Blogs : NCAA Division III Blog

Interviews: Brian Harvey of Carnegie Mellon

(Photo courtesy of the Carnegie Mellon cross country team)

Harvey is a sophomore at Carnegie Mellon University.  This past weekend at the UAA Championships he finished fifth overall helping his team to a fourth place finish.  Last year as a freshman at the 2005 NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships he was the 4^th man on a Carnegie Mellon cross country team that placed 8^th overall as a team.  The Carnegie Mellon men’s cross country team is currently ranked 29^th in the Week 6 NCAA Division III National Poll. 

By: Derick Lawrence (10/25/2006)

Could you tell us a little bit about yourself (where you’re from, what high school you went to, how you got started running)?

I am from Ellicott City, Maryland, 15 miles east of Baltimore.  I went to Centennial High School, a school not known for a strong running program in a state with a weak reputation for competitive running.  Growing up I had a lot of exposure to running since my Mom competed in many road races, and when I was only seven years old I ran my first 10k race.  However, most of my childhood all the way up to high school I competed in two or three sports (soccer, baseball, basketball) throughout the year and just loved competition.  When I got to high school and didn’t make the soccer team, it seemed natural for me to do cross country, more for social reasons than anything else.  As my high school career progressed, my times dropped dramatically and I learned to love racing.

What were your PR's in high school (cross country and track)?

5K: 16:15

800: 1:56 (split)

1600: 4:23

3200: 9:49

What are your current PR's (cross country and track)?

8K: 25:41

800: 1:57

1500: 3:59

3000: 8:49

What was your training like this past summer?

I definitely didn’t do as much training as I wanted to do this summer.  I did as much mileage I as could while working on my feet at a construction site 40 hours a week.  My mileage lingered in the high 50s to low 60s most of the summer with only one or two weeks over 70.  My longest run all summer was 16 and did few tempo runs or workouts.  Even though it was lower than I would have liked, it was still the best base I have ever had coming into a cross season.  I had the opportunity to travel a lot this summer and had some of my best runs exploring Orlando, Central Park in NYC, and San Francisco.

How has your training progressed over the years from high school to now (cross country and track)?

My first cross race in high school I ran over 24 minutes for the 5k.  I was by no means a serious runner.  In next couple years I improved dramatically, slowly making it up to the top guy on my team.  However, my coach was extremely conservative in terms of training, and, even in my senior year of cross country, I only averaged 30-40 miles/week, with my longest run only 10 miles.

When I got to college, I was shocked to here that some people ran 90-100 mile weeks in high school.  Last year in my freshman year, my coach was also very conservative with my training since he knew I wasn’t coming from high mileage.  I slowly added more and more mileage and this season I have been averaging around 70 miles/week with my longest run 17 miles.

What has your training consisted of over the past couple of weeks?

In the last couple weeks my team has started concentrating on shorter, quicker intervals, while transitioning away from longer tempos.  Workouts we’ve done have ranged from quick 300s on the track to fast 1000s around our crushed limestone “oval.”  As we progress deeper into the season we have been especially conscious about keeping our easy runs EASY.  I’ve been averaging a little under 70 miles/week.

What is your favorite workout(s) during the cross country season and what does it include?

I love speed workouts.  800s on the track or 1000s at well below race pace are my favorite.  I especially enjoy the last one or two intervals when our coach lets us loose.

Last year as a freshman at the 2005 NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships you were the 4^th man on a Carnegie Mellon cross country team that placed 8^th overall as a team.  Could you tell us a little bit about this experience and your thoughts looking back at this race?

The Nationals experience is almost surreal, especially as a freshman.  Hundreds of energetic, spirited fans combined with jumbotrons and NCAA banners make for a one-of-a-kind atmosphere.  The most memorable part of the trip for me was immediately before the race our coach told us, “You will spend the next 12 months dreaming about how badly you want to get back here.”  During the hottest days of the summer I was able to use this as a little extra motivation.  Experiencing Nationals as a freshman allows me to be ready to really race this year since I know what it feels like to be in a race of that caliber.

