Zundel named top Aggie
Utah Statesman: How satisfying was it for the team to win the Big West Conference Championship Meet after finishing second for so many years?
Mitch Zundel: It’s kind of like being so close, yet just out of reach for six out of the last seven years, so it’s very rewarding for us. Last year we should have won, but a better team beat us on that day.
US: I know that the team is very team-oriented, so was winning the individual title the icing on the cake for you?
MZ: Sure. It was one of my goals, but I think a lot of us made that goal. I know Mike [Nielson] had that goal, and I’m pretty sure Steve [Prescott] had that goal, so we all had the same goal in mind, and just for one of us to get it was awesome. My goal was to take first at the Big West Championships, but if a teammate beat me I wouldn’t feel down.
US: What is the typical weight-training regiment for a cross country runner?
MZ: Right now we’re doing a lot of leg presses. We’re doing pushups, 500 crunches – somewhere around there. We do some bench [press], mostly dumb bell work [though]. It’s mostly for injury prevention, more than anything.
US: Considering the strength of your region, would it be even more special to qualify for Nationals out of the region you’re in than it would be in another region?
MZ: Oh, for sure. Well, to a degree, it’s almost easier because everyone is looking at this region and saying there’s going to be a lot of at-large bids from this region. For that reason it’s good, but for the fact that it’s so tough would make it special. We’re ranked seventh in our region, and the sixth-ranked school is like 14th in the nation. We’d be easily third in any other region.
US: What has been your most memorable moment in either cross country or track?
MZ: The first one that comes to mind is the Riverside meet on the [Sept.] 21. Cal Poly was looking strong, and we knew they were going to be strong. But with say just over a mile to go, Mike [Nielson] came up from behind me and looked over at me, and I looked at him. We didn’t say anything because we were right behind a Cal Poly guy, but we looked at each other and gave each other the fist. Then maybe a minute later, we both just took off around those guys. Just looking over at Mike and knowing that he had a lot left and I had a lot left, and we were just going to toast the Cal Poly guys in front of us [was exciting].
US: What do you have planned for Thanksgiving Break? What do you plan to do to get away from school?
MZ: Being with my wife and my daughter. She’ll be 1 on Monday. She was born the day after Regionals last year.
US: How did you first meet your wife?
MZ: One of my roommates took me up to Bear Lake, and she happened to get into the same vehicle, and we talked on the way up. That’s pretty much how we met. She taught me how to dance, well a couple of dance steps. I don’t know how to dance anymore.
US: What is your favorite show or program on TV?
MZ: The only TV I seem to get to watch is “Sesame Street” with my daughter (laughing). Whatever looks good at the time. I don’t really watch anything in particular. A lot of the guys are into “The Simpsons”, and stuff like that. I don’t watch too much TV.
US: What do you do to get yourself pumped up for a meet? Do you have any pre-race rituals?
MZ: The only thing I like to do is run the course in my head. I’ll just sit there with my eyes shut, pretending like I’m running. I have to imagine the whole race in my head before I go.
US: Do you have a phobia, and if so, what is it?
MZ: I don’t know if I’d call it a phobia, but I don’t like snakes. I’m scared of the snake (Jake Geyer) ha, ha. Other than that, I really don’t have a phobia.
-jasonwturner@cc.usu.edu