The Seventh Interview: My Bro Maverick Darling Interview

This interview which is the seventh interview is my bro/family Wisconsin's Own Maverick Darling.

1. How did you get started in running?
I got started into running by racing snowmobiles since I was 10 years old. (Just like motocross on tv, but with snowmobiles) and I needed more aerobic strength, running was about the only option. As I got older I started to realize my potential in running and how I could get an education from it.

2. What do you tell people that don't get our sport of distance running?
I tell people who don't get our sport, that running takes a lot of dedication and passion for running. As a runner you can't do this everyday if you don't love it.

3. What are you current PR's?
3k: 7:52, 5k:13:36

4. How do you manage being a college student with being a college distance runner?
Managing being both a college student and a distance runner is probably the toughest challenge we face in college, but you have to learn to plan out your days and don't waste time.

5. Who are your favorite professional and/or college distance runner(s) past and/or present & why?
Favorite professional runner is Matt Tegenkamp, because he is a badger, great guy, and has had a lot of success. College runner is Matt Withrow, just spending six months with him I learned so much from him. More importantly the struggles that he overcame so quick and his drive to win. 
Great Choice with Matt Tegenkamp cause he is one amazing guy and runner all around

6. Best or Worst thing about being a distance running?
The drive to get better everyday. Worst the cold weather and how it sucks.

7. Your Favorite Moment of your distance running career?
Best winning the team title in 2011 at xc, worst 46th place at 2011 xc nations, I had bit of a shorts problem. Enough said.
 Who is next for an interview you will never know. You will just have to come back to my blog and find out

The Sixth Interview: Ciaran O'Lionaird aka Mad_Len Interview

Well now we have some international favor to these interview and it is Ciaran O'Lionaird better know as Mad_Len or Mullet With A Bullet.

1. How did you get started in running?
I began running when I was 7 years old. I just ran cross country for my local club and didn't take it too seriously. I was more caught up in soccer and Irish football!

 2. What do you tell people that don't get our sport of distance running?
Not many of my friends back in Ireland run, so they find it strange! Now that it's Olympic year, they understand a bit better why I do it. Purely for the racing and competition

3. What are you current PR's?
 I've ran 3:34.46 for 1500, 7:50 for 3k, 13:33 for 5k and 28:32 I believe for 10k. My 800 PR might be from my last 800 my 1500 final at World's, so I need to address that promptly!

4. How different is Professional Distance Running Then College Running, for you?
I have more time now to take care of weaknesses and imbalances that were holding me back. I am very week in a lot of different areas and that limited me greatly whilst in college. Now I've been working on those for a few months, I'm seeing good gains! Also, I can chill out in the morning with a cuppa and not worry about running early in the morning. Happy days

5. Who are your favorite professional and/or college distance runner(s) past and/or present & why?
I don't really have runners I really look up to. My teammates at the Oregon Project have all taught me different things that have helped better me as a runner. You can't really look up to any current runners if you're trying to be the best, but lads from back in the day like Herb Elliot and Jim Ryun did some crazy things!

6. Best or Worst thing about being a distance running?
The mileage is the worst! I can't stick the miles but you have to do it. I'll go on the treadmill and watch a NBA game to pass the time during the off days sometimes! The best part would be the races and the competition. Just racing people is the big positive factor for me!

7. Your Favorite Moment of your distance running career?
My favorite moment thus far was just the entire Daegu experience. It was cool to get an A standard earlier in August, but I prefer the tactics and fun of races, so being involved in those situations at Worlds was great fun

8. Goals for 2012?
I'd like to improve on my 10th place at Worlds in London at the Olympics! Once you make the final, anything can happen so I want to be back in the mix and hopefully have more skills to work with this time around!
I hope more interviews are to come

Best & Worst in Running of 2011

This year there has been a lot of best and worst things that happened in the of 2011 and thses are what I think are the Best and Worst things that happened in 2011 for running, the top 10 of each

Worst Of 2011
10. Other Sports/Athletes-The reason I picked this is cause of other athletes from other sports, ie major sports and spritiers make fun of us distance runners. I think, they should try our sport before making fun us

9. Celebrities as runners- why I picked this is cause at NYC Marathon the focus on them more than the American Professional Distance Runners that were in the race

8. The Sports Media-The reason I say this is cause when Wisconsin XC Team won DI XC National the Wisconsin Sports media didn't talk about as much as the Wisconsin Football Team going to The Rose Bowl, 24/7.

