thirtysomething Q&A with Scott Krapf

June 23, 2008

Redbird All-Access members, watch Scott Krapf's full interview (30 questions) on Redbird All-Access, your exclusive home to full student-athlete video interview's during this summer's "thirtysomething" series.

Redbird Athletics fans who would like to see the full interview must click on the link below and login to Redbird All-Access. If you do not have a Redbird All-Access account, one can be purchased for $6.95 per month, or annually for $49.95. Redbird All-Access provides fans with live and on-demand audio and video coverage of Redbird Athletics.

GoRedbirds.com: What is your favorite sport to watch?
Scott Krapf: I have been following the US Open in golf. I have been able to watch it with my dad and get that father-son bond through golf. I also like to play golf and enjoy watching it on TV, especially when Tiger Woods is in the mix.

GR: If you could go on a run with anyone past or present, who would it be and why?
SK: It would have to be Steve Prefontaine. He is the epitome of an American distance runner and is a hero to many distance runners. I would really like to pick his brain and see what it took to get to that next level and be an international competitor.

GR: You are the 2008-09 Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) President. How are you going to manage your time between classes, workouts, meets and being the SAAC president?
SK: Being the SAAC President is going to be a challenging commitment, but one that I am really going to enjoy. It is going to take a lot of time-management skills this year, but that is something that I have been working on since high school. My high school (Schlarman High School) did a good job preparing me for my collegiate experience and time-management skills. It is definitely going to be a busy schedule, but it is something that I enjoy and is a good thing to be a part of.

GR: Who do you think is going to fill the core group of cross country runners this year?
SK: That is going to be determined by what people do over the summer. The summer time is big for a distance runner, especially at this level (NCAA Division I). There are a lot of players going for the top-five-to-seven spots heading into the conference championships. It is going to be highly competitive and it is going to be interesting to see how the freshmen come in and react and adjust to college. It will also be interesting to see how some of last year's freshmen are able to adjust to their second year. I think that the top-five-to-seven spots are going to be highly contested and it will be fun to watch.

GR: Who do you believe is going to be the "X-Factor" for the cross country team this year?
SK: A few names come to mind; I think that a lot of the freshmen will be able to adjust really well and will have breakout seasons. But I would say that the main "X-Factor" is going to be John Navarro. He really had a tremendous outdoor track season. To watch him grow throughout the year was neat to see. He really has the tools to be successful at this level. He has the work ethic and the willingness to listen to the coaches and apply what they are telling him to his racing.

GR: What are your ideal running conditions?
SK: Negative-five degrees, sleet, snow, rain or all of the above. I like it as bad as it can be. In our sport, you have to be mentally tough, and you have to be more mentally tough then your competitors to win a race. So when it is bad out, you always get that feeling of uneasiness but if you can put yourself in the right state and think that you are going to do well, it is the edge you can have on the competition. So when I have bad conditions, I try to use that edge for myself.

GR: What are you thinking about when you run 25 laps around a track in a 10K race?
SK: Twenty-five laps is a long time, and when you get to lap 12 you think, "I am only half way there and I have another 5,000 meters to go." Again, the mental aspect of our sport really comes into play here, and you have to be mentally tough. I think that (head cross country) coach (Jeff) Bovee does a tremendous job helping us mentally prepare on what to expect in the race and how to stay focused on the competitors in the field, while also staying within yourself, so you don't put out too much energy too soon.

GR: Are you superstitious before your races?
SK: I am very superstitious. I like to go through the same routine the same amount of time before the race. I wear the same socks before every race, and I really like to get into a routine before a race; I don't like to change it up too much. Especially with eating (prior to a race), I like to have something light, like a Subway sandwich. That way, I feel good about what is in my body and can then focus on the race.

GR: You don't have much time off in between cross country and track and field seasons. How do you spend your time in the off-season?
SK: Being a distance runner at this level is being a three-sport athlete with cross country, indoor track and outdoor track. We really only get two weeks off out of a 365-day calendar year so when I do have my time off, I use it wisely. I definitely do a lot of resting and stuff that I couldn't do during the season. Like going out and playing some tennis or going golfing or getting on my mountain bike and going biking.

GR: Do you prefer cross country or track?
SK: They are both two very different sports and most people don't really realize that. In cross country, you really get a sense of a team atmosphere and really need a collaborative effort to win a conference championship. In track and field, there is a team aspect to it; however, it is the individual performances that determine how the team does. I feed off of my teammates a lot, and that is why I really like about cross country. I also enjoy the different cross country courses, since it is not just a 400-meter oval. You get some hills and mud every once in awhile. However, the beauty of both sports is great.