RUNNING 1500 meters in four minutes and 30 seconds may not sound like “fun” to most, but for Heyfield middle-distance runner Rachel O’Brien, standing atop the podium adorning a gold medal at the Victorian Athletics Championships makes every stride worth it.
“It’s all O’Brien, what a run! She’s led from gun to tape to take home her first Victorian Open Championship,” was what Rachel heard over Lakeside Stadium’s loudspeakers on a still Friday night (February 23) as she entered the final straight.
Humble and perhaps nonchalant, she thought, “I’m going to win – that’s cool.”
Crossing the line with both arms punching the air and not a hair straying from her space buns, O’Brien ran the perfect race – on her terms from start to finish.
“I was not really expecting it (the win),” she told the Gippsland Times.
“I didn’t know what I was expecting, but I was in the middle of the race, and I knew that I was upfront, and there was maybe one girl I thought might make a move.”
However, O’Brien faced no real competition, proven by her commanding seven-second gap to the runner-up.
Such dominance is rare at the state level, especially in highly competitive fields like the Open Women’s 1500-metre event.
O’Brien appeared undaunted by this fact because, at the sound of the gun, she surged to the lead within the first hundred metres of the race, stretching the field out early with only one competitor on her tail.
Commenting on the initial pace, she said, “It felt really slow”.
She expressed concern that it could evolve into a “really tactical” battle – a jostling sprint to the finish line – not the kind of race she wanted to run.
After posting a 73-second split at 400 metres, O’Brien held a comfortable lead of five metres.
Approaching the 1000m mark, she had doubled that lead.
“Lap after lap, I felt more comfortable, and every lap, I kept trying to stay relaxed – I felt really good.”
Crossing the line for the second last time to the sound of the bell, deemed “the greatest sound in 1500m running” by the announcer, O’Brien remained focused, not even glancing at the clock on the big screen ahead.
She decisively accelerated, widening her lead to 25 meters and completing the final lap in 72 seconds – a second faster than her initial split.
Lactic-laden legs failed to hinder O’Brien as she surged into the straight, propelling herself toward the finish line with agile strides in a display of impeccable finishing form.
The victory was unquestionably hers, as well as a guaranteed spot at the Australian Athletics Championships in April.
The 1500 metre event has not always been her distance of choice, with a preference for the 800 meters instead, however; Rachel noted that she entered the 2023/24 athletics season with greater aerobic fitness than ever.
She said this newfound stamina has made the longer of the two middle-distance events more enjoyable to compete in.
This fitness level can be attributed to O’Brien’s year spent training at altitude in Colorado at Adams State University, which is situated between the Rio Grande National Forest and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, forming the southernmost region of the renowned Rocky Mountains.
While the rolling hills of Alamosa boast their own beauty, resembling the regional charm of her hometown, Heyfield, Rachel said stark cultural differences took some getting used to.
She said it took her a while to adjust to the American palette and come to terms with personalities.
Rachel also found herself adjusting to the nuances of the American athletics scene.
She said, “The opportunities as a university athlete in America are so much more advanced (than in Australia)”.
A constant nationwide race itinerary is not uncommon at American colleges, as athletes compete all year round in indoor and outdoor athletics seasons as well as cross country.
While at college, Rachel travelled to Boston, California, and Miami Beach.
She noted the invaluable financial support and pre-arranged race schedules, which streamlined the racing logistics and allowed athletes to focus solely on their performance.
Another stark difference was the stadium atmosphere, especially within indoor tracks.
“We don’t have any indoor tracks in Australia, so getting to race on the banked indoor tracks is definitely a cool experience.
“They’re different to adapt to because you’ve got such a short amount of time to overtake someone on a straight because they’re only 60 metres long instead of 100 metres.”
She added, “The noise and atmosphere in those (indoor) stadiums is nothing I’ve ever experienced in athletics”.
At the same time, missing home was a challenge because nothing beats running around her hometown in Heyfield, where Rachel will stay for the rest of the year before she hopes to undertake a European track season in June through to July this year.
“College was hard because you’re constantly comparing yourself to where you are on the rankings to qualify for nationals and how you’re going compared to your teammates. So I’m trying to race for the fun of it because I think I run best when I take the expectations out of it,” she said.
She hopes to do this to prepare for the upcoming Australian Athletics Championships in Adelaide, where she will compete in the 800 and 1500 metres.
With expectations to run personal best times and aspirations to compete in finals, Rachel is ensuring she enjoys the journey.
“I run best when I’m having fun,” she said.
She’s in form, having fun and making every stride towards nationals count.
