OTC'S NICOLE BLOOD READY FOR HOMECOMING RACE
By Chris Lotsbom
(c) 2011 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved. Used with permission.

ALBANY (03-Jun) -- Nicole Blood is eager and ready to open up a new chapter of her running career here at tomorrow's 33rd Freihofer's Run for Women 5-K in the New York State Capital. The 23-year-old has had a whirlwind journey following her graduation from the University of Oregon last spring.

Blood's collegiate career was one for the record books. A nine-time All-American, Blood chose Oregon knowing what the magic of Hayward Field might bring. She became the second athlete in school history to earn All-America honors in both the classroom and on the track three years in a row, and in 2010 won both the 5000m and 10,000m at the Pac-10 Conference Championships. Blood became the first Duck woman to earn the Pac-10 distance double since 1990. She capped it all off with a third place finish at the NCAA Championships 10,000m, setting a personal best in 33:22.62.     

Following graduation, Blood was drawn to the Oregon Track Club Elite, ready to take a shot at becoming a professional athlete. Training with familiar faces, in the same surroundings, and in a relatively similar style to that of college coach Vin Lananna kept her in Eugene, a hotbed of American track and field. Blood would join a group coached by Mark Rowland that included Sally Kipyego, Lauren Fleshman, Bridget Franek, and Geena Gall, each of whom brought something unique to the group.

Everything was going well training-wise with Blood with the group's main focus being the upcoming USA Championships. But something seemed off. Blood had become homesick, missing her family back in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Running just didn't offer the same thrill as it used to.   

On Friday, April 22, while racing the 5000m at the Oregon Relays, that feeling became overwhelming.

"I was out on the track and just wasn't having fun. All I could think was 'I want to come home and visit my family.' And that's not the way I run. I'm always having a good time, I always want to be there." 

Blood came to a stop, walked off the famed Hayward Field track, and immediately called her mother.

"I called my mom and told her I was coming home. I booked my ticket home and actually took a couple days off from running, trying to figure out what I wanted to do."

Blood flew home a few days later. Wondering whether she needed a break from racing, she discussed her options with her parents. That's when they brought up the Freihofer's Run for Women. It seemed like the perfect race, practically in her backyard, with Albany only 30 miles South of Saratoga Springs. 

"It was exactly what I needed, to get off the track and not worrying about time. But just getting out, having fun and being competitive."

Blood will join a field boasting some significant credentials here for the 5-K race through Albany's Washington Park. With defending champion Emily Chebet, Carlsbad 5-K champion Aheza Kiros, and Bolder Boulder 10K runner-up Mamitu Daska, the field looks to be one of the best in the race's 33-year history. Blood hopes to challenge Team USA Minnesota's Emily Brown, Meghan Payton, and Megan Hogan, as well as Zap Fitness's Alissa McKaig for the top American spot in Saturday's race.

Since returning home, Blood's training has been going very well, she said. Being coached over the phone can have its challenging points, Blood admits, but she has returned to running stress-free, enjoying the time spent with the family and training solo. As for now, she does not have a return ticket booked to Eugene. But Blood predicts she will return to "Track Town USA" at the end of the summer, a summer she hopes is filled with success on the roads.

Come Saturday, Blood's main goal is to be competitive.

"Every day is different for every athlete. This is a road race; getting off the track, it's not about time. I'll be competitive with whoever's next to me out there. I'm going to put myself out front with all the big dogs," she laughed sporting a wide smile across her face.

She will surely have the community behind her. Touted as a home-town hero, Blood has been in the spotlight since announcing her intent to compete.

"I can already feel the energy and support from everyone. My mom turned on the news last week and I was on the news. That was cool, I didn't even know I would be on. It's a nice homecoming," she said.

Visiting schools in the area, Blood was welcomed with open arms, including a giant "Welcome Nicole" sign made by students.

"A lot of people been supportive even though I haven't been around here for the past five or six years."

With her professional road racing debut only hours away, Blood is anxious to get back to the roads, something she hasn't done since her high school days. She would be happy to break 16-minutes, but if she came anywhere near her track personal best of 15:38, she would be "psyched." The course, with it's rolling hills, plays right into her advantage.