MensRacing.com: So what is this whole John Deere thing? Is it just about the hat? [Note: As we began the interview, one of his Northeast teammates was making a joke about it.]
Ben True: Yeah, it's the hat that I wear. Nothing runs like a Deere — it's what I've been wearing all year. I've always been told to run like an antelope because they're so...smooth, my dad's always told me to run like an antelope...

MR: Was winning the Regional a confidence booster for you?
BT: It was... Going into the race, my plan was just to get in the top eight, but actually being able to go out and win it, that was a big confidence boost. It showed me I had a little more speed than I thought I did. It was nice to be able to judge where I was.

MR: Does it add any pressure at all?
BT: I think it does a little bit, I don't really want it to, but I think it does a little bit. That was one of the main reasons why, going into the race, I just wanted to get top eight.

MR: So no one would [have their eye on you] here?
BT: Yeah (laughs).

MR: You seem like one of the more relaxed people here. It's hard to tell (from outside appearances), but some of the athletes are pretty intense and you seem like you have it all in perspective.
BT: I think I was [pretty tense] last year, but I think having a year's experience, I'm able to be a little more relaxed, a little calmer.

MR: Has it been hard training for this meet with the weather you've had at home?
BT: Yeah (laughs), it has. It's been hard to get out when it's really cold out, doing speed workouts when it's 20 degrees out and your muscles can seize up, it's hard to do that. This past snowstorm, I was running out in that and that was tricky to do, but it's all going to build up to this one race...

MR: ...And [you only had to do a small fraction of your training in the bad weather]. I was just happy to run somewhere this morning where I didn't have to worry about slipping.
BT: It's so weird to wear shorts, I haven't worn shorts for so long!

MR: Did you get out and ski at all yet, or were you being careful?
BT: I was being careful. I'm going to start that next week, so Monday, I probably be out on skis.

MR: Do you have to take a break at all, or — because it's different enough — can you go right into the season?
BT: I'm going to go right into it. There's a race on January 9th which is the Senior Nationals in skiing, it's something I've been wanting to do. I wanted to do it last year, but I couldn't get in good shape quick enough. I'm going to try to do that...

MR: Is it hard focusing on two different sports? Do you feel like you're at a disadvantage compared to some of the other kids here?
BT: A little bit, kind of balancing the two. I'm going to Dartmouth next year for college and they'll help me do that. They said I can do both sports for at least two years, just to help me figure out which sport I want to do, which one I'm leaning towards. It is different, in skiing you want a little more muscle, you want to be a little bigger, while with running, you want to be a little more slender... And it's different training. For skiing, I should be roller-skiing and working on the technique...

MR: Are you as good at skiing, compared to the rest of the country, as you are at running?
BT: No, I don't see myself as the greatest skier, I'm very new to the [sport]... I've been to the Junior Nationals the past two years, but I'm so new to it, so I haven't been able to do as well as I want yet. I'm still working on that.

MR: What was your running training like this season, how much mileage did you do?
BT: I stepped up the miles. Last year I was doing...probably 35 was my high. This year, I hit 50 a couple weeks, so the extra mileage has helped me out a lot, I think. I also [didn't] run every dual meet...which has helped me stay rested, stay focused and just not get burned out.

MR: You finished second at New Englands to Ahmed Haji at New Englands. Have the two of you developed a bit of a rivalry?
BT: It's a friendly rivalry, we're good friends, but (laughs) it's been really back and forth. He's a little up on me for the number of times he's beaten me, but it's fun to race each other.

MR: Do you have any races planned yet for outdoor track?
BT: No. I'm going to try to do one big outdoor meet, probably [the Adidas Outdoor Championships] or [USA Junior Nationals], I'm not really sure yet. Track [hasn't always] been something I've always looked forward to, it has just kind of [been] a training tool for the cross country. I've never taken it that seriously, but I think I'm definitely going to start doing that and just try to build some foot speed.

MR: When does ski season end? That must be kind of hard.
BT: Late March is when ski season ends, so it is difficult.