Interval Session #4 - Katie Flood Sometimes this country’s prodigal young female distance talents explode on the scene, winning national titles left and right, a la Jordan Hasay. Other times, their introductions to the national scene are more subtle. So unless you’ve hit the summer track circuit, made your pilgrimage to the Drake Relays, or closely follow the Iowa prep scene, you may not have heard of Dowling Catholic IA soph Katie Flood. You will. Katie’s freshman campaign included state titles in track and XC, an Iowa 4k record 13:48 and the Drake 3k win in 9:44.96 – but no Foot Locker or Nike meets. This fall has seen the younger of the outstanding Flood sisters (Betsy is a senior) continue to rip 13:50s for 4k (if you’re not familiar with 4k, anything under 14 is REALLY good), but now the ante is being raised. This weekend, she and her teammates , under Coach Fr. Jim Kirby will race some of the best runners in the Heartland at the Roy Griak Invitational in Minneapolis and, now with the region’s #3 team, will quite possibly give the post-season a shot. So SteveU ventures into the heart of the Heartland, the capital city of Des Moines IA to catch up with this super soph. .

1. So far this fall, you seem to be the same dominant cross-country runner you were in 2006. But every year is different and things change quickly as you get older in high school. What is running and racing this fall like compared to last fall? This year being my second season, I feel more comfortable and more experienced in the races. Last fall, being my first year, I didn't know what to expect, and I wasn't familiar with my capabilities. This year, I feel more tuned in with my abilities as well as my boundaries, and I've been trying to build on that. 2. You had a pretty good team around you last year, but it looks like you guys have improved quite a bit. Talk a little about the team as a whole and how it is this year compared to last. I get the impression it's a very strong, close-knit team. Last year was an exciting season because we weren't really expecting much until we realized where we stood. We left state feeling a little unsatisfied with the outcome, and we're hoping we can make up for it this year. We all do get along really well, and I think that's a big part of what makes a team whole. 3. Although you're still "just" a sophomore, the fastest runners are usually called upon to be leaders. Are you feeling like more of a natural leader this fall, or do you leave that more to the juniors and seniors? I try to help the team where I can, but I think the key leaders of our team are the captains. I try to lead more by example than anything. 4. You had a very strong 3k time in track, and some other good races, but it seems like you're more known for cross-country so far in your career. On the other hand, I know you ran some great youth times at distances as short as 800 meters. Do you like cross-country and longer distances better than track, or the other way around? Although very similar, track and cross-country are two really different sports. I switch back and forth on which sport is my favorite, depending on what season I'm in. 5. What kind of things did you do in training this summer to try and improve? Did you add mileage, weight training, anything like that? We really haven't changed too much. We've upped our mileage slightly, and have done a few more workouts, but for the most part we're running the same as last year. 6. Your team hasn't had too much out of state racing the last year or so, but this weekend you guys are headed to the Griak Invitational in Minnesota. Tell me how it feels to get a chance to race some of the best girls in the Heartland and the country. Also, do you and your coach plan to have you racing at NTN Heartland region meet or Foot Locker this year? I'm excited to race in Griak because there will be new competition. Also, the race is a 5K which is something new as well. I'm really curious to see how we place as a team overall. As for NTN Heartland & Footlocker, we've talked about these meets, and although we haven't made a final decision, we are definitely considering it. 7. Tell me about running and racing with your older sister, Betsy. Are you two really supportive of each other, or is it more of a rivalry? What does the support of your family mean to you? Having Betsy there really makes everything a lot easier, because I always have someone to run with. We support each other, and really just want one another to compete at their personal bests. Having support from my family is encouraging and helpful. 8. As we know, there's a lot more to life than running and racing. What are some of your favorite subjects in school and what do you like to do when you aren't running or studying? In school, I like to write and I like math, too. I also really like art classes. In my free time I like to hang out with friends, and I like to nap a lot. Photo by Fr. Jim Kirby

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