7. Spriting-The reason I put this on the worst list is cause when it come to Track & Field that is what they only care about not the whole track & field, which is spriting & distance events & field events

6. Let's Run-The reason being is that you can talk badly about Professional Runners that you don't like/care about even though, I think, they are jealous of them ie, Galen Rupp & Alan Webb

5. Sketcher Running Shoes- Need I say More

4. Galen Rupp Getting the 10K American Record- This is both Best and Worst. Why it is the worst is cause Chris Solinsky, who had the 10K American Record, is one of my friends

3. Aton Bolton- For say that Jesse Williams was one of his favorite World Track Championship Performance cause an American high jumper hadn't won a goal medal

2. Ciaran O’Lionaird's 5K DI Outdoor National Race-I put this at #2 cause I really wanted to see Florida State win DI Outdoor National against University of Florida. All Ciaran aka Mad_Len had to do was score for Florida

1. The Five Finger Shoes- I think that every distance runner is with me on this one & I don't need to say more

Best Of 2011
10. Flotrack.org-This is always on the best list for being the best running website on the web. Plus Ryan Craven interviewed me for video & I got onto Flotrack Live at DI XC Nationals & the highlights are DI XC Nationals. Thanks Ryan Fenton & Alex Lohr

9. EatRunSwag-This is a blog that University of Michigan Distance Runner Zachary Orlnelas, who interviewd me for his blog

8. Roommates Having Babies-I bet you are wondering why this is on the list but is about 2001 roommates Nathan Brannen having his first kid and on the same day Alan Webb announce that him and Julia were 10 weeks pregant

7. Galen Rupp's 10K American Record-this is the only one on the Best and Worst of 2011. The reason this on the best 2011 list is cause Galen showed his haters to shut up

6. RunnerSpace Live-This is on the best of 2011 list cause I got onto it and they did about 2 minutes on me

5. #takeover-You might asking me why this but cause of the #Britirishtakeover there are more #takeover popping up, ie #tallytakeover #indianatakeover #OSUtakeover #Wisconsintakeover #Stanfordtakeover #OhioStatetakeover & #Oregontakeover

4. Matthew Centro & Jenny Simpson-Winning Both a Bronze for Centro & a gold medal for Jenny Simpson

3. Trey Hardee-I think, you might be think why mTrey Hardee. The reason being that he won his 2nd World Championship Decathlon Gold Medal and he had one of the best staches in Movember

2. Ciaran O'Lionaird's Mullet-Need we say more and he has better hair than Justin Bieber

1. Wisconsin XC Team's 2011 XC Season-This is best to me cause they won there 13th Straight in a row Big Ten XC Champ, 10th Straight in a row & winning DI XC Nationals

Also my goals for 2012 is to run more miles, 1100 in the summer and overall 4000 miles for the year of 2012. Lastly, I hope Distance Running is as good in 2012 as it was in 2011 or even better in 2012

Fifth Interview: Professional Steeplechase Josh McAdams

Well here we are for the fifth nterview and well finally got a Professional Distance Runner that I interviewed, Steeplechaser Josh McAdams. He is one of my Steeplechase Idols.

1. How did you get started in running?
My older sister, Melanie, would take me out on runs when I was probably in 4th grade. She ran this 5 mile loop and after a few times running with her, she eventually said, "You're not even tired! Why don't you go ahead." And I took off. I always knew I had talent because we ran the mile fitness test every year and each year I would set the school record. I just loved to run.

