The newest member of team New Balance Boston, Parker Valby, has settled into her Boston life with her fellow Olympian training partners and coach Mark Coogan. After setting NCAA records in the indoor 5,000m and outdoor 5,000m and 10,000m, the former Florida Gator began her professional running career as a New Balance athlete. A video posted by FloTrack on Wednesday dove into a soft-surface November workout during the base-building season in the lead-up to the indoor track season–which Valby demolished.
“Most people don’t know Parker as a person,” Coogan said. “They just see her as a runner. She’s a wonderful young lady and she’s fitting in great.” The 22-year-old announced her surprise signing with New Balance in October, unexpectedly straying from Nike after becoming their first female track and field athlete to sign a Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) deal. Industry sources report that Valby’s contract is upwards of USD 700,000 and will be in play until well past the 2028 L.A. Olympic Games.
“It was definitely a learning experience,” Valby said about her time at the Paris Olympics. “It was my first time racing outside the NCAA. I’m very grateful for the experience and the lessons I took from it–it wasn’t my ideal performance that I wanted, but I’m happy that I did it in hindsight, so I can be ready for L.A.”
“Parker said she wants to get a medal at the Olympics in L.A.,” Coogan added. “She’s gonna make us better, and hopefully we can make her better and she can do big things in the future.”
The workout path was roughly 1,000m, though Coogan admitted he wasn’t sure of the exact distance. The coach was aiming for the team to have a solid workout where the athletes could stick together. The target effort for the cross-country-style workout was to begin at threshold pace (comfortably hard). Other pro athletes at the practice include Paris Olympian Emily Mackay, 2020 Olympian Heather MacLean, and Coogan’s daughter, Katrina Coogan.
The workout: 3 x (2K, 2 minutes, 1K)
Set 1: 2 loops: 6:38, 1 loop: 3:06
Set 2: 2 loops: 6:20, 1 loop: 3:02
Set 3: 2 loops: 6:01, 1 loop: 2:50
The video shows Valby sharing the lead with her teammates before pulling away from the group during the final set. An extra 1K loop was added on, which Valby completed in 2:53.
Six-time NCAA champion Parker Valby signs pro contract with New Balance
Although Valby is younger and less experienced than her teammates, Coogan says she’s a bit stronger than the other women because she comes from a 10,000m background. The other athletes’ main events are 1,500m and 5,000m.
“We work together, we meet in the middle,” Valby said. “Train with others to make yourself better.”
According to MacLean, the team has tried to create a culture of respect and support. “[Parker] brings a fresh new perspective to everything,” she said. “I learned something from her, I hope she learned something from us.”
“Almost like a college cross-country team, we’ve made a team into a family, and I think that’s one of the reasons we’re so successful,” Coogan said. His Instagram revealed that the team hit the indoor track for the first time last week. If all the athletes stay healthy, the whole New Balance Boston team will open their season at the New Balance Grand Prix on Feb. 2.
