Senior, John I. Leonard – 10th Place Foot Locker Regional
What kind of hill work have you been doing to prepare? “There are two parks near where I live one is an old dump that’s a makeshift hill that we train on. Also, there is a park by my house it’s not a very big hill but it’s pretty steep and I did laps on it. It’s better than just running on flat ground.”
Thought about how you want to attack it yet? “I think my plan is really to just start out fast. I’ve never seen the course before, but hopefully it’s not like North Carolina where you get boxed in. If I’m near the front and I feel the race is going slow I’ll pick up the pace pretty much rather than just leave it for the end. On the hills probably when I see them when we walk the course on Friday, I don’t know how steep or long they are... I heard it’s a half mile, if it’s not too hard if it’s like the one from the state course it won’t be much of a problem for me. The hills aren’t really a big problem. In my mind I have a picture that the race will probably start and I just want to stay in the race if there are people around me pick those people off and at the end with like a mile left is usually where I’ll try to kick. I’ll kick from a mile out and move up because in my mind I’ll hopefully be in the front 15-20 and just work my way up and pick people off.”
What is your mindset going into the race? “I pretty much just look at I think the winning time last year was a 15:08, I’ve run (under) a 15:08 for a 5K. I know the courses are different, but I know I can run that time and I don’t know why I couldn’t be in the front. I know there are some guys who are up there and are predicted to win but you never know. When Mike Fout won it a few years ago (2007) he wasn’t expected to win but he ran a good race. You never know what turns out at the end.”
On the prestige of the event: “I ran the seeded race in 10th grade. That was the first time I made it in a very stacked race I saw those top 10 guys and thought man those guys have to be really good to qualify. When I finally made it this year I was very excited to have the opportunity to go there and run in this the most competitive race you can be in and to know that I actually made it makes me feel really good. When I go there I know everyone there is pretty much all the same everyone is good. Whatever it takes to get there I’m going to try my best and placing well in that race is the best performance you can have and definitely show that you are really good and that you are the elite of the U.S.”
What are your goals for the race? “There is no rule that says you aren’t supposed to win it. That’s what you’re supposed to do. I’m not going to say hey this guy is better than me so I’m not going to hang with him. The first thing is to win the race you never know what is going to happen. I’m going to aim for first, then top 10, and All-American. I don’t want to go in there and try and get 20th and 30th place if I don’t have too. I’m going to go in there to do the best I can and if I go and win it I can’t ask for anything more.”
On bonding with other runners: It’ll be really cool. The only time you ever see them is when they are in race mode you never get to see them when they are in regular people mode, you get to see both sides. They bring you there before the race so you get to meet the people before the race it’s not just your rivals. You can get comfortable then after the race you can hang out again no hard feelings and just hangout again till you have to leave. They always say they treat us like a king when you’re there so that’s what I’m expecting.”
More about Ryan
Video interview after Foot Locker South
Interview after flrunners.com Invitational, with Clark
