MileSplit - How is your fitness now that you are in the middle of the 2013 season. What excites you the most about the rest of the season and what you want to accomplish?
Jean - I think my fitness right now is as good or better then it has ever been. I have always been more of a speed guy and used to struggle with longer workouts, so it is exciting to now see success in long stuff as well as short intervals. I am really excited to see our teams progress. We always seem to peek when we need too, and everyone is running well so we should come to form when needed.
MileSplit - Central Catholic is a great team. What are a few things you guys do to keep your focus in training?
Jean - Our team is super close, and we try to do things as a team to build up everyone. We have a bunch of of guys who really want to be great at the sport, so we do the small stuff to make us better.
MileSplit - What is the goal this year, Nike Nationals as a team, and how do you get there?
Jean - The goal for Central is definitely to make it to NXN this year. In a couple early season polls we were ranked in the top ten, and I know that is the expectation of most of the team. The NorthWest is stacked with fast teams this year. It is important to take it one race at a time, and know that we don't have to run out of our minds at regionals to make it, we just have to all do what we have been doing in every workout this year.
MileSplit - When & how did you get started in cross country?
Jean - I have always loved track, but didn't start cross until freshman year. I played football in eighth grade, and broke my leg and was on crutches for three months, so it was an easy choice to run.
MileSplit - Person/people most influential to your success in cross country and why?
Jean - My coach, Dave Frank, is definitely the most influential person to my success. I have had a couple disappointing and frustrating seasons, but he always brings me up and gets me fired up to race. He knows how good I want to be, and puts the time into finding out how I can be the best I can be. Whether it is changing up training techniques, or trying different racing styles. He really is an amazing coach.
MileSplit - Who has influenced you the most so far in your life and what they mean to you and your success?
Jean - I think my dad has influenced me the most in sports and life. most people can never relate to an athlete where their sport is more then just a sport, and he was a great paddler and knows what the training is like. He puts it in prospective to love the journey as much or more as winning races, and to have fun with it apposed to doing it just to win.
MileSplit - What are the keys to your successful cross country training program?
Jean - Central has had a ton of success in the past ten years, from Galen Rupp, to our six state titles. The key thing to our success, is doing things right. Everything we do is for a specific reason. Along with that anyone can do just the milage, but doing the morning runs, alternative training, and core work is what helps us.
MileSplit - What are the keys to your team's unity and how you train to reach your goals?
Jean - Our team is super close to each other, because most of us are still best friends outside of running; we all have each others backs. We do all of our workouts together, and have the ability to want to crush someone in the middle of it, yet afterwards we are still good friends.
MileSplit - Your favorite past performance in a cross country race and why?
Jean - I do not know my favorite memory this year, but my most memorable was forgetting how many loops there were on the course. I counted one short and thought I had won the race until I realized that I had another mile to go. During the moment I was pissed, but it is petty funny to look back on.
MileSplit - Who are the cross country competitors you most enjoy competing against and why?
Jean - I love racing the competitors that I have been racing since third grade. It is fun to see their progressions and having that constant rivalry with them.
MileSplit - What is your greatest non-running experience in cross country so far and why?
Jean - This year our team went to Mammoth Lakes Ca. to train for two weeks, and that was a really fun trip. We became super close the the Palos Verdes team, and just had fun doing stupid stuff with them.
MileSplit - Do you have any long-term goals in running?
Jean - I love running now, and really look forward to running in college. Running professionally would be sweet, but I am just trying to finish junior year now.
MileSplit - What was your favorite performance from the 2013 World Champs?
Jean - We were in Mammoth for the World championships, so I honestly didn't watch any of the races.
The Fun Run
What music do you rock while working out…
Jean - I lose focus and start singing when I listen to music, so I stopped haha.
Do you like to run in the mud or the grass…
Jean - Racing in the rain is my favorite thing. Mud is fun, because a lot of people lose the race before it even starts, but it is always fun to race fast.
Do you hang out on Facebook or Twitter...
Jean - I go on Facebook the most, but mostly just for school, or for out team xc page.
Do you like going out or chilling at home...
Jean - My family is super outdoorsy, so I always prefer to go out and do something over staying at home.
What gear is your favorite while running...
Jean - Either pom pom beanies or head bands are my favorite gear, or warming up in tights because it makes me feel like a pro runner.