Jake Brophy of Central Bucks East is your 2014 AAA boys state champion and state course record holder. Brophy's state meet performance ended a PA season that featured the 2nd fastest time in the state (15:08), 5 wins, and a Foot Locker Finals berth as the only junior to qualify out of the Northeast Region. Brophy talked to PennTrackXC about the lastest achievement on what has been a spectacular ride!
How
was your training following the state meet?
My coach had me revamp my
mileage count the week after the state meet, reaching a considerable amount
again. For workouts, we focused on some speed work as well as tempo. The last
couple weeks leading up to regionals we backed off a little, but not too much
to retain something for nationals, if I
made it.
Did
you alter your preparations for this year’s Foot Locker regional meet compared
to years past?
This was my first year that
I had even considered running in the regional meet, so it was uncharted territory
for me. I just focused on holding out another month, and then performing
accordingly at Regionals.
What
were your thoughts on the course? Is it a course you are a fan of?
I liked the course a lot
actually. It was certainly challenging, but I really enjoyed running it. It is
hard to find a course that rivals the difficulty of Hershey, but I think this
one is up in that category. It was interesting, and anything can happen in
those back hills.
What
was the strategy heading into the race? What did you need to do in order to be
successful?
I had really focused on
States as my peak performance for the season, so going into the race I had
taken a very low pressure attitude towards it, and I just went out there to see
what I could do. I knew I had to remain
in contact with the top 10, and I never slipped past around 12-15th
place.
Was
this the best race you have run all season? Why did it go so well?
I took a low pressure
attitude towards this race, so a lot of the stress was removed from the
equation. But, I think as a straight time to effort comparison, Hershey was
probably the better race for me. However, it doesn’t discourage me going into
Nationals because I will have more of a taper in my training for this race. I
feel a lot fresher now than I did before regionals so I am excited to see what
happens.
What
does it mean to qualify for the Foot Locker finals for the first time?
It means the world. Coming
into this season, I hadn’t even fully decided I would even run regionals. But
this is awesome. I haven’t even left for San Diego yet, and the experience is
already very cool. I can’t wait to race against the best in the nation, and
hopefully represent PA and the Northeast well.
Did
your race schedule and the quality of competition in those meets allow you to
be at your best at Foot Locker Northeast?
The other qualifier from PA,
Casey Comber, also happens to be in my league. We have a friendly rivalry going
and we keep both our paces honest. I raced him 5 times throughout the season,
so there was always the pressure to train harder for the next time I saw him. He is a great guy and a great athlete, and I
am looking forward to racing him again in California. When I wasn’t racing him, I was racing other
stiff competition like Kevin James and Jaxson Hoey at invitationals. There
really wasn’t a place to hide in the season, and early defeats, at Belmont and
the PIAA Foundation Race, starved me.
What
are you most looking forward to about the trip to San Diego?
Well, this is a homecoming
of sorts for me. I was actually born in Balboa Naval
Hospital which this course overlooks. Also, I am looking forward to the race on
Saturday morning and the experience as a whole. I’ve heard a lot of great
things about the time spent in San Diego, and I am eager to arrive. The warm
weather is a plus too.
With
this being your first time going, what have you heard about the meet from
others that have competed at the Foot Locker Finals?
I read a couple of journals
from previous qualifiers, and it is nothing but positive things. The
descriptions of the dance/banquet/last night make me excited. I think the
coolest part will be able to get to know like-minded people all across the
nation. I’m also eager to meet the famous athletes who stop by.
What
is your goal for the Foot Locker Finals?
We will see what happens. I
feel confident and fresh, so I plan to leave everything on the course and see
what happens.
