An Interview with Taylor Slade
By DP Daigle
DP: What is your name, what grade are you in, and what school do you go to?
TS: My name is Taylor Slade and I'm a junior at Our Lady Academy in Bay St. Louis.
DP: What is your current Personal Record (Best Time)?
TS: My PR in the 5K is 23:52.50.
DP: What is the next goal or time that you are trying to hit?
TS: I'd like to get my time down to 20 minutes.
DP: What is your favorite workout your Coach has you do?
TS: I enjoy town runs around Bay St. Louis, running the Bay Bridge is cool too.
DP: What is your least favorite workout?
TS: Stations! It is a mix of sprinting, jogging, and various exercises.
DP: What are your plans after high school?
TS: I hope to go to pharmacy school, not sure where though.
DP: What motivates you to run?
TS: Running is a stress relief for me. And school is stressful, so I get my motivation from school stress.
DP: What do you think about when you're running?
TS: Three things really: 1. How much I have left, 2. Music, 3. Things that make me mad.
DP: Do you have any superstitions on race day or perhaps an odd pre-race routine?
TS: Our team always prays together in a circle and gives last minute advice.
DP: Two quick ones. . .Gatorade or Powerade?
TS: Water.
DP: Jersey (Singlet), tucked or untucked?
TS: Untucked, but it usually bothers me either way.
DP: What is your GPA and ACT score?
TS: I have a 4.0 and my ACT is a 28.
DP: Wow, impressive! Do you have a favorite meal for the night before a race?
TS: Macaroni and cheese!
DP: Do you take ice baths? If yes, what do you think about during an ice bath?
TS: Yes I do, I think about how bad my legs hurt.
DP: Name a lesson that running has taught you.
TS: Running and working out have taught me ways to cope with stress.
DP: Do you have a rival runner? Or who is your team's biggest rival?
TS: Our team's biggest rival is St. Patrick, and they are in our division now this year.
DP: What do you do to recover after a race?
TS: I have my teammate, Lindsay Lamier, roll my calves and get me ice.
DP: What is the strangest thing you've seen during a race?
TS: We were running in a meet and it was raining and very muddy. I saw a girl lose her shoe in the mud and she just kept going barefoot.
DP: Who is your biggest fan?
TS: My dad and my grandpa.
DP: What advice would you like to share with younger runners, maybe the JH kids on your team?
TS: Don't walk. The faster you go the faster you get it done. Appreciate and respect the upperclassmen, you should look up to them.