INTERVIEWS: Q + A WITH SEAN KEVEREN

Interviewed by Will Musto 07.30.07

National high school cross-country champ, Kathy Kroeger, may have sat this track season out, but Brentwood's Sean Keveren helped keep the national prep spotlight on the Volunteer State by posting some very impressive times. Despite getting off to a somewhat late start this spring due to a hip flexor problem, Keveren went unbeaten by a Tennessean all year, easily won the AAA 1600 and 3200-meter races at the State Meet, and helped Brentwood High to their first boys' team title.

And then he really got rolling. A solo 4:11.41 Mile at the Music City Distance Carnival came the following week, and then two weeks later he placed 7th at the Nike Outdoor National meet in Greensboro,NC, clocking 8:55.16 over 2 miles. That makes him the second fastest prep 2-miler in Tennessee history (behind Brentwood Academy's Andrew Bumbalough), and, of greater note, the fastest returning 2-miler in the nation.

Keveren enters his senior year at Brentwood High School unbeaten by a Tennessean at any distance, on any surface, since May 2006. It's a streak he intends to extend as he takes aim at Andrew Bumbalough's state records and a national title of his own.

TR caught up with him just afer he returned from Brentwood High's pre-season cross-country camp in Blowing Rock, North Carolina.

 

TR: Sean, first of all, tell me a little about yourself, running aside.

SK: Well, I am originally from California. I moved to Tennessee before my 8th grade year because my Dad is in the music business. I had always been a basketball and soccer player. My 8th grade year I played both, and in high school I planned on playing basketball all four years. I still thoroughly enjoy playing basketball and am the biggest Laker fan on earth!

Other than that, I just like the usual stuff. Hanging with friends, swimming and all that good stuff. I also am obsessed with the TV show "The Office". I used to play the piano, but for the last two years I have been playing the drums instead. I play for my Youth Group band when I can, but its pretty low key.

TR: So you started running your freshman year, correct?

SK: Yeah, freshman track season. My sister, Lindsay, who also ran for Brentwood High 10th through 12th grade got me into running. Initially, I ran track just to get into shape for basketball. But after meeting Tom Divinnie (who graduated in 2006), though, I was convinced to give cross-country a try in the fall of 2005. I did it for fun really, but about half-way through my (sophomore) season I realized that this sport was my best. Since then, I've been pretty intense about running. It was tough to give up basketball, but it has definitely been worth it.

TR: Understandably. You've put up some pretty awesome showings in national caliber meets this year and you're still only a junior. After such a long track season, what are your plans for this summer?

SK: Well, I took a one week break after my track season wrapped up at the end of June. Well, I tried to take a complete break, but I ran a few days. I really do enjoy running, so it is always tough to take time off, but I'm glad I did. This summer I just want to try to get up to 70 miles a week and stay healthy.

TR: So no summer road races, right?

SK: No, probably not. I might jump in one for fun in August, but only if Dave [Milner, his coach] wants me to, and it won't be an all-out effort. One of the things we want this year is to minimize racing in the early part of the fall, so I can really peak later on. This summer will consist mostly of long, easy runs.

TR: Do you know of any of the bigger races that you and Dave have penciled in for Cross season?

SK: Well, the biggest would have to be Great American on October 13th. We don't know if our team will qualify for the big race, but if not then I will probably just go as an individual. Vol Classic is a possibility, and Memphis Twilight is a great meet that we'll probably will run again. Other than that it will just be the smaller races like the District, Region, and Metro Championships. Great American is definitely the big one, and it should be great preparation for Footlocker South.

TR: Many people expected you to qualify for Nationals out of last year's Foot Locker South Region race. Were you disappointed with your 19th place finish there?

SK: Yes. Everybody goes out hard at Foot Locker South. I knew that going in, but I still kind of panicked when I went out in 4:35, I wasn't even in the top 20, and I was getting passed! Most of those guys went out too fast, and would have come back to me if I'd stayed focused. I should have trusted my training and my strength, but I kind of lost faith in the second mile, and by the time I gathered myself and got back into the race mentally, I had lost too much ground.

I think the Great American race will have a very fast first mile, and Dave and I have talked about running the first mile hard at some of the local meets. I'll be better prepared this fall.

TR: What does an average, mid-summer week look like for you (running-wise)?

SK: Well, this summer, I will probably do 7-9 miles every morning with a few additional 4-milers a week. I will do a long run on Saturday, which will, all being well, progress up to 15 or 16 miles. So the total should be anywhere from 7-9 runs, getting up to 70-75 a week.

TR: How much and what types of cross-training do you use?

SK: Once the season really gets going I don't cross-train at all, except for playing basketball or tennis for fun. During the summer, though, I like to swim every once in a while. I enjoy going to the Y and just swimming laps for 60 to 90 minutes. It is a good aerobic workout and it is actually pretty relaxing. I have never really lifted weights before but I might also do some of that this summer. I don't really focus on cross-training much, though. I enjoy it, but it's definitely not structured.

TR: What is a "benchmark" type track workout that you generally do to test your fitness?

SK: For cross-country, a pretty common one is 7-8 x 1000 at T-pace, or the threshold at which your legs are going as fast as they can go without creating lactic acid. The rest is only one minute between each rep, so it is pretty much a tempo run broken up a bit. If I can do this workout averaging about 3:07-3:10, I know I am in shape. Also with this workout, it isn't all about how fast you can do it but how you feel doing it. Because the pace isn't that straining, at the end it is always possible to crank the last 400 meters or so. It is important to just stay relaxed and know you can hit the times without having to sprint at the end.

