Colorado University Athletics
Getting To Know: Jake Hurysz, XC/T&F
Tell us about your background. How was your high school experience? What influenced you to get involved in running?
Jake: My dad was a really competitive cyclist when I was little, so endurance sports have always been his thing. I played baseball growing up, as well as high school basketball and soccer. I began to run track in the spring in order to stay in shape for soccer in the fall. I ran track my sophomore year of high school and it went really well. After that, I sat down with my parents and my coach, and after evaluating everything, I decided to focus on running knowing that there was a chance that I could go to college for it. I started cross country the next fall and continued from there.
What is your favorite running event and how does that influence your training?
Jake: I really like the mile and the 1,500. TheyGÇÖre fun because they are shorter races and have the speed aspect to it. We do a lot of speed work on the track running 400 and 200 meter workouts, and thatGÇÖs really fun to me. I think the longer workouts we do in cross country can wear on me a little bit, so transferring from cross country workouts into track allows me to focus on my races and the more of the tactics of the race. ItGÇÖs just a lot of fun for me, and my coaches think the mile and 1,500 are my best events right now.
How would you describe transitioning and refocusing your energy to track after such a successful cross country season?
Jake: The seasons all kind of blend together, but I kind of look at them as two different sports. Honestly, the work that we put in during cross country season is what sets us up for a great track season. It gives me a lot of confidence. After cross country season, IGÇÖll take my down time for two weeks, but IGÇÖll still be in really good shape coming back for track. ItGÇÖs really exciting to know that all of the months we train for and all the successes we have during cross country, directly correlate to our success in track so we almost have to focus on blending them all together.
Are there any individual goals you are aiming for going into the outdoor season?
Jake: IGÇÖd just like to continue developing well and keep learning how to race tactically. Making the NCAA Outdoor Championships and the NCAA final in the 1,500 are big goals of mine, but I also want to lower my PR (personal record) and run some personal bests this outdoor season. I think IGÇÖm ready to do that. IGÇÖve already set one record in the mile this indoor season and broken times off of my first 3k, so I think IGÇÖm in a position to lower some personal bests and have a good outdoor season.
What has been the best piece of advice or message from Coach Wetmore this year that you try to take to heart?
Jake: He always tells us to be autonomous, which basically means to take care of yourself, and be a grown up about how you train and live. Coach Wetmore usually doesnGÇÖt say too much, but when he does, everyone listens. Everyone takes what he says to heart, so IGÇÖve modeled this whole last year off of that. Even when somethingGÇÖs going wrong, his words of encouragement make us stay focused and positive, and helped get me to where I am now.
Who do you look to as role models, both inside and outside the sport?
Jake: Coach Wetmore obviously has a big influence on my success. My teammates are role models too, because even if you have a bad day, they are there to pick you up. I also talk to my high school coach every day. HeGÇÖs no longer my coach, but heGÇÖs my mentor and one of my good friends, so I talk to him on a regular basis. HeGÇÖs had a huge influence on getting me to where I am now. Those people along with my parents and even the CU family as a whole are like my support system. I used to look up to professional runners that are really good, but now my focus is on trying to beat those guys. ThatGÇÖs kind of cool when guys you used to look up to are now the ones youGÇÖll be racing against.
Do you have any pre-meet rituals to help you prepare for a race?
Jake: I shave my legs. IGÇÖve shaved my legs since high school. My dad did it too when he was into cycling. It doesnGÇÖt give me any kind of advantage and doesnGÇÖt actually have an impact; but if I donGÇÖt shave my legs, I donGÇÖt think IGÇÖm prepared for the race. ItGÇÖs a mental block that I have to cross every single time.
WhatGÇÖs something interesting about you that most people donGÇÖt know?
Jake: Most people on the team probably know this, but IGÇÖm a huge basketball fan. I go to a lot of CU basketball games either by myself or with people. IGÇÖm a CU fan but also a big UNC- Chapel Hill basketball fan too. IGÇÖll watch any game on TV, and in the offseason IGÇÖll go to the gym to play. Basketball is just a way for me to escape from running for a bit when I need to.
Tell us about your record-breaking mile race at the Husky Classic earlier this year (finishing time of 3:58.13). How did that particular experience feel?
Jake: It was great. I didnGÇÖt really know where I was, or how well I was going to run, so I just went out there with a chip on my shoulder and see how it would go. I tried to take advantage of the opportunity and it went better than I had planned. The goal was to break 4 minutes. The difference between 3:58.13 and 3:59.99 is pretty big, so it felt good to run a really fast time. I wasnGÇÖt expecting necessarily to focus on the mile indoors; rather the 3k, but I ran a good mile so now the focus was on the mile. That was a change, but itGÇÖs good; especially since we sometimes take indoors lighter than most of our usual competition.