What are your goals for this cross country season (individual and team)?

As a team, we feel like we are exactly where we want to be as this point in the season.  Each race has been better the last, with someone new stepping it up each meet and having a break-out performance.  We are confident that we have our best three races still in us.  This weekend we travel to St. Louis for our conference meet which will include some tough competition up front which we are confident we can run with.  The ultimate team goal from the beginning of the season was not just to make Nationals but be there with our best race left in us.  Individually, like all serious D-III cross runners, my season goal is to achieve All-American status at Nationals but I am taking it one race at a time.

Do you walk, bike, or drive to class and/or practice? If you bike or drive, what kind of bike or car do you have?

(Photo courtesy of the Hunt Insitute for Botanical Documentation at Carnegie Mellon University)

I live off campus in a house with five other guys on the team.  I bike (in my pimped out Trek 3900) a mile downhill to campus in the morning which makes for fun trip back up after practice.  I haven’t given in yet, but once the temperature drops below 20 I’ll end up taking the bus to class.  I also have ’01 Honda Civic at school which is mostly used for weekly trips to the grocery store and driving home over breaks.

What’s your major?  Favorite professor?  Most memorable class?

I am double majoring in Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering.    Surprisingly, my favorite professor so far actually taught my Intro to Psychology class I took last semester.  He managed to take something as boring as psychology and somehow keep me engaged for hour and a half a couple times a week.  I am really looking forward to getting deeper into my majors and taking MechE and BioMed electives that appeal to me.

What are the dining options like at Carnegie Mellon University?  Does most of the team eat together?

Last year as a freshman living on campus, we were forced to be on the meal plan which was a rip-off to say the least.  Now that I am off the meal plan, I make my own breakfast and lunch and cook dinner every night.  I am able to eat better tasting and healthier food at a much lower cost.  Plus I’m evolving into a pretty nasty chef…thinking about dropping out of CMU and enrolling in a culinary institute…

Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?

I guess that would be a good question to know the answer to…but, like a lot of students, I really have no clue.  Right now, after undergrad, I am planning on going to some sort of grad school, pretty much just so I can avoid the real world as long as possible.

Do you have a pre-race routine (certain foods you eat, songs you listen to, warmup routine, etc.)?  If so, could you describe it for us?

The only kind of strange routine that I do before every race is taking a shower even though I am just going to get sweaty and gross a few hours later.  I feel like it wakes me up and now that it has become a tradition there’s no turning back now.  But I don’t have any weird traditions like not washing a pair a sock for an entire season.

What do you like the most about Carnegie Mellon Cross Country?

Well, I’ve already got crap from my teammates for saying this once, so I might as well say it again:  I think that our coach, Dario Donatelli, is what really has made my CMUXC experience so positive thus far.  He makes sure that everything is going well in all aspects of our lives, beyond simply running which cannot be said about many coaches.

What's the running environment like at Carnegie Mellon University?  Where does the team train? 

Schenley Park

(Photo courtesy of iExplore)

For its close proximity to downtown Pittsburgh, we have surprisingly many amazing trials to run on.  Two huge parks (Schenley and Frick) are within a mile or two of campus and have dirt or crushed stone paths with plenty of long hills.  My favorite run we did this season was a 17 miler on a Sunday which consisted of running to Heinz Field during a Steelers game, getting offered a beer, doing a couple laps around the stadium, and running back.

Any parting words for readers?

Unlike a lot of collegiate runners, I don’t like reading the running literature that’s going to tell me the best way to train and I don’t spend hours a day on LetsRun.  With respect to my training, I tend to just listen to what my body is telling me which has allowed me to follow what Frank Shorter once told me: “Remember, consistency is the key!”

Thanks for reading!

Thanks to Brian for a great interview.