Alabama Track & Field Q&A: Kaitlin Walker
4/5/2018 11:05:00 AM | Track & Field, Cross Country
Kaitlin Walker is in her final season with the Alabama track & field program in 2018. The senior from Heber City, Utah, has competed multiple Southeastern Conference championships in her four seasons at the Capstone and is the school record-holder in the indoor 600 meters. Walker opened the 2018 outdoor season with a personal-best time of 59.09 in the 400-meter hurdles that ranks No. 8 all-time at Alabama.
How has your indoor success prepared you for the outdoor season?
"The 800 meters is something I started training for just four weeks before the SEC Indoor Championships, so I was really happy I was able to succeed in that race. It showed that my strength is where it needs to be for the 400 hurdles, which is my primary event. That really helped me roll it into the hurdles when the outdoor season started and I ran a personal best in my first race, so I was happy about that."
What is your most important memory from your final indoor season?
KW: "It was really exciting to see, I remember Coach Waters after the men won the SEC indoor title. He was so happy. It was really cool to see us get to the top. I've been here for four years, I'm the only senior in the sprints group so I've seen the program change over the last four years so it was really exciting to see everything come together. I think for women now, we've got to show what we can do during the outdoor season."
What's been the key to your success?
KW: "Consistency and just working hard have been important. It's taken four years for it to come together for me. It's really taken putting in all of my effort into every day and being patient. That's really been the key. It does pay off, it just takes time."
Is your approach any different now that you're a senior?
KW: "I think being a senior gives you a little more confidence. You have three years under your belt and four years of training by the time the season starts. I think it's really been my confidence that's changed for me. I've definitely enjoyed it a little bit more this year and that comes with success. I think that the main thing is, it's my last go-around, I want to enjoy it and I don't want to take it for granted."
What are your plans after college?
KW: "I am going to be a registered dietician, so I have applied to internships and I'm going to do grad school in Food Science back home in Utah. So I'm going to be headed back home to become credentialed and registered."
How has the program changed during your time here?
KW: "It's a lot more intense, but in a good way. There's a lot more talent and it's a young team this year. We're all expected to do something to help the team. We have fun, but there's also more of an intensity within the team, which helps us to perform better."
Players Mentioned