2. What do you tell people that don't get our sport of distance running?
I tell them humans were born to run. It's natural and if you don't get it, there's something wrong with you...not the sport. Running is something everyone should be able to do and enjoy.

3. What are you current PR's?
My PR in the Steeple is 8:21. My mile is 4:00.34.
4. How did you get started in Steeplechasing?
After my two year mission in Thailand, I transferred to BYU. I believe the second day of practice in January, Coach Eyestone had all the new guys go over hurdles. He said I looked like a natural. That was that

5. How different is Professional Distance Running Then College Running, for you?
Right now pro and college are about the same except I have less time to devote to training. Since I'm in my last year of grad school, I really have to budget my time even more than undergrad. But the difference is I get paid to do what I love. More importantly, I train with the intent of big races. I don't have to worry about all the races of a collegiate schedule. And being able to travel without worrying about the expenses has been awesome. My wife and I have been able to see lots of the country and world because of running.

6. Who are your favorite professional and/or college distance runner(s) past and/or present & why?
I don't really look up to any runners that are exceptionally great in the sport as I do those that I have been a positive influence on me. Obviously my coach, Ed Eyestone has been a great mentor for me. Four-time NCAA champ, two-time Olympian, winner of many prestigious marathons, and back in the 80's the cream of the crop for American distance runners... but more importantly, the guy has great values as a husband and father. He has shown me how to balance running in life. It's people like him that I love to train with and surround myself with.

7. Best or Worst thing about being a distance running?
Best thing is being able to endure more mentally than what you're physically able to do. Worst part is that even though may be able to mentally push through it, sometimes you are just physically limited. Like trying to break 4:00 in the mile. The last 100m has been the bane of my attempts. Try as I may, my body just locks up and then that's that. 

8. Your Favorite Moment of your distance running career?
Favorite moment was definitely making the 2008 Olympic Team. That was a dream come true and it was just so rewarding to have all that hard work and sacrifice pay off. It was awesome because it wasn't just me, but Coach Eyestone, my wife, family, teammates, so many people played a part and it was like they all were able to celebrate in it.

9. Goals for 2012?
My goals for 2012 are 1) graduate from optometry school 2) make the Olympic Team. Of course I have some smaller goals to get me there but those are the big two.
I hope ,you like the first insight from the first Professional Distance Runner Interview

The Fourth Interview: The Ohio State Man- Donny Roys Interview

The fourth interview is about a great Ohio State Runner, Donny Roys, & what a distance runner he is to watch & talk with.

1. How did you get started in running?
My father got me into running in 4th grade. I was a multi-sport athlete (Soccer, Basketball and Baseball) and he suggested we go run a local 5k and I was hooked. Within the next couple years I added yet another sport and started running in Middle School but still continued to play all those sports up until sophomore year of high school.

2. What do you tell people that don't get our sport of distance running?
A lot of people misunderstand our sport and usually believe it's easy to do. So, I usually tell them to join me for one of my 85-95 mile weeks and do all of my workouts/runs. Usually they are shocked by the mileage and start to piece together that it might be a little harder than they think.

3. What are you current PR's?
800-1:53, Mile-4:08, Steeple-9:00, 5k-14:35, 8k-24:21, 10k-30:46 (Cross Country). I am still getting use to all the mileage so my PR's are sub-par as of right now.

4. How do you manage being a college student with being a college distance runner?
Daily activity lists. Usually I have my day broken down by the hour on what I have to do and how much time I should take doing it. I like to check things off as I go and it gives me a sense of accomplishment when crossing something off.

5. Who are your favorite professional and/or college distance runner(s) past and/or present & why?
It is hard to be able to pick just one distance runner that I admire because of how I find that all runners are different in there own unique way. Two that I admire currently are Brian Olinger and Dan Huling because of the way they carry themselves in training and how dedicated they are to the spot.

