MileSplit - How is your fitness now that you are in the middle of the 2013 season. What excites you the most about the rest of the season and what you want to accomplish?
Alexa - I'm continuing to get in shape and get more fit as the season goes on, and because I started training for cross country so late, I've just recently dropped my high mileage since the beginning of my races. Some of my favorite cross country races are in the later part of the season, such as Borderclash and NXN, and I just want to continue improving along with my team throughout the rest of the season.
MileSplit - Guess we should have seen this coming, dominating Pre-Nationals and now beating an elite collegiate field at Dellinger. What is the biggest thing you take away from the win today?
Alexa - I think of every race as a step, as well as a learning opportunity, and the win on Saturday did give me some confidence, but it's another race that I can improve off of both mentally and physically.
MileSplit - You are certainly a speedster, with 2:06 and 4:39 credentials. What advantages does this have out on the XC course?
Alexa - On the XC course, it does help me in the last 800m in the race as well as helping me get a fast start in the beginning of the XC races.
MileSplit - When & how did you get started in cross country?
Alexa - I started to run cross country in 6th grade, and actually didn't run in 7th grade, but returned to it 8th grade and continued since then. Playing soccer definitely encouraged my involvement in cross country, and I really enjoyed middle school track as well.
MileSplit - Person/people most influential to your success in cross country and why?
Alexa - My coach and my parents are the most influential to my success in cross country because of the support they give me as well as the inspiration from the tasks that they accomplish everyday. My team also helps me because they make cross country so much more enjoyable and I love spending everyday with them.
MileSplit - Who has influenced you the most so far in your life and what they mean to you and your success?
Alexa - My mom is one of the most influential people in my life because she trains individually for Ironmans, which to me, is incredibly challenging, and the dedication and determination that she puts into her training gives me the realization that I can go for an hour run while she may have to go on a four hour bike ride. My dad also supports me so much in my training and running that positively influences me in practices and in races.
MileSplit - What are the keys to your successful cross country training program?
Alexa - Keys to success is the trust that I put into my coach, as well as focusing on the additional aspects of training, such as general strength and nutrition, as well as mental conditioning.
MileSplit - What are the keys to your team's unity and how you train to reach your goals?
Alexa - The girls on my team are so incredibly close, that I think it helps us when we are racing because we race for each other. Our team also has a set of mantras that we go by, which I think helps us in the mental aspect of racing, and this assists us in reaching our goals physically.
MileSplit - Your favorite past performance in a cross country race and why?
Alexa - My favorite cross country race thus far is NXN last year. Even though it was a complete mud pit, my team had qualified for the race rather than me going as an Northwest individual, which made the experience so much more enjoyable because I was able to spend it with them. This allowed me to race for them, and not just race for myself, and I thought that it was a mental and physical test because of the obstacles that the competitors had to endure during the race.
MileSplit - Who are the cross country competitors you most enjoy competing against and why?
Alexa - Even though Amy-Eloise Neale and Katie Knight have graduated from high school, racing against them on Saturday brought back the memories of the races that we had last season, and they always bring out the best in me.
MileSplit - What is your greatest non-running experience in cross country so far and why?
Alexa - Like I said before, being able to go to NXN with my team last year I think was one of my favorite weekends ever, and not just because of the race, but because of the time that we got to spend with each other. I love all of the girls on my team, and to be to spend that time with them brought us that much closer.
MileSplit - Do you have any long-term goals in running?
Alexa - Continuing to progress as a runner, qualify for the Olympic Trials, and potentially run professionally one day.
MileSplit - What was your favorite performance from the 2013 World Champs?
Alexa - Jenny Simpson in the 1500m.
The Fun Run
What music do you rock while working out…
Alexa - I don't listen to music when I run, but I love "Hall of Fame" for pre-race tunes!
Do you like to run in the mud or the grass…
Alexa - I like to run in the mud when I'm not doing workouts and I'm on a mud run with my team, but for the fast stuff, I like grass.
Do you hang out on Facebook or Twitter...
Alexa - I don't have either!
Do you like going out or chilling at home...
Alexa - I like going out and hanging out with my teammates after practice.
What gear is your favorite while running...
Alexa - Adidas Spandex with a Tank-top
