GoDuke.com Q&A With Keith Kreiger, Shannon Rowbury and Sally Meyerhoff

DURHAM, N.C. - GoDuke.com sat down with track and field athletes Keith Kreiger, Shannon Rowbury and Sally Meyerhoff recently to catch up with the three very successful Duke student-athletes. Read more to find out which one will stay at Duke after graduation to train for the 2008 Olympics, who would like to travel to Bora Bora and who's favorite food is sauerbraten, plus much more.

GoDuke.com: What events do you compete in?
Keith Kreiger: I run mostly the 5,000 meters and the 10,000 meters.
Shannon Rowbury: 1500m/Mile mostly, but I also race the 800m, 3k, 3k Steeple, and 5k from time to time.
Sally Meyerhoff: I'm done with cross country, but I did that and then in indoor and outdoor track mostly I focus on the 3,000m, 5,000m and 10,000m just outdoors. Sometimes I do the 1,500m or maybe and 800m, but gradually I've evolved into more of the distance stuff.

GD: Describe your most memorable college track and field experience.
KK: My most memorable track moment probably came during my freshman year at the Duke Invitational. The Duke Invite is the one of two home meets we have and is much larger than the second one, so a lot of alumni usually come back and it's pretty exciting for everybody competing. I ran the 5000m and ended up running my best time by over 30 seconds, which was the first race where I felt like I took a step up to being competitive at the collegiate level.
SR: Winning NCAAs will forever rank up there as one of the best experiences of my life. What made the moment complete was that my family, boyfriend, teammates, and coach were there to share it with me. The other two really memorable moments would have to be winning the Distance Medley Relay at the Penn Relays in 2005 and the entire Fall 2005 cross-country season (where I had more fun at practice than I thought was physically possible).
SM: It would probably have to be last year at Nationals when I got seventh in the 10,000m and was an All-America selection.

GD: Do you have any pre-match superstitions or routines?
KK: Nothing really superstitious. I always have something small, like a bagel, to eat 3 hours before the race, and I generally do the same warm-ups before each race, but that's about it for pre-race routines.
SR: I try to avoid superstitions because I think they can be crippling. I do have a set warm-up routine before I race, but my schedule mostly revolves around food (when to have my last meal, when to have a snack, when to drink my sports drink, etc.). Having a pre-race routine helps make every meet (big or small) feel the same (well...sort of). I have developed it through years of trial and error, and it helps give me confidence.
SM: Not particularly. I try and listen to motivational music if anything that's one thing I definitely try and do before every race. And I try to sleep a lot.

GD: Besides Duke, where is the best place to compete in the ACC?
KK: Virginia Tech has a really nice indoor track facility, so I always like running there. As far as outdoor track goes, all of the ACC venues are pretty good, so I really like competing at any of the schools.
SR: I really couldn't say. Almost every school in the ACC has talented runners and excellent coaches. I think in a lot of ways it's just a matter of finding the environment that's right for you and then embracing where you are.
SM: I really like going out to California--- we usually go to Stanford to try to run fast in the distance events. It's such a fun atmosphere. Everyone is out there supporting distance runners and it's just kind of like this big celebration of everyone who's a good distance runner in the country. Everyone comes out for a few hours and lines the whole track and cheers everyone on. So it's really exciting, and it's perfect weather.

GD: What is usually going through your mind during your event?
KK: This is probably the question I get most about my running. Usually its just telling myself to relax and not waste energy and trying to convince myself that I feel better than I do and to keep up the pace. Also I'll pay attention to my splits to gauge how my race is going and whether I went out too fast or too slow. When it gets towards the end of the race I'll start thinking about when to make a move to start passing people I've been running with for most of the race.
SR: I usually work on developing a race plan beforehand, in which I break the race up into parts. Greg Dale, the Sports Psychologist at Duke, has helped me with that a lot. When I am actually running I try to focus on the phase of the race that I am in and executing it to the best of my ability.
SM: I try to think positive thoughts, but basically just trying to focus on pushing myself harder every lap or listening to my coach and hear what he says or thinking about how happy I'll be if I push myself a little harder and have a better race. So, sometimes it's negative if I'm in a lot of pain, but most of the time I try and be positive and think about doing well.

