One-on-One with Jessica Eldridge

NORMAN, Okla. Sophomore Jessica Eldridge will compete in her second national cross country championship Monday, Nov. 22, at the Wabash Valley Family Sports Center in Terre Haute, Ind.

Eldridge, a fabulous freshman, has become a stunning sophomore earning All-Big 12 and All-Midwest Region honors for the second time in as many years. She led the Sooners in every race she competed in 2004 and broke her own school record in the 6,000 meters by 20 seconds with her fourth-place run (20:36.28) at the NCAA Midwest Regional despite recovering from tendonitis. In fact, each of her seven-career 6K runs is one of the top 10 times in school history.

The Broken Arrow native owns five school records the indoor distance medley relay (11:30.53), the indoor 800 (2:06.33), the indoor mile (4:38.79), the outdoor distance medley relay (11:31.14) and the 6K cross country race. She also set the fourth-fastest 5K cross country time (16:41.96), in a category with multi-time All-Americans Kellie Cathey and Tove Lutdal, at the Southern Stampede, earning Big 12 Runner of the Week honors for the second time in her career. That time was also the fastest 5K run by a Big 12 athlete this season.

Download Jessica's Media Packet

Under her leadership the 2004 women's cross country team accomplished several notable achievements.

The women won the program's first-ever race in a field of more than 12 teams. They also earned their first-ever national ranking, 29th (FinishLynx/NCAA National Poll, Sept. 20), and moved up as high as No. 27. The team also earned their first-ever No. 1 ranking in the Midwest Region. Their seventh-place finish at the Big 12 Championship was the best in school history.

The sophomore is four-for-four in qualifying for national meets. She qualified for the 2003 cross country national championship, the mile at the 2004 indoor nationals, the 1500-meter race at the 2004 outdoor nationals, and the 2004 cross country championships.

Eldridge can earn her first-ever All-America honor by placing in the top 30. The women's 6K race begins at 11 a.m.

Q&A with Jessica Eldridge:

How did you feel about your last race, the NCAA Midwest Regional?

“The course was awesome. It was a beautiful day and I felt pretty good. The week before I actually got over tendonitis in my knee, so I wasn't sure how I was going to do. I just told myself that I could get through it and I did really well.”

Was it disappointing not to qualify the entire team?

“It's bittersweet. It's a great feeling to make it, but it's sad not to have the whole team there. I experienced the same thing last year so it won't be a distraction.”

How has this year differed from your freshman year?

“This year is a lot easier. I have the experience that was missing as I entered nationals last year. I'm a lot more confident going into nationals this year. Last year, I wasn't sure what to expect. I made some freshman mistakes. I won't be afraid to get out at the start. I know I can be an All-American.”

Does your training program change for the national championship?

“My training doesn't really change. I just try to maintain what I have already built. I was a lot stronger coming into my sophomore year than my freshman year. I didn't have any time off this summer because I was competing in Italy at the World Junior Championships, so I never had time to lose my strength. I also have a year of workouts under my belt, so I'm not pushing myself too hard right now.”

What are some of the advantages you have going into this year's nationals as opposed to last year?

“I have a lot more experience. I know what is expected of me. I've prepared myself better this year than last year because I know what to do. I've never run on the course. Coach (Rothoff) told me it's a golf course, so it won't have difficult hills. I've run on these types of courses before and the course for regionals was a golf course, so I don't think I'm at any disadvantage.”

Was qualifying for nationals as a sophomore any less satisfying than as a freshman?

“I encountered an adversity this year that made qualifying as a sophomore more satisfying than as a freshman. I had tendonitis in my knee. It was kind of scary, but I just kept telling myself that I would get through it. The first time I felt anything was the Saturday before regionals. The first step I took with my jog, I felt a sharp pain. I had to wait until Monday to get treatment because I was actually at home in Broken Arrow. It really was a mental obstacle more than anything. I had never had anything effect my running like that before. It was really the first time I had an injury. I went to the training room every morning and evening after practice and got therapy on it. Now, I feel really good. I haven't had any problems with it. I don't feel anything wrong when I'm running now. I'm in the best shape of my life.”

Who would you say is your rival?

“I would say Amanda Bales from Missouri is who I see as my rival. I'm not going out there to place in front of her though. I don't care where she finishes; I want to be an All-American to be in the top 30.”

How do you run a good cross country race?

“I don't think a lot of people realize how much tactics have to do with running a good race. I've had more experience running with different athletes this year and I know how to position myself at certain points in a race. Basically, I'm thinking about my technique and my form. I try to talk to myself as much as possible to give myself positive encouragement. I also have to try hard on focusing to Coach while he's trying to instruct me.”

Are you ready for some time off?

“I haven't though much about having some down time in the offseason. I've been concentrating on this meet. I was kind of thinking about time off before regionals, but now I'm totally focused on this race and achieving my goals. I'm not even worried about off-time anymore.”

What would you say is your role on the team?

“Well, I guess I'm the girl that's always focused and ready to go.”

Q&A with head cross country coach Rodney Rothoff:

How tough is Jessica for coping with tendonitis?

“I think it speaks highly of her character. Anytime Jessica's faced adversity she's always rebounded. An example of that would be how last year she had a lackluster performance at the indoor conference meet where she didn't make the final in the mile, but came back the next week, running the eighth-fastest time in the country and qualified for nationals. She has a quality where every time she has faced adversity, she shines. She can't lose.”

Is cross country running her best chance to become an All-American?

“No. To be honest, this is probably the weakest. She doesn't have the background some other distances runners have. Coming from Oklahoma, she ran two miles at the state meet. A year later, she's running a 6K at nationals. That's 3.7 miles twice the distance. Ultimately, until she gets more experience, it's probably her weakest event.”

What is your goal for Jessica?

“She set her goal to be an All-American the top 30 in the country. My expectations are nothing less. That's the goal we're going after. Win or lose that goal, we're going to come from this stronger. We have a race plan that will put her in a position to achieve her goal.”

What is this course like?

“There aren't any significant hills, but it's a degree or two more difficult that the one we just competed at. The advantage that has more weight is her experience. Last year was tough, but she ran a heck of a race. I'm not going to say it won't help her, but there are a lot of other things that will help her more. We didn't run on the course for the region meet beforehand and she did great. She just has to believe in herself and have the confidence at nationals that she would at a regional or conference meet.”

What is Jessica's role on the team?

“She's been a silent leader. She leads by example. Jessica has unwavering composure. You can never question what she is capable of doing. She's such a talented young lady that once her confidence catches up, she will be at another level.”

Seeing what she's accomplished with one year in cross country, how do you feel about Jessica's track season?

“It's going to be a lot of fun. Last year, it was a question of what she could accomplish. This year, we know that she is that good and we can raise her benchmarks.”

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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