American Record Only the Beginning for Asha Ruth
Feb 13 | Women's Track & Field
BRONX, N.Y. – Rutgers alumni Asha Ruth woke up to a series of missed calls from her agent. The previous night she had been in Boston, running at the John Thomas Terrier Classic. After arriving at home around midnight, she had expected a day of rest to follow. Ruth's agent informed her that she had been selected to run on the 4x200m for Team USA at the Dr. Sander Invitational, a meet taking place just a few hours later in the city.
Ruth immediately responded "yes" and began preparing for what she did not yet know would be a historic day.
A lot has transpired for Ruth since graduating from Rutgers in 2014. She has worked jobs in Human Resources for MGM and Six Flags New in Jersey, and more recently for the Brooklyn Nets in New York City. Originally from Harlem, she moved back to her home city in September of 2016 and began her employment with the professional basketball team.
All this time as she worked a standard 9am-5pm job, she had been training as a professional runner from 5pm-9pm.
"It was hard. It was a lot of work with travelling and training, as well as finding adequate training partners and facilities at that time of night".
Ruth joined the Central Park Track Club, a New York-based group sponsored by New Balance that consists of athletes competing on the professional circuit. Despite being a member of this high level team, most of the other runners did not have full-time jobs and practiced at vastly different hours of the day.
Although it was hard to choose between following her dreams and having a stable income, eventually Ruth made a decision.
"This September I decided to take a leap of faith and train full time," said Ruth.
Ruth left her full-time employment in Brooklyn and committed to running as her first priority.
"It was hard to make a decision between working and trying to run or just running full time with lower guaranteed income. But you have to weigh the pros and cons. Sprinting has less opportunities for prize money, but Central Park Track Club has been super supportive with funds for traveling and everything," she said.
Ruth has been practicing with her team at the Armory Track and has found it much easier to receive quality coaching and find time to see the trainers after workouts. Sprinting is no longer something she has to try to find time for; it is what she wakes up to do every day and what she plans her life around.
Ruth still works part time at the flagship New Balance store in NYC, where they support her greatly as one of their sponsored athletes. Because of these great opportunities, Ruth has been able to make the most of her first few months as a full-time professional sprinter.
In this 2018 indoor season, Ruth has run near or better than her personal bests in every event.
At her season opener on Jan. 20th, she ran a new personal record of 37.84 in the 300m dash at Staten Island. At the aforementioned John Thomas Terrier Classic in Boston, Ruth ran an indoor personal best of 23.94 in the 200m, and followed it up with a 53.87 in the 400m. This mark was only a tenth of a second off of her best, an event for which she was the 2014 USATF National Club Track & Field Champion.
Merely a day later, she would run on the American Record breaking 4x200m relay.
Although having run in professional circuits before, the Rutgers alumna had never met her 4x200m teammates before this day. She knew All-American Daina Harper, NCAA record holder Kyra Jefferson and Olympian Deajah Stevens from reputation alone, but had never gotten to practice with this prestigious group.
The event featured international teams from France, Guyana and a country heralded for its sprinters, Jamaica.
"Going into it, our goal was just to win," noted Ruth.
The pressure was on for the American quartet on their home turf, and they never once let another team take the lead. Their time of 1:32.67 broke the 24-year old American record of 1:33.24, and nearly broke the world record of 1:32.41 set by Russia in 2005.
"We were totally in shock. The fruits of my labor showed and my practicing and training paid off in time for this meet".
Ruth's goal for the season is to make the World Team, where a select few American athletes will travel to Birmingham, UK in March and compete on the global level.
At this rate of progression, there does not seem to be anything holding back the elite sprinter.
Despite her successes, Ruth has not forgotten the impact her time at Rutgers had on her.
When asked about her favorite memories, she said, "There's so many. If it wasn't for Coach James (Robinson), I wouldn't be where I am right now."
Ruth was recruited to RU as a long jumper, where she became an All-American and multiple time conference champion. While she grew into an elite athlete, her college career began with a season-ending injury, causing her to redshirt her sophomore year. In this time she really had to find who she was, and stated that "Coach James and (Coach Lou Tomlinson) really helped me along".
