For ASU track and field senior CJ Albertson, the next few months have been nearly five years in the making — three years working towards a bachelor’s degree and the following two going to his master’s.
No matter what he was studying in the classroom, all five of those years at ASU were spent growing into a leader for his teammates.
Now in his final season with the program, Albertson will be looking to make his final mark at ASU as he aims to earn all-Pac-12 honors in the indoor track season and all-American honors come the end of spring.
But Alberton’s passions extend far beyond the track.
“I think CJ has a real passion for knowledge a real passion for continuing education,” ASU assistant track and field coach and head cross country coach Louie Quintana said. “He’s going to finish his master’s.”
Albertson received his bachelor’s degree in exercise and wellness in the fall of 2015. When asked why he chose that area, the redshirt senior said his passion for the subject started all the way back at Buchanan High School in Clovis, California.
“I used to research exercise things and different nutrition things,” Albertson said. “Even in high school I would find online lectures, physiology lectures. I would watch them, and read articles so coming into college I knew that I liked it.”
Albertson's career as a Sun Devil hit a few speed bumps out of the gate. He decided to redshirt both seasons of track (indoor and outdoor) during his freshman year and sat out for cross country his sophomore season.
“He was struggling with managing his energy like a lot of freshman do,” Quintana said. “I think he has gotten one or two B’s in his entire life. Everything he does is at a very high level.”
Albertson didn’t stay down for long, as he used his passion towards both academics and athletics to propel him towards a successful career — not to mention a successful marriage. The California native got back to his roots and started to research nutrition and exercise. He even talked to Quintana about how to best utilize his talent and achieve his potential.
“He’ll come into the office and say, ‘coach what do you think about this?’” Quintana said. “CJ is so knowledgeable and passionate that when he brings things to the table to me in our conversations, I will listen.”
Using his major as an advantage, Albertson believes many of the things he's learned inside the classroom can be applied on the track.
Albertson said while in class, he always tends to think about how the curriculum can benefit him and his teammates.
“There are things that we talk about in class that have stirred little things and prompted me to research more in depth to see if they apply to training or running or metal aspects, even nutritional things,” he said.
As Albertson has learned over the years, preparation can only get you so far in distance running; at the end of the day, success in the sport often boils down to grit and determination.
He used effort such as that on his way to first place finishes at the George Kyte Classic and the Dave Murray Invite. He also picked up a fourth-place finish at the ASU Invite.
Strong finish for CJ Albertson! #MaroonMonsoon pic.twitter.com/31Fjvfqh2U
— SunDevilTFXC (@SunDevilTFXC) October 22, 2016
"All the success that CJ has earned, and by every stretch of the imagination he has earned, is because he is a really hard-working kid," head coach Greg Kraft said. "He's really just a mentally, physically tough kid, he really is."
Albertson has yet to participate in an indoor race, primarily because the travel would have disrupted his training schedule. In two weeks Albertson should be suiting up to hit the track to tune up for his national winter track competitions.
Since Albertson has such high goals for himself this season, it would make more sense for him train now so he can perform later, making the most of not only his sport, but his hard-earned degree as well.
“You’ve just got to endure,” Kraft said. “(Albertson) has the ability to endure.”
Reach the reporter at jzaklis@gmail.com and follow @JoshZaklis on Twitter.
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