Saturday Spotlight: James Asselmeyer

James Asselmeyer ran 1:53 yesterday to lead his Arlington, NY squad to the second-fastest time of the day (7:54.33) in the Large Schools section of the 4x800m Relay. The quartet will line up at 4:00 PM ET looking for the school's first-ever wheel in the High School Boys 4x800m Championship of America. We caught up with the Duke commit about his All-American indoor season and his favorite things about Philadelphia (sorry, Taylor Swift - you didn't make the cut).

You were one of the star relay runners this indoor season, splitting 1:49 to anchor your 4x800m squad to the Millrose Games title and All-American honors at New Balance Nationals (7:45.95 for fourth!). What was that experience like and how has it affected your mindset and perception of yourself as a runner?

Going into the Millrose games, we were hoping to be in the mix, but to be honest, we didn't really expect to win. After exceeding our expectations, we realized how good we could be so our goal at Nationals was to be All-American. Back to back success at two national level meets was an amazing experience. Splitting 1:49 has given me a ton of confidence in the 800 and makes me wish I had had one more shot at the New York State record in the 1000m.

How have you adjusted your training since New Balance Nationals Indoor and how have you transitioned into the outdoor season?

After New Balance Nationals, we took a week off to rest, then got back to our early season training which includes longer endurance workouts. After a winter without a track (ours was buried in snow), it's been nice to be able to add in some track workouts, too.

How do The Penn Relays fit into your training plan? Is your team peaking for this meet?

Penn is somewhat difficult to fit into our training plan because it's so early in the New York season. Our focus is more on the Loucks Games, State Champs, and New Balance Nationals, so we will not be peaking for Penn. We also have weekday dual meets and weekend invitationals to work around, but Coach Arnett has done his best to make sure we are prepared.


Arlington, NY won the Millrose Games 4x800-meter Relay.

Describe a typical training week. The more details, the better :)

MONDAY- A workout like 8x400m at about 62-63 seconds or 4x800m

TUESDAY - 50 minute run in the trails around 7 minute pace (Our school borders a state park so we have access to some pretty great trails)

WEDNESDAY - Another workout... typically something like 8-12x200m at 29 seconds

THURSDAY - 40 minute trail run

FRIDAY - 30 minute run

SATURDAY - Race

SUNDAY - 11 mile run on dirt roads at 6:30-6:40 pace

Have you ever raced at the Penn Relays? If so, what was the experience like? If not, what have you heard about Franklin Field?

Last year at Penn I ran the 1200 leg of our DMR which finished 5th. Our race was starting just as a storm rolled in so it was very windy and started to pour, but it was still a great experience and a ton of fun racing against a stacked field in front of a pretty big crowd.

What is your goal this year?

At Penn, we hope to definitely be in the race and see if we're in good enough shape to be the top US team.

Do you plan to hang out at the meet all weekend to watch all the high school/collegiate/USA vs. the World races?

I will certainly be staying all weekend, hopefully I will be running Saturday afternoon, but even if we don't make finals I plan to stay and watch the US show the world who's boss. I am also looking forward to cheering on my future teammates at Duke who are competing in the collegiate races.

What would it mean to bring home a wheel to Arlington?

Bringing a wheel home would be unbelievable. Arnett has been coaching since the 70s and hasn't had a team do it yet because it's a tall order to win at such a competitive meet.

Describe the culture of the Arlington track/XC program.

The Arlington program has a great culture that keeps the team successful which stems from our legendary coach, Steve Arnett. Seeing his dedication to the team, inspires us to give all we have. He instills in the upperclassmen the importance of being role models for the newcomers and passing on that tradition. That is a big part of how Arlington has had a sub 8:00 4x800 something like 24 out of the last 26 years. When I showed up there were guys like Sibby Hanson, Tom Wimmers and Steve Morrison (who now run at NC State, Stonybrook and Marist, respectively) to look up to. Seeing their success piqued my interest in track. Hopefully this year's newcomers are able to see how hard Eric, Joe, Reece, and I work, and this willl inspire them to become the best runners they can be to help the team continue the winning tradition.

What does your team do for fun and/or team building?

