Interval Session #74 - Jessica Tonn By SteveU - October 9, 2008 In 2006, Foot Locker West was expected to be dominated by returning stars like Jordan Hasay and Marie Lawrence.  California always has a great group of runners coming into that meet, and with those competing that day, it was hard to imagine more than one runner from any other state breaking into the top ten.  Nadya Bishton, a winner by 40 seconds in the Arizona state meet, seemed certain to be the only hope for her state. But it was quickly evident that someone else was ready to represent The Grand Canyon State, too.  Xavier Prep freshman Jessica Tonn, unknown on a national level to that point, stunned all of the pundits by taking 3rd, three seconds up on Bishton and trailing only Hasay and Lawrence.  Three more seasons of battling the Bishtons ensued for Tonn, as she gradually became more and more of a national contender.  At the same time, her team as a whole became one of the best in the Southwest.  She repeated her 3rd-place finish last fall at FL West, then improved from 24th to 20th at FL Finals.  In track, she completed her soph season with a monumental 3200-1600-800 triple at her state meet, beating the Bishtons and her own outstanding teammate Sarah Penney in each race.  Then at Nike Outdoor, she was fifth in the deuce with an outstanding PR of 10:24.57. That has set the stage for a junior year that has propelled her higher than ever among the nation’s elite and will bring her to Alabama this weekend for the ultra-loaded Great American Girls Race of Champions. DyeStat senior editor SteveU endures the Zona heat to trek down to Phoenix for a Q&A with prep distance running's Queen of the Desert.

1) Congrats on your victories so far this fall.  How did you feel about your training this summer?  Can you tell us what kind of mileage you did and some things you may have done to improve?  And how have you felt about your races so far this fall? Thank you so much!  My training this summer was definitely tough, but I feel it paying off right now, especially when I race.  This summer I probably did around 60 – 65 miles a week.  I added more strides at the end of workouts, a sprint session two afternoons a week, more weights and strengthening.  So far this fall I have felt great about my races!  Scottsdale Running Company was probably my best meet.  I loved it because I got a chance to race against the guys and, of course, that turned out to be my best race!  For some reason when I race with the boys, I get so competitive.  My other two races went well, too.  It was my second time winning the Doug Conley Invitational, but I don’t think all the runners were prepared for the heat that day!  But so far I’m feeling pretty confident. 2) You had a very strong 2-mile to end the season at Nike Outdoor last year.  Can you tell us about that race and how you felt about it at the end?  Did that give you a lot of confidence heading into this fall? That race went really well for me.  I wasn’t too nervous before the race, and I just wanted to lay it all out there and see what I could do.  I remember the race going out really slow the first mile.  Everyone was hesitant to take the lead at first.  I just thought to myself, “Take the lead, what do you have to lose?!”  And then I found myself leading some of the top girls in the country for five laps.  I was proud of myself for stepping up, even though I paid for it towards the end of the race. I came in 5th place, getting passed by Kathy in the last 10 meters or so, but I felt great; I really put everything out there.  That race did give me a lot of confidence coming into cross country season, because I know all of those girls in that race would be my competition this year. 3) Now you’ve got Great American coming up and a chance to face many of the best girls in the country.  Can you tell us how it came that you entered in this race?  How are you approaching it mentally?  How does it fit in to the big plan for this fall? My coach brought it up to me at first.  Then I talked to Ashley Brasovan and Brittany Koziara (good friends of mine) about it and it seemed like such a fun experience.  I also wanted to get in a race with these girls before my big races later on in the season.  I am approaching this meet with an aggressive attitude, and confidence in the training I have put in these last few months and over the summer.  I feel this will be a chance for me to prove to those watching, my friends and family – but mostly to myself – that I really can run with these amazing girls. 4) In each of the past two seasons, you have had absolutely exceptional runs at Foot Locker West.  Then, a week later each time, you’ve run in the middle of the pack in San Diego.  How motivated are you to have your best race there this fall and what are some ways you have advanced your training or your mental game to meet higher goals? Freshman year, I remember being super nervous for my first Foot Locker experience.  I think I was just shocked to be hanging out and racing against Jordan Hasay, Alex Kosinski, Neely Spence and the other 36 girls that were there!  Last year, I improved my time by 30 seconds and I was so happy with that result!  