38th Interview DIII UW-Oshkosh's Casey Karpin

My next interview of DIII UW-Oshkosh's Casey Karpin

1. How did you get started in running?
i started running my junior year of high school after compressing my spine playing football. a few friends of mine, jack hackett, evan ross, and a few few other convinced me to start running.

2. What do you tell people that don't get our sport of distance running?
for people who dont get our sport, i just ask them whats the one thing they truly enjoy? whats the thing that they love to do? because i love to run. i dont always know why.. but i just do. From the people you meet to the pain and feeling of a great workout, there just isn't anything better.

3. What are you current PR's?
8k- 28:14
5k- 16:56
mile- 4:35

4. How do you manage being a college student with being a college distance runner?
i recently came to new thought about school that has been helping me recently, my coach told me if you wanna be successful in running and you want to dominate, then you must have that thought with everything you do. So, why not start with dominating in the classroom?

5. Who are your favorite professional and/or college distance runner(s) past and/or present & why?
Evan Jager- Basically just for his flow
Tim Nelson- One of the nicest guys you will ever meet, hands down. Not only that but he worked extremely hard for the accomplishments he has achieved. He wasn't the fastest guy in high school and now he's the best D3 distance runner in the nation.

6. Best or Worst thing about being a distance running?
Best- the reactions you get from people when in everyday conversation running comes up and they ask how far you usually run. Then you reply with anywhere from 8 to 15 miles.
Worst- the intimidation factor when you're in the gym and you look to your left and the guy next to you is lifting over 5 times what you can. Then you look to your right and the girl next to you is lifting about the same weight as you are.

7. Your Favorite Moment of your distance running career?
My favorite moments come down to those races when you hit the finish line of a pr race and even though you can't really even walk around you're just happy knowing the hundreds of miles your ran were worth something.

8. Goals for 2013?
Mile- sub 4:30
3k- sub 9:10
Steeplechase- sub 10
5k- sub 16:15
8k cross country- 26:30

37th Interview DII Adam State Distance Runner Matt Daniels

My first interview of a DII Distance Runner, Matt Daniel of Adam State


1. How did you get started in running? I started getting into running in the second grade. We had event sign ups for field day and I had no idea what event i wanted to do. My PE teacher told me i had long legs so i should try the distance run. I won and continued to do that race all the way until i entered middle school and could join cross-country. Then it went on from there.

2. What do you tell people that don't get our sport of distance running? I tell them i can understand. I took 2 and a half years off from running. smoked a lot, drank a lot. When i decided to start back running was awful and I could not figure out for the life of me why i ever did it. Then once i started to get back into shape i realized how enjoyable it really is. So i tell them that its not a very enjoyable
thing until you are in the kind of shape to where it becomes fun and a little easier.

3. What are you current PR's? 1500: 3:45 5k: 13:59

4. How do you manage being a college student with being a college distance runner? It is very difficult at times for me. I'm the type that likes to focus on one thing and put all of my energy towards it and make the best out of it. That being said in college is you dont do well in the classroom your not going to be able to compete. So ive had to look at school and running as one thing and spend equal amount of time on both. I wake up spend 2 hours at practice in the morning. Go to class for 4-5 hours. Then go to our afternoon practice for another 3 hours. After all of that is done i spend an equal amount of time outside of class and practice working on homework and other things running related. The social scene is basically non existent. I have a girlfriend who keeps me sane.

5. Who are your favorite professional and/or college distance runner(s) past and/or present & why? From the past my favorite professional runners were probably Frank shorter and Steve Ovett. I like both runners because of the range they had. Frank shorter was always interesting to me because of the era he ran in. pretty blue collar and just put in the miles at altitude and did it with class. He also did his biggest part of training while in Law school, which is something i hope to do soon. Steve Ovett like i said had ridiculous range. But i love watching videos of him running in the past. He had a certain type of fire inside of him almost to the point of being a bit cocky which always makes things fun. Both guys just had flawless form as well. Present day I don't really have a favorite runner. I try not to idolize the guys i will hopefully be competing against. But i do enjoy watching the two Kenyans from Arizona state run. They have really raised the bar in collegiate distance running.

6. Best or Worst thing about being a distance running? Best thing about being a distance runner would have to be the feeling of self satisfaction you get after running a great race or a personal record. The worse thing about being a distance runner has got to be just the daily grind. day in and day out it can really take its toll(especially up here at 7550ft) but that being said it is still well worth it when you are running good.