For fun, we usually get together at someone's house and watch movies or netflix. We also love to play basketball, volleyball, and ultimate frisbee, despite Arnett's warnings (aka threats).

Describe your athletic background and how/when you first got involved in track.

I got into running because I was basically forced to going into my freshman year. I go to a huge high school with about 3,600 kids and my parents thought it was important to get involved in some school sport or activity. My two sisters were already on the XC/Track teams so Arnett had been hounding me to join since middle school but I didn't want to run; it was too hard. Since I was a baseball player, my parents thought I should run in the fall to get my legs in shape for pitching, so I joined XC. My plan was to skip the indoor season so I would have more time for snowboarding which I had been doing for years. I stuck around, though, and during the indoor season I started to appreciate how competitive track is and how rewarding it is to have a good race. When I got my 1600 down to 4:48, I decided not to try out for the school baseball team and just play in a travel league so that I could still run track during the spring.

What was the moment when you became "a runner" as opposed to "a person who runs"?

I became a runner when I stopped playing baseball. Up to that point I thought of myself as a baseball player who ran some, and not a runner. By the fall of my sophomore year I had committed to track entirely and quit baseball.

What is your most embarrassing running-related moment?

My sophomore year I was leading off our 4x800 at the county meet. This was my first opportunity to prove myself (the other three legs were to be run by guys from the "real" 4x800). I was pretty nervous and somehow managed to false start and get the team DQed. It's all good, though, because it turned into a decent common app essay and I got the sweet nickname "Jumpin Jimmy" for a while.

Congratulations on signing with Duke! How did you make your college decision and what other schools were you considering?

Duke has been a presence in my family my whole life. My Uncle Wayne Ryder, an obsessed Duke Alum, got me my first Duke sweatshirt when I was still crawling. I think he would have probably killed me if I turned down an offer from his Alma Mater. Still, it wasn't an easy decision, as I was also looking at Georgetown, UPenn, Cornell, and Wake Forest. Ultimately, on my official visit Duke just felt right to me. They have an up and coming middle distance program, a beautiful campus, great academics and it's hard to compete with the Cameron Crazies for school spirit. Not running in the snow all winter will be nice, too. Plus, now I can torment my brother who is a die-hard UNC fan.

How will you focus your season after Penn Relays? What are your goals to finish the year?

This year our 4x800 goals are to win the Loucks games, the New York State Championship, and to finish top 6 at New Balance Nationals for All-American honors again. Personally, I am looking to hit 1:48 in the 800 this year. The state record in New York is 1:48.56, I believe, and I would love to take that.

FUN STUFF, Penn Relays edition:

Philly cheesesteak or Jamaican beef patties?

Philly Cheesesteak

Favorite race to spectate:

I love to watch the 4x400, especially when Rai Benjamin is involved. Being in NY in Section 1 I have had plenty of opportunities to see some great match ups/

Rocky I, Rocky II, Rocky III, Rocky IV, Rocky V, Rocky Balboa or Creed?

Rocky IV when Rocky beats the Russian. And Rocky Balboa over Apollo Creed, anyday.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia or Boy Meets World?

It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia! Best show of all time. It's such a huge part of my life that the Rocky question above actually caused my mind to immediately jump to a few different scenes on the show where they talk about Rocky and Dolf Lundgren. Last year at Penn, I made it clear to my parents that we had to stop by Mac's Tavern because it is partially owned by Rob McElhenney and Kaitlin Olson from the show.

DJ Jazzy Jeff or Diplo?

DJ Jazzy Jeff because I just googled Diplo and on wikipedia its says "associated acts: Iggy Azalea."

Taylor Swift or Joan Jett?

Joan Jett, but most importantly, not Taylor Swift.

The Eagles or the Phillies?

I'd have to say the Eagles, they are a great band and have some awesome road trip music. (If I picked either of those teams my father would disown me)

Jimmy Stevenson (@jimmy_stevenson) or Gordon Mack (@gordonmack)?

My mind was made up after the 400 at NBIN: Jimmy Stevenson. First, great name and second, great catch phrase: " whamsauce."