Ann Gaffigan was born in Springfield, Illinois, and grew up wanting to run fast and play soccer just like her big sister, Catherine. She followed in Catherine’s footsteps by playing three sports in high school, cross country in the fall and both track and soccer in the spring. She won the State Cross Country championship as a junior and was the 3200m State Champion as both a sophomore and a senior.
Gaffigan was recruited by the University of Nebraska, where she attained All-American status in the 3000m Steeplechase, a brand new event for women in the NCAA at the time. Gaffigan qualified for the 2004 Olympic Trials, where the women’s 3000m steeplechase was held as an exhibition event, as it had not yet been added to the Olympics for women. Gaffigan won the Trials in a then-American Record and U.S. All-Comers time of 9:39.35.
Gaffigan competed professionally for New Balance through the 2008 Olympic Trials, setting the 2000m steeplechase American Record along the way. She retired from competition following the Trials, where she placed 10th.
Gaffigan leads the ATTHD Run Club, a group that meets every Tuesday and Thursday morning at 6am.
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