A heartbroken Australian runner turned Valentine’s Day pain into victory, delivering a career-defining performance just hours after heartbreak.
Australian record-holder Lauren Ryan has explained the pain of being dumped via text message on Valentine’s Day, just one day before securing a stunning victory in the 3,000m race at the Boston Valentine Invitational on February 15.
Despite personal turmoil, Ryan delivered a career-best performance, crossing the finish line in 8 minutes and 41.40 seconds, overtaking Doris Lemngole in the final 20 meters.
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Ryan’s win came as she processed a devastating personal setback—the sudden end of her relationship.
“I’ve got a bit of fuel running inside me at the moment,” Ryan told Citius Mag as quoted by VN Express.
“I just wanted to win so bad. I’ve just had a tough run the last couple of months with some family stuff—and my boyfriend broke up with me yesterday, Feb. 14, with a text message. The only person that won’t let you down is yourself.”
The emotional strength Ryan displayed on the track was met with an outpouring of support on social media. Fans celebrated her resilience while expressing disbelief at the timing of the breakup.
“This win and personal best is forever. Forget the ex-boyfriend. Well done,” one Instagram user commented.
Another added, “That guy tried to ruin the race, but she turned it around and won it spectacularly. What kind of boyfriend would break up with his girl on Valentine’s Day? It’s better to just break up with him.”
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At the Terrier Classic on January 31, she clocked 15 minutes and 8.58 seconds in the 5,000m, marking another indoor personal best.
Running professionally for Under Armour, Ryan trains alongside Canadian stars Gracelyn Larkin and Regan Yee, building her reputation as one of Australia’s top female distance runners.
During her time with the University of Florida’s track team, Ryan finished fourth in the 3,000m at the 2022 NCAA Indoor Championships.
By 2023, she was representing Australia on the world stage, competing in the 5,000m at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest and the World Athletics Road Championships in Riga, Latvia.
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She closed out the year by clinching the Australian 10,000m title in Melbourne with a time of 32 minutes and 54 seconds.
On January 27, Ryan set a new Australian indoor record of 15 minutes and 17.79 seconds in Boston.
Just two months later, she shattered a 20-year-old national record in the 10,000m at San Juan Capistrano, California, with a time of 30 minutes and 35.66 seconds.
Her Olympic debut at the 2024 Paris Games saw her place 13th in the 10,000m final. Though she did not advance in the 5,000m, the experience solidified her place among the elite distance runners on the global stage.
