Sleeper of the Week: UK's Allison Peare
Sleeper of the Week: UK's Allison Peare
Let's have some real talk and discuss speed goggles. Not catching my drift here? How someone becomes instantly more attractive the better they run on the track? It's a little something that obviously brought together the NCAAs fastest couple. Are you surprised by who they are? Well, don't be, because this week's Sleeper of the Week goes to not just one person, but to a couple that are the 4th and 6th best miler in the NCAA on the men's and women's side, respectively.
And they both run for... Kentucky? Crazy as it seems, the title of "fastest couple in the country" belongs to Matt Hillenbrand and Allison Peare of Kentucky.
Their story is pretty cool. I only had a chance to chat with Peare for this week's installment, but after talking to her I decided to include her boyfriend, who was also laying dormant in waiting to bust something crazy like he did this past weekend (try 3:57.00).
You can watch it below:
Their story is pretty cool. I only had a chance to chat with Peare for this week's installment, but after talking to her I decided to include her boyfriend, who was also laying dormant in waiting to bust something crazy like he did this past weekend (try 3:57.00).
You can watch it below:
At the Iowa State Classic this past weekend, where the distance fields were totally stacked and the races were absolutely brilliant, Peare followed up the inspired performance of her significant other with the best race of her career. Peare told Flotrack that she in fact "cried tears of joy" when she saw what Hillenbrand had done in his race. Maybe that's the secret to success: get so emotionally invested in someone else's race, that yours is not nearly as important and you pop a great time.
Either way, for Peare, running 4:35.80 (a :33 second improvement) is a monumental step for her in her career. And just as an added tidbit, the former 800 meter star from Ohio had never ran faster than 5:08 for 1600 meters in high school. You can watch Allison's race here:
Allison told Flotrack that a lot of her success this season has come from her coach Hakon Devries, who has instilled in her the confidence that she needed to have to make the jump from good to great. If only all coaches had that kind of trust and faith in their athletes (and vice versa).
The Matt Hillenbrand and Allison Peare story is pretty great. Two relatively unknown athletes (Hillenbrand was barely a 9:30 2-miler and 4:23 1600 meter guy), although solid SEC competitors, that have helped themselves get better through their own relationship, through their coaches trust, and working hard throughout their entire careers. Both now seniors, and finally out of the shadow of their teammates of the past, Hillenbrand and Peare are not only the fastest couple in the NCAA, they are contenders for a national title in the mile come Albuquerque in three weeks.