Cassie Ficken Talks About the Upcoming NCAA Championship Race
Nov. 18, 2005
Charlotte, N.C. -
We talked with senior Cassie Ficken on Friday night about her impending trip to the NCAA Cross Country Championships in Terre Haute, Indiana. It will be her third straight trip to an NCAA Championship, dating back to last indoor season, where she was an All-American in the 3,000-meter run.
Before we get started with the questions, do you have any general comments about making the NCAA field?
Cassie: "It's a dream come true, I guess you could say. I don't feel like it's me leaving (Saturday) morning. It's a reality now, but it hasn't totally sunk in. It's pretty cool."
What would you say has been the biggest reason that you're in your third straight NCAA national Championship field?
"Hard work and determination, being confident ... When I was coming out of high school, I thought that nationals was kind of like states, a given that you'd make it almost every year. I realized pretty quickly how hard it was to make it. I just wanted to make it so badly. Everyone that I talked to that has made it in the past, like 49er All-American Molly Kerin, told me so much about it and I realized that I wanted that. Hard work, determination, and building confidence."
Obviously you've made tremendous strides since coming to Charlotte. If you could name one thing that was the biggest difference in making you a better athlete, what would it be?
"Coach Brad Herbster. He made me understand the talent that I did have and where it can bring me in my life. He helped me see that if I would be driven and set high goals ... with hard work I can accomplish them. He motivates me day in and day out, he still believes in me even when I have a hard race. And he's there encouraging me to do even better when I do have good days, pushing me to get even better."
What is your strategy for Monday's NCAA Championship race? How much do you know about the other competitors?
"I know for sure, I have to run 'my' race. That's my only shot at making All-American. That's how I got to nationals twice last year (in track & field). I have looked at the top 25-type people, the ones most likely to make All-American, and checked what they have been doing this season, where they are and where I am. It's like, I can't do much now, I've done all I can do to get to this point. Now go out and have fun and just race."
So for the fans out there that don't know much about running, what type of race strategy are you going to have Monday? What can you do to scout out the other runners?
"Looking at the field, knowing what type of runners they are. Even in cross country, it's like track & field ... you've still got the milers, the distance girls who like to run the 5K's, things like that. So I know that if I run my race, go out hard, stay hard the whole time, you'll weed out those shorter distance runners who want to try to out-kick you at the end. I have raced against a lot of these girls before, so I know that when these girls go off, I am just as good as them and I have to go out with them. There is a strategy, but then again not ... because every race is different. You have to call a lot of audibles to adjust mid-race. Even though it's nationals, I might have to take the lead because I have to make it my pace. If I have to do that, I have to do that ... to get All-American."
Obviously running is much different than most team sports, and you're competing as an individual in this race. Does it make it harder or easier, if at all, in the sense that it's not like most other sports?
"I think it's both, it can be easier but at times it's harder. It's harder because I can't take a time out or a water break. If I'm having a bad day, no one is there to help me out. There is no one that is going to change my outcome. At the same time, it's easier because it's all on me. I know what I have to do, I know that I have to do it myself. We have an awesome team at Charlotte, and we ran in a great region where they took six teams from our region to Nationals. To have raced against that many awesome teams, that is good experience. It's nice, because I know what I have to do, work hard and not worry."
Last question ... what does your family think about your running and all your success?
"My family understands my career a lot more now than they did when I first started out. My mom flew in last weekend for Regionals, and she's coming to Terre Haute this weekend. She's so excited. She's doing everything she can to help me out. My family is excited for me, knowing that I'm going to a big race like nationals."
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