An Interview with Nicholas Walrod
By DP Daigle
DP: What is your name, what grade are you in, and what school do you go to?
NW: My name is Nicholas Walrod, and I'm a senior at Pass Christian.
DP: What is your current Personal Record (Best
Time)?
NW: 19:01 in the 5k.
DP: What is the next goal or time that you are
trying to hit?
NW: I want to start running 10k races and break 19 minutes for a 5k race.
DP: What is your favorite workout your Coach has
you do?
NW: My favorite workout is a good old simple long run. I have a strong dislike for the track. I enjoy running mile after mile with my closely matched teammates. With jokes said along the journey about how badly we are hurting.
DP: What is your least favorite workout?
NW: My least favorite workout is definitely pyramid intervals. They are awful, you run then run longer then run longer. And just when you think its over you have to gal all the way back down.
DP: What are your plans after high school?
NW: I plan to attend college in Mississippi or maybe Colorado. I want to study mechanical engineering with a minor in business.
DP: What motivates you to run?
NW: I run to have time to think, often forgetting that I am even running. I also have much more energy after a run.
DP: What do you think about when you're running?
NW: If I am at a fast pace I often think of nothing and focus on listening to my footsteps. On long runs I think about what is going on in my life and what I need to accomplish.
DP: Do you have any superstitions on race day or
perhaps an odd pre-race routine?
NW: Grapes and coffee the morning of a race. Coffee is a major key to success.
DP: Two quick ones. . . Gatorade or Powerade? Jersey
(Singlet), tucked or untucked?
NW: Cucumber lime Gatorade and untucked.
DP:
What is your GPA and ACT score?
NW: I have a 4.0 and a 30 on the ACT.
DP: Wow, that's impressive. Do you have a favorite meal for the night
before a race?
NW: Macaroni.
DP: Name a lesson that running and training as a
runner has taught you.
NW: The harder you train the less the race is going to hurt.
DP: Do you have a rival runner? Or who is your team's biggest rival?
NW: Yes, Saint Stanislaus is our team rival - they are just across the Bay from us.
DP: What do you do to recover after a race?
NW: I take a long shower.
DP: What is your favorite thing about your coach?
NW: She isn't easy to get a "good job" from. You have to work for it.
DP: What is the strangest thing you've seen
during a race?
NW: A mud pit full of nike running shoes and a bunch of one shoed runners.
DP: Who is your biggest fan?
NW: My teammates and my mom.
DP: What advice would you like to share with
younger runners, maybe the JH kids on your team?
NW: The faster you run, the faster you're done. Every race you look back and think you could have run faster, so , the next race do run faster.
DP: Is there anything else you want to share with the MileSplit Community?
NW: Why do people yell "RUN!" during a race. Like, yeah duh! That's what I'm here for. And running is very much a mental sport. Everyone hurts, but it is up to you to decide to stop.