Former San Benito harrier Amanda Boyd finishes 113th overall at
nationals
The Hollister Free Lance was lucky enough to recently catch up with 2006 San Benito High School graduate Amanda Boyd, as the former Haybaler has been running all over the country for her Northern Arizona cross country team.
On Monday, Boyd and the No. 15 NAU Lumberjacks were competing at the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships in Terre Haute, Ind.
The sophomore Boyd finished 113th overall out of 253 runners with a time of 21:38.6, and was the third runner in for her Northern Arizona team. The Lumberjacks compiled 357 points and finished seventh overall out of 31 teams, edging eighth-place Washington by one point.
Previously, Boyd ran a 21:49.1 at the NCAA Mountain Regional Championships on Nov. 10, and helped the Lumberjacks earn a second-place finish as well as an automatic bid to last Monday’s championships.
The San Benito grad also had her best 5K time ever when she ran 18:02.9 at the Big Sky Championships on Oct. 27. The Lumberjacks took first place in the Big Sky with a 33-point performance.
FL: So, almost two years into college, how’s the life so far?
AB: “It’s fun. It’s hard, but it’s fun. I couldn’t imagine not doing cross country … Some people come up to me and say, ‘I can’t imagine how you guys handle it.’ I couldn’t imagine not doing it.”
FL: What’s your day like right now?
AB: “We run at 6:30 a.m., class from 9 ’til 2, practice at the dome at 3, weights at 5:45. And then treatment after the weights … You never really think about icing (your legs). You get fatigued a lot easier, especially with the altitude at 7,000 feet. We have a big advantage at 7,000 feet. When I go to sea level, it’s really crazy … Obviously, I’ll be breathing hard, but it’s nothing compared to a couple of years ago or probably if I wasn’t training at altitude.”
FL: Last year, as a freshmen, you competed in four meets for NAU. This year, you’re in the NCAA championships. Can you describe that experience and what has been the difference you’ve seen on the team?
AB: “The experience was amazing. I’ve never seen so many people for a cross country meet. Being one of the top 260 girls in the country, that’s an experience in itself … I see Stanford to my right, Georgetown to my left, and being the seventh best cross country team was amazing, too. It’s something I’ll never forget.
“Our team this year, we set a goal to be in the top 20 in the nation, and that graduated to winning the Big Sky, and then we wanted to get top 20 at nationals … We just kept getting better and better. Everyone was really focused and we’re really balanced, too … Last year, we were a little overwhelmed. This year, we knew what we had to do. A lot of the teams that beat us are big name schools. It showed we can run with those girls.”
FL: What was the difference you saw in yourself, from your freshmen year to your sophomore year?
AB: “The biggest difference was confidence. I was so intimidated coming in as a freshmen, and getting used to the altitude, that was a challenge, for sure … It was good to overcome all that and be competing at the national championships.”
FL: When you came to Northern Arizona, did you ever think you’d be running in the national championships?
AB: “I knew that we had a really good program. I never thought about nationals. I just thought it was something out there, but not that I would be there. It didn’t really cross my mind.”
FL: College meets, including the national championships, routinely run a 6K. How difficult is the extra 1,000 meters?
AB: “That other 1,000, oh my gosh, it’s tough. It’s definitely hard to get used to. I mean, the guys run a 10K. That’s insane … That’s just guts.
“There was this long stretch to the finish line (at the national championships), 500 meters, and everyone was sprinting and girls were falling before the finish line. It’s just a matter of how much your body can take.
FL: Girls were falling?
AB: “At regionals, there were a few girls who dropped out of the race. But I’ve never seen as many as I did at nationals. I saw three girls fall out. That’s where the altitude comes into play. I saw two girls just completely fall. One girl started to slow down and I remember looking over and being like, ‘What? There’s only another 200 feet.’ Once you hit the finish line, girls would just fall.
“I was pretty tired. That last stretch, that’s what gets you. Every single point counts. It comes down to every girl.”
FL: How did you think you performed?
AB: I ran pretty well. I ran my best 6K, for sure. I ran a smart race. I didn’t take off too fast, but probably one of my best races, which was pretty exciting. This is nationals. It’s 21 minutes of pain. I was happy after the race.
“The scary thing is that we can run better. We can compete with the big name teams that beat us. Overall, it was exciting. I was happy with my race, which is surprising because I’m usually mad at myself.”
FL: Now that you’ve made it to nationals, what’s next for NAU?
AB: “Now, we have higher expectations. I guess just keep doing what we’re doing. Now that we’re seventh in the nation, we can run with Florida State and try to get third. It’s a confidence thing from here.
“We have the altitude. We have a great coach. We have a great program. Now we can’t be satisfied with where we are now. It’s great … but we have to get back at it pretty soon.”
FL: What about individually?
AB: Staying injury-free. I’m excited for track season, for sure. I want to have a solid track season because that will lay it down for a good cross country season … and stay confident. I’m still gonna be really hard on myself, but stay focused and hopefully drop my times and we’ll go from there.
“Having already competed in the national meet and placing seventh, it’s a lot to live up to. Hopefully, it’ll just get better and better and better. We’re capable of it and proved that to ourselves this year.”
