In our weekly Q&A segment we asked Emma Bates a few questions about life on and off the track. We caught up with her before she headed out to Roy Griak. 

Let us know what we can expect during this weekend's race at Roy Griak.

This weekend’s race at Roy Griak is pretty special to me. I had the opportunity to race at this meet for the first time in 7th grade. To be able to run the same race, my senior year of college, is an incredible gift. I fondly remember the first time I ran the race, I looked up to the women who ran in the collegiate divisions so much and I always thought how cool it would be to win it. Now, 10 years later, I could actually be in position to achieve just that. Not to mention my team could finish really well too! I am anxious for us to race some of the best collegiate runners in the nation, especially in front of my home crowd. I have a lot of special people showing up to watch us compete, so I hope my team and I can put on a good show for them.

Let us know what we can expect for the rest of the XC season.

I set a big goal for myself this season and that is to win each race I compete in this fall. It’s not that I want to say I was undefeated this season or anything, I just know that if I continue to have a “winning mentality,” my confidence will be able to pull me through the entire season. I have always struggled with the mental aspect of running in that I feel like I’m not good enough to run with my competitors, let alone finish ahead of them. This side of running is definitely 90% of the battle for me and my goal is to improve on that this season.

Describe your childhood dream.

My childhood dream was to either be an Olympic gymnast or figure skater. I learned at an early age that neither was in the cards for me. I am the least flexible person ever and probably the most uncoordinated. I am very thankful running is an Olympic sport.

Describe your fondest race memory.

I have many fond race memories, but the one that sticks out the most to me right now is Mountain West Conference last Cross Country season. We had our conference meet last year in Air Force up at 7,000+ feet of elevation. That was probably one of the hardest races I have ever run but it got me mentally ready for Nationals because it proved to me that I was tough enough to win.

If you weren't running, what would you be doing and why?

If I wasn’t running I would probably be painting. I have never taken a painting class before but I enjoy it so much and wish I had more time for it.

Describe your worst habit.

My worst habit is probably not paying attention when I should. I tend to day dream a lot, so I lose focus on what is happening around me and I frequently miss pertinent information.

Describe the kind of kid you were in high school.

I was very focused in high school. I knew that if I were to receive a scholarship for college I would need to buckle down on my studies and run really well. I never partied or did things normal high school students were doing, I think I was a bit of an outcast for that, but I think it was worth it because I have achieved what I wanted to at this point in my life.

You had an amazing end to last years outdoor season, take us through how this past summer was for you in and out of training / races?

The only race I did this past summer was Outdoor USAs. I was really hoping to finish in the top 3, but the main point of running it was really just to get the experience of racing at an elite level. As for training this summer, I took 2 weeks completely off after USAs and started progressing my miles from 35/week to 90/week. I like to just focus on base training and then hop into workouts the first week of practice.

If you had a day off from your everyday responsibilities, describe how you would spend it.

If I had a day off from my everyday responsibilities, I would spend it backpacking through the mountains. It doesn’t matter what mountains they are, I just love being surrounded by nature and the peace it brings.

Describe your most embarrassing moment as an athlete.

I’m not easily embarrassed. I do a lot of stupid things on a daily basis, but I just think I’m awkward enough to not realize how embarrassing I truly am.

Tell us about your favorite memory with one of your current or past training partners.

My favorite memory would have to be with my teammate from high school, Jane Kallemeyn. One day we had the brilliant idea of eating a big jar of pickles right before an afternoon run. Needless to say, it did not bode well for either of us.

Describe the perfect post-race meal in detail.

My post-race meal is always Coca-cola, margherita pizza, and vanilla bean ice cream.

Describe your favorite workout?

My favorite workout is anything involving 300s. I hate 300s more than anything but I know they make me stronger and ready to race fast. My coach always tells me to envision my competitor in front of me while running them. The whole interval he will be jumping up and down yelling the girl’s name so I run faster, it’s really quite the sight.

Favorite place to run or train and why?

The Sawtooth Mountains of Idaho is my favorite place to run. The elevation of these mountains get up to 11,000 feet and are covered with countless trees and trails. It is the most beautiful place to train and there is just something so addicting about feeling like you are going to pass out due to oxygen debt.

Dream place to run or train and why?

My dream place to run or train is Kenya. I am so interested in the culture of Kenya, not to mention there are dozens of incredible athletes to train with.

Who is your childhood hero and why?

My sister, Keisha Bates, is my childhood hero. Growing up she was my greatest role model. I wanted to be just like her, and still do. She is the most intelligent, hard-working, caring, selfless person I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. She has truly shaped me into the person I am today and continues to make me a better person.

Describe your guilty pleasure.

My guilty pleasure would have to be watching both movies Mamma Mia and Across the Universe. No matter what mood I am in, these movies always make me happy.

If you could give one piece of advice you think every runner should hear, what would it be and why?

I think the one piece of advice every runner should hear is to not overtrain. As long as your training stays consistent, your performance will improve.

If you had to listen to 1 song in your head every time you ran for the rest of you life, what would it be?

I don’t ever listen to music when I run but if I had to listen to 1 song in my head every day for the rest of my life it would be “Into the Wild” by LP.

Dinner for 3 (living or dead) who and why?

The 3 people I would choose to have dinner with are Rosa Parks, Mahatma Gandhi, and Bill Bowerman. I believe that these 3 people all displayed bravery, wisdom, and all around bad assness. These are qualities I would love to emanate.

Describe your pre-race ritual.

I don’t really have a pre-race ritual, I always just go with the flow. I feel like rituals always trigger anxiety for me. It’s best that I change things up so that my body doesn’t know what is happening and I can better relax. So, I guess that is my pre-race ritual, to relax in any way I can. I race much better when I am calm as opposed to being pumped up and excited.

Who is your runner crush?

My runner crush is David Rudisha. He is just so beautiful. My boyfriend, Kameron Ulmer, says I have a free pass with him if the opportunity ever presents itself.

What does racing/training look like for you in the next 6 months?

I believe in consistent training, so my mileage won’t stray too far from 90/week and will probably cycle through the same workouts we always do. However, racing will be different this year for me just because I don’t have an Indoor season left. The plan right now is to hopefully get into the Millrose Games again and maybe even USA Cross Country Nationals in Boulder during that time.