© Copyright – 2014 – Athletics Illustrated

The North American running community is slightly abuzz that one of Canada’s best middle and long-distance runners, Sheila Reid, from Newmarket, Ontario is moving from Philadelphia to the Oregon Track Club (OTC), located in Eugene, Oregon. She has been living in Philadelphia because she competed for Villanova University and graduated in 2012. “The physical move is still pending, as I am presently still training out of Philadelphia and communicate with Coach (Mark) Rowland from a distance,” said Reid.

Regarding her move to Coach Rowland, Reid told Curtis Anderson with TrackTown, USA, “I really enjoyed my time at Villanova, but I felt I needed a full-time professional coach. It was important for me to choose someone that Marcus (O’Sullivan) and Gina (Procaccio) were both comfortable with. Coach Rowland is very well respected, and I’m excited to get to know him and the entire team over the next few years. I can’t imagine what it will be like to call Hayward Field my home track.”

Five times Reid was the NCAA champion. She won nationals in cross country during the 2010 and 2011 seasons, and also won nationals in indoor track. In outdoor track she won in the 1500 and 5,000 metre distances. She also competed in the 2012 London Olympic Games in the 5,000 metre event.

Her personal best in the 1500 metre distance is an impressive 4:02.96. Although the 2014 outdoor track season is very early at this point, her best would be a world-leading time by nearly two full seconds. Over 3,000 metres she has run as fast as 8:44.02, both of these personal bests happened during the 2013 season. Her 5,000 metre best, which is from 2012, is 15:23.64, which would put her fifth in the world for the year, so far.

Reid hasn’t been able to race due to injury. She told Athletics Illustrated, “The injury was patellar tendinitis that happened in September while out on a run.”

Reid is now training again and gaining fitness. “My mileage is finally in a normal range, which is about 60-65 miles per week (97 to 105 kilometres per week). I’ve just begun workouts, with some light tempo running and slow threshold sessions,” shared Reid.

She plans to compete this year, “My main priority this summer will be to compete at the Canadian Outdoor Championships and hopefully some National Track League (NTL) races. If all goes well and my body holds up, I hope to hit the back end of the European season this summer. Above all else, I want to remain healthy,” she said.

The NTL starts June 14th in Halifax, Nova Scotia with the Aileen Meagher International meet and winds up July 10th in Vancouver at the Harry Jerome International. The league will also take place in Edmonton and Victoria.

The National Championships take place in Moncton, New Brunswick June 27th to 29th. They will play a part in the selection of athletes that hope to qualify for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, that take place in July 24th to August 3rd 2014.