6. Best or Worst thing about being a distance running?
The best thing about being a distance runner is the sense of belonging you gain from it because of how your teammates are working together to achieve similar goals. This is a sense brings you closer and makes it easier to get through workouts. I also like how I am able to turn to running with I am down and get me through some troubling times.

7. Your Favorite Moment of your distance running career?
Will all the miles and all the races I have done it is really hard to pinpoint my favorite memory so I will choose the most recent one at NCAA Cross Country Nationals. My favorite moment was racing with my teammates and how there was not a minute we weren't looking around trying to make sure we were together and moving up in the race. If a couple of us got separated we were looking on how we could get back together. It was just a great feeling on how we stayed and worked together like that at the national meet.

I hope you are getting some insight on this distance runners that I interview & I hope there is more to come. I hope there are some Professional Distance Runners that answers my interview questions so you can get some real insight into the world of Distance Running

The Third Interview: The Great Diego Estrada Interview

This third interview that I get and it is an interview of The Great Diego Estrada, from Northen Arizona University, & one of the best guys you will ever meet.

1. How did you get started in running?
I wanted to play football just like any other freshman but I couldn't play to save to life and I i had to be part of a club or sport to be an honors student so i decided to take the "easy? route.

2. What do you tell people that don't get our sport of distance running?
Its not as easy as it looks, there's more to it than just jogging around a track!

3. What are you current PR's?
3:41, 13:26, 28:40 and 2:03

4. How do you manage being a college student with being a college distance runner?
Scheduling things on my whiteboard. I tend to forget things when I am focused.

5. Who are your favorite professional and/or college distance runner(s) past and/or present & why?
I have a lot of runners I have looked up to since I started running, but no one compares to Craig Mottram back in his prime. I want to be as "ballsy" as he was in his prime. No excuses, and be able to enjoy the victories... basically just have fun!

6. Best or Worst thing about being a distance running?
Best: I can eat anything! COLD STONE!!! Worse I'm the little guy in the gym.

7. Your Favorite Moment of your distance running career?
2011 NCAA Indoor 5,000, finally seeing my hard work materialized after so many misses.

8. Goals for 2012?
I want to run fast, but more than that i want to make our sport exciting for the fans to enjoy! Be "ballsy" like the old Buster

Now that I have three Professional/College Distance Runners I hope you guys are liking these interviews and I hope to get more for more insight into the Distance Running World

The Second Interview: Zachary Ornelas Interview

Well here we go again and this is the Second Distance Running Interview. This interview is about Zachary Ornelas, who did a blog about me on his blog- Eat Run Swag & I am repaying him back by doing an interview/blog about him.

1. How did you get started in running?
My dad ran a lot of 5ks when I was really young so I got tired of watching him and I decided to start running too. I did my first 5k as a 7 year old, first 10k at 8, and was running track by 4th grade.

2. What do you tell people that don't get our sport of distance running?
I tell people that don't get our sport to try and imagine what running 15 miles would be like. Then I ask them to imagine doing that every single day. Usually they respond with "that's what y'all do? You're crazy!"

3. What are you current PR's?
My current PRs are pretty weak, let's just say my first 2 years of college were 'learning years' and I didn't fully commit to the sport like I should have. So far I've run 9:07 for steeple, 14:45 for 5k, And 24:34 for 8k xc. I'd like to be at 14:20 or under this year and sub 8:50 for steeple!

4. How do you manage being a college student with being a college distance runner?
Being both a student and a collegiate athlete is pretty tough. My freshman year I struggled with time management and both my running and my grades suffered from it. Thankfully I've got it down now and I've been Academic all-big 10 several times now with a gpa of 3.2. It's all about maturity and discipline really, it's up to you to set aside time to do your work and studying.

5. Who are your favorite professional and/or college distance runner(s) past and/or present & why?
my favorite distance runner on the guys side is Nick Willis because he's a friend of mine and he's one of the nicest people you'll ever meet in addition to being one of the most dedicated athletes I've ever known. My favorite athletes on the girls side are Sheila Reid and Kara Goucher because, well, they're pretty.

