Junior Tammy Berger of Versailles is the defending D3 State XC Champion. Leading up to Districts, in this 2010 XC season, the Junior has been beaten only once, running 4th at Fort Loramie. She is also Ohio's D3 State 3,200m Champion with a time of 11:08.21. She has high expectations of herself, is team motivated, and is focused on defending her District, Regional and State titles. She has personal bests of:
1600 Meter Run - 5:02.62
3200 Meter Run - 11:08.21
400 Meter Dash - 1:06.59
5000 Meter Run - 18:17.59
800 Meter Run - 2:28.75
OHRunners: Congratulations on a great track season and a great XC season so far. Last Spring, as a Sophomore, you were 3rd at State in the 1,600m with a 5:02.62 and 1st in the 3,200m with a time of 11:08.21. After the State meet did you take any time off?
Tammy: Thank you. Yes, I did take some time off after State track. I started running when I was ten years old and ran in our local Poultry Days 5k. It was my very first race and I have run in it ever since. It is the Saturday after the State track meet. After that, I took about two weeks off. After that break, I swam on the local swim team, did training runs, and ran some other 5k's.
OHRunners: What type of mileage did you put in over the summer?
Tammy: I never usually go by mileage when I run in the summer, it's always by time. The minimum amount of time I run is thirty minutes and up to fifty minutes. I keep a regular routine of this throughout the summer. I also run around four of five 5K's during the summer. As I mentioned, the Poultry Days 5k was my very first race and I ran just under 30 minutes, placing first in the ten and under age group. After that I began signing up for other 5k's around the area, and it has became a summer hobby for me.
OHRunners: : I find it interesting that you base your off-season runs on time rather than distance. Typically, one would think of how many miles are being run to build a strong base for the beginning of XC season. In a 30-minute run what would your pace be, or, what is the typical distance in your 30-minute runs? Do you run the same pace in your 50-minute runs? Do you typically train or run by yourself?
Tammy: On a thirty minute run I usually run the first twenty minutes at training pace, and the last ten minutes at race pace. My training pace is around 6:30 to 7:00. In my fifty-minute runs, I run the training pace the entire fifty minutes. I normally am running by myself. I usually run six days out of the week, putting in about thirty to thirty-five miles. I also swim competitively during the summer months.
OHRunners: Competitive swimming is great aerobically. To what level to do swim competitively?
Tammy: In June and July I practice three times a week, and have one meet a week. I really enjoy Swimming, but it is pretty much just for aerobics. I do swim in the winter on the High School swim team between cross country and track. Our high school coach can make these workouts very intense. Competitively, I am just an average swimmer, but I know that swimming is excellent for me. I also try and maintain a healthy diet year around. Towards the end of the winter swim season, I begin my training runs to begin preparation for track. With running and swimming, I stay physically active year around.
OHRunners: OHRunners: What is your favorite distance? Do you prefer XC or track?
Tammy: I enjoy both. I really could not pick between the two. As far as what distance in track, I love the 4 x 800 because I'm competing with my teammates.
OHRunners: As a Freshman, you were 6th in the D3 Girl's State XC championships in a time of 19:03.85. You were the D3 Champion last Fall, in a time of 18:47.94. What are your expectations for this XC season?
Tammy:: I have been happy with my places the last two years, but I haven't really been satisfied with my times. I definitely want to peek at Scioto Downs and run a PR. As far as my place goes, I always compete for the benefit of my team. Just like getting my best time, I also want to get my best place.
OHRunners: So far this XC season you have only lost once, and that was at Fort Loramie, where you ran 4th. Was this a let down after your great 1st place run at Tiffin? At Fort Loramie several runners whom you defeated at Tiffin, in particular, Christina Seas of Coldwater, finished well a head of you. What happened in that meet?
Tammy: We had just come from the big meet at Tiffin, and we followed that up with another big invitational the following week at Graham. I didn't really consider Ft. Loramie a let down, but a training run for our entire team.
OHRunners: What makes Tammy tick? In other words, why do you run? What are your motivations? How do you view yourself as a runner?
Tammy: I run simply because I enjoy running. It can however be very stressful, very competitive, and there are times when I am disappointed. What motivates me the most is the chance to compete with my teammates. Whatever I can do to help, I feel responsible to do. I feel I have been blessed with the ability to run, and I want to continue to pursue becoming better. There have been successful track and cross country teams at Versailles as long as I can remember. I have older cousins and family friends who all were apart of these teams. As a little kid, I wanted to someday be apart of this. When I reached junior high, some high school teammates took me under their wing and began working with me. I have very high expectations of myself, as do others, and I do not like to lose. I truly am motivated however, by my team. These past runners, some now running in DIV 1 colleges, still keep in touch with me and follow my results. I do not want to let anyone down.
OHRunners: OHRunners: What are your race strategies? Are you comfortable running out front and setting the pace, or do you prefer to let others set the pace? Do you try and visualize your races and each course?
Tammy: I try to maintain little strategy. I think it's best to just go out and run. I'm pretty comfortable at setting the pace and I try to go out strong and lose as many runners as I can. If someone else is setting the pace or the runners with me are looking strong, I just stay in contact and position myself for a kick at the end.
OHRunners: OHRunners: How do you mentally prepare for a competition? If you have run a course before, do you mentally go over that course in your mind and picture how you will run it and at what pace you would like to be at the mile and the two mile? Going into a competition, if you know that there is one or several girls whom you know are as competitive as you, how do you prepare?
Tammy: I become very quiet and focused before competitive races. My focus is on a good start, keeping the pace hot, and a strong kick at the finish. I do listen to split times at the mile and two-mile and I know if I am where I should be. I know what my strengths are and if I am familiar with the course, I think ahead about where that advantage for me will be on that course. I follow a lot of race results and I know who my competition is. If I have raced against runners before, I also think about what and where their strengths and weaknesses will be on that course.
OHRunners: What is a typical week of workouts and the times that you are running in workouts at this point in the season? Monday though Friday with a race on Saturdays?
Tammy: Monday will be a long run, around 5 miles. My pace is usually around 6:30 to 7:00. Tuesday will be a speed workout on the track, including 800's, 600's, 400's and 200's. I run these as hard as I can go with a rest interval normally equal to the distance. My Wednesday run will be a long run, around 4 miles at the 6:30 to 7:00 minute pace. Thursday I do pacers on the track. They are usually 800's or 400's and I run them at my 5K race pace. Friday will be an easy 20 to 30-minute jog. Then Saturday comes race day.
OHRunners: As we head into Districts, as the defending individual D3 State Champion, what are your expectations for yourself and your team at Districts, Regionals and State? Who will be your competition?
Tammy: My expectations for myself are to win Districts, Regionals and State. Locally, I have Allison Roeth (Houston), Katie Borchers (Russia), Meg Westerheide (Fort Loramie) and Bethany Norman (Xenia Christian) who I will see at all three races. Our District and Regional is very tough with individuals and teams. At the State level, one of my biggest rivals is Hannah Stefanoff (Grandview). I had a very competitive race with her at Tiffin and was fortunate enough to win. Brittany Stockmaster (Attica Seneca East) is also a very strong runner. She was runner-up the last two years at State and placed very high as a freshman. I know there are others that will make push too.
Our team is looking to make a trip back to State after last years disappointing Regional results. Our team goals are to finish very high. Minster, West-Liberty, Salem and Russia are all very talented teams. We see them virtually all season long. I am excited and looking forward to the next few weeks.
OHRunners: Tammy, congratulations again and thank you so much for your time. We're looking forward to an exciting next few weeks and to watching you run at State!
