Dyestatcal Male Athlete of Week September 9/9 - 9/13/02
Tim Nelson (Liberty Christian, Redding)

Tim Nelson rolls along at the Premier First/Yreka Invite last weekend - he equalled the old CR in his runner-up effort

He has emerged as one of California and the nation’s top runners over the last couple of years from the Northern Section and Liberty Christian HS in Redding. Tim Nelson goes into his senior year in great position to plant himself in that list of “best in state history” if he continues his steady improvement, marked by impressive peaks at the end of each of his cross-country and track and field seasons thus far. Defending State Division V CC Champ, a Foot Locker National Finalist in the sport last year, and with a fine 9:02.50 3200m best from track, he seems ready to roll into a super senior year off a good summer.

He marked his opening weekend of action in the sport this Fall with a runner-up effort to highly ranked in the country Lauren Jespersen (Klamath, Oregon), with the Oregon star taking down a fine Course Record in the Premier West Invite at Yreka with a 15:27 run, and Nelson equalling the old record of 15:36 by Ian Dobson, also from Klamath (who was third in the Foot Locker Nationals in 1999 behind Dathan Ritzenhein and Donald Sage).

Congrats to Tim, best of luck, and it will be tough to fine runners this year who can run away from this fine Northern Section star!!!

Dyestatcal---

1) Briefly describe how your summer preparation went for Cross-Country–

--I had a good summer. I took two weeks off after track and did some easy running for another three weeks. It wasn't until after I went to the Olympic training camp in the beginning of August that
I started doing some work-outs. I am still training with Mr. Fairley from West Valley but I have also started training with a new coach Mr. Elliot. This allows me more coaching attention and more specialized work-outs.

2) What did you do different this summer than in the past?

--In the last three XC seasons I have not taken any time off between track and XC. I took two weeks off due to the length of last track season. One thing I like the most about running is exploring new places and a few places I explored this summer were half dome in Yosemite, the Marble and Trinity Mountains in Northern California.

3) What are some of your goals for this school year?

--Run to win all invitationals. Win state and run a sub fifteen race. Qualify for nationals and run to win nationals.

4) Important races coming up?

--Stanford, Mt. Sac, and Clovis Invitational

5) Advice to new runners to sport at prep level?

--Have fun and keep challenging yourself in work-outs and distance runs.

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