Crystal Esparza
(Beyer, Modesto)
photo by Kristine Martinez
Crystal after her big
Fleet Feet Delta Kings Invitational win
After a good junior year that had her finish eleventh
in the competitive Sac Joaquin Division I Cross Country Finals
and race to a seventh place finish in the Sac Joaquin Finals in
track over 1600 meters with a best of 5:03.16, Beyer's Crystal
Esparza readies for a big senior year. In the State's first
multi-school gatheriing, August 24th, at Live Oak Park in the Section
over a 2.98 mile course she raced to a huge win at 18:30.5, and
looks ready to roll through the 2007-2008 school year.
She took time from a busy late August schedule to
answer some questions for us, and is a young lady who bears watching
during the coming fall and spring running seasons.
1) Fine run in the Fleet Feet Delta Kings Invitational
that had you win by over a minute in 18:30. How did you feel coming
into the meet, and did you have any goals in mind for the competition?
Going into the meet I felt confident in my training and knew that I had put in
the work to do well in it. My goals in this meet were to race well and really
concentrate on having a good first mile.
2) How has your preparation been going as we start to make the turn from August
into September with the serious school year and season of running ahead?
It's been going well. I've been transitioning from long easy running into more
threshold/tempo work.
3) Did your coach(es) change the amount and kind of work you did this summer
compared to the past and about how many miles per day did you average since school
let out in June?
Yeah, every year I've increased my workload and this year I'm averaging about
55 miles a week. Since school let out I've been running about 8 miles a day.
4) What adjustments did you make for the Central Valley summer weather conditions
with your training?
Well since it's like super hot here the only adjustment that was really made
was what time I ran at. So I would run early in the morning and later in the
evenings.
5) You had a fine junior year with an eleventh place in the Sac Joaquin Division
I Cross Country Finals and a 5:03 1600m best in track. Any specific part of your
competitive efforts you are working on compared to the past for your senior year?
Yeah I placed 11th at sub-sections and 5th at sections last year and I look to
improve on both of those by doing more threshold training to improve my endurance.
6) What are your thoughts past high school with schooling and running--have you
given serious thought to area of study in college and just how far you would
like to go from home for your college schooling/running?
Well I love California and the beach but more importantly I want to go to a Division
1 school that has a coach that really wants to work with me because I love running
and competing. So I'm basically leaving my options open as to where I want to
go. But I have given serious thought about thinking about what to study when
i get to college. haha.
7) How much of your dad's running career or experiences there has he related
to you (he was one of he most successful runners in the Southern California area
as a prep for El Modena HS while running down here)?
How much? Oh my gosh it never stops! haha jk. But he is really helpful
and
we talk a lot and we run together a lot to. He's the one who decided to start
me
off slow and gradually move me along in my training and he said that "this
is the year we're finally taking the training wheels off".
8) What advice would you have for a beginning runner, maybe a ninth grader who
has just come out and needs some guidance about how to approach this sport as
a rookie with its practice and racing demands?
Don't try to just jump right in and try to become a world champion in the first
week. Take your time in developing yourself but be consistent in your training.
And just have fun because distance runners can be some crazy kids sometimes.
haha.
9) Few off the top of the head answers:
a) Most serious local divisional rivals?
Amanda Innes. We're good friends but we push each other hard and make each other
better runners.
b) A record, if any, I have my eyes on?
Oh my gosh it would definitely be the school record in the 1600m. I missed it
by 3 tenths of a second last year! But I also would like to get the course record
at Legion Park (our league championship course). The record is 17:46 (3.03 miles)
c) Favorite class in school?
Well I've always liked history. It's always been my easiest class. But biology
is up there to because the teacher is super funny.
d) The Class that has always been the biggest challenge, attention-wise or just "getting
it?"
Oh jeez, definitely math. I never would have gotten thru Pre- Calculus last year
without my friend Yvette.
e) Last music loaded on to a music player or purchased?
I think it was Tegan and Sara, Rilo Kiley, and The Academy Is...
f) Last book you read?
umm.. do Sparknotes count? haha jk. But I think it was The Beautiful Game. It's
a book about a girls soccer team and since I used to play soccer I really enjoyed
it.
g) Favorite TV show (the one you could not miss)?
The Fresh Prince of Bell-Aire! haha. Is that embarrassing?
h) favorite cross-country workout?
I think my favorite would have to be the 5x1000 w/ 1:00 rest. It's hard but it
seems to go by pretty fast.
i) favorite cross-country course?
I'd have to say that my favorite course is Willow Hills. It really just doesn't
seem that bad to me.
j) least favorite cross-country course (and why)?
Ugh my least favorite is my league meet course at Legion Park. Its so boring!
k) when not running, hitting the books, or doing family stuff, with a few extra
dollars what store would we find you at?
I love Target! haha. They have everything there. But I also really like Forever
21.
l) In ten years I'll be--------------
faster then my dad! haha. Umm.. But I hope that in ten years I'm still running
and have a job that I love doing because I dont want to be one of those people
who are always complaining. And hopefully I'm near a warm beach.
Thanks for taking the time to chat with me,
Crystal Esparza
Best of Luck Crystal
Doug Speck
DyeStatCal.com
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