One thing that has always impressed me as an endurance athlete is how much time we spend working towards our goal mentally and how much we embrace the pain along the way to reach that goal. I decided to sit down outside the field house with an endurance athlete to get a different perspective on what it’s like to run for fun. Karsten Homer and I have been running together since middle school, and have advanced knowledge of the sport, but I wanted to ask him about his running career.
When did your running career start?
I started running when I was about 7-years-old, with just local 5ks from time to time, but I started running competitively in 8th-grade XC
What is your favorite distance to race?
Right now the 800m run, but normally it’s the 5k.
What race do you look forward to in the future?
Hmmm, probably State qualifications for now–and my first college race.
How have you grown as an athlete in the last couple of years?
I have certainly grown more confident in my abilities, and I surround myself with wonderful teammates day in and day out who always push me to be better
What were some sports-related struggles that you learned to overcome?
Ooo, that’s tough…
I had an Achilles injury midway through my junior year XC season, and I was unable to do anything to get stronger. I think mentally it made me realize the importance of running in my life and how valuable it is.
What piece of advice can you give to new or struggling running or endurance athletes?
One piece of advice is to know that it will be hard. It will hurt. But that’s how you know you’re doing it right. Just push through that pain, and you’ll see the results
What is your favorite memory of high school cross-country or track and field?
My favorite memory was at States freshman year and being able to be a part of such an eventful opportunity my first year at the High School.
What is your pre-race routine?
My prerace routine begins with drinking a ton of water the day before the race, as well as having a bowl of pasta. On the day of the race, I have a bagel with butter for breakfast, and that’s all. I warm up about an hour before my race with a little jog and then some stretches. I clear my head mentally, and then I’m ready to go.
What are your plans for running in the future?
I will be running at SUNY Brockport, and then afterwards, I wanna run marathons and mountain races.
What pair of shoes do you recommend and love?
For trainers, definitely the new Balance 1080s. For XC, the dragonfly XCS. For track, the dragonflies
Anyone can run, but the difference between someone who can run and an endurance athlete is one thing: Consistency. It hurts to get up early in the morning, while everyone else is asleep; it hurts to spend all of your Saturdays competing; and it hurts to try your hardest every day to get consistent results; yet, people like Karsten Homer get the job done, and at the end, their hard work, dedication, and determination pay off.
