SE: Kassidy Johnson Finds ‘Silver Lining’ in Injury, Returns Stronger than Ever for K-State Track and Field
Mar 26, 2019 | Track & Field, Sports Extra
By Corbin McGuire
K-State track and field's Kassidy Johnson may know the hills outside Manhattan as well as anyone. For a while last year, they were her track, one of her few physical outlets. They were her way back to what she loved.
After the 2017 cross country season and two indoor track and field meets, Johnson discovered she had a stress fracture in one of her feet. Her first collegiate campaign ended then and there, a "discouraging and frustrating" moment because "you don't necessarily know why it happens."
Johnson medically redshirted, at least retaining the year of eligibility. Still, disappointment weighed heavy on her, much like the walking boot she had to strap to her foot while healing. When it was taken off and she was cleared to start putting more pressure on her foot, she attacked her training like never before.
She started cross-training in any way she could.
Sometimes, she hopped in the pool to aqua jog or get in laps of freestyle and backstroke swimming — anything to get her heart rate up.
More often, she hopped on her bike and headed outside of Manhattan.
Johnson found hills all over. When she found one that she liked, with enough steepness to challenge her, she stopped. Then, she would bike aggressively up it. Then, she sped her way down. She did this process — "hill reps," she calls them — 10 times, before biking back to town.
"That was a pretty good workout," Johnson said.
Her return to competitive running can be described in much the same way.
Johnson's second cross-country season at K-State — her third overall, as she started her senior year at Maize South High School — was night-and-day better than her first. She lowered her top 6K time by more than two minutes. Her team finishes went as such: fourth, fourth, third, third, second and third. She only ran in three meets as a freshman; her highest team finish was fifth.
"It's definitely not my strong suit," Johnson said, "but being able to train throughout that whole (second) season, feel good and get some PRs in cross country was big."
What followed was even bigger.
This past indoor season, Johnson set a new personal best in the 800, proof that she had more than made up for lost time and opportunity from the injury. She also finished second in the 1,000-meter run at the Big 12 Indoor Championships, running the second-fastest indoor time (2:45.69) in school history. The time also would have won the event in eight of the last 10 Big 12 Indoor Championships, but that fact was neither here nor there for Johnson.
She was back. And better than ever.
"Before indoor started, I definitely didn't see myself there," Johnson said of the Big 12 meet. "Obviously it was a goal, something I wanted, to place at Big 12s, but even going to Big 12s, being on the traveling squad, I didn't necessarily have the confidence I could be that person because I hadn't run track in two years.
"Knowing that everything had paid off, I was able to progress that much and get better, it was really special."
In trying to explain her success, Johnson goes back to the days when she never saw it coming.
When she was injured, there was frustration, sure. But there was never quit. On the low days, she often referred to a phrase her mother repeated to her: "Find the silver lining." Johnson did exactly that.
She had suffered a stress fracture as a sophomore in high school. In one way, this made the second one worse. She knew how much work was ahead of her. In another way, this made the second one easier. Johnson knew she could come back from it, as she swept the KSHSAA 5A State Championships in the 400, 800 and 1,600 the following year.
"It was something I was capable of doing," Johnson said. "Negatives don't really get you anywhere, so you have to find a positive in every situation. I just tried to focus on what I could control. Instead of being sad about it, go make something of it."
When she was in a boot, Johnson focused on cheering on her teammates. Instead of seeing their success — scoring toward a second straight Big 12 Outdoor Championship, for instance — as something she could not do at that moment, she viewed it as something she could do in the future.
The first two months without a boot, she said, were "really tough because you have to kind of relearn how to walk, remind yourself you're not in pain anymore, figure out mechanics and get back into shape."
She focused on the milestone moments along the way. Her first run back let her know she was "back in it." Being able to train every single day this summer and gain speed back was "really encouraging."
In all, she said it took four months before she felt like herself again. Her progression kept going, too.
"Initially, I was like a totally new runner," she said. "But it gave me a newfound motivation, kind of pushed me to put everything into it. I think I did come back stronger."
Johnson won her first two races this outdoor season, claiming the top spot in the 800 (2:09.97) and 1,500 (4:33.20) at the TCU Invitational. As K-State heads to the Texas Relays this week in Austin, the redshirt freshman's time in the 800 ranks 20th in the NCAA West Region and third in the Big 12. Her 1,500 time sits sixth in the conference.
Both represent goals for Johnson. She wants to score again at the Big 12 meet. And she would love to make it to the NCAA West Preliminary Meet, a step away from the NCAA Championships and a trip to Eugene, Oregon.
None of this is on the forefront of her mind, however. Johnson knows how quickly things can change and how long it took her to get here. She found a silver lining in her injury: A mindset to never give up or take what she has for granted.
"I definitely have a lot of appreciation," she said. "It can kind of get monotonous doing the same thing every day, but I realized there are so many people that wish they could be in my position who are injured, or I remember back to when I was injured, when this is all I wanted, and it's still all I want, but it's a reminder to be positive, enjoy the process and trust the process.
