Brie Oakley’s decision to give up soccer for running is sound. Not that the Grandview junior needed any more confirmation after she finished second in the state in cross country, but it came when she opened the Class 5A state track meet with a bang.
In the first final of the three-day meet — her state track debut — Oakley laid down a time of 10 minutes, 33.14 seconds in the 3,200 meter run to set the 5A state meet record and take down the mark of former Boulder star Melody Fairchild.
“I’m definitely in the right place,” Oakley said with a smile.
It’s been a short trip to the right place for Oakley, who played soccer for more than decade growing up and came into the school year continuing on her path on the pitch. Soccer friends on the cross country team urged her to try it out and she became an instant star with a bright future ahead.
While she was a solid soccer player on the club and high school level — she played a reserve role for coach Tari Wood on Grandview’s Class 5A state championship team last season — Oakley has become Aurora (and the state’s) next great distance runner. With an elite level of fitness and built-in competitive streak, she has earned a big reputation in the sport in just a short time.
Oakley set Grandview cross country records all over the place, won the Centennial League championship and finished second at the Class 5A state meet in the fall, where she challenged three-time state champion Lauren Gregory of Fort Collins the entire way. Oakley also qualified for the Nike Cross Nationals and finished 26th in a nationwide field of 197 elite runners and was one of five cross country runners honored by the Colorado Running Hall of Fame last month.
Read more: Grandview’s Brie Oakley rolls to 5A state title, meet record on opening day | Aurora Sentinal