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MensRacing.com
recently caught up with Providence College senior and reigning NCAA
Cross Country Champion Keith Kelly. Here's what the affable Irishman
had to say...
Chris
Lear: Congrats on your success this year. What kind of
reception did you get back in Ireland after you won NCAA's, and
had an Irishman won NCAA cross country before?
Keith
Kelly: The last Irishman to win the NCAA's was Sean Dolman
in '92; however, at that time he was running for South Africa so
I guess the guy before that was Neil Cusack back in the 70's. Sonia
(O'Sullivan) won it in the early 90's too.
The response
at home was amazing. People in Ireland have a lot of respect for
NCAA competition. Almost all of our top runners came stateside for
collegiate competition so when I won the NCAA's people at home grouped
me in the same category as the Irish greats like Mark Carroll, Frank
O'Mara and John Treacy. I don't think I deserve to belong with those
names but it was nice all the same.
CL:
Let's backtrack even further. What part of Ireland are you from?
And how did you get into running?
KK:
I am from a town named Drogheda that is located about 30 miles north
of Dublin on the east coast of Ireland. I lived in a real tight
community in the town and when a running club was set up by some
locals to keep the kids off the street I joined immediately. It
was not about running back then, it was about having something to
do and a place to hang out. We would play more soccer than anything
and the only running we did was chasing the girls. I was very unsuccessful!
I stuck at it anyway (running, that is) and I took it more seriously
in high school; especially when the idea of coming to America became
an option.
CL:
How renowned are runners like Eamonn Coghlan and Marcus O'Sullivan
in Ireland? Are those guys you looked up to growing up?
KK:
Those guys are very renowned. They are the benchmark to which all
up-and-coming runners are measured. Who will be the next John Treacy
or
Eamonn Coghlan? I actually didn't get much exposure to those guys
growing up because when they were dominating I didn't really care.
I followed Liverpool FC (Football Club) and that was it. When I
started getting into running it was the English middle distance
runners, funnily enough, whom I idolized. Steve Cram was the man
and I remember being so disappointed when he missed out on a medal
in the 1988 Olympics.
CL:
I see that your hometown of Drogheda, Ireland is near the site of
the infamous Battle of the Boyne, where in 1690, the English removed
Roman Catholic King James II from the throne and made William III,
a Protestant, king. The Protestants in Northern Ireland celebrate
their victory in Boyne every year with Orange Day Parades honoring
King William. (Editor's note: start learning about it here: http://www.worldbook.com/fun/bth/html/boyne.htm)
How much did you learn about the battle growing up in school, and
as a youth did you ever run around the land where the battle was
conducted? Finally, what do you think of the parades?
KK:
That's the most intelligent question I have been asked in any interview
since I came to the States. Fair play to ye man! I live right down
the road from the battle site of the original Battle of the Boyne
when Oliver Cromwell invaded and massacred the town, wanker! But
the William of Orange invasion happened about 50 years later in
1690. I live about 3 miles from that battleground. We learned a
lot about it growing up and I have an 8-mile loop that runs right
around the battle site where there is a commemorative plaque remembering
those who died.
The Orange
Order comes down every July to celebrate the victory but it goes
off relatively quietly compared to Belfast or Derry. The only time
I remember it getting a bit crazy was in 1990 when the 300-year
anniversary took place. People were pissed off in the town and they
wanted to go out and really disrupt proceedings, but the security
is so good that their anniversary crap went off peacefully. In the
North, however, it is a different story. The battleground in Drogheda
is located 3 miles outside the town but in Belfast, for example,
the Orange Order march right on the doorsteps of the Catholics that
they have persecuted for years and things get out of hand. I am
not religious but most of Ireland is Catholic, so the parades are
very frustrating for the people to watch.
I feel bad
for the northern Catholics who are forced into their own homes while
Orange Order band members sing and chant victory songs as they walk
past. People get pissed off and angry. I think they have a right
to celebrate their history but they should reroute the parade to
avoid Catholic areas and to avoid the millions of pounds worth of
damage caused when the rioting starts.
CL:
Does the Irish team consist of runners from both Ireland and Northern
Ireland? If so, is there any tension between the Protestants and
Catholics?
KK:
The Irish team does consist of both Northern and Republic runners.
Gareth Turnbull and Colin McLean are two great runners from Belfast
who run for Ireland. However, they are both Catholic. I think the
Protestant, Unionist Northern runners declare for Great Britain.
However, there is no place in the sport for those differences. I
couldn't care less what religion someone is. If they are running
on the same team as me it is about winning, nothing else. I have
never experienced tension because I don't think there is any. I
must ask Turnbull what he thinks about it.
CL:
Let me switch gears...your coach Ray Treacy is also Irish and Providence
has a history of Irish runners. How instrumental was his presence
along with the tradition of Irish runners at PU in your decision
to go to Providence?
KK:
Ray Treacy is a great coach. I have never seen anyone as accurate
with their predictions as Ray. I have 100% faith in his coaching.
This was the main reason why I wanted to come to Providence. Ray
being Irish was only one aspect of my decision. I was also recruited
by Iona but that's it.
Irish runners
want to come to Providence because they know that they will have
help in making the transition because Ray knows what it is like,
as do the other runners on the team. NCAA competition provides young
Irish runners with an opportunity to come and race some of the best
athletes in the world who are their own age. If they stay at home
they are immediately racing Senior men who dominate them. There
is also a lack of races at home so the college system here makes
up for that.
