2004 FOOT LOCKER CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS
Post-race interview with Scott MacPherson

by Ricky Quintana

Scott MacPherson (Photo: Alison Wade/NYRR)

Scott MacPherson, a senior at Plano Senior High School in Plano, Texas, finished 39th at the 2004 Foot Locker Cross Country Championships. He qualified for nationals by finishing second at the Foot Locker South Regional.

MensRacing.com: How do you feel?
Scott MacPherson: Better every second, but during the race, horrible.

MR: You looked really comfortable running with [Andrew] Bumbalough early on.
SM: I really wanted to win this. I wanted to stay relaxed, stay in the front. I think a couple of things could have gone wrong. I'm not sure what happened to me. It could have been overhydration, where I drained all my electrolytes. Not enough Gatorade and stuff like that. I think that's what it was, because my form was gone and halfway through the race I had nothing and was falling back with every step. I wasn't going to quit and I just kept on cruising. I was happy to make it here. I'm going to have a good time the rest of my time here.

MR: Did your knee hold up well?
SM: It did. I really didn't feel any pain from it. I was conscious of it up on the hill. I didn't fly down the hill. I didn't want to risk it. I was kind of happy that it wasn't my knee that was hurting me.

MR: It was a little hotter the past couple of days. Do you think that played a role?
SM: Maybe. It could have been heat exhaustion, but I would have thought coming from Texas, I would have been prepared. You never know. That's why cross country is so cool. It's unpredictable and anything could happen on any day. I have to get a break and take some time off and get ready for track.

(Interview conducted on December 11, 2004, and posted on December 16, 2004.)