Ricky Quintana: That was a very impressive performance today.
Josh McDougal: Yeah, I guess.

RQ: You were right there with a mile to go. Was that your plan?
JM: I just wanted to go out [conservatively] the first mile and then just run my race. I ended up feeling great. I was there with a mile to go, but just lost it at the end.

RQ: ...What happened [with a mile to go]?
JM: I just tried to stick with them. I was right up in second or so heading up over the hill. I crested the hill and just couldn't go. I just ran as hard as I could and just tried to stay on my feet down the hill. I was still third at [when we crossed the road] and then (Matt) Withrow, wow, that was a good kick. I didn't have anything left for him. (Galen) Rupp took off and I was trying to catch (Shadrack) Kiptoo, but couldn't.

RQ: Last year, you had the heartbreak of finishing ninth at your regional and then you qualified this year. How did that feel to finally get here?
JM: It feels great. Ninth place was absolutely devastating last year. I felt I was one of the top 32 runners last year and I didn't get a chance to run. I really feel for the ninth-place guys this year. I know what they are going through. But if you just train and use ninth as motivation, you can go a long way.

RQ: You had an injury this year, can you talk a little bit about it?
JM: Yeah, it was pre-stress fracture. [It was] about four inches above my ankle. I had to take from September 14th to October 14th off. I did some calisthenics and biking. It took a while to get back in shape, but around mid-November, a few weeks ago, I started to get back into shape.

RQ: How did you keep your mind about you? I know you are pretty dedicated to your running.
JM: Yeah. It was really bad because my brothers would go out everyday for a run. It was really frustrating. I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to make it. I didn't know if it would put me back too far, but I just got back slowly and then built my speed workouts and incorporated them back into my workouts. It actually might have been a benefit.

RQ: Your father also said that you got a little help from Irv Ray. He looked over your logs and stuff. Did that help you a lot?
JM: Yeah. I attended a Jim Ryun running camp in Gettysburg, right after the adidas Outdoor Championships. Irv Ray was the guest speaker. I spent a lot of time talking with him. I got his book and I read it. I put in a lot more threshold and cruise interval workouts, and a lot less short speed this year, and it's really paid off.

RQ: And do you look for a better track season this upcoming season?
JM: Well, it's going to be hard to beat what I did last year indoors, time-wise, at least. I definitely hope to have a much better indoor and outdoor season, but I'm going to be doing [the World Junior Cross Country Trials].

RQ: World Junior Cross Country Trials are in February, right?
JM: Yeah, I'll be doing that and I don't know if Nike Indoor will conflict with World Juniors, I haven't seen yet. I'm not sure which one I'll do.