New school, same results for the two-time FL Finalist
Two-time Foot Locker finalist Emily Sisson has relocated to Parkway Central High School in St. Louis, Missouri. Despite being in her third school in as many years, the junior has not missed a beat as a runner. Sisson opened her 2008 scholastic season in style with a victory at the Rim Rock Farm Invitational two weeks ago, navigating the tough 2.7-mile tract in 14:29. After a top five finish at Foot Locker Nationals as a freshman, Sisson slipped to 23rd as a sophomore. But she bounced back with a vengeance on the track last spring, running 10:21.71 at the Arcadia Invitational to go along with multiple state titles. She finished strong by winning the girls two-mile at the Midwest Distance Gala and placing in the top five in the women's 5k at USATF Junior Nationals. MileSplit caught up with Sisson shortly after her win at Rim Rock, September 27. This weekend she travels to Hoover, AL, with teammates Diane Robison and Kathleen Thompson, to challenge a stacked field at the Great American XC Festival. Sisson will face Ashley Brasovan (Sr., Wellington, FL), Kathy Kroeger (Sr., Independence, TN), Stephanie Morgan (Sr., Barnesville, OH), Jessica Tonn (Jr., Xavier College Prep, AZ) in a rare mid-season showdown of some of the nation's top harriers (Photos by Tracy Rollins).
MileSplit: Congrats on your big win at the Rim Rock Invitational. Can you
take us through that race a bit?
Emily Sisson (ES): I haven't raced much this year and it was pretty hot, so I decided to take the race a bit conservatively.I felt pretty good after the first mile, so I decided to make a move. I was happy with how the race went.It was really nice having Diane right there, too.
MS: You changed schools this past year, moving from Nebraska to Missouri. What prompted the move?
ES: My dad took a new job and they wanted us in St. Louis. Nebraska is a great place to live,but I really like it here so far, too.
MS: Are you enjoying Parkway Central thus far?
ES: I really am enjoying Parkway Central. I really like everyone I've meet so far and it's a great school. The girls on the team are great and it has been fun.
MS: Your freshman year you had a great training partner in Kelli Budd.Your sophomore year it seemed like you had to train on your own a bit.This year you have Diane Robison to train with. What's it like having that consistent training partner again?
ES: It's always nice to have someone to train with. Diane is a great person and runner and we both push each other in practice.
MS: With your junior year underway now, what are your goals this season?
ES: My main goal has always been to stay healthy and continue to improve. Of course Footlocker has always been an amazing experience, and I would love to make it back again.
MS: You've been very successful on a national stage since your freshman
year. How's your training changed over the past three years to make
sure you have continued improvement.
ES: My target as a freshman was to run around 25-30 miles a week in season. Going forward I've increased the mileage a little bit each year. I am currently building up to 35-40 for this year.
MS: How did you first get into running? Did you play any sports before?
ES: I played soccer for a long time. A friend from my soccer team actually invited me to run on a relay with her. I ended up enjoying it and joined her club, the Cornhusker Flyers.
MS: Were you good right from the start?
ES: I was very fortunate to have some success early, I was training with great teamates under a great coach.
MS: This past spring you ran the USATF Junior National Championships rather then running Nike Outdoor Nationals. What prompted this move?
ES: Representing the U.S. in Brazil was an incredible experience. I couldn't pass up the chance to try for a similar experience.It didn't quite work out as I had hoped, but I learned a lot from the race and I am glad I ran in it.
MS: What's a typical week of training look like for you at this point in the season?
ES: Honestly, right now my training is around 15-20 miles a week with a lot of cross training. I have been coming off of an injury, so I am taking it a bit conservatively coming back. I am planning on building up to 35-40 miles per week, though.
MS: You've had some great experiences thus far with being part of U.S.national teams and earning trips to Foot Locker Nationals. What's your favorite competition experience up to this point?
ES: Running for the U.S. Junior National team was amazing. It's really hard to compare it to anything. Footlocker has always been a really special event for me, though. The people you meet at Footlocker, and the overall experience is just great.
MS: Looking into the future, what are some of your long-term goals you'd like to accomplish (running and otherwise)?
ES: I just want to stay healthy and improve and continue running in college. The opportunity to qualify for Footlocker or represent the U.S. again are very important to me, though. Besides running, I want to do well academically in school. I am not sure what I want to pursue in college, but I want to keep my options open.
Quick Six:
MS: Favorite pre-race food?
ES: Pasta
MS: Favorite movie?
ES: The Notebook
MS: What car do you drive?
ES: Jeep Grand Cherokee
MS: Favorite athlete?
ES: Kara Goucher
MS: Favorite band?
ES: Rascal Flatts
MS: Favorite non-running website?
ES: Facebook
