Athlete Spotlight: Megan Goethals

Megan Goethals will enter next weekend's Foot Locker National Cross Country Championships as one of a few strong race favorites coming off her decisive win at the Midwest Regional in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The senior from Rochester High School in Michigan is the top returnee from last year's race with her third place run at Balboa Park in 2008 and is the #1 ranked in the country by MileSplit US with one of the fastest 5K performances in the season with her 16:54 course record breaking performance at Michigan State Meet earlier this month. One of her top competitors will be Foot Locker South regional champion Chelsey Sveinsson of Texas, who Goethals beat out for third place in last year's Foot Locker finals and then took two second place finishes in the mile and two mile at Nike Outdoor Nationals last June. Brandon Miles of MileSplit US interview Goethals as she prepares for the national race.

 

(Photo left by Margot Kelly of https://az.milesplit.com)

 

MileSplit US Interview with Megan Goethals

 

MileSplit US: Congratulations on your win at the Foot Locker Midwest. Obviously the primary goal was just to qualify, but how did you go about deciding going into the meet as a strong favorite on whether to to hold back and just run to qualify in the top 10 or go for it running fast to post a good time and win?

 

Megan Goethals: At first, my coach and I talked about trying to go for the course record of 17:01. However, as the meet got closer, I started to get really nervous and we decided that the best idea would be to run my hardest and not worry about what time I got. This turned out to be good because of the course conditions.



MileSplit US: The Midwest Region has some proven past Foot Locker All-Americans such as Emily Sisson and Katie Flood, which you beat decisively. Does that make you feel better and more confident about your fitness right now entering the national race since you had to face some great talent in the regional and measured up pretty well against them?

 

Goethals: This makes me confident, but I also know that a lot can happen in two weeks. You never know who is going to peak at just the right time.

 

(Photo right by Paul Everrett of https://mo.milesplit.com)



MileSplit US: Your state meet performance was incredible and arguably the most impressive performance by any female high school distance runner in the country this fall breaking the Michigan state course record with a 16:54 5K performance. How would you rate the state meet performance of yours and would you consider it your best race ever?

 

Goethals: I would definitely rank the state meet as one of my top races ever. I stuck to my plan and it helped me to achieve my season goal.



MileSplit US: In many of your races this season, you actually could have finished very high in the boys race being held on the same day on the same course. Do you think about or even get motivated when you jump into a race about trying to beat the times posted by those in the boys race?

 

Goethals: No, I don't go out with the intention to beat some of the boys times, but doing so really helped me to see were I was at.

 

(Photo left by Chris Auckley for https://mo.milesplit.com)



MileSplit US: What kind of training did you do entering this season?

 

Goethals: A typical week consists of 55-60 miles with 2-3 days of strength training.



MileSplit US: What parts of the course at Balboa Park are key to race well on?

 

Goethals: I think that to race well at Balboa Park, you need to be good at strategy. You have to know how to use the hill and the downhill to your advantage.



MileSplit US: How different do you think you are a runner entering Foot Locker Nationals compared to last year when you had a great race to finish third in a race among three past national champions?

 

Goethals: This year will be a lot different because I now know what to expect. Last year I was so happy just to make it and finishing third was a dream come true. This year, I am going in to the race having trained for it specificaly the whole year. I think that this will help me a lot.



MileSplit US: What do you think you learned the most from last year's race?

 

Goethals: What I learned from last years race is that you should expect the unexpected!



MileSplit US: This is the second year which NXN has had the individual qualifier component of the meet and has drawn some of the top individual talent to their meet. Did you ever consider running in the NXN qualifier and what made you decide to focus only on Foot Locker?

 

Goethals: I decided to do only Foot Locker because my coach and I decided that trying to do both would be to much and if I wanted to do my best, then it was not the best choice. I chose FL because last year was such a great experience.

 

(Photo left by Don Rich of https://pa.milesplit.com)



MileSplit US: We had a streak of non-senior and often underclassmen Foot Locker champions prior to last year when Hasay won a 2nd title after winning as a freshmen. You obviously have ran your best in high school this fall as a senior. What do you attribute to you being able to run your best in the late stages of high school compared to some other girls who may have ran some of their best times early on as underclassmen?

 

Goethals: I think that I have my coach to thank for that. He has slowly built me up to improve each year. He increased my workload each year in a way that I could handle, and never pushed me to burn out. With how the training has progressed, I was able to do workouts that are made more for a 6K, and that has made me a stronger runner.



MileSplit US: How much does the team component of racing as part of your region's team at San Diego take the individual pressure off you?

 

Goethals: I wouldn't say that it takes pressure off, but it definitely makes it fun! It is helpful to know that even though you are nervous, there are nine other girls that you know, who feel the same way.



MileSplit US: You were a runner-up twice to Chelsey Sveinnson at Nike Outdoor Nationals in closing well to outkick several runners in both the mile and 2 mile to secure 2nd place finishes in a great double. She just won FL South in a solid time and will be one of your top challengers in San Diego. You beat her though at Foot Locker Nationals by one place. It appears she has the edge on you on the track, while you have the edge in cross country. What do you think of her as a competitor and runner?

 

Goethals: Chelsey is an amazing runner! I think that she is the toughest competitors that I have ever gone against becase she runs her own race, and does not let others effect what she wants to do. For next weekend, I will try to forget the track races this past summer, and remember the Foot Locker race last fall.

 

(Photo left by Don Rich of https://pa.milesplit.com)



MileSplit US: While you do not have the track PR's that Sveinnson and maybe others might have, your kick is well known. Does that give you confidence entering a race that if you keep it close for the finish that you have a shot at winning or beating people with your finishing speed?

 

Goethals: I have confidence in my kick, but I do not want to rely on it. I know that at a race like Foot Locker, a lot of people have kicks just like me, so if it ends up that we are in a pack at the end, it could be anyone's race!



MileSplit US: Outside of the race itself, what is your favorite part of the trip out to San Diego? I love meeting everyone! It is really easy to make friends because everyone is nice and has the same intrests as you do!

 

Goethals: I love meeting everyone! It is really easy to make friends because everyone is nice and has the same intrests as you do!

 

(Photo left by John Olson of https://sc.milesplit.com