5 Questions with Diego Estrada

Diego Estrada celebrates the
A Standard at Payton Jordan
(photo: TrackAndFieldPhoto)

Today we have 5 Questions with a newly minted Olympian. After running under the Olympic A Standard in the 10,000 meters at the Payton Jordan Invitational this Sunday at Stanford, he announced his decision to run the London Olympiad for his native Mexico.

Diego Estrada has been on of the most consistent runners in the NCAA over the past few years. His 27:32.90 in the 10,000 meters is just the latest of his many accomplishments on the track and trails. His decision to run for Mexico in the 2012 has sparked much debate of late, but his range of 1:52.16, 3:55.46 (Mile), 7:44.29 and 13:26.94 has always been rock solid. Follow Diego on Twitter here.

5 Questions with Diego Estrada

1. Writing About Running: Hitting that Olympic A Standard is huge, especially in this point in the season. Did you execute the way you wanted at Payton Jordan?

Diego Estrada: It was a perfect night, I followed Coach Heins instructions, making sure I kept myself under control as much as possible and take over when I felt it was needed.

2. Writing About Running: Everyone is abuzz about you're running for Mexico in the Olympics. How hard was it to make that decision?

Diego Estrada: You know I am very prideful about my roots and have always wanted to become an Olympian some day to show my parent that their sacrifices for me had paid off. I have two countries and love both of them. I come from community of dreamers in Salinas, California, people who work in the fields to better their children’s lives. I simply wanted to represent my community as best as possible. It wasn’t hard, but it did take a lot of thinking to make that decision. I am dealing with countries, not colleges, so the decision was permanent. I am proud to be a Mexican-American!

3. Writing About Running: You're passion for the sport is electric. What drives you?

Estrada at NCAA Indoors
(photo: TrackAndFieldPhoto)

Diego Estrada: My parents, their perseverance to give their children a better life, even if it meant saying goodbye to their family and friends. I try to do thing to the best of my ability and not waste the opportunity, because every opportunity is a blessing.

4. Writing About Running: You're in one of the most famed running capitals, Flagstaff. What makes that place special?

Diego Estrada: The support, the people in Flagstaff are so friendly and helpful. Every runner here is out to better themselves yet they are here to help each other too.

5. Writing About Running: With you redshirting this year, what's on the schedule for the foreseeable future?

Diego Estrada: The work is done, know I am going back to training for the next 2 months and racing a 1500 and a 5k in Europe in July. Focusing on august 4th from now on.

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5 Questions with the Hub of Distance Running, Derek Rubis

Derek Rubis in action

We have a special 5 Questions with today with one of the sport's biggest fans, Derek Rubis. There's a Facebook group to help get Derek to the Olympic Trials this June in Eugene and a fundraising site to help make this a reality. It's almost to the target amount. Click here to contribute and track the progress.

Derek Rubis is the self-proclaimed "hub of distance running" and that title cannot be challenged by anyone. He holds the belt. His youthful exuberance and fandom is well appreciated by many of the sport's biggest stars. He's not only a huge fan of distance running, he's the king of Faceholing. He is also up over 79,000 tweets at time of publishing. Is anyone in the world over 100k? I'm not sure, but Derek may get there in a month. In this interview, he's got some NCAA predictions, as well as a list of folks he'd like to meet in Eugene this summer. If you start running well, maybe he'll Facehole you; a true mark of distinction in the running world.

5 Questions with Derek Rubis

1. Writing About Running: Where does your unbridled passion for the sport come from?

Derek Rubis: I started this sport because my doctor said that I could not do contact sports in high school. So I started Cross Country and Track then. It is a sport that not a lot of people can do, not even the sprinters.

The Art of Faceholing

2. Writing About Running: Where did you come up with the idea of your now famous "faceholing?"

Derek Rubis: I saw some people on Facebook with this thing called FACE in HOLE. I thought I would give it a try and now I am addicted to it.

3. Writing About Running: What is something about the sport that you would change if you were in charge?

Derek Rubis: I would show more distance events (on television) and show the whole event, not just the first and last 2 laps (and show less of the sprinting events).

4. Writing About Running: What are your predictions for the Mile, 3000 and 5000 at NCAA Indoors this weekend?

Derek Rubis: 
Top 3 in the Mile: Miles Batty, Andy Bayer and a darkhorse, Eric Harasyn
Top 3 in the 3K: Diego Estrada, Chris Derrick, Andy Bayer
Top 3 in the 5K: Diego Estrada, Lawi Lalang, Chris Derrick

Help Derek meet his heroes!

