CAMERON
LEVINS
&
THE
150 miles per week leads senior runner to NCAA 5K and 10K national championships and London Olympics If you’ve lived in Cedar City
very ordinary 14:58 5000m who
over the past five years, you’ve
looked much the same as everyone
likely crossed Cameron Levins’
else in the Thunderbirds’ incoming
(’12) path; in a town that is just
freshman squad. He has since
20.1 square miles, there’s not a
shaved a remarkable two-and-a-
road the SUU Track and Field
half minutes off his 5K and, at
distance runner hasn’t traveled.
press time, had passed through the
What
the
happenstance
London Olympic preliminaries to
observer may not know, however,
qualify for the 5000m medal race.
as they drive past the wiry
Of his turning point, Levins
roadside runner in the SUU
guesses, “I wasn’t much better
singlet, is that they are witness
than any other recruit. But I came
to something spectacular. For in
from such a small area with no
those runs from one end of town
one to train with; once I got to
to the other that combine to more
SUU and started working with the
than 150 miles per week, is the
team, I just started improving.”
making of a champion unlike
When asked about his own
any Southern Utah University has
hopes for Levins in those early
ever seen.
years, SUU Track and Field Coach
In July—shortly after racing to national championship standing
Class of 2012: Cam received his Bachelor of Science in Physical Education and Human Performance in May.
in the men’s 5K and 10K, bringing SUU its first two Division I NCAA National Championship
Eric Houle (’81) simply laughs, “I thought, ‘OK, he could be an all conference guy, and maybe he
could qualify for nationals…”
titles in any sport—Levins left Cedar City for the United
Houle trails off, glancing at his stopwatch as Levins—
Kingdom, on roster to compete for his home country
best known for his breakneck finishing times—whirs past,
of Canada in the Men’s 10,000m and 5000m races in
completing the fifth of 16 400m sprints on the agenda for
the 2012 Olympic Summer Games. Though many of his
the morning’s training. “Good,” Houle half smiles and then
most Herculean accomplishments lie in wait, yet to be
resumes, “There was no way to know what was to come.”
determined in an international arena, it would appear
He continues, “What I did know, and this is exactly the
Levins and his superhuman stamina are right on track. Looking ahead, beyond the NCAA championships and
reason I went after him in the first place, is that he was a hard worker and that he really, really cared.”
the London Olympics, Levins now goes professional with
From humble beginnings, Levins has taken the running
plans to race on the European Circuit and has signed a
world by storm with Olympic "A" standard times of
long-term, very lucrative contract with Nike.
13:18.47 in the 5000m (a personal best he then surpassed
Just a few years ago, however, as a college freshman who
with the 13:18.29 Olympic qualifier finish) and 27:27.96 in
was not actively recruited by any college but sought out
the 10,000m, the year's fastest "non-African" time for the
SUU through an online inquiry form, Levins’ aim was much
distance and Canada's second fastest time in history. But
simpler: “I just wanted to qualify to compete in each meet.”
you wouldn’t know it by talking to him.
It is obvious the 23-year-old runner has come a long way
Cam, as he is better known, has little interest
since he first left Black Creek, B.C., an 18-year-old with a
in talking about himself and while he appreciates
6
IN VIEW