Once Ruth came back her junior year, she went to NCAA Championships and became an All-American.
"Without their support I would not be where I am for sure".
Ruth immediately responded "yes" and began preparing for what she did not yet know would be a historic day.
A lot has transpired for Ruth since graduating from Rutgers in 2014. She has worked jobs in Human Resources for MGM and Six Flags New in Jersey, and more recently for the Brooklyn Nets in New York City. Originally from Harlem, she moved back to her home city in September of 2016 and began her employment with the professional basketball team.
All this time as she worked a standard 9am-5pm job, she had been training as a professional runner from 5pm-9pm.
"It was hard. It was a lot of work with travelling and training, as well as finding adequate training partners and facilities at that time of night".
Ruth joined the Central Park Track Club, a New York-based group sponsored by New Balance that consists of athletes competing on the professional circuit. Despite being a member of this high level team, most of the other runners did not have full-time jobs and practiced at vastly different hours of the day.
Although it was hard to choose between following her dreams and having a stable income, eventually Ruth made a decision.
"This September I decided to take a leap of faith and train full time," said Ruth.
Ruth left her full-time employment in Brooklyn and committed to running as her first priority.
"It was hard to make a decision between working and trying to run or just running full time with lower guaranteed income. But you have to weigh the pros and cons. Sprinting has less opportunities for prize money, but Central Park Track Club has been super supportive with funds for traveling and everything," she said.
Ruth has been practicing with her team at the Armory Track and has found it much easier to receive quality coaching and find time to see the trainers after workouts. Sprinting is no longer something she has to try to find time for; it is what she wakes up to do every day and what she plans her life around.
Ruth still works part time at the flagship New Balance store in NYC, where they support her greatly as one of their sponsored athletes. Because of these great opportunities, Ruth has been able to make the most of her first few months as a full-time professional sprinter.
In this 2018 indoor season, Ruth has run near or better than her personal bests in every event.
At her season opener on Jan. 20th, she ran a new personal record of 37.84 in the 300m dash at Staten Island. At the aforementioned John Thomas Terrier Classic in Boston, Ruth ran an indoor personal best of 23.94 in the 200m, and followed it up with a 53.87 in the 400m. This mark was only a tenth of a second off of her best, an event for which she was the 2014 USATF National Club Track & Field Champion.
Merely a day later, she would run on the American Record breaking 4x200m relay.
Although having run in professional circuits before, the Rutgers alumna had never met her 4x200m teammates before this day. She knew All-American Daina Harper, NCAA record holder Kyra Jefferson and Olympian Deajah Stevens from reputation alone, but had never gotten to practice with this prestigious group.
The event featured international teams from France, Guyana and a country heralded for its sprinters, Jamaica.
"Going into it, our goal was just to win," noted Ruth.
The pressure was on for the American quartet on their home turf, and they never once let another team take the lead. Their time of 1:32.67 broke the 24-year old American record of 1:33.24, and nearly broke the world record of 1:32.41 set by Russia in 2005.
"We were totally in shock. The fruits of my labor showed and my practicing and training paid off in time for this meet".
Ruth's goal for the season is to make the World Team, where a select few American athletes will travel to Birmingham, UK in March and compete on the global level.
At this rate of progression, there does not seem to be anything holding back the elite sprinter.
Despite her successes, Ruth has not forgotten the impact her time at Rutgers had on her.
When asked about her favorite memories, she said, "There's so many. If it wasn't for Coach James (Robinson), I wouldn't be where I am right now."
Ruth was recruited to RU as a long jumper, where she became an All-American and multiple time conference champion. While she grew into an elite athlete, her college career began with a season-ending injury, causing her to redshirt her sophomore year. In this time she really had to find who she was, and stated that "Coach James and (Coach Lou Tomlinson) really helped me along".
Once Ruth came back her junior year, she went to NCAA Championships and became an All-American.
"Without their support I would not be where I am for sure".
O'Sullivan Brothers Go 2-3 In Pole Vault
Monday, March 02
Chris Serrao Takes Bronze In 60M Hurdles
Monday, March 02
Donavan Anderson Secures Bronze In Triple Jump
Monday, March 02
On the Course: Kelseigh O'Neil
Wednesday, December 17
