a quick path to the college ranks through the El Dorado, Kansas school, but was denied a visa on her first attempt. It was a test of Saina's determination to achieve her goal of going to college in the U.S.

“I wanted to come to the United States, and it was hard to be patient,” Saina said. “I went to the embassy for the first time on June 24, 2008, and was denied a visa. So I felt really bad.”

As Saina's training increased, so did the runner communication with Ihmels. Her fate was affirmed with coaching visits from Ihmels, as well as long-distance phone calls.

“My dream was almost over after being denied a visa,” Saina said. “But coach Ihmels encouraged me. He advised me that patience pays off and that one day I would come to Iowa State.”

Test scores and clearance from the NCAA were part of the recruiting process. Saina kept her eyes focused on her goal. In time, Saina's patience was rewarded. The road to Iowa State was free of obstacles.

Ihmels knows that the transition to being a NCAA Division I athlete involves much more than test scores.

“I think anytime you come from a different culture it is tough, and as hard as we try to do everything we can as a staff, I don't think any of us can really fathom what (our foreign athletes) have to go through,” Ihmels said.

Ihmels said the experience will benefit Saina in the long run.

“I think those are things that are going to make her a better person, a stronger person, and are things that make our program better,” Ihmels said. “It makes you understand what people from other cultures have to go through to be successful. It makes you cherish the opportunities we have every day (in the United States).”

Arriving two weeks into the second semester, the transition to college life in the states for Saina was a totally new experience. Redshirting her indoor season gave Saina a chance to catch up with her classes and get acclimated to a brand new culture.

There was no shortage of tools to accelerate Saina's training as a Cyclone. The new gear and state-of-the-art facilities at Iowa State were an immediate change in the Kenyan's previous training cycle.

“Getting good training shoes and training attire really helped me a lot; it really led me to feel good (about training),” Saina said. “I feel that I'm going to run and study successfully here. I feel like that's my dream.”

All of her hard training has been illustrated in recent competition. While competing at the Mount Sac Relays April 16, Saina finished second in the 5,000-meter run with a regional qualifying time of 16:48.23. While Saina felt her race could have been much better, her intensity set the tone for a great outing at the Big 12 outdoor meet.

“She ran a really competitive race (at Mount Sac),” Ihmels said. “I thought you could just really tell she has a lot of heart and a lot of desire. The tough environment in the Big 12 Conference wasn't going to overwhelm her.”

While Saina herself may not have been surprised with her two Big 12 second-place finishes in Lubbock, Texas May 16-18, the Cyclone faithful certainly were. In only the freshman's second attempt in the 10,000-meter run, Saina finished second with a time of 36:34.94 to teammate Lisa Koll. Koll is the defending NCAA 10,000-meter champion. Two days later, Saina stunned the spectators at the Terry and Linda Fuller Track on the campus of Texas Tech University with another second-place finish behind Koll in the 5,000-meter run (16:38.76).

“I knew she was fit and ready and that she was going to run well (at the conference meet),” Ihmels said. “I just had a (good) feeling because each week she keeps getting better. She probably doesn't have the success she had this weekend if Lisa (Koll) is not out there because I think she knew that she could run with Lisa. I think more surprising than anything was being able to come back two days later and do the same thing in the 5,000-meter race.”

Ihmels and his coaching staff were very pleased for Saina's early success at the Big 12 outdoor meet, but there is more excitement about what the future holds.

“I told our staff yesterday that she is probably the one athlete in my time of coaching that I'm excited that we have three more weeks of the season left because I just think she is going to keep getting better,” Ihmels said.

With this weekend's Midwest Regional Championships approaching in Norman, Okla., Saina's workout regimen is not slowing down at all. A chance to punch her ticket to the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships is on the line as she looks to lower her mark in the 5,000-meters. With Saina's constant improvement in training and competition, she could lower her time by a significant margin, something she is confident she will be able to accomplish.

While the track season's end may be looming, look for Saina's impact on the Iowa State cross country program to be immediate next season, as a solid women's squad featuring Koll, Saina and Grace Kemmey battle for a Big 12 Championship.

With the tools of success in hand, there is little to slow Saina down. On the track or in the classroom, the freshman is slowly beginning to cement her legacy as an Iowa State Cyclone.

Photo by Ross LaDue, Iowa State Athletics Communications

Players Mentioned

Lisa Koll

Lisa Koll

Betsy Saina

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