Ashton Northrop '18 Recruiting Profile

I ran my first 5k when I was 9 years old and living in Illinois. I was inspired to run by my dad, a marathon runner, and I wanted to be able to train with him.  As time went on, I began to love running. I believe that being a runner is more than being just athletic. Running is about genuinely liking the shortness of breath and the constant pounding of my heart and legs. I think my passion for running makes me a great competitor and easy to get along with on teams.

My main goal for each season is always do better than the last one, even if I only run a few seconds faster than my last race. I would love to continue improving through college and the rest of my life. In college, I look forward to training and running with newer, faster and more accomplished runners and coaches who can teach me everything there is to know about how to be a faster runner and beat my own goals.

In college I plan to study speech pathology and specialize in children. To earn this degree, I will be in school for a long time getting both an undergraduate and graduate degree. I will need to concentrate on my path and take each day step by step to build knowledge. Running is very similar to earning a degree, for example it also requires daily practice and building strength with focused dedication. Running helps me stay focused, and I know that in college running will be my serenity in keeping me on track in school and meeting my season goals.