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Matthew Mettler's Best Marks
800 - 1:58.47
1,600 - 4:22.56
3,200 - 9:55.29
5k - 15:09
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Q) Talk about the recruitment process - what other schools were you looking at, and how did you come to choosing Colorado School of Mines?
The recruitment process started for me going into junior year track season. I emailed some coaches at schools I was interested in and tried to get a few good options to decide from.
Over the summer and into cross country, I narrowed it down to Colorado School of Mines, University of Wyoming, Colorado State University, and University of Portland.
I really liked all the coaches and teams, and I struggled a lot with making a decision. In the end, I decided that Mines was the best place for me!
They had the best balance of a challenging school and an incredible team, giving me the chance to push myself to be the best I can be academically and athletically. I loved the campus and the location, and they had free laundry (which is a major plus). Overall, Mines is just a great school with a great team, and I can't wait to be there next year!
Q) What do you plan to study at Mines?
I am currently planning on majoring in Chemical Engineering with a minor in Business.
Q) What event do you see yourself focusing on at Mines?
I want to say the 1,500, though there is a good chance I will be moving up in distance when I get to college. I definitely want to be successful at multiple distances in indoor and outdoor track, running more mid-distance races, and will do the farther races in XC. Mines has an incredible cross country team and can't wait to see what I can do for them!
Q) You've had success in the 800 and on up to the 5k, which event would you say is your favorite, and why?
My favorite event would definitely have to be the 1,600. I do enjoy the cross country season itself more with all the pasta parties and team events, but training for and racing the 1600 is most fun for me. I think it is a great balance of speed and endurance that is short enough to go hard the whole time, but with enough time to make up for racing errors.
Q) You've made a massive leap of improvement from your sophomore to junior year - what would you say attributed to such an improvement?
Consistency was definitely a large part of that jump! I was able to run six days a week, getting a decent amount of mileage for most of the summer which helped in the cross country season.
For track, I started focusing more on recovery between runs and especially after workouts, which let me work harder each day. I also changed my mindset for the 1600, thinking about it more as a sprint event than a distance event, which let me push myself harder than I did in previous years. Overall, consistent hard work throughout the year let me improve more than I expected to that year!
Q) The first result we have on you on MileSplit is a 13:07 3,500, 75th place finish at the Colorado Middle School State Cross Country Championships in October 2015 - what do you remember from this competition?
Haha - I don't remember a ton about this race, but I do remember it feeling much longer than 3,500 meters! I remember being pretty intimidated by having so many fast runners in one race, and a super fast start. It was the first race that I tried to push it hard from the beginning and kicking early instead of waiting till the end, and I still think it is in the top 10 most painful races I've been in.
Q) What got you interested in competing in XC/Track in the first place?
I remember that my interest in running started around 6th grade. I would watch my older brother and sister leave to go on runs together, and wanted to join them. I started to run two miles home from school with some friends that I somehow convinced to join me, and I was soon able to go on short runs with my siblings. After that, my mom had me join cross country in 7th grade and my competitive nature kicked in, and I have been running ever since!
Q) Favorite book, musical artist, and movie - GO:
Man, that's a hard one, I have many favorites in all of those categories! For books, I will have to say the Harry Potter series are definitely up there. I enjoy most types of music, but Zac Brown Band is probably my favorite band currently, Country music is the best! The movie one is the hardest to pick, but the first Pirates of the Caribbean is the first that comes to mind, truly a work of art.
Q) Could you share any goals you have for your final track season?
Right now my goal is to just be able to race and have a track season! If we do, I would love to set the school record in the 1600m (4:14 at altitude), which I have been eyeing since I was a freshman. That would be a great cap to a high school career that I have enjoyed immensely. I want to have fun with the season and make some great memories with my friends in the process.
Q) What would your favorite high school moment be?
I have made a ton of great memories throughout high school, so that is hard to pick!
My favorite running memory will have to be Junior year at the state track meet. Setting the school record again for the 4x800 and joining my teammates Cal and Dillon on the podium for the 1,600 are moments I will remember for the rest of my life! Running and racing with those guys has been a blessing that I am extremely grateful for.
My favorite non-running moment will have to be going on backpacking trips with my friends over the summer, messing around and having tons of fun in the Rocky Mountain wilderness. Being able to be in nature and look at the stars without light pollution made for some great memories!
