Jane Vongvorachoti.
Thai-American marathoner and 2016 Olympics qualifier Jane Vongvorachoti aims to give her best performance to date at the Rio Games, which run from Aug 5-21.
The feisty runner, who is making her Olympics debut, played for Thailand’s women’s national football team for seven years. Gifted in playing multiple sports, the 32-year-old has come a long way since giving long-distance running a go six years ago.
Despite having much to be thankful for, Jane has also had her share of trials and tribulations. Her motto to just be happy has carried her through such times.
“My motto comes from the tough times I’ve been through. I’ve fought through depression and times when money has been tight, and times when people did not treat me right.
“If you start with this simple motto, everything else pretty much falls into place. You react more positively with others, you run better because you are more relaxed, you will be more open to loving others and receiving love, you will be able to inspire others.
“For me this extends to inspiring people to take up fitness. Every day I love coaching and helping others reach their best both emotionally and physically. It’s important to stay in shape and work out every day, or at least be active. Being active is good for your health, prevents many diseases, and keeps you injury-free and more mobile and independent as you get older.”
Speaking on her goals for the Rio Olympics, Jane said: “I expect to compete at my best and nothing less. The competition will be hard but I have run international major marathons before. I’ll shoot for a PR [personal record] but will make adjustments according to the heat and humidity, which are expected to be high. I never count myself out from winning. You never know; it could be my day. But at the same time I respect my competitors. My biggest competitors are Kenya, Ethiopia and the US because they’re long-distance running powerhouses.”
Born and raised in New York, she has an elder brother who is a sports-medicine doctor. She proudly added that it was he who helped her recover from an injury sustained prior to last year’s SEA Games, where she clinched a bronze medal in the 10,000m, the first medal for Thailand in this category.
It was inevitable that Jane would follow her brother’s passion for sports as she grew up in his shadow.
“I played basketball [with him], watched the same television shows and would run and bike after him,” she remarked fondly. “So I picked up soccer because that was his favourite sport. Soccer was my love. I played on a travel soccer team then the New York state team, eventually a premier club team that led to me being recruited to play at Columbia University and St. John’s University, both top Division I teams. I played with the Thailand national football team from 2003-2010. I also played in a semi-professional league in New York.”
While she has played a number of sports with equal gusto and passion, it was the marathon that she was finally smitten by. She equates long-distance running with life’s arduous yet fulfilling journey.
“The marathon has taught me so many lessons. You learn about yourself during the training leading up to the competition and just running the marathon itself. I’ve learned many things from each marathon I’ve run. I’ve learned how mentality is everything and how to change your mindset when things get hard. I’ve learned to really plan and visualise my goals.
“I’ve been through injury and fought my way back into shape again. The marathon teaches you patience and not to underestimate the difficulty of it. I have learned to finish workouts and races when it was so painful and my legs wanted to fold up right under me.
“Run a marathon or train for one correctly and you’ll know what I’m talking about. Every marathon, you face new challenges. This one will be how I compete in warm conditions and [against] a higher level of competition.”
Her actual journey to the Rio Olympics began after she competed at the 2014 Chicago Marathon. Last year, Jane ran the Berlin Marathon, where she was found to be low in iron and vitamin D. She sought medical assistance to help her get back to training and then qualified for this year’s Olympics at the Houston Marathon in January, while she took a year-and-a-half off from her job as a physical education teacher at Brooklyn Friends School in order to focus on training.
Her most memorable victory to date was 2014 Chicago marathon, where she ran her fastest race, clocking in at 2.40.40, qualifying her for the World Championships. A close second was her 2016 SEA Games debut in Singapore.
“Nothing compares to wearing your national team jersey and representing your country. Winning Thailand’s first medal in this event was amazing, especially because I was coming off an injury from five weeks before.”
Her most recent performance at the 2016 Brooklyn Half Marathon, where she ran a personal best of 1.15.13, was also memorable, because it proved to her that hard work, belief in herself, trying a new training method and perseverance pay off handsomely at the finish line.
One “special” person who has been by her side from the start is her fiancé, Sean Gage.
“He has run hard workouts with me towards the end,” said Jane. “He would accompany me towards the end of my long runs. He came to every major competition, no matter where it was. He helped me literally take off my shoes at the end of my marathons, kept me focused in training, and always checked in with me to see how I was doing. He has sacrificed so much for me. He would make sure I was all set for races, from planning to race day and afterwards. I can’t thank him enough.”
Mentoring by her coaches, both in the US and Thailand, has refined not just her running techniques but her character.
“I’ve had many coaches, from soccer to running, and each and every one of them has made a huge impact on me and who I am today. I can’t single one out because each one played a role in building me up. I have received undying support from coaches spending extra time after practice, countless phone calls to discuss training, and more. Each coach has taught me different values and ways to improve my mental as well as physical toughness. They’re the reason I’m a coach today to youth and adult athletes.
“Dreams are meant to be lived. They can happen with planning — that’s how I achieved my dream. It took many failures and years of persistence, but it paid off.
“Do not listen to those who are negative. Surround yourself with positive people with good energy and you can get to your dreams. Take small steps. There will be days when it seems you need to take a step back before you can go forward, but don’t be discouraged. If you feel you need to be inspired, you can always reach out and follow me on Facebook or Instagram, and I would love to keep inspiring you and others.”
Jane’s close-knit family, whom she describes as her world, have been a pillar of strength. Her older brother and parents have all contributed to the well-rounded person she is today.
She picked up her competitiveness from none other than her elder brother, recalling fondly how even when she was little, he would never let her win easily. This taught her early in life that if she wanted to win, she had to learn to get better, practice more and figure out what she could do to make it happen.
Jane couldn’t have asked for better parents, saying today: “My mom and dad have been my heart and soul. They drove me to every practice, and were on the sidelines of all my soccer games and any other event from day one. Not many parents can do that. It was hard on my parents too, but they knew how important it was to be there for me.
“In the last few years of competing in running, they have really been there, flying all over the world following me and calling to check on how I’m doing. During the toughest of times, they’ve cooked every meal, driven me to practice so I can relax in the car, done my laundry and made sure I had whatever I needed to perform. They knew how important rest was for me.”
This source first appeared on Bangkok Post Lifestyle.