Santa Rosa Press Democrat // News for California's North Bay and Redwood Empire

Low-tech edition (About)

DATE: Tuesday, May 16, 2006
COLUMN: Q&A

RUNNER'S KEY: MENTAL ASPECT KRISTEN SANZARI, 17, IS A JUNIOR AT MARIA CARRILLO,
WHERE SHE HAS RUN CROSS COUNTRY AND TRACK SINCE HER FRESHMAN YEAR.

PRESS DEMOCRAT:When did you start running competitively?
SANZARI: In sixth grade with Pursuit running club, coached by Danny Aldridge. It wasn't very competitive
but it definitely got me hooked to running, and in middle school I started getting more competitive.
What is your favorite running event?
The 800 meters -- it is the toughest race and it takes the most guts and heart to run. It is partly a
sprint and an endurance race, which is why I love it so much. The 400m is a little too short and the mile
can get boring, but the 800 is a happy medium.
Do you like cross country or track more?
I like track events more than cross country. I love that in cross country it is more of a close-knit team
effort, but I just love the atmosphere of track. I consider myself a middle-distance runner. If the race
gets too long, it becomes monotonous, whereas in track there are always people there to cheer you on.
Do you enjoy the mental aspect of running as much as the physical?
One of the characteristics of a true athlete is the mental aspect. Running is just as much a mental game
as a physical game. I like this because it gives me the sense that if I believe it, I can do it. One of my
favorite sayings is: ``It's not how good you are, it is how bad you want it.'' This is what makes running
so great.
Running has seemingly taken a unique spot at Maria Carrillo. It's almost like ``the'' sport there. How
do you think that happened?
The coaches have a lot to do with this. Danny Aldridge, Richard Flores and Jenny Aldridge are amazing
coaches. They all know what it takes to be a runner and they do whatever they can to help the team succeed
while making sure the team has fun.
Has there been one event that you have run -- win or lose -- that you especially remember?
The 800m race at NCS my sophomore year. In order to go on to state, you had to be in the top4. I
remember wanting it so badly ... I remember standing there completely out of breath when the announcer
said I had ran the automatic qualifying time and so I would go on to state. I was ecstatic.
What are your college plans?
I do plan on continuing to run in college, and I plan to major in architecture. I am not sure where
exactly I want to go to college, but I know that I will apply to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, UCLA and Princeton.

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