Amy Yoder Begley

{{Infobox sportsperson

| name = Amy Yoder Begley

| image =

| imagesize =

| caption =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|mf=y|1978|01|11}}

| birth_place = Topeka, Indiana, U.S.{{cite web|url=http://www.fast-women.com/athletes/interviews/amyyoderbegley.html|title=Interview with Amy Yoder Begley|author=Alison Wade|website=Fast-Women.com|publisher=New York Road Runners|date=August 18, 2003|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090418044226/http://www.fast-women.com/athletes/interviews/amyyoderbegley.html|archive-date=April 18, 2009|access-date=March 16, 2016}}

| height = 5 ft 4 in

| weight = 116 lbs

| website = {{URL|http://amybegley.com/}}

| country = {{USA}}

| event = 3000 m, 5000 m, 10,000 m

| club = Atlanta Track Club

| turnedpro =

| coach = Andrew Begley

| collegeteam = Arkansas Razorbacks (1997–01)

| retired =

| pb =

3000 m: 8:53.27

5000 m: 14:56.72

10000 m: 31:13.78

| olympics = 2008 10000 m, 26th

| worlds = 2009 10000 m, 6th

| highestranking =

| coaching =

| medaltemplates =

}}

Amy Yoder Begley (née Yoder; born January 11, 1978{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.usatf.org/Athlete-Bios/Archive-Bios/Amy-Yoder-Begley.aspx| title=AMY YODER BEGLEY | publisher=USA Track & Field | access-date=March 16, 2016}}) is an American running coach and former middle and long-distance runner. Yoder Begley was a national champion at three different distances (3k indoor, 10k road, 15k road) and competed in the 10,000 meter event at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.

High school career

Yoder Begley attended East Noble High School in Kendallville, Indiana. She was a four-time state champion (one cross country and three 3200 meter titles){{cite web|url=http://www.wndu.com/sports/headlines/22491639.html|title=Goshen born Amy Yoder qualifies for Olympics in thrilling fashion|author=Angelo Di Carlo|date=June 28, 2008|website=wndu.com|publisher=WNDU-TV|access-date=March 16, 2016|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130209180110/http://www.wndu.com/sports/headlines/22491639.html|archive-date=February 9, 2013|url-status=dead}} and held the 3200 meter state record from 1996 until 2011 when it was broken by Culver Academy's Waverly Neer.{{cite web|url=http://www.ihsaa.org/Portals/0/girls%20sports/girls%20track/2010-11/201011Recap/tabid/1133/Default.aspx|title=2010-11 IHSAA STATE TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS RECAP|date=June 4, 2011|publisher=Indiana High School Athletic Association|access-date=March 16, 2016}}

Collegiate career

Yoder Begley graduated from the University of Arkansas in 2001. She was a two-time NCAA champion and a 15-time All-American.{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.usatf.org/news/view.aspx?DUID=USATF_2008_06_27_22_06_11|title=Stirring performances put Flanagan, Goucher and Yoder Begley on Olympic Team|author=Jill Geer|publisher=USA Track & Field|date=June 27, 2008|access-date=March 16, 2016}} She was 2000 SEC Female Athlete of the Year, and in 2016 she was selected to the Southeastern Conference 2016 Class of Women's Legends representing Arkansas.{{cite web|url=http://www.arkansasrazorbacks.com/arkansas-legend-honored-by-sec/|title=Arkansas Legend Honored By SEC |author=Joy Ekema-Agbaw | date=January 21, 2016 | publisher=University of Arkansas |access-date=March 16, 2016}} She won the Honda Sports Award as the nation's top female cross country runner in 2000.{{Cite web|url=https://uconnhuskies.com/sports/womens-cross-country/roster/coaches/amy-yoder-begley/256|title=Amy Yoder Begley - Women's Cross Country Coach|website=University of Connecticut Athletics|language=en|access-date=2020-03-29}}{{Cite journal|url=https://www.collegiatewomensportsawards.com/archives/cross_country|title=Cross Country|website=CWSA|language=en|access-date=2020-04-16}}

