Former Linfield cross country and track & field standout Emma Knudson has joined the semi-professional running ranks, signing with a Hoka One One training team in January.
 
A 2018 NCAA Division III All-American in the 1,500-meter run, Knudson moved to San Luis Obispo, California, to join the Hoka Aggies, a developmental training club aimed at helping runners such as Knudson bridge the gap from amateur to professional running.
 
"Being able to join a group like the Hoka Aggies means everything to me," Knudson said. "Running is a huge passion of mine, and I didn't know if I would be able to take it beyond college with a sponsored club. I still have a long way to go. I'm definitely getting worked hard here, but I've been loving it."
 
Graduating from Linfield last May with a bachelor's degree in creative writing, Wildcats cross country head coach Mike Blackmore put Knudson in contact with Joe Rubio, the Hoka Aggies coach. And after the two met, Knudson knew the team would be a good fit.
 
"I knew even before I graduated that I wanted to compete post-collegiately, so although it was an intimidating move, it felt like a natural progression," she said.
 
Following graduation, Knudson spent nearly three months traveling through Iceland to take time off from intense training to recover from illness and injury. When it was finally time for her to start training with the Hoka Aggies, she was far from peak fitness.
 
"Some days are harder than others. There are times when I think I made a mistake because I'm so far behind athletically. But in the end, I know that's part of the process," she said. "It's normal to question yourself and your decisions. But I know that so long as I can still bear down, remember that I'm here because I qualified for their program, believe in their training, and keep in mind my passion for running and competing, I'll be okay."
 
Because Knudson boasts a 1,500-meter personal best of 4:31.27, she's considered an Olympic Development athlete by Hoka One One, meaning she is provided with training gear, a travel allowance and the opportunity to make money based on performance.
 
Despite the perks, Knudson will still be working a full-time job to supplement her training and living expenses. In sports like football and basketball, professional athletes are paid through contracts with a team and are able to make enough money to support themselves without an extra job. Professional runners, on the other hand, are not paid for being on a team or in a league, per se; rather, they are paid through sponsors — like Hoka One One — and through race earnings. And most of the time, the earnings of professional runners are not enough to support their training without the aid of another job. For the most part, it is only the top national contending runners who earn enough to support themselves without another job.
 
Kundson's goal is to improve enough to be a national contender. As it stands, she has a ways to go to achieve that. But she was also nowhere close to being a collegiate national contender when she arrived to Linfield her freshman year of college. And in four short years she was able to earn All-American honors and is now training as a professional runner.
 
"I have worked hard to get to this point, so I keep how far I've already come in mind as motivation moving forward," Knudson said. "I know I can improve, and I'm excited to see how much I can improve."