Running Like An Elk

My former coach told me I should try XC, so I gave it a shot in 8th grade and by the end of the season I fell in love with running because it felt so natural.

What are all your personal records, including XC?

My 400 PR is technically a relay split with a 54.1, my 800 is also relay split with a 2:01, 1600 is 4:29, 3200(one of my favorite races) 9:22, and my XC 5K is 15:43.

Do you do, or have you done, any other sports?

I played basketball from 3rd grade to 8th grade, I played football for a year, baseball, I did hockey when I was around 2, I gave soccer a shot in 7th grade but I ended up quitting before the end of the season. I also tried rock climbing but I have to say running is my sweetheart.

What is your favorite or most memorable competition you've ever been in?

That's a tough one, I'm going to have to go with state cross country meet because even though I was the only guy on my team who made it a lot of the guys showed up to cheer me on!

Other than your own teammates, who are some of your favorite athletes to compete against?

Zack Emery from LaCrescent because I've raced him since day one and he's made me a better runner. A few other runners that I wish I had more opportunities to race against would be Khalid Hussein, Gemechu Meskele, Jeremy Gilbertson, and Grant Price because they're a very talented group of guys and whenever I've raced them they've brought the best out of me.

Who are some people that have been most helpful to you in your athletic career?

My mom because she's always told me I could do anything I set my mind to. My coaches because they've never given up on me and gone out of their way to help me achieve my goals, and the people who walk up to me to tell me they loved watching me run even when I'm not at my best.

What is a challenge you have had to face as an athlete?

I used to get really nervous before races because I was afraid of failure and disappointing other people. It wasn't until halfway through my cross country season back in the fall to overcome that.

How difficult was that to deal with, and how were you able to overcome that struggle?

I would say it was hard to overcome because I wanted to control things that I had no control over such as an outcome to a race. Letting go of things I have no control over and focusing on what things I do have control over helped me face my fears and anxieties.

As a senior, how have your perspectives, strategies, or attitudes changed since you first started running, what advice would you give to younger track athletes?

I used to think that running fast would bring satisfaction out of the sport, but as a senior I would say running is a part of who I am and I enjoy just getting out for a run. The advice I would give to younger runners, "Keep up on things such as iron and vitamin D, and form is important to stay injury free."

 What are your main goals for this track season?

My main focus is running strategic races and consistent/negative splitting. Time goals are sub-4:10 in the 1600 and sub-9 in the 3200.

How are you feeling about where you are at performance and training-wise this season?

I feel a lot more solid this year compared to last year because I had severe iron deficiency. Training-wise I'm more consistent and workouts are faster than last year.

Do you have any college plans?

I plan on majoring in engineering and running both running XC and track @ SDSU.

What were some things that helped draw you to SDSU?

The campus feels big, but at the same time not too big, I like the training they have because it's focused on bringing the best out of each individual rather than giving the team the exact same workout. What stood out a lot was when one of the guys reached out and asked me if I was interested in running at SDSU. When I went to visit I connected with Coach Rod DeHaven right away and he seems like a down to earth person,  and after the visit I knew SDSU would be a good fit for me.

Do you have any rituals, routines, or superstitions either on or off the track?

I like to wear the same warmups for a routine. If I'm racing during the day I like to wear sunglasses. Usually before I race I say a little prayer, I think about just going out having fun and giving my best and let the rest happen.

When not doing anything track-related, what might we find you doing?

I like to travel; I went to Maui back in January for my golden birthday. I do quite a bit of photography, I hang out with friends, I snapchat quite bit, or else I might be chilling on my couch watching TV after a long run.

Tell me one bizarre fact about yourself (other than the Rubik's Cube one, since you told us that one at the NXR meet)

I can some cool tricks with a yoyo and the other stuff I know how to do haha!