Professional career

Yoder Begley was a Nike Oregon Project athlete from 2007{{cite magazine|author=Brian Metzler |magazine=Runner's World|date=April 9, 2011|title=Amy Begley: A Study in Tenacity|url=http://www.runnersworld.com/elite-runners/amy-begley-a-study-in-tenacity|access-date=March 16, 2016}} to 2011.{{cite news|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/trackandfield/index.ssf/2011/10/olympian_amy_yoder_begley_beco.html| title=Olympian Amy Yoder Begley becomes the second high-profile departure from the Nike Oregon Project | author=Ken Goe | date=October 14, 2011 | work=The Oregonian | access-date=March 16, 2016}} She trained with Galen Rupp, Kara Goucher, Adam Goucher, and Josh Rohatinsky under coach Alberto Salazar, who was later banned for life.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/31/sports/alberto-salazar-sexual-assault.html|title=Disgraced Running Coach Was Barred for Life for Alleged Sexual Assault|first1=Kevin|last1=Draper|first2=Matthew|last2=Futterman|date=January 31, 2022|work=The New York Times}}

Yoder Begley placed third in the 10,000 meters at the 2008 USA Track & Field Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon, setting a new personal record of 31:43.60 and qualifying for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.usatf.org/events/2008/OlympicTrials-TF/results/F14.asp|title=2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Track & Field - Results - Women's 10000 Meter Run|publisher=USA Track & Field|date=June 27, 2008|access-date=March 16, 2016}} She placed 26th in the final of the 10,000 meters at the Olympics.{{cite web|url=http://www.nbcolympics.com/trackandfield/news/newsid=218940.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080816224021/http://www.nbcolympics.com/trackandfield/news/newsid%3D218940.html |title=American Flanagan gets bronze in 10,000m |author=Alan Abrahamson |date=August 15, 2008 |website=NBCOlympics.com |archive-date=August 16, 2008 |access-date=March 16, 2016 |url-status=dead }}

Yoder Begley finished first in the 10,000 meter event at the 2009 USA Track & Field Championship on June 25, 2009, in Eugene, Oregon.{{cite news| url=http://www.oregonlive.com/trackandfield/index.ssf/2009/06/amy_yoder_begley_digs_deep_out.html | work=The Oregonian | title=Amy Yoder Begley digs deep, outlegs Shalane Flanagan for U.S. title | date=June 25, 2009 | author=Ken Goe | access-date=March 16, 2016}} This qualified her to compete in the 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics held in Berlin. She finished in sixth place and set a new personal record with a time of 31:13.78.{{cite web|url=http://berlin.iaaf.org/results/racedate=08-15-2009/sex=W/discCode=10K/combCode=hash/roundCode=f/results.html#detW_10K_hash_f |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090818022847/http://berlin.iaaf.org/results/racedate%3D08-15-2009/sex%3DW/discCode%3D10K/combCode%3Dhash/roundCode%3Df/results.html |archive-date=August 18, 2009 |title=12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics - 10,000 Metres - W FINAL |publisher=International Association of Athletics Federations |date=August 15, 2009 |url-status=dead }}

In 2013, she became the women's cross country coach and women's track and field assistant coach at the University of Connecticut.{{cite web|url=http://www.uconnhuskies.com/sports/w-track/spec-rel/080113aaa.html|title=AMY YODER BEGLEY NAMED WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY HEAD COACH|date=August 1, 2013|publisher=University of Connecticut|access-date=March 16, 2016}}

In December 2014 she was hired as the first full-time coach in the 50-year history of the Atlanta Track Club. Among her responsibilities are creating training programs for the club's 21,000 members and training two athletes for the 2020 Summer Olympics.{{cite news |author=Doug Roberson |date=December 22, 2014 |title=Q&A: Atlanta Track Club coach Amy Begley |url=http://www.ajc.com/news/sports/pro-sports/qa-atlanta-track-club-coach-amy-begley/njYZm/ |access-date=March 16, 2016 |work=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution}} The club announced they were separating from Yoder Begley and her husband in 2023.{{Cite web |last=Gazette |first=Aubree Reichel {{!}} For The Journal |date=2024-04-16 |title=Kendallville native Amy Yoder Begley out to change women's running |url=https://www.journalgazette.net/sports/olympics/kendallville-native-amy-yoder-begley-out-to-change-womens-running/article_c3d4cab4-fa11-11ee-b77a-37b367c33cb9.html |access-date=2024-06-24 |website=Fort Wayne Journal Gazette |language=en}}

