Jaunting With Jeremy Gilbertson

(Photo provided by Jeremy Gilbertson)

First of all, how did you first start running?

I first started running in 8th grade. I threw shot and discus in 7th and 8th grade but decided to join the distance squad and cross country to get in shape for hockey. My parents said I couldn't quit for three weeks; it was my choice after that. But I ended up loving running way more thought I would, so here I am.

What are all your personal records, including cross country?

5k-15:54

3200m-9:32

1600m-4:31

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

I currently Nordic ski and run cross outside of track. I played hockey and baseball, and also shot trap freshmen year.

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

It would have to be Nike Cross Nationals. The race was only a small part of it; the overall experience was something I will never forget.  It was crazy just sitting at the course thinking about how far I've come over the last five years.

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

Definitely the other Lake Conference guys. We see them many times throughout the year and often into the off season, especially with Edina in Portland this year.  They all fight hard in races but most of us are good friends off the track.


(Photo provided by Jeremy Gilbertson)

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

My parents, of course, for getting me into running and supporting me ever since. I attribute my success as a runner to my coaches, however. Our distance coaches Mark Popp, Eric Jahn, Brandon Heebink, John Lambert, Andrew Hansen, and Kyle Rasmussen are phenomenal. They bring an incredible amount of experience and knowledge to our program, and have really shown me how to be a dedicated runner. They work with us year round (except for the no contact periods of course) and put in an incredible amount of time both before and after school helping my team and I become better runners.  I don't think I'd be running anywhere close to what I am without them.

We posted an article last XC season about which seniors had most improved since freshman year, and you were the subject of our cover photo. Back when that first photo was taken, could you have pictured yourself improving so much as a runner?

Not a chance. Back then I ran only because I wanted to get in shape and loved hanging out with the team. Of course I still tried to be as fast as I could, but I figured I'd be lucky to finish in the top two-thirds of my  team my senior year. I always had it in my mind that I wanted to make it to the top, but it didn't become a realistic goal until my sophomore year.

The last few years, Wayzata has had an incredible JV distance team which you ran on until this year. Was it ever discouraging not being on your team's A-team for so long, or was it really motivating for you?

It was extremely motivating. Of course there were always times where I wished I could have been running varsity, but there is no question that I wouldn't have improved so much without those guys to chase. It was always very inspiring for me to see what kinds of runners Wayzata could produce, and showed me what I should be working towards and what I could be capable of.

What are your main goals for this upcoming track season?

Of course I'll be shooting for the State Meet, but from our section it's a lot easier said than done.  Other than that I'm looking to cut my two mile time down as much as I can for Hamline and True Team, and just enjoy my last season before college.

What is something you have learned through your running career that you would like to pass down to the youngsters and underclassmen runners after you?

Be consistent, and do the little things. The biggest improvement I made was when I started to consistently run through the season and off-season. Being consistent in your training in general, as well as the little things (strength/core work, stretching, strides) will definitely pay off for you in the long run, especially in injury prevention. The longer you can go without injury, the more consistently you can train and the better you will be.

(Photo provided by Jeremy Gilbertson)

Do you have any college plans?

At this point, I plan on majoring in physics and running at Gustavus Adolphus.

What were some of the things that most attracted you to Gustavus?

I looked at several schools of all types, and it came down to Colorado Mines and Gustavus. I like Gustavus the most because it supports my career interest very well, but also gives me a lot more flexibility to pursue other interests outside of my academics and running. The coaches there are awesome, the team philosophy and atmosphere is very similar to Wayzata, and it really seem like they are on the upswing, so I am excited to contribute to that.

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

Our team is pretty low key before races. I just like to go through each lap of the race in my head, thinking of where I want to be and what moves I want to make throughout the race.

When not running miles or running on ovals, what might we find you doing?

Hanging out with my teammates, on the lake fishing, in the woods, or sitting down with my guitar. I'm not gonna say senior slide has hit yet, but it's been a pretty relaxing year.

Tell me one bizarre fact about yourself.

My teammates like to tell me I fish way too much. For example, on our training trip the Colorado I found a random fishing rod and started catching trout while the guys were taking an ice bath in the stream. I'm also going to State for Muskie fishing this year with a teammate. Hmmm...Maybe they're right...