“Drop the Type A. Find the Joy”- Brandon Doughty after qualifying for the Olympic Trials in his first race in almost 3 years
We share the inspiring story of one of our very own- local Jefferson County WV runner Brandon Doughty. I got to know Brandon during his years at Jefferson High School where I would occasionally show up at an open race and he would dust me. Brandon also worked at our store Two Rivers Treads for a summer sharing his joy of running with others
Brandon returned to the track this year after a 3 year hiatus from racing (yes 1061 days! ) and in his first race back in the 3000 meter steeple set a personal best 8:29 and qualified for the Olympic Trials this month!
The massive obstacles Brandon faced on his way back to racing took him to dark places yet he persevered. Help from friends and family, coaches who believed in him, and a willing to sacrifice it all.
As he drove West without a destination known, Brandon hoarded credit cards to exist and slept on a floor with his furniture the cardboard boxes of his belongings for several months hoping for health and opportunity. Here is his story in his own words:
Stop what you are doing right now and download this podcast from Brandon .
I sometimes take running for granted. After listening I reflected on how grateful I am to run outside without pain. Brandon shares the message of joy in the moment and movement that he has rediscovered. Be the best version of yourself and conquer your demons.
Brandon you inspire any human who has been challenged by severe setbacks and overcome the demons. Thanks you for the interview and rock it at the Olympic Trials!
Brandon give us a quick history about why and when you started running?
I started running in 6th grade because you couldn’t join the football team until 7th grade. I stuck with it simply because I was good at it – being the competitive person that I am.
How many WV state championships did you win and did you have a most memorable race?
I won two individual state championships, both as a junior – cross country and the 1600. I also was a part of the winning 4×400 team my senior year, and our track team won the state meet my sophomore, junior, and senior years. The dive might be the most memorable piece of my high school career to most people, but since I did still lose that race, I would have to say winning my first ever state championship in the cross country mud and rain has to be my most memorable moment from high school.
Watch the 800 final and the dive here
Who were your mentors and support to help you develop in HS?
Craig Hunter and Scott Biola were fantastic coaches and helped develop me into the runner I am today. There was no greater support system than my mother though, she was and always will be at the forefront of my support system.
Did your family and friends support you from the beginning in your running?
Yes, I have always been blessed to have my friends and family’s support. It definitely helped that I was a big fish in a little pond in high school. It would have been a lot more challenging to get to the top in a state like California.
What advice would you give to a young XC runner?
I’d say have fun and enjoy it without taking it so seriously. You can work hard and enjoy daily runs with friends and still have running success in high school. I think the biggest mistake a young runner could make is to take the sport too seriously, too young. Doing too many miles or obsessing about every tiny detail of your training so early can be a recipe for physical or mental burnout (i.e. growing to hate the sport later in life).
What made you decide to go to University of Oklahoma? What were your best experiences there and what set backs and disappointments?
I promised myself I would go to the school that I believed gave me the greatest opportunity for success and Oklahoma was a young up and coming program that had just finished 12th at NCAA Cross Country Championships, so I chose to take my talents there. A lot of the best experiences were the ones you’d never expect, just good times with great friends. I was blessed to experience some very high high’s at OU, finishing 5th my red-shirt sophomore year and 4th the following year at NCAA Track and Field Nationals. Just like with most people, these highs came with equally devastating lows. My senior year I was the top returner in the steeplechase out of the entire NCAA and ended up stress fracturing my navicular bone in both of my feet ending my career at OU without being able to race at all my senior track season.
You went into the 2016 Trials injured correct?
That was the same season that I stress fractured both of my navicular bones so I obviously couldn’t race.
What inspired you to run professionally and tell us a bit about the early years at ZAP?
I don’t know if anything specifically inspired me to run professionally. I simply had an opportunity, a desire, and I wanted to find out how far I could ride this wave. My first year at ZAP went great. I rallied from my stress fractures into the best shape of my life that following spring (2017) and ended up running some very good marks including a 7:47 flat 3000. Following that was when the string of chronic achilles issues began.
You had a string of injuries and surgeries- tell us a bit about that time and how that affected your spirit?
