Brandt

Reimer

Watson

Cupido

Brown

Dingman

Grimm

KUTZTOWN, PA. (November 18, 2009) -- Members of the Kutztown University women's cross-country team took time from its training for this weekend's NCAA Championship meet to discuss -- in their own words -- what it means to qualify for NCAA championships, how they were able to bounce back from finishing fifth during the PSAC championships and what they were thinking during the halfway point of the Atlantic Regional championship meet.

Sit back and relax as Rebecca Brandt, Christina Reimer, Maureen Watson, Kristin Cupido, Cheryl Dingman, Keri Brown and Steph Grimm give you inside access into the insights of a cross-country runner. This is the first of three parts.

1. What was your focus during the halfway point of the Atlantic Regional championship race?

Rebecca Brandt: My focus at the halfway point was moving up in the pack and staying with Lock Haven's No. 2 runner. Our team worked so hard for the whole season competing at regionals to get that chance to run at nationals.

Cristina Reimer: Honestly, yes I was a little nervous that Saturday morning leading up to the start of the race, but at the same time you can never take anything too seriously.  From the start of the race to the halfway mark, I had this constant anxious feeling inside that just kept me going. By the halfway mark I was just anxious to keep pushing my pace. Not just halfway through the race but the last part of it as well, I just kept telling myself, "you only get one chance... opportunity comes once in a life time, never let it go". These words are from an Eminem song I always listen to before a race to help prepare myself mentally.  The halfway point is where it starts to hurt, but my focus was to keep telling myself just keep going, you and your team deserve to run well today; just suck it up and hold on till the finish. 

Maureen Watson: During the halfway point, my focus was on getting to nationals.  I kept thinking about which place I was in, and how I needed to keep moving up.  When there was about a mile left, my coach pointed to a pack of runners in front of myself and Becca and said this is your ticket to nationals. So we both really picked up our pace at that point and passed the pack in front of us.

Keri Brown: Halfway through the race I was just thinking Beat Shippensburg because at that point there were two Ship girls ahead of me that I could see, and they were pretty far but definitely not unreachable. I knew that if we'd beat Ship, we would be going to nationals. I was just focusing on them and trying to keep up a good pace up and trying to keep myself relaxed. I knew though at this point, that if we were going do this it was going to be awesomely painful!!

Kristin Cupido: At the halfway point, I knew that there were four of our girls ahead of me and I knew that the fifth spot really counted so I was just trying to stay in contact with our fourth girl in the race, Keri Brown.  We started pushing each other and I knew we were in a good position to qualify.

Stephanie Grimm: At the halfway point at regionals, my focus was on holding my position. I came down with the flu at 1:30 a.m. the night before the race, and at half-way, I already felt like I had drained all of my energy. At a race like regionals, every place counts, so I just wanted to finish in a solid position. I definitely was not able to perform my best.

Cheryl Dingman: I knew we were right where we had to be. And coach was giving positive feedback. I was personally having a tough race, I didn't feel fresh like I had planned, but mentally I just knew I had to keep pushing and try to maintain my position as much as a could for the scoring. 

PART TWO WILL BE POSTED ON THURSDAY NOVEMBER 19, 2009

--KU--