Interval Session #70 - Kathy Kroeger By SteveU - September 25, 2008 For many high-school runners, a four-year career is one long, gradual arc of relatively consistent improvement, injuries notwithstanding.  Even for those with more erratic rises (or falls) in performance, you still have a sense of a flow.  For a certain Franklin (Independence HS) TN senior, though, the story is at least one of four distinct chapters; better yet, perhaps four separate novellas, as if four different KKs embarked on her freshman, sophomore, junior and senior years. In more modern terms, then, we now have Kathy Kroeger 4.0. In 2005, Kroeger became Tennessee’s top runner and made her entre on to the national stage in XC, taking 16th at Foot Locker Finals.  The next fall was a quantum leap upward as she went from championship contender to dominant champion in San Diego, a season that had peaks with a Great American victory, a staggering state record 16:59 at TN state, and then her national title.  The drive to the top had exacted a price, though, and before she could get to the following track season, her doctor told her to stop running and gain weight before potential problems could occur.  After a leg injury interrupted late-summer training, Kroeger came back not just with the needed pounds, but was taller as well.  With the guidance of coaches and families, the comeback was extremely successful as she won Foot Locker South and was second in the Finals. Now after a healthy summer of training, Kroeger is part of what could be an incredible championship season for the national-class girls, with three former Foot Locker champs (herself in ’06, Jordan Hasay in ’05, and Ashley Brasovan last fall) likely to do battle in San Diego to see who, if any, can win that second crown.  Before that, though, Kroeger has the Tennessee campaign to work through, trying to win a 4th straight state title, and a big date Oct. 11 at Great American, against Brasovan and several other stars. DyeStat senior editor SteveU gets a few words from someone who you've known about for 3 years, but might get to know a little better.

1) With the fast start you’ve had to your season, I’m guessing the summer training went pretty well.  Can you give us some details in terms of mileage, long runs, types of workouts and things you did to cross-train?  Also, were you able to stay injury-free all summer? I was lucky this summer to stay healthy and compete at NON, take a little time off, and then get right into cross country training.  I did a lot of base mileage and tempo runs, biking, swimming, and lifting weights for cross training. 2) How do you feel about your first few races?  How were they in terms of executing a race plan and did you meet your goals for them? I’ve raced six times so far and they’ve gone okay.  I’m hoping to peak much later in the season and I’ve still got a ways to go to get my times where I want them. 3) People might look at your race results and compare from two years ago to see if the “old Kathy Kroeger” is all the way back (meaning, the almost unbeatable champion).  But I’m guessing that whatever your successes are this year, it won’t be the “old” Kathy Kroeger so much as the “new” Kathy Kroeger.  Can you talk about what it feels like, racing, running, being a teammate, compared to two years ago?  Does it seem like that was almost a lifetime ago, or part of another era? It’s frustrating having to work so hard just to match the times I ran two years ago.  I’m moving that direction though.  Looking back, I’m still surprised at how successful that season was. 4) Can you take us back, as much as you are comfortable, to those days after winning Foot Locker, but then realizing you weren’t going to be able to race again for a while?  It seems it must have been like going from the top to the bottom of the roller coaster.  In retrospect, could you have seen the need for a break coming?  And what were the resources you found – family, coaches, friends, counseling, whatever – that helped you deal with everything, and what you had to do to come back? Those were some of the hardest days of my life.  Eight weeks after I had won nationals, I was training strong for the upcoming track season, then my doctor told me to stop running and gain 20 pounds.  I was devastated but my family, coaches, and teammates were all extremely supportive and helped me cope.  One of the hardest days was watching my friend Rita Jorgensen win the state 3200, 1600 and 800, longing to be out there racing with her. My first run after the break, about 15 minutes slow in my neighborhood, was tough but liberating.  I knew it would be a long road back but already I was on my way. 5) When you look back at last fall, and what it took to come back from both the health issues and the summer leg injury, was there a race that you ran where you really realized, “I’m BACK!” and how great did that feel? Foot Locker South was the “I’m BACK!” race for me.  After months of watching from the sidelines and then months of working so hard to get back in shape, it was such a triumph to be competitive, finish well and know that I was headed back to nationals. 6) Can you talk about the most important people in your running life – your coaches and family, any others – and who they are and the part they each play in your endeavors? I am so blessed to have so many supportive people in my running life!  My coach, Jim Spivey, is definitely a key part.  He is a three-time Olympian and has made my training smart and focused, and has provided a great deal of support and motivation for me.  My high school coaches, Luke Finley and Kristen Reames, are there for me every single day.  My parents take me wherever I need to go for races, pay for it all, and always support and encourage me.  My brother and sister always believe in me.  I’m really inspired watching my little sister and her team rock the middle school cross country scene!  It would be hard not to succeed with all the support I have. 7) You’ve always seemed like someone who really valued your team, despite the dramatic differences between your abilities.  Now that you’re a senior, how do you view yourself in relationship to the younger girls and what are you hoping to help them do as a team this fall? I try to be a leader on my team and support my teammates.  We have placed in the top 8 in every invitational so far, a huge step from the past few years.  They are running more as a pack and working together in races, so we have just about 45 seconds between our #2 and #5 runners right now.  They work hard every day and I am proud to be on their team.  I hope to help them qualify for the state meet and have a strong showing at the championship. 8) You’re registered to run in Great American in a few weeks in a race that will be one of the best regular-season fields ever assembled.  What are your thoughts about that race this time around compared to last year, when you were on the comeback road? I’m thankful to be healthy and have a few more races behind me this time around.  It’s definitely going to be a tough field, but I’m just looking forward to running with people and pushing each other to run fast times.  I hope to be more competitive this time than last year! 9) You’ve come across as a very polite, deferential person.  But I’ve heard you have this nickname, “The Beast,” so I’m thinking there must be this competitive side to you, this part that is able to dig deep for the victory.  What do you think about that nickname and is there a hardcore competitor deep within you that you are trying to develop? Every runner that toes the line must have a fire burning somewhere or they would be sitting at home on the couch.  Everybody who races competes, and the middle of the pack is where some of the best racing happens.  I am competitive and it might be that my fire burns a little warmer than most. 10) With college and collegiate running around the corner, tell us about the recruiting process and where you’re thinking about going to school.  Can you share how the lessons you’ve learned in your running career so far are preparing you for the next level?  Are there some things you’d like to share with other young runners who might be struggling with the same challenges you did? I’m still looking at a wide variety of schools.  I know I want go some place where I’ll have faster, upperclassmen teammates to train with, learn from, and look up to.  I’m excited to join a community of like-minded runners who can help each other improve.  Academics are an important factor as well, and I’m definitely looking for a school with strong biology and chemistry programs. I’ve learned that you have to take the long view in running.  It’s such a great sport because you can compete at a high level for twenty-plus years.  But you have to take steps to keep healthy if you want to enjoy it for that long. Photos: Ken Charnock from Foot Locker South 2007, John Dye from Foot Locker Finals

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