In 2019, Yoder Begley made substantiated allegations against Alberto Salazar for abuse pertaining to her body and ultimately kicking her off the team for her weight.{{Cite web |last=Lodi |first=Marie |date=2019-11-14 |title=Another Nike Runner Says Coach Criticized Her Body |url=https://www.thecut.com/2019/11/amy-yoder-begley-alberto-salazar-nike.html |access-date=2024-06-24 |website=The Cut |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=sport |first=Guardian |date=2023-11-28 |title=Nike and Salazar settle $20m lawsuit alleging abuse of US track prodigy |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/nov/28/nike-and-salazar-settle-20m-lawsuit-alleging-abuse-of-track-prodigy |access-date=2024-06-24 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}} She also alleged that Salazar made her sign a contract saying she wouldn't become friends with any of her teammates at the Nike Oregon Project.{{Cite web |last=Strout |first=Erin |date=2019-11-14 |title=Why Women Will Save Running |url=https://www.womensrunning.com/culture/why-women-will-save-running/ |access-date=2024-06-24 |website=Women's Running |language=en-US}}

Yoder Begley was hired by USATF in 2023 as the director of long distance running programs. She founded and mentors the Heartland Athletics Club, coached by Andrew Begley and Bianca Martin with athletes Allie Wilson, Emma Grace Hurley, and Gemma Finch.

=Highlights=

15-Time NCAA All-American in Cross Country and Track
2-Time NCAA National Champion in Track
2000 USA Olympic Trials Qualifier
2000 Honda Sports Award winner for cross country{{Cite journal|url=https://www.collegiatewomensportsawards.com/archives/cross_country|title=Cross Country|website=CWSA|language=en|access-date=2020-03-29}}
2001 Avon National 10k Champion
2002 United States Team Member - Beijing Ekiden
2002 RRCA Road Scholar Grant Recipient
2002 Avon Global Championships Runner-up
2004 USA Olympic Trials Qualifier
2004 USATF 10k Road National Champion
2008 US Olympic Team, 10k
2009 USATF Indoor 3k champion
2009 USA 15k Championship - 1st Place{{cite web|url=http://1stplacesports.com/grr.html#history|title=History of the Gate River Run|publisher=Gate River Run|access-date=March 16, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160318232844/http://1stplacesports.com/grr.html#history|archive-date=March 18, 2016|url-status=dead}}
2009 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships 10k, 1st place. Set personal and track record with a time of 31:22.69
2009 World Championships in Athletics 10k, 6th place.

{{cite web|url=http://begleytrack.com/resume.html|title=Amy Yoder Begley - Resume|access-date=March 16, 2016}}

Personal life

In 2006, Yoder Begley was diagnosed with Celiac Disease.{{cite web|url=http://www.journalgazette.net/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080809/SPORTS13/808090340/-1/SPORTS# |title=Running over medical obstacles |last=Rothstein |first=Michael |date=August 9, 2008 |work=The Journal Gazette |access-date=March 16, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090618124945/http://www.journalgazette.net/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20080809%2FSPORTS13%2F808090340%2F-1%2FSPORTS |archive-date=June 18, 2009 |url-status=dead }}

She married her husband Andrew Begley in 2000;{{cite web |url=https://x.com/yoderbegley/status/1282703261930344448?lang=en}} Begley is also a running coach and partner of Yoder Begley with the Heartland Athletics Club. In 2020, Yoder Begley announced she and her husband had a commitment ceremony with their mutual partner of three years, Stephanie Reynolds Begley.{{Cite web |title=Instagram |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CClnxaJHp-U/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link |access-date=2024-06-24 |website=www.instagram.com}}