Shalane Flanagan Named Assistant Coach for the University of … – Runner’s World
Four-time Olympian Shalane Flanagan, 41, joins the University of Oregon track & field and cross country programs as an assistant coach, the university announced on Monday, August 1.
“I hope to be a coach who teaches healthy habits for life. One who exhibits empathy and builds confidence. One who instills belief in those who don’t yet trust themselves to realize their own potential. I want my team to feel how much I care about them as athletes, but most importantly as humans,” the 2017 New York City Marathon champion wrote on Instagram in response to the news.
In the same post, Flanagan described how she always gained inspiration from NCAA when writing her three cookbooks: “I’ve held onto the goal of changing the narrative surrounding relationships with young women and men in running and food, showing that indulging in nourishment can help you become a better, healthier and happier athlete. Now I get the chance to put that inspiration into action.”
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Flanagan will work with Jerry Schumacher, the newly hired head coach of Oregon track & field and cross-country, who coached her during her time as a professional athlete with the Bowerman Track Club (BTC). After Flanagan’s retirement from pro running in 2019, she began coaching the group alongside Schumacher. Both Flanagan and Schumacher will continue to coach BTC, which will relocate from its current home in Portland, Oregon to the university’s home city, Eugene.
BTC athletes like Grant Fisher, the American record holder in the 10,000 meters, are excited about the change: “I think it’s a little better place to run than Portland. Better trails down here, better facilities. [Oregon] has built quite the Mecca here. So yeah, it’s a good opportunity,” he told Runner’s World at the World Athletics Championships.
Even though she retired from professional running, Flanagan still participates in major events. In the fall of 2021, she completed all six World Marathon Majors in just 42 days—a feat that’s extremely unlikely to be repeated, as the COVID-19 pandemic forced major marathons to reschedule to that time frame.
“I am so excited for this next chapter,” she wrote to sign off her Instagram post. “It’s going to be hard. But, I love hard work… so let’s get to work.”
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Chris Hatler is a writer and editor based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but before joining Runner’s World and Bicycling, he was a pro runner for Diadora, qualifying for multiple U.S. Championships in the 1500 meters. At his alma mater the University of Pennsylvania, Chris was a multiple-time Ivy League conference champion and sub-4 minute miler.