The Runners Roundtable :: Volume III

With the Montana cross country teams off from competition last weekend, it felt like the right time to gather together some of the Grizzlies and learn more about the athletes who compete on grass, mud and trail, in sun, rain and wind, hot weather and cold, and everything in between.

Making up the third of five fall roundtables were redshirt senior Maryn Lowry, sophomore Noah Kells and freshmen Kyle Kredo and Madison Ward.

* Round One -- Give us a quick bio before we move into more pressing questions.

Lowry: I grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, where I started running for my neighborhood track team in fifth grade. I was involved in several sports growing up, but the ones that really sparked my competitive side were the endurance-based ones, like running and swimming. I received my bachelor's degree from Iowa State in kinesiology, while competing on ISU's track and cross country team, and I am now pursuing a master's degree at Montana in exercise science. I will attend chiropractic school afterwards but plan to take time to enjoy the mountain region for a few years following my master's degree.

Kells: I am a sophomore studying exercise science. I grew up in Seattle, Washington, where my parents signed me up for pretty much every sport you can think of. I guess running is the only one that stuck through all the years. I am a sports fanatic. Whenever I am not running I am probably watching some sports game on TV. Go Hawks!

Kredo: I grew up in Mission Viejo, California, where the idea of running competitively was first put in my head by my middle school PE teacher who suggested I give cross country a try. I didn't even know what cross country was prior to that so I didn't give it much thought until high school, when I decided to take up her advice and give it a go. I later developed a passion for the sport, which has gotten me to where I am now. I am planning to pursue a degree in wildlife biology and a minor in media arts.

Ward: I grew up in Spokane, Washington, with my mom Jennifer, dad Scott and younger brother Mitchell, and our three dogs and one cat. I was involved in many sports growing up, such as soccer, basketball, volleyball and of course cross country and track. Track, which I've been involved in since fourth grade, is definitely my favorite because I enjoy distances like the 3,200, 1,600, and 800. Spokane is amazing, but I have loved getting to explore Missoula and all it has to offer.

* Round Two -- What was your favorite place to run this past summer?

Lowry: I spent my summer working at a bike shop in Victor, Idaho, along the Teton mountain range. All of the trail runs I did in Victor and Wilson and Jackson, Wyoming, were my favorite.

Kells: Running along Fisherman's Wharf and the piers in San Francisco.

Kredo: While camping and backpacking this summer in the high Eastern Sierras, I did quite a few runs in the backcountry trails that have been hard to beat so far.

Ward: I really enjoy trail running, so I spent a lot of time in the woods around my high school this summer.

* Round Three -- What is your favorite workout?

Lowry: I come from a mid-distance background, so I'll always love 1,500-meter workouts like 6x400 faster than 1,500 race pace with one-minute rest between reps. During the cross country season I love 1k repeats.

Kells: 400 repeats. There is nothing better to get the legs moving.

Kredo: 300 or 400 repeats. I love the feeling of going fast over and over again, especially on the track.

Ward: I prefer shorter intervals, like 300s, 400s, or 600s on the track because as long as I'm feeling good, it will make me feel fast.

* Round Four -- What is the coolest race you've ever done?

Lowry: The Wisconsin Adidas Invitational was one of the coolest races I have run because of the huge field and the amazing course.

Kells: The Portland Indoor Track Classic. I got to race the 1,600 and 800 on the same track that they raced the 2016 World Indoor Championships on.

Kredo: My PR race in high school cross country. The race started at almost 11 at night and the course was really fast and packed with spectators screaming for the whole team. The energy kept me pushing the whole way, and I ended up going 2 and 3 with my teammate, something neither of us expected.

Ward: I did the Bubble RUN with my friends in Spokane, and it was so much fun running through piles of bubbles that you could not even see over.

* Round Five -- What's your top pre-race pump-up song?

Lowry: The only time I had a specific pre-race song was in high school. It was Ramble On, by Led Zeppelin.

Kells: Unaccompanied Cello Suite No.1 in G Major, BMV 1007: Prelude by Yo-Yo Ma.

Kredo: Anything country or September, by Earth Wind and Fire haha.

Ward: Definitely a good throwback, like Lose Yourself, by Eminem, or Stronger, by Kanye West.

* Round Six -- What is your plan to stay involved in running after college?

Lowry: Road races, triathlons, marathons.

Kells: I'm going to run one marathon and then hang up the running shoes and become a competitive eater.

Kredo: I would like to join a small track club or something similar so I can continue to train and race in a team environment or maybe be an assistant coach for a high school for a little bit.

Ward: I think it would be a lot of fun to do triathlons after I'm done running collegiately. Good way to stay involved in the sport, while also changing it up.

University of Montana Athletics

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Noah Kells

Kyle Kredo

Maryn Lowry

Madison Ward

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