Aaron Templeton - Creating an Identity
“The transition into pro running was rather smooth for me. The guys on my team welcomed me with open arms and it became home quickly. I started training under Coach Schwartz and immediately saw success...”
Carving your own path can often be tough to do, but when you are surround by a group of people who are their to support one’s ambition it can lead to great outcomes. Aaron Templeton has throughout his running career shown that creating your own identity can lead to great results for oneself and others.
During the early years of Templeton’s running he was able to learn about himself and who he was as a runner leading to the choices, he would eventually make down the line. For Aaron Templeton high school track and field and cross country was a place where he could find joy and happiness. “High school was a great time for me. It was a place where i could learn who i am as a runner and experiment with relatively low consequences.” During this time, Templeton would create lifelong memories through the traveling and people he met at meets. “I really remember traveling to national meets and competing with guys that i ended up competing against regularly in college and now professionally.” Through these experiences Aaron Templeton was able to learn what he wanted in the future with the sport. After a strong high school career in cross country and track an field, Templeton was being recruited many of the top colleges in the sport. “I really prioritized my coach. I was given offers from schools all over the country but i found home in a small school like furman. I knew i could build a program and pave a road there where at other universities i would be jumping on the coattails of those that came before me.” Wanting to create his own identity was major part for the school that Templeton would attend for the foreseeable future but the process was not all that easy. “Recruiting was a stressful process though. It’s hard to try and keep up with training, academics, and travel to visit schools. It’s a huge decision that i think a lot of 17 and 18 year old kids really struggle with.” Having the recruiting process both be stressful was difficult to get through but Templeton knew what he was looking for during his search which was helpful. In the ensuing years Aaron Templeton would try to create an identity for himself and the Furman running program.
Transitioning from the high school to college ranks can be a difficult one to make as there are many different moving pieces happening at the same time. For Aaron Templeton there would some struggles early on in college with understanding his identity trying to find who he was. “I had a very hard time with my transition from high school to college. It was a period in time where most of my identity was wrapped up in running. Once i figured that out i found myself really taking off in college.” Once Templeton was able to find his identity through all the change that was happening in his life, he was able to flourish leading to great results. “The highlight performance wise of college was my 2018 Cross Country Nationals 5th place finish. It was the culmination of months and months of perfect training and really hard work. A very satisfying day that really launched me to my professional career and gave me the confidence to compete against the best of the best.” This performance was instrumental for Aaron Templeton during this time in his life and moving forward with what wanted to do with running.
Having this breakout performances would give Templeton more opportunities after a strong running career at Furman. With multiple teams and shoe brands interested in Aaron Templeton their was a decision to be made once again to where he wanted to run. “There were other opportunities for me but i knew once i visited with Tinman that Boulder was the place for me. I turned down opportunities with financial offers, sold my car, packed up a moving van and hit the road. Tinman just seemed like a family to me and even more so a team.” The same idea of creating something new and greater, that also puts an emphasis on the environment leading to Templeton choosing Tinman Elite. “Not just a professional group of individuals who worked out together but were more concerned with their own self interest. Rather the guys at Tinman had a very real interest in watching the others on the team succeed.” With the team having the same goals and interests that Aaron Templeton had an easier transition than his last one. “The transition into pro running was rather smooth for me. The guys on my team welcomed me with open arms and it became home quickly. I started training under Coach Schwartz and immediately saw success. The biggest positives are that my team are my best friends and i feel empowered by them.” Being surround most days by a team of his best friends that looked out for each other and were like minded made Templeton’s transition smooth and enjoyable.
Through rough times and great times in Aaron Templeton’s running career he has been able to find himself at the end leading him success. Knowing what one wants rather then what other want for them is important and understanding that it is alright to take a risk or choose a different path then others if that is what one wants.
Direct Quotes via Aaron Templeton to Evan Smith via email (June 2020)
Photos via Aaron Templeton’s Instagram.