Lexi Ellis – Oregon Track and Field
“Track has been both an extremely grounding and elating experience, much like life. There are moments where I feel like I’m on top of the world and nothing can touch me, and there are moments where I feel like everything is working against me. It’s a constant rollercoaster of emotions; track is one of the most mentally exhausting sports because you’re working nearly year-round for literally inches of improvement, so the most important lesson it’s taught me is to embrace the lows as well as the highs because that’s what really makes me better.”
“I’ve tackled a lot of different things—family, weight, heavy academic loads, you name it. It’s been exhausting, but it’s also made me a fighter. It’s made me a lot tougher mentally and physically, and it’s also taught me where my limits are and how to push them without pushing too far.”
“I think one moment that’s defined my career and who I am thus far as a person would have to be this past indoor when I PR’d my first meet. I had a terrible freshman collegiate season/year in all aspects (in comparison to past seasons), and to finally see such a major breakthrough after so long of struggle made me realize that as long as I keep fighting I’ll be good regardless.”
“Advice I would give younger me: Keep. The. Pressure. On yourself, on the competition, on your teammates. No matter how you feel, what you’re going through, just keep it going—because it WILL pay off.”
“Preparing for the Olympics post-postponement has been… interesting! I tried to keep up with some sort of training from March through May but, after so long of uncertainty I just needed a break. I’ve been back at it, weight lifting heavily for the last two months and I start fall training in a few weeks so we’re still at it!”
“I’d want people to recognize that I’m a Black woman, a mixed student-athlete, but that’s not all that I am or that I identify as. I’m so much more: an artist, a music-enthusiast, a complete dork, a dancer, I can’t even name it all! There’s so many more facets to me that not everyone gets to see, and I want people to understand that all of these pieces are part of my journey. It’s not just my race that makes me who I am, but it is an important aspect of who I am.”
