Faith Jones relies on faith through long journey

Who do you turn to when things aren’t going your way? 

“My faith in Christ,” said the aptly named Faith Jones, “That’s what motivates me.”  

Focus. Breathe. Look at what is in front of you. For Faith Jones, a senior on the Troy track and field team, most of the time it is a hurdle.  

The hurdler from Sacramento, California, has excelled in her two years at Troy. She’s broken the indoor 60m hurdle school record multiple times while adding a Sun Belt Conference Championship in the event along the way.  

On the outdoor scene, she’s put herself solidly in the record books for the 100m hurdles, producing the second, tied for fifth, seventh and ninth fastest times in school history. The fastest of those times came just last week at the Doc Anderson Invitational held in Troy, Alabama.  

“They gave us the wrong time [for race start],” Jones said about the lead up to her personal record, “They were like, ‘you need to get race ready. Now.’  

“I didn’t even get any block starts in.  

I was the last one out of the blocks because I didn’t get any practice beforehand, but I didn’t let that deter me. After that everything was a blur. I got off the last hurdle, ran across, and I know I ran something [fast].” 

The time was a 13.47, a new personal best, while finishing just 0.06 of a second off the school record.  

The senior challenges herself off the track too, as she pursues an interdisciplinary studies degree with minors in medical studies, human movement and psychology. It’s not a big change from the kinesiology degree she pursued in her time at Cal State Fullerton prior to Troy.  

“I’ve always loved school, homework assignments and all that stuff,” Jones said. “It’s something that I kind of had to figure out when I was a freshman, just because track meets are usually at the end of the week.  

“I have these 3-4 days to get the work that needs to be done, ask if I can take exams early and just let them know what’s going on.” 

In her time before Troy, Jones ran at Cal State Fullerton, a Division I school nestled in Fullerton, California, a city about 25 miles southeast of Los Angeles.  

“Cal State Fullerton was a great introduction to the collegiate world,” Jones said, “I didn’t know too much about college sports, but I had a great hurdles coach there.  

“He truly poured into my hurdle group. I got to learn how to practice with other hurdlers, so it was a good way to adjust and learn by myself but also learn with others at the same time.” 

Still, Jones was appreciative of the switch to something different, and somewhere not in the LA metro area.  

“I love it,” Jones said about the small-town vibes of Troy. “I grew up in a city and then went to college basically smack-dab in the middle of LA.  

“California is very much like ‘go, go, go.’ If you’re not moving fast enough, they’ll leave you behind. I came here moving like that and everybody’s telling me to slow down. It’s a nice place to relax, to come and regroup and get all your things in order.” 

The change did take a little convincing at first though, specifically from coaches.  

“When they told me [Troy] was in Alabama, I was like, ‘yeah, that’s not happening, there’s no way.’” Jones said with a laugh. “Coach Alberdi was the one that was recruiting me.  

“He was a great guy to talk to. It wasn’t like he was overselling Troy, he was just saying, ‘This is how Troy is, you like it, you’ll love it.’ It wasn’t even about Troy, he was asking about me, telling me about himself.” 

Despite all the talking, and preparedness for southeast Alabama, there was still one part that caught Jones off guard. It made for a great story, though.  

“I lived in The Arch [at the time] and I walked from there all the way to Walmart,” Jones said. “I was like, ‘I’m going to go to Walmart and just get some stuff and then I’ll take an Uber or Lyft back.’ 

“I was waiting in the parking lot, Lyft and Uber weren’t working, so I was about to take a shopping cart and go all the way back home. Someone was so nice, said, ‘Hey, I’m not crazy, do you need help?’ and I learned real quick how small Troy was, but I also learned how southern hospitality is a real thing.” 

This past winter, Jones won a conference championship in the 60m hurdles, which adds another ring to her hand. A hand that already sports an engagement ring.  

“We’re not getting married for another year and half,” Jones said. “I know I couldn’t do that while in college and running track. 

“It’s still a planning process because we’re doing it in California. I already have to start planning all that, but I have so many people in my corner to help with it. I come from a big family, a big church family at that too, so everybody is all hands on deck.” 

Jones’ fiancée, Jared Jones, not only shares the same last name as her, but also hails from Sacramento, California, as well. He transferred into Troy from Cal State Fullerton, with both competing on the Troy track and field team. 

With the balancing act of juggling classes in a harder major, competing as a DI athlete and planning a wedding, Jones relies heavily on her faith and relationship with God to help her.  

She keeps the faith while being Faith.