Amy Yoder Begley
American runner (born 1978)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Amy Yoder Begley (née Yoder; born January 11, 1978[2]) is an American running coach and former middle and long-distance runner. Yoder Begley was a national champion at three different distances (3k indoor, 10k road, 15k road) and competed in the 10,000 meter event at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 11, 1978 Topeka, Indiana, U.S.[1] |
| Height | 5 ft 4 in (163 cm) |
| Weight | 116 lb (53 kg) |
| Website | amybegley |
| Sport | |
| Country |  United States |
Event(s) | 3000 m, 5000 m, 10,000 m |
| College team | Arkansas Razorbacks (1997–01) |
| Club | Atlanta Track Club |
| Coached by | Andrew Begley |
| Achievements and titles | |
| Olympic finals | 2008 10000 m, 26th |
| World finals | 2009 10000 m, 6th |
| Personal best(s) | 3000 m: 8:53.27 5000 m: 14:56.72 |
High school career
Yoder Begley attended East Noble High School in Kendallville, Indiana. She was a four-time state champion (one cross country and three 3200 meter titles)[3] and held the 3200 meter state record from 1996 until 2011 when it was broken by Culver Academy's Waverly Neer.[4]
Collegiate career
Yoder Begley graduated from the University of Arkansas in 2001. She was a two-time NCAA champion and a 15-time All-American.[5] She was 2000 SEC Female Athlete of the Year, and in 2016 she was selected to the Southeastern Conference 2016 Class of Women's Legends representing Arkansas.[6] She won the Honda Sports Award as the nation's top female cross country runner in 2000.[7][8]
Professional career
Yoder Begley was a Nike Oregon Project athlete from 2007[9] to 2011.[10] She trained with Galen Rupp, Kara Goucher, Adam Goucher, and Josh Rohatinsky under coach Alberto Salazar, who was later banned for life.[9][11]
Yoder Begley placed third in the 10,000 meters at the 2008 USA Track & Field Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon, setting a new personal record of 31:43.60 and qualifying for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.[12] She placed 26th in the final of the 10,000 meters at the Olympics.[13]
Yoder Begley finished first in the 10,000 meter event at the 2009 USA Track & Field Championship on June 25, 2009, in Eugene, Oregon.[14] This qualified her to compete in the 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics held in Berlin. She finished in sixth place and set a new personal record with a time of 31:13.78.[15]
In 2013, she became the women's cross country coach and women's track and field assistant coach at the University of Connecticut.[16]
In December 2014 she was hired as the first full-time coach in the 50-year history of the Atlanta Track Club. Among her responsibilities are creating training programs for the club's 21,000 members and training two athletes for the 2020 Summer Olympics.[17] The club announced they were separating from Yoder Begley and her husband in 2023.[18]
In 2019, Yoder Begley made substantiated allegations against Alberto Salazar for abuse pertaining to her body and ultimately kicking her off the team for her weight.[19][20] She also alleged that Salazar made her sign a contract saying she wouldn't become friends with any of her teammates at the Nike Oregon Project.[21]
Yoder Begley was hired by USATF in 2023 as the director of long-distance running programs. She founded and mentors the Heartland Athletics Club, coached by Andrew Begley and Bianca Martin with athletes Allie Wilson, Emma Grace Hurley, and Gemma Finch.[18]
Highlights
- 15-Time NCAA All-American in Cross Country and Track
- 2-Time NCAA National Champion in Track
- 2000 USA Olympic Trials Qualifier
- 2000 Honda Sports Award winner for cross country[22]
- 2001 Avon National 10k Champion
- 2002 United States Team Member - Beijing Ekiden
- 2002 RRCA Road Scholar Grant Recipient
- 2002 Avon Global Championships Runner-up
- 2004 USA Olympic Trials Qualifier
- 2004 USATF 10k Road National Champion
- 2008 US Olympic Team, 10k
- 2009 USATF Indoor 3k champion
- 2009 USA 15k Championship - 1st Place[23]
- 2009 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships 10k, 1st place. Set personal and track record with a time of 31:22.69
- 2009 World Championships in Athletics 10k, 6th place.[15]
Personal life
In 2006, Yoder Begley was diagnosed with celiac disease.[25]
She married her husband Andrew Begley in 2000;[26] Begley is also a running coach and partner of Yoder Begley with the Heartland Athletics Club. In 2020, Yoder Begley announced she and her husband had a commitment ceremony with their mutual partner of three years, Stephanie Reynolds Begley.[27]
