Brianna Schwartz of Shaler Area may have waited until October 11 to start her final cross country season. But since she that date she has been the headliner of the season. Four races contested, four wins, including two course records, her first cross country state title, and the Foot Locker Northeast Regional championship! Schwartz will look to earn her 2nd All American certificate on Saturday, and she caught up with our Phil Grove to talk about it!
It was four weeks from the PIAA championship
race in Hershey until the Foot Locker Northeast Regional and then another two
weeks before the National Final in San Diego. What have you done to maintain
your conditioning and race sharpness that you showcased back on November 1?
Basically the same
training I've been doing the whole season. I've been doing a lot of strength
for the majority of the season, so in the past couple of weeks we did some
faster things on the track to sharpen and get ready to race.
At Van Cortlandt Park, were you concerned more
about where your primary competitor (2013 FL national runner-up Hannah DeBalsi)
was or where you needed to position yourself in the field?
I was just going into
the race knowing my ultimate goal is in San Diego. I wanted to go out and see
how I felt and stay controlled, so I was just worried about my own race not my
competitors.
How are you different from the athlete who
went to San Diego a year ago? How are you the same?
I'm a lot more experienced
at the national level today than I was a year ago. FL CCC last year was my
first national race, and I didn't know what to expect and so this year I'll be
able to be a lot more relaxed and confident. I'm a year older and stronger, but
I'm still the same competitive athlete.
How important was it for you to have won
the Northeast Regional this year after qualifying fourth a year ago?
Winning
wasn't necessarily an important part of qualifying. Like I said before, I just
wanted to run a solid race and feel good and be ready to roll for nationals.
Your strong finish in last year’s
National Final lifted you into sixth place. What part of the course are you
looking to run better this year in hopes of moving up in the standings?
I ran a conservative and smart race last year, and I'll be looking to do the
same this year just a little faster.
