We Will Be Giants

By Andie Tibbetts

It’s not every day you get to talk to a woman who just qualified for the Olympic Trials. In fact, my hands shook when I sent off the email containing my interview questions to her. All I could think was “I’m talking to Ashley Brasovan. I’m writing an article on Ashley Brasovan. I get to write about Ashley Brasovan!”  After all, not every story you hear is like hers, and it almost sounds like fiction- the story of being a running star in high school, of losing her footing on the collegiate level, of defying the odds and making it back stronger than ever- qualifying for the Olympic Trials after running a 1:14:30 at the Jacksonville Bank Half Marathon on the weekend of January 2nd, 2016- and yet it’s all true.

And it’s the story of how she made it back that’s so astounding.

You see, in high school, Ashley was a star- even though she only stood 4’11 and was as skinny as the shadow of a tree sapling. She was an absolute monster on the hills, even becoming the only Florida runner to win the Foot Locker Championships, back in 2007. She seemed invincible, untouchable, like the victory goddess Nike herself had blessed her and her magical running feet. Once she started running for Duke University, though, that all changed. “Looking back on everything that has happened the past few years, I just put too much stress on myself both mentally and physically during college between academics, running, and attempting a social life,” she wrote me. “I really wanted to have that ideal college experience and tried to keep up with everyone else both on and off of the track. I pushed my body too hard and for too long, and ultimately this approach led to a bit of self destruction (aka 4 femoral stress fractures in 5 years) “ For Ashley, it was the first two and a half years at Duke that were the toughest. Although it was tough starting from the bottom after every stress fracture, what damaged her most was her mindset. “I really struggled getting back into that mentally tough racing mindset. I had forgotten how to push my body through pain during practices and races and had lost a lot of the confidence I had once had during high school.”

Despite the pain, she didn’t give up, telling me that “I love running, I love competing, and I love the community it brings together. That was always enough motivation for me. You shouldn’t give up on something or someone you love that much.”  Ashley told me that it took quite a few things to come back to her former times of high school and to reach her times of today, including being happy with herself and where she is today, listening to her body better and being able to train based on the way she feels, and taking advantage of all the opportunities and activities that Colorado has to offer, including the running community and the “gorgeous trails!” In fact, she looks back on that time period now and believes it was worth every second. “I have absolutely no regrets. During college, I learned so much about myself through injury and all of the ups and downs that running took me through. I saw myself grow stronger into someone who was no longer defined by running but by other things I enjoyed like friends, traveling, sustainability, and many other things. I never gave up on running though and knew that at some point, if it was meant to happen, that everything would fall back into place. This year, it did. Looking back at all those things that happened, I believe I am a tougher runner toeing the starting line and just have a much more healthy relationship with running.”

Today, she writes that she is still in shock over qualifying for the Olympic Trials February 13th in Los Angeles. Her plans for getting ready for the first step towards running in Rio De Janeiro includes increasing her Sunday runs to 15-18 milers and increasing her Wednesday runs, as well as practicing taking in nutrition while she’s running, which she says will be the biggest adjustment for her, as she’s never done much of that before.

“I really hope to share my story and what I have learned. There is something to be said for persistence and perseverance both in running and in life. When I want something (a certain job, running, etc), I go for it. If I hit an obstacle, I strategize how to move around it. This way of thinking has made me a tougher person. I hope that every runner out there never gives up on his or her dreams if that is what he or she really wants. Anything is possible,” she wrote to me, and I can’t deny it made me want to lace up my running shoes right then and there- after all, we’re the same size, and if she can force her way to the Olympic Trials, I can drag myself out of bed and go for the two miler I’ve been putting off.

I went online and searched Ashley Brasovan today. A website called Letsrun.com had a conversation spanning back to 2012, beginning with the question “Does anybody know whatever happened to Ashley Brasovan?” Answers cropped up, discussing her high school times, the way she killed the Foot Locker Championship race, the fact that she’s a monster on the hills despite being 4’11” and “90 pounds with a full stomach.”  They know she went to study and run at Duke. What they don’t know is how she’s doing and what’s affecting her times. They can only wonder why she’s not making as many waves on the college level of running as she did when she was in high school. 

One wrote only that they didn’t think she was physically strong enough to be a collegiate runner, noting her injuries of 4 femoral stress fractures in 5 years, and ended with the statement “You won’t see her back. She’s gone down the path of low density bone destruction. It’s all over.”

Joke’s on you, anonymous.  The small 4’11” high schooler is long gone, having gone down a path very few will follow- the bumpy, rough trail run of becoming a star- and one day, she will be a giant.

About the Author

Andie Tibbetts graduated from Oviedo High School in 2016 and is attending the University of South Florida as an English Major in the class of 2020. In addition to writing, she enjoys running and did her first triathlon when she was a sophomore in high school. She would love any critique her readers may have to offer and thanks all the athletes for the inspiration they continually bring her. Contact Andie on Twitter at @andietib. Follow her on Tumblr at s0methingold-s0methingnew or on Instagram at @Andietib.