Summer Interview Series: Installment Eight

This time WXC had a chat with Brandon Beccera (pronounced 'buh-sehr-uh') Brandon is a newcomer to Stanislaus, a transfer from the College of San Mateo, in the Yay.

WXC: How has your training been this summer?

BB: My training has been very good. I'd say 8.5 out of ten. I had a slight injury in June, but other than that it's been good.

WXC: Give us the running history of Brandon Beccera?

BB: I started running in 2nd Grade. I had asthma growing up, and my mom thought this would be the best way to strenghthen my lungs. I started competitively in 8th grade, and ran the mile, and that inspired me to keep going. Then I ran for Hillsdale High School, in San Mateo. My freshman year, I won conference finals for freshmen XC, at Crystal Springs. My sophomore year, I won track MVP for frosh-soph. I placed third in the mile and fourth in the two-mile at conference that year. Junior year I won MVP for Varsity Cross, and Senior year I had an injury, but as a team we made it Central Coast Sections. I went to the College of San Mateo. My first XC season we made it to states as a team. My sophomore year, I made it as an individual to states, but placed pretty bad. In track, my first year I was more of a long distance runner. I wasn't in great shape because I was sick over winter. I did the 5k and 10k. My times were slow, but I made states for the 10k because a lot of people dropped out. I ran a 10k in 110 degree weather, it was horrible, all the Southern Cal guys burned all the Northern Cal guys. My sophomore in track, I was concentrating on the 10k. I ran a couple shorter races and did well, so my coach wanted me to focus on the 1500. I won conference in the 1500, ran a 3:58. I qualified for states, and it was so hot they made me sit in the press box to stay cool. I ran like crap though, a 4:07, but I was happy I qualified for states. And right now I'm training for Stanislaus.

WXC: How did hear about Stanislaus?

BB: My coach and I were talking last spring, and he was asking if I wanted to run still, and he gave me some coaches to talk to. I talked to Chico, Humboldt, and Stanislaus, and Coach Taylor seemed like the best coach, the most dedicated to her athletes, and I liked her philosophy. Also I ran a 1500 at American River College, and there was a 3-way tie for first between me, Joey Nunes, and a Chico guy. And Joey was really cool, really outgoing, he came up and talked to me after the race. It made me want to be on a team with guys like that on it. So I chose Stanislaus.

WXC: What are your interests off the track?

BB: I'm a criminal justice major, I want to be a police officer, so I think law enforcement is really cool. I play guitar. I can't think of much else, haha.

WXC: What are your goals for XC this year?

BB: I want to help the team as much as I can. I want to pr every race. I want to make sure our team makes our goals, whether that be Nationals or whatever. Whatever it takes to get there, I'll do it. Any extra work, I'll do it. I want the team to succeed.

WXC: Name one interesting fact about yourself, that not everybody knows?

BB: I love my family, and family always comes first to me.

WXC: Anything else you wish to say?

BB: Uhh, I guess that Steve Prefontaine is my favorite athlete. I've got a really cool poster at home with the "pure guts" quote on it, I guess that's it.

Summer Interview Series: Installment Seven

This time WXC caught up with Kanwar Dhaliwal, returning sophomore, and graduate of Pitman High School.

WXC: What were you doing when WXC called you for the interview?

KD: Playing Fifa World Cup, Argentina vs. Portugal. And two seconds before you called, I scored with Leonel Messier, the greatest soccer player in the world.

WXC: A little bird told me that you were pretty into the World Cup this year.

KD: Yes. I was not only into the world cup. I lived the world cup.

WXC: What did you think of the outcome?

KD: I was really emotional after the US lost to Ghana. But it's nice to see someone other than Brazil or Germany come out on top.

WXC: In other sporting news, how has summer training been?

KD: It's been great. I have been running a lot, I haven't been running with the guys because they run in the AM and I run in the PM, but it's been good, sticking to coach's plan.

WXC: What are you looking forward to this season?

KD: Regionals. Because it's in Washington, and the stakes are higher since I'm a returning runner. It's not my freshman year, so there's no excuses.

WXC: What do you see as your role on the team this year?

KD: My role on the team is to show the Freshmen that anything is possible. Last year I had a great year, trusting coach and trusting teammates, and I feel like that is my duty to show the new runners that if it can happen to me it can happen to them.

WXC: What was your favorite race of your freshman year, both XC and track?

KD: Regionals for cross. Because I placed 5th on the team, pr'd in the 10k, and I just really enjoyed that race. Track, my favorite race was the 5k very early in the season when I outkicked Dawson Vorderbruegge.

