There’s a story behind the miles that Dominique Scott has logged.
Whether it be via travel or through the sport of running, Scott has made the most of each opportunity she’s earned. The talented runner who currently runs for Adidas and trains with Team Boss in Boulder, Colorado, has found success on the track and now on the roads in the marathon.
Scott’s journey has been shaped by her faith, determination and passion for others, which allows her to keep striving to reach her full potential.
Dominique admitted that she doesn’t reflect too often on her journey unless she’s asked about it during conversation. But when she does, she finds great perspective on what she’s been able to accomplish and the people that she’s influenced along the way.
“It’s then that I’m reminded of my journey and how far I’ve come and at the elite level that I’m running at, and have been running it for like the past seven years – that I feel like it’s obvious you don’t want to get complacent. But it’s also easy to feel like you just aren’t good enough. And that a little bit is our sport because the goal is to win these races, and the goal is to set records and beat the person next to you. But also all of our journeys are unique, and not everyone can win the race – there can only be one winner. So I think for me now in this latter part of my career it is a lot about finding joy and satisfaction in the journey and how far I’ve made it. And hopefully, how many people I’ve inspired, especially from South Africa, to follow their dreams and see how far they can make it in the sport or, whichever avenue they choose.”
Dominique grew up in South Africa and represents the country on the international stage. She did her best to follow the success that South African female distance athletes who preceded her achieved, even though she admitted that it was difficult to follow them as closely, especially since social media wasn’t as prevalent.
“When I was growing up, there were a few good female elite distance runners, and they were running great,” she said. “They were tearing up the circuit domestically, and I thought they were awesome, and they qualified for the Olympics. But there wasn’t really anyone for me to follow to the states and do what they had done. It was my dad who really wanted me to come to the US because he had a brother, who had emigrated with his wife and kids.”
Scott followed the wishes of her father and moved to the United States. She also followed her uncle’s advice and committed to being the best athlete that she could be, which eventually led her to the University of Arkansas, where she won five national titles and was a 12-time All-American for the Razorbacks. Her goal was not only to be the best athlete that she could be, but it was also to stick it out and build a name for herself, while inspiring the younger athletes in South Africa, which she knows that she accomplished.
“When I was 12 years old, that kind of dream was kind of brought to light, and it was that I then chased. And my mom was a teacher and a coach. So we knew a lot of really good athletes in the area that I grew up in. And we’d heard of a lot of athletes that did come overseas to the States for different sports, like water polo, field hockey – other sports and none of them had really lasted. They’d all kind of come home, maybe a semester or a year later – they just were too homesick. It was too big of a fish pond for them. And they just came home and then started University or whatever back in South Africa. So for me, it was really important to kind of survive in the States. So I made the rule myself that I had to stick it out for a year. And honestly, that was like the best rule that I ever made for myself.
And then to also have the success that I had at Arkansas and showing the up and coming track and field youth in South Africa and all the juniors that I went to the U.S. and I got a full ride scholarship, I ran really well, now I’m sponsored by Adidas. And I know so many kids wanted to do it because of me. I also know that a lot of coaches then started looking at South Africa because they were like, oh, Lance Harter got a national champion out of South Africa, let’s look in that kind of pool of athletes. So I am proud of paving the way for a lot of athletes as well as kind of opening the eyes of some coaches to the area.”
Dominique credits her husband, Cameron, for bringing her endless joy and for his unwavering belief in her. She also finds great joy in striving to reach her full potential as a runner.
“I get so much joy from running and trying to be the best athlete I can be,” she said. “There have definitely been times in my career where it hasn’t felt like that and running has felt almost miserable and I haven’t enjoyed it – and it felt like a chore. Currently, I feel very confident in myself and my ability that I’m doing the best that I can do and not comparing myself to other people and other people’s journey. I can only control myself and my efforts, and I do get a lot of peace from that.”
In difficult times, the element of faith gives Scott comfort that puts things in its proper perspective. She says it’s instrumental in how she views things, good and bad, as well as to who she is as a person.
“My faith is so important,” she said. “Whenever I feel like I’ve lost my way and I feel like I’ve drifted away from my faith in Jesus Christ, it’s always so cool to be brought back. Just knowing that I am a daughter of God and knowing that He has a purpose and plan for my life is so important. Just knowing that my self worth does not come from being a runner, but being a believer, and a Christian and a daughter of God – that’s just so important to me and I don’t think I’d be able to be a happy person without that belief.”
Scott has high hopes for herself in the women’s marathon, including breaking the South African women’s marathon record. She knows that she’s running into her potential, and it’s just a matter of time until all the pieces fall into place.
“I do feel like I still have a lot of potential on the roads and in the marathon,” she said. “I think my coach and my teammates especially really see that and believe in me. And it’s now just hoping that one of those special days lines up on race day.”
