Q) Talk about the recruitment process - what other schools were you looking at, and how did you come to choosing George Washing University?
Throughout the entire recruitment process, I did everything I could to keep all my options open up until the very last moment. I was in contact with some other schools, like Boston University and the University of Portland, which both have amazing programs and staff.
In the end, though, the team culture and location of George Washington drove my decision.
Another massive pull factor was the coaching at GW. Coach Weir and Coach Lange do awesome things with their program, and I know that I will go far with them and the team.
Q) What do you plan to study at GW?
Honestly, I could see myself studying a wide variety of things at GW. Washington D.C. is such an awesome place that it's easy to get involved politically, so I will likely end up doing a little something with that. As far as my major goes, however, I think I am leaning towards mechanical engineering.
Q) What event do you see yourself focusing on at GW?
I am not 100% sure what the coaches have in mind for me at this point. I have been told I have the build of a 5k-10k guy, but I like to think I have some speed in me for some shorter distances. Hopefully we will do some experimenting at all distances to find my niche.
Q) You've had success in the 3,200 and on up to the 5k, which event would you say is your favorite, and why?
At this point, I would say that the 5k is my favorite race. It is a brutal distance that perfectly combines speed, strategy, and endurance in my experience with it. It is never the same race twice, and it is impossible to predict, which makes it equally challenging and fun.
My second favorite event, while I may not have the fastest leg speed, is probably the 4x800 because it's always fun to throw down with the guys and it always comes down to pure guts.
Q) You made a massive leap of improvement over the past year (4:45 1,600/9:48 3,200 last spring to 15:09 XC 5k) - what would you say attributed to such an improvement?
This most recent cross country season was the culmination of 4+ years of hard work for our team. We were all so ready to drop some fast times and finish on top that we hit our training harder than we ever have. After so many years running together, running together day after day in the summer was nothing new to us, but we knew that if we wanted to be successful as a unit we had to push each other more than ever.
So I would say that having the team to hold me accountable and train hard with helped me take that next step in my running career. On top of this, I am pretty sure I grew 2-3 inches between my junior track and senior XC seasons, so that probably helped a bit as well.
Q) The first result we have on you on MileSplit is a 13:42 two-mile, 17th place finish at the SaberCat Invite in August 2013 - what do you remember from this competition?
In middle school we ran quite a few races at the Fossil Ridge High School cross country course, so a lot of those have blurred together, but the most memorable part of every time being there was the course. It was so dry and open without any shade that dehydration would hit less than a half mile into the race. Aside from that, it is hard to remember any specifics.
Q) What got you interested in competing in XC/Track in the first place?
It's a family thing. My dad has been running pretty much all his life, and my mom has run for a long time as well. They have both ran the Boston Marathon at least once.
That being said, though, they never forced it onto me or my four siblings. Two of my three older siblings ended up running D1 XC and track, which inspires me daily.
My earliest memory of running that seemed to spark my passion for it was the Houska Houska 5k in May of 2012. I ran with one of my older sisters, and ended up getting second in my age group. I still have the R2-D2 bobble head trophy that they gave me. From there, I knew running was it.
Q) Favorite book, musical artist, and movie - GO:
Favorite Book: Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
Favorite Musical Artist: Kanye West (tough question though)Favorite Movie: Inception
Q) If this outdoor season ever gets off the line - Could you share any goals you have for your final track season?
My main goal for this track season would be to stay healthy. My dad likes to say half of the race is making it to the starting line. Beyond that, my only goal at this point would be to compete. The pressure of dropping "college" track times has been lifted, so I can focus on battling my way to the front of a race without worrying about splits. Hopefully a school record can come along with that (9:22 3,200 at altitude). I am hoping to hear some good news from CHSAA soon!
Q) What would your favorite high school moment be?
This is an extremely tough question, considering all the amazing times I have had with my teammates and friends in the past four years. I would probably have to say crossing the finish line at Liberty Bell 2019 (photo above), where I ran 15:09.
That morning on the bus, I fell asleep on the seat and when I woke up, I totally forgot where I was. Between warmups, the race, and hanging out with the team, the rest of the day was a blast though. The environment was just electric and watching the rest of my team pop off never gets old. On top of that whole deal, it was actually my birthday weekend, so we went up to Bond, CO later in the day and did some fly fishing on the Colorado River.
