Professional runner for the BAA/Adidas, Annie Rodenfels shares how it all went down at the 2024 USATF 6k National Championships, held July 13 in Canton, OH. Rodenfels is a Dayton, OH, native now living in Boston, MA, so this is something of a "hometown race" for her. And, she has raced here twice before, coming in 2nd in 2022 and 3rd in 2023.

Rodenfels is also the reining 5k National Champion, having won that title in November 2023. Last year she also won her first 10k race, the prestigious Boston 10k for Women. Over the past year or so, Rodenfels has indeed been finding her groove in the pro ranks—the result of years of dedication and focus.

Annie Rodenfels is a competitor by nature, and that has shone through in her athletic life. She developed into a top performer during her collegiate running career, racing for the NCAA D3 school Center College in Danville, KY. While there, she became a three-time national champion, twice in the steeplechase and once in the 5000m.

Coming out of college, in 2019, with the D3 ranks being the less competitive of the collegiate ranks, even with this stellar record, Rodenfels wasn't a top prospect for a pro team. And indeed, most D3 runners don't turn pro after college. But Rodenfels had other ideas: she wanted to see where she could take her running career.

First she raced for the Asics Greenville Trek Club Elite out of South Carolina, and in 2021, Rodenfels signed with the BAA. All along the way, step by step, Rodenfels has developed her skill and ability and risen to the occasion, fueled by her strong competitive spirit.

It's that steady build and all-in determination that has gotten Rodenfels to where she is today: a contender to watch in the US pro field. This Race Report traces that progression—through ups and downs, including the recent Olympic Trials—and how it's playing out in Rodenfels's racing these days. This 6k performance exemplifies what a fierce combination hard work, experience, and an inherent drive for peak performance can be.

In this story, discover the journey of a born competitor coming into her own as a professional athlete; it's exciting!

This episode is part of the WRS Race Report series. Each episode features a top 10 performer sharing her experience at one of the USATF Road Circuit series of races. And because a race is never just about what happens on race day, you will get to know a little bit more about each one of the runners featured and how this race figures into their larger running story.

The USATF Running Circuit championship series of races happen throughout the US all year long. Each race serves as a national championship for the distance or the type of race being run. The 20k National Championships is next: September 2.

You can catch up on all the Race Reports on our website or on your favorite podcast app.

Keep Up with Annie Rodenfels

Instagram: @andrearodenfels

Previous Women's Running Stories Race Report Episodes: https://womensrunningstories.com/podcast/women-running-stories

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Music Credits

Cormac O'Regan, of Playtoh

Rockot, via Pixabay

Coma-Media, via Pixabay

penguinmusic, via Pixabay

RomanBelov, via Pixabay

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