Olympian Marisa Howard came to PHS on May 16th to be inducted into our very own Hall of Fame here at Pasco. Howard competed in the Paris 2024 Olympics in the 3000-meter steeple chase, graduating from Boise State University and Pasco High. Howard is thirty-three years old, and her husband is Jeff Howard (33)
A full-time mother, coach, and other titleholder, Howard must still make time for running. What does a week of training look like to her?
“It looks a little different right now because I’m 30 weeks pregnant versus when I’m not pregnant. But when I’m in season training, I have a long run and a medium long run. Which is every week, which is 30 minutes to two hours. Then twice a week I do either a track workout or a workout along our running green belt path (a designed place for runners/walkers. *editors note) and the other days are easy days.”
As said, Howard competed in the 2024 Olympics, but what about the 2028 Olympics, and where are they held?
“It’s in LA, which is awesome. I felt like I had a really good breakthrough last summer, and got pregnant. I’m excited to be racing at the new level and that new caliber coming out of the pregnancy. So, I’m hoping my best years are ahead of me leading into the LA Olympics,” said Howard.
What is amazing is becoming an Olympian, but how does it feel?
“Very surreal,” she states. “I think as an American, the American team is very difficult to make, just being there was really surreal too. I’ve had this dream for so long, and I get to represent the US on this big stage. I’ve been really, really close a lot of times, so to finally break that barrier and represent the US on the biggest stage was very sweet. ”
Marisa had been running for over 2o years, but where did it all start?
“I honestly don’t remember why I started, I just remember being a good runner in PE in elementary school, and then that kind of continued [throughout her life]. I think being a distance runner is very glamorous, but I think the more you do it. A lot of your hard work gets to see the fruits of your labor. A lot of people are born with talent, but distance running can be the type of sport where, if you put in a lot of work, you can be good. ”
Being a distance runner is hard. From endless miles, getting proper nutrition, sleeping properly, drinking water, and all sorts of things. How does Marisa get through when hardships come?
“The lord. I had a lot of injuries in college. I had five different stress fractures, just knowing deep down in me, I know I had more to give. I think that was just the dream the lord had put in me from a really young age.”
Running has many downsides, struggles, and hardships, but there must be some good things. What does she like most about running?
“The fact that I can just (in Boise) get out and only be a mile from town, and I’m in these beautiful trails and just in nature and the beautiful creation that God created.”
Through her trials and tribulations, Marisa Howard has been through a lot and has a lot more to go to keep reaching her dreams. Through dedication and the will to keep loving the sport she does, we are extremely excited to see what she has to show in the next 4 years
