Interview with Nicole Blood

By Adam Jacobs

November 19 marked a comeback of sorts for the University of Oregon women's cross country team. At the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships in Terre Haute, IN, the third-ranked Lady Ducks, led by sophomore Nicole Blood, took advantage of their first trip to the meet since 2000 by finishing second to top-ranked Stanford. It was the third-best finish of all time for the Ducks, behind only their 1983 and 1987 NCAA titles.

The 19-year-old Blood, running in her first NCAA Championships race, outpaced top-ranked Arianna Lambie of Stanford to finish eighth overall. Emboldened by her success this past season, Blood is now looking toward the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Track & Field, where she will take on the best female distance runners in the country.

Fastwomen.com: Let’s start by discussing your overall season. How would you evaluate your performances?
Nicole Blood: It was a great season. We started out with a lot of goals, and we worked hard all summer. We took each meet one step at a time; we kept improving. By Nationals we put it together very well.

FW: What do you think were the keys to your personal success?
NB: Definitely just having a good group of girls to train with and a great coaching staff. That's helped me not only train well but also have a good head on my shoulders.

FW: How did it feel to beat Arianna Lambie of Stanford at the NCAA Championships?
NB: She's been a runner whom I've always looked up to, so it was a big moment for me to be able to finish ahead of her.

FW: You've always liked running every distance from 800 meters to 5000 meters. Which event do you think you'll focus on for the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Track & Field?
NB: I'll probably stick with longer distances. I'm not so great at [laughs] 800 meters, although it's nice to do to try and work on my speed.

FW: What dimension of your preparation for the Olympic Trials is most important for your success?
NB: Basically, just taking one meet at a time. I'm just going to try to improve upon my workouts and race tactics and just get ready to run with a lot higher [level of] competition.

FW: Was there anything that you learned from this season that you think you'll try to work on specifically in the coming months?
NB: I've learned a lot from this season—mostly just to be confident [while running] with the best girls in the nation. It was a big eye-opener to actually compete with them, whereas last year I was really intimidated. I think I gained a lot of experience this season that will help throughout the rest of [my college career].

FW: In terms of the Olympic Trials, is it challenging or even a bit daunting to mentally prepare yourself to compete against some of the best professionals and other top collegiate runners in America?
NB: Yeah, it's definitely tough. Like I said, you come in a little intimidated. Until you can get in a good race with them and feel comfortable, you can't really have a great race. That's what my biggest step was this season; it was getting comfortable with being able to compete with them.

FW: Who are your running heroes, and what about those athletes impress you the most?
NB: The Stanford girls like Arianna Lambie, who you mentioned, have always been role models for me because I competed with them in high school. To be able to compete with them at a college level is a great feat for me.

FW: How about among the current professionals whom you'll see at the Trials?
NB: Suzy Favor Hamilton. I've got her book and everything. It's nice being here in Oregon because you're around all of the professionals. I've actually talked with Lauren Fleshman. It's great to be able to talk to them like they're just normal people rather than just reading their books and trying to relate to them in that way; that's what's nice about this environment.

FW: I'm sure it is. Speaking of that, you've been on the West Coast for a year and a half now. Having come from New York, have you completely adjusted to the changes in your environment and to the cultural changes?
NB: Yeah, it's definitely really different. It took a little bit of time, but it's fun to be in a new environment. If anything, it's a lot more positive out here, especially toward running.

FW: Has it been challenging for you to be far from home?
NB: A little bit, but my parents moved out west so at least they're a lot closer than they would be in New York. Also, my family has been to pretty much every meet that I've run, so I get to see them a lot, which is nice.

FW: That is great. I know it's pretty far off, but do you see yourself staying on the West Coast, maybe Eugene, when you're done with college?
NB: Yeah, I'd love to, actually; especially if I continue running, I think this is a great environment for it.

Interview conducted on November 26, 2007, and posted December 6, 2007.