Oct. 19, 2004

Gameday: What is the hardest workout regiment you have ever been through?
Nathaniel Zola: "Our main prep phase of training and arguably the most important time is the summer where we are expected to put in `base' work by running lots of miles to get in shape for the season. We are basically training year round as we only have two or three weeks off per year. During these huge training segments we are constantly drained from the demands of running, school, and a social life, and during which we still continue to race and are expected to perform well even considering we are tired. The cumulative effect of these huge training periods is what puts us in the best position to perform at our best come the championship meets."

Gameday: What is something that happens out on the cross country course that would surprise some people?
NZ: "There is nothing pretty out there in the fields and on the trails in a cross country race. We are throwing elbows, pushing each other, kicking up mud into people's faces, pulling jerseys, sweating on each other, and even clipping each other with the spike plates on our shoes. It's just chaos of stampeding feet. No one wants to lose. The team's reputation is on the line, and so is yours, and it's just pure adrenaline, competition and guts out there. Conversely, after the race, while the competitive juices are still flowing and we are all talking back and forth, we all know we just suffered together and respect each other, as we are all in this sport together.

Gameday: What crosses your mind the first time you see the finish line after running 8k?
NZ: "When you have just run all out for close to 8k and the finish line comes up, pure primal instinct takes over and your legs pound even harder to get you to that line to ease the pain. Through your blurred vision you see your opponents ahead of you and you try to draw every ounce of power out of your tired legs and lungs to run them down. Each person you pass dictates the standings at the end of the race and we are trained to get as many as we can before crossing the line."

Gameday: How competitive does training/racing get with your teammates?
NZ: "Because we spend at least three hours a day together, we are a very close group of 12 guys (11 racing). Because we are so close, we definitely get competitive with each other, and we like to talk a little trash. It gets especially competitive because we have a limited number of spots on the team, and to make it on the championship roster (eight men) you must best your teammates. However, we all know that we represent Maryland and that cross country is first and foremost a team sport, so we all realize that it does no good to compete with teammates over competing with other schools."

Gameday: Did you have a favorite athlete or moment from the Athens Olympics?
NZ: "The Olympics are very special for runners, as it is the pinnacle of performance. We all have dreams and goals to cross the Olympic finish line in first place and wear a gold medal. I really respect Michael Phelps' accomplishments. I was also really impressed with all the Americans in the Marathon."

Gameday: Who was your favorite athlete growing up?
NZ: "I grew up in Colorado and was a huge Denver Broncos and Colorado Rockies fan. I loved John Elway and Andres Gallaraga from those two teams. I also was a big Michael Jordan fan. Now, I respect Lance Armstrong more than any other athlete."

Gameday: How did you first get into cross country and running?
NZ: "I actually grew up in a family where my mom ran and my dad road his bike everyday in Boulder, Colorado. When I was really young (elementary school) I ran a local 10k race called the Bolder Boulder (the third largest race in the US) but was never very serious about running. I went to high school at a small school that had no athletic program. Before my junior year, my friend at a larger Boulder school convinced me to try cross country. I hadn't run in years and wanted to play football and baseball my whole life, but realized that my 6-foot, 135-pound frame would better serve me running. So, I ran my junior and senior years of high school, never made a state team and only barely ran varsity, but I made a lot of good friends and loved the sport. I decided to really train hard with my high school friend James Hatch (National Champion runner at University of Arkansas now) and give college running a shot. When I came to Maryland in 2001, the distance running program was struggling, and I was fortunate to make it as the last man on the team. From there, I just kept improving and putting in the time and work, and here I am today."

Gameday: What sorts of preparations and/or superstitions do you have before and after a race?
NZ: "None, this sport is not about luck. You either trained hard the past three months and you will be successful, or, if you haven't, it shows. There are no miracle performances out there on the course. You are either in great shape, or you're not."

Gameday: How many times has someone yelled the phrase "Run, Forrest, run!" at you as you're running?
NZ: "Oh man, we hear it all the time. Actually, more than that we just have people yell random comments or we get a lot of girls and even guys honk for us. Something about a bunch of skinny guys running without shirts on makes people feel the need to yell foolish comments or honk. Most of the time it is amusing."

Gameday: As a senior and a tri-captain, how your role on the team has changed from year-to-year up to this point?
NZ: "My freshman year I was the worst guy on the team, but I certainly tried as hard and worked as hard as anyone out there. Each year I have progressed and gotten better and better and have earned the respect from my teammates and coaches. I think they see the amount of work I have put in to get to this point, and they understand my sacrifices. But, this is a team sport and none of us is more important than the next. We all are captains and are all responsible for each other, I just happen to get the title.

Gameday: What is the transition like from cross country to indoor track to outdoor track like? And what is that full season of competition like?
NZ: "After 13 weeks of summer training we toe the line for the first time in cross country. We then spend 13 weeks training and racing cross country. This time is spent running high mileage (up to 70 miles per week) and doing long interval workouts on trails, grass park loops, and over hills. We then immediately start training for indoor track, and then indoor season lasts 16 weeks. After that, we hope for good weather and begin really running fast. We usually drop our weekly mileage down some and spend a lot of time generating speed by running short intervals on the track. Outdoor season lasts 13 weeks, and after that we head back out and begin building a base of mileage (up to 90-100 miles per week) over the summer to be prepared for the next cross country season."

Gameday: What is your favorite part about being a college athlete?
NZ: "I love to represent the university, to put on the Maryland jersey and to toe the line with the best runners in the country. I love having pride in my team and my abilities and going out there each weekend to show off the work we have done. I love the camaraderie of the team and I love testing and challenging myself each day to be better than the previous. College athletics just add another dimension to the education experience."

Gameday: What is your least favorite part?
NZ: The time commitment. We have practice every day, lift weights at 7:00 a.m., race all weekend and do this year round. It really is a 100% commitment, as we must make sacrifices to balance running, school and a social life. We cannot go out and party all the time. It is hard to find time to do homework, and we are constantly sore and tired. Imagine taking a full schedule of classes, expected to do well in them, and then spending in upwards of 20 hours per week (including competition) at practice where you are running and expending every ounce of energy in your body. It really is hard, but well worth it."

Gameday: What's it like coming home from a hard day of training and knowing that you have a test the following morning?
NZ: "You gotta do what you gotta do. It is hard, but you sit down, force yourself to study and get to bed as soon as possible. We know it's difficult, but we are not afraid and welcome the challenge."