Ben Hubers posing with Brian Potts after we both won our stages at the...Walton(?) Stage Races in 2005. He was a member of the top 10 DMR and 4x800m relay teams I was on.
Ben Hubers was one of the finest distance runners ever put on a pair of spikes in Georgia. Multiple state titles, stellar collegiate career, and competed in the Olympic Trials in Canada. So we asked Ben, "Where are You Now"
How many state titles did you win in Georgia (what event and years) and other honors you earned?
I have 7 state titles under my belt. 1600 and 3200 wins in 2005, 2006, 2007, plus one cross country title in 2005 (junior year).
3rd and 2nd in the (once upon a time) Nike Outdoor Nationals meet in 2006 and 2007 respectively.
State records go: I have the 2nd fastest time for the 1600 (converted from full mile at Nike Outdoor), the 5th fastest 3200m time.
Part of the 5th fastest DMR and 8th fastest 4x800 teams in state history.
Inducted into the Atlanta Metro Track Club Coaches' Hall of Fame. And here's a BIG shout out to all my teammates, my family, and most importantly, coach Travis Gower who was the best coach and team leader I could have asked for as a young athlete.
2- Where did you compete at in college and how you did you fare there?
I ran varsity Track and Cross Country at Indiana University from fall 2007 to summer 2012. I was on 3 national qualifying XC teams when I was there including two 7th place team finishes in 2010 and 2011. Indoors, I qualified for NCAAs on a DMR team in 2009, individually in the 5k and 3k in 2011, and the 3k in 2012. All indoor NCAA performances were All-American performances. In Outdoor, I qualified as an individual in the 5k in 2010, 2011, and 2012. 2011 was an All-American performance. I also attended the Canadian National Meet 6 times through my collegiate and post-collegiate years, including Olympic Trials in 2012 and 2016. I trained post-collegiately from 2012 to 2016.
Tell us about your journey from post graduation to where you are now.
As I was training in the world of post-collegiate track, I started having several nagging injuries that really inhibited my training capacity. I was beginning to doubt my capacity to run and not be in pain when I was introduced to Dr. Brian Murer, a chiropractor in Bloomington, Indiana. He introduced me to a modality called ELDOA. In a nutshell, its a series of postures designed to decompress the spine. Between attending classes regular therapy, many injuries that I thought were permanent started disappearing. I ended up being able to continue my training through the Olympic Trials in 2016 and after my training career was over, I moved to LA to continue my career as an ELDOA instructor and personal trainer.
I've been taking classes and working with athletes here in LA for 5 years now working in gyms, PT clinics, and chiropractor clinics. I am one of only a handful of ELDOA trainers in the world and am moving into advanced personal training degrees. I am currently a Canadian Doctor of Osteopathy Candidate 2022. I work at LINK Medical Center as the head personal trainer and work with everyone from NHL players trying to get an edge on the competition to retired golfers just trying to get rid of back pain.
Anyone you'd like to thank along the way on your journey?
There are so many people I would like to thank that it's hard to even start but here it goes:
My mom and dad, Jean Abernethy and Gerry Hubers for their unconditional support. Coach Travis Gower for all he did for me and continues to do in the world of high school athletics. He is what all high school coaches should aspire to be. My high school teammates who always supported me. My college teammates who pushed me as far as I thought I could go and then further.
Coach Ron Helmer, the best collegiate coach I could have asked for. An example of everything a college coach should be and the one who taught me what it means to work hard.
Dr. Brian Murer who never gave up on me and got me running healthily, even when I had my doubts. Coach Spanbauer who was the best example of a post-collegiate coach. He had the hardest coaching job of all but pulled it together for a bunch of us rag-tag semi-pros.There are more I'm sure, but this list will have to do.