A good education
and a tradition that includes John Treacy, Steve Binns, Geoff Smith,
Andy Keith and Mark Caroll makes Providence the place to be for
young Irish runners. But Ray does not like Providence to be considered
a foreigner team. We recruit American athletes every year and this
year we have 2 state champions joining the ranks. Irish kids have
the same background as American kids so it saddens we when people
speak negatively about Irish runners in America. We come here to
race in NCAA competition and speaking for myself I have huge respect
for the American middle distance runners. I train with Mike Donnelly
who finished 10th in Cross nationals last weekend. And Adam Goucher
is one of my favorite runners to watch, as is Gabe Jennings.
CL: Do any top runners stay
to run and get their education in Ireland?
KK:
There have been many good runners who have made it at home. James
Nolan is Irelands best 800m man and he went to UCD in Dublin. The
States is a good option for Irish lads but not the only option.
CL: Any Irish
guys ever run for Notre Dame? I mean, the Fightin' Irish and all?
KK:
I don't think so but I am not sure. I will ask Ray about that. As
for Fightin' Irish, I think a few of them have wanted to fight me
over the past few years, but at the end of the day it is all friendly
competition and I have great respect for their program.
CL:
Are you going to represent Ireland in World Cross? If so, will you
run the 4k or 12k? And, have you competed in world cross before?
KK:
I am. I think I may be doing the 4k but I am not sure, the selection
has not been made yet. I will run either race and do my best. I
just can't wait to compete because my parents have never seen me
represent Ireland. Last time I ran was as a junior in South Africa.
I got the trunks whipped off me. I collapsed at 6k and felt like
crap for months after. I don't know what happened but the experience
was great. It is an amazing competition.
CL:
Last year at the end of January you finished 11th at the Terrier
Classic at the end of January in 14:09.44. A year later, you just
got your NCAA indoor qualifier out of the way with a commanding
13:54 indoor 5k victory this past weekend in Boston at the St. Valentine's
meet. You've made a big jump -- to what do you attribute this year's
progress?
KK:
I have just finally made the jump. Last year I rested up for that
14:09, this year I put in a tough week of training and ran 13:54
feeling completely flat from the miles. I have had a year of uninterrupted
training and a year of sacrifice. I worked closer with Ray than
ever before and he has shown me what it takes to be a top runner.
I train harder and don't really socialize as much. It is all about
running now. Also, I heard you were in the stands watching so I
decided to run my ass off and maybe scalp an interview out of it.
It worked!
CL:
Last year at NCAA Indoors you ran 14:45 and finished 17th. I read
somewhere that that was a turning point for you. You must be looking
forward to a bit of redemption there.
KK:
Yes, I ran like muck. I was wrecked because I ran 13:57 5 days before
and I had no strength to come back. I spoke to Ray after the race
and he told me that if I wanted to win NCAA cross the training had
to start there and then. I didn't mess around after that. I am looking
to do well again. It will take an almighty effort to beat Kimani
and Matt Lane and many of the other qualifiers but I am in great
shape and I am as confident as anyone toeing the line.
CL:
What emphasis do you place on the indoor season and how will your
training differ outdoors?
KK:
I am trying to downplay indoors. I want to run fast outdoors and
try to secure a sponsor. I have kept the miles up through each race
and I am still running fast. My 8:04 at Big East was my slowest
run this year so I am strong. I will have to ease up a bit for NCAA
indoor cause I will be hammered if I don't. I am just doing what
Ray tells me to and I am trying not to analyze it too much. He wants
the best for me and like I said I have 100% faith in what he has
planned.
CL:
What are your plans after you graduate this spring? Any chance you'll
be swinging through Boulder next summer?
KK:
I'll be living in Boston with my girlfriend. I want to be close
to Ray. I hope I can be sponsored so I can run full time. If that's
the case I would love to eventually try some altitude training in
Boulder. It would be up to Ray but I would love to go and do some
of those runs that you described in Running with the Buffs.
CL:
The Irish brogue is just too cool. Can you share some Irish lingo
with me that mensracing.com readers can incorporate into their speech?
KK:
Well Chris the word is that Scoops has made its way to Colorado
(Indeed it has and is proliferating teenage girls to a Backstreet
Boys show). Here is a list of a few others that Dils (UConn's Dan
Wilson, interview forthcoming) has been favoring:
Bloke -- Man
Craic (pronounced crack) -- Good times, etc.
Swill -- Beer
Scoops -- Beer
Bollox -- A pair of balls, i.e. you are a bollox
Wanker -- Some one who plays with themselves if you know what I
mean
There are a few. Next time we talk, Chris, I will give you plenty
of phrases to use.
CL: The Irish food I've had
here is well, Irish food, but the beer, now that's another story...
What's your favorite Irish scoop and what lesser-known Irish scoop
should I be sure to sample?
KK:
My favorite scoop is good ol' Guinness for strength. It is great
stuff. Murphy's is a lesser known stout but equally as nice. The
boys from Cork love it coz it is brewed there.
CL:
You're stuck on a desert island, or the UConn campus, you choose
your poison, and you only have one CD, one movie, and one book to
entertain you...What are your picks?
KK:
The CD would be Northern Exposure II by Sasha & John Digweed.
It is amazing. I recommend that you get your hands on anything by
Sasha & Digweed, especially the global underground series.
The movie
would be Trainspotting followed closely by Fight Club. I also recommend
Snatch, it's class.
The book would
be Lance Armstrong's "It's Not About the Bike," an excellent
read. A close second would be Running With the Buffs. (I am such
an ass kisser.)
CL:
Thanks for the dealio...All the best at World Cross and beyond...
KK:
Thank you Chris, you're a top bloke
(February
2001)
Chris
Lear is the author of "Running with the Buffaloes." The
book chronicles the University of Colorado men's cross country team's
1998 season. Currently out of print, Lyons Press is republishing
the book in hardcover in the spring of 2001. Check http://www.runwiththebuffs.com
for details.
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Keith
Kelly on his way to victory at the 2000 NCAA Cross Country Championships.
