Summer Interview #3: Captain Shane Brookshire

For interview numero trois, WXCD got to know Shane Brookshire, 5th year senior from Collegeville, CA. He's the returning Captain of the men's team.

WXCD: Shane, how's your summer training going?

Shane: So far it's been ok. I don't have any food really. I'm poor right now so I'm rationing all my food. It's hard to do long runs and recover for the next day, so I'm doing mostly 7-9 mile runs.

WXCD: Where are doing most of your runs?

S: On the canal. The most glorious canal in the entire Western Hemisphere.

WXCD: Who are you living with right now?

S: With Mark Rivera and Amy, in the former Freyer apartment.

WXCD: What is Mark like as a roommate?

S: He's been pretty interesting. We stay up many early hours in the morning playing MLB 2K9. Till like 4 or 5 o'clock.

WXCD: Who wins most of these baseball battles?

S: Currently were doing a co-op franchise, I'm the A's and he's the Giants. Overrall I have a much better record, but head to head we are 1-1 in the Battle of the Bay series.

WXCD: How do you feel about the real Oakland A's performance this season?

S: They have exceeded my expectations. I didn't think we'd be 8 games out of first right now. All is not lost this season yet. We're a second half team that'll come alive in August and September. They're doing good, but they could be doing a lot better.

WXCD: Back to running, what are your goals for XC season?

S: It's my final season, so I hope to finally have a good season to where I can run in the 26's consistently. I want to help lead this team to a possible national birth. But I just want to run in the 26's and show that I still have it in me to run that fast, as fast as I did my sophomore year.

WXCD: Any predictions about the team?

S: I believe we'll be much better than the 10th at Regionals we got last year. We're bringing everyone back, and we're gonna surprise a lot of people. All the freshman are coming back, and they have more experience, so that'll help a lot. I think we'll get top 6 at regionals, easily. We'll be in the running for the third spot to Nationals. It will be Chico, Anchorage, then WOU, WWU, UCSD, Pomona, and us will be fighting for the number 3 spot.

WXCD: What are you looking forward to about camp this August?

S: Well, I just found out that Larry will be coming with us to camp.

WXCD: Hahahaha!

S: So Larry and I are going to continue our excellent adventures up in Soda Springs. And Coach John is coming too.

WXCD: You had a race earlier today, tell us about it?

S: It was the Turlock Summer 5k series, June edition. So it was a normal hot summer day in Turlock, and we were at Crane Park, located by Turlock HS. There weren't very many people that showed up. The top two were myself and a young high schooler. I ran 5:22 for the first mile, and I was hurting a little because it was my first hard summer workout. I lost the lead a little bit, but caught the kid with 500 meters to go, then he passed me and eased up, and I caught him and out kicked him in the end. Finished in a 17:17 for the first place. I felt kind of bad because the kid lead most of the race, but then I caught up to him and slowed down. I believe when you get tested in the final mile, you either have to pick it up or just give up, and this kid gave up.

Then I went on a spending spree at Runner's Feet. I got a book called American Miler about Glen Cunningham. I got a T-Shirt that says "Keep Running" and I got a pair of socks that says "Runner's Feet, Burlingame, CA," and a I heart Running coffee mug, and a book called "Training for Young Distance Runners," for 5 bucks.

WXCD: One final question: what is your secret identity?

S: See if I told you it wouldn't be a secret. But this is for the good of the blog. We can't let the Decepticons or the Joker find you. My secret identity is Lefty Butchka.

S:

Summer Interview #2: Thiele Dual Attack

For our second summer interview, WarriorXCDistance has caught up with Stan State runners and brothers Tyler and Palmer Thiele. Palmer was the #2 steepler for the Warriors this past track season, and Tyler redshirted as he dealt with some injuries. Both have just finished their freshman year and are gunning for big things in the future.

WXCD: How's your summer training going?

P: It's going excellent, I only missed two days when we drove to Wisconsin in my dad's motorhome.

T: Um, it's good. I'm doing trails instead of the road because of injuries and such.

WXCD: Where are you doing most of your training?

P: In Connecticut, on soft dirt trails with rolling hills. They are a series of deer trails near the Nike Missile site.

WXCD: What are your goals for the upcoming XC season?

P: Make top 7 and break 27 minutes in the 8k. Not sure for a 10k, I guess just run fast.

T: Top 7, that's pretty much it.

WXCD: What was the highlight of the past track season?

P: The Oregon trip, and the conference steeplechase in the rain.

T: The trip to Oregon, only because I redshirted.

WXCD: What has it been like being on the same team with each other for 5 years?

P: Good. It gives me someone I know I can beat all the time.

T: It's been good.

WXCD: What is it going to be like having (former teammate) Martin Ramos as a coach next year?

P: It'll be awesome, I'm going to be his roommate too. He was already kind of my coach this year with everything steeple related, so I am looking forward to his continued expertise.

T: Pretty much the same as last year, because I never really ran with him and he basically coached everyone anyway because he was the captain.

WXCD: If you were to compare your running style/career to an animal, what animal would it be?

P: A moose. I don't know why, but it sounds cool.

T: A boar. Boars have been scientifically proven to be able to run for days.

WXCD: Do you prefer short shorts or spandex for racing?

P: Spandex by a landslide, I feel more free, and it feels better. You don't get nut rash.

T: I agree, but not because I feel more free.

WXCD: Favorite runner of all time?

P: Fam, because he's a beast. (Anthony Famiglietti, American steeplechaser)

T: Adam Goucher because I read Running With the Buffaloes.

WXCD: What should be Taj Taylor's first word.

T: Nyah. Or "reunited."

P: Steeple-life.

WXCD: What XC meet are you most excited for this season?

T: Stanislaus Invite, because I'm not a big fan of Stanford since they changed the course.

P: I have two. First, Stanislaus Invite because it's only 4 miles halfway through the season, a good low pressure meet where I'll run fast. Second, conference because we're getting second.

T: We're getting first, Chuck Fico!

WXCD: Final question: Which type of bear is best.

T: Polar bear, no contest.

P: Polar. I don't even want to hear the other options. Polar bear.

WXCD: False. Black bear. They can climb trees and protect their young.

Summer Race Update: Hartford, CT 5k

This past weekend, two of our own, Tyler and Palmer Thiele, ran in the Hartford, Connecticut Extreme Scramble 5k. The course was pretty hilly and the runners even had to go up ten flights of stairs in the middle of the race to reach a bridge to cross a river. Not exactly terrain for speed.

Palmer took first place in a time of 18:27, and Tyler finished third overall in 19:15, with Roy Krause sneaking between them.

When asked how he felt about the race, Palmer said, "I'm glad I beat Tyler. It's nice to win once in a while. It was basically a short tempo run." Tyler replied with, "Palmer stole my cologne."

Results can be found here:

http://www.coolrunning.com/results/09/ct/Jun18_Extrem_set1.shtml

Be aware, their numbers got switched up, so it says Tyler won, but really Palmer won. Just like the two mile at Regionals.