Post-Great Lakes Regional comments from Molly Huddle

Reported by Chris Fox

Molly Huddle runs away from the competition at the 2003 Great Lakes Region Championship. (Photo: Chris Fox)

Chris Fox caught up with Notre Dame's Molly Huddle after she won the 2003 NCAA Great Lakes Region Cross Country Championship. She her team to victory and a spot in the following week's NCAA Cross Country Championships. Huddle's winning time of 20:14.7 on the 6k course put her 12 seconds ahead of her closest competitor, Michigan State's Michelle Carson.

Fast-Women.com: You took it out pretty hard right at the start. Was that your plan?
Molly Huddle: Yeah. I've been running more conservatively all year, and it hasn't really been giving me the sharpest races, so [Coach Tim Connelly] said if I wanted to take it out today, [I could]. I felt a lot better than I have before.

FW: Before...you mean this season?
MH: Yeah, just this season — I haven't been feeling great towards the end of my races. I was feeling a little better today.

FW: You [finished 10th in the 'Purple' race] at Pre-Nationals...you weren't feeling well at the finish?
MH: Yeah, I just didn't feel snappy at all that day, and my finish was horrible. I don't really know what was wrong, but I know I felt a lot better than that today.

FW: How was the Big East?
MH: The Big East was an improvement from Pre-Nationals. I wasn't feeling in top form. I just felt like I went out really fast, and it wasn't that fast. That worried me, but I felt better today than [just] two weeks ago, so I'm going to keep feeling better, hopefully.

FW: Do you like this course (in Terre Haute)? I guess it's your third time here (Pre-nationals and Nationals last year)...
MH: I do. I like it a lot. I like how there are two loops, and there are always a lot of spectators lining it.

FW: Were you paying attention to who was behind you?
MH: There were people updating me when I was running. They'd say, like 25 or 30 yards, and I heard people say, 'Let's go, Michelle,' so I kind of knew who was near me.

FW: And the team did well?
MH: We all ran really great. Our one through five just keeps getting better and better.

FW: What about a goal for next week?
MH: We want to win the whole thing...and I think we can.

(Interview conducted November 15, 2003, posted November 21, 2003)