Nielson named top Aggie
Utah Statesman: With BYU and Weber State ranked in the top 15, and you guys ranked No. 29, how strong is the sport in the state of Utah?
Mike Nielson: If it’s not the strongest [state], it’s definitely one of the strongest in the nation. When you look at it, Weber is ninth and BYU is 11th, and we’re 29th now; you’ve got three teams ranked in the top 30 in the same state, and I don’t think any other state has that. It’s great. That’s why I love running here in Utah.
US: You were only about 45 seconds behind the meet winner from Stanford Saturday, what’s going to take it the next step up to the All-American level?
MN: You know, it’s something I’ve been thinking a lot about recently, “What is necessary for the next step?” To tell you the truth, I don’t know or else I think I would be taking it. I still feel like I’m learning a lot about the sport. It’s a learning process, but I don’t know the answer.
US: With all the young runners on this team, how good can this team be in a year or two?
MN: I think next year, unfortunately, is going to be a little bit of a down year because we are losing Steve Prescott and Mitch Zundel. But I think with all the new, talented people with have on this team, it’s not going to go down too much because all those guys are going to get stronger. I think the year after that we’re going to be right back to where we are right now – looking on the national level.
US: Is there something you visualize when you get to a part of the race you feel you’re struggling with?
MN: I don’t visualize while I’m racing, because I guess I’m really occupied visually already. Before the race, I’ll visualize. But during the race when it’s tough, I just try to be as positive as possible. I’m always saying a positive thought in my head and repeating it, because it’s so easy to get negative when you’re tired and hurting.
US: What’s the best part of running cross country?
MK: It has to be when you’re running against somebody, and there’s maybe 800 meters left to go, and there’s you and maybe two or three other people, and know it’s just going to be a guts race at the end. Almost when that situation happens during a race, I almost want to smile because I know everyone’s going to be working so hard to beat each other.
US: I’ve heard you’re the team jokester, in a good sense, what are some of the things you do to keep the mood light-hearted?
MN: I like to have fun. I think my jokes are really dumb, and I think maybe that’s why the team likes them. We’re simple people. We’re easily entertained, so we like to do stupid stuff. Stupid stuff amuses us. I don’t know why, but it does.
US: What influenced you to come to USU?
MN: I didn’t want to go to school and live at home in Washington. I wanted to come up to a Utah-like atmosphere, and no other schools would look at me but Utah State, so I decided to come here.
US: Are you a fan of track and field at the international level, and if so who is your favorite athlete?
MN: I am. My favorite right now has to be [1500-meter world record holder] Hicham El Guerrouj. He’s nuts. He’s untouchable. I haven’t heard him talk that much, but he’s really big on drug-testing. He said if he ever gets tested positive, that he’d give back all his money and all of his medals, so I think that’s really neat.
US: When you think of ’80s rock, what do you think of and why?
MN: Man, I don’t think much about the ’80s, except for maybe … I don’t know if MC Hammer was, he was late ’80s, early ’90s. That’s just who I think about, man, MC Hammer. Hammer time.
US: Do you consider yourself a ladies’ man?
MN: I do not consider myself a ladies’ man, because I go to the library every night, and I study a lot. I’m always looking for a date, but I can never get one.
-jasonwturner@cc.usu.edu