Aleia Hobbs didn’t know what to expect going into her season opener. Before she races, the Olympian usually has a pretty good sense of her fitness based on workouts, but this recent buildup was unlike any other.
Three weeks earlier, the American record holder had surgery to repair a broken bone in her left hand. For over a month, the New Orleans native was unable to practice block starts or complete her normal routine in the weight room, both key exercises for an elite sprinter.
On April 8, Hobbs shocked herself when she blasted a world lead at the LSU Lloyd Willis Invitational in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The Louisiana State University graduate won the women’s 100 meters in 10.87, Advertisement - Continue Reading Below.
“That race actually gave me a lot of confidence about the rest of the season because it’s like, when I do start getting back to my weights that I used to do and actually get more reps in with my block starts, then I can run fast,” Hobbs told Runner’s World.
For Hobbs, fast means getting on the podium at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, this summer. Even with the surgery setback, she’s well on her way thanks to a new source of motivation driving her effort.
Last summer, Hobbs and her partner adopted their son, Amir, when he was a newborn. On top of becoming first-time parents, they navigated the challenges that come with the adoption process, including home visits and background checks, among other requirements. As Hobbs shared in an essay for Spikes, it was all worth it to give Amir a loving home.
At the same time, Hobbs was experiencing her best track season to date. In July 2022, she contributed to Team USA’s 4x100-meter relay that won gold, and she finished sixth as an individual in the 100-meter final at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon. She also walked away from the meet with a 10.81 personal best.
By the time Hobbs kicked off her indoor track season in January, Amir was still only sleeping for 2-3 hour stretches at night, which made her extra tired for training sessions.
Dakotah Popehns Favorite Workout Songs Published: Apr 21, 2023 4:53 PM EDT on February 18, emotions were high as she’d spent months attempting to strike a balance between parenting and training. But her efforts paid off on race day.
She shattered the American record in the 60-meter dash with a decisive victory in 6.94. Her time is the second-fastest in history behind the 6.92 world record set by Irina Privalova in 1993.
After she crossed the finish line, Hobbs fell down on the track and broke a bone in her left hand, close to her wrist. At the time, she hardly noticed because she was so excited about the record.
In the weeks that followed, the pain increased and became debilitating. Hobbs could no longer do power cleans or any weight room exercises that required a bend between the hand and wrist. By mid-March, Hobbs knew the injury was worse than she initially thought. An MRI confirmed the bone was broken. Hobbs said doctors told her she could get surgery to repair the fracture or wait for the bone to heal itself, but that would mean she couldn’t do block starts or key weight lifting exercises for the entire season. So, she opted for surgery. On March 17, doctors operated on her hand.
When asked if she was nervous about the procedure and how it would affect the rest of her season, Hobbs said she focused on the opportunity in front of her. “I just need my legs. I can make it work even if I gotta move [my hand] a little funny,” she said. “I’m the type of person that can overcome a lot, so I was just like, we going to get it done.”
One week later, she got her stitches removed and competed with a brace as part of a 4x100-meter relay at LSU’s Battle on the Bayou.
In the last few weeks, Hobbs had to make some big adjustments to her training on the track and in the weight room. Instead of doing power cleans and traditional bench presses, she’s been using dumb bells to protect her hand. Instead of using blocks, Hobbs practiced standing starts, which put her far behind training partners right off the line. But she thinks it actually served her because she had to work harder to catch them in practice.
A week before her season opener, Hobbs was able to return to block starts. When she raced in Baton Rouge, no one came close to catching her.
These days, the wins hit differently for Hobbs. She thinks of Amir, who is now 9 months old and sleeps through the night. He’s in daycare, and they’re finding their own rhythm with parenting.
“I’m not just doing it for me,” Hobbs said. “Anything I do, it’s like I'm a reflection of him.”
Looking ahead to the rest of the season, Hobbs said she’s been “in the shadows” with several performances outside of the podium in championship races. This year, she’s aiming for a place in the spotlight.
“I’m a competitor,” she said. “So, I know if I’m staying consistent and getting into the big meets, my time will drop and get to what it needs to be.”
Taylor Dutch is a writer and editor living in Austin, Texas, and a former NCAA track athlete who specializes in fitness, wellness, and endurance sports coverage. Her work has appeared in Runner’s World, SELF, Bicycling, Outside, and Podium Runner.
