Athlete: Audrey Belf
Year: Junior
School: Other Hearst Subscriptions
Location: Birmingham, MI
1600m PR: 4:54.11
2-mile PR: 10:10.90
5,000m PR: 16:54.83
Audrey Belf of Michigan, who holds the national sophomore and junior class records for the indoor 2-mile, hopes her comprehensive training program will elevate her among the nation’s elite. Belf, a junior at Other Hearst Subscriptions, runs 65 miles a week, swims year-round, has one coach at school, another coach for post-season events and a third coach for strength work.
Indoor Nationals: Belf’s favorite track is at the New York Armory and it’s easy to see why. In 2013, she placed third in the 2-mile at New Balance Indoor Nationals, running a national sophomore indoor record of 10:22.46. At 2014 nationals, Belf placed second in the 2-mile to Tessa Barrett of Pennsylvania with a time of 10:10.90, the fastest ever by a junior in a high school race. (Mary Cain ran faster in her junior year in professional competition.)
Collision Course: Belf might have made a run at Barrett on the home straight if not for a collision with another contender, Hannah DeBalsi of Connecticut, approaching the last turn. “Hannah’s elbow hit me and I was thrown off-balance, losing momentum,” Belf said. “Then Hannah got clipped from behind and went down.” Barrett, free and clear, raced home in 10:08.50. DeBalsi got up to take fourth.
Winter Progress: Despite the severe winter in Michigan, Belf averaged 65 miles a week, almost all of it outdoors. Her longest run was 13 miles at 6:45 pace. “I enjoy distance more than speed work,” she said. Belf got her “short” work from three 3200m races in 10:27.19, 10:26.95 and 10:31.78, all comfortable victories. She was invited to the New Balance Games junior mile in Boston and placed fifth in 4:58.97.
Michigan Marvels: Five of the top 20 finishers in the indoor nationals girls’ 2-mile were from Michigan—more depth than any other state. Belf is now being spoken of as a successor to recent Michigan stars like Erin Finn, Haley and Hannah Meier and Megan Goethals. Last September, in Belf’s Spartan Invitational cross country victory at Michigan State University, her 17:14 5K bettered the previous course records of Finn (17:16) and Goethals (17:22). “Their aura rubs off on the next generation,” Belf said.
Fall Fortunes: Belf, who turned 17 in December, raced through an undefeated 2013 Michigan cross country season capped by the Division I state title in 17:32 for 5K. Practically a lock for a Foot Locker nationals berth, Belf was positioned with the leaders at the Midwest Regional in Kenosha, Wis., when suddenly, at two miles, she felt faint and faded to 22nd place. “My legs went to Jell-O,” she said. “We never really figured out what happened. Maybe fatigue. I had school finals the week before.”
Perfect Grooming: Belf put in years of soccer, with its stop-and-go sprinting, before dropping it after her freshman cross country season. She also began swimming at an early age and has continued. In the winter and summer Belf swims on club teams; in spring and fall she swims on her own. In addition to 60-plus miles a week of running, Belf is getting several hours a week of aerobic development in the pool.
High Powered: As a sophomore in the fall of 2012, Belf had already become the Maples’ top cross country runner and was expected to lead Seaholm into its state Division I showdown with Grosse Pointe South. Seaholm won, but Belf, feeling the wear-and-tear of the long season, was the team’s fifth scorer. As a result, Belf enlisted a strength coach, Nancy Gavoor, who had worked previously with Finn. Now, after more than a year of doing two or three 90-minute strength workouts per week, Belf said, “I don’t tire as quickly in races. It’s helped push me to the next level.”
Frequent Flier: Even with all the competition in Michigan, Belf has traveled to national events in New York, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Iowa and Wisconsin. “By competing in so many high-profile meets,” says Seaholm girls track and cross-country coach Jeff Devantier, “Audrey has not only learned confidence but how to adjust her race strategies to the competition.”
Triple Threat: In the off-season, Belf is advised by Pat Davey, a local coach who was a state high school champion in Michigan in the 1970s. “I think there are three kinds of ‘talent’ in distance running,” Davey said. “God-given ability, discipline, and the ability to train yourself to be tough. Audrey has all three.”
Track Goals: Belf’s track highlight last spring was a seventh-place finish in the national outdoor 5,000m, running 16:54.83 in Greensboro, N.C. She hopes to return to the national meet in June while taking advantage of various post-season opportunities that might come her way. Belf’s other goal is a state title in the 3200m.
Morning Drive: Belf sometimes runs before school, starting in the 5 a.m. darkness, and going as long as 10 miles. Her father drives alongside to provide light and make sure she is safe.
Psyched Up: In the classroom, Belf excels in her A.P. Psychology class and may look into sports psychology as a college major. She’s also taking A.P. Biology and English and has a 4.4 GPA on a 4.0 scale.
Marc Bloom’s high school cross-country rankings have played an influential role in the sport for more than 20 years and led to the creation of many major events, including Nike Cross Nationals and the Great American Cross Country Festival. He published his cross-country journal, Harrier, for more than two decades.