WXC: Warrior XC Distance would like to make it known that Dawson Vorderbruegge was sick and injured in that race. Regardless, how was college distance different than what you expected coming out of high school?

KD: After graduation, I was the top dog in our conference, and I felt as though I was the going to be the top dog on our team. It was definitely a wake-up call. After our first workout, the logging trail in Tahoe, my first word after getting to the top of the hill was "High School cross country is a joke." That's when I realized that college running was a whole new level.

WXC: What's your best memory with the team off the track?

KD: LA Road Trip. And camping trip. Uhhhh, I guess camping, because that's more of a team thing.

WXC: Dun Duh Dun...

KD: Dun nuh nuh nuh!

WXC: What are your goals for this season?

KD: For cross, top 20 at CCAA's, and top 50 at Regionals. Time-wise, hopefully break 26 in the 8k, low 33's in the 10k. In track, break 4 in the 1500, and break 15:20 in the 5k.

WXC: One final question: If you were to assign an animal to each of the men's team runners, what would their animal be:

KD:
Palmer Thiele: Eagle
Tyler Thiele: Butterfly
Dawson Vorderbruegge: Giraffe
Terrance Ellis: Cheetah
Jaydeep Bhatia: Camel
Stephen Lenz: Ant
Joey Nunes: Hyena
Shane Brookshire: Rattlesnake
Ivan Bojorquez: Horse
Jose Morales: Flamingo
Kanwar Dhaliwal: Simba, the Lion King

Summer Interview Series: Installment Six

This week we chatted with Palmer "Danger" Thiele, a returning junior in his third year of Stanislaus XC. He hails from Lard, California, and went to Sierra High School. Palmer is the captain this year for the men's team, so let's see what he had to say...

WXC: Palmer, what is your greatest running memory?

PT: I got a JV two mile meet record when I was a sophomore at some invitational. That was my first race where I really ran fast.

WXC: That's what started off the magic that you have become?

PT: Yah.

WXC: Sweet. What have you been doing besides running this summer?

PT: Went to Connecticut. Did a poker run in Atlantic City. Went to Maine for ice cream. Just for ice cream. I took my bike apart and I'm going to repaint it.

WXC: What's your bike going to look like?

PT: We went to this junk yard yesterday, and I took a bunch of Cadillac symbols off cars, so I'm going to have a Cadillac bike. Maybe black and red colored.

WXC: That sounds awesome. As captain, what will be your first order of business?

PT: To back up whatever your first order of business is. And have a good talk at camp at night. I don't know what we're going to say.

WXC: How was your last hard workout?

PT: Yesterday on the fartlek, I crossed the railroad tracks and hurdled over them and yelled "Steeple Life" and gained like 20 yards on everybody. But then Joey caught back up and started pushing, but I hung with him.

WXC: What's your goal for XC? For you and the team?

PT: For me, I want to run sub 26, top 15 at conference. For the team, I don't know. I don't know what to expect, since it's a rebuilding year. I don't know what to say competitive-wise, but I want the team to keep up the bonding and get along.

WXC: If you could go on a run with any famous runner, who would it be?

PT: Kara Goucher. That's a self-explanatory answer.

WXC: You know she's pregnant?

PT: Kara Goucher from two years ago.

WXC: You have been affectionately named "stat boy" by your HS teammates. How much time daily do you spend on the internet looking up track related items?

PT: A lot less than I used to. But still at least everyday, maybe for a half an hour.

WXC: Who is your favorite American distance runner, and why?

PT: Dawson Vorderbruegge. Because of his beautiful kick.

WXC: We here at the Official Blog of Warrior XC and Distance are honored by that answer.

WXC: What music have you been listening to most lately?

PT: Classic rock. Anything and everything.

WXC: You recently changed your major. Tell us about the switch and your upcoming semester academically?

PT: I switched from history to business, and now I'm taking a bunch of undergrad crap. Like Accounting and history, gay stuff like that.

WXC: One final question. Where will you be in 20 years?

PT: Dubai. I'm gonna have the Madagascar island in the world island. My profession will be professional boat racer/pirate killer. I'm gonna hunt down the Somalis.

Summer Interview Series: Installment Five

For this Interview Sesh, we caught up with returning Sophomore Alyssa "Al Face" Thiele. She is spending the summer in Manteca, CA, and is running her nay-nay's off in the squeltering heat of the Central Valley.

WXC: First question, which type of bear is best?

AF: Panda bears. There is no reasoning for that, except that Panda Express is my favorite place to eat. But I'm not saying I eat pandas.

WXC: How has your summer been non running wise?