Another one I do that is somewhat more directed at track is 8-10 x 400. Sometimes the rest is a minute, and I try to average 64s. But, a little later in the year, I also do it with 2-3 minutes rest, in which I try to get down to 60-61. It is a grueling workout, but it is a good indicator of fitness.

TR: What are your goals entering this cross-country season?

SK: Well, I try not to get too confident, but, to be honest, I want a national championship. I feel like I definitely have a lot of work to do, but at the same time I think I am right there with the other guys who are contenders.

Obviously I have to make it to Foot Locker Nationals first, but I feel like you have to aim at the top. Hopefully I can stay healthy. I feel that if I trust God, stay humble, and work hard that I may be able to achieve my goal. I have absolute confidence in Dave, and I know that I have all the ingredients I need to get there. I just have to work as hard as I can and trust the training that I am doing.

TR: Are you hoping to run in U.S. Cross-Country Championships in San Diego in January, 2008 and try to make the Junior team for the World Cross-Country Championships?

SK: Actually I haven't even thought about that. I guess if things are going great, I might give it a shot. I also want to make sure, however, that I am able to prepare for track season. I'll have to discuss that with Dave more.

TR: What is your favorite moment from the big track meets you went to this year?

SK: Just being around all of the great runners. It was surreal to be stretching 10 feet from Ryan Hall and Matt Centrowitz at the same time. I was more pleased with my performance in Greensboro, but the experience in Indianapolis was unbelievable.

I'd have to say my favorite moment was when A. J. Acosta flew by me with 250 in the prelim with his mouth closed, effortlessly running a 57 or so last quarter. It was just incredible. It might seem like an odd favorite moment, but it just inspired me to get as good as him.

TR: Have you started thinking about college yet?

SK: Yeah. Starting July 1st coaches were able to call me. I hadn't really thought too much before then but those first few days, with the phone being busy, opened me up to the reality that college is right around the corner. The list of possible destinations is large right now, so I won't get into the specifics. The next month or so, though potentially stressful, should aid my search tremendously.

TR: So you don't have any particular colleges that you're really looking into yet?

SK: Well, yeah. I guess I could list a few. I by no means only plan to go to commit to one of these schools, but some of the ones I've looked into so far include the University of Virginia, Georgetown, Notre Dame, Oregon, and Duke.

TR: What is your typical weekly mileage during the cross-country season and track season?

SK: Last fall, I got up to 60 for a few weeks in the middle of the season. During racing season, it was more like mid 50s. For track, I was in the mid 50s early on, but then maintained 45-55 for the last 2 months or so.

TR: What are your goals, time-wise, on the track for 2008?

SK: I like to set high goals, so I would really like to scare the 4 minute barrier in the mile and try to get in the 8:40s for the 2 mile. I know how difficult it will be to get near those times, but I figure I may as well go for it. However, I would still be quite pleased if I could just run similar times to Bumbi, with 4:06 and 8:49. Even that is an enormous challenge, but I look forward to seeing what another year of training can bring.

TR: Will you 'triple' (3200, 1600, 800) at the State Meet next year?

SK: Yes, as right now, I plan on tripling at the state meet. I hope to be able to practice the "triple" at a smaller meet during the year to prepare, maybe the Great 8 at Vanderbilt. I will certainly have my hands full in all 3 events, but it is definitely something that I'll shoot for.

TR: Which runners (both local, and nationally) do you most admire? And why?

SK: Locally, I really admire my former teammates, Tom Divinnie and Hunter Hall (pictured below with coach, Dave Milner). If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't be nearly the runner I am today. It was a gradual process -- first they made me stop wearing basketball shoes, then they forced me to wear short shorts, and before I knew it, they had me training everyday, rain or shine!

Their selfless devotion to the sport and to all those around them is truly inspiring. Nationally, I greatly admire Ryan Hall. His relationship with God and his attitude about the sport are encouraging.

TR: How would you describe the coach-athlete relationship between you and Dave Milner?

SK: Dave is certainly more than just a coach to me. After the first day of practice, during which he immediately began cracking jokes in front of everyone, I knew that he would be just as good a friend as he is a coach. Obviously I trust the workouts and his training philosophy, but more importantly I trust him as a person.

We hang out a lot, but unfortunately for him he always gets annihilated when we play FIFA Soccer on the Play Station - our secret pre-race relaxation strategy. It's amazing that he still talks to me despite the beatings! In all seriousness though, we get along really well, there is an open exchange of ideas about my training, and I am very fortunate to have him as a coach.

TR: Was there one race (or one moment) in particular when you realized that you should let running take the place of basketball?

SK: It's hard to pinpoint the exact moment at which I decided to focus on running. The only thing I can remember is that I heard about how Tom and Hunter would be training hard over the winter for track. I then realized that playing basketball could be harmful to my development as a runner. It wasn't a split second decision, but over a few months I realized that I needed to focus solely on running. Though the decision was a tough one, I don't regret it at all.

TR: What was the last book you read? The last song you downloaded?

SK: The last book I read was The Catcher in the Rye. It was for school, but I thought it was an interesting book. The last song I downloaded was "Mr. Blue Sky" by the Electric Light Orchestra. We listened to it at camp over and over last year, so I figured I'd download it so I could take a walk down memory lane whenever I wanted to.

Will Musto is a an aspiring runner and writer from Rocky Face,GA. He runs track and cross-country for Chattanooga Christian High School and may be the biggest NY Mets fan in the South. He is the editor of Sheabaseball.com, a site that pays homage to his beloved team.