Interview with Katie Gwyther
by Mario Fraioli

Katie Gwyther on her way to a win at the 2005 New England Intercollegiate Cross Country Championships. (Photo by Alison Wade/New York Road Runners)

Katie Gwyther, a senior at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut, ran a personal best of 16:54 over the mud-laden 5K layout at Franklin Park in Boston to capture top individual honors at the New England Collegiate Cross Country Championships on October 8, leading the Bobcats to an 11th place team finish.

Gwyther, a two-time NCAA regional qualifier in the 1,500 meters on the track, soundly defeated runner-up, defending champion and three-time All-American Lindsey Scherf of Harvard by an amazing 36 seconds. Gwyther posted the meet's fastest winning time since 1997, when BC's Angela Graham ran 16:53 to edge out Providence College's Sarah Dupre.

Born and raised in Madison, New Hampshire, Gwyther attended A. Crosby Kennett High School, where she ran cross country and outdoor track for four years. In the absence of indoor track, Gwyther competed in cross country skiing for two winter seasons, where she was named a member of the New Hampshire state team. An All-New England cross country selection her senior year, Gwyther graduated with track PRs of 2:25 in the 800 meters, 5:06 in the 1,600 and 11:42 in the 3,200.

A Health Sciences major at Quinnipiac, Gwyther has improved in leaps and bounds since arriving in Southern Connecticut during the fall of 2002. Last spring, she PRed in every event from 800 through 3,000 meters, posting times of 2:14 in the 800, 4:30 in the 1,500, and 9:47 in the 3,000.

Undefeated so far this season, Gwyther is preparing to defend her Northeast Conference Cross Country title on October 29 and hopes to snag an individual NCAA berth at the Northeast Regional on November 12 at Franklin Park.

Fast-Women.com caught up with the affable (and extremely busy) Gwyther as she began recuperating from two weeks' worth of mid-term exams.

Fast-Women.com: New England's was quite the breakthrough race for you, and your dominating performance in not-so-ideal conditions turned a lot of heads in collegiate running circles. Talk a little bit about how the race played out and how it stacked up to your pre-race expectations.
Katie Gwyther: New England's is the first race that I really get a chance to go out and, well, race. So, for the past month or so I'd really been looking forward to it. Plus, I just really love the Franklin Park course. We weren't really sure who was going to be there, but going out and running to win — whether it seemed I had a chance or not — was always the plan. With the way things have been going this season, the thought that I could win had definitely crossed my mind.

Unfortunately, as luck would have it, I ended up being sick the whole week leading up to New Englands, so that kind of put a kink in my confidence, but I just tried to take it in stride. On race day, I really just tried to focus on myself at that moment and not waste my energy worrying about the fact that I'd been feeling awful all week or about who was there and who wasn't. It turned out to be the best I felt all week, so I guess it was a good game plan!

The race went out a bit on the fast side, and I had a moment of panic when I heard 5:13 [at the mile], but then just decided to let my body do what it wanted to do and not worry about the splits — and it seemed to work out! The rest of the race just unfolded naturally and was really a lot of fun since it was rainy and muddy out, perfect cross country weather. I feel that at that point in the season, the first mile definitely caught up to me quite a bit in the end, but I think you have to go out like that every now and again and see what happens.

FW: So far this season, you're undefeated and have yet to face a serious challenge. What goals did you set for yourself going into the season?
KG: This year has been really enjoyable so far and that probably has a lot to do with the fact that I'm healthy and able to put in the training. My individual goals are ultimately focused on the regional and national meets. I've yet to do anything at those levels, but know that I have the ability to. This year's regional meet will actually only be my second time running it since freshman year, but I really believe if I make it to the line healthy, then I can be one of those individuals to make it to NCAAs.

FW: How about as a team?
KG: As a team, the girls and I are definitely looking to win [our] conference [meet] and improve on our past regional results. We ran well at New Englands, but definitely have yet to show our best. Our conference meet is going to be a really exciting battle among the top three teams. We're all very close ability-wise, so it's going to come down to who wants it more on that day. I can't wait.

