The University of Mississippi Athletics
Robbins to Run in St. Jude Marathon
12/4/2015 | Women's Tennis
OXFORD, Miss. -- Ole Miss women's tennis senior Allie Robbins has been busy this fall with tennis tournaments, classes and finding a job for after she graduates in May. Add training for a marathon to that list. Robbins will be among the more than 12,000 running in Saturday's St. Jude Marathon in Memphis, Tennessee.
"I decided three months ago on a whim to run a marathon," Robbins said. "It's something I've always wanted to do ever since I can remember, like a bucket list thing. I was looking online at races, and this one seemed like a good time, because tennis is slow right now."
It also represented a worthy cause and one Robbins is close to through her sorority and one of her professors.
"I am a member of Tri Delta and this is our philanthropy. Also, I never got to meet her, but one of my professors, Jack McClurg (associate professor for the Center of Manufacturing Excellence), his granddaughter passed away. She was a St. Jude patient," Robbins said. "That's another reason this marathon appealed to me. All the money raised goes to St. Jude, and I believe they've raised something around 6.2 million so far, that's unbelievable. St. Jude is such a great place. No family ever gets a bill. We run around the St. Jude campus and some of the patients can come out. I can't imagine how that is going to feel."
Once she decided to commit to doing the St. Jude Marathon, Robbins began preparing herself to run 26 miles, something she has never done before.
"I ran cross country in high school, but the longest run I did in training was 18 miles, I am adding eight more to that tomorrow."
The most important thing in training for a marathon is long runs, and Robbins made sure to find time each week to do that.
"I have had time to train on the weekends some. You really only do one long run a week, and I would do those on Sundays or if we were at a tournament, I would do it on a Monday. As far as the short runs, I did what I had time for during the week between class, tennis and workouts."
While tennis does involve running, it's a lot different Robbins explained.
"Tennis is all mental for me. There are just so many more aspects to tennis than running. I remember getting back from a tournament that I wasn't happy with how I had played. I was on my long run, and I remember I was frustrated with tennis and kept thinking 'I love running better, because all I have to do is put one foot in front of the other.' I called my mom afterwards, and we had a good laugh about it. Running is so peaceful, I just like to go and listen to my music. I've always enjoyed it."
Robbins family will be there cheering her on.
"My uncle is running, but he has run a lot of marathons. He'll be way out ahead of me. A friend of mine is also running."
When Robbins laces up her shoes and puts on her racing bib Saturday, all the hard work and determination she has put in will be for the kids of St. Jude.
