FARMVILLE, Va. -- Longwood University freshman cross country runner Seth Taylor|Chesapeake (Grassfield) is this week's Longwood Male Athlete of the Week. He led the Lancers at the Blue Ridge Open hosted by Appalachian State University on October 12 with his collegiate-best time of 26:26 over the 8K course to place 84th among 146 competitors. It was the fastest time for that distance on the team this season, and the eighth-fastest 8K time in the program's history. Longwood will race again on Oct. 27 at the Big South Conference Cross Country Championships hosted by Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina.
Question and Answer Session with Seth Taylor and Bethany Drury
BD: Why did you decide to come to Longwood?
ST: I came here because I want to help distinguish the Longwood cross country program.
BD: How are you adjusting to college life with academics and athletics?
ST: I’m doing really well. I’m getting to another level in running. For academics, I’m a physics major and I’m currently getting straight A’s.
BD: How do you feel about leading the team in your last run?
ST: It was a personal record, but it still wasn’t the best time so I’m just going to keep working harder.
BD: How did you get started running cross country?
ST: My wrestling coach made us run a lot, so I was used to it. Then I ran track in middle school and cross country in high school, but I was always a one or two miler.
BD: What is your favorite thing about Longwood Cross Country?
ST: Doing long runs, talking with the top guys and when our coach runs with us. I like just knocking out 20 miles and feeling really good afterwards.
BD: What is your favorite place on campus?
ST: Wheeler Lawn at night.
BD: What is your favorite Longwood tradition?
ST: The cross country team started our own tradition. We touch the fire hydrant outside of Town Hall when we run by.
BD: Are you involved in any other activities?
ST: I volunteer for the campaign for Obama. I’m a volunteer captain at the office here.
BD: What are your post-grad plans?
ST: I’m a physics and secondary education major, and since Longwood has the program that allows me to get a masters for secondary education in five years, I want to do that and then go teach somewhere and go to graduate school for engineering.
BD: Who is your favorite athlete?
ST: Steve Prefontaine, he’s my idol in running.
BD: Do you have any role models?
ST: My mom. She and I have been through a lot in the last two years and looking back she has always been very positive and I try to carry myself with the same attitude.
BD: Do you have any other talents?
ST: I’m a really good artist. I’m good at painting, photography and sculpting. My mom is an art teacher and a lot of my family members, including my dad, are good artists.
BD: Do you have any other interests?
ST: Besides art, I really love music. I’m really musically diverse. My friends and I get together and I sing and play music.
