2005 USA JUNIOR OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Interview with Nicole Blood
Reported by Parker Morse

Nicole Blood. (Photo by Alison Wade/New York Road Runners)

Nicole Blood won the junior 5,000m race — her first-ever 5,000 on the track — in 16:30.90. Blood just finished her junior year at Saratoga Springs High School in New York. Recent high school graduate Whitney Anderson of Colorado finished second in 16:33.32.

Q: How does this feel compared to last week?
Nicole Blood: Better.

Q: Why?
NB: I really don't know. I got down there, I felt really confident, my training's been good, my races had been good. Really, I just got out there and went out really slow for the two mile — slower than I wanted to, I think. And I don't know, something wasn't working for me. Everyone has these races.

Q: Did you disengage at a certain point, knowing you were having a bad race?
NB: I guess so, I hate to admit that, because I like to stay really positive and confident in my races. But I think my legs just weren't feeling that great, and it just wasn't working for me.

Q: So tonight...
NB: Tonight I felt good. I wanted to come back and do a great job. Our training's been good, we've done 5,000m workouts, so I knew I'd be ready to pop a longer-distance race.

Q: How comfortable was that for you?
NB: It was pretty comfortable. The last mile was a bit tough. I took it out... it's a bit sad, but my first two miles were as fast as my two-mile time at [Nike Outdoor] Nationals. It went out a little bit quick, but then again, Nationals were a little bit slow.

Q: This puts you on a National team. And last week...
NB: Nothing. It's nice to do a better job, though.

Q: What kind of time is a 16:30 for you?
NB: I've never run a 5K on the track, so, instant PR. It's a nice time for me, I've run 5Ks in cross country which haven't been anywhere near this time.

Q: Did you set up your training cycle thinking about continuing on into July?
NB: I wanted to have a late season because I had a really late start. I figured it would go a lot later than usual.

Q: What are you doing next year, without school competition?
NB: The invitationals have actually been pretty fun for me. I've been able to race elite women, and stuff. It seems odd not to race your peers and people around your district, but at the same time, I get to race older women and see what different kinds of stuff are out there.

Q: Will you be able to do that through the fall season? The open cross season isn't exactly aligned with the high school season.
NB: But there are invitationals at [Van Cortlandt] and other places that I can run.

Q: The national cross country meet is in Van Cortlandt.
NB: Practically in my back yard. The season will still be exciting.

(Interview conducted June 24, 2005.)