Thursday, January 21, 2010
Prerace Jitters |
| PreRaceJitters’ Q&A: Arizona’s Liz Patterson Flying to the Next Level Posted: 21 Jan 2010 02:57 AM PST  Liz_Patterson, Photo by Arizona Athletics The Dallas-area native high jumper is looking to end her collegiate career on top.In a battle of the best, she battled Destinee Hooker at last year's NCAA Indoor Championships pushing the eventual winner NCAA to set a new collegiate record (6-6), while at the same time grabbing the best performance of her life at 6-4.75. This year is about Liz Patterson getting to the next level, leaving her mark on the game, and proving she can dominate from week and week in the 2010 season. Coming into the indoor season, the Arizona senior is arguably the top jumper posting the nation’s best jump of 6-3.25 at the Lumberjack Invitation in the January 16 season opener. PreRaceJitters.com caught up with Patterson to discuss the 2010 season and more. PRJ: If I asked your friends to describe you and to tell me a little about you – what would they say? LP: I think they would say I’m a fun, laid back person and easy to get along with. PRJ: Where do you hail from and how did you get involved in track and field? LP: I was born in Dallas and raised in Beaumont, TX. I chose to run track because I did not make the volleyball or basketball teams. Track was the only sport in my middle school that anyone could participate in. PRJ: Describe your first track and field competition? LP: I was in the 7th grade when I had my first track meet. I thought I was so cool because I was finally part of a team. That year I only ran the 300m hurdles, so track meets were really a time when I hung out with my friends and met new ones. PRJ: How old were you when you first cleared five feet? LP: I cleared 5 feet for the first time when I was in the 9th grade. PRJ: How do your personal records (prs) from high school compare to where you are right now and how has your knowledge of training and competing evolved in the process? LP: In high school I had a pr of 1.75m in the high jump and now my best is 1.95m. In college I have learned so much about the fundamentals of high jump. While I was in high school my objective was very basic, which was to just run and jump as high as I could at the time. At Arizona, my coaches have taught me how important it is to lift weights, do plyos, and to consistently run a good approach to the bar. I have matured as an athlete and try to use my knowledge and experiences to help out my younger teammates whenever I can. PRJ: What do you consider your greatest achievement so far as an athlete? LP: Winning NCAA’s in 2008. PRJ: What was your training like in the fall semester? LP: Fall training went well. I feel stronger and faster this year. I also spent a lot of time taking care of my body to help prevent aches and pains. PRJ: Last season you had another impressive season earning two national runners up in College Station and Fayetteville. Ultimately it came down to a two person jump off between you and Texas' Destiny Hooker to determine the national champion. What did you learn from those experiences? LP: From those experiences I learned that I must continue to push myself and to remain positive. I’m glad I jumped against Destinee in those meets. I love her competitiveness and drive. She pushed me to obtaining indoor and outdoor pr’s last season. PRJ: What is your meet strategy in terms of when you come into the competition? LP: I go into competitions with a positive mind set, and focus on what I want to accomplish that day. My motto is, “Think good, do good”. PRJ: How are you feeling going into the 2010 indoor season? LP: I feel really good going into this indoor season. This is my last year and I want to have my best season ever. I’m excited for the season to start, yet sad that my college career is going to be over. PRJ: What is your reaction to Destinee Hooker forgoing her final year at Texas to play pro volleyball? LP: I’m excited for her and I know she will do well in her professional volleyball career. PRJ: This is your senior year and you earned a national champion in 2008 and twice last year you earned runner up honors last season. It is often overlooked is that you set personal bests at indoor and outdoor nationals in those performances. What are your goals for this season and what are the goals of this Arizona team? LP: My main goals for this season are to be better than I ever was in my previous seasons, and to go out on top. I still have a lot to learn and many things to practice on. Our team goals are for both men and women are to place in the top 5 at Pac-10s, and to get as many regional and national qualifiers as we can. The team chemistry of this year’s team is the best it has ever been since I’ve been at Arizona. If we continue to push one another in practice and at meets we will reach and exceed our goals. PRJ: Outside of what you are doing, how closely do you follow college and elite track and field? LP: Since I’ve been in school I have really gotten into the sport. During the season I will look at results from different meets just to see how everyone is running, jumping, and throwing. I wish track and field received more recognition in this country because it really is a fun and exciting sport. The Run Off PRJ: How did you spend your summer in 2009? PRJ: What celebrity would you most like to meet? PRJ: If you were not competing in track and field, what would you be doing? PRJ: What is your pre-game ritual? PRJ: Kobe or D-Wade? PRJ: Who would fit in most at your family reunion: Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Robin Hood Prince of Thieves or Prince, the musician? LP: Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, there are lots of comedians in my family. PRJ: Name one thing that people would be surprised to learn about you. PRJ: Do you get preracejitters? PRJ: Liz, thank you for your time and best of luck this season.  Related posts:
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| Lagat Decides to Run Reebok Boston Indoor Games Posted: 20 Jan 2010 08:34 PM PST World Champ Joins Star Studded Line Up(January 20, 2010)Reebok Boston Indoor Games Bernard Lagat has decided to run in the 2010 running of the Reebok Boston Indoor Games. The decorated athletes has confirmed his participation in the 5,000m at the 2010 Reebok Boston Indoor Games being held February 6 at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center at Roxbury Community College. The 15th-annual Reebok Boston Indoor Games is the second stop in USA Track & Field's Visa Championship Series. Meet officials have announced that Lagat will compete against Galen Rupp, Bekana Daba and Ali Abdosh, two sub-13:00 5000m runners from Ethiopia. The boys high school mile will include Patrick Schellberg (Morristown, NJ); New York's 2009 State Champion at 1600m, Alex Hatz (Manlius, NY); Craig Lutz (Highland Village, TX), the 2009 Nike Cross Country National Champion; and Billy Ledder (Falls Church, VA) the Virginian prep who won the 800 meters at the 2009 Nike Indoor National Championships. The girls junior mile will include Joanna and Kathleen Stevens (Blacksburg, VA), Virginia State 1600m Champion and Runner-up, respectively in 2009; Emily Lipari (Greenvale, NY), the nation's leading miler in 2010; the nation's top returning 800m runner Claudia Francis (Laurelton, NY) who won the Nike Outdoor Nationals in 2009 in a time of 2:05.47; Cory Ann McGee (Pass Christian, MS), 2009 Mississippi State Champion; and 2009 New England Champion Katrina Coogan (Exeter, NH). Copyright Boston Reebok Indoor Games. All Rights Reserved. Related posts:
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