XC ANALYZER
September 10, 2002
Billy Nelson Interview

The Division IV State Cross-Country Champion from Taft High School, who finished 10th in the Footlocker National Championships last year, talks about his experiences at the University of Colorado.

What has been your favorite part about running in college so far?
Just getting to know the guys on the team and running with a team that has so much talent and also knowing that they know what they are doing.

What has been your least favorite?
The elevation. Right now I am getting use to it and it has gotten a lot better since my first week I have been here.

How do the workouts differ in comparison to the one's you did in high school?
Well, I am doing more mileage now. The way Wetmore does it, 20% of your weekly mileage is on Sunday and 15% is on Wednesdays. Tuesday and Fridays are workout or repeat days.

Is training easier or harder on a daily basis now that you have so many athletes who are running on a similar level as yourself?
It is harder in a way but I like it because it pushes me the whole time to where I am running hard all the time.

Is the team chemistry similar to that in high school?
Yeah, the team here is really close and we get along great similarly to my team back home in Taft, CA.

What race(s) have you liked the best and which ones are you looking forward to?
Well so far we have had the time trial, not really a race but a hard workout. I liked it because the course is pretty tough. I didn't do that well because of the elevation, but I am looking forward to The Rocky Mountain Shootout on the 5th of October.

How different are college races as compared to high school races? Is
there anything comparable?
Yeah, I mean, it is all about strategy just like high school. You can say it is more competitive than high school just because there are more people at your pace, so you strive to work harder and you come out faster, if it all works out.

If applicable, how has your college experience been so far?
It has been wonderful. My classes are going great and training is great too. Wetmore is doing a great job, not only with me, but with the team as a whole. I am getting use to the elevation slowly each day, so I hope it won't be long until I am running normally again.

What has been the biggest adjustment (running related and in general)?
Really, it has just been the elevation and the competitiveness of the team.

Is there anything you want to say to the followers of Dyestat.com and Dyestatcal.com?
Just believe in your self and you will do great. Remember to also have fun doing what you do, that is the most important thing. Have Fun. Also thanks to the Dyestat Analyzer for this interview.

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