Weber State’s dynamic duo

Alec Cipollini

January 23, 2022

The 2022 indoor track and field season is just beginning for the Wildcats, marking the last time Summer and Christian Allen will compete together.

Summer Allen won the 2013 individual Big Sky Conference Championship and took second place at the BYU Robinson Invitational steeplechase event in 2017. (Weber State Athletics)

In 2019, Weber State distance runners Summer and Christian Allen tied the knot after spending several years at Weber State together.

Summer Allen is an Orem native who started at WSU in 2013. After eight years with the program, she’ll be graduating this year. A die-hard Wildcat now, Summer thought she’d end up at Brigham Young University.

“Two of my siblings went there, and it was close to home for me, but as I got closer to graduating high school, I realized that I wasn’t sure that was what I wanted,” she said. “When I came to Weber, I just had a different feeling about the program here, and I felt like I could become the athlete I knew I could.”

As for Christian Allen, this is his fourth year as a Wildcat; however, he’s only a sophomore.

“I just thought Ogden was and still is a unique hidden gem that a lot of people in Utah don’t really talk about,” Christian said. “When I met the coaches and the team, I felt like Weber State would be a good fit, and it’s been history since.”

Since coming to Ogden, both athletes have received many prestigious accolades on the track team as well as the cross-country team.

Christian Allen took home first place in the 2021 5K UNLV Spring Outdoor track meet and earned All-American Honors for finishing 15th at the 2021 NCAA Division 1 XC Championships. (Weber State Athletics)

Christian Allen was the Big Sky Freshman of the Year during the 2018 cross country season, finishing 15th in the NCAA Championships the same year. He took home first place in the 2021 5K UNLV Spring Outdoor track meet and earned All-American Honors for finishing 15th at the 2021 NCAA Division 1 XC Championships.

Summer Allen won the 2013 individual Big Sky Conference Championship and took second place at the BYU Robinson Invitational steeplechase event in 2017. She finished sixth in the 2018 5K Big Sky Indoor Championship and received All-American honors by finishing eighth in the 2021 outdoor NCAA Championship steeplechase.

“I made a goal of being an All-American from the time that I began running cross-country as a freshman,” she said. “As I moved along, things were starting to click and I became an All-American in 2017, so I was pretty excited.”

The Allens have a son named Miles who has changed their day-to-day lives.

“Having a baby gives me a bigger and broader perspective on life,” Christian Allen said. “Miles gives me another form of motivation when I run, as well, since I know I am running to reach my aspirations and goals, but I am also running for my family.”

Summer Allen of Weber State University is entering into her eighth year in the program. (Weber State Athletics)

Recently, Christian Allen has been struggling with plantar issues. He said the pain has been growing, and he may need surgery. Recently, he has started to run again at a less intense rate.

WSU just finished their second meet, competing at the Air Force Indoor Invitational in Colorado Springs.

When discussing their expectations for the 2022 season, Summer Allen said that there will be a lot of excitement around the program this year and expects records to be shattered.

“These records are decades old,” she said. “To be on track to beating records of previous Olympians or professional runners would be good. Trying to have our names up there with the greats would be pretty cool.”