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Lead Stories: Sunday, November 23, 2008

Interview w/ Maryland’s 110m hurdler Dominic Berger

Posted October 8th, 2007 at 11:28 AM by Hariz Siddiqui

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Special Features, Interviews

Maryland Terrapin Dominic Berger has a personal best time of 13.49 in his signature event, the 110hurdles, and his 13.54 was ranked 4th among D-I collegiates.

Q. Can you explain how you first got starting in the sport of running?
A. I was 3 years old and I asked my mom “can I play track” and I been running ever since.

Q. When did you first realize your running was some of the most elite in the country?
A. At the 2005 USA junior national championships where I won and first broke 14 seconds in the 110HH (13.85), and from then I had the confidence that I could run wit the best.

Q. What is your greatest accomplishment thus far?
A. Winning my first international title last summer 2006 at the NACAC Under-23 Championships in the Dominican Republic.

Q. What kind of awards/accomplishments/records would you like to have by the end of your career?
A. I would like to win a couple NCAA national titles and have few more records before I graduate, and then on the elite level I want to be an Olympic Champion that’s my ultimate goal.

To read the rest of this interview conducted by our friends at Joffroi Running, please CLICK HERE.

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Interview with Liberty’s Josh McDougal on the upcoming NCAA XC season

Posted September 5th, 2007 at 8:45 AM by Jeanie Rebb

Section: News & Results, Cross Country, Special Features, Interviews

Liberty’s Josh McDougal has developed into one of America’s finest distance runners. With 4th, 13th, and 27th place finishes at the NCAA Division 1 Cross Country Championships, McDougal looks to be the top finisher this upcoming season.

Q. Can you explain how you first got starting in the sport of track and field?
I grew up running a few miles a week with my parents. They were trying to stay in shape, and I was always an active kid so it was always fun to go out and run.

A. When I was 10 my family moved a town over to Peru to be closer to where my Dad worked. One of our new neighbors was the high school cross country and track coach. She saw us out running and suggested we do the Junior Olympic series. That first year we did the JO’s Jordan and I just showed up and ran, no real preparation whatsoever. It was really hard, we both puked after our first race, and Mom and Dad were sure we would never want to do anything like that again. We both loved it though and have been serious ever since.

To read the rest of this interview conducted by our friends at Joffroi Running, please CLICK HERE.

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Interview with Wisconsin XC standout STUART EAGON

Posted August 6th, 2007 at 8:40 AM by thefinalsprint.com

Section: News & Results, Cross Country, Special Features, Interviews

Wisconsin’s Stuart Eagon, has finished 17th as a freshman, 11th as a sophomore and looks for another high finish at the NCAA D-1 National Championships in the upcoming 2007 XC season.

Q. Can you explain how you first got starting in the sport of track and field?

A. In 6th grade I ran a few decent mile times in PE class, but at that point I was so into basketball, running seemed like an afterthought. It wasn’t until my sophomore year of high school after a year of running to get in shape for basketball that I really figured out that I loved running and competing and that it was what God had made me to do. By the middle of my sophomore year I was pretty serious about running and from that point forward my passion for the sport has only continued to grow!

Q. When did you first realize your running was some of the most elite in the country?

A. It probably wasn’t until after my junior year in High School at the AOC Outdoor Meet when I finished 4th. It was a little bit of a shock, because I knew that I could be in the top tier but I remember moving from 8th to 4th over the final 200 meters and finishing and being pleasantly surprised. It was always my personal goal and expectation from when I was younger that I should be able to at the very least compete with any person in my (high school 04/ college 08) class nationally and it is still is.

To read the rest of this interview conducted by our friends at Joffroi Running, please CLICK HERE.

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Interview with Michelle Sikes: 2007 NCAA D-I 5k Champ

Posted July 20th, 2007 at 12:15 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Special Features, Interviews

Wake Forest’s Michelle Sikes is distance specialist. She is just coming off a surprise victory in the 5K at the 2007 D1 NCAA Outdoor Championships. She has current best times of 15:16 and 32:58.

Q. Can you explain how you first got starting in the sport of running?

A. In 4th grade, I tripped over a wooden beam while running through a playground near my house. I broke my arm in the fall, and therefore decided that I was meant to play soccer. However, once a person manages to discover soccer, its only a matter of time before running surfaces - first as a fitness-enhancement for the upcoming season, then as a real alternative to the sport. Some people wait until its too late, when they are in their thirties, forties, to recognize the second option. I got lucky with that and, through some well-meant prodding from my soon-to-be HS coach and friends already dedicated to XC who were on the team, I decided to make the big switch to cross-country. Glad you prefaced running with “sport of” in your question, by the way.

To read the rest of this interview conducted by our friends at Joffroi Running, please CLICK HERE

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Interview w/ controversial,
H.S. running legend
GERRY LINDGREN

Posted June 27th, 2007 at 8:00 AM by Martin Kennedy

Section: Special Features, Interviews

Gerry Lindgren has had a turbulent life in his 61 years on the planet. He was brought up in an abusive household, under his father who was never supportive of his son’s running accomplishments. With a deep hatred for himself, Gerry trained harder than any runner ever had. He ran 350 miles a week for six straight weeks. This hard training propelled him to the forefront of worldwide distance running. He was an Olympian as a high school student, held a share of the 10K world record, and was an 11 time all-American.

[However], Gerry soon faded away from elite running after college. In 1980, Gerry’s personal demons again caught up with him. One morning his wife and children awoke to find a note saying “sell the business and get a divorce.” Years later, after living under a false name, Lindgren resurfaced, wrote a book on running, and began coaching the women’s track and field team at the University of Hawaii. Lindgren still has no contact with his family. Gerry believes he knows what’s wrong with distance running.

Q. What kind of coaching are you currently doing?

A. At the University of Hawaii, I coach women’s distance runners in track plus XC. Except this year indoors at one meet in Seattle all of the distance runners ran personal best times in at least one event.

To read the rest of this interview conducted by our friends at Joffroi Running, please CLICK HERE

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