Born to Run Jordan Hasay began running in 4th grade where she said she was “beating all the boys” (Hasay). Her love for running is as her love for others. She cannot talk about running without a smile coming to her face. She does not necessarily look at the glory and praise for her running. It is the passion and deep love she has for the sport that keeps her going.
“To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift,” by Pre, is a quote Jordan lives her life by. She shows her determination through her workouts and tedious stretches she never fails to do. “She puts in extra time stretching and rolling with not a bit of regret. She works hard without the bitterness,” says Allie Woodward one of her teammates (qtd. in R. Sturtz). Jordan works hard every day and enjoys every single day she is out there. During the season, she has hard workouts consisting of “tempos, repeat miles, and 200 repeats” (Hasay). Also thrown in there is weightlifting two times a week. During her on-season training, her schedule is high in mileage reaching the eighty miles a week with two workouts a week and a long run. The off-season though is a much “lighter training with 2 weeks off and some cross training such as swimming,” Jordan says (Hasay). Her diet also consists of a large intake of calories to support how much she runs. “I focus on whole grains such as rice and wheat bread, lots of vegetables and fruit and protein through fish, steak and chicken,” states Jordan (Hasay). And since she was a little girl, Jordan has liked to eat “Oatmeal with cinnamon, berries and flax seeds” before a race or long run (qtd. in A. Pattillo). For practice, she usually carries around a banana or a Clif Kid ZBar in her bag as a snack.
Jordan Hasay has competed in countless races and has achieved many accomplishments, and what keeps her going is the thought of her family, her strong faith in God, and an idea that she continuously ingrains into her mind. Because of how nervous she gets before races, Jordan begins by trying to concentrate on the idea that she has an opportunity to use her gift to the best of her potential. This seems to always help her focus. She reminds herself to always give her best each and every time. “I have faith that God has a plan and that things happen for a reason. happens, both good and bad. I’m very thankful for their support and wouldn’t have made it this far without them. Knowing that they will love and support me no matter what means the world to me,” Hasay said (qtd in D. Smith). Jordan’s favorite race was the one at the Olympic Trials in 2008. There she set the national high school record in the 3200 with a time of 10:04.42 and describes it as a special time. Her biggest success is shockingly different from what others would say their biggest accomplishment is. She says, “I don't look at any one race as being the best. I just enjoy the journey overall- the ups and the downs,” (Hasay). She also explains that when talking about running she uses “we” instead of “I” because it is not just her competing but everyone else supporting her and helping her to attain her goals. She does have a favorite type of race though, and that is the 10,000 meter race--one that she has just recently made a personal record at this year with a 32:03.28.
Jordan was a phenomenon from the minute she joined her 7th grade track team. Everyone began to know her name, and by the time she got into high school she was breaking records. After high school, she attended the University of Oregon where she became “one of the most decorated athletes in the University’s history,” (qtd. in D. Smith). After college, she signed with the Nike Oregon Project where today she is working with some of the world’s top athletes such as Mo Farah and Galen Rupp. She says, “It is truly an honor to be their teammates! They are very kind,” (Hasay). “It was a little bit hard after the first couple of races and workouts. Obviously having Olympic medalists in our group is a great honor, but also can be intimidating at times,” (qtd. in D. Smith). But in her time as a professional athlete, Jordan has had a personal best in twelve of the races she has competed in.
Just because she has had so many achievements does not mean she does not have problems to work out or aspirations to achieve. Her biggest accomplishment would be to make it on to the Olympic team in 2016. Her biggest challenge though is something a lot of runners face. “At the professional level, a lot of running and racing becomes mental. Sometimes it can be hard to be confident and stay calm in races,” she reveals (Hasay). Being only twenty-two and such a successful runner comes with its moments of triumph and trial. But Jordan never fails to put a smile on her face and keep her positivity at a high. “Each day presents its only challenges, so it’s important to keep yourself grounded every day. I start the day by praying Psalms 27,” (qtd. in D. Smith). Jordan’s religion plays a big part in her life and the reason she runs.
Jordan Hasay is an amazing runner, and she continues to push on and use her gift in the best possible way. She still maintains being the one to watch and looks forward to the next step in her career.