In Serbia, Alaska’s Allie Ostrander represented the United States at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships. The race took place on Saturday, March 30, 2024. Ostrander, from Soldotna and a graduate of Kenai Central, finished in 30th place with a time of 34 minutes and 11 seconds. Despite the challenging course conditions and heat, she was pleased with how she executed her plan.
Ostrander shared her race strategy with Let’s Run, explaining that she aimed to start conservatively, maintain a relaxed pace, and gradually move up throughout the competition. As a standout athlete at Boise State University, where she was a three-time NCAA Division I women’s steeplechase champion in 2017, 2018, and 2019, Ostrander now competes professionally out of Seattle. Her goal was to finish in the top 30 and contribute to Team USA as the second-fastest American in the race.
The race was dominated by Kenyan runners, with Beatrice Chebet claiming the victory in a time of 31:05. Ostrander qualified for the World Championships by finishing fourth at the U.S. Cross Country Championships in January, earning her a spot on the American team for the prestigious international event.
