Recovered: A Q&A with Dan Schubert

Senior Dan Schubert is quite an anomaly. He is a fifth-year senior, graduate student and rocks a trendy "man-bun" hairstyle. More unique, however, is his athletic storyline. Marred by, what some may consider, career-ending injuries, the Appleton, Wis., native has stayed in stride and in his first complete collegiate season of track and field proven one of the nation's premier distance runners. With a humorously sarcastic nature, Schubert has made an impact that speaks to the heart of the Sooner track and field programs. He will continue to not only be an emotional leader but also a competitive leader as he prepares for his first NCAA regional meet Thursday in the 10K (also his 23rd birthday). Before the gun goes off though, Schubert set aside a moment to talk about his journey, recovery and appreciation for the upcoming competition…

On how he got into running:

"I'm the youngest of four and all three of my siblings were runners. Both of my parents were also runners. Funny thing, my parents' high school coach, Joe Perez, was my high school coach as well at Appleton East High School. So he got a lot of Schuberts. I grew up going to track meets, cross country meets and all that jazz. My siblings did not run in college, so basically I put the team on my back really."

Dan Schubert posted a PR of 29:06.90 that currently ranks 14th in the west region.

On winning the Pulse of the Team honor at the Sooner Choice Awards:

"As unfortunate as injuries are, what's kind of the silver lining of injuries is you learn to appreciate running and the sport a little bit more. I certainly have gone through quite a bit and it's been a journey. Everything I'm doing now - running with the guys at practice - is so much more rewarding. I've embraced [the process] and have learned to love it again. That's something I struggled with during some of my injuries. So the award was an incredible honor that, honestly, caught me off guard. To win an award like that is a special experience and something I will cherish long after my time at OU."

On his injuries and what helped him recover:

"Luckily, I had really good parents and support staff - my teammates, coaches and medical staff. They kept encouraging me and told me that there was a light at the end of the tunnel. A lot of the time I doubted myself and so it's just unbelievably rewarding to come back from an injury and be able to do what you love again. I've broken a few bones, I've pulled a few muscles, I've done just about everything to any body part you can think of. Some of the big ones were when I broke my fibula, had stress fractures in my tibia and my femur. Tough things to come back from but you give them enough time to heal and you stay hungry you're able to persevere."

Advice to others recovering from injuries:

"Continue to persevere and put in the rehab. The big thing would be to never count yourself out, I'd say. There were several times during my injuries where I would count myself out. If I can come back from the amount of injuries that I've had and continue to run and compete successfully, I think anyone can. It's pretty crazy. If you'd told me a year ago that I'd be going to regionals, I'd be pretty happy just with that. But now to have a top-15 mark, it's very special. The focus right now is on regionals, but I have some higher aspirations of getting to the national meet. We'll find out on Thursday night. I'm looking forward to the 10K on the track - it's always a pleasure."

On moving to Oklahoma from Wisconsin:

"I was definitely really nervous, being from Wisconsin and deciding to come down here and not really knowing a lot of people. Looking back, I can certainly say I've made the right decision. I absolutely love it here. It seems that everything has worked out. I've been really lucky to attend a great university with great teammates, great coaching staff and great facilities to train. I couldn't have asked for a better experience. Wisconsin means a lot to me. I think growing up there and enduring the harsh winters made me a callous to a lot of things. It's just really special to me. I like going back there in the summers and being with my family. I tell people there's no place quite like Wisconsin in the summer. It's absolutely beautiful. The winters are tough, but the summers make it worth it."

The Wisconsin native credits his recovery to his biggest supporters - his family (pictured above). Schubert is the youngest of four (right), all runners like his parents (left and top center). Interestingly, all of the Schuberts (including Mom and Dad) were coached by Joe Perez (bottom center).

On being a graduate student:

"I'm getting a Master of Science in exercise physiology, so that keeps me busy. Injuries definitely [played a part in choosing my major]. Being in a lot of doctors' offices and hearing them use some of the same words and medical terminology I heard in class and practice turned me onto the field. When I came to college I was not sure exactly what I wanted to do. I discovered the health and exercise science major and that is what my undergraduate degree is in. I feel like it went really well with combining athletics and school. It made things easier because I was able to apply what I do every day in athletics into schoolwork. I've been lucky to continue that into grad school and hopefully that will get me a good job someday."