Michigan State University Athletics
Senior Profile: Rebekah Smeltzer
4/13/2012 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
April 13, 2012
By Hannah Case, MSU Athletic Communications
EAST LANSING, MICH. -
Michigan State track and field distance runner Rebekah Smeltzer isn't afraid of a challenge. From her first race at the age of six to her senior year as a Spartan, the Monroe, Mich. native is still pushing herself to the limits both physically and mentally.
The redshirt senior's interest in running began at a young age as her older sister's participation in cross country introduced her to the sport. What intensified her desire to improve though was the thought of losing to a boy in her elementary school's annual one mile challenge.
"I was always driven to beat the boys in gym class," said Smeltzer. "I never wanted a boy to say that he was better than me, so I trained really hard for those mile runs at school."
Once she got a taste for running, she couldn't stop. Smeltzer's parents soon began putting her into road races, but her running career seemed to be over with the first step of her opening race.
"I had camped out my place at the starting line really early," said Smeltzer, "but as soon as the race began, I fell down and five kids fell on top of me. I ran the rest of the race crying and I left thinking I would never run again."
The beginning of Smeltzer's running career could be considered a metaphor for the rest of her life as a runner - she has never let the fear of tripping keep her from the sport she loves. The two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree was also involved in soccer and gymnastics but the individual motivation necessary for running is what made her dedicate her time to track and field.
"Track is challenging because you have to push yourself when no one else is around. I like to test myself because you never really know what you are capable of achieving until you achieve it. You don't know how far you can go until you go there," Smeltzer said.
During high school, Smeltzer was being recruited by both Michigan State and Wisconsin. She was having a difficult time deciding between the two when a phone call from then-assistant coach Rita Arndt-Molis made everything clear. Smeltzer was leaning toward Wisconsin because the campus was located on a scenic lake when Arndt-Molis asked "will a lake make you faster?" It was at that moment when Smeltzer realized what matters is the connection with the team and how that team would make you better.
But Smelter's reasons for choosing the Green and White weren't all self centric. At the time, head coach Walt Drenth was looking to rebuild the Michigan State track and field program and Smeltzer realized it was an opportunity to be part of something bigger than herself. Her choice paid off when the Michigan State women's cross country team earned back-to-back Big Ten Championship titles in 2010 and 2011.
"MSU enticed me because I wouldn't be joining a team that was already successful," said Smeltzer. "I wanted to be part of the process of making this team good again, making this program what it used to be."
The stress of managing schedules with schoolwork and the pressure to perform well can make athletics the most difficult part of being a student-athlete. It's the opposite for Smeltzer, running is the most stress-free part of her life. Smeltzer considers herself a purest, she chooses to self-motivate instead of using an ipod, which allows her mind to go blank and her thinking to become clear.
"It's the one time in my day when I don't have to think," said Smeltzer. "My biggest decision about running is which way to go."
Smeltzer has logged a lot of miles while wearing the Green and White and all those miles have led to a successful career. A training journal she has kept not only shows her progression, but it is a testament to her dedication. After calculating a year's worth of training, Smeltzer found she ran enough miles to go from Maine to Seattle and then some. Last year, Smeltzer took home first place in the 3,000m at the Notre Dame Invitational with a time of 9:44.98 and in 2010 she recorded a personal-best time of 16:54.77 in the 5,000m. But beyond her successes, Smeltzer says her biggest accomplishment at MSU has been overcoming her fear of failure.
"The most important thing I've learned at Michigan State is that sometimes you have to put yourself in a position to fail," Smeltzer said. "Putting yourself in difficult positions gives you the opportunity to be victorious or to learn something about yourself. If you look at it that way, you will never actually fail."
There is over two months left in the 2011-2012 track season and Smeltzer will use that time to work toward the goals she has set for herself. She wants to achieve smaller goals, like breaking 16:20 in the 5,000m race, in order to reach the Regional Championships and then potentially the National Championships. But beyond her goal of a successful finish to her MSU career, Smeltzer can't put into words what all she wants to achieve - because she still doesn't know what else she is capable of.
"No matter how much you train or how many miles you run, the biggest distance is between your ears. I love running because I can only push myself so far physically, but running always gives me more room to push myself mentally," said Smeltzer.
Smeltzer will graduate in May with a degree from the College of Arts and Letters and will pursue a Masters degree in Kinesiology at Michigan State in the fall. Running will always be a part of her life though, as she will be the graduate assistant of the MSU cross country and track programs with hopes of one day becoming a collegiate coach herself.
"Running has given me so much throughout my life, so I want to give back in any way I can," Smeltzer said. "I'm always going to be a runner, so hopefully I'll be able to motivate others to be runners too."
Getting to Know Bekah Smeltzer…
Favorite food: Eggplant Parmesan
Favorite candy: Black licorice
Favorite song: Don't Panic by Coldplay
Favorite place on campus: Behind IM Circle
Favorite movie: Garden State
Favorite quote: "One foot in front of the other"
