Nine years ago, in 2006, Kayla Atkinson (then Hale) was a sophomore at Holy Trinity who ran a gutsy race at the Foot Locker South Regional- even trying to beat Kathy Kroger, the eventual national champion. She placed sixth to secure her first berth to Foot Locker Nationals. After falling in love with the Foot Locker experience that year, she proceeded to qualify in 2007 and 2008, the only Floridian to ever triple-qualify.
"I have been able to run in some special races, and nothing compares to the Footlocker experience," said Kayla, who later ran at Duke. "I had the most fun and met the most amazing friends on my trips to San Diego."
2009, however, was a different story. As a freshman at Duke, Kayla returned to McAlpine, this time as a spectator. She had known Brian Atkinson since she was a child; his mother was her pediatrician, and they grew up in the same town, occasionally seeing each other on runs through the park. As Brian came down the finish line, Kayla counted the spots. Tenth, just enough for a trip to San Diego.
"Going to nationals opened it up even further to the whole US," Brian (in yellow on right) said. "I think having that perspective helped in college, to try to view myself as a national caliber runner (even if I wasn't really a national caliber NCAA runner until my junior or senior year)."When Brian committed to Duke, the two talked a little, Kayla helping Brian register for classes and buying him a Final Four basketball shirt. Once Brian came to Durham, the two became friends, getting to know each other as they lived on the same campus, Kayla even driving Brian to church. Brian's second semester, the two started dating, later marrying (which Brian calls his "biggest accomplishment in college").
Although they met partially because of running, it wasn't the big characteristic in their relationship which people think it is.
"At the end of the day, running is a fun thing that we both like to do. And it's fun to do together, and that we "get it." But it's still a hobby," Kayla said. "There is so much more I love about Brian than that. We are two people who fell in love, and we happen to be runners."
Now living in Tampa, the talented duo both still train and run local road races, with Kayla running the Gasparilla Half Marathon in 1:18 and Brian qualifying for the Olympic marathon trials with a 1:04.44 half marathon in Indianapolis.
Although it has been years since their high school days, they'll still reminisce about the memories from Foot Locker and other meets- with a bit of a competitive spirit, of course.
"We are a little too competitive I suppose," Kayla said. "I think I have him beat for high school days. But with his all-american track performance in college and now with qualifying for the olympic trials, he definitely has me beat. I'm ok with that."
And nowadays, Kayla is pretty sure there isn't any race against Brian she could win.
"Maybe a 50 m dash if he wasn't paying attention when we started," she said. "The kid just ran 1:04:45 for a half marathon. Safe to say he would dominate me in pretty much anything."