Some of the country’s top-performing college track and field athletes will head to Florida next week for the NCAA East Regional competition. And Orono’s Ruth White will be one of them.
White has already set multiple school records in her freshman year at the University of New Hampshire. She smashed the Wildcats’ record in the 10,000 meters in March, and then beat her own record less than two months later during the America East Conference Championships.
Her blistering time of 32:57:83 in the 6.2 mile race is the 25th best in the entire country so far this season. And as one of the top 48 finishes in the East Region, it qualified White to run the 10K next Thursday in the NCAA Regionals.
If she finishes in the top 12 of that race, she would advance to the national competition in Eugene, Oregon, in June.
But for now, her goal is to “just race as hard as I can next Thursday.”
“I’m really excited for the opportunity to run at Regionals and run a race that big,” she said this week.
Traveling to Jacksonville
The women’s 10K regional event will be held in Jacksonville, Florida, at 9:10 p.m. on Thursday, May 29. UNH assistant track coach Alison Duffy said last week that White has been training at home in Orono following the end of the semester, and will be heading to Florida early next week ahead of the competition.
Duffy has been careful not to force hard workouts and has been having White work in some nighttime runs to get acclimated to running then compared to meets earlier in the day. Duffy has also looked to have White train on hotter days when possible to account for the Florida climate.
White credited Duffy for not over-training her and being “really supportive and really smart and reasonable about my training.”
Asked about the timing and heat factors that could complicate next Thursday’s race, White pointed out that all 48 competitors will have to face the same conditions.
“No matter what time of day it is or what the weather is, we’re all out there, same race, same time,” she said. “And I’ll just give my all with the girls that are out there.”
An unpredictable race
Duffy called the 10K “one of the most fanciful races” at regionals.
“Because it’s one heat, it’s 48 women on the line, racing for the top 12,” Duffy said. “and it’s crazy. Every year I feel like it’s a different race, too.”
White’s best 10K time from the America East Championships, which was around 30 seconds faster than her previous record, is currently the 12th best time in the region. Duffy sees “absolute room for more improvement there” but stressed that next Thursday’s race will be about competing with the rest of the field and adjusting based on the speed of the race.
Duffy noted how the number one 10K runner in the East 10K standings is around a minute ahead of the field, with other top runners then bunched closer together after that, including White.
“So it’s gonna be a good race, and I think she’s gonna be right up there,” Duffy said.
The coach said White would be watching some of the past 10K races to see how they’ve unfolded to help prepare strategically.
“This race will be the top competitors on the East Coast, so I’m hoping she gains a ton of experience more than anything from this race,” Duffy said.
Pushing herself forward
The race itself may prove unpredictable, but White’s competitive spirit doesn’t seem to be in doubt.
“I just like the feeling of pushing myself as hard as I can go, and right now it’s about representing UNH well, so that’s definitely a big motivating factor,” White said.
Duffy credited White not just as a competitor, but as a good teammate who congratulates everyone at the finish line and also sports a sharp wit.
“And she brings the level of competition up on her own team,” Duffy stressed.
‘Everything happens for a reason’
Ask White about her achievements this season, and you’ll probably hear her give credit to others.
“I’ve been really fortunate to have so much support at UNH from my teammates, from my coaches, just from the community and so much support from my family forever,” she said. “I mean, my mom’s always been there for me, my sisters too. And I’m just really lucky with how everything’s worked out, and I’m really lucky to have this opportunity.”
White was initially set to attend Boise State University this year, but a coaching change there led her to UNH. Despite the change of plan, she feels fortunate about how it has all turned out and is “so glad” she’s at UNH.
“My mom always says everything happens for a reason. I think that couldn’t be more true,” White said. “I’m so lucky with the coaching that I have, my teammates, just how close it is to home and that my mom and sister could come watch some races.”
Depending on how that next race goes, White could end up punching her ticket to nationals. But no matter what happens in Jacksonville, she’s already had a record-breaking first year for the Wildcats.
Her coach didn’t hesitate when asked about the caliber of White’s season so far.
“She’s had an extremely remarkable freshman season,” Duffy said.
