University of Minnesota Athletics
On the Run with Jack Manderscheid
9/29/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Cross Country
MINNEAPOLIS (GopherSports.com) - Gophers newcomer Jack Manderscheid is one of seven true freshmen on the Minnesota men's cross country roster this year.
A native of Edina, Minn., Manderscheid earned all-state honors in 2015 and 2016 and was also a two-time academic all-state honoree at Edina High School. He owns school records in the 1,600 meters (4:13) and the 4x800 meter relay (7:52).
GopherSports.com caught up with one of the newest members of the Maroon & Gold as he kicks off his first year with the program.
Gophersports.com: Do you listen to music while you run? Why or why not? Is there something you do instead to focus on running?
Jack Manderscheid: I don't listen to music while I am running. It's an inconvenience to bring your phone out for a run but if I'm at the gym on the treadmill, then I listen to music. I like 90s alternatives. No one on the team runs with their phone. Running with a group of guys, you engage in normal conversation, make jokes, and talk about what everyone is doing. Talking is a good distraction that makes the miles go by faster. We talk during our easy runs but during our work outs we're really focused.
GS: Where has been your favorite place to go on a run?
JM: I went backpacking with my dad over the summer, and he wanted to do some mountain biking and I wanted to do some running. We stopped at the Italian Alps, so I did some running there. It was really fun, and the scenