"Ears" What They Had to Say

An Interview with 8th Grader Brian Rhodes-Devey

June 13, 2003

In just his first year running competitively for the Guilderland High School Cross-Country and Track & Field teams, 8th grade stand-out, Brian Rhodes-Devey has made a huge impact on the trails and track. Beginning the year with a solid cross-country season, Rhodes-Devey paved his own way to huge success in outdoor track where he set a new 8th grade State Record for the Boys 1600 meter run. His time of 4:32.13 not only topped the books at Guilderland, but also topped all books throughout New York. This promising young star seems to have the potential to make an even larger impact on Section II next cross-country season...GuilderlandXC.com�s, Mike Poole recently had the opportunity to speak open and candidly with Brian about his accomplishments thus far and what he looks forward to in the future.

Mike Poole (MP): Brian, beginning with cross-country, it was evident that you started hitting some great success in your first year of running competitively on the team. As indoors and outdoors came, you improved a great deal more. What would you say was the biggest influence that guided you to what you have achieved so far?

Brian Rhodes-Devey (BRD): My greatest influence is with out a doubt Mr. Wagner. Without him I would never have gotten into running and or had the drive to do as well as I did this year.

MP: When did you first start running? What got you into the sport?

BRD: I first started when I was back in 5th grade. We had runs like the road runner. I was never a top competitor but I knew I loved it. Coach Depresse got me into x-c running in 6th grade when he asked me to try out for the team.

MP: Which do you prefer, cross-country or track?

BRD: Cross-country by far. Though I excell more in track, x-c is just one big sweaty party for me.

MP: What has been your most memorable race to date?

BRD: When I ran a 9:57 at the frosh Tawasentha course, my family was there and it was my last chance to go sub-10 that year; I was so excited.

MP: Alright, when you ran your State Record of 4:32 this past season, please explain how the race worked itself out for you (splits, how you were feeling, who was in it, etc.).

BRD: Well, as soon as the gun went off I went out a little hard, I quickly moved into lane one (in the process cutting off Paul John [Niskayuna]). My first lap, I stayed right behind Foley [Saratoga] until he took off. At the 800 I was right where I wanted to be at 2:14. At the 1000 Kevin Treadway (freshmen from Colonie) pulled up along side me, which didn�t make me too happy, so I went with him staying a little bit behind leaving room for a kick. My third lap is my weak lap in which I ran a 69. The last and final lap, I started to feel my legs start to get heavy. It seemed to last forever; Treadway pulled away which left me kind of crushed. Coach [Bob] Irwin was yelling, ":27, :28, :29" as I came across the line, and all I could think was I didn�t get the 8th grade state record, but while I was throwing up, I found out otherwise.

MP: Given that you were close to breaking the National 8th grade record for the 1600 meters this year (4:26), any chance we might see a National freshmen record in the 1600 meters (4:14) next year?

BRD: I sure hope so!

MP: What is a typical training week like for you in cross-country and track?

BRD: X-C I didn�t get as many hard work-outs because I ran freshmen, not saying that Kosier and Wags didn�t run us hard but a normal week in track consisted of a long run (5-8 miles), a speed workout (200, 400, 1600 repeats), a shorter run (4-5) and then the day before a meet we would work technical stuff and a little over speed and every once and awhile a hill run.

MP: How is your training for indoor and outdoor track different, if at all?

BRD: Having meets every other day. It wasn�t easy to get a lot of training in. During indoor we had the whole week to workout. We had practices at least two times a week. I liked outdoor better because it taught my body to bounce back quicker from day to day.

MP: What type of summer training do you plan on doing in order to get ready for this years cross-country season?

BRD: I'm going to take 1 week off in the beginning of the summer, then I�m going to be doing about 25-30 miles a week with a speed work out at least once a week.

MP: Who is your all-time favorite sports hero/heroine and why?

BRD: I would have to say the "Great One" himself, Wayne Gretzky. I've played hockey since age 3 and growing up I always wanted to skate the way he does. In fact, this year I was asked by my hockey coach (also the varsity hockey coach here at Guilderland) to try out for the hockey team.

MP: Yeah, I noticed that your AOL "screen name" is Laxboy1115. Is there any chance that we might lose you to lacrosse or some other sport some day?

BRD: I have played lacrosse since I was 8, up until this year I have been playing lacrosse in all my free time. This year during indoor I was asked..no instructed to run outdoor by coach Kosier. After talking it over with my father, who is my lacrosse coach I decided to hang up my stick and helmet and trade it in for running shoes. I�m just to lazy to change my screen name.

MP: What are some of the things you do outside of running?

BRD: In my free time I mostly think about running. I also hang out in Altamont with LB, Carl, Seth and Gocko, go to the mall, get into trouble, a lot of hackie-sack and Frisbee, but mostly think about running.

MP: What is your single most favorite thing about Guilderland Cross-Country?

BRD: The people, I have met some of my best friends through x-c and they are all just so amazing, there's no crazy "kill each other" atmosphere that there is in the other sports I�ve played. It is just so great.

MP: So, what's on tap for the summer?

BRD: This summer I�m going away to sleep-away camp in the Catskills for two weeks, coming home for one day then leaving for Cape Cod for a week, then going to Finland, Iceland and Russia with my mother until the 17 of August, one day before practices start!

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