The women’s 3000m steeplechase will feature some of the best talent in the world in the event at the U.S. Olympic Trials. Krissy Gear is among the talented racers who will compete against the field of women who look to make the Olympic Team.
Gear has found great success in the event, dating back to her college days, when she won the USATF U20 National Championship in 2018 and represented Team USA at the U20 World Championships, where she secured a top 10 finish. Last year Gear won the USATF Outdoor National Title in the event, and represented Team USA in Budapest at the World Championships.
While Gear takes confidence in what she’s been able to accomplish in the past, she’s moving forward with the hopes of making her first Olympic Team.
Gear, who runs for HOKA and is a member of HOKA NAZ Elite running club which is based in Flagstaff, ran 9:12:81 in the women’s 3000m steeplechase last season, which was a new personal best time for her. While she enjoyed great success on the track last season, Gear knows that no season will be exactly the same, and she’s progressing as an athlete and as a person this season.
“It’s definitely been different from the last season,” she said. “It’s not always a bad thing. I feel like I’ve tried to remind myself a lot this year that I’m a different version of myself. I’m trying to move forward.”
Gear has dabbled in the 1500m this season, and has found success in the event. She ran a new personal best time of 4:03.65 in the event at the Sound Running Track Fest in May. Prior to her big win in May, she won the BAA Mile in Boston back in April, which she’d won the year before.
Gear says that she appreciates that she’s willing to be brave in the 1500m, which is something that she’s hoping will translate over to the steeplechase.
“In the 1500m, I like that I’m willing to kind of feel the hurt earlier on, and not wait until the end to kick,” she said. “I’m hoping to kind of get in that mental headspace to where I can bring that same mentality to the steeplechase. When it hurts early on, I can say it’s gonna hurt, but you can endure it.”
Gear admitted that the stresses that come with competing at the U.S. Olympic Trials for a spot to make the Olympic team has caused some stress for her on her journey this season. But Gear finds comfort in her faith in God, and the people that are closest to her, especially her family.
“I think when things go too hard, I’ll call my family,” she said. “Even if it’s not even to talk about what I’m worried about. Sometimes it’s just to talk to, to hear how they’re doing. And I think that that kind of reminds me that life is bigger than running. There’s other things out there.”
Finding balance between running and life outside of running has been something that has given Gear a sense of perspective. Whether it’s snowboarding in the mountains, or going bowling and hanging out with friends, it all simplifies what running really means, and that there’s life outside of the sport.
“It’s what I need to kind of help keep my head out of my ass so to speak sometimes,” she said. “It kind of reminds me that the world isn’t just running. I can’t have fun on the track and not have fun in my life.”
While Gear is focusing on moving forward from the past to achieve her goals in the very near future, she takes away confidence knowing that when things are difficult and tough, she rises to the moment.
“I just need to remind myself that historically most of my best races have come from those high level races and I always seem to rise to the occasion,” she said. “It gives me a lot of confidence knowing that I rise to the occasion, so I need to remind myself of that when I start questioning things or getting worried.”
Gear is trusting in God’s plan for her running career and her life, and that helps bring a sense of peace when the storms tend to rage. She finds joy in uplifting people along their journey, and while she hopes that making the Olympic team is a part of God’s plan for her, she still will be the biggest source of support to those she comes across.
“I hope that it’s my time to be on the Olympic team,” she said. “But if it’s not, I hope to still continue to lift people up, and to bring people joy.”
