Interview with Megan Kaltenbach
Reported by Chris Fox

Chris Fox caught up with Megan Kaltenbach immediately after she won the 2002 Foot Locker Midwest Regional.

Megan Kaltenbach after winning the 2002 Foot Locker Midwest Regional. (Photo by Chris Fox)

On her recovery from a sinus infection:
"I'm definitely recovered; I missed five weeks of training due to the sinus infection; after state I had to hit it really hard, but it paid off. This next week will be really hard, and then I'll do a few more workouts."

On her strategy in the Foot Locker Midwest Regional:
"Basically [the regional] went exactly how I planned. I was going to sit and kick, and that's what I did. I waited until the three-mile mark, and then just kind of kicked. I was going to stay with the leaders the whole time."

On this year's conditions, compared to last year's:
"Last year it was so muddy (at the regional course). You could definitely open it up more on the downhill (this year) because you weren't worried about falling. But when you got back in the trees it was all iced over."

On the college recruiting process:
"I'm really glad to get it out of the way; if I could recommend to anyone -- don't take five trips in a row. I'm so happy it's over and done with. I'm really happy with my decision."

On her sinus infection and how it's affected her season:
"It started out as a cold, it all built up; I got a really bad sinus infection. I couldn't breathe and I couldn't do speed workouts. My oxygen wasn't going to my legs. I ran two really bad races. I had never lost in Colorado and I lost this year. I got fifth. I blew up; it was horrible. That was one of the worst days ever. It might have been a blessing in disguise... My legs feel really good [now]. I've had so much success on the track; I never seem to be able to put it together for cross country, so this is the year.

When asked if she prefers track over cross country:
"Yeah, a lot. I don't know, its weird. I can run a 10:03 two-mile and a 4:43... And the weird thing is, in cross country it's not the same. I don't get why I can't run a 16-something if I can run a 10:03. I like the track for some reason. I don't know, I just get a better rhythm for some reason. I love the 1,600."

On her college choice, the University of North Carolina:
"The girls are so cool. The cool thing about them is they run really fast, but running isn't their entire life. They know how to have fun, too; and that's what I'm all about. I run hard. I train hard. When the time comes, I'm all running. But it doesn't consume my whole life. I thought I really got along with the girls... Carol Henry and I hit it off really well. Coach [Whittlesey] is really cool. I think he'll take me really far. I think he'll get me more prepared for cross country than I've ever been, so I'm really excited. I think we have a really good chance of doing good at NCAAs my first year."

"I'll probably train with some of the CU girls in the summer; I'm not going to go there [to North Carolina] until August; I'll probably go right when school starts, but I'll be training really hard over the summer. I can't wait to train with Shalane (Flanagan) -- if I can stay with her.

Megan added that she quit soccer going into her junior year. She doesn't know what her sister Katelyn, also a Foot Locker Finalist, will end up picking -- "She's really good at both." Megan and Katelyn are the only two siblings in the family.