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Izzy Apel was running on empty.
The early days of her collegiate cross-country career were driven by dreams of podium finishes and personal bests. That mentality stemmed from her high-school competitions.
“I think in high school I was very driven by winning and by medals, times and places,” Apel said. “I didn’t really understand the value of the process of running until I got to the University of Nebraska at Omaha.”
She carried that singular vision of winning into her freshman year as a cross-country athlete at UNO. The only thing that mattered in her eyes was the time on the stopwatch, even at the expense of lingering pain and fatigue.
“I think I based my self-worth on how fast my legs could run,” she said.
During that freshman year, Apel was diagnosed with relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S) by the UNO athletic training staff. The syndrome affects athletes who don’t get enough fuel through food to support their daily energy demands.
For Apel, it led to continued fatigue and multiple stress fractures. The diagnosis provided an answer for the lingering issues she had been facing as an athlete. It also signaled a new challenge.
“The training staff stepped in and did something that nobody had ever done before,” Apel said. “They sat me out.”
In the moment, she was frustrated. Competition had become part of her DNA, so the prospect of an extended break was difficult to imagine. Looking back on that experience, however, Apel is thankful for the athletic department’s uncompromising efforts to ensure her health for the future.
“I was really grateful that athletics wasn’t willing to compromise on me potentially not being as healthy as I could be in my future just so I could run,” Apel said. “I’m also grateful that they made the decision that I wouldn’t be willing to make.”
Apel’s student-athlete experience at UNO represents the impact of support to The One Fund. Gifts to the fund provide critical support for student-athletes and programs within Omaha athletics, including:
After being sidelined with RED-S for nearly a year-and-a-half, Apel was finally ready to run again. She remembers that same hunger to compete, but something had changed since the last time Apel competed as a freshman.
“I didn’t run the best time and I might have actually finished last, but it was a really good day,” she said. “I didn’t care about any of those things I used to care about. All that mattered was that I was able to do the sport I loved and that I had the support to continue doing it.”
“I didn’t run the best time and I might have actually finished last, but it was a really good day,” Apel said. “I didn’t care about any of those things I used to care about. All that mattered was that I was able to do the sport I loved and that I had the support to continue doing it.”
Apel was able to compete over the last two years of her college career. In May, Apel graduated with a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience. She said the experiences with her coaches, training staff and teammates all have laid the foundation for the next stage of her life.
“I’ve definitely learned to be confident in myself and confident in the training that I’ve had, and that is because of the support from my coaches and teammates,” she said. “I’ve also learned that the process means far more than any result.”
Next, Apel hopes to continue her education at medical school and ultimately pursue a future career as a physician.
Though her cross-country career at UNO may have come to an end, Apel is ready to chase new goals thanks to the lessons and support she received during her time as a student-athlete.
“My experiences as a student-athlete at UNO have been a catalyst for me to get out into the community and be a change-maker,” she said. “I think having this opportunity as a student-athlete throughout college has set me up for future success in my career.”
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