403. Diane Nukuri, Three-Time Olympian

Ali on the Run Show

Ali Feller

Run, Health & Fitness, Women, Inspiration, Runner, Entrepreneur, Sports, Fitness, Health, Running

4.9 • 3.7K Ratings

🗓️ 29 July 2021

⏱️ 68 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

“I’m just training and racing and I’m living my best life… I’m living my American Dream.”

At 15, Diane Nukuri became an Olympian. At 16, she fled her home country of Burundi, seeking asylum in Canada. By 20, she was a student at the University of Iowa, fluent in English (her third language) and thriving on the run. Soon after, she competed at the 2012 Olympics, then again at the 2016 Games. Today, Diane is a dual citizen of the United States and Burundi, she's a professional runner sponsored by Asics, and she holds the Burundian records in the 1500, the 5,000, the 10,000, the half-marathon, and the marathon. She has represented Burundi in the Olympics three times at three different distances: the 5K in Sydney in 2000, the marathon in London in 2012, and the 10K in Rio in 2016. On this episode, Diane talks about growing up in Burundi as one of eight siblings, and about her decision to leave the country amidst its violent Civil War. She talks about living with family in Ontario, enrolling in a French-speaking high school, and then attending community college so she could learn English and continue running before attending the University of Iowa. Plus, periods, meditation, Diane's fall racing plans, and more!

SPONSOR: AfterShokz — Visit ontherun.aftershokz.com for 15% off wireless headphones.

What you’ll get on this episode:

What it means to Diane to be living her best life right now (3:15)
How Diane’s running and racing have been going this year (8:15)
What Diane has learned from training alongside other fast women (17:30)
What it was like growing up in Burundi as one of eight siblings (23:20)
On becoming an Olympian at 15 years old (26:30)
What it was like seeking asylum from Burundi and moving to Canada (34:15)
On building confidence on the run and off at the University of Iowa (41:30)
On competing at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics (45:00)
The process of becoming a United States citizen (51:00)
How Diane gets in the right headspace when she doesn’t feel like running (55:00)

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Transcript

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0:00.0	This episode of The Alley on the Run Show is brought to you by Aftershocks.
0:04.3	Go to ontherun.aftershocks.com to say 15% on all wireless headphones.
0:14.8	Welcome to The Alley on the Run Show. I'm your host Allie Theller and every week I talk with
0:19.9	people who are doing cool things on the run and beyond. We all share that love for running and
0:25.5	that's what brings us all together. But of course there is more to life than what happens on the run
0:30.4	itself. This show is about the in-betweens, the water stops, the bathroom breaks, the moments and
0:36.6	decisions but if shaped who we are today, and the wise. Why do we do what we do and how does getting
0:42.9	sweaty factor in? Today, Diane Nacore is here. Diane is a three-time Olympian and ace-exponsored
0:50.8	runner from Burundi. She holds the Burundi and national records in, are you ready for this? In the
0:56.3	1500, the 5000, the 10,000, the half marathon, and the marathon. Diane lives in trains in Flagstaff,
1:03.5	Arizona and she is officially a dual citizen of Burundi and the United States. She earned her US
1:09.8	citizenship in 2017 and as of last year she is eligible to compete internationally representing the US.
1:16.6	Diane's story is amazing and inspiring and if you don't know her already you are going to fall in
1:22.6	love with her today. Diane will tell it but the short version of her story is that she grew up in
1:27.6	Burundi where she was one of eight siblings. Her dad passed away when she was young so she and her
1:32.9	brothers and sisters were raised primarily by their single mother. Diane became an Olympian when
1:38.1	she was 15 years old, 15. She competed at the Sydney Olympic Games in the 5K and after returning
1:45.7	to Burundi which was in the middle of a civil war and a lot of unrest at the time, Diane decided
1:51.0	she wanted to seek asylum in Canada so she did. At 16 she moved in with family in Ontario,
1:58.1	she went to a French speaking high school and then she went to a community college so she could
2:02.3	learn English while running competitively. She then transferred to the University of Iowa,
2:07.5	fluent in English and thriving on the run. Diane went on to compete at the Olympics in London
	...

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