By Blake Colston
Sports Editor
Kasey Rein doesn’t plan on slowing down anytime soon.
If anything, the former Piedmont High School swim star is speeding up.
Her next goal? To run in – and complete without walking – the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon this October.
“I want to be able to say I ran a marathon.I have the endurance,”she said, noting that her background in swimming made it easier to pick up long-distance running. “I just have to teach my body how to run for four straight hours.”
There’s no reason to bet against Rein.
She won multiple individual swim state titles for Piedmont and parlayed a strong high school career into a Division-I scholarship opportunity at Evansville University in Indiana.
“I think I have a good amount of will-power. When I put my mind to something, I’m going to accomplish it,” she said.
Rein Held the second fastest 200 butterfly time for the Aces during her junior season at a 2:09.74, good for a top 20 finish at Missouri Valley Conference Championships. She also served as team captain, was named to the Missouri Valley Conference Honor Roll and received the MVC Commissioner’s Academic Excellence Award.
Rein fought through homesickness with the help of her teammates and multiple 10-hour drives back to Oklahoma. Her family supported her by attending meets in Indiana, Missouri, Arkansas and Iowa. If her teammates from across the country and globe could manage being away from home for four years, Rein could too, she said.
“I loved being a college athlete. It was such a rewarding experience” she said. “I made friends for life there.”
Rein graduated with her Bachelors of Nursing degree from Evansville in 2018. She’s a registered nurse at Canadian Valley Integris Hospital now and is taking classes online at Seton Hall University to become a nurse practitioner within three years.
She said she doesn’t swim much anymore, which is why running and weight-lifting have become big parts of her workout regimen. A triathlon could be in her plans soon, too.
“Some people might think it’s a little crazy, but I love the endorphins that running brings,” she said. “Especially with the stress from work and school, running really helps with that.”
On a normal day, Rein runs three to five miles. On a heavy day, she’ll extend to eight miles. Before the pandemic, Rein was up to 18 miles per run while gearing up for Memorial Marathon. She also lifts weights four times per week.
It’s not easy to commit to the rigorous exercise routine, but her college experience taught her how to stay dedicated to goals.
“It taught me how to be responsible,” she said. “I know how much harder it would be to run this marathon if I didn’t practice. That keeps me going.”
