This month’s spotlight features Weini Kelati, professional long distance runner and NCAA Champion. Learn more about Wein’s passion for running and her journey to success.

Please briefly explain some of your responsibilities in your current career role.

My current responsibilities as a professional runner are to stay focused and dedicated during exercise and train and follow instructions from my coach to be in the best condition to win races. I also help my sponsorship company promote their apparel and sports equipment by representing the brand and sharing my related experience on social media.  

How did you decide that this was the right career path for you?

I have been in the sport for many years, and it has helped me achieve some short and long-term goals. Some of those goals include getting a free education, meeting new people, traveling around the world, making new friends, and staying connected with many of the people that I am working with today. Running is something that I really enjoy doing, and it has been a dream of mine to run professionally from a young age. However, despite being an accomplished high school and college athlete, I wasn’t always sure I was good enough to compete professionally. That all changed during my 4th year in college when I began getting offers from many companies including Under Armour. Shortly after, I decided to continue running professionally with Under Armour and it has been a dream come true.

What challenges do you face as a female athlete, and what have you learned? 

One of the challenges that I faced growing up in Eritrea as a female athlete was getting a bad reputation. I was told that running would lead to things like not being able to have children in the future, risk of having a heart attack, and just general doubt that I could achieve anything within the sport of running. It was hard for me to be accepted as a female runner and what hurt most is that my mother believed the false perceptions shared by others. Now I know none of the things that were said are true and likely stemmed from misunderstanding or a lack of knowledge on their part. Through it all I have remained positive and worked hard to show them that I am much more than an athlete. 

What are the most rewarding aspects of your career?

The most rewarding aspect of my career is being able to have an impact on others that are interested in the field and creating friendships with the people that I work with. My career helps me build relationships with my community and young people who look up to me. It also helps increase my self-esteem and self-reliance as I tend to feel more focused on completing everyday tasks more efficiently and strive toward my own goals bravely.   

How do you stay motivated and goal-oriented? 

Managing my time and setting manageable small steps to reach my biggest goals. I focus on the process more than the overall outcome because I realize that the journey is the real reward. This mindset helps me stay committed and work hard as I trust myself to lead the way.  

What do you hope to achieve from running?

I hope to make it to a world teams for the United States, have running times that I never thought I could achieve, earn medals at the world’s highest stage, be the best role model for people who look up to me, and help young athletes to achieve their future goals.   

Who has been the biggest influence in your life and/or running?

The biggest influence in my life is my family as they have been very supportive. My mother has been especially influential as she taught me how to be independent, love and respect others, and most importantly how to set goals and work toward them and become a strong woman. 

To date, what is your greatest professional accomplishment?

Outside of running, my greatest professional achievement is earning my Bachelor’s degree in Physical Health and a minor in Community Health Education within 4 years. In running I have been fortunate to win many championships and most recently have made my first US national team for the World Cross Country Championships this year. It was exciting!  

What are your top three pieces of advice for someone looking to start running? 

1. Set a big goal and work one step at a time to achieve what you want to do in running and stay present
2. Don’t be afraid of failure, because it’s the true avenue to success 
3. Don’t quit, the only way you won’t achieve your goals is if you give up

Outside of your hard work and efforts toward building your brand, what do you do for fun? Hobbies?

I spend quality time with family and friends, take part in any outdoor activities, and I always enjoy learning a new language!