7. Your Favorite Moment of your distance running career? I've had a lot of moments i would consider great in my career. But my most recent one was coming in 4th at DII XC nationals this year with two of my teammates getting second and third right ahead of me. For cross-country not being my specialty i was pretty pumped. We also won the team title which just put the icing on the cake. The greatest moments are those you get to share with your team!

8. Goals for 2013? My Goals for 2013 are to dip under 13:40 in the 5k and run somewhere under 3:43 for the 1500. More than anything i want to help the track team win Indoor and Outdoor Nationals so we can be the first team in the History of DII to get the triple crown. That is important to me.

36th Interview Northern Arizona's Matt McElroy

As you can see my 36th Interview is about Northern Arizona's Matt McElroy


1. How did you get started in running?
I started running in 5th grade because I wanted to win my elementary schools Jogathon

2. What do you tell people that don't get our sport of distance running?
 I tell people that distance runnings is a very self fulfilling sport.

3. What are you current PR's?
5k: 14:08 10k: 30:20

4. How do you manage being a college student with being a college distance runner?
I normally only take about 12 units just so i can get extra sleep and focus on school. I pay the price when I take summer classes though!

5. Who are your favorite professional and/or college distance runner(s) past and/or present & why?
my favorite runner is probably Kirubel Erassa and German Fernandez, anytime you put those two in a room someone ends up getting hurt.

6. Best or Worst thing about being a distance running?
worst thing about running is getting injured. The best thing about college running that everyone will tell you this is per diem, aka "make it rain." I think traveling and meeting people from different schools is pretty exciting

7. Your Favorite Moment of your distance running career?
Ow man this is hard! It goes between getting 2nd at Footlocker, winning a National Championships at Oklahoma state and this years 4th place finish for Northern Arizona.

8. Goals for 2013?
Hopefully make indoor nationals and finally run fast outdoors.

35th Interview The Great Kyle Merber

This interview is about Kyle Merber who start out at Columbia University & now is at University Of Texas


1. How did you get started in running?
-After winning his gold medal in the 400m hurdles in Atlanta, Derek Adkins came back to my elementary school [the same one he graduated from] to give a speech, shake some hands and show off his new hardware. I got home absolutely inspired and told my mom to sign me up for some races!

2. What do you tell people that don't get our sport of distance running?
-As I age I find that more people respect and understand our sport. But if they belittle me for just running laps then I use some self-deprecation and remind them not to forget about how stupid I look in short-shorts.

3. What are you current PR's?
-800-1:49, 1500-3:35, Mile-3:58, 5k-14:02 and I once I high jumped 5'5

4. How do you manage being a college student with being a college distance runner?
-If it's late at night, and you have homework, but need to get up for an early morning workout then you have to ask yourself…"Am I more upset after a bad workout, or for getting a bad grade?" And then I go to sleep.

5. Who are your favorite professional and/or college distance runner(s) past and/or present & why?
-With my ties to both Texas and Columbia, I'd have to consider those rosters my favorite collegiate runners. But on the pro scene, I root hard for veterans and CU alums Liam Boylan-Pett and Delilah DiCrescenzo. Erik Van Ingen and Chris Derrick would be my rookie picks.

6. Best or Worst thing about being a distance running?
-I've only been tackled during a race once and you can do it anywhere. But the big con is that I won't be putting on 30 lbs of muscle to achieve my ideal Ryan Reynolds body anytime soon.

7. Your Favorite Moment of your distance running career?
-I'm a big team guy, so my favorite moment was when Columbia squeaked out an upset at HEPS my sophomore year. We cried a lot…and I have never felt more a part of something special. A close second would be when I pulled a 3:35 out of my ass only to then watch all my training partners PR in the next heat.

8. Goals for 2013?
-Get my consistency back. I always prided myself on always being healthy and performing on race day before I got hurt, but after I was injured my junior year I began to struggle with it. So my goal is to show my best when I step out onto the track this year.

34th Interview DIII Sprinter Cooper Witt (Part 3 of a 3-Parter)

This interview of DIII Carroll University Sprinter Cooper Witt. This interview is part 3 of a 3-parter of 3 interviews of only sprinters that I will interview.

