Q&A With UMBC Athlete Keri Wilson

When an athlete is a senior it is their time to step up and become a leader.  For UMBC women’s cross country senior Keri Wilson, that job is a little bit harder than for most.  On a team of seven runners Wilson is not only the only senior but the only upperclassmen on the squad as her six teammates are either freshmen or sophomores.  But that has not stopped her from leading, especially by example.  This season Wilson has been the Retriever’s top finisher in all three meets and in her most recent performance, at the Paul Short Invitational at Leigh University, which features many of the best teams in the country, Wilson finished 27^th overall in a field of 386.

Patch:  Last season you were the clear No. 2 runner behind Sara Parkinson but this year you’ve not only taken her spot as the team’s top runner but you’ve established yourself as one of the conference’s top long-distance runners, what do you attribute that to?

Keri Wilson:  Sara was one of my really good friends and she was always a really good role model for me.  It was her passion and dedication that made say it’s my last year and I just need to go for it because I don’t want to leave here and think I didn’t live up to my full potential.  I guess it’s the senior fire.

Patch: Would you say long distance running is more of a physical sport of mental sport?

Wilson: Absolutely mental.  That was my biggest weakness, believing and convincing yourself that I’m not tired and I can kick it into the next gear.  The training is very important but if you don’t believe you can do it you’re not going to.  I guess this year with all the recognition it’s given me a lot more confidence which has definitely helped my mental aspect.

Patch: How many miles do you think you run in a week?

Wilson: My peak is supposed to be 70 but probably an average between 50 and 60.  It’s definitely pretty high mileage.

Patch: So I hear you have a tendency to lose your shoes in races.  What precautions have you taken so you don’t lose one this year?

Wilson: Everybody is just like ‘Keri tie you shoes extra tight’ and I always do but I don’t know what it is.  I think there is some sort of something after me trying to steal my shoes.  I’m thinking it’s maybe I put too much of my foot down so when I go through mud I try to go on my toes now.  So far I actually already lost my shoe this year at cross country camps so it already happened this year.  I’m doing my best.

Patch: Do you have a slogan you life your life by?

Wilson: Yes and everybody on the team knows it, “follow your heart.”  Everybody gets caught up in “I need to do this for coach” or “I need to do this for myself” and I’m just like “relax and follow your heart.”  It’s like the best and worst advice at the same time because it means absolutely nothing but it means everything at the same time.

Patch: What’s your theme song?

Wilson: I really loved listening to “She Wolf” by Shakira over the summer just because it’s a good song; fierce.

Patch: What’s one word you would use to describe yourself and why did you choose it?

Wilson:  Unique.  Everybody on the team calls me “Panda” because I don’t know; there is just something about Panda’s that I like, so I like to say “I’m not your average Panda Bear.”  I always try to do something different like the purple hair [I had last year].

Patch: What was your favorite TV show when you were a kid?

Wilson: How much of a kid because I loved Barney a lot but then I also liked Spongebob.  I still have my Spongebob backpack that I take to meets.  He has a tongue sticking out the back of him.  It’s awesome.

Patch: What’s your ring tone?

Wilson:  Bittersweet Symphony by the Verve.  My dad loved that song and I always loved it as a kid.

Patch: Is it weird being the only upperclassman on a team with six freshmen and sophomores?

Wilson: Yes, it’s very weird actually.  It’s really hard because I remember what I was like as a freshman and it’s so much different from now so trying to be a leader for them is weird because it’s such a weird gap.  It’s weird but it’s fun at the same time because freshman are always fun; they’re so naive and fun.