Growing up, Colleen Quigley never thought about being an Olympic athlete, but she now has her eye on the big prize for 2020.
She chose track as a sport at Nerinx Hall High School in Webster Groves, where her dad was the coach, and though she said he never pressured her, he ultimately got her hooked on the sport of running.
And then there was her modeling career that began at age 13, which she continued throughout her high school years. It took her and her family around the country and the world as a model with West Model & Talent Management and Wilhelmina Models. She missed a lot of school days to do it, but she worked hard, and through it all, managed to maintain a 4.0 GPA. At one time, she thought modeling would be her career.
But somewhere along the way, the pavement called, and running took center stage. She accepted a full-ride scholarship to Florida State University, and feels sure she made the right decision. There, she worked her way up to running more than 60 miles a week (wow!) and her coach told her she had the makings of a champion. While at FSU, she won nine NCAA All-American honors. But even after graduation, she planned to become a dietician and nutritionist, not necessarily a professional runner.
However, an opportunity to do what she really loves (running) came along, and rather than pursuing a perhaps, more lucrative career in modeling, she couldn’t resist the chance to run, and she continued to apply the nutritional principles she learned while earning her degree.
In the end, she signed a contract with Nike and joined the Bowerman Track Club, and became one of the “Bowerman Babes.” The team trains hard, utilizing endurance-based programs, including altitude training, multiple daily runs, intense weight training and cross-training.
Since joining the “Babes,” she has done, and plans on doing more modeling for her sponsors, but for now, she identifies herself as a runner first, then a model.
Her track and field accolades as a middle-distance runner include third place at the 2015 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, 12th at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing, and eighth overall at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio – all in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.
She took the time from what she calls her crazy, wonderful life, to fill us in on the details that has brought her to the brink of the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
Growing up in St. Louis, were you always athletic? I was athletic, but I wasn’t always a runner. I loved dancing (I danced at Leaping Lizards) and was in a traveling dance troupe. I also played soccer, and generally loved just being active and using my body. I loved being on a team (dance is a team, too), and I really loved winning. I still do!
How did it come about that you started modeling at such a young age? My dance teacher, Robin Berger, told me and my parents that she thought I had potential as a model, but my parents were apprehensive. Eventually, they allowed me to go to an open audition for a spring prom dress fashion show at one of the malls. One of the judges was Gail Lasater, owner of West Model & Talent in St. Louis. Gail saw potential in me, and got us connected with Wilhelmina in New York, which I worked with all through high school.
What knowledge and life lessons did you gain from your modeling career? I was 15 years old, but I was expected to act like a professional at jobs. I had to learn about body and spacial awareness, listen to comments and suggestions, and try to make adjustments or corrections as needed. I also learned a lot about rejection. There would be days where I would run around the city with my mom, going from casting to casting – maybe eight in a day – and then I might not get a single booking. I learned what I can control, and let go of the rest. It just meant that I wasn’t right for that one particular job. It was a good chance for me to learn to roll with the ups and downs, which is something I use now as an athlete. I learn to take the losses with the wins and the healthy training blocks, as well as the injuries.
What has been the highlight of your running career, so far? Ummm … making my first Olympic team! Both my parents ran marathons back in their day, and my older brother ran professionally for a couple of years. All three of them had the goal of qualifying for the Olympic trials, which is a big deal in and of itself. They were all there, along with my little sister when I competed at the trials – and qualified. They all made it to Rio with me. I really hope I get to do it again so we can all go to Tokyo!
What are your goals? My big goal is to earn an Olympic medal in 2020. The World Championships at the end of September in Doha, Qatar, will be an opportunity for me to prove myself as a medal contender and as one of the top steeplechasers in the world. The opportunity to live this life with my teammates, the #BowermanBabes, is pretty incredible, and I want to make sure that while I work super hard, I also enjoy the ride, because I know it is short-lived and could be taken away at any moment, due to injury.
When will you know if you will be going to the Olympics in 2020? The trials will be in June 2020 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, the same track I won an NCAA title on and qualified for my first Olympic Games. I hope to keep the streak going!
How do you take care of yourself and make sure you are getting proper nutrition? I studied dietetics in school and have a passion for nutrition, on top of knowing how crucial proper nutrition is for me as an athlete. I also love cooking and grew up cooking with my mom and dad, who taught us how to eat whole foods, lots of fruits and vegetables, and to stay away from processed foods and simple sugars. I know that when I eat well, I feel more energized for workouts, and get more out of myself on the track and in the gym. I also recover faster and am ready to workout again sooner.
What advice would you give other girls and women about healthy living? First thing: I don’t count calories. I am not a vegetarian, but I do eat a plant-based diet. Instead of measuring foods that I eat, I try to make sure half of my plate is filled with vegetables, and the other half is split between meat/protein and starch/grain. I also like to eat lots of different foods and lots of different colors, like red cabbage, green kale, yellow peppers, red radishes, etc. This makes it interesting (and beautiful) and ensures that I get a variety of micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) that help my body rebuild after working out. As far as staying active, find activities that you love! You don’t have to love running – maybe you love dancing or playing tennis or basketball, but dedicate some of your day to getting a good sweat on.
To follow Quigley’s career, visit colleenquigley.org.