At first (after my first surgery in the summer of 2018), it was very difficult to cope with not being able to compete or even run for almost half a year. However, this is when I truly began to work my mind and focus on being mindful through meditation. Then, getting back into running was almost more challenging than taking time off. It took another half a year just to get back up to about 30 miles a week (less than a third of the volume I’d normally train at), and my achilles was arguably worse than it was prior to surgery. After another few months of fighting my body tooth and nail, I went to a specialist where he told me I needed surgery, again – the same exact surgery I had a year prior. After this, I obviously had to take nearly another half year off and then start all over from scratch, again. This time, however, I had been training my mind for over a year and I had a much better head on my shoulders, both in the sport and in every other aspect of my life. So, how did this affect my spirit? These surgeries are the reason I am able to enjoy life to the level of fulfillment that I do today.
What were some of the mistakes you made during this time?
I made a lot of mistakes. I won’t go into too much detail, but when you’re truly at rock bottom you do some really stupid things. (Mark note- listen to the linked podcast and Brandon shares this about an hour in)
Were you ever at a point you felt you were done and just wanted to retire?
So, for me these are two different questions. Was I ever at a point when I thought I was done? Yes, absolutely. I was kicked off my team because no one had ever come back from two haglund’s deformity surgeries on the same leg. So, of course there were times when I never thought I’d be back – I’m still not fully back. I have achilles pain this very minute as I sit at my desk and type. However, was I ever at a point where I just wanted to retire? No. I run because I need to find out how far I can go in this sport, and I haven’t found that out yet.
How did you prepare for your comeback? Did you change your training up a bit? Your approach to running? Other supplemental stuff…i.e meditation or other?
I could go on for days with this question, but the short answer is yes, absolutely. I haven’t done anywhere near my normal weekly mileage, I had to build up to running faster and doing plyometric work over the course of literal years, I work on my mind more than I ever have before, I do an unreal amount of achilles/calf strength work, etc. With my approach to running I simply enjoy all of the little wins, small steps forward, and everyday runs, rather than putting the weight of the world on my shoulders and be all business, all the time.
Tell us a bit about how you felt before lining up in your first race in over 1000 days? Nervous? Excited?
All of the above and more! haha I was nervous, excited, confident, scared, etc. ( Mark note- again listen to the podcast and hear the emotion of this event and the logistics of racing in NYC and getting to the event without money)
Did you surprise yourself w your performance? Was that a personal best ? How were your emotions after this race?
I won’t say I was surprised at how fast I ran in my first race back because I knew I could do it. It was more of a relief that I really was in as good of shape as I thought. I remember telling my physical therapist before the race that I could run anywhere from 8:25-8:45 and not really be surprised. You just never know what kind of shape you’re in until you step on the line, especially when it’s been 3 years since you stepped on that line. I think most people that watched could tell how excited I was after the race. The excitement was a mix of a lot of different feelings but most of all gratitude to simply be out there competing again. Yes it was a PR, yes it was an Olympic Trials qualifier, yes I nearly won the race, but just being out there again took the cake.
Any races before the trials?
I ran one more steeple at the Stumptown race in Portland, OR last week, but now I’m done until the Olympic Trials.
Do you think you have several years of good running left?
I like to tell myself that since I had to spend so much time not running that my 28 year old legs are really 24 year old legs but only time will tell. I’m not too worried about how long my career will last, just trying to enjoy where I’m at now.
What do you do for fun and relaxation?
Meditation, camping, sitting with nature are all tools I use for relaxation. Right now, between my private online coaching business (D.A.R.T. – www.dodesxc.wordpress.com ) and the trials coming up, I don’t have much time for anything else. However, I really enjoy movies, brewing beer, and I’ve even gotten into playing the guitar a little while I was at ZAP.
Flagstaff is an awesome place- why did you choose this location to live and train?
I chose Flagstaff because there was a potential opportunity for me to continue my professional running career here. I heard through a former teammate, Pat Casey, that Under Armour was starting a new pro team, Dark Sky Distance, and I wanted to physically be here to increase my chances of joining. I was blessed enough that Steven Haas and Under Armour gave me this second chance at my professional running career.
Favorite Food?
Anywhere from pizza, to burgers, to cinnamon rolls depending on what I’m craving! haha
Go Brandon we are rooting for you to make it to Tokyo! But no matter what happens you have done yourself and your local community here proud.
NYC Trials of Miles -courage and grit to come back. For folks who want to watch time Brandon’s qualifying race go to stamp 2hr 8 min. Words of wisdom at 2hr 22min- drop the type A, find the joy. Go Brandon as you train for the Trials. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfiVPAsn3v0
Connect With Brandon:
Instagram: @dodes_xc
Brandon has a coaching service now supporting him as well as support from Under Armour and Dark Sky Running. Brandon’s page D.A.R.T. Coaching website dodesxc.wordpress.com .
