"Ears" What They Had to Say
An Interview with Jim Sweeney ('99) of Fredonia State
November 26, 2003
Jim Sweeney has had one of the most handsome and well run careers of any alumni that has gone through the Guilderland cross country program. Graduating in 1999, Jim was one of the top runners in the Suburban Council and Section and left Guilderland having set many personal records on the cross country courses and track. Now a Senior at SUNY Fredonia, Jim has just ended his final season in collegiate cross country on a high note. Having qualified for the NCAA Division III National Championships at Hanover College in Hanover, Indiana, Jim ran a stellar race last Saturday, which puts him as one of the top runners in the nation. GuilderlandXC.com’s Mike Poole recently had the opportunity to sit down with Jim and talk about his running up until this point and what goals he hopes to attain in the future. This promising alum has set his sights on competing after his college days are over and hopefully gaining a spot to compete in the 2008 Olympic Trials. Can he do it? We certainly think so.
Mike Poole (MP): Hey Jim, what a year you've had, punctuated by your run at the D-III Atlantic Regionals, where you ran a huge PR for 8K! That race was your ticket to Nationals in Hanover. What were some of the things going through your head the day of Regionals?
Jim Sweeney (JS): Thanks Mike. The day of Regionals I really didn't have much going through my head. I just remember thinking it was going to be a fun race because the course was quite muddy. I didn't really think about my race before hand I was watching my girls team run and cheering them on hoping the team or one of them would be going to "Nats".
MP: NCAA's was another huge race for you (75th/207 finishers, 26:26). What are your feelings on your performance there?
JS: My performance at Nationals was an average performance for me, I had been running around 26:30 for most of the season. I was happy I made it to Nationals, however if I had experience running at that caliber I think I would have done better. I'm happy with my performance but not satisfied with it...if that makes sense.
MP: Absolutely...How did that race unfold for you? Splits, times, memorable moments, course conditions?
JS: The entire experience for me was a big haze...I don't really remember much about the race. I went through the mile in 4:50, only about 5 seconds behind the leader. I knew I had gone out too hard but I did all I could to keep that pace up. By the third mile, my legs were quite tired and I was surprised that I had a kick to hold off the ten or so people right behind me at the finish. It was a great experience and I wish I were able to go to more of those races (of National caliber). The course was rolling hills on a 75-degree day with some wind gusts.
MP: You didn't start your collegiate career at Fredonia, but you sure are making a mark by finishing it up there. Where did you begin running in college and how did you end up running for Fredonia?
JS: I started my college career at the University of Hartford. I ended up getting sick halfway through the season and couldn't finish it. I didn't run track there because I wanted to get back in shape, but I did not find being at Hartford enjoyable so I transferred to HVCC after getting turned down by Geneseo. I stayed at HVCC for a year but unfortunately they didn't have cross country or track the year I was there. I applied to seven different schools and Fredonia stuck out because of their history in running. They were a powerhouse in the conference, having produced many All-Americans. When I got to Fredonia, however, all had graduated or couldn't find the time to put running in their schedules.
MP: Well, they're lucky to have landed you! What's a typical mid-season week like in terms of the training that you do at school? Workouts? Mileage?
JS: A typical midseason week this past season consisted of 80+ mile weeks with a long run of 17-18 miles. On Mondays, I would do two types workouts – usually a fartlek or tempo type run. One of them I would run in the morning and the other in the afternoon. On Wednesdays, I would do interval work on the grass, which usually consisted of at least 8000m worth of distance. All the other days besides Saturdays, which is when I raced, I would do distance of 10-12 miles. I would also hit the weight room at least twice a week.
MP: What are some of the things (philosophies, training techniques, etc.) that you have brought with you to college from the Guilderland cross country program?
JS: The one thing I can say that I brought to college from high school cross country is that you have to have fun with running, if you aren't having fun then there is no point in doing it.
MP: Looking back to your experiences with the Guilderland cross country program, think of one teammate that sticks out the most in your mind. What is it about that teammate that captures your attention?
JS: Well the first person that comes into mind is someone who had all the potential in the world but who really didn't take running seriously. I think of them a lot because I hate getting beat by people who don't work hard and it makes me work harder. I also think of Dan Amato because he and I trained together a lot and we made each other better. It was a good combination with Dan and I because we both had the same goals. It was unfortunate he had problems with injuries a good majority of his high school career.
MP: What advice would you offer to these young Guilderland guys & gals who are looking to continue running in college? And what about those individuals who aren't sure if they are "good enough" to run at the collegiate level?
JS: The advice that I would give anyone if they want to continue to run in college is to stick with it, at first it may be very hard and tiring but once you get through the first couple of weeks it becomes easier. For those of you who don't know if you are good enough...go out anyway and try. Anybody can find a place to run if they really wanted to.
MP: Nice! Say, how did you become involved with running anyway?
JS: I became involved in running because I wanted to do a winter sport my freshman year of high school, but didn't want to play basketball and my Dad is a runner so I just decided to run and see what the fuss is all about.
MP: Aside from the increase in mileage in races, what are some major differences between high school and college running?
JS: I think the major difference is that everyone on the team is there to work hard and compete and it's not such a social thing anymore...workouts are harder, faster, and longer. I think the hardest thing is learning to budget time between running, schoolwork, and social life...I can tell you between running and schoolwork I don't really have a social life.
MP: Ah Jim--you know you still find time to have fun.
JS: No really...I'm serious...(silence).
MP: Okay! So you must really be focused on school. What are some of your plans for after college in terms of jobs and where you'll live?
JS: After college I plan on going to graduate school to get my Masters in Forensic Psychology and I'd love to move down to Virginia for that. After getting my Masters I'm not sure if I want to get my Ph.D or find a job...But if it's getting my Ph.D I would like to go for Forensic Anthropology...If it's work I would like to be a criminal profiler with the FBI.
MP: Agent Sweeney does have a nice ring to it! Will you still continue to run competitively?
JS: Absolutely...I plan on continuing to run competitively and would like to try my hand at some marathons and hopefully qualify for the Olympic Trials in 2008!
MP: Wow! I'm sure you could groom yourself into a force to be reckoned with on the roads! Good luck with that and the Rockland County Alumni Race this weekend!
JS: Thanks Mike it was great to talk with you again!