After winning the 400-meter title at the U.S. track and field championships Saturday in Eugene, Oregon, Jacory Patterson returned to find his phone filled with congratulatory messages.

Among the well-wishers were some of Patterson’s former co-workers. They had seen him operate under pressure at a fast pace before — at a UPS distribution center in South Carolina.

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As Patterson, 25, showed in Oregon after cruising one lap in 44.16 seconds to win his first individual national title, his speed is unique. Yet his decision to fund his training via a graveyard shift packing boxes into the back of UPS delivery trucks is rooted in a reality that is common throughout his sport.

It’s hard to make a living in track and field.

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