Interval Session #10 - Carly Seymour Chanelle Price and Neely Spence may have made the biggest headlines last school year among Pennsylvania's female middle- and long-distance runners, but no one surprised like Carly Seymour. She not only finished close behind Spence at Foot Locker NE, in a field of more experienced heavy hitters, but then was right behind her for 9th in San Diego. The Central Cambria senior was back under the national radar somewhat last spring, with very good, but not great 1600 and 3200 times. But no one will forget about the modest Seymour now. In one of the two or three biggest meets of the whole year, she came from behind at Eastern States and buried by 15 seconds a field of almost all the best runners in the NE quarter of the country. Oh yeah, and she also took down Nicole Blood’s course record with a sterling 13:55 for 2.5M. Gasping and wheezing, DyeStat News Editor SteveU managed to catch up with Carly the day after the turned on the jets again in her conference meet, just 4 days after conquering Vanny, and won the 3M in a record 17:07.

1. Carly, first of all, congratulations on that awesome race last weekend. I think those of us from outside PA knew you were a big part of that competitive field and had a great chance to win, but beating them and the record with a time like that had people all over the country saying, "WOW!" Can you tell us your approach leading up to the meet and take us through how the race unfolded for you? Well, my approach into the race was really to just go into it as a great opportunity to experience the course and get to run with some of the top girls in the region. The race started out not as well as I would have hoped. At the start, I got pretty boxed in with the huge crowd of girls. Once I entered the woods, I tried to start picking it up to pass some of the girls and head toward the front pack. I caught up with the top 4 girls about 1.5 miles into the race and, from there, kept pushing past everyone. I felt great running and really kicked it in the final stretch. 2. What was your reaction when you crossed the line and saw your time? And tell us what this week has been like since you won. Have you been made to feel like a local celebrity more so than before? My reaction when I crossed the finish line was disbelief. I knew I had run a good race and that I would get a good time, but I never imagined that I would be running a record-setting time. This week has been exciting knowing that I have done so well at the meet, but really nothing has changed. My school and town really support me and encourage my successes, but I would never want to be treated like a celebrity just for running a race. I do it because I love it and don't really seek the attention 3. I see you won your conference meet with another fast time yesterday (17:07 3M). Did you need to run that fast so soon after Saturday, or were you trying to break another record? I really didn't and shouldn't have run so fast after Saturday. The course is a typically fast course and I told myself to keep it steady and smooth, but after trying to hype up the other teammates for a good race I got too excited. I didn't intend on breaking the record, but it ended up I did. 4. Has winning Eastern States changed your goals for Foot Locker at all? Is there a new feeling of thinking more like you can win it now? Please talk about your goals the rest of the season Winning Eastern States has added a lot of confidence to my training and racing. Foot Locker has always been at the top of my list for goals for the year. I always strive for the best and even before winning the race on Saturday I was pushing for a top 5 finish at the National meet. 5. Correct me if I'm wrong, but it looks like you won't get to race Neely Spence until Foot Locker. Last year, you two did great for PA and the Northeast in San Diego. Are you two close friends and do you look forward to racing her? Yes, we are good friends after meeting in San Diego last year. She is such a talented and goal-driven runner like myself, which make us relate to one another. I do look forward to running against her because I know how hard she has worked and to put my efforts up against hers is really exciting. 6. In track last spring, it seemed like you put up some good times, but not quite at the level of a few other top XC runners. But now it seems like you're better than ever. Was there anything that tempered your track performances (injuries or anything), or are you just more of a true harrier? Honestly, I seem to be better at cross country than track. I had a terrible sophmore year during the spring and this past year was a test of getting back into the swing of things. I seem to lack a lot of the experience on the track then the other XC runners, but I plan on stepping it up this season. 7. It looks like you are in kind of a rural area of Pennsylvania. What is it like living and training there? Do you get a lot of props in the community for your achievements? Also please talk about the support you get from your coach and family. Living in such a small town has its advantages, although it is quite boring. I love training here more then living here, of course. This is probably because I live in an area where there are so many hills and different terrains to train on. Living in a small town also gives you a lot less traffic and congestion to deal with. The community is a huge support of my success. The local people and press seem to follow my performances all season long and do a great job of being there to lift my spirits and provide a lot of support. My family and coach, Randy Wilson, are the biggest reason for my success. They keep me grounded, mentally and physically. When I have a bad day, my family is doing everything in their power to help by comforting and seeking the best thing possible for me. They are my number one fan support system and have dedicated a lot of their time. I don't know how to thank them enough. My coach has been so inspirational by teaching myself and the team about goals and believing in yourself. He also dedicates a lot of time and has a lot of knowledge about the sport. 8. Most elite XC girls are outstanding students and I'm guessing you're no exception. What are your favorite areas of study and what do you like to do when you are not running or studying? My favorite subjects are the maths and sciences and yes, I do very well in school. When I’m not running or studying I like to spend time with my family. I love yoga, riding bikes, being outdoors, and watching football games. Photo by John Nepolitan

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