Getting to Know Allison Gregg
9/26/2013 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field, Cross Country
Sept. 26, 2013
RollTide.com caught up with each new member of the track and cross country team to find out more about them. Today, we feature Allison Gregg, a freshman from Cedar Falls High School in Cedar Falls, Iowa, where she was the 2012 Class 4A state champion in the 3,000 meters.
What are you looking forward to most about being a member of the team?
I look forward to training and competing with other athletes who are at or above my level of competition. It's exciting to be around other people with the same amount of passion for running and who will push me every day at practice to get better.
Why did you choose Alabama?
I chose Alabama because I liked the coaching techniques and philosophies, as well as the team chemistry. Alabama also has my major of nutrition, so it was the best fit athletically and academically.
What would you like to do after college with a nutrition degree?
I want to be a sports dietician for a sports team. My dream job would be to work for an NFL team.
How did your family react to your college decision?
They were excited, and they were surprised. I think a lot of people thought I was going to attend Iowa State since I'm from Iowa, but they knew how much I loved it here. On our visit here, they were just as impressed as I was, so they were very happy with my final decision.
When did you begin competing and why?
I started running track in seventh grade... I started running cross country my sophomore year because my track coach talked me into it. I ended up getting second in state my sophomore year, so I knew it was something I was good at. I enjoyed doing it, so I decided I wanted to be competitive and start training year-round.
When did you realize you could compete at the Division 1 level?
That was probably my junior year. A lot of people asked me if I wanted to run in college after state my sophomore year. At the time, I didn't know if I was good enough. After my junior year, I was faster and started getting letters from some schools.
What is your proudest accomplishment?
My senior year, in the 3,000 meters at state, I didn't win, but I got third and ran a 9:57. It had been my goal for four years to break 10 minutes. That was my first time breaking 10 minutes, so it was really special to see my four years of hard work finally paying off to accomplish a four-year goal.
What has been the biggest adjustment you've had to make as a college athlete?
I'd say managing my time better than I did in high school, so juggling class and homework with practices - we practice more in college than in high school.
What goals do you have for this season?
I want to progress as a runner, run faster times and, at the end of the season, make the travel squad for SECs. As a team, I hope we do well at regionals and qualify for nationals.
What is one weakness that you'd like to improve moving forward?
I'd say my foot speed. I don't have that initial foot speed that a lot of the shorter distance girls have because I'm a 5k, 10k runner.
Is there any other athlete, either professional or collegiate, that inspires you?
Lisa Uhl. She is from Iowa and ran for Iowa State. In high school, she was a top-10 runner every year but never won a state championship. In college, she won the 10K at nationals. She's a really hard worker to progress that much in college, and she graduated with a 4.0 GPA in veterinarian school. She obviously worked hard to make the most of her college experience, and that's my goal - to take advantage of all the opportunities they give us here.
Aside from track, what is your favorite sport?
I really like watching football, especially college football. In high school, I had a fantasy football team.
Since you're an athlete and you want to be a sports dietician, you know athletes have strict diets, but if there is one food you cannot live without, what is it?
Bagels. I eat a lot of bagels.
What's on your iPod right now?
I listen to the top hits and whatever is on the radio. I also really like Carrie Underwood and Rascal Flatts.
