Pre-Race Interview with Felicia Guliford, December 7, 2001

By Alison Wade

Felicia Guliford on her way to a sixth-place, 17:35 finish at the 2001 Foot Locker Cross Country Championships. (Alison Wade/New York Road Runners)

Felicia Guliford Bio

So after a one-year absence, you're back. How does it feel?
Oh it's awesome, I'm so excited to be here. This is my senior year, I couldn't end it a better way.

What happened last year that prevented you from being here?
I was injured all year. I went into Regionals without that much training behind me and I was still having hip problems. I ended up injuring myself more in the Regional.

And then you ran well last track season, so you must have gotten over it?
Yeah. I quit running for a while and I did a lot of pool workouts and biking and I got over it.

How has this season been so far compared to past seasons in terms of your times and how you feel?
My times have been faster than previous years. I've been feeling great. I haven't had any problems with my hip or anything, it's been a good season.

Can you tell us a little about the breathing problems you've had in the past?
They thought it was exercise-induced asthma. I saw a lot of doctors. We got sent to Denver where the National Jewish Hospital is located; it specializes in respiratory function. They diagnosed vocal chord dysfunction, which they found sporadically in many athletes. What happens is that my vocal chords, when I start running, stick to each other. I wasn't able to get oxygen in our out. That's why I was collapsing.

How do you deal with that?
I had to do a bunch of breathing exercises. I was breathing a lot from my chest and straining my lungs and my vocal chords. I had to learn how to breathe through my diaphragm. I think that I just grew out of it eventually. I haven't had any problems since my sophomore year.

You've done really well on your past two trips here, what's your goal for tomorrow?
Oh, I just want to get out there and do my best. I'm so excited to be here and I just want to have fun. Everybody wants to be a national champion, so I know I'm going to have to work hard and it's going to be a tough race but I'm just going to do my best.

You were approximately one minute behind Amber Trotter in the Regional. What can you do to narrow that margin?
Well, in the Regional I was just being really conservative. I was just trying to get back to Nationals. I'm definitely going to have to push myself a lot harder here.

Is it hard coming from New Mexico and running slow times because your cross country courses are practically up and down mountains?
It is actually kind of hard. In New Mexico I don't really have competition so I get to Regionals after running by myself, you get a shock to your body. At Regionals, you have people around you so you have to push yourself a lot harder. I actually have an advantage because I'm from altitude and so when I go down to sea level, it's easier to breathe.

How do you push yourself in workouts?
In workouts it's not that hard because I just run with the boys on my team. My coach had talked about letting me race the boys but then I got kind of sick in the beginning of the year. Once I started getting better it was too late to start jumping in the boys' races. Basically my coach just times me and tells me where I should be at a particular time.

What kind of training do you do over the summer, and then during the season?
Over the summer we just basically do basework, just a lot of mileage. I think the most mileage I got this summer was maybe 50. I'm not a high mileage person. Fifty was my peak and then I start moving back time. I also do pool workouts on Saturdays or Sundays. We don't do any speed work during the summer.

Have you decided on a college yet?
No, I'm still undecided. I've got it narrowed down but I'm still undecided.

Which schools are you considering?
Well, I have five in mind, but now more coaches are approaching me. Every college makes their school sound just as good.

And what are you interested in academically?
Well, Iove kids and I love science and math. I want to be a pediatrician.