"It might not be fun every day, but the outcome is worth it."
K-State track and field's Kassidy Johnson may know the hills outside Manhattan as well as anyone. For a while last year, they were her track, one of her few physical outlets. They were her way back to what she loved.
After the 2017 cross country season and two indoor track and field meets, Johnson discovered she had a stress fracture in one of her feet. Her first collegiate campaign ended then and there, a "discouraging and frustrating" moment because "you don't necessarily know why it happens."
Johnson medically redshirted, at least retaining the year of eligibility. Still, disappointment weighed heavy on her, much like the walking boot she had to strap to her foot while healing. When it was taken off and she was cleared to start putting more pressure on her foot, she attacked her training like never before.
She started cross-training in any way she could.
Sometimes, she hopped in the pool to aqua jog or get in laps of freestyle and backstroke swimming — anything to get her heart rate up.
More often, she hopped on her bike and headed outside of Manhattan.
Johnson found hills all over. When she found one that she liked, with enough steepness to challenge her, she stopped. Then, she would bike aggressively up it. Then, she sped her way down. She did this process — "hill reps," she calls them — 10 times, before biking back to town.
"That was a pretty good workout," Johnson said.
Her return to competitive running can be described in much the same way.
Johnson's second cross-country season at K-State — her third overall, as she started her senior year at Maize South High School — was night-and-day better than her first. She lowered her top 6K time by more than two minutes. Her team finishes went as such: fourth, fourth, third, third, second and third. She only ran in three meets as a freshman; her highest team finish was fifth.
"It's definitely not my strong suit," Johnson said, "but being able to train throughout that whole (second) season, feel good and get some PRs in cross country was big."
What followed was even bigger.
This past indoor season, Johnson set a new personal best in the 800, proof that she had more than made up for lost time and opportunity from the injury. She also finished second in the 1,000-meter run at the Big 12 Indoor Championships, running the second-fastest indoor time (2:45.69) in school history. The time also would have won the event in eight of the last 10 Big 12 Indoor Championships, but that fact was neither here nor there for Johnson.
She was back. And better than ever.
"Before indoor started, I definitely didn't see myself there," Johnson said of the Big 12 meet. "Obviously it was a goal, something I wanted, to place at Big 12s, but even going to Big 12s, being on the traveling squad, I didn't necessarily have the confidence I could be that person because I hadn't run track in two years.
"Knowing that everything had paid off, I was able to progress that much and get better, it was really special."
In trying to explain her success, Johnson goes back to the days when she never saw it coming.
When she was injured, there was frustration, sure. But there was never quit. On the low days, she often referred to a phrase her mother repeated to her: "Find the silver lining." Johnson did exactly that.
She had suffered a stress fracture as a sophomore in high school. In one way, this made the second one worse. She knew how much work was ahead of her. In another way, this made the second one easier. Johnson knew she could come back from it, as she swept the KSHSAA 5A State Championships in the 400, 800 and 1,600 the following year.
"It was something I was capable of doing," Johnson said. "Negatives don't really get you anywhere, so you have to find a positive in every situation. I just tried to focus on what I could control. Instead of being sad about it, go make something of it."
When she was in a boot, Johnson focused on cheering on her teammates. Instead of seeing their success — scoring toward a second straight Big 12 Outdoor Championship, for instance — as something she could not do at that moment, she viewed it as something she could do in the future.
The first two months without a boot, she said, were "really tough because you have to kind of relearn how to walk, remind yourself you're not in pain anymore, figure out mechanics and get back into shape."
She focused on the milestone moments along the way. Her first run back let her know she was "back in it." Being able to train every single day this summer and gain speed back was "really encouraging."
In all, she said it took four months before she felt like herself again. Her progression kept going, too.
"Initially, I was like a totally new runner," she said. "But it gave me a newfound motivation, kind of pushed me to put everything into it. I think I did come back stronger."
Johnson won her first two races this outdoor season, claiming the top spot in the 800 (2:09.97) and 1,500 (4:33.20) at the TCU Invitational. As K-State heads to the Texas Relays this week in Austin, the redshirt freshman's time in the 800 ranks 20th in the NCAA West Region and third in the Big 12. Her 1,500 time sits sixth in the conference.
Both represent goals for Johnson. She wants to score again at the Big 12 meet. And she would love to make it to the NCAA West Preliminary Meet, a step away from the NCAA Championships and a trip to Eugene, Oregon.
None of this is on the forefront of her mind, however. Johnson knows how quickly things can change and how long it took her to get here. She found a silver lining in her injury: A mindset to never give up or take what she has for granted.
"I definitely have a lot of appreciation," she said. "It can kind of get monotonous doing the same thing every day, but I realized there are so many people that wish they could be in my position who are injured, or I remember back to when I was injured, when this is all I wanted, and it's still all I want, but it's a reminder to be positive, enjoy the process and trust the process.
"It might not be fun every day, but the outcome is worth it."
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