Colin Burdette
Hilliard Davidson 2015
1,600 Meter Run
- 2014 Outdoor 4:21.90
- 2014 Indoor 4:26.02
3,200 Meter Run
- 2014 Outdoor 9:16.55
- 2014 Indoor 9:26.52
Three Mile Run
- 2012 CC 15:14.40
400 Meter Dash
- 2013 Indoor 57.30
5,000 Meter Run
- 2014 CC 15:17.00
- 2013 CC 15:12.91
800 Meter Run
- 2014 Outdoor 2:02.26
- 2014 Indoor 2:03.47
One Mile Run
- 2013 Indoor 4:32.28
- 2012 Indoor 4:38.83
Hilliard Davidson's Colin Burdette has the heart now and the determination that just may put him atop the podium this spring. His second place finish in the boys D1 State Cross Country meet has has given him the confidence and determination, after heart surgery just last May, to motivate him even more to be a State Champion!
OhioMileSplit: Congratulations on your second place run at the State meet in the boys D1 race. You have been to the OHSAA State meet four times placing 54th as a freshman (16:23.62), 20th as a sophomore (15:47.42), 18th as a junior (15:57.86) and now, 2nd as a senior (15:38.74). Before we talk about this season, let’s take a look at each of these runs. As a freshman coming to State, what were your expectations?
Colin: As a freshman I wasn't sure what to expect. I knew my team could do pretty good and I just ran with our number 2 and 3 runners. I had a great finish and the team ended up 4th which was much better than we expected.
OhioMileSplit: As a sophomore, did your expectations change? Your time and place improved significantly. What was the difference?
Colin: Sophomore year I was our team's front runner and I was very ambitious. I was probably too ambitious and I thought I had a chance to win. I was in front at the mile but then dropped back each mile.
OhioMileSplit: As a junior, you finished two places higher than as a sophomore, but your time slipped 10 seconds. You were running well and fast coming into the meet. You were 2nd at Districts with a 15:12.60 (PR) and 3rd at Regionals with a 15:55.78. Your 15:12.60 ranked you 7th in the State. Was this a disappointing run for you? What were your expectations going into this meet?
Colin: Junior year I wanted to be top 5. I didn't know it at the time, but I've had a heart condition called Wolfe Parkinson White Syndrome. The electrical wiring in my heart was messed up and it affected me a lot that race. My heart rate was probably around 280bpm most of the race and all I can remember is starting and falling about 200 meters in. I was helped up off the ground at the finish line and that's all I can remember.
OhioMileSplit: You are ranked 3rd in the State this year with a 15:17.00 that you ran back in October in a 2nd place finish to Grant Fisher of Grand Blanc, Mi. Fisher won with a time of 14:43. He has a very impressive resume including two-time MHSAA State XC Champion and 1st in both the Adidas Grand Prix Mile (4:02.02) and the NBON Mile (4:09.46), as well as an 8:51.28 2-Mile to his credit. His time at the Portage Invitational has him ranked 2nd in the nation. Were you aware of Fisher going into the race? Fisher obviously has excellent speed. How did this race go for you? Were you able to run with him and at what point did he take the lead. Was this race a confidence builder for you?
Colin: I knew Fisher was in the race but he had only run about 15:20 the week before so I thought I could hang. It turns out that he wanted to put some lactic acid in his legs early and try to fight the pain in the end. He was in first at the mile with a 4:30, and I was in 2nd with a 4:43. He didn't put any ground on me until he disappeared at the top of a hill 3k in. I got to the top and he was gone. I was in a race for 2nd from there on. It definitely boosted my confidence. After the race I was treated as if I had won. I had people interviewing me, college coaches talking to me, and everyone congratulating me. I knew that 15:17 on that course was no joke and I was ready to go.
OhioMileSplit: You have had a breakthrough season in my opinion. As I look at your resume of times in XC and on the track, it appears that you have good speed ,having run a 4:21 and a 2:02 last Spring. Are you more comfortable with the 3200 and on the track or with the 5K in XC? What would you say is the difference this XC season from your last two?
Colin: I think the biggest difference this season from the last two is the fact that my heart is fixed. I had surgery in the middle of last track season and now I don't have to worry in workouts or races about my heart rate spiking up close to 300bpm. I also think not making it to the state meet in track last year got me really focused for this season. I left everything on the track at regionals and still didn't make it so that was a reality check and made me hungrier than ever for this season. When it comes to cross country or track, I definitely prefer cross country to track. Even though it is fun to run some fast times on the track, I love the toughness in cross country. Anyone can run fast times in track, but to be a good cross country runner you have to be tough. (Note: Colin ran 5th in the Pickerington Regional with a 9:16.55. His time would have won two Regionals, but all four runners ahead of him ran under the Regional record of 9:13.54 set in 2012 by Tsehaye Hiluf of Reynoldsburg.)
OhioMileSplit: Let’s take a look at the D1 State corss country meet and your 2nd place finish this year to St. Xavier’s Michael Vitucci. Going into the meet you were coming off a second place finish in the Pickerington Regional to Dennis Maloney of New Albany. Maloney, who was ranked 5th, bested you by 2 seconds. Going into the race, all five of the State’s top five ranked individuals had qualified and other than Maloney, there was a separation of just 3.81 seconds between the top four. How aware were you of the others in the race and where you all were time wise?
Colin: I was totally aware of the other guys in the race. I knew that there was almost no difference in times between Mau, Vitucci, Grismer, and I. My team's box was lined up next to St. X's. We were on the left and they were one to the right. I made sure I lined up all the way to the right of our box and Vitucci came up right next to me seconds before the gun went off.
OhioMileSplit: What were your expectations going into the race? What was your race strategy?
Colin: Going into the race my goal was to win. I knew winning would be great for our team because it would not only give us only one point but the other top teams also had front runners going for the win and we knew it would be close. In all honesty I thought I would get 5th, but I wasn't going to let it show to anyone before the race.
OhioMileSplit: At the Mile and through the loop in the field and as you came off the hill and headed into the long straight before crossing over to the 2-mile, the pack was still together. You were just behind the leader s Luke Wagner of St. Ignatius, Dennis Maloney of New Albany and JT Mackay of Northmont. Heading into the wind, what were your thoughts at this point in the race? Was the race going as you expected?
Colin: I figured it would be a slower start because of the wind and like I said earlier, I was lined up next to Vitucci at the start and I knew he could get me to the two mile in a good position. Going towards the two mile it started to hurt more than I thought it would, so I knew the only way I could stay in it was if I moved up and got my ego going. I went into 2nd into the long straight and sat because of the wind.
OhioMileSplit: Right before the 2-mile as you made the turn and crossed over the track, Kyle Mau made a surge. It appeared that yourself and Vitucci went with him. Was this about where you expected someone to start to push into the lead? What were your thoughts when Mau made his surge?
Colin: I expected a move to happen in the woods, I wasn't ready for Mau's surge. I went with it for about 10 or 20 meters and then decided it was too fast too early. I struggled up the hill and sat with the chase pack and we slowly caught back up through the woods.
OhioMileSplit: When did Vitucci and yourself pass Mau? As you came down the hill just before the turn to the finish (about 300 to go), Vitucci and yourself were side by side. Just behind you were Mau and Andrew Jordan of Watkins Memorial. What were your thoughts at this point knowing that Vitucci was fast? I believe that you made a push for the lead just after this.
Colin: I moved up along the hill and when we reached the top I was in the lead. My assistant coach was there yelling at me that I was going to have to run the last 1k faster than I ever had before. I decided to forget about the pain in my legs and my gut and just listen to the grunts and moans of my competitors. At the bottom of the hill two of my former teammates (Spencer Schlecht and Garrett Knapik) were there cheering for me and it almost brought to tears. Those two made me into the person I am today and I didn't want to disappoint them.
OhioMileSplit: Vitucci passed you at the head of the finish straight and fought you off to win. When he passed you did you concede or did you try to go with him? What were your thoughts down the finish straight? Were you satisfied with your run?
Colin: I tried to go with him but I just didn't have the same zip in my legs that he had. It was really disappointing seeing him run away from me like that. I had to keep telling myself to finish strong because I still had a team counting on me. I was telling myself to just hold off third.
OhioMileSplit: Let's talk a little more about your heart condition and the surgery. What were your thoughts about the surgery? How did this affect you physically, recovery wise and mentally? Did you have any concerns after the surgery and going into XC season?
Colin: Like I said earlier, I had surgery for Wolfe Parkinson White Syndrome. A more common form of this is SVT. It's where you have an extra electrical pathway in your heart that can cause your heart rate to rapidly increase. The worst episode I've ever had was at the state meet last year. I had the surgery about two weeks before the conference meet in track last year. I wasn't too worried about it this season. The doctors told me that there would be times when I feel like it's about to trigger. There were a few times in races and workouts when I thought I was about to have an episode but I never did. The worst was when I fell at the state meet this year at almost the same spot as last year and I was just hoping that it wouldn't happen again.
OhioMileSplit: How would you describe yourself as a runner?
Colin: I would say I'm a mix between a strength runner and a kicker. I can run a 52 or 53 for a 400 in track, but I don't think I would be able to break 25 in the 200 to save my life. My kind of a 5k race would go out in a 4:55 and cut down each mile. I love negative split races that aren't all about the kick.
OhioMileSplit: What motivates you as a runner?
Colin: The thing that motivates me as runner is just the feeling you get when you run a race that you pour all of your guts into, not to run fast but to beat someone. I just like running so hard and hurting so much that your competition can't handle it. I like out working other people.
OhioMileSplit: You have not been to State in track yet. What expectations and goals have you set for yourself in regards to this winter and spring and what event(s) will we see you concentrate on?
Colin: After having surgery and then not making it to states in track last season, I couldn't stop thinking about all of the "what ifs" and I realized something this season. Not making it last year was probably the best thing that could have happened because I was more motivated than ever this year. My goals have not changed. I still want to be a state champion. It's been my goal since 7th grade and I refuse to give up. This winter I'm not going to do anything else but listen to my coach. He's told us that he's been careful these past couple of years, but not this year. I'm ready to put in the work and race my guts out again. I plan to focus on the 4x8 and 3200 but that could change. All of my freshman, sophomore and most of my junior year the goal was the 1600 and that changed at the end of the season, so you never know.
OhioMileSplit: Thank you so much Colin. We will be looking forward to watching you on the track this season.