1. How did you get started in running?
I did track for the first time in 7th grade just to see what it was all about. I was always up for trying different sports.

2. What do you tell people that don't get our sport of running?
Getting into the blocks for a big race is just as a big of an adrenaline rush as anything else out there.

3. What are your current PR's?
60m: 7.06, 100m: 10.77, 200: 21.96

4. How do you manage being a college student with being a college runner?
Sports have actually always helped me do better with school, I have a lot less free time to waste being unproductive when I have practice and meets all the time.

5. Who are your favorite professional and/or college runner(s) past and/or present & why?
I love Usain Bolt, he's always a blast to watch and brings some light-hearted fun to a pretty serious sport. Tyson Gay is my other favorite, his work ethic is one of the best out there.

6. Best or Worst thing about being a runner?
Best: Sprinting is easily my favorite stress reliever.
Worst: Shin splints.

7. Your Favorite Moment of your running career?
All the people I've met over the years throughout high school and now college. Hanging out before and after races you get to meet some pretty great people and just talk about random stuff.
8. Goals for 2013?
Just to work as hard as I can, leave everything on the track, and see what happens!

My 33rd Interview DIII Sprinter Ryan Bloor (Part 2 of a 3-parter)

This interview of DIII Carroll University Sprinter "The White Bloor" Ryan Bloor. This interview is part 2 of a 3-parter of 3 interviews of only sprinters that I will interview


1. How did you get started in running?
i needed to stay in shape for football in high school and decided track was a good way. it turned out i could be successful in it and my career took off

2. What do you tell people that don't get our sport of running?
runners are different, its a different type of competition. i think to love running you have to love that runners high feeling and the pain that goes along with it.

3. What are you current PR's?
100m:11.1 200m:22.9 400m:51

4. How do you manage being a college student with being a college runner?
honestly managing school and sports/track have never been difficult for me. i have good time managment skills and know when to buckle down and get stuff done and when to have fun. track also isnt the most time consuming sport so that helps

5. Who are your favorite professional and/or college runner(s) past and/or present & why?
i have never been a huge spectator of professional running but in the last year have been following it more. i enjoy watching decathletes such as trey hardee and ashton eaton the most because of their overall, well rounded athletic ability

6. Best or Worst thing about being a running?
worst thing about running...feeling like death after a hard workout

7. Your Favorite Moment of your running career?
favorite moment of my running career was at indoor conference my junior year of college and specifically winning the DMR. i ran with a great group of guys and it was my first conference gold medal
8. Goals for 2013?
my goals for this year include setting a PR in the 100, 200 and 400, getting points for my team at conference in an individual event and getting back on the medal stand in as many relays as possible

My 32nd Interview: DIII Sprinter Nick Nelson (Part 1 of a 3-parter sprinter interview)

My 32nd Interview is aout DIII Carroll University Sprinter Nick "Nelly Nel" Nelson. This is part 1 of a 3 parter of three interviews of 3 DIII Carroll University Sprinters and the only sprinters I will interview for this blog.


1. How did you get started in running?
I started in middle school as a way to get in shape for football and it just kind of evolved into a thing of its own.

2. What do you tell people that don't get our sport of running?
There's nothing to tell em, they'll just never get it!

3. What are you current PR's?
400m, my main event, is 52.15. 200m is 23.8.

4. How do you manage being a college student with being a college runner?
It actually hasn't been too bad, just always make sure you're budgeting you're time.

5. Who are your favorite professional and/or college runner(s) past and/or present & why?
I was always a big fan of Jeremy Wariner being a 400 runner, and Ashton Eaton put in two amazing performances at the trials and Olympics.

6. Best or Worst thing about being a running?
Best: I've never seen the freshman -15
Worst: waking up early for some of the farthest meets.

7. Your Favorite Moment of your running career?
Just being able to continue running here at Carroll

8. How different is Sprinting vs. Distance Running in Track & Field for you?
I tried 800's for the past year and a half with pretty limited success, but it did teach me some valuable things about mindset when you're in pain in a workout or race. That's something I'll definitely put to good use this year as I drop back down to the 200/400m range.

9. Goals for 2013?
Runnings always been something I've done simply because I love it and not because I'm some "stud" but I'd really like to see a 50.x this year and how workouts have been going I'm feeling great about it!