Val Constien’s Path to Tokyo

Val Constien pursued various roles before she was an Olympic steeplechaser. She was a high school long jumper, a nordic skier, and a girl raised in mountainous Vail, Colorado, oblivious to steeplechase and how the event would take her all the way to Tokyo.

However, University of Colorado coach Mark Wetmore recognized her promise in this nuanced event. 

“I didn’t choose to be a steeplechaser,” Constien said. “Mark recruited me to be one, and I got a scholarship to CU specifically for steeplechase.” 

Steeplechase is a running event with a standard distance of 3,000 meters (just short of two miles). Runners jump over 35 barriers over the course of the race, with seven of those barriers being situated in front of a 12-foot-long pit of water. The race requires speed, endurance, athleticism, and guts — all of which Wetmore immediately recognized in Constien.

From that moment on, her destiny as a steeplechaser was solidified. Constien achieved three All-American honors throughout her collegiate career, with a steeplechase personal record of 9:47.97. However, she was far from done and decided to pursue running post-Boulder. 

As an unsponsored athlete, Constien’s post-collegiate running experience has been expensive. Unlike most of her competitors, she paid for all of her races, up until the Olympics, out of pocket. Her U.S. Olympic trial trip totaled around $3,000, and all the trips before the trials totaled close to $3,000 as well. 

“I’m always checking price tags and can’t really make unnecessary purchases,” Constien said. 

Being unsponsored also affected the way Constien was able to train. She had to be creative to fit training and racing into her schedule, she said. 

 Leading up to Tokyo, Constien worked eight-hour days in addition to her athletic training, which could take up to four hours each day. As a result, she proudly referred to herself as a “blue-collar athlete.” Constien hopes to empower others with her story, showing that athletic success is still very much achievable for those balancing a job and rigorous training.

Constien was an underdog heading into the Olympic Trials.

“I’ve been underrated, and lots of people thought I was lucky to make the Olympic team,” Constien said. “That hurt.” However, she quickly proved herself, making it to the Olympic final after qualifying by time in the preliminary round. 

Running fast wasn’t the only way Constien stood out in the Olympics; she was the sole runner in the semi-final steeplechase race wearing sunglasses. Her large red-framed Oakley glasses with reflective blue lenses drew attention immediately, with pictures of her wearing them going viral on social media. Constien laughed as she recounted the memes that emerged comparing her look to the Terminator and Doc Brown in Back to the Future.