Birgen Nelson, a senior at Gustavus Adolphus College in Minnesota and the reigning NCAA Division 3 Outdoor 100-meter hurdles champion with a wind-aided 13.44 seconds and the division's indoor 60-meter hurdles record holder at 8.33 seconds, joins DyeStat editor Erik Boal to discuss competing March 10-11 at the Division 3 Indoor Championships at the Birmingham CrossPlex in Alabama. Nelson, the fastest all-conditions performer in the 100 hurdles in division history, is looking to become the first Gustavus Adolphus athlete in program history to capture a Division 3 indoor championship in any event. She revisits her performances Feb. 23-24 at the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Indoor Championships and battling a sore hamstring to win the 60 hurdles, 200 meters, 4x200 relay and place third in the 60-meter dash. Nelson also reflects on setting the Division 3 indoor 60 hurdles record by running 8.38 in her season opener Dec. 10 at her season opener in Minneapolis and producing the top five marks in division history, all 8.42 or faster. She explains the challenges of recovering from mononucleosis and pneumonia that sidelined her for multiple weeks and the journey to recovering to be able to compete again in January. Nelson analyzes her experiences competing Feb. 18 at the USATF Indoor Championships in Albuquerque, N.M., and lowering her 60 hurdles record to 8.33 in the semifinals, before placing sixth in the final in 8.42. She shares how meaningful it was to warm up before the race with 41-year-old Lolo Jones, a national champion and two-sport athlete who also competes in bobsledding, and how significant it is to have her debut at the USATF Indoor Championships coincide with Jones returning to the event this winter. Nelson explains her decision to conclude her competitive cheerleading career following five concussions and several injuries, and how she was only recruited to compete in collegiate track and field at Gustavus Adolphus following her graduation from Edina High in Minnesota. She also examines her lifestyle of being a vegan and vegetarian and being able to fuel her body for proper performance and recovery. Nelson also looks back at her experience of learning to throw a baseball and throwing out the first pitch at a Minnesota Twins game in August. She also speaks about her motivation to challenge for a 400-meter hurdles title in May and becoming the most well-rounded hurdler in division history, chasing the wind-legal record of 13.60 in the 100 hurdles that has stood since 1998 and the all-time mark of 58.51 set in 2014 in the 400 hurdles.