FW: Being a three-season student-athlete in a Division I program sure takes up a good chunk of your time, but what other activities or organizations have you found the time to get involved in at Quinnipiac?
KG: I guess athletics and school do take up a lot of time, because I forgot to sign up for any other [activities or organizations] my past four years! (laughs) No, but seriously, one of the cool things about athletics here is how much involvement the athletes have outside of participating in their designated sports through the community and school. I have been a SAAC [Student Athlete Advisory Committee] rep for cross country and track for the past four years and one of the programs we run is the Positive Play Cup, which is an ongoing competition between the teams involving community service, supporting other teams and getting involved with the rest of the [Quinnipiac] community.

I also volunteer at a local children's nutrition and fitness program two nights a week. It's a program run by a group of physical therapists, a trainer, and a registered dietitian, and it's designed to promote healthy and active lifestyles. I'm going into nutrition, so it's a fun way to get more involved and gain experience in the field. Besides that, I honestly just try to take any free time I get to relax if I can!

FW: What are your other interests outside of running?
KG: Well, like I said, I'm really interested in nutrition and also love baking, so I am always messing around in the kitchen. I've been on a kick this past year with making my own energy bars or cookies made specifically for after workouts and races. I'll usually bring them to the team at practice or meets, and so far I haven't gotten any complaints! I figure it's a good way to save money rather than just buying the bars. Who knows, if running and my degree don't work out, I'll invent the GwythBar or something. (laughs)

Other than running, I also grew up skiing and used to compete in both alpine and cross country since we didn't have indoor [track] until I came to college. In Mount Washington Valley, it's pretty much a given that if you grew up there, most of your winter weekends as a kid were spent in ski boots.

FW: Do you still find the time to ski now that you're running year-round?
KG: I don't have as much time anymore to get out on the trails, but when I'm home in the winter I try to bust out the cross country skis every now and again, especially when it's too icy on the roads to run. During my first year of college I used to cross country ski quite a bit for cross training, now though it's more just for fun.

FW: You interned this summer at the ZAP Fitness facility in North Carolina. Talk a little bit about how you landed such a cool gig.
KG: It's actually kind of funny how I stumbled across the idea. Last cross [country] season, I got injured right before the regional meet and was pretty devastated and just bummed about everything. So I was on the bike in the gym, not wanting to be in there at all, when I came across an article about ZAP in an old Running Times. It was an awesome article about different groups that were giving back to the running community and it really just completely picked up my spirits.

After reading about ZAP, I just remember thinking, 'Wow, how cool would it be to work and train down there this summer?' I decided that I had nothing to lose by sending an e-mail to see if they [offered] summer internships. So, I shot one out to Zika Palmer and she had me send in a resume and recommendations…and well, I guess they were cool with what they saw, because come mid June I was down there!

FW: How was your experience and what were some of your responsibilities as the ZAP intern?
KG: It was awesome, they're such a great group of people and what they're doing down there is really something special. As an intern, I basically just helped out around the facility doing different chores and such, then helped out and ran with the guests during the different camps they put on, or with the different groups that visited.

FW: Were you able to train with the ZAP-sponsored athletes at all?
KG: When I got down there I was just starting my summer training and most of the athletes were still finishing up their track seasons with nationals and such, then taking some time off.

So for a bit we were really doing completely different things. However, every morning we would pretty much all go up to the trails together and start our runs, some days depending on what people were doing, we would go off in little groups, and other days I would go off and do my own thing which I liked too. It was just nice having people out there running for a change, since usually when I am home on break I run on my own.

FW: So what it was like training at such a top notch facility and what you were able to take away from the experience there with the athletes, coaches, etc.?
KG: Really, just being out there and getting to know such a group of dedicated people like Zika, Pete [Rea] and the rest of the ZAP crew was truly motivating. They really have a great thing going on down there and I feel really lucky to have been a part of it this past summer. I took a lot from the experience and know that this past summer has definitely played a role in how this season has been going thus far.

FW: You've made steady progress in your performances throughout your collegiate career, but have made a big breakthrough this fall in cross country. To what, or whom, do you attribute your overall development as a runner over the course of your collegiate career and more specifically to what, or whom, do you attribute your successes to so far this fall?
KG: It is funny that everyone keeps saying 'big breakthrough,' because I think my coach and I have been viewing it more as just a natural progression, especially since I have been able to stay healthy.

