Jenna Kingma (San Luis Obispo HS)

One of the latest fine distance runners to come from Coach Steve Boaz's SLO HS team is Jenna Kingma, who has impressed with her continued improvement, with a fine fall cross-country season just behind her. She talks about her running below, and looks a bit to the future -

Best of Luck Jenna

Doug Speck - DyeStatCal

1) Briefly trace your track and cross-country successes over the last couple
of years in running? My freshman year I was League Champ in the mile and I beat a senior girl (Nicole Tunnel) from a rival school. That is the first time I really go to feel the joy success. Each year I always seem to surprise myself and I love it. Obviously, the best was being CIF Champion in Cross country and having run a 5:03 mile.

2) Explain how you first started seriously running?
My freshman year, I did not make the volleyball team and so my friend made me go out for Cross Country because she knew I was going to do track. I did track in 8th grade but I ran the 100 and 200 and was pretty good (for that grade level). I played every sport possible but soccer was my main thing but when I realized that my talent in running was far greater than my skill in soccer, I stopped playing my sophmore year. Ever since then, running has been my focus.

3) Why the continued string of good runners from San Luis Obispo HS (sure it
has much to do with Coach Boaz, etc. but your thoughts on)--? It is a great environment with beautiful hills and different fun trails to run. But yes, it is all because of Boaz.

4) How much variety do you have in training areas during the year? For the first time, I went to running camp in the Sequoia mountains last summer for a week. It was so much fun and very challanging.

5) What were your general thoughts on your running during the cross-country
season just past? I never thought I would have done as well as I did. I was so happy with everything and I got to see my hard work pay off. Winning CIF, I could have never even dreamed my freshman year. I remember after prelims of CIF, Boaz told me to think about it winning CIF and it was in the back of my head, but once I got in the race, I wanted it because I saw it was there for me.

6) As you look forward to the spring track season what are some of your
goals and thoughts? I want to break five minutes for sure. Our school record is 5:01.9 and I am going to break it this year. After that, whatever happens, happens. If I put too much pressure on myself, I get scared, and then good things never happen. I have secret goals in my mind, that I share only with Boaz and usually they come true. I want to bring the whole track team to win League because we did not last year.

7) What are your favorite type of workouts? Not intervals I can tell you that!!

8) What part of preparing for running do you like the least? The morning of the race. Everytime I question why I run, but once the gun goes off, I am fine.

9) Where do you see yourself in ten years in sports and life? That is very hard to say! Still running, and maybe being sponsered. It all depends on this year, if I run well, then I will go to school and stay in good competition.

10) What do you do with your time besides running and school? I try to have a social life with my friends. I never really get to see them with my junior year and all the school work and then races every weekend during the season. I go the lake a lot and love being in the sun.

11) What advice would you have to a new athlete just out for track and field
and giving the distance races a try? Yeah, I know a lot of people that are afraid of distance races. But once you give them a try, they are easier than they look. You should try everything to see what you are meant to do, not what you want to do.

I love your website and was stoked to even be in it!

-Jenna Kingma

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