GD: Who is the team or opponent you enjoy beating the most?
KK: NC State has always been a bit of a powerhouse when it comes to distance running, so whenever I beat one of their top guys, it's always pretty exciting.
SR: No one individual. I have a lot of respect for my competitors and I appreciate their presence because the better they are, the better I can push myself to become. I guess it is always fun to beat UNC, because of the rivalry and all.
SM: Well, it's always fun to beat Carolina because they are a supposed rival. But I guess I would just honestly say anyone in front of me or any team that's beating us in a relay is going to be beneficial and feel really good.

GD: What do you like to do in your free time, in terms of hobbies?
KK: I wouldn't say I have any specific hobbies really, so pretty much the normal things most college students do. Lately I've been getting a lot more into indie music and going to concerts and that sort of thing, so I guess that's a bit of a hobby of mine.
SR: I hope to become a Film Producer after my running career is over, so I spend a lot of time watching and studying film.
SM: I watch a lot of movies. Read, swim, bike, and work out in general. I actually love baking--- I want to have my own bakery some day, so I bake a lot.

GD: What are some of your favorite musical artists/bands?
KK: Like I said earlier, I really like a lot of indie bands, so some of these bands names might be a little unfamiliar. The bands I'm listening to most now are Modest Mouse, Slightly Stoopid, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Pepper, My Morning Jacket, Animal Collective, Sublime, Girl Talk, Bob Marley, and Ted Leo & The Pharmacists.
SR: The Beatles are number one, for sure. I also enjoy listening to Oasis, Guster, Death Cab for Cutie, The Band, Eric Clapton, and other bands with a similar sound.
SM: There's actually a band who has a drummer that used to play football here at Duke - it's called Starting Tuesday - I really like their stuff. That's more of the mellow side, but I actually like rap and hip-hop a lot to get me pumped up. I like Young Jeezy, that's probably my favorite. And of course there's 80's music I like - kind of a combination of everything except country.

GD: Name three people in history you would want to sit down to dinner with.
KK: Jesus, Gandhi, and Julius Caesar.
SR: John Lennon, William Shakespeare, and Benjamin Franklin.
SM: I would have to say probably my late grandmother who I was named after and never got to meet. Probably one of our famous presidents I guess who made a huge difference, there's a lot of them, but just to see what it would have been like to have to be in charge of our entire country. And, I guess maybe Jesse Owens just because he was so far above his time in track and field and accomplished so much. I think it would be really interesting to see how he handled that during a difficult time in our country.

GD: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
KK: There are a lot of places that I want to visit, but if I had to pick one area I'd say Southeast Asia. I've heard a lot of goods things about different countries there, like Thailand and Singapore, from friends and family who have traveled there, and I feel like it would be something completely different from what I'm used to as far as culture and environment goes.
SR: Italy, particularly Rome. It is so vibrant, the food is delicious, and there is so much history.
SM: I'd say Bora Bora. I've seen pictures of it and it would be my dream place to go. If I have the money, I'll go on my honeymoon.

GD: If you could compete in any sport other than track and field, what would it be?
KK: I'd probably want to play soccer. I think its pretty amazing how much control a lot of those guys have when they're dribbling and shooting and it just looks like it'd be a really fun sport to be good at.
SR: I competed in Irish Dancing from the ages of 6 to 16. I stopped because I wanted to commit myself more to running, but I often miss the creativity dance.
SM: Swimming. That's what I used to do, so probably that.

GD: What is your favorite movie?
KK: This changes a lot depending on movies I've just seen, but one that I have always liked is Braveheart.
SR: Of the more recent films, I like O Brother Where Art Thou, The Royal Tenenbaums, Marie Antoinette, and others. For the older stuff, The Last Waltz, Annie Hall, The Graduate, I could go on forever.
SM: Love and Basketball.

GD: What is your favorite professional sports team?
KK: I'm a big fan of all of the Philadelphia teams, and I've liked the Phillies for as long as I can remember.
SR: Probably the 49ers, since I grew up watching them (I'm from San Francisco). Sadly, it's been a rough past decade for them.
SM: I would say the Phoenix Suns because they're doing well again and they're fun to cheer for--- a hometown team basically.

GD: What is your favorite TV show?
KK: Either South Park or It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. I think both of them are some of the best-written, funny shows I've seen.
SR: Sex and the City, Friends, Will and Grace. Of the ones still on air, probably Lost.
SM: Probably the Amazing Race, it's always kind of fun and interesting to watch. I also like Desperate Housewives. Those are probably the two that I watch the most.