6. Best or Worst thing about being a distance running?
The best thing about being a distance runner is the fact that I get to test my limits and push myself close to the edge. You really learn a lot about yourself in the challenges you face in this sport. My least favorite, hmm, well 20mi runs when the temperature is below 0 degrees isn't much fun.

7. Your Favorite Moment of your distance running career?
my favorite moment of my career so far was my trip to the NCAAs this xc season. Our team was closer than ever before and getting the opportunity to go to the national meet with such a close group of friends was great. We're hoping to do much better next year though!

I hope you like the second interview and I hope there is more Professional/College Distance Running Interviews to come

Parker Stinson Interview

Parker Stinson one of the most underrated college, I think, & one of the nicest guys out there in Distance Running that ever know. I have asked a few Professional and College Distance a few question just like Zachary Ornelas did with me on his blog, "Eat Run Swag." So here is the Parker Stinson Interview

1. How did you get started in running?
My running "career" began very early, around the age of 10 I believe. I was always a very active kid and played 3-4 sports a year and sometimes even two sports at one time while growing up. I dabbled in baseball and basketball but I ended up being best at soccer and hockey. One day my dad convinced my older sister, Candace who is four years older than me, to come out and run a few miles with him before school a few times a week in order to get into shape for club soccer tryouts. I always wanted to be involved in all things athletic and I especially wanted to try and outdo my sister at any and everything. So I went out and ran with my dad and sister and I tried my luck at a few kiddy road races and I was hooked.

2. What do you tell people that don't get our sport of distance running?
 I pretty much just tell them that a lot of what has to do with my participation in our sport is because I enjoy being successful and running has seemed to offer that to me. If I was good at the 400 or football I would most likely do that instead, it is hard for people who dont get our sport to understand why anyone would spend so much time, "just running" but i think when you explain to them that you enjoying being passionate about something you are good at then they will begin to understand.

3. What are you current PR's?
 1500-3:52
5000-14:08
10000-29:14

 4. How do you manage being a college student with being a college distance runner?
 Definitely the hardest thing any Student Athlete has to deal with is the balance between academics and athletics and if you're lucky enough to have a social life then you must add that weight into the balancing act as well. I think the key is to be honest and know oneself when it goes to classes you will be taking. I do lots of doubles and I also like to get lots of sleep but I am not much of a nap guy, so therefore I know I need to make sure that I am not scheduling any classes before like 10 a.m. or else it will be bad for my running because I will be rushing and not doing things right in the morning as well as my academics because I will end up skipping that class more so that not in order to do the running things right.

5. Who are your favorite professional and/or college distance runner(s) past and/or present & why?
 I would have to say that my favorite runners would have to be Matt Centrowitz, Luke Puskedra, and Galen Rupp. I do realize that there is an obvious Ducks bias here but that is really not what all three of these guys have in common for me. I think what attracts me the most to looking up to other runners is their ability to inspire me. That being said, since I am around Centro and Luke so often and I get to be involved with what they are doing on a day to day basis and then get to watch how their every day efforts solidify into the amazing performances on race day. Unfortunately, I can not say the same about Galen but the few times and experiences I have had with him along with his incredible performances have left an impact on me.

6. Best or Worst thing about being a distance running?
 Best part about being a distance runner would have to be the purpose, if only for a relatively short time of your life, and direction it offers in my life. Whether it will all work out or not I am very grateful to have such a straight forward goal in my life so that I do not find myself doubting the path in which I am traveling.

 7. Your Favorite Moment of your distance running career?
I have been running for about 9 years now and I don't think I ever choose a favorite moment of my distance running career. So many experiences, and performances have been great and special in their own way. Besides, I like to think the reason why I can't pick a favorite moment is because that moment has yet to come in my distance career. I am hoping the best is yet to come.

