After winning a national title in the mile at the NCAA Indoor Championships we caught up with Michigan State's own Leah O'Connor as she gears up for her final outdoor season as a Spartan to talk about training, embarassing moments and what she has in store for this season and beyond. 

What do you think is the main factor that has led to your continued success season after season? 

I truthfully can’t give you just one thing; it’s just not that simple. I think I’m surrounded by some of the greatest humans in the world at Michigan State. I am happy, healthy, and more excited about/in love with running than ever. I’m having a blast testing myself, but none of this has felt forced; I have a laundry list of people to thank for keeping me on the right path/grounded.

Take us through the indoor championship race. 

I was nervous, but also really pumped. When I know I’m ready for a big race I flip-flop between feeling like a kid on Christmas and feeling like I could just throw up a little. 

You know you’re about to put your body through something really uncomfortable and slightly painful, but you’ve sufficiently convinced your brain that it’s going to be freaking fun. I guess that’s the best I can describe the race day feeling? 

I formulated an abstract race plan prior to even getting on the plane to Arkansas but it wasn’t until the morning of the race that I really solidified everything with Coach Drenth. I knew that my fitness was there, we had prepared as much as possible. I was just going to go out hard and try to run fast. I had a lot of respect for the field; there were a lot of really strong women in that race. Specifically, I knew Shelby Houlihan was going to beast it out (because that’s how she does things and she’s great) so I figured I would make competitive decisions as the race unfolded… but really just try to run my own race. 

My whole mentality was based around being fearless and trying my best. If I put myself out there and I faded, at least I could walk off the track knowing I gave it all I could on that day. There’s no shame in that. 

Take us through your average daily routine. What is it like being in your shoes?

My current daily routine is pretty fetch right now because I’m still technically in college, but I am all done with classes. Very low-key.

I’m naturally an early riser, I suck at sleeping in, I usually wake up around between 7:00-7:15 and my first thought is almost always, “coffee”. I go downstairs and drink two big mugs of black, dark roast coffee/eat something/watch a little bit of Good Morning America on the couch. And then my day is OFFICIALLY allowed to begin.

If I have to run twice that day, I will get out the door and usually run a 10-mile loop before I go to “work” (aka, my internship). I’m in the office with Spartan Fund from 9 or 10 in the morning – 2 pm. From 3:00-6:30 Monday-Thursday I’m at practice with my best friends doing the running thing.

After practice I basically get to do whatever the heck I want. Mostly, I go on dates with friends. Or I just take myself on dates. I eat alone at Panera a lot (when I don’t feel like cooking). I also enjoy spending a lot of time in grocery stores; I spend a lot of money on groceries. Probably too much.

I live in a house (the Marigold Manor) with three other girls on the team and then right next door to us there is another house with four other girls that are on the team as well. These people are my best friends, so I’m hardly ever alone/always have a buddy to go spend time with if I get sick of myself.

If I’m not traveling on weekends for races I find ways to keep myself busy. I love coffee shops, going out to brunch with friends, going for walks. Now that Michigan is starting to not be so frozen all of the time I’ll be able to spend more time outside, which is nice.

My life is extremely normal and I’m sorry that wasn’t more interesting.

When and what do you normally eat while in training?

Well, I guess, the same things I eat while I’m not in training. I’ve always been a healthy eater, but I understand the importance of balance… and I love treats. If you want my typical grocery list? Here goes:

Fruit to make a fruit salad (pineapple, melon, grapes, strawberries). Bananas. A variety of veggies—a big bag of spinach. Spaghetti Squash. Avocado. Hummus. Eggs. Frozen chicken breasts. Turkey/Chicken lunchmeat. Shrimp. Salmon. A nice steak every one in a while. Cheese (love cheese). Whole wheat wraps. English muffins. Coconut Chobani Greek Yogurt. Peanut butter/jelly. Pasta. Red and white sauce. Little potatoes.

Not staples, but not NOT allowed to go into the cart if I decide I really want them:

Brownies or mint chocolate chip ice cream. Chips (I don’t discriminate, I love all chips… except for, like, paint and poop chips). Every now and then, a bottle of Cabernet, I am a sucker for a nice glass of red wine with my dinner.

What is your cross training regimen?

My coach insists that there really isn’t a substitution for just getting out and doing your running. I run 65-70 miles a week and I typically take Sunday off every other week. We do some lighter weight sets with free weights as well as medicine balls sets. Hurdle mobility and general strengthening exercises are a staple. I also always insist on carrying all of my groceries from the car to my house at the same time and sometimes that feels like cross training. Haha, no… but seriously, nothing really beyond that. If we are feeling really tired or banged up Coach Drenth will make us go flop around in the pool… but I hate the pool.

What is it like balancing life, training and racing?

Everything needs to flow together. You can’t be one person at practice/competition and another when you leave. If you want to be a champion athlete you also have to be the champion of your life outside of athletics. I’ve learned to just revel in that reality and not shy away from the things that are going to make me better.

I’m a runner, so yes, I live that lifestyle/make the necessary sacrifices that differentiate me from the average college student at MSU. At some point I made the decision that I wanted to give this opportunity my absolute best; I make every choice with that in mind. But I also value just being a regular human and I will always be someone who makes it point to be good to other people first. Being transparent, helping others, forming relationships, growing in my faith and savoring life away from the track are all extremely important to me.

Describe your most embarrassing moment as an athlete. 

Hahahahahaha…. Okay. 

So, I played AYSO soccer when I was a kid. My dad was my coach. Our team’s jerseys were yellow and we were called “The Terrible Bananas” or something like that. I know the word “Banana” was in the name. 

I never played goalie, but my dad wanted me to test it out, so for a little while during the game I was in the net… but then I sucked at it and he switched me back to defense. The next time the ball came at me, I panicked. My brain went dark and, without hesitation, I reached down and picked the soccer ball right up. 

This would have been fine if I was still the goalie… but I wasn’t. 

Everyone laughed at me. I was mortified. I don’t know if I played the rest of the game. I guess I really don’t remember anything after that. Not my finest moment. 

What is your most bizarre pet peeve?

I guess I don’t have many pet peeves. But, it’s probably a tie between truck drivers who decide they need to drive like snails in the left lane on the highway…. and people who decide to appease their own self-loathing by actively tearing down others. I just have zero patience for that BS.

What super hero would you trade lives with and why?

Ok. I just took a quiz online because I had no clue

I was 95% The Flash and 92% Supergirl… so either of them because we (apparently) have the most in common.

Describe your childhood dream.

My childhood dream was always just to end up doing something epic and adventurous. I didn’t really care what that was. I was always climbing stuff/running around/getting into trouble. My parents used to joke that I was either going to end up really successful, or in prison. I’ve learned to channel that bull-headed-spit-fire attitude into a few key things (that aren’t illegal) and it’s turned out pretty well. I think mom and dad are pleased.

Describe your fondest race memory.

Oh man… I love racing, so this is tough. I think probably the first time I won a Big Ten Championship in steeplechase as a freshman. It wasn’t a terribly fast time and I didn’t know 100% what I was even doing, but it was the first time in college that I really trusted myself in a race and just competed, specifically in the last 600 meters of the race.

I experienced my hard work paying off. I got to celebrate with Coach Drenth and saw how much it meant to the team/community at Michigan State. That race totally light a fire under my ass and inspired me to really work at getting better.

What is your main goal for this outdoor season?

Same as always: healthy, happy, fast. Except it’s my last go around in a Michigan State uniform, so I am going to soaking it all up more than ever.

I feel like, fitness-wise, I’m a totally different animal than I was last year even. I’m just going to keep building on that and stay dug into the little things and hopefully it all comes together well. I’m psyched to start jumping over water pits again.

Describe your worst habit.

I’m a nervous picker. I bite my nails and cuticles when I get too worried or anxious. It’s not cute.

Describe the kind of kid you were in high school.

I was the kind of kid who wanted to do EVERYTHING… and then did everything. I was super involved (class president, drama, track, cross-country, band, basketball, volleyball, environmental club, yearbook) I dabbled in everything. I just loved being around people. I was a pretty good student but mostly I appreciated the social aspect of being at school more than school itself.

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

Well, I get these days. They are called Sunday… and every so often when I don’t have to run or do anything at all… that’s exactly what I do. Nothing. I sit in my pajama pants and graze all day, and then nap when I get sick of grazing. If I start to feel anxious about not doing anything I’ll go for a walk or drive somewhere… or maybe just find a friend to sit down and graze with me.

My brain is almost always on go. I have to actively force myself to take days to put my feet up and have a “slug” day sometimes. Slug days are good for the soul.

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

I have so many!

One memory that will probably always make me laugh out loud happened on a run with my teammate, Julia Otwell. She is one of my best, BEST friends.

We were running through a neighborhood in East Lansing and she was really sore/struggling and needed trigger points on her glute because her IT band was tightening up and her gate was being affected. So, we stopped our watches, I had her lay belly-down on the sidewalk, and then proceeded to give her trigger points with my elbow. True friend, right?

Suddenly, this old man walking his dog strolled by us and was immediately just EXTREMELY confused. He stared at me hovered over Julia with my elbow pressed into the side of her butt-cheek with this baffled look on his face. It was so awkward. SO, so awkward. We tried to avoid eye contact.

The only thing he managed to blurt out before turning the corner was,

“I thought you girls were runners, not wrestlers!”

We died… we just DIED laughing. And still laugh when we think about it years later.

(And then I found five dollars……)

Describe the perfect post-race meal in detail.

After indoor NCAA’s this year I went to a restaurant with my teammates and got a really delicious cheeseburger with bacon and avocado on a pretzel bun. That felt pretty perfect.

Describe your favorite workout that you did that tuned you up for the fastest NCAA indoor mile?

I like this question because I loved this workout.

It was the week before NCAA’s. We hadn’t done mile-specific work all season, so naturally I was pumped when I was told I was only going to have to do 1x400, 3x800, 2x200. Short and fast. Like… really fast for a workout. I could go back to my training log and give you specifics for all of the splits and rest, but I don’t know if that’s entirely necessary. I just know that I ran my 3rd 800 in 2:10 after already putting in some hard efforts, then came back and ran two brisk 200’s… and then laid down on the track for a little bit. Something I never usually do.

It burned and my stomach felt like acid and I think it may have been harder than any race I did all year. But it was SO fun. And that workout really gave me the confidence to know that I could run fast under fatigue.  

If you could give one piece of advice to any runner, what would it be and why?

Be patient.

Because this sport tests your will in ways you couldn’t even imagine, things are almost never perfect… and you have to give a hard effort almost every single day. Sometimes you don’t see big results for months or years. Believe in your head that you are going to do big things, but don’t be afraid to practice patience in doing the small things that get you there.

Describe your favorite place to run or train.

Running is special because you get to go new places and experience them in a way most people just don’t. I have so many favorite places.

But my all time favorite place to run will absolutely always be the dirt roads around my house in Croswell; they are where I fell in love with running. I grew up in the boonies; my nearest neighbors were an entire cornfield away and you were more likely to run into a cow or a wild animal on a run than a human. Seriously.

I have a few different loops that are all mapped out in one-mile increments because the gravel roads are all approximately one-mile long. They’re just basic, quiet, flat dirt roads… but they mean a lot to me. Doing my 8-mile loop down Burns Line just as the sun is starting to go down has always been an easy way for me to find my center.

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

Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, Jesus.

I feel like Amy and Tina would just be hilarious and making awesome conversation/telling jokes the whole time and I have a major girl crush on both of them. Jesus is Jesus.

Describe your pre-race ritual.

After my 10 minute shake out… I eat food, I drink coffee, I watch a shit ton of HGTV in my hotel bed, I shower and always have to shave my legs even if I just shaved them the night before, I brush my teeth at least three-four times, I put my uniform on and dance around a little bit in my buns while listening to whatever music I feel like I need to hear at that moment, I say some prayers, I (nervously) stretch. I might sit back down in my hotel bed and drink more coffee. Then I go to the track and have fun.

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

Man, I guess I couldn’t tell you 100%. I’m really just finishing up college and doing the same thing I’ve been doing the last four years. I’ll be grinding through workouts with my training partner, Rachele Schulist, and racing at a few smaller meets before we dig into the championship season. Hopefully everything goes well at NCAA’s and USA’s and I get to travel around and race internationally. I guess a lot of what I get to do these next 6 months is dependent on me keeping my head on straight and just focusing on the next thing, I’m sure opportunities and training will evolve as the season evolves.