Layne Murdoch Jr./New Orleans Saints

Track and Field 9/9/2019 9:00:00 AM Matthew Schaefer, Assistant Director of Athletic Communications

Alum Aaron Albert Wins Saints 5K Kickoff Run; Strives Towards Pro Career

Photo Credit: Layne Murdoch Jr./New Orleans Saints

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS RELEASE

NEW ORLEANS - Former New Orleans cross country and track & field standout Aaron Albert won the men's division at the eighth annual Saints Kickoff Run on Saturday.

Albert took the top spot in the 5K race after he posted a new personal record of 14:49, a mark that bested his top New Orleans time by one minute and 11 seconds (same distance).

It was a key step for the UNO alumnus as he strives towards a professional career.

The race was supposed to serve as a rust-buster and it turned out to be a new personal best. To put the mark into perspective, at this same point last year, he ran a 15:47 over the same distance in another road race.

The time he recorded on Saturday matched his outdoor track PR from his days as a Privateer.

This isn't just a simple story about a former New Orleans athlete coming home and winning a big race though. This is a tale of a young man trying to make it in the professional ranks and doing everything in his power to achieve it.

THE JOURNEY AFTER GRADUATING FROM NEW ORLEANS

When it was time to turn in the Privateer uniform for the final time, Albert knew he still had the passion and drive to keep pushing towards a career as a professional.

He went to work and started to try to find a way to make it happen.

"After my last race during my senior year, I started to contact just about every single Louisiana running company or anyone who even remotely had anything to do with athletics for support towards my goal," Albert said.

He not only reached out, he stated his goals post college. Albert saved up money over the years and wanted to rent out an RV with a few of his UNO teammates to head out to Flagstaff, Arizona, a mountain town located at 7,000 feet above sea-level in Northern Arizona, a premier spot for distance training.p

Albert wasn't just asking for money or a handout. He was trying to package himself to earn employment with whatever company was willing to take a chance on him.

"Sadly it was just no after no after no," Alert reflected. "It really hurt receiving feedback like that at first. Although, what I knew was that it didn't matter if they believed in me or not, I still felt that I knew my potential and I belong in this sport. Self belief has always been one of the main driving forces when all else has failed me."

TRAINING IN FLAGSTAFF

During his initial month stay in Flagstaff, he met a running group that saw the passion and invited him out for a longer training session.

"While in Arizona, surprisingly, I met a group who gave me a chance to move back to Flagstaff at the end of my initial month there," Albert said. "So as soon as I got back home to Louisiana, I packed up my things in my car and drove the 22-plus hours back out there.

"I barely had any money, no job, or anyone to be there with me," he added. "That's how determined I was to put myself out there for whatever was to come for me."

After time though, outside factors started to take Albert away from his pure joy of running and he knew a change was needed if he was going to be the athlete he wanted to be.

"I am very thankful for the organization, but things were not as I expected them to be," he said when reflecting on his time out in Flagstaff. "I found myself very stressed and worrying about a lot of things rather than focused on the actual run and training."

"I had never felt that alone and was starting to feel running was becoming a drag and a chore. I was losing motivation by the day. This was a thing I did my whole life and one that I once looked forward to do daily, and to feel that way, I knew that it was not truly how I wanted to feel and a change was needed."

Albert knew a return home was on the horizon to regain that mental focus and put himself back into the proper training mindset.

"At the end of the day, it was pointless for me to be in Flagstaff if I wasn't happy there," he said. "I realized that my happiness was more important and I wasn't able to truly give 100 percent of myself to running. In turn, I came back to where it all started."

COMING HOME

If Albert was going to reach his goals, he knew he needed to come back closer to his support system. So he packed his car and headed east to his home state of Louisiana.

And the impact it had restarted his love for the sport.

"I have never felt more alive, happy, apprehensive and motivated," Albert said. "With support of my family, his former New Orleans coaches in Brock Moreaux and Clayton O'Callaghan, the entire Privateers cross country and track & field family and soon hopefully the state of Louisiana, I have that feeling once again of being able to give 100 percent of myself in something."

"I have been on this journey walking through it with my eyes closed of what's to come or even if there is something to reach but that's what's beautiful about it," he added. "That you feel so deeply and passionate about something that you don't even know the end results but that doesn't matter because in the moment you know you are doing what the world has conspired to bring you to do."

TAKING THE PODIUM ON SATURDAY

When he took the podium after his 5K victory, the Baton Rouge native took up a handmade sign that read "Unsponsored athlete seeking help to represent New Orleans." The love and support that came after was unmatched from his family and friends and his former circle at UNO.

"After showing off that sign, I received so much love and messages from family members, friends, old teammates, and people that I have never even met telling me how inspired they were from my performance and showing on the award stands," Albert said. "To have the opportunity to touch the lives of so many just by FOLLOWING my passion. That's what life is all about and that's why I say, this journey has never been just about me."

"Honestly I was nervous to put myself out there in front of thousands of people and what they may think about this kid being so vulnerable asking for help on such a stage," he added. "But if I can't ask my own home, my city, my family; then who else will be willing to help?"

So while no one knows where this journey is going to take him, Albert is going to keep pushing towards his goal of becoming a professional and he wants to do it with his home state by his side.

This year's Saints Kickoff Run had over 7,000 participants. The race started at the 50-yard line in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome and finished in Champions Square. Proceeds from the event benefit Young Leadership Council (YLC) and New Orleans Mission.

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Players Mentioned

Aaron Albert: Distance; 5' 5"; Redshirt Senior

Players Mentioned

Aaron Albert
: 5' 5"; Redshirt Senior
: Distance