Interval Session #58 - Laura Roesler By Dave Devine, May 29, 2008 When word started to spread about South Fargo ND sophomore Laura Roesler's superlative quadruple at the recent North Dakota Class A State Meet, where she swept the 100 (12.07w), 200 (24.30w), 400 (55.76) and 800 (2:10.78), many people were both surprised and impressed at this latest Heartland talent.  While they had every reason to be impressed, they shouldn't have been surprised.  It's the third year in a row she's done it.  Roesler has been sweeping those four events since the spring of her 8th grade year (North Dakota rules allow students to begin competing at the HS level in 7th grade, when Roesler won her first state title in the 400).   She now has 13 individual state titles in track and 2 individual cross country titles (plus 2 runner-up finishes), with two years remaining in her high school career. Currently the #2-ranked 800 runner in the nation after her 2:05.68 at the Fargo Classic on May 9th, Roesler heads into the post-season with a summer full of promise and an opportunity to focus a bit more fully on her two-lap specialty. DyeStat Assistant editor Dave Devine rolls into Fargo to catch up with this sophomore star with ridiculous range.

1) Congrats on a great North Dakota State Meet. Your wins in the 100-200-400-800 were very impressive, given the times you ran and the difficulty of that particular quadruple. Was it hard to maintain focus throughout the weekend, with prelims and finals and so many individual events to juggle? Was it helpful and motivating to know you were assisting your team to a state title with the points you were accumulating? All I really had to focus on the first day was just making it to finals. That's also the day I try to run pretty fast since the next day I have all four events and can't wear myself down too fast. The prelims are also my three shortest races so I don't need a whole lot of time to recover. It's always nice to know my points are being put in to help out our team total and I always have that team title in mind since that is the main goal. 2) You opened a lot of eyes with your US#2 2:05.68 800 at the Fargo Classic May 9th, even though you were among the top 800 returners after your freshman track season last spring. Can you talk about that 2:05 race? How it unfolded, whether you expected such a fast run, and how it felt when you heard the time? I haven’t gotten many chances to run the 800 this spring because our weather in ND hasn’t been the best. I really wanted to run a fast time when I got the opportunity at the Classic. The weather was perfect that day– 65 degrees and a slight breeze-- so I tried to go into the race as confident as possible. I ran my first 400 in about 60.5, knowing a sub 2:06 was in reach. I got a huge hug from my Coach after the race and when I heard my time I was really excited, but I also knew there was still room for improvement. 3) One of the things that stands out about you is your impressive range, from 100 meters all the way up to cross country. Is there anything in particular you do to maintain your top-end speed and long-range endurance at the same time, or does it just come naturally? Do you see yourself as more of a sprinter who can run longer distances, or a distance runner who happens to be very fast? I have to train more for the long distances to get my endurance and the speed just comes more naturally. We do more speed work in track so that helps me improve too. I also play basketball and used to play soccer, which is good cross training and gives me a break from running. I see myself more as a middle distance runner who is fast, yet can run longer distances. 4) It seems like the 800 is a good middle ground for all that range, and it's certainly the event in which you've attracted national attention with your top-level times. Is the 800 your favorite event, and if you had to identify one or two things which make you a strong 800 runner, what would they be? I’d like to think that the 800 is my favorite event because it has been the one in which I have had the most success and improved the greatest. I think one thing that developed me into a strong 800 runner is running the 400. It helped me with my pacing for the first lap and made it not seem as hard. My cross country training also has helped because I don’t get as worn out and fatigued at the end of the 800 and still have enough left to put in a strong kick. 5) How did you first get involved in the sport of track and field? Were you an age-group runner who made the splash in high school as soon as you started ninth grade, or was running something you got into more gradually? Were there other sports you played before finding your niche in track? I first started becoming interested in track when I was in about 2nd grade and ran in a camp during the summer. I did that for about 3 summers in a row. I then jumped right up to the high school level in 7th grade since that is when we are allowed to start competing for track and cross country in ND. I was also in basketball and soccer at the time when I began running. After my 8th grade track season I ran in my first national meet (Great Southwest) for the 800 and that was my last summer of soccer. 6) It seems like you've got a strong, close-knit team up there in South Fargo, including a coach [Lisa Svaleson] who's a grad of the school and now back coaching. Can you discuss the team atmosphere and the coaching you receive? What other sources of support do you have as an athlete? The team is a lot of fun and all of the girls are so nice. We all push each other and make each other better. My coach is always there for us and really knows how to make us all improve. All the hard work we do is really worth it in the end. I also have tons of support from my family. They are a blessing to have because they come to every meet, rain or shine. 7) I read that you are also involved in student government, play piano and take your studies pretty seriously. How do you find time for your various interests? Is balance something you have to constantly keep in mind? I really do have to balance everything out, not just to have time, but so I don’t get stressed out too. Piano is kind of a break during the day and so is track practice. But my schoolwork always comes first. 8) For most people, the mention of Fargo, North Dakota, brings to mind the movie "Fargo" from several years ago. Since I'm guessing that movie is not an entirely accurate representation, can you describe what life is like for you in Fargo...how it might be different or the same as anyone else's high school experience? Life in Fargo is probably not much different than life for another teen somewhere else. We have the opportunities to do everything we would like to and there are always new things happening.  I guess you could say that Fargo is probably a little more relaxed and not as hectic as a big city or school. 9) I know you've got an older sister who runs track and is headed to college next year to compete, but you also have a twin brother who runs, right?  How is it being on the same team as your brother?  Are you drawn to the same events? Do you work out together and/or get competitive about your performances? Can you beat him in an 800? What's been the best part about having a twin as you've grown up? Yes, I do have a twin and this year all three of us were on the track team, so that was definitely a fun time because you don't usually see three siblings together all at once in the same sport. My brother and I run some of the same events but he usually doesn't go any longer than the 400 and has the chance to run in more relays than I get to. We are separated at practice, boys and girls, and we really try not to compare performances because we both have two totally different competing environments. But, we congratulate each other on great performances and when he runs faster than me, it kind of makes me want to go out and run fast to beat his time! The best part of having a twin is knowing you have someone there and it's also fun to share common interests so you can get involved in the same things. Photos: Richard Svaleson

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