By Sydney Ciano
Katherine (Kate) Mitchell became a dedicated track and field star, bringing her high school love for the sport onto the collegiate track. She was drawn to the patience and honesty of running, becoming only the second Boston College Eagle to advance to the NCAA women’s outdoor 800-meter final.
The daughter of Chelsea native Anne (Zecha) Mitchell and Michael Mitchell and great-niece of Chelsea District Court Clerk Magistrate Kevin Murphy dedicated roughly 30 hours to the track each week. Between meets, three-hour practices, and rehabbing, the sport became addicting for the young runner.
Mitchell started track and field at Lynnfield High School, originally picking up the sport to keep in shape for soccer. She primarily ran the mile but also participated in the 800-meter when she first laced up her sneakers. It was at her high school track where her coaches instilled patience into her strategy, and where she fostered a love for the sport.
“I… changed my mindset where I’m not really chasing times and I’m just trying to compete and win races… A lot of times fast times come when you’re just focused on competing,” she said.
Heading to Boston College, she was a star in the mile, 800-meter, and 1,500-meter and continued to use her late-kick strategy to stay patient on the track. Being an Eagle was always a dream for Mitchell, and in her five years on the team, she was named All-American three times.
This success did not come easy, though. It took daily dedication and effort.
“It’s a really cool sport where it’s super honest,” Mitchell said regarding track and field being a sport where the effort you put in determines the results at the end of the race.
This pressure did not weigh heavy on her, though, as the high of winning kept her disciplined. She also found ways to keep her life balanced with running. While prioritizing sleep and staying focused, Mitchell also made sure she had time for her friends and work. She said the balance helped her take the pressure off the sport’s demand.
Track and field also became a key part of her social life as well, making connections with many girls on the team.
“Track can be a little bit of an individual sport, so it’s awesome being able to have team practices and be able to run with people,” Mitchell said.
During lockdown and social distancing due to Covid-19, though, these team practices were paused. The Eagles did their best to stay connected during these early stages of the pandemic. Mitchell, though, was faced with an additional challenge, unrelated to the pandemic.
On a run, she tripped over her feet and exposed bone, shredding her patella tendon. For 15 weeks, Mitchell was completely sidelined from a sport for the first time in her life, being restrained by a full-leg brace.
“That time away from the sport was really hard, but really showed me how much I cared about [track and field],” she reflected.
Getting back into the rhythm of track and field her senior year, Mitchell remembered wanting to put her all onto the track after her sophom*ore and junior years were affected by the pandemic. She credited her supportive coaches and sports medicine staff who helped her bounce back from the injury. Mitchell specifically mentioned Bert Lenz, director of Boston College’s Sports Medicine.
“[Lenz] helped me so much from a physical side [and] also helped me mentally… I can’t thank sports medicine enough. I wouldn’t be where I am without them,” she said, emphasizing how instrumental they were to her career.
Even with coaching changes as an Eagle, Mitchell thanked each coach that has come her way on the collegiate track: “Everyone that has coached me at BC has had so much knowledge that they’ve been able to share… they’ve instilled so much confidence in me that it’s allowed me to believe in myself and that… set the bar higher in reaching levels.”
She also said that Boston College’s partnership with New Balance was a “game changer,” as the team had access to one of the fastest tracks in the country on a daily basis.
Mitchell was granted a fifth year due to Covid-19 and went into the season feeling like a pro. During this fifth year, aside from reaching the NCAA final, she set a number of school records and personal bests. For instance, at the ACC Women’s Indoor 800 meter Championship, Mitchell placed first with a time of 2 minutes, 3 seconds and set a school record. On the outdoor track with a time of 2:01.73 in the 800-meter at the ACC Outdoor Championships, Mitchell won gold and placed another record in the Boston College books.
“There have been so many insanely talented women that have come through Boston College’s track program, so it just was such… an honor to be able to even compete and break those records… I know how talented those women are,” she said, mentioning it helped with her confidence on the track as well.
This confidence in her ability took her all the way to the NCAA women’s final twice, including her senior year. After tending to a stomach bug the day before this year’s race, Mitchell finished ninth with a time of 2:05.66.
“I… did all I could and went for it… I came up short, but at least I know I left it all out there,” she said.
As her days on the college track concluded, Mitchell said her days as a runner had not.
She is currently looking to pursue the upcoming Olympic Trials in February, 2024, and wants to try the Boston Marathon at least once in her life. The Marathon passed by her while at Boston College, and she was inspired to try and take on the challenge.
Aside from running, Mitchell earned her undergraduate degree in finance and business analytics and pursued an MBA degree at BC with a concentration in management. She is currently a financial analyst for TJX.
With her dedication to and love for track and field, though, she’ll “definitely always be a runner.”
