Interview with Lindsey Scherf
by Kim Jaick

Lindsey Scherf runs with the lead pack in the junior girls' 6K race at the 2005 USA Cross Country Championships. (Photos by Alison Wade/New York Road Runners)

Scherf runs with the lead pack early on in the 10,000 at the 2005 USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.

Lindsey Scherf's most recent race, the 10,000 meter run at the USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships held June 24 in Carson, California, pretty much sums up what the gutsy Harvard frosh is all about. At 18, she could have opted to run — and most likely win — the junior 5,000 meter championship, earning herself a spot at the upcoming Junior Pan Am Games.

But that's not Scherf's style. "I took a chance going with the leaders, but it's good to take a chance," said the tall, lanky freshman who finished 10th in a loaded 10K field after hanging with Olympians such as Jen Rhines and Deena Kastor in the first mile.

Taking a chance is what earned Scherf — in just one year — a resume that many runners can only dream of. That resume includes All-American honors in cross country (38th), indoor track (seventh, 5,000m), and outdoor track (fourth, 10,000m); a trip to March's World Cross Country Championships (she was the U.S.'s top runner in the junior race with an 18th-place finish, leading the team to fourth overall) and rights to the U.S. junior 10,000m record. (Scherf ran 32:51.20 to break Mary Shea's 32:52.5, set in 1979.)

Not content to end the year just yet, Scherf plans to run one more 5,000 at the upcoming USATF National Club Track & Field Championships in New York City. She'll run for her home club, the Westchester Track Club, with hopes of breaking Molly Huddle's US junior record of 15:37 before switching her focus to the 2005 cross country season. She's currently living in a hostel in Colorado where she's training with top runners such as Renee Metivier, the 2004 NCAA cross country runner-up.

Fast-Women.com: You've had an amazing year, for any collegiate runner, but even more so for a freshman, particularly when the first year serves as more of an adjustment year for most freshmen. What do you think is different about you? Are you just able to adjust to most situations, did you do something that maybe other frosh haven't done, or do you just think it was a bit of luck?
Lindsey Scherf: I felt very comfortable in my situation both athletically and academically at Harvard. I worked well with coach [Frank] Haggerty and adjusting came naturally to me. Over the summer I made a drastic change in training. In high school I was running 30 to 40 miles a week, but before I began at Harvard I started running 80 miles a week, sort of by accident. I would do 40 minutes in the morning and then I would feel good and do another 45 in the evening.

FW: Do you think that having a more Division-III-like setting (Harvard is in the Ivy League, which doesn't offer athletic scholarships) in which you didn't have an athletic scholarship hanging over your head help you to be more stress-free and just able to focus on your training? Is that type of setting one of the reasons why you chose Harvard?
LS: The nice thing is that everyone on the team wants to be there and it's a real positive environment. The academic environment really fit and the classes are so interesting because the professors are super brilliant. I clicked with the coach and the whole environment, so I just crossed my fingers to get in.

FW: With that said, looking back over your freshman year, what races stand out the most and why?
LS: The overall experience, but I really loved Junior Worlds because of getting to compete against top flight competition. The competition at the different NCAA championships was also really exciting because I got to compete against great people.

FW: Looking back at the nice resume you've built up, are you surprised at how well you've done or had you come up with some of these goals going into this year?
LS: I didn't set expectations, but I definitely had high ambitions, so I wouldn't be heartbroken right off the bat. I exceeded my expectations and then kept chasing better goals.

FW: What were some of those goals?
LS: My goals were to make NCAAs and be a cross country All-American. They were pretty much the same for indoors.

FW: Did you and your coach tinker your training to meet some of these goals?
LS: For outdoors I wasn't sure which event to focus on, but on the top of my head was the 5K, but then we decided on the 10K, so I did different quality work.

FW: Speaking of training, what was your training like this year and how did it differ from high school when you worked with your club team?
LS: The longest race I did [in high school] was 8K [on the roads], so a lot of it was putting in the miles. I had to get accustomed to handling going long. There were more miles and longer repeats. My speed work was 6 x mile [with] a minute rest.

FW: What was it like to race against so many big-timers in such a talented women's 10,000 at this year's USA nationals? You were right up there with the leaders in the beginning. Was that your plan or did you just get out great and go with it?
LS: It was exciting, and I thought it was a good opportunity to really get carried along and run a good time. I was with the pack the first mile (5:05). I took a chance going with the leaders, but it's good to take a chance. I felt tired coming down from Colorado; the day before I slept for 13 hours.

FW: Why did you decide to run the 10K when you would have had a good shot at making the junior women's 5K team for the Pan Am Games?
LS: There were two reasons. The main is I really wanted to throw myself in a race that would go out really fast. The other is that I wasn't sure if I could carry my track season out that long. I do have some regrets about not going to juniors. One reason is because this is my last year as a junior and I have my sights set on the American junior record in the 5K, which is 15:37, by Molly Huddle, and I think I could do it if the conditions are right. [Note: We originally erroneously quoted Scherf as saying she had run 15:50, when she was merely stating that time as a secondary goal. Scherf's personal best is 16:09, which she ran indoors. We regret the error.]

FW: So what are your plans now for the summer? In the past you did a lot of road racing, is that something you'll do this summer or will you take a break and begin getting ready for cross?
LS: One race that I'm coming back home for is the [USATF National Club Track & Field Championships] where I'm going to try for the 5K time. I'll also run the [distance medley relay] for Westchester Track Club. I'll probably also hop in a road race or fun race.

FW: Have you thought about sophomore year and if so, do you have any goals as of yet?
LS: I'm definitely very excited for cross country, it's my favorite season because it's all about going out and racing as hard as you can with no clock to worry about. I hope to be in the running for winning, and I love to be challenged.

(Interview conducted June 29, 2005, and posted July 6, 2005.)