Kremer is one of the top steeplechasers in the country today

In 2000, Miami (Ohio) freshman, Andrea Kremer, burst onto the collegiate running scene and the MAC, and the NCAA, stood up and took notice. Since her arrival, the junior distance runner has earned All-MAC status in cross country three times, All-NCAA Region status in cross country twice, All-American status in cross country once and All-American status in track and field once. She is also the current American Junior Record Holder in the 3000-meter steeplechase with her time of 10:12.86. The Academic All-American sat down with MACTrack.net and spoke about her development and how her Dad is an inspiration to her.

1. Coming out of high school you must have had a lot of options available to you. What made you chose Miami (Ohio)?

Actually, I did not have a lot of options available. There were only a few schools recruiting me for track. Until my senior year, I considered myself more of a softball player who ran. I was planning on playing softball in college up until about a week before I signed with Miami, when I decided to run because I thought I had more potential. I chose Miami because I felt it had the total package. It was close to home (yet far enough away), had good runners who I could train with, and had an excellent academic reputation, not to mention the campus is gorgeous. Also, I just had a "gut" feeling that Miami was the right place for me.

2. You enjoyed great success as a freshman and sophomore, being named All-American in both outdoor track (2001) and cross country (2001). What are some of the things in your training that you would like to do this year to get a return trip to the NCAA's as a junior?

Coach Ceronie tells me all the time...if it's not broke, don't fix it. My training in the past has proven to be very successful for me, so I don't want to do anything drastic. Since my freshman year, all I have done is increase either mileage or intensity each season (in small increments) as my body can handle it. So I guess I will continue to do that in the future.

3. Is there anyone you look up to in your running? What attributes does that person/those persons have that inspires or motivates you as a runner?

I don't necessarily thing there is one specific person I look up to. Every runner has at least one thing that I can learn from or use for motivation. I have even found inspiration my dad who has gone from being pretty sedentary to being able to "run" 2.5 miles on a treadmill in a roughly a month. Seeing him work so hard to do what I would consider a piece of cake is very humbling and also helps me keep things in perspective.

4. What was your greatest challenge as a runner to this point?

Overcoming adversity. It's easy to love what you're doing and want to improve when you are experiencing success. It becomes a lot more difficult when you aren't performing up to your expectations. Having to struggle through those hard times has proven to be most difficult in my career. But I think ultimately, getting through those difficult times are even more rewarding in the end because you truly find out what you're made of. I really admire an athlete (or a person) who can come back from the lowest of low's to reach the highest of high's. As far as I'm concerned that is the true definition of success.

Kremer was a vital part of the DMR indoors for the RedHawks as well

5. Women's steeplechase in the MAC has really taken off the last two years and you have been a big part of it. The MAC is a leader in the women's steeplechase. How does it feel to be a part of that tradition and to be one of the women that really started the tradition?

I couldn't be happier that Coach Ceronie asked me to run the steeplechase. It is an amazing event that I fell in love with after the very first time I ran it. My mom, however, was a little concerned when she learned that if you happen to hit a barrier, unlike the hurdles, you go down and it stays. It also seems like the steeple always has the most and the loudest fans...probably just because they want to see some poor girl do a belly flop in the water pit. (by the way...not so funny if it's really cold out and you're the one falling in).

At first I felt that it was just an event that coaches stuck their "not so good" runners in to score points because no one else wanted to run it. In fact, it took a long time after gaining All-America status to feel like I had truly earned it. Now though, I know that if you race the steeplechase and not just run it, it can be one of the most challenging events in track. If you don't have guts, the steeple is definitely not the right event for you. In the future I have no doubts that it will become much more competitive and knowing that makes me feel privileged to be a part of it now.

6. What kind of advice would you give a young, female runner who wants to make it to the All-American level in cross country and track?

I would tell her not to focus too much on attaining the "All-American" status itself, but rather on the little things necessary to becoming a better runner. Pushing yourself in workouts and races, taking care of your body, getting enough rest...things like that. The little things make a big difference the more you improve. If you do all of these things, and have fun in the process, I think things will naturally fall into place. I think it's also important to take running seriously without placing too much emphasis on it. Running should merely compliment an overall well-balanced life -- not be the center of it.

7. What are your interests outside of track and field and cross country?

I enjoy reading, watching movies, hanging out with friends and family. And as much as I would like to have more fiscal responsibility, I'd be lying if I said I didn't love shopping!

8. What are your career plans after college?

Ideally, if I am running well I would like to pick a place where I want to train and go on to grad school there. Colorado has crossed my mind, but who knows what will happen in a year and a half (I still can't believe I'm that close to the end of college). I'll probably just see what my options are when I graduate and go from there.

• We also asked Coach Ceronie a few questions regarding Andrea and her development:

1. How is it that you first came up with the notion that she might be a good steepler? What was her initial reaction?

Andrea was a softball player in high school, and in fact was planning on going to Butler to play. From what I gather, she was one of the top pitchers in Indiana and made, "Faces in the Crowd" in Sports Illustrated and Track and Field News for pitching 24 scoreless innings in the city championship (only to lose in the 25th inning 1-0), and then the next day winning 4 events in the city championships. She did not start running until her senior year. Her brother pitches in the New York Yankees organization (my favorite team!).

I saw that she was a good athlete, was tough, and loved challenges. Therefore, we discussed the steeple from the first time I met her. Of course, she didn't even know what it was. Her initial reaction to my suggestion that we explore the steeple was quite simple - I'm not interested. But, I worked on her for a couple of months and once she jumped a barrier she was hooked.

2. How do you see Andrea in terms of her yearly development (so far this season) and in terms of her long-term development? What is her potential, in your mind, for the future?

This year we are moving in the direction of a sub-10:00 steeple. We are training to achieve marks of 10:00 (steeple), 16:30 (5000), and sub 4:30 (1500). The key for her is consistency. Last year she had a hip pointer that caused her to not run for the entire month of March. That interruption even affected her this past fall. She seems to be getting back to the level of training that she was at during her freshman year. Long-term; it's hard to say. There isn't a great support system for post-collegiate athletes but being from Indianapolis, perhaps the Indiana Invaders might be something that she can attach herself to.