Interval Session #69 - Zach Tennant By Dave Devine - September 25, 2008 In the 29-year history of the Foot Locker/Kinney National Championships, only four prep harriers from the state of West Virginia have qualified from the South Regional to compete in the national finals.  North Marion WV senior Zach Tennant is aiming to be the fifth.  A runner-up to senior standout Ryan Beabout in the 2007 West Virginia AAA State Cross Country meet, Tennant went on to run 4:24.67 in winning the AAA 1600 state title in outdoor track.  This year, Tennant has come on with a vengeance, ripping 15 seconds from the course record at the Geico Classic in early September with his 15:52 winner.  It's a meet that happens to be contested on the West Virginia state course, and no one has run it faster than Tennant.  Last weekend, he suffered his first defeat of the season to friend and rival Cory Hampshire, but Zach's training is going well and his goals extend well beyond the state meet to a November date with McAlpine Park in North Carolina, and the Foot Locker South Regional. DyeStat senior editor Dave Devine heads for the Mountain State to check out some of the toughest courses you've never seen, with one of the better runners you haven't met.

1) I know you've got a few races under your belt at this point, and you're off to a great start for your senior year.  Sounds like one of the best performances so far was at the Geico Classic on the state meet course.  Can you talk about that race, how you felt, and what it meant to get that course record? Well, the Geico Classic was my first meet that really opened up my eyes to what I could do this season. I really wanted the record there, and I thought I may have a chance at it, but I didn't really think I would drop that far under the record. I think the record before was 16:07, and I ran 15:52. So, it was a great way to jumpstart my season, and it definitely motivated me to keep up my consistent training. 2) How was your training this summer?  Were you able to build up you mileage without much interruption?  Train mostly alone or with teammates?  Did you attend a running camp with your team or by yourself?  If so, how was that? This summer, I started out running low key, maybe 35 miles a week back in June, and just continually building up from there each week until I was hitting 80 miles a week. I train mostly alone, which isn't too bad, but I do get lonely on my long runs. But sometimes I go to Morgantown where WVU is located and run with some friends there. I went to 2 running camps. I attended WVU XC Camp, which is a lot of fun because I get to hang out and train with some of my friends I have around the state, like Cory Hampshire and David Ciarolla. Then I also attended Alderson Broaddus XC camp in Canaan Valley Resort, which is an amazing place to run. 3) Last weekend you suffered your first loss of the season to a guy who seems to be one of your top rivals, Cory Hampshire of Jefferson.  Can you describe the general level of competition you face in West Virginia, and what might have happened in that race?  From an article I read, it sounded like you had a rough week leading up to the meet, in terms of sleep and stress? September 20th was not my day. Cory is a great competitor and ran an awesome race. He is a good friend of mine and I am happy for him to be having such a good season, and I can't wait to face him again, but not until States. I just couldn't get comfortable with such a fast pace that I had set, and I paid in the end on a really hilly course. I think I was distracted the week before on my future, when I had my present still to deal with. 4) You mentioned you've just returned from a college visit-- how is it, transitioning into this stage where you have to decide where you'll continue in school next year?  I'm guessing some of your recent success has opened up a few doors...can you discuss what schools you're looking at?  What's important to you when deciding which college to attend? I can't wait to run for a college team! But I am holding out on making any big decisions until after Foot Locker, whether I make it or not. I think getting the course record at the state meet course (photo, below) really helped me get some attention. I think I got four phone calls that Monday and Tuesday after the race. I'm really not set on one school, but I have been in contact with William & Mary, Syracuse, La Salle, American, Richmond, and Marshall. I'm hoping to catch some more attention throughout this season. I want to go to a college and join a program where the coach will not only be a good coach in running, but be someone that will make sure things are going fine outside of running. Also I feel like I might get swallowed up at a big school, considering I'm from such a small area. 5) At the 2007 West Virginia AAA state cross country meet, you were a close runner-up to senior Ryan Beabout, who went on to finish 19th at Foot Locker South.  It seems like you didn't have the best of days at FL South yourself, but I know you have aspirations this year to become only the fifth West Virginian to ever qualify for Foot Locker Nationals.  What things are you doing this year to take your game to another level and put yourself in contention for one of those slots? Well, getting more miles in this summer and season have really helped, but I feel like I am a lot stronger mentally, and I have been just focusing on trying to do all the little things, like core work, eating right, getting a lot of water in my system, and sleep. I really think I have a good chance, though my times do not reflect it. But I invite any runner from any other state to run some of the courses we run, and then they'll understand. 6) Why do you think it is that in 29 years, only four prep runners from West Virginia have ever qualified for Foot Locker?  Is it a greater emphasis on other sports at most WV high schools (football, basketball, etc)?  Lack of opportunity to race in big meets?  Lack of a strong tradition for cross country, which other states like New York, Illinois or New Jersey might take for granted? I think you hit all the reasons on the nail. Football is big in our state, it seems like if you do not play football you are an outcast. We do have two bigger invitationals, but nothing compared to races like Great American, Oatlands, or William & Mary Invite. It seems like the misconception of "over-training" is a big problem, and I think a lot of kids have a hard time getting out in the off seasons and training. But we are coming along, times are definitely getting faster and faster every year. 7) Seems like plenty of people around the country have misconceptions about West Virginia, most of which aren't true.  Here's your chance-- what's it like living in West Virginia, and what stereotypes/misconceptions would you like to dispel? West Virginia is a great state. There are some really awesome places to run. But there are things that have given us a really bad reputation. Well, we are normal people and we do normal things. Here is an example: Believe it or not, I HATE COUNTRY MUSIC! But there are some other things that are pretty bad. I live 30 minutes away from the nearest Walmart and 20 minutes away from my high school. But not all areas are like that. But it's a great state if you like the outdoors. 8) If you could invite any elite runner to join you on a run in your hometown, who would you ask, and what favorite run would you take them on? I would probably invite any high school runner higher up in the rankings and show them what our courses are like. I would take them on some courses around the state, like a course that used to be the state meet course in Elkins. Also, there is a pretty rough one up in the northern panhandle in Moundsville we run on this weekend. Only 5 people have ever broken 18 minutes on the one in Moundsville, if that gives you an idea. Photos courtesy of Zach Tennant

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