Caitlin is seen here taking the baton from her twin sister Sarah at the Kentucky Invitational earlier this season |
1. With much of your focus on the 800 meters this season, you set a personal best time of 2:07.92 at the Sun Angel Classic hosted by Arizona State. What are some of your goals for this season and how has your training been going up to this point?
My biggest goals are to make Nationals and run 2:05. My training has been going great so far, I feel stronger than I did at this time last year so I think these are realistic goals.
2. Your twin sister and teammate, Sarah, also runs the same events for the Tigers. How comfortable is it to have her around and is there any kind of special rivalry where you help to push each other as the season rolls along?
I guess we are each others number one rivals. My eye is always focused on her in a race cause my bragging rights for the next week are at stake, so I think we both run our fastest when we're in the same heat. In workouts it's the same way, but on easy days someone inevitably starts pushing the pace so we don't always run together on those days because well you can't race everyday.
3. You also hold the Alaska state record in the 800 meters including a fifth place finish at the Golden West Invitational. Looking back upon your high school career, what accomplishment are you most proud of and would there be anything you could change if you could?
I guess I'm most proud of the other events I did, like getting 5th at state in the 300 hurdles and 3rd in the triple jump because those are the only places I remember. But the 5th place finish at Golden West was big, I set a personal best by 3 seconds in that race too. I guess if there was anything I could change it would have been not to play tag ice skating my senior year because I ended up blowing out my knee for six weeks and couldn't run until mid February.
4. What is your weekly mileage like now compared to what you had to endure in high school and how different is the general coaching philosophy for you now at Auburn?
My mileage now is about 50-55 miles per week which is probably only slightly higher than what I did in high school. We did a lot of strength work in high school because we couldn't get on the track until the snow was gone in April, and the program Coach Fox has us on now is very similar.
5. Is it natural for you as a runner to find discipline to do the right things such as get enough sleep and watch your diet or is it more difficult of a challenge for you?
I definitely think you can't be all work and no play. I like to eat, drink, and be merry every once in a while--it keeps me sane and happy.
6. Have you ever considered moving up to the longer events on the track, such as the steeplechase or 5000 meters?
I've thought about the steeple, but that's as far as I've gotten. I'm running so well in the 800 right now it's hard to move to a totally new event. As for the 5000, well running 12.5 laps around a track does not seem that appealing to me.
7. When did you realize during your athletic career that the middle distance events was your best way for success and what you wanted to focus on?
Sarah started running track her freshman year in high school and ran the 400. When I came out the following year she had moved up to the 800, and I guess I just wanted to kick her butt so we've been 800 runners ever since.
8. As a part of the 4x800 meter relay that took the title at the Penn Relays last year, how much are you looking forward to this years events and will there be any change to the relay?
We should have a really good relay team again this year. We have 3 returnees with personal bests of 2:06, 2:07, and 2:08. We have a freshman from England who ran 2:08 the second time she ever raced the 800, so if we can pry her away from the 400 we'll have an even better team than last year.
9. Do you get on the internet a lot and spend time to see how other athletes are faring in your events? Do you consider yourself a big fan of the sport as well?
I am a fan of the sport, but not to the extreme that I know everyone's PR's and where their next race will be. I like to see how other athletes are doing in my events, I'm really competitive and it is a big motivator for me to run faster if I see someone's name slightly higher than mine on that list, especially if they're in the SEC.
10. Who are some of the athletes or role models you look up to?
I don't look up to anyone specific, but I do admire those people with little talent that have to work to be competitive with the lazy yet gifted athlete in the next lane. I guess if you're clean and hard working you're a fan of mine.
11. For all your friends and family from back home, what would you like to say to them?
Even though Alaska is cold, be glad you don't know what humidity is. Also thanks for all the support, I couldn't have done it without you.