Every college athlete has their own personal reasons for competing everyday. For some, it's about the winning above everything else, while others participate because of the team camaraderie and to develop life-long relationships.
 
For senior cross country runner Alli Lowenstein this season has been about more than just competition and community; it has been about perseverance and pushing through pain and obstacles.
 
Over the summer of 2012, Lowenstein was training for her senior cross country season, running in a state park in New York when she was struck by a passing car.
 
"It was a hit-and-run," said Lowenstein.  "People who were passing by found me on the ground and called 9-1-1.  I obviously didn't know then, but my life would never be the same because I had suffered a traumatic brain injury."
 
In the days following her injury, doctors didn't know if Lowenstein would ever be able to run, read or even write again.  She was having trouble remembering what occurred following the accident.
 
"When I was first recovering, my brain was pretty bad and I was delusional," said Lowenstein. "Half of my skull had to be taken out, so I was living for a few months without a skull and had to wear a helmet."
 
The seriousness of the accident took some time to sink in for Lowenstein, who was insistent on coming back to Oberlin and running.
 
"My teammate Melissa (Shulman) came to visit me in the rehab facility before she went to Oberlin for cross country camp," explained Lowenstein. "I told her I was going back with her, but obviously my parents would not let me go. I didn't recognize the reality of my situation at that time."
 
Before Alli could even think about running, she would have to learn how to walk first. With time and rigorous physical therapy,she was able to walk with assistance from her therapist.
 
"My physical therapist set me up in a harness connected to a treadmill to help me run," said Lowenstein.  "The first time we did the exercise I ran for two minutes and it was two of the most exciting minutes of my life."
 
An East Asian Studies major, Lowenstein had gone to Hang Zhou, China, her junior year to study Chinese. She participated in a language pledge and spoke only Chinese the entire time she was abroad. Her love of the Chinese language became apparent after her injury.
 
"Following the accident, the doctors would ask me questions in English and I answered them in Chinese," said Lowenstein.
 
After a full recovery, Alli wanted to return to Oberlin to finish her last semester of school and prove to herself that she could still compete on the cross country course. Having battled through the pain and agony of a traumatic brain injury, she knew any pain she would endure on the course wouldn't compare.
 
"I wasn't running for times this year, I was running to be strong and feel good," said Lowenstein. "I wanted to test myself and prove to myself that I could still run."
 
After coming back to watch her teammates compete in the 2012 Oberlin Inter-Regional Rumble, Lowenstein knew she had to get back out on the course this season. She would run her first race in over a year when the Yeowomen won the Saint Vincent College Open at the end of September. Lowenstein finished the 5k race in 23:54.
 
"I remember the summer of 2012 when I got the phone call and the news of the accident," Head Coach Ray Appenheimer said. "I remember speaking to Alli's mother on the phone from the emergency room.  Those where terrifying days for those of us who love her." 
 
"I also recall the story of her recovery - her impatience with the physical therapist only letting her walk on the treadmill at the hospital when she wanted to be running," continued Appenheimer.  "Alli has been through so much, rebuilding her strength and her life.  What has been so perfect to me is that she has done it all with a magnificent smile on her face and an unextinguishable passion for life."
 
As the Yeowomen cross country team readies itself for another NCAA Championship race at Hanover College on Saturday, November 23, they have Lowenstein to turn to for inspiration when mental and physical fatigue start to set in during the race.
 
"Runners can all too frequently get lost in their own training, fatigue and discomfort," Appenheimer said. "When we look at Alli and think about what she has been through, it puts everything into perspective.  Alli has shown us what real strength is. She has taught us what determination really looks like."
 
As she prepares to finish school this semester, Alli is preparing for life away from Oberlin. Her short-term plan is to put her Chinese skills to the test by moving to Taiwan and teaching English.
 
Lowenstein has been inspired by her work with Coalition for the Homeless in New York City and with First Step, an organization that teaches women how to use Microsoft Word and PowerPoint to prepare for writing resumes and making work presentations. The end goal of the organization is to help women find full-time jobs.
 
"My life-long goal is to deal with people in disadvantaged communities and help them find work," said Lowenstein.  "I want to be part of an organization that helps people get back on their feet. I literally had to get back on my feet, and now I want to help other people do that."

To read previous GoYeo Storyteller features, click here.