“Maybe runners are crazy, but I’ve actually trained myself to look forward to pain during a race. So, when I fell and dislocated my elbow during an NCAA championship event, quitting just wasn’t an option. I got back up, used my uniform as a makeshift sling and kept going.

Competing in sports while going to school has helped me develop self-control. It was tough balancing nursing school with practices, but I was lucky to work with coaches who wouldn’t allow my grades to drop. If athletes didn’t perform well in the classroom, we weren’t allowed to compete.”