Ashley Higginson missed the 2012 Olympics by one place; she came in fourth in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and only the top three finishers made the team. Rather than step away from the sport and start a new chapter of her life as a law student, Higginson decided to pursue two dreams at once: A career in the law and a chance to run in the Olympics for the U.S.A. This year, the New Jersey State Bar Association member passed the bar and trained for the trials though she narrowly missed qualifying for to compete in Rio. Higginson runs with the New Jersey-New York Track Club (she is sponsored by Saucony) and is an incoming associate with Riker Danzig. She talked recently about her success on the track and in law school while in Eugene, Ore., for the Olympic trials.How did you get started on the road to the Olympics?

I was a high school athlete (at Colts Neck High) and had the opportunity to run in college (Princeton University). I ran three times as an all-American, but in my senior year I got injured. I was sort of unsatisfied. I never really envisioned running professionally and thought I would go straight to law school. But I felt like I had some unfinished business with track. So after I graduated in 2011, I deferred law school for a year and started training with Frank Gagliano. He is larger than life, and I fell in love with the team. That first year, I PR’d (set a personal record) in every race.

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