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Team USA, The Journey to Gold - Part 2 of 4 - A Decision Be GreatPublished by
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 by XCNation.com
Aisling Cuffe: Motivated to Compete In 1991 two-time Foot Locker National Champion Melody Fairchild ran to a junior bronze medal at the 1991 World Cross Country Championships. Since that race, no American junior women have stood on the medal podium. Not since that 1991 season has American seen the likes of an athlete like Aisling Cuffe. She has been uncontested in ways that have stood out among the great American prep cross country runners. She ran away from the competition in every major invitational in the nation. The Gatorade Girls National Cross Country Runner of the Year will have an opportunity to show she is not just the best prep in America but possibly the best junior cross country runner in the world. Cuffe leads perhaps the best assemblage of junior athletes to ever represent the USA at the World Cross Country Championships as the women seek a first-ever team medal. (XC Nation) Why is World Cross Country important to American distance running success? (AC) World Cross Country is important to American distance running success because it is another chance for Americans to get a taste for international competition. For high schoolers and college runners, this taste is a necessity. We wouldn't really get international exposure without a meet like this. Getting to run a race that is almost over our heads with the level of competition shows us what we have to do to get better. For the senior men and women, experiencing international competition is not as much of a rarity, but every chance counts. The more international races you run, the more comfortable you will be with international races down the road. World Cross sets the perfect stage. (XC Nation) What do you think are the reasons behind the resurgence of the American distance runner at the prep and international level? (AC) I feel that there could be many reasons behind the resurgence of American distance running. First of all, the internet is a big factor. When something huge goes down in the running world, news spreads fast. People have always been spurred on by the accomplishments of others, whether it’s been the desire to beat them, or the knowledge that a particular human "limitation" has just been broken. When more people can find out faster about training methods and race results, people will start to get faster on average. Another reason for the resurgence is that it could just be America's time to shine again. The talent and the interest is all coming together at the right time. Maybe there is a golden era coming in the near future! (XC Nation) Do we have the talent to win? (AC) America is certainly not your average team attending World Cross. We are bringing four motivated, talented squads to compete on the world stage. We have all been successful in our own way over the years, and we all know that doing well is a very good feeling. Off talent alone, winning would be viewed as tough goal to achieve, as the east African countries have proven to have a lot of talent as well. Combining our talent and determination, I say anything is possible. (XC Nation) What was your experience at World Cross? (AC) Going into World Cross, my personal goal is to finish in the top 15, but I will be happy with top 20. I am not sure what to expect when I head out to Spain, but I am definitely going to run as hard as I can. In setting these goals, I am also being careful about not setting limits, either. It would be pretty tough to finish up near the top, but stranger things have happened! For the junior girl’s team, I really feel like we can medal. I will try to pass as many people as I can in hopes of lowering the team score. (XC Nation) What will happen to the American Distance Runner when we win? (AC) Winning World Cross would be extremely beneficial for American runners. Heading into future competitions, we would know that we can run with the best in the world, AND beat them too! This success would carry over to the Olympics and the track World Championships. Winning would play a part in ending the distance running "resurgence", and start a new era of American Distance running being on top of the podium. More news |