“I double knot my shoelaces, and I'm at practice on time every day, 6 a.m., Monday through Friday.” These are just a few of his keys to success as a cross-country runner for BYU–Hawaii, said Dallin Olander.
Olander, a sophomore majoring in accounting, is originally from Washington. Growing up, he participated in a variety of sports, including swimming freestyle and butterfly, basketball, soccer, and baseball.
“Cross-country is a family tradition,” he said. He explained how he and his siblings could participate in whatever sports they wanted to in the winter, spring and summer, but during the fall season they had to do cross-country.
He is in his sixth year of running, which is an accomplishment for him. He explained consistency is key in the process of improving, whether in running, or in life. “The only person you have to beat is the person you were yesterday,” Olander said.
He said he is eager to get off the beaten path and find the hidden gems that come with running on trails. “I call myself ‘The Trailblazer’ because no one else will call me that.” He explained how getting a beautiful view of sunrises isn't reserved for the weekend hiking excursions. “It's a five days a week occurrence!” he exclaimed.
Jon Hooke, one of Olander’s former BYUH cross-country teammates, said, “He added comedy. He even made a hard work-out funny with his stupid comments.”
Amanda Turnbull, a fellow cross-country runner and close friend of Olander, said, ‘When you're teammates with Dazzle, running becomes a lot more enjoyable.”
Turnbull, a sophomore from Utah studying social work, said she enjoys the spirit of camaraderie he brings to the team. On the weekends, the women’s and men’s teams occasionally get together for game nights or team dinners, said Olander.
Olander said some of the best advice he received was, “If you had fun, you won.” He said, “From that point on, winning became a whole lot easier.”
As far as his plans for the future, Olander said, “I want to have a solid occupation and I feel like accounting comes naturally to me.”
He continued, “I am in my first accounting class this semester and it is actually super interesting. It's nice to be taking classes that are relevant to the rest of my life.”
He said since returning from his mission in Panama, he has become a lot more absorbed in his schoolwork but enjoys surfing in his free time.