This is I hope the first of many Professional and/or College Distance Running Interviews that I do. Thanks Parker, for being my first interview

Trey Hardee

For those who know me I am a distance running freak and that is why they call me, The Hub Of Distance Running, but there is one athlete outside the world of distance running that inspires me more than he know & it is Track & Field Decathlon Trey Hardee. For those of you who don't know what a Decathlon it is where track athletes do ten events over two days both track & field evens. Event like 110 Hurdles, 1500, discus, shot up, javelin & others. The reason why admire Trey Hardee is cause of his deacation to deathlon on the track, filed and in the weight room/gym. Trey Hardee goes as far as some time 3 hours in the gym. Cause of Trey Hardee my deacation to my sport of distance running is always there and I run more mileage like 10-15 miles a day and try to get uinto the weight room and do 8 minute ab routine every chance I get. I think Trey Hardee could out last any athlete that is in the Major Sports ie Football, Baseball, Basketball & Hockey. Trey you are the Shit and thanks for inspiring me more than you know, bro

Santa Run 5K

It as been a couple of weeks since I have blog about anything but last Saturday Dec. 10, 2011 I ran in a road race through Downtown Waukesha, WI. This race was aa 4K last year and this year it was a 5K. Also, I ran this race with a few XC/Track runners that I help coach for Carroll University. As you can see from the picture in this race you could wear costumes and the had a best costume contest award. The guys wear Christmas Trees with Oranments in special places and the girls wear candy cane and ran with canes that were candy canes. Last year three of the guys were the Three Wise Men & the other guys was Baby Jesus. The guys who was Baby Jesus all he wore was an adult dipaer & a blaket. We took a few pictures before the race and then the race was on.

The race started and I was the first guys from our group out of the gate and I was in the lead of our group until about mile & half when the guys caught me and then passed me for the rest of the race. I thought that I was going to beat this guys cause I beat them last year but this year wasn't the case. The guys came in together in third place then I came in at 22:00 even for the 5K. I can say that this year I beat the girls in the race & one of the girls as a 2-time DIII XC Nationals Runner. Also, this year my mom as ran the race & got the time of 32:01. My mom wanted to run in the race last year but had to deal with my Aunt & her only sister who had Colon Cancer dying, so that is why she couldn't run last year. The two year that I ran in the race I would say that I was going to wear a Christmas costume and then I didn't but next I will wear a VChristmas Costume so that I can try to win the costume contest.

My next race in hopefully Jan. 6th, Oshkosh Alumni Meet if Coach Paul Brown will let me run in the meet or I will start my season out on Jan. 14th Stevens Point Alumni Meet, which I know I will be able to get into that meet

Firstt Indoor Track Meet

Today I had my first indoor track Meet of the season at UW-Milwaukee. It was the UW-Milwaukee Tune-Up Mee and I ran in the 3K. For those who don't know the 3K is 15 laps on an indoor track. The UW-Milwaukee Tune-Up Meet is a meet open to anyone high school, college and/or after college/ club runners. In my race, the 3K, I was youngest guy in the race but there was a girl that was younger than me in the race. They combined the men's & women's 3k so there was six guys and one women. I had one of my best races of the year, so far. This year for me has been the year of prs cause I have pred in every race that I have ran. In the race the guy who was ahead of me got a time of 11:07 and I got 11:26, a 4 second pr. Also, in most of my race I usally get a song stuck in my head by this time I didn't I had Wisconsin Runner's Elliott Krause's & Indiana Runner's Andy Weatherford's voices in my head & they were say the whole time if you don't get under 11:30 in the 3K I won't give you my singlet & I thought that was weird. Also, I didn't wear my Greater Milwaukee Track Club singlet which I wear all the time when I race, I wore my Florida State aka #tallytakeover autograph singlet & I think a change hepled me focus on my 3K race and get my pr. All in all it was a great day to race. Next time I will be blogging about my next race, The Santa Run 5K and it is a road race