But I remember the weather being super tough; coming from the West I knew I had somewhat of a disadvantage compared to some of the other girls, who were more accustomed to training and racing in the rain and mud.  Foot Locker West has to be my favorite course; I just know how to run it, where to back off, and where to push it.  I am really motivated to make Foot Locker Finals my best race, and just having two years experience under my belt gives me a lot more confidence heading into that race.  To meet my higher goals this season, I have increased my mileage (especially my long runs) by a great amount and have added more weights, core, and strength work. 5) The past few years, you’ve had the Bishton sisters and some other older runners to compete with in Arizona.  Now that you’re a junior and some of your rivals have graduated, do you feel a little more like the one with a target on your back?  From another perspective, do you also feel more like a leader on your team now with not just your talent as a #1 runner, but two years of experience to share with younger teammates? I miss racing against the Bishton twins!  I always knew they would take each race out at a good pace, and give me a good race every time.  They were also such fun girls to hang out with after each race.  We were all good friends!  Now that they have graduated, I do feel like the one with a target on my back, but it is very motivating for me.  I love being looked at as a leader by the younger runners on my team, and they know I’m always there to help them out in any way!  Our team is really close and I think Sarah (Penney), and I encourage the “rookies” on the team to always come to us if they need help with anything, regarding school, running, or just life in general. 6) I read that you get up at 4:30 a.m. to train in the summer.  Obviously, there’s almost nowhere in the country that compares to Phoenix, Arizona as a challenging environment for runners.  Can you tell us some things about training there?  What are your favorite things to share about this unique place that others may just not understand unless they went through it? Living and training in Arizona makes you that much tougher as an athlete!  I think all athletes in Arizona, whether they are soccer players, football players, or runners, would agree that we have the hardest climate to train in.  I dread that alarm clock ringing at 4:30 a.m., but I know we have to meet early to beat that lovely heat of Arizona!  The summer can get all the way up to 115 degrees, which is just brutal, but that is when I really focus on fueling my body, and drinking a lot of water throughout each day. Here, we really focus on warming up, making sure we do everything right to prevent injury.  I love training in Arizona because we have such great trails here.  I think my coach, Jeff Messer, would agree that I love the trails!  When I have a 100-minute run, I love to break it up with canals (usually where I do my tempo), trails, and the roads.  But I think every state has its own challenges when it comes to training. 7) Can you tell us about your coach and teammates at Xavier Prep?  How have you seen the XC and track program grow in your years there? I don’t think I could ask for a better team or coaches.  Everyone is so encouraging, whether we are cheering each other on in a track workout, race, or helping each other get through little injuries.  The girls on the team are really close this year.  Camp always does a great job of making us closer.  I know I can go to my coaches, Dave Vansickle and Jeff Messer, for anything.  They have always been behind me 100 percent.  This is my fourth year training under Jeff Messer, and I owe absolutely everything to him.  He has been so helpful these past for years, and I always know I will be in shape, and ready when it comes to race time.  Knowing that makes “getting the job done” so much easier. 8) How about sharing a little bit of your life off the track?  Do you have a lot of family support in your endeavors?  What subjects in school are you most passionate about and what are we going to find you doing when you’re not studying or running? My family couldn’t be more supportive!  My parents, brother, grandparents, aunt, uncle, and cousins have all seen me race at one point.  Whether it was driving me to my early practices freshman and sophomore year, cheering me on at the finish of every race, and flying all over to come and watch me, I couldn’t ask for better support.  Margot Kelly and Steve Kelly have also been among my biggest supporters throughout my junior high and high school running careers.  In school, I am really interested in Anatomy this year; I am really interested on learning how the body works.  When I’m not studying or running, I am usually hanging out with my best friends, trying to forget about my running life for a little bit (even though that sounds impossible)!  My friends know that I love to have fun and not think about running when I am with them.  But they also know that sometimes I have to sacrifice going to some school dances, birthday parties, and football, and they have always backed me up 100 percent.  I couldn’t ask for a better support team! Photos: Kirsten Leetch from Foot Locker West 07, Donna Dye from Arcadia 07.

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