AF: Really relaxing, seeing a lot of my friends and hanging out. I went to Mexico for a week, so that was really fun.

WXC: How about your running?

AF: It's been good. Especially compared to last year. It's hard to run alone, but I have a lot more motivation this year, I know what I want to do, so I'm training hard. I have Wharf to Wharf coming up, so that's good motivation.

WXC: What are your goals for Wharf to Wharf?

AF: Get top 100, and time wise...maybe like sub 40.

WXC: Solid. What are your goals for the upcoming season?

AF: As a team, to go to nationals. As a personal goal, to break 23, which would be a 90 second pr. And to train a lot harder throughout the whole year.

WXC: What was your best race of your freshman year?

AF: Cross Country CCAA's at Humboldt. Mentally that was my best race, and it was a tough course, so I had to push myself. And the team did really well that day.

WXC: Best memory off the track your freshman year?

AF: That's hard. Basically like the whole year has been good because I've become close to so many people on the team, and the first way that happened was at camp, so I'd have to say camp.

WXC: If you were a superhero, what would be your power and your name?

AF: To be able to fly would be really fun. Something to do with an owl, that sounds appropriate.

WXC: Who would be your nemesis and your sidekick?

AF: Both my brothers would be my nemesi, they are evil and they always try to mess with me. And Marina and Liz would be my sidekicks.

WXC: Final question: Describe yourself in three words?

AF: Resilient. Because when something happens that is unexpected or that gets me down, I try to make it better and not let it affect me. Caring. Motivated.

WXC: Is there anything else you would like to say at this time?

AF: Nope.

Summer Interview Series: Installment Four

This time around, WXC caught up with returning Junior captain Chelsea Dreamweaver Deerinck. Dreamweaver was nearly All-CCAA last year, and had a phenomenal regional race. She's looking to better her pr's this year, and lead the Lady Warriors to Nationals.

WXC: So, Chelsea, what are you doing right now?

DW: I'm sitting in the car, were stopped going down to LA to Disneyland with Matt and my family. Were in heavy traffic. Round two of Disneyland. So Matt and I are just sitting here listening to Michael Jackson.

WXC: What is your favorite part of Disneyland?

DW: Well, I don't know. I like the rides I guess, but not all of them. Some of them are kind of kiddish. Last time we waited in line for Peter Pan for awhile, but it was lame. I like California Screamin I guess.

WXC: If you could be any Disney character, who would you be?

DW: I'd probably be Stitch from Lilo and Stitch. Because he's cool and crazy, and WHAAAA! He just does whatever you know. And Matt Rogers says he would be Buzz Lightyear. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtNEL4WgS_c&feature=related

WXC: If you were Stitch, who would be your Lilo?

DW: Probably Rubye. Because she is cool.

WXC: Switching gears, how has your running been this summer?

DW: Really good. I've been running like crazy. Beastly. I've been meaning to get up and run in the mornings, but it always seems to happen at like 10 or 11 in the morning so it's super hot. I am glad we're doing speed stuff now. I like putting in the miles, but it just takes forever. I'm getting ready for Wharf to Wharf, that's in 13 days.

WXC: What's your goal for Wharf to Wharf?

DW: Top 100 and sub 38. It's a 6 mile race. We'll see. I just wanna run fast. And I don't want to die, because on the back of the bib they have you fill out this info for an emergency. And hopefully I can avoid all the crowds of people.

WXC: Have you raced up to this point of the summer?

DW: No, just training, I haven't done any other races. I just raced my little sister around the pool, does that count?

WXC: What are you looking forward to about camp this year?

DW: Getting to know everybody, because we have a lot of new people coming in. It's my third year back, so we're kind of like the old breed. Oh, and everybody getting sunburned as heck.

WXC: How is this upcoming semester going to be academically?

DW: I'm taking Chem 2, some online computer class, Frontiers in Biology (I don't really know what that one's about) and I'm waiting to get into Genetics. Yah, this semester is probably going to suck, but we'll see how it goes. Hopefully I'll pass Chem 2 in one round this time.

WXC: Highlight of your summer so far?

DW: I don't know man. I went camping, like real camping. But Matt says it was kind of camping, but it was the most camping I've ever been. We saw some huge trees, that was cool. Yah, that was fun.

WXC: If you have one piece of advice to give newcomers, what would it be?

DW: I'd say just run hard or go home.

WXC: Excellent. Is there anything else you want to say before we finish up?

DW: Traffic sucks.

WXC: One quick question for Matt Rogers, how long has it been since you killed a man?

MR: I don't know.

WXC: That long, huh?

MR: Yah.