Meet Payton Ballard
9/10/2014 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field, Cross Country
Rolltide.com caught up with each member of the track and cross country team to learn a little more about each athlete. Today, we feature Payton Ballard, a sophomore from Mountain Brook, Ala. Ballard looks to build on last year's track season, in which he took home personal bests in the outdoor 1,500 meters as well as the indoor mile during the track season last year.
How did you start running distance?
"In seventh grade, my mom made me play football, but that didn't go very well. I quit at the end of the year and joined the cross country team because that's what all my friends were doing - and there were a lot of cute girls on the cross country team."
Why did you make the choice to come to The University of Alabama?
"Alabama had everything I was looking for in one place. There's a great business school, and I thought I fit in well with the team. I'm also only an hour away from home. The school is affordable, and it didn't hurt that I've been an Alabama fan my whole life."
How have you improved over the last year at the university?
"I ran several personal best-times last year, but I improved more than those times would suggest. I got adjusted to the training here and to college life in general - and I got way better at pool."
What is the best part of running distance for you?
"I think distance running has always kept me sane. The ability to go out on the track or the trails every week and run until I'm at my limit is a way of dealing with whatever is going on in my head. Whether I'm happy, sad, angry, or stressed out, pushing myself on a run has always been the perfect way to express that feeling."
What are your goals for the upcoming cross country season?
"I'm trying to do whatever I can to help Alabama have the best cross country team possible. I'll run as hard as I can, and whether that means directly lowering the team's score or just helping a teammate get across the line a little faster, then that's good enough for me."
What is the best piece of advice you could give to young runners?
"Don't take running too seriously. Have fun on your runs every once and a while. Go exploring. Run in the rain and jump in a bunch of puddles. Those are the best runs."
