By Kaitlin Fuelling, '13 

SANTA CLARA, Calif. –  Making the transition from high school athletics to collegiate teams as well as juggling extracurricular activities can be difficult and often daunting.  Sophomore distance runner, Emily Robinson (ER) has not only made the jump, but has certainly excelled.  Recently, SantaClaraBroncos.com (SCB) sat down with the Bellevue, Wash. native to talk about her experience with the sport and some of her goals for the season.

SCB: What are you looking forward to about track season? Do you have any goals set out for yourself?

ER: Last year I did not have much of a track season due to issues with anemia (iron deficiency), so I am looking forward to training with the team and learning how to compete on the track. I'm looking forward to improving my 5k time and getting the chance to race a couple 10k's. My main goals for this season are to break 18 minutes in the 5k and to run sub 37:30 in the 10k. Most of all, I want to stay healthy and injury free and continue to work on learning how to race by feel, something my coach, Felipe Montoro, tries to instill within us. 

SCB: While track is a bit more individual, how does running with your teammates help during the races?

ER: Our team has worked a lot on pack running and working together during workouts and races. Even though track is a bit more individual, we still work together as a team. We encourage one another and push one another to run faster and stay with it, especially when the workout or race gets tough. I think pack running has really improved our racing and has also brought us closer together as a team.

SCB: What is your favorite track event? Is this different from when you ran in high school?

ER: While I have only raced the 10k once this season, it is my favorite event. I prefer longer distances, and the 10k is perfect for that. In high school, I also really enjoyed long distance running, but the 2-mile was the longest distance event offered. 

SCB: How did you recover from this past cross-country season and prepare for track season?

ER: I was very happy with my performance and the improvements I made during this past cross-country season. After each season, we take two weeks off to rest our bodies and recover before starting winter training for track season. After a long cross-country season of practice and competition, the two weeks off is much needed and definitely helps prevent me from getting burnt out. Being able to enjoy winter training, staying healthy and avoiding injury make me look forward to the upcoming track season and being back together with the team.  

SCB: I noticed you ran the Vancouver B.C. Marathon.  How did you train for this?  Are there any plans to run other full or half marathons in the near future?

ER: As a senior in high school, I decided I wanted to run a marathon. I worked with one of my high school cross-country coaches to set-up a training plan. I trained on my own, but with a lot of help from my parents who gave me endless support, would meet me at different points during my long runs for water stops, and traveled with me to Vancouver B.C. to watch me race. It was during my training that I really discovered my love for distance running. 

SCB: What do you like to do outside of practice, races, and school?

ER: I really enjoy being involved with the University. I volunteer as an EMT for SCU Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and work in an undergraduate research lab. I also love spending time with my friends, being outside, going hiking, and keeping active.    

SCB: Do you have a favorite movie or TV show?

ER: It's a tie between Forrest Gump and Finding Nemo. I could watch both over and over again and they will never get old.  

SCB: What have you learned so far as a student-athlete?

ER: Because I walked on to the team as a sophomore, I have experienced what it's like to be both a regular student and a student-athlete. As a student-athlete, I have learned how important it is to establish balance between academics, athletics, as well as setting aside time for myself to relax, hang out with friends, and enjoy being in college.  

SCB: If you could run anywhere in the world, where would it be?

ER: There are so many places in the world I would love to run, but if I could run anywhere it would be either in Nice, France or Cape Town, South Africa. 

GO BRONCOS!