Cross Country Season on Flotrack 2013Oct 2, 2013 by Mitch Kastoff
Runner of the Week: Steven Fahy goes from the watch list to #5 in the nation
Runner of the Week: Steven Fahy goes from the watch list to #5 in the nation
Last weekend at the Stanford XC Invitational, we were prepared to see a battle between the three best cross country runners in the country. But just when all eyes were on Blake Haney, Joe Hardy, and Estavan De La Rosa, La Costa Canyon's Steven Fahy swooped in to finish third and break up the trio. He's been on our national watch list before, but now he's a national contender. Get to know the latest California Kid.
Let's set the stage. You're about to run your season opener at the Stanford XC Invitational. You have the top three cross country runners (Haney, Hardy, and De La Rosa) in the nation in your race. How do you prepare for such a challenge?
As soon as I found out those guys were going to be there I knew it was going to be a great opportunity for me to run a fast early season time. My team ran a few local meets in the first couple weeks of the season to get a feel for racing again, and we mostly stuck to tempo and hill workouts with a few long track workouts (repeat 1600s, 1200s, or 1000s). Then the week before Stanford I had a pretty solid race at the Mt. Carmel invite at Morley field, so I knew I was ready to go, and I was pretty sure if I stayed in contact with Haney and Hardy I could run a good time.
What was the most important thing you took away from your race at Stanford?
The race definitely reminded me that I can run with anyone. Many of my best races have come by just disregarding the rankings and running up with the top guys for as long as I can. Sometimes I surprise myself, but most of the time it's just a matter of proving to everyone what I've already proven to myself through my training. When you put yourself up with the best guys, the times will come naturally.
I want to rewind a bit. After a successful outdoor season where you ran 9:02.61 for 3200m at Arcadia, how did you attack your summer training? How did you view that race at Arcadia?
The 9:02 at Arcadia was a big step for me, and coming off that track season I knew I had a shot at some big things this year if I put in the work and stayed healthy. So this summer was all about consistency and the little things. I built up gradually to 60 miles per week and really cracked down on my eating habits and protein intake to maximize the effects of my training. Throw in strength and core, and a few tough workouts in late August and September and here I am.
I assume you're planning on trying to defend your San Diego Section DII title, but what (if any) other goals do you have this fall? Are they different from any preseason expectations?
My main goal this season is to win the California state meet for Division 2 in November. I also hope to qualify for footlocker nationals and end my high school campaign with a good race on my home course at Morley Field. My section and state are both full of strong runners, and the west region may be the toughest one this year, so I will need good races every step of the way.
There's been a lot of success in athletics for the Fahy family. Your brother Darren was an accomplished state champion in track and your father Eoin was a strong competitor, too. What sort of influence did they have on you as you matured as a runner? Do you draw some inspiration from them or do you seek to find your own identity (maybe both)?
Running with my dad as a kid and watching my brother's success in his first two years of high school were what ultimately got me into running in high school. When I got on the team I was definitely driven to follow up my brother, but we each ended up having such different patterns of development through high school that finding my own identity and going about the process with my own unique approach was huge for me in the long run.
La Costa Canyon has had some incredible success over the last few years. What's the dynamic of both teams? What's your role on the team?
The team has easily been the greatest part of my experience in running and in high school in general. I had a lot of fun looking up to some of the older guys on the team my freshman year and being a part of a really talented group my sophomore year. We underwent a rebuilding year last year after losing 5 of our top 7, but this season we are right back where we want to be after a solid race at Stanford.
We have a more tight knit group than ever before this year, and I take my role as captain pretty seriously. More than anything, I just try to get the guys all running to their full potential. Talent comes and goes, but when you have new guys stepping up year after year, that's when you have a program. I would love to be able to say that I played a role in creating a program in my years at LCC.
Would you rather be fluent in every human language or be able to play every instrument in the world on a professional level (question from the staff)?
Be able to play every instrument. Sometimes music can say things that words cannot. Also it would just be pretty darn cool.
Let's set the stage. You're about to run your season opener at the Stanford XC Invitational. You have the top three cross country runners (Haney, Hardy, and De La Rosa) in the nation in your race. How do you prepare for such a challenge?
As soon as I found out those guys were going to be there I knew it was going to be a great opportunity for me to run a fast early season time. My team ran a few local meets in the first couple weeks of the season to get a feel for racing again, and we mostly stuck to tempo and hill workouts with a few long track workouts (repeat 1600s, 1200s, or 1000s). Then the week before Stanford I had a pretty solid race at the Mt. Carmel invite at Morley field, so I knew I was ready to go, and I was pretty sure if I stayed in contact with Haney and Hardy I could run a good time.
What was the most important thing you took away from your race at Stanford?
The race definitely reminded me that I can run with anyone. Many of my best races have come by just disregarding the rankings and running up with the top guys for as long as I can. Sometimes I surprise myself, but most of the time it's just a matter of proving to everyone what I've already proven to myself through my training. When you put yourself up with the best guys, the times will come naturally.
I want to rewind a bit. After a successful outdoor season where you ran 9:02.61 for 3200m at Arcadia, how did you attack your summer training? How did you view that race at Arcadia?
The 9:02 at Arcadia was a big step for me, and coming off that track season I knew I had a shot at some big things this year if I put in the work and stayed healthy. So this summer was all about consistency and the little things. I built up gradually to 60 miles per week and really cracked down on my eating habits and protein intake to maximize the effects of my training. Throw in strength and core, and a few tough workouts in late August and September and here I am.
I assume you're planning on trying to defend your San Diego Section DII title, but what (if any) other goals do you have this fall? Are they different from any preseason expectations?
My main goal this season is to win the California state meet for Division 2 in November. I also hope to qualify for footlocker nationals and end my high school campaign with a good race on my home course at Morley Field. My section and state are both full of strong runners, and the west region may be the toughest one this year, so I will need good races every step of the way.
There's been a lot of success in athletics for the Fahy family. Your brother Darren was an accomplished state champion in track and your father Eoin was a strong competitor, too. What sort of influence did they have on you as you matured as a runner? Do you draw some inspiration from them or do you seek to find your own identity (maybe both)?
Running with my dad as a kid and watching my brother's success in his first two years of high school were what ultimately got me into running in high school. When I got on the team I was definitely driven to follow up my brother, but we each ended up having such different patterns of development through high school that finding my own identity and going about the process with my own unique approach was huge for me in the long run.
La Costa Canyon has had some incredible success over the last few years. What's the dynamic of both teams? What's your role on the team?
The team has easily been the greatest part of my experience in running and in high school in general. I had a lot of fun looking up to some of the older guys on the team my freshman year and being a part of a really talented group my sophomore year. We underwent a rebuilding year last year after losing 5 of our top 7, but this season we are right back where we want to be after a solid race at Stanford.
We have a more tight knit group than ever before this year, and I take my role as captain pretty seriously. More than anything, I just try to get the guys all running to their full potential. Talent comes and goes, but when you have new guys stepping up year after year, that's when you have a program. I would love to be able to say that I played a role in creating a program in my years at LCC.
Would you rather be fluent in every human language or be able to play every instrument in the world on a professional level (question from the staff)?
Be able to play every instrument. Sometimes music can say things that words cannot. Also it would just be pretty darn cool.