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Wilt to redshirt, focus on school

April 12th 2:05 pm | Van Williams Print this article   Email this article   Create a Shortlink for this article

College life has been so good to Hallidie Wilt that she isn't in a rush to leave.

The 22-year-old running star from Unalaska will sit down this season with the University of Alaska Anchorage track and field team, although she will remain in school as a double major. She will compete as a senior in the spring of 2012.

Most athletes utilize a redshirt season to acclimate to the college level or to focus on academics, and Wilt is no different. It's something she has talked with her coaches about and now seemed as good time given her class schedule.

"Because I'm doing a double major ... there is no rush," said Wilt, who is majoring in nursing and Psychology. "I could train for another year and hopefully go out on a better level and run faster."

Wilt has already enjoyed a remarkable college career at UAA, earning All-West Region honors in cross-country running and All-GNAC accolades in track and field. She holds the school record in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and has some of the cross country program's fastest 5-K times.

She has exhausted her eligibility in cross country but has a semester of eligibility available in track and field.

"A lot of pressure is off my shoulders not having to think about this being my last season," Wilt said.

But just because she isn't competing doesn't mean she can skip practice. Her teammates still expect her to sweat and the coaches still expect her to sacrifice in name of the green and gold.

"I have to train alone when they are out of town," she said. "Every time they leave I want to be with them. I hear about their races and how well they're doing. I just want that feeling of racing again. Not necessarily having a great race, but just being able to run fast again."

It'll come. She'll just have to wait a year.

In the meantime, Wilt discovers new ways of motivation.

"I don't want to be just, like, telling myself I don't need to train right now or I can go easy because I'm not going to be racing for a while," she said.

She couldn't get away with slacking off anyway. The Seawolves keep each other accountable.

"Usually our coaches will say, 'OK, you guys will be running at this pace," she said. "Ideally, I'm just racing time and I try to hit the perfect pace, but whoever is leading the workout, if it's me and I go even a second too fast, every girl will be pissed off.

"One of our challenges is to run the exact pace the coaches give us."

And if there's something Wilt has learned in college it's that she should listen to her coaches.

"When I look back I just wish I had known more and was more dedicated early on, starting like in my high school years," Wilt said. "I didn't know I had this potential until it just kind of happened. My coaches will always tell me, 'Oh you can run faster than that' and I'm like, 'No I can't.' And then when I do they're like, 'Told you.'

"I guess I'm constantly surprising myself."

 

Van Williams can be reached at vwilliams@alaskanewspapers.com

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