GD: What is your favorite food?
KK: Probably a traditional German dish called sauerbraten that my mom makes. It's a meat that's marinated in vinegar and spices for a couple of days, and its served with a slightly sour thick brown gravy. It probably sounds kind of nasty, but it's the best food I've ever eaten.
SR: Chocolate. Hard, molten, sprinkles, spreadable...I love it all! It goes with anything.
SM: Anything sweet. I could live off of sweets. But probably pizza--- good pizza is always fun.

GD: Who is your favorite athlete and why?
KK: I'd probably say I have the most respect for somebody like Tiger Woods. He's so dominant in his sport and seems like he is constantly adjusting to find ways to make himself better. Also, he's pretty humble when compared to a lot of the other top players in other sports who seem like little kids in the ways that they celebrate themselves.
SR: I don't know if I could say. I have a lot of respect for anyone who commits herself to her sport and pursues her dreams with integrity.
SM: I would have to say Serena Williams--- I love watching her play tennis. It's just really exciting and she always goes out there and dominates most of the time everyone she plays. And the way she dresses is really fun and interesting and always wearing big earrings. I like watching her play and she also seems to also be a well-rounded, humble person and is into more than just her sport.

GD: Who is your role model and why?
KK: I'd say the people that I always look to and try to model myself after are my parents. I know that's a pretty clich?d answer, but as I grow older I realize just how exceptional my parents are. They're two people who have such strong morals, and the thing that I admire about them most if how strongly they stick to their morals and to doing what is right.
SR: My grandma is a huge role model for me. She has lived with us my whole life, so she is kind of like a second mom, and she is probably the sweetest, most loving person I have ever met. She is 91 now, and physically very weak, but she never complains and she never gives up. I strive to embody that same combination of determination and kindness. I also have a lot of respect for my coaches (Andy Chan in High School; Kevin Jermyn at Duke), my parents (Paula and Gary), and my boyfriend (Jon Amt): I am who I am because of their influence.
SM: Definitely my mom. She's done a lot in her life, and she has never ever stopped supporting me, and definitely pretty much has always been a positive influence in my life and would do anything for me.

GD: What are your plans after you graduate?
KK: I'm working for Farmers Insurance Group in Los Angeles as an actuary, which basically deals with pricing different insurance products for the company. I've wanted to move to Southern California ever since I visited my brother who lives in Los Angeles seven or eight years ago, so I'm pretty psyched to be moving to L.A.
SR: I plan to remain at Duke for another year and train with my coach, Kevin Jermyn, for the 2008 Olympic Trials, and hopefully the Olympics. I have been so impressed with Kevin's dedication to his athletes and his knowledge of the sport, so I couldn't think of a better person to work with. I will also continue my role as Co-Producer of the Movie Making Marathon, a 24-hour film festival that I helped develop at Duke and which just took place over the weekend of March 24-25.
SM: I want to continue running - hopefully get a contract with a shoe company and see how that goes. If that doesn't happen, I still want to keep running competitively. I know I have some plans--- I plan on going to Cancun in September to do a half-Ironman, so I'm really excited for that. I'll do road races, and I'm also going to coach at my old high school and teach. So those are my short-term goals and plans. I also want to run a triathlon and I already signed up for one.

GD: What is your favorite memory of Duke University?
KK: Its hard to pin down one thing that I'd consider my favorite memory. I've had so many great times at Duke that I wouldn't want to name one moment that I consider my favorite although the Last Day of Classes celebrations and spring breaks have always been pretty great.
SR: The time I have spent with my teammates. The best things are all the little moments, like singing on a long run or dressing up for themed practices. They don't seem like much in themselves, but in combination they have helped bring me closer to a group of girls than I ever thought possible.
SM: One of them I would have to say would just be my junior year. I'm a fifth-year senior now, but my whole junior year I just had so much fun. I got the best grades I've ever received at Duke and I took the most interesting classes. I met a lot of my current best friends. I ran the best I would say in cross-country. Even though I was badly injured in outdoors and couldn't race, I had the time of my life. I was so in on-campus: going to dinner every night with my friends or going out on the weekends. I just had a great time that whole year, so it was a good experience. I walked in graduation last year and did all the ceremonies. That was definitely a weird feeling sitting out there on the field in my cap and gown. So, I'm technically not getting my diploma until this year, but basically last year was my graduation ceremony and stuff, so that's definitely really ingrained in my mind also.