5. Writing About Running: What 5 athletes are you most looking forward to meeting in person at the trials in Eugene this June and why?

Derek Rubis: 
1. Trey Hardee because he is one athlete, outside of distance running, that inspires me to my best in my runs, workouts and races.
2. Fam, one of my Steeplechase Gods, need we say more?
3. Billy Nelson, another one of my Steeplechase Gods, cause he is short like me and still able to do the Steeplechase better than I can.
4. Nick Symmonds, the king of mid-distance running, cause he is just that damn good!
5. Jesse Williams because he is the greatest field athlete in my mind.

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Battle Royale: 2011 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships are Monday

Tomorrow is the 2011 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships, which are held in Terre Haute, Indiana (home course for Indiana State). The event will be broadcast at noon eastern on NCAA.com and will once again, be packed with many exciting individual and team battles.

Here's a few that stand out:

Men's Individual Contenders
-Arizona's Lawi Lalang has not lost this year. He truly hasn't been challenged. He is a freshman though, so it may not be as easy to win this one as some people think. Expect some competition from the guys below.
-Iona's Lenny Korir was fourth last year. He was four seconds behind Oregon's Luke Puskedra. He should challenge Lalang and won't be afraid to inject some speed in the pace, if it dawdles.
-Puskedra has been top five twice and has run well all year. Expect top ten at the absolute worst. Like Korir, Puskedra is not afraid to push it, if needed.
-NC State's Ryan Hill has had an excellent season and has only lost to one person. That man is Lawi Lalang. Hill finished second to Lalang at Griak and at Wisconsin, before winning ACC's and the Southeast Regional. Hill can kick with the best of them and should go top five (Disclaimer: he was my top pick in my fantasy draft. 5th overall).
-Stanford's Chris Derrick has always been consistent. Similar to Puskedra, he's seasoned and ready to go. This year, an individual title is on his mind and expect him to lay it all out there.
-BYU's Miles Batty is great over every distance. Coach Ed Eyestone has him raring to go, and like Hill, he can kick from far out.
-NAU's Diego Estrada runs excellent with a chip on his shoulder. He'll look to throw down one more good one in a field of strong competitors tomorrow and will be the dark horse of the group.

Can the Cowboys make it three in a row?

-The big enigma is Oklahoma State's German Fernandez. He's run excellent all year and a conference  title should give him the confidence to go for it. He may be conservative with a team title on the line, but you never know what's coming, which makes him intriguing.

Men's Team Contenders
-Oklahoma State has won two in a row and is primed for a third win. Fernandez has run strong all season. Colby Lowe has been excellent as usual. Tom Farrell will lead the rest of the group to a potential three peat.

-Wisconsin has looked effortless all season. Will their pack finish far enough towards the front to give the Cowboys a run for their money? Mo Ahmed will lead the way with Maverick Darling, Ryan Collins, Reed Connor and Elliot Krause all needing a strong race for the Badgers to have an honest chance.

Women's Individual Contenders

-Villanova's Sheila Reid is the favorite to repeat here, as she has looked untouchable once again this year. She may get some competition from Oregon's Jordan Hasay and North Carolina's Kendra Schaaf, but she'll be hard to beat down that last straightaway.

Who will leave smiling tomorrow?

-Hasay has beaten Reid before and can beat her again. Will she have it today? When she's on, she's one of the best. It'll likely come down to that last 500.
-Schaaf has been here before and she looks the most ready this year to make a run at the title. Unlike previous years, Schaaf has been hanging with the pack and running reverse splits from the first 3k to the second 3k, consistently. Expect her to make a move mid-race as being in a kicker's duel with Reid and Hasay won't be in her best interest (Disclaimer: she was my top pick in my fantasy draft. 3rd overall).

Women's Team Contenders
-Florida State has been dominant all year with a minimal spread. Expect Karen Harvey's women to improve on their runner-up finish last year.
-Villanova will have the benefit of getting the low stick from Reid and from the always excellent coaching from Gina Procaccio. Expect them to make Florida State work hard to take the title belt from them.
-Georgetown may be the hottest women's team right now. Have they been racing too hard? Emily Infeld will lead the Hoyas to a podium finish at minimum.

As with Cross Country, expect the unexpected. It should be a wild ride. Stars will emerge and some will buckle under pressure. Let's hope for some great weather and some honest races!

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