One of the biggest factors in my development over the past few years is the solid relationship I have with Coach [Shawn] Green. The communication thing between athlete and coach really is key. I had quite a few bumps in the road during my first few years of college — lots of little setbacks, and then a few big ones — but thankfully I came into a situation where the coach was very knowledgeable and focused on making sure the training fit the athlete and not the other way around. I also have an unbelievable support system in my family and teammates here. I've been really lucky in that respect.

FW: You're graduating this spring. What are your post-collegiate plans, both professionally and with running?
KG: Well, non-running related, I'm in the process of applying to grad programs where I'll be pursuing my masters in nutrition and the Registered Dietitian credentials. I have a fifth year of eligibility left, so wherever I end up I'll definitely be running.

After school, I have a big 'to-do' list to eventually get through, but I've made myself a promise that I'll dedicate at least two to three years to seeing where I can take my running. I know I have a lot more in me and I don't want to look back years from now and think, 'What if?'

FW: Throughout your collegiate career you've been hampered by different injuries that have forced you to either take some time off or take a step back in terms of your training and racing. Discuss some of the injuries that have plagued you in college, what you have done to tackle them, and how overcoming injuries has made you a stronger runner.
KG: Well my first two years of college were full of little setbacks and some not so little setbacks that resulted in me not competing from April of freshmen year until mid January of sophomore year.

A lot of the little setbacks I think were the result of my trying to be 'tough,' but not smart, and then they just piled up. Thankfully, I've smartened up since then and learned how to listen to my body better and recognize the difference between pains that are meant to be pushed through and ones that are signals to back off a bit. A lot of times when I'm out on a regular run, especially after a race or workout, I'll take a minute to do what I call a 'body check' and really just try to focus and see if there are any little aches or pains that need to be addressed.

As I mentioned earlier, Coach Green is really good at figuring out what training works best for the athlete, and then mapping it out for the long term. We've had to do a lot of tweaking here and there, but once I was able to start running consistently, things started to take off.

FW: What effect have injuries had on the way you now approach your training.
KG: Last summer was the first summer I was able to train consistently. I was only running five to six days a week and maxed out at just around 40 miles on the weeks I'd run six days… but it still put me in the best shape I'd ever been in.

Once the year got rolling with cross country and then with track, the intensity was upped and I probably averaged only 30 to 35 miles per week, running five to six days and supplementing the rest with cross training days. It doesn't sound like a lot, but I'd never done that much consistently and we made sure that the little mileage I was putting in was quality mileage, so no junk miles.

Making it through last year relatively unscathed was a big milestone for me. I was able to step it up this summer, averaging 40 to 45 a week. I still don't run more than six days in a row and once we actually start doing workouts other than tempos and such, I'll most likely back down to just around 40, but that's okay because it seems to be working! Basically, I look at each season and year as stepping stones, building on each other.

FW: Being a small Division 1 school, most people outside of New England have never heard of Quinnipiac or their cross country and track programs. What was the recruiting process like for you coming out of high school, what other colleges were you looking at, and how did you ultimately end up in Hamden?
KG: I've been asked this question a lot lately. Honestly, senior year [of high school] I was pretty indifferent about the whole college thing. I didn't know what I wanted to study, so I wasn't really sure what I was looking for. You'd never guess it now, but at one point senior year, I remember thinking how I wasn't even sure I wanted to continue running competitively in college. I had a solid senior year, but by no means was I a stud or anything, so I wasn't really recruited at all. I didn't really have any type of noticeable performances until my last race when I ran 5:06 in the 1,600. I was just trying to break 5:18, so that was like, 'Whoa, where did that come from?!'

Most of the schools I was looking at were smaller New England schools like Quinnipiac with very nice campuses and good academics, so ultimately I guess what made the decision for me was that I clicked best with the team and coaches here. Although it took a few weeks, after really getting to know the girls and guys on the team, I was finally like 'Okay, you definitely made the right pick.' The people I have gotten to know here have really made Quinnipiac what it is to me.

(Interview conducted October 18, 2005, and posted October 26, 2005.)