17. Nia Akins’ Sky is the Limit

In this episode...

• Who is Nia Akins?


• Switching from soccer to running


• Mom’s influence and 400m success at the University of Missouri


• Draw to UPenn for nursing and people


• Memories from last collegiate meet


• HS experiences and goals leading into college


• Transitioning from west to east coast


• Turning point in realizing national caliper potential


• Mindset for performing best at biggest meets


• Building confidence in fitness through racing


• XC as an 800m/mid-distance runner


• The whole new experience of having the opportunities to race at the highest levels


• Experience running at USAs


• Geeking out over pro runners and finding focus in that atmosphere


• Surreal racing experiences


• Travel experiences: Chile study abroad winter break trip and Cornell-Penn UK summer trip


• Looking back at COVID-19 and college running career


• Future goals


• Looking towards Olympics, consistency and mindset change 


• Messages to younger & future selves and younger college runners

Some of Nia’s accomplishments

• 2020 University of Pennsylvania Nursing and nutritional science major


• Ran second fastest 800m time in NCAA history (2:00.71) at the 2020 BU Valentine Invite


• 2019 NCAA D1 Indoor and Outdoor Nationals Runner-up in 800m


• Seventh-place finisher at USATF Outdoor Championships


• 8 UPenn School records


• Roster: https://pennathletics.com/sports/womens-track-and-field/roster/nia-akins/15790

More Nia Media to check out:

• Runner’s World article by Nia: “I’m an All-American Runner and Ivy League Grad. I Still Can’t Escape Racism.” https://www.runnersworld.com/runners-stories/a32825698/nia-akins-ncaa-runner-racial-discrimination/


• Women’s Running: NCAA Star Nia Akins Plots Her Professional Future—in Seattle: https://www.womensrunning.com/culture/news/nia-akins-signs-with-brooks-beasts/


• Dyestat QUARANTINE CONVERSATIONS - EP86 - NIA AKINS: https://www.dyestat.com/gprofile.php?mgroup_id=44531&do=videos&video_id=298775


• LetsRun Podcast: 800m Star and New Brooks Beast Nia Akins + Christian Coleman Gets Strike Three? https://www.letsrun.com/news/2020/06/coleman-nia-akins/

***Donate to the National Queer and Trans Therapist of Color Network’s (NQTTCN) Mental Health Fund: https://linktr.ee/nqttcn ***

• Awesome podcast episode about NQTTCN: https://lacura.podbean.com/?fbclid=IwAR2FOvBPqZJ-CMJQYOjRsyg7Z9mU38Mxwvi4OZZ9ONqZVgZGPbPXr4w-aBQ


• Insta: https://www.instagram.com/nqttcn/?hl=en


• For June 2020, contact me w/ confirmation of your donation (feel free to cover any personal info, donation amount, etc) and I pledge to contribute $5 for every new donation that a listener of this podcast makes to NQTTCN for up tp $100 of my own money total. Thank you :)


• Insta: @markoshaley


• Email: [email protected]

Justice for the Black and Trans communities: 

• Petitions: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/#petitions


• https://www.change.org/p/black-lives-matter-actvists-justice-for-nina-pop


• Justice in June educational resource: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1H-Vxs6jEUByXylMS2BjGH1kQ7mEuZnHpPSs1Bpaqmw0/edit


• Violence Against the Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Community in 2020: https://www.hrc.org/resources/violence-against-the-trans-and-gender-non-conforming-community-in-2020?fbclid=IwAR2AAZmmFTAlSGlAUVJndMrLdeqqJ498Nnj93UwKgwQLv9z1VBCwo6iFKO4