Alumni Dispatch: Adrian Walsh ’12

March 7, 2024

I’m Adrian Walsh ‘12 and I currently work as a full time Family Nurse Practitioner in Steamboat Springs, Colorado!

How has the Cate athletics program influenced you beyond the Mesa?

If you had told my 14-year-old self that I would eventually race in the Olympic Trials for the marathon, I would have laughed.

I fell in love with running as a Cate student-athlete. Having never run a race before, I signed up for cross country in the fall because my older sister, Mackenzie Walsh ’10, was an accomplished runner on the team. As a total novice, I was welcomed with open arms by my teammates and coach, Karl Weis.

I consider myself to be a competitive individual; running both cross country and track at Cate gave me the opportunity to be competitive with myself and others, yet work toward a shared goal with the team. I eventually went on to run at Middlebury College, where I became an All-American distance athlete. While I took some time off after college and during grad school, I eventually started racing in local races here and there and was immediately reminded why I love the sport so much.

After moving to Colorado, Julia Paley ’11 introduced me to my primary training partner, Rebecca Lavietes, a friend of hers from Colorado College. Before I knew it, I was training for my debut marathon: California International Marathon in 2022. My initial goal was to run a sub 3-hour marathon. I was shocked to see my time as I crossed the finish line in 2:39. This was recently after USATF had changed the OTQ standard from 2:45 to 2:37. I had a new goal to chase! A year later, at CIM 2023, I ran 2:36:49, earning a spot at Olympic Trials in Orlando.

Running has shaped who I am; I run after the best days as well as the toughest days. Running keeps me grounded and I continue to run simply because I can. I’m forever grateful for Cate for accepting me as the novice runner I was, and for providing me with the foundational framework that has allowed me to chase after and accomplish my goals – both big and small.

What life skills did you gain through the Cate athletics program that resonate with you today?
As any distance athlete knows, long runs and races require an intense level of focus and perseverance. These are two skills that I practice on a daily basis both in running as well as in my career as a medical professional.