2004 FOOT LOCKER CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS
Post-race interview with Nicole Blood

by Ricky Quintana

Nicole Blood (Photo: Alison Wade/NYRR)

Nicole Blood, a junior at Saratoga Springs High School in Saratoga Springs, New York, finished 21st at the 2004 Foot Locker Cross Country Championships in 18:34. One week earlier, she led her team to a national title at the inaugural Nike Team Nationals. She qualified for nationals by winning the Foot Locker Northeast Regional on November 27th.

Fast-Women.com: Can you go over the race?
Nicole Blood: Yeah, the first loop I tried to go a little bit easier. I tried to hang back a little bit because last year and the year before I went out really hard. I was going to try to come back hard the second loop, but it just wasn't working for me today.

FW: Did you feel flat?
NB: I don't know. I don't really have a single excuse or anything. It just wasn't one of my best days. I had a long season. It sucks because you work hard and you end up like this. But I've done a lot all season long. I broke a lot of records that I've been aiming for. I'm happy overall with the season.

FW: [Race winner] Aislinn [Ryan] was again pretty aggressive. Did she get a little more distance on you than you thought she would?
NB: Yeah, probably. I think I was five seconds from the pack, maybe. She pushed it really hard. She ran an awesome race. If anyone else was going to win it, I was glad it was her.

(Interview conducted on December 11, 2004, and posted on December 16, 2004.)