Interview with Shadrack Songok of Texas A&M

by Tom Borish

Songok opened his 2008 season with a win at the Texas A&M Invitational (Glen Johnson)

You ran your first race as an Aggie with a victory at the Texas A&M Invitational. After covering the 8k course in 24:16, how did you feel during your season opener?

I felt that the race went fine as I anticipated and as a season opener, to me personally, it was a good start and I felt great about the overall team performance.

After competing for Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, how has the transition been for you at Texas A&M after transferring this past summer?

Everything has gone really smooth for me and I enjoy being here as part of the Aggie community.

Looking back at your 2008 season, which included winning the 10,000 meters at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, how would you rate your performances in a nutshell after what was a long year for you?

The past season generally went great for me. I think I competed in the highest level I could. Having won the two championship titles in the same season was a great accomplishment.

Texas A&M will next compete at the Notre Dame Invitational.on October 3. This will be the first big test of the season for you and the Aggies. How much are you looking forward to the challenge and what are your expectations for the race?

We are really excited about the race and I think everybody has been working hard in the last couple of weeks. We just want to go out there and give the best we can. I know as a team we are capable of performing really well, but we will leave that till the race day.

With the NCAA Cross Country Championships just under two months away, many look to you as a strong favorite for the individual title. What have you learned the most during your collegiate career that will help you try to win your first title in cross country?

First let me say there are many guys out there who are really good and strong competitors as well. Coming from a successful track season always generates a lot of pressure and raises people’s expectations in an individual. So, I have always tried to be myself and keep doing my routine workouts as usual. My goal is just to stay healthy throughout the season, train hard and leave the rest to God.

What is the general training base like right now for you as we head into October? What are some of the strengths behind your workouts that help you the most on the course?

I have hard working teammates and we have been pushing each other in practices and so far that has been great. If we keep it up for the remainder of the season the results will be phenomenal.

Now that you're in your final season of collegiate eligibility, what are some of your long term goals after you graduate from Texas A&M?

I will definitely remain active in running and hopefully will still train and compete here in the states as I continue with the remainder of my schooling.

Texas A&M will host the 2009 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships with their new facility. How much are you looking forward to racing on the track and at the meet considering it will be on campus?

It will be awesome competing here and I am really looking forward to it. The support of the home crowd always pumps me up and I think it will be a great experience.

Originally from Kenya, how welcoming has the U.S. collegiate system been for you? Just how important has running provided an opportunity for you to receive your education as well?

I can’t sincerely imagine the words I can use to describe how fortunate I feel to have had the opportunity to accomplish what I have right now through the collegiate athletic system. Competing as a college athlete as helped me prove to myself that I can achieve what I want in life so long as I can work hard for it and as long as there is a way. The U.S. has been my second home since the first day I got here and it will always be. It was easy for me to adapt, especially being on a team that makes you feel like you are in a family. There is nothing more comforting, no matter how new you are in a place, as long as you feel a sense of being part of that family.

You've experienced a lot of big races during your career so far. What are some of the best memories that you'll never forget along with those that you've learned the most that has helped you to where you are today?

Every race I have been to has at least had something to remember. Not just the wins, but being around people with the same goals and fighting with them in the races is something I will miss in college competitions. I surprised myself in couple of meets. One in particular is when I had over a one minute, 15 second PR in a 10k, which actually shifted my attention from 5k to 10k.

Being in Aggieland

03:34, 30 September 2008 .. Posted by AC

Shaddy, we are glad you've made it to Aggieland! Keep up the good work buddy.

Great Interview

12:11, 1 October 2008 .. Posted by Anonymous

Very impressed by this guy. Dedicated, hard-working, and most importantly humble. I'd love to see him win it all more than anyone else.

Good Job Shad

07:32, 6 October 2008 .. Posted by Anonymous

Great interview Shad. Glad you are doing well up at A&M, not that htere was ever a doubt. We miss you back in CC. Good luck this season. - Rachel H

Question

03:25, 8 October 2008 .. Posted by Anonymous

How is he eligible to race if he transferred in the summer?

Shadrack is a graduate student, not a transfer student

07:59, 31 October 2008 .. Posted by Anonymous

Shadrack Songok earned a BS and is continuing his athletic eligibility as a graduate student in Materials Science and Engineering at TAMU.