An Interview with…Anastasia Thibodeaux
by DP Daigle
Anastasia Thibodeaux is in the 11th Grade at Long Beach High School. She is a member of both the Bearcat Track & Field and Cross Country Teams under Coach Olan Welch. She finished 17th overall at the State Meet as a freshman and 13th last year as a sophomore in Cross Country. This year she dropped 35 seconds so far from her time last year, and won the Inaugural Bearcat Cross Country Classic. On the track Anastasia competes in multiple events including High Jump, Triple Jump, Hurdles, the 800, 1600, and 3200. She was the Region 4-5A Champion in both the mile and two mile in 2012 and finished 6th at the State Meet in High Jump with a jump of 4-10 in 2015.
DP: What is your name, what grade are you in, and what school do you go to?
AT: Anastasia Thibodeax. I'm a Junior at Long Beach High School.
DP: What is your current Personal Record (Best Time)?
AT: My 5K personal best is 20:40.
DP: What is the next goal or time that you are trying to hit?
AT: My current goal is to maintain a 6:00 -- 6:15 per mile pace over the 5K distance.
DP: Okay, that puts you in the mid to high 18's right?
AT: Yes sir.
DP: That would be the fastest time in 5A Girls! So, what is your favorite workout your Coach has you do?
AT: My favorite work-outs are hill repeats & beach runs.
DP: We see the Long Beach Bus a lot in Bay St. Louis, I know Coach Welch has you hitting those hills on the sea wall! If that is your favorite, what is your least favorite workout?
AT: Even though I know they are beneficial & crucial for good race times, 800 meter repeats and 400 meter repeats are my least favorite work-outs.
DP: What are your plans after high school?
AT: I plan to go to college to get a degree in photojournalism or civil engineering. I also hope to be running cross-country & track in college.
DP: What motivates you to run?
AT: The feeling of accomplishment and having a clear mind afterwards motivates me.
DP: What do you think about when you're running?
AT: I would say I think about my surroundings. Whether or not I'm breathing correctly. Sometimes I think about what I'm having for dinner, or I tell myself that the faster I run the sooner I will finish. A lot of the time it is just whatever else pops up in my mind.
DP: Do you have any superstitions on race day or perhaps an odd pre-race routine?
AT: I do not have any superstitions or a pre-race routine on race day because throughout the week prior to the race I have prepared for race day. I just run the race & do my best.
DP: Gatorade or Powerade?
AT: Powerade if I want purple & Gatorade if I want yellow
DP: That's funny. What about your Jersey, tucked or untucked?
AT: Untucked.
DP: Well, thanks for taking the time for us today and good luck at Division and State!
AT: You bet, thank you.