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Ross Proudfoot is never satisfied with his latest results. Even if he won a race, he is always looking to improve his performance and lower his personal best times in cross-country running and track.
He has to. This is his purpose. He knows no other way to run.
It has made him into a highly successful runner at the OUA and CIS levels, with accomplishments galore already in this, his sophomore season with the University of Guelph. It has also led to glory on the international stage.
“Every upcoming season, I’m always looking to better my times, especially come the outdoor season,” the 19-year-old Lo-Ellen Park graduate said. “Having big times is starting to become my way into the next tier of races, so they’re becoming a lot more important than many of the smaller title meets.
“It’s not all about winning anymore,” he added. “I know going into the next season I have to train faster and run faster to move forward. There’s always a huge emphasis on getting to the next personal best.”
Proudfoot was a beast on the local high school scene, dominating race after race. At one city championship, he lapped the entire field during a distance race. He repeated the pattern regionally and provincially, consistently being one of the top high school runners in both cross-country and track.
His transition to the university level has been nothing short of spectacular. Proudfoot has made the step up and then some. His freshman season in 2010-11, Proudfoot burst onto the scene, taking home the OUA and CIS cross-country Rookie of the Year Awards, as well as the OUA rookie of the year in track.
This season, so far, Proudfoot has earned a silver in cross-country at the OUA championship and was fourth at the CIS event. His efforts in both sports have helped Guelph earn provincial and national banners.
Most recently, he won the men’s 1,500-metre event at the OUA Indoor Track and Field Championship. (He is competing at the CIS indoor track championship in Winnipeg, which started today. Proudfoot is ranked No. 2 in the 3,000-m and No. 6 in the 1,500-m.)
For Proudfoot, it is isn’t easy to just keep up. He is compelled to push the pace. It means he is going at a machine-like rate, repeating a cycle of studying, training and competing. The gruelling task of keeping it all together might drive most mad. It drives Proudfoot to his best.
This intense daily challenge keeps him in the right frame of mind and keeps the competitive beast inside him well fed, but never satisfied.
“I’m always pushing myself in workouts and challenging myself more as I go. Being 19, I’m still building my training up as I get older and more used to running higher volumes. This process really brings new challenge to every season.”
He said racing in competitive fields at the CIS level has been a big boost.
“In high school, there wasn’t many opportunities to race the best runners in the country.”
University of Guelph cross-country team head coach Dave Scott-Thomas has been with the university for 15 seasons. He said it’s rare for an athlete to come in and adjust to the intensity of university running as well as Proudfoot has.
“I have seldom seen a transition so smooth to university,” Scott-Thomas said. “I give credit to his club coach Darren Jermyn and Track North. They set the tone.”
The coach described Proudfoot as “the whole package.”
“He has the physical talent, and what sets him apart is he has the emotional and mental tools as well. He is tough as nails, competitive and wants to win.”
Scott-Thomas sees a wide open world for Proudfoot to tackle as he matures and grows as a runner.
“As a coach, there is a ton I can do to keep Ross going further and further, and he will go, no doubt in my mind,” Scott-Thomas said. “He has the skills and tools to go professional and pursue his dreams. I see him taking a shot at the 2016 Olympic team.”
Proudfoot knows he is in the right place at the right time. The experience he is gaining at Guelph is giving him the confidence to prepare to take on the world.
“Being a part of this program is amazing,” he said. “To be a part of the longest run of national titles in the sport is great, but it really is just the tip of the iceberg. Guelph has amazing things happening in running right now.
“I’m currently training with many Olympic qualifiers and Olympic hopefuls and it really is the place to be.”
He said his indoor goals are to win the CIS 1,500-m and 3,000-m events. And he has some Olympic-sized dreams as well.
“I’m definitely setting my sights on running some fast times outdoors and performing well at trials. I’m not looking to qualify for the Olympics by any means, but would be looking at making the finals at nationals for the 1,500-m and placing well.”
Posted by Laurel Myers
