Q-and-A with Stephanie Sanders, Lockport track
April 18, 2012 8:18PM
Stephanie Sanders, Lockport track
Updated: May 21, 2012 8:36AM
Sanders took third in the Class 3A 1,600-meter run last season and was a sectional champion. Sanders will attend Illinois-Chicago in the fall.
Why UIC?
I really like the city atmosphere, being close to the lake and being able to run by it every day. I like being semi-close to home, but still far away enough to feel the college experience. I feel it’s going to be a good four years.
What’s your best time in the 1,600?
5:01 at the state meet in the semifinals. Before the state meet, my best time was 5:09. I didn’t think I was going to get any lower. I thought I had peaked. I looked at the clock, I was like, “5:01, where did that come from?” That was a pleasant surprise.
How do you approach the 800 and 1,600?
I enjoy running both equally. I don’t really have a specific race strategy. They’re both short enough where it’s like all-out the entire time. There’s some pacing involved in the mile.
What are your individual goals?
I was out all winter with a groin injury, from cross country until the indoor competitive season. I didn’t really have a base. I’m not where I should be right now, but I’m going to do all I can to get back to the times I was running at the end of last year.
Name a person you’d like to have a conversation with.
My aunt Kim in Colorado is a triathlete. I don’t know her very well. Every time I’m with her what’s going through my mind is, “I want to be like her when I’m older.” She’s in her 40s. She’s probably in better shape than I am.
Who would play you in the movie of your life?
Can it be a male? I have a small obsession with Leonardo DiCaprio.
What will you remember most about your years at Lockport?
All the time I’ve spent with (teammate) Megan O’Brien. A lot of the biggest or most important memories of my life, she’s been in them.
As told to Tim Tierney
