CORPUS CHRISTI – Throughout the year, GoIslanders.com's Christina Boothe
will feature student-athletes from each of our 15 sports. Every Monday, we will bring you a Q&A session with a student-athlete, while Wednesday we will feature an in-depth story of a student-athlete. Be sure to keep tabs on GoIslanders.com as well as our Facebook (Islanders Athletics) and Twitter/Instagram (Go_Islanders) pages throughout the year for more information.
GoIslanders (GI): You trained in Mexico City with family over the summer. How did that impact your performance, and how have you seen those impacts throughout this past preseason?
Liz Romo (LR): I visited Mexico City for altitude training to help me in my running. Training in Mexico City with the family over the summer helped me to gain confidence in my performance. As a result of my training over there, I've seen my confidence grow in a way that this past preseason I am not being afraid to push my limits and I believe in myself. It also helped me have a stronger mindset.
(GI): Having such an unique training experience is wonderful, but especially wonderful before your freshman year. How did your training help you to be ready for the workload that you're having to keep up with here?
(LR): What I've learnt that in order to be a great runner at a college level you have to be disciplined and be a hard worker. In the summer I was disciplined to wake up every morning even when I felt tired and still went to run. Before coming to college I knew there was going to be some talented runners, however I told myself that hard work beats talent. This is why I decided to go to Mexico City and worked hard in my training. This experience helped me handle the workload here in college because my training was running 60 miles a week, hills, altitude training and speed workouts to get me prepared for college cross country.
(GI): The transition from high school to college is a big one, especially for athletes. How have you been dealing with the move?
(LR): The way I've been dealing with the move from high school to college is by being flexible with the changes. Being flexible has helped me in adapting myself to college. So far I have been having a good semester. I have been adapting well with new friends, teachers and coaches. I have also adapted myself with my classes. I've learned to be disciplined with my work.
(GI): What are some things that are different about college athletics that you didn't experience in high school?
(LR): Some things that are different about college athletics that I didn't experience in high school is waking up early in the morning to run. In high school I always trained in the afternoon, and here in college I have to be disciplined to wake up early in the morning to go to practice. I also experience that training wise, in college is different than high school. In college I run about 60-65 miles a week and in high school I will run up to 30-40 miles a week.
(GI): What are your goals as you look into your future at TAMUCC?
(LR): My goal as I look into my future at TAMUCC is to graduate with a criminal justice degree. My long term goal in cross country is to win conference, regionals and qualify for nationals before I graduate from TAMUCC. Those are my goals in track as well.The harder I train the closer I am to reaching my goal.
