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Full Name: Elizabeth Allston Tempel Academic Interest: Calculus- I have always been interested in my math classes. I want to study engineering in college. Brother/Sisters: Trey Tempel Hobbies: Waterskiing, swimming, baking Date of Birth: August 4, 1988 Personal Bests: 5K: 19:17, 3200m: 11:48, 1600m: 5:25, 800m: 2:32 |
scrunners: When did you start to run?
tempel: I started to run at the age of seven. I began jogging around my neighborhood and participating in \"fun runs.\" I began running cross country as a seventh grader.
scrunners: What made you decide to run cross country?
tempel: A neighbor running for the Beaufort High cross country team persuaded me to come out and run with them when she saw me running around the neighborhood.
scrunners: Do you also compete in track and field? What events do you specialize in and why?
tempel: Yes, I specialize in the 3200m and the 1600m races. The longer the distance, the more I enjoy the race.
scrunners: How does your training shift following the end of the cross country season to prepare for track and field?
tempel: I run long, slow distance until about the middle of December, when I begin to run short sprints and work on a little speed.
scrunners: What course is your favorite in South Carolina and out of state?
tempel: Furman University\'s course is my favorite course. We have never travelled out of state.
scrunners: How would you say your season has gone so far?
tempel: I feel that my season has been very successful so far. I have been running decent times, and I feel more prepared mentally. I also feel that I am peaking at the right time this year.
scrunners: How will your training change as the state meet comes around on Nov. 6?
tempel: We will run longer distances at a slower pace for speed workouts, and we will drop intensity for our distance workouts.
scrunners: From a 21st place finish at the 2003 state meet and Beaufort\'s four place team finish, what would you like to accomplish and what kind of goals has your team set?
tempel: I would like to become an All State finisher once again, and our team would like to see a top 10 finish.
scrunners: What kind of training did you undergo this summer?
tempel: I averaged about 40 miles weekly, running long distance at a moderate pace, adding several tempo runs and fartleks in at the end of summer.
scrunners: Who do you train with in the summer?
tempel: I train with the Beaufort High girl\'s cross country team during the summer, running with Jenna Guthrie and Lauren Carroll during conditioning.
scrunners: What do you look for in a coach and what do you expect a coach to look for in you?
tempel: I look for a coach who understands what type of training will be most beneficial for my success as an individual, mentally and physically. My coach does a very good job of individualizing workouts for each member of our team, so that everyone benefits from each workout. I expect a coach to look for a runner\'s best effort. Expecting hard work each day keeps a runner disciplined for racing and even life.
scrunners: Have you ever been injured? Explain? How did you stay motivated during this time?
tempel: I have not had a major injury, but I have collapsed from severe dehydration and overexertion twice, ending up in the hospital both times. Both times, I had major expectations of myself and was highly disappointed that I was not able to succeed after pushing myself so hard. However, I stayed motivated by talking with the athletic trainer and my coach about racing strategies, and my limits as an athelete, and we developed a new \"diet plan\" (I practically had to double the size of each meal) to provide my body with more fuel to burn.
scrunners: Who has been Beaufort\'s team rival and do you have an individual rival?
tempel: Hilton Head is Beaufort\'s team rival, and Carlissa Heyward from Summerville is probably my biggest individual rival. Yet, even though we compete against each other, I respect Carlissa as a runner and a person, and appreciate her sportsmanship and kind words after every race.
scrunners: How did these rival\'s develop and when do they become most intense?
tempel: These rivals develop during the season because our teams see a lot of each other, and they end up becoming most intense when competing for region titles.
scrunners: Does Beaufort have a team tradition prior to a meet?
tempel: I usually try to go out at a moderate pace, picking it up around the mile-and-a-half point and keeping the fastest pace I think I can hold until the finish. I try to run negative splits, and I aim to run the \"sprint\" out of those around me in the third mile. However, if I am out to win a race, I do not want to run too slow during the first mile, so that I keep my competitors from saving too much energy for the end. The night before a meet, the boys\' and girls\' cross country teams meet at someone\'s house to have a spaghetti dinner. This builds team unity and keeps butterflies away the night before a meet. The girls\' team also jogs together before races.
scrunners: What would you say is the most prestigious meet you have competed in? How did do you fare?
tempel: The Furman Invitational is probably the most prestigious meet I have competed in. The best place I have gotten in this race was sixth.
scrunners: Have ever thought about coaching the sport? If so, why, and what level?
tempel: I have thought about coaching high school cross country because I feel that this sport is a very positive, healthy activity for high school girls.
scrunners: When not running what do you do for fun?
tempel: I enjoy going in the boat, most watersports, going to football games, and spending time with friends.
scrunners: With beginning runners becoming increasing more, what do you think they should do during their first year of running for training and racing?
tempel: Most girls who enter cross country have no idea how competive the sport is. For their first year of training, they should stick to running a moderate amount of mileage (35 miles a week or under), and they should never be afraid to push themselves. Many new runners do not know that it is okay to make their bodies work so hard. They should also become familiar with the girls they run against, and they should make sure they get the right amount of nutrition.
scrunners: What keeps you motivated to get out the door on a daily basis for school, running and life?
tempel: I always keep in mind my goals, and know that the only way I can accomplish them is to do well in school, to stay involved, and to be considerate towards others. Running helps me to stay focused on everyday tasks.
scrunners: If there is one thing in the world you could do what would it be and why?
tempel: I would like to travel around the country. I have never been anywhere west of Tennessee, and I think it would be an eye-opening experience to see parts of the country that I have only seen in pictures.