Sophomore distance runner Tessni Carruthers got her name in the school records in her second year at Nicholls. Carruthers is part of the distance relay time that recently broke a school record with a time of 12:07.70. Additionally, she ran the 1500-meter in 4:34.40, good for third in school history. She spoke about training, fainting during a competition and appreciating the Louisiana heat.
Q: How has the season been going?
A: It has been good actually. It has been better than last season, so I am happy about that.
Q: When did you realize you wanted to run, or that you were good at it?
A: Well I have been running cross country since very early, like elementary school, but I did not start doing track until grade 11. I was a swimmer, but I was kind of getting sick of that, so I decided to switch over.
Q: How do you train to run?
A: Well, we run almost every day. We usually get one day off a week. It is something like two to three workouts a week, and then all of the other days are filled with just runs. We do lifting two to three times a week too.
Q: Has anything strange ever happened at a meet?
A: At regionals last year, I had a mishap where I passed out like 50 meters from the finish line, because apparently I was really dehydrated. I woke up in the oxygen tent after, and everything was fine. I guess it was just dehydration. I did not get to finish the race, so that was kind of a bummer.
Q: What was the aftermath like with that?
A: We came back from Texas, and I went to the hospital. But it was fine. I just had to get an IV and stuff. It was kind of a bummer to end the season like that. It was not really my goal.
Q: What do you normally do to unwind after a meet?
A: We usually have the next day off, so that is pretty good. My roommates and I will just chill and eat a lot of food.
Q: What do you eat to get your energy back?
A: I usually have one day of the week where I eat a lot of chocolate because that is my favorite food ever. We eat a lot of peanut butter. Peanut butter, bananas and coffee is basically what we live off of.
Q: If you had to say, is there one golden rule about running?
A: I guess when you are always running so much, you are not going to like it because it gets kind of repetitive doing the same type every single day, twice a day sometimes. But it is just remembering that I like it, it is what I want to do and keeping my eye on the big goal, because even if you get sick of it, it will all be worth it at the end.
Q: How do you psyche yourself up before an event?
A: Well, I used to get really nervous before races, but that does not really happen to me too much anymore. I usually just listen to music. I listen to actual rap music before, and I do not listen to that ever. So I guess I do that, and I do not do too much, unless it is a really big race with a lot of pressure.
Q: What is your favorite thing about Nicholls?
A: I like that it is so hot here, and I can run. Where I live it is already snowing right now. My sister texted me and said she was racing in snow while it is 30 degrees Celsius here. So it is nice.
Q: What do you want to do in the future?
A: I am a communicative disorders major, so I want to go back to Canada and get my masters or doctorate in that. I want to move back to BC (British Columbia) and just run I guess.