-Athlete name: Josh Steible
-School: Centerville High School
-Year of Graduation: 2013
-Best time in a 5K race and in which meet:
15:33 at the Trinity Invite in Louisville, Kentucky last season
-Tell us how your summer training is going?
Summer training is going good. I have been able to put in good quality miles from the end of June through July and I am getting excited to finally start racing again.
-What are your goals for the upcoming season?
Individually, my goals are to stay healthy and to be standing on the podium at State this year. I had a bad race at the wrong time at last year’s State meet and am looking forward to having a much better race this year. As a team, we feel we have a great chance to make it back to the State meet and to be competitive with the best teams in the state.
-How long have you been running and how did you get started?
I started running in 7th grade on the middle school cross country team, although I did participate in local little kids races here and there when I was in elementary school.
-Will you be competing anywhere out of state this season?
We will again be running in the Trinity Invite in Louisville, KY and also traveling to NJ to run in the Safari Invite. I also will be competing in Nike Cross in Terre Haute, IN again.
-What is your favorite course to run in Ohio?
My favorite course is my home course at Centerville High School because we run under the lights at night. Our night race is an really unique cross country experience. Everyone should run our race under the lights, it’s truly awesome (but I’m a little biased).
-What is the toughest course to run in Ohio?
The toughest course I have run is probably the Mason High School course because it has so many obstacles throughout the race. The creek jumps and hay bales make it a fun and challenging course.
-What meet during the regular season do you put extra emphasis on to compete well at?
I put a lot of emphasis on the Mason Invite because it has become such a competitive meet with teams from many states. It really gives my team and myself a good look at how we stand against all the great Cincinnati schools that we don’t see as often.
-What is your favorite cross country race so far in your high school career?
My favorite race would have to be the 2011 Trinity Invite. I ran my best time there and was able to move up to 3rd all-time on my school record board.
-Favorite cross country memory?
My favorite cross country memory is from my sophomore year at State. My team just missed out that year, getting 5th at regionals, but I qualified as an individual. The rest of the varsity team drove up to the State meet to watch and support me. After the meet, when we stopped for food, one of the seniors told the hostess it was my birthday (which it wasn’t). All the waiters and waitresses sang happy birthday to me and gave me balloons.
-When you are not running what is your favorite thing to do?
When I’m not running, I am normally sleeping, playing golf or disc golf with my friends, hanging out at one of my friend’s houses, or making sure my couch doesn’t wander off while watching TV. You need to keep an eye on those things.
-Favorite quote?
“To give anything less than your best, is to sacrifice the gift.” - Steve Prefontaine
-What's on your Ipod when you go out for runs?
I don’t listen to music when I run, but I listen to a little bit of everything.
-What professional athlete would you most like to meet?
I would want to meet Bernard Lagat because he is such a great tactical racer and has been one of the top distance runners in the world for so long.