Interview with Olympic Track Runner Ian Dobson
Ian Dobson is a runner from Klamath Falls, Oregon. He ran track at Stanford and then competed in the 2008 Olympics and ran professionally for 7 years. He graduated Stanford with his degree in Political Science in 2005. He coached from 2012-2017 and then did high school coaching. He is currently the Race Director for the Eugene Marathon. He has a dog named Chap and she is 13. Chap is newly deaf and was a running buddy but is now slowing down.
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We had a conversation a little over a year ago discussing these same topics. When I was in graduate school at the University of Oregon, I had a class on event management. Ian was a guest speaker in the class. I reached out to him for an informational interview and we ended up talking a lot about the transition of life after competing sports. That conversation we had led me to have many more conversations and informational interviews with athletes after that. I feel like talking to Ian last year started my idea of Once An Athlete long before it was titled that.
In our conversation, we talked about choosing a major as a competitive student athlete. It’s nothing we regret doing, but we end up choosing what fits our schedule best most the time. We talked about how people can feel the pressure to be a coach after playing sports. We also talked about the difference in running after competing versus playing softball after competing. I loved his perspective and his story because he was one of the first people to tell me that it’s okay not to be a college coach if you don’t want to. You can be involved in your sport in other ways.
If you have any more questions for Ian, please leave comments below or contact me. If you or someone you know is struggling, please call the Suicide Hotline. It’s toll free and available 24/7 at 800-273-8255.
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Are you or someone you know currently struggling with what happens in life after sports? Or did you already go through that transition to life after retiring competitive sports and wish you had more resources and support? Have you ever wondered, “what do athletes do after they are done playing sports? What’s next after sports?” Do you feel like you dedicated so much to your sport and you don’t know what to do now that you’re done competing? You’re not alone. Check out the site and join us in the journey. Once an athlete, always an athlete.
More blog posts with cross country / track runners: