California Track & Running News July-Aug 2013, VOLUME 39 NUMBER 3 | Page 29

san diego assn

Q&A with 2012 XC Champ Stuart

The 2013 edition of the SDIAC Dirt Dog Cross Country
Series commences this August. In anticipation of
that, Peter  Stern interviewed Laura  Stuart, last
year’s overall women 40–49 champion.
PS: In last year’s series, did you have any goals
other than being the first Master?
LS: In last year’s series, I didn’t really have any
goals. I was racing on the JH Cohn Open team because we couldn’t field enough runners for a masters team. It was challenging because in several of
the races the masters runners run a separate race
from the open so they based our place on time. I
think I would prefer to have the races just be all
men/all women rather than split open/masters. My
main goal during cross country was to win my age
group at the National Masters Cross Country 5K
Championship in October at the Ursula Rains race,
so I was using the series to help me get used to
cross country racing/training. I had run in the National Masters Track & Field Championships in
Lisle, Illinois the summer before and got hooked
on USATF masters racing.
PS: What did you think of last year’s races? Which
was your favorite course and why?
LS: I enjoyed last year’s races. I have a love/hate relationship with the Balboa 4-miler because I have
done it so many times and it has such history, but
it is soooo hard. I also like the Wild Duck. I like the
park there and I like how close it is to where I live
in Encinitas. I love their creative awards.
PS: In response to feedback that there were too
many races last year with too little rest, the number of races has been decreased this year. Do you
favor that change?
LS: Yes, I do prefer fewer races because I have
found as I have gotten older that if I try to race too
much I get hurt and kind of burned out. I felt like
last year was just right. I also don’t like it when they
put the very last race of the series the weekend

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before the championships because it is not
enough recovery time for me.
PS: Do you plan to defend your title this year?
LS: As of right now, I am planning to do the series
next year, but I am also tempted to maybe run a
fall marathon to try to qualify for the Boston
Marathon. It also depends on if I can stay healthy. I
have found that the older I get, it is more about
making it to the start line without any injuries than
it is about being super fast!
PS: What do you think of the races in this year’s
series in general, and moving the championship
race to Rohr Park from Mission Bay in particular?
LS: I like the races picked out for this year. They are
a nice mix. I am also happy that the championship
race has moved because I was not fond of running
all those loops at Mission Bay. It was so hard to get
momentum going. My favorite championship
course is the old one from the Kinney Cross Country Championships. I love the steep climbs.
PS: As a younger runner, you qualified for the
Olympic Trials. How would you compare running
as a Master to your days as an open runner?
LS: Running as a Master is completely different. It
is so much more important now to do all the little
things like get a weekly massage, stretch, eat right,
get enough sleep, recover properly, do strength
work, etc. It is also a lot harder to fit all those
things in when you have a job and a family. The
hardest part is that in my mind I am still 30 and I
forget that my body can’t handle that kind of
workload anymore without getting hurt. I have
learned to appreciate being healthy and able to
participate in races. The sport of running has given
me so many great opportunities and I have met so
many great people along the way. I feel like it is my
turn to give back to the sport and so my next endeavor is to hopefully start assistant coaching middle school cross country.

Laura Stuart running
the Carlsbad 5000
in 2006.

2013 USATF/VS Athletics Dirt Dog Cross Country Series
Sat., Oct. 12

Ursula Rains Balboa Boogie 5K, Morley Field
Masters 8 a.m.; Open 8:45 a.m.
Contract Nancy Morris, 858.874.8784

Sat., Aug. 31

Balboa 4-Miler, Balboa Park
Masters 7:30 a.m.; Open 8:10 a.m.
Contact Paul Baumhoefner, 619.200.4792

Sat., Oct. 26

Cougar Challenge 5K/8K, CSU San Marcos Track
Women’s 5K: 8 a.m.; Men’s 8K: 8:45 a.m.
Contact Steve Scott, 760.750.7105

Sat., Sept. 21

69th Aztec Invitational 5K, Balboa Park, 8 a.m.
Contact Rick Reiser, 310.227.5534

Sat., Nov. 2

Cuyamaca College 6K, Lindo Lake, 8 a.m.
Contact Patrick Thiss, 619.660.4518

Sat., Sept. 28

Bonita 8K Stampede, Sweetwater
Regional Park, 8 a.m.
Contact Antonio Melchor, 619.370.1184

Sat., Nov. 16

USATF Cross Country Championship, Rohr Park
Women 6K: 8 a.m.; Men 8K: 9 a.m.
Contact Paul Greer, 619.388.3704

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Wild Duck 5K, Guajome Park
Masters 8 a.m.; Open 8:30