Nickname(s): Steve, Steve-O, TheConducktor(my xbox live name lol)
PR's:
1500- 3:44.1
3000- 8:09.9
5000- 14:10
10000- 29:54
10 miles- 49:12
Half Marathon- 65:31
How long have you been running and how did you start ?
I've been running since the age of 9 (15+ years). I went to Catholic Grade School in the suburbs of Philadelphia, and they had a cross country and track program along with the Philadelphia CYO. My sister Megan, who is a year older than me, started running when she was in 4th grade, so when I got to 4th grade I followed.
What are your Goals for the 2011 season ?
My overall goal is to hit a qualifying time for the Olympic trials. I have some other short term goals that I'm hoping will set me up for that. I'm going to be running some indoor track for the first time in 3 years so I want to PR in the mile (4:07.7 from 2007) and 3000 (8:09.9 from 2006), and then bring down my PR's outdoors.
What is your favorite running spot in DC ?
I'm a big fan of Roosevelt Island. I know it's only a 1.5 mile loop but getting there also gives you a good tour of the city depending on where you're coming from. From the Logan Circle Pacers you pass the Watergate Building, The Kennedy Center, The Lincoln Memorial, and can run along Rock Creek Park and the Mt Vernon Trail, so you get a great feel for DC.
So you have been running for more than 15 years, Can you describe a moment when you did a Greg Jennings and put the Team on your back dogg to win? (editor's note, youtube Greg Jennings for the video to fully understand the question)
Hahaha. Just so everyone knows, me and Robbie work together at the Logan Circle Pacers, and we are big fans of this video (check it out here not the best language so I warned you) ANYWAY, if you don't want to watch it, essentially this dude is playing Madden 11 online and scores a TD at the end of the game with Greg Jennings who has a broken leg and he's providing commentary of the play while watching the instant replay. So to answer you're question I've had a few moments while running relays in High School and College where I've "put the team on my back". There was a 4x8 in college where I got it down while running the 3rd leg. The anchor for the Navy was a 1:47 guy so I knew I had to blow it open for our anchor. I ended up splitting 1:50 and gave our anchor a 50 meter lead, game over. In high school I was a mile/2 mile guy, but I was on our 4x8 that won the National Championship and had the fastest split on the team. So nothing to the level of a broken leg, but what can you do.
Your a pretty chilled guy, Can you tell us how you get to that dark side to dig deep and let fly on race day ?
The dark side is a great way to describe it because my mind sometimes needs to go to another place so my body can hurt. I think a lot about all the training I've put in before a race so I can reinforce to myself how fit I am. Doubts and Fears are expected when a big race is nearing so by training hard it provides me with ammo to combat them. Its funny though because often when I PR in a race, it's almost like the race is coming to me pretty easily and I'm just flowing along, the racing where I'm not feeling well is when I have to really zone in and keep telling myself "I'm not going to get dropped, if this guy can do it I'm staying right here and doing it to." Running is a big mental war, and the preparation is really a huge deciding factor.
The word on the street is your a big sports fan. Can you predict the follow winners in 2011
Stanley Cup:
Clearly the Philadelphia Flyers are going to win Lord Stanley's Cup. They got robbed last year and are going to come back this year with a vengeance. Plus they're a much better team than those Washington Capitals, haha.
NBA:
Since the Sixers (Philadelphia basketball team) are terrible, I won't be a homer and pick my team. I'm a big time basketball fan and the NBA this year is a tough call. It's always a safe bet to go with a team like the Celtics/Lakers/Spurs because they are in every sense of the word a TRUE team, great veteran leadership, great point guard play, consistency. Then there's of course the Miami Heat, the evil empire in some peoples' eyes. They started off a little shaky, but I think have won 21 of their last 23 games which is nuts. So if they stay hot they could be tough to beat. There's a great young team in Oklahoma City with Kevin Durant and Russel Westbrook, which I don't think will win this year but they're worth mentioning for people to watch in the next few years.
To make a pick I think I'm going to go with the Celtics. Ray Allen/Paul Pierce/KG/Shaq/Rajon Rondo too much of a TEAM.
If you didn't run from an early year what sport and what position would you see yourself playing?
Well if you asked my dad that question he's tell you I'd be an NFL quarterback, haha. But i'll be realistic. If I focused on basketball I maybe could have played D3 ball as a shooting guard but thats a stretch. If i didn't run I would have a real person job at this point.
What kind of music is on your I-Pod these days ? Any throw backs that you like to hit replay on.
I'm a big fan of rap, Eminem, Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, Kanye West, TI, and the list could go on. I actually just got an ITouch for Christmas because my Ipod I had for like 5 years got stolen from my girlfriends car this fall (I was pisssed!!). So I'm really just building my library back up. But if I heard my old school jam (probably from 7th grade, '99) by Jay-Z "Money Ain't A Thang" I'd definitely have to hit replay.
Ok, here is one for you ! Who is your favorite Irish Runner between Sonia O' Sullivan ,Marcus O' Sullivan, Eamonn Coghlan and Ronnie Delaney ?
I actually grew up about 10-15 minutes from Villanova, and when I was in grade school I used to go to Marcus O'Sullivan's Track and Cross Country Camp at Villanova. I'd have to say Eamonn Coghlan is my favorite though because I've run at The Millrose Games a couple times and he's the "Chairman of the Boards" and had the most Wanamaker Mile wins at I think 7 until this past year. The Millrose Games is a great atmosphere. I ran there twice in college, winning the college 4x8 both times, and it's an unbelievable experience to run at the Garden with all those spectators.
Which Athlete of all-time do your admire the most? Why ?
Michael Jordan is my favorite athlete of all-time. He took the NBA to another level and his drive to win is unlike anyone else in sport. I think it's funny when people compare other current day players like Kobe Bryant to MJ, because Kobe averages maybe 27 points per game, and until MJ's stint with the Wizards (and yes I have his Wizards jersey) he average nearly 33 points a game for his career. Just no comparison in my eyes.
As a runner I also admire PRE because the man was an animal, plus we have the same first name so that's pretty cool
Cheers mate !
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