Recovered Running Star Boston Bound
June 5, 2018
Despite being sidelined most of her senior year due to injury, senior Hannah Ruane has committed to run at Boston College next fall after 4 years of cross country and 3 years on the track and field at Campolindo.
Ruane, who began her high school career as a freshman on a varsity cross country squad that ended up 2nd at the state championships, and won the individual league cross country title in her junior season, had her senior season cut short due to an unusual stress fracture. “…I’m really sad that I missed out on all the memories, but I think in the end it turned out okay because I have been able to recover and make sure I am ready to go for college,” said Ruane.
Track and cross country coach Chuck Woolridge said, “Hannah was one of a few very talented freshmen girls on the 2014 cross country team that were mentored by some of our greatest athletes from our cross country and track and field programs,” he said. “She has turned around now and become the leader that she benefitted from when she was new to the program.”
Ruane’s interest in cross country was a simple decision from which she continues to benefit 4 years later. “I did a little bit of running in middle school, but nothing serious. I probably ran 2 days a week, but I kind of always knew that I wanted to join the cross country team because I knew I could meet a lot of people through it and wanted to stay active, so I kind of worked out with that,” she said. “Running has really helped me to become mentally stronger and just learn a lot about myself through running, and it has also helped me to learn how to manage my time with school and everything, balancing practice and doing homework.”
Ruane is looking forward to continue her running career on the East Coast. “I went on a big college trip over the summer, and BC definitely stood out as one of the ones that I really, really liked,” she explained. “I loved the campus and the location of it, and I was super excited to try something new and move to the East Coast, and I really just loved being close to Boston. I also really loved their running program and their coaches and I had a really good feeling about the girls on the team, so it felt like a really good fit.”
Ruane has made an impression on her coaches and her teammates, both on and off the track. “Her competitive desire is definitely one of her greatest attributes. [She is] pretty humble and understated when she addresses the team or talks about her own achievements,” said Woolridge. “When it comes to competition, she is one of the toughest and one of the most intense competitors that I have ever worked with. She really has the ability to push herself and tolerate a lot of discomfort, and she is someone who has a lot of drive to train and do all of those elements of the process that are required to be a successful distance runner.”
After rooming with Ruane at the annual Humboldt State running camp last summer, sophomore Alicia Hober has developed a strong relationship with one of the team’s respected upperclassmen. “…since camp, I have started to hang out with her more and get to know her better, and I liked it because we made a friendship, and I will cherish it,” Hober said.
“She is really hardworking and she does not let adversity stop her, she keeps going even when it gets hard,” said Ruane’s brother, freshman Chris Ruane. “She really helped me at the beginning of the season because high school was a really new thing, and she had already experienced it and helped me get through it.”
Fellow senior Isabella Chao, who is also planning to continue competitive running in college, was disappointed she could not share her final season with Ruane.
“She was expected to do really well this year so I know it is a huge let down to not be able to compete and show all of her hard work these few years, but I also know that she’s going to get much better and recover this summer and be able to race really well for Boston College next year,” said Chao, “I think it has made her more motivated to really get back into it this summer so she can be a competitive competing member next year.”
Ruane looks at her experience with injury as another opportunity for growth. “…it has taught me to stay positive and just keep working on your physical therapy and doing all the little things to help you get back into it, and with college running coming up, I am motivated to get myself healthy again,” said Ruane.
Senior Jenna Miles, who has training along side Ruane for the last 4 years, said, “I hope she is able to be back soon because I know it has been frustrating for her.”
In fact, Ruane has started back up running, training on an AlterG treadmill. The treadmill “takes your body weight off so I can run at lighter weights so I was not putting as much pressure on my legs.” More recently, Ruane has begun the gradual transition back to regular running.
“I have learned how to take care of what I need to do and stretch and roll out and make sure my body is ready to compete, but its definitly taught me I have to be careful with my training, how much I am running, and I think I am more aware about what I need to do to stay healthy for college,” said Ruane.
Her teammates have high expectations for her college running career. “I think she will do good [at Boston College] and I feel that she is prepared,” added Hober. “I think she will have fun and be super speedy when she gets back healthy again, and I am excited to see how [college running] goes for her,” said Hober.
“I was really excited, I had a Boston College sweatshirt the next day. I was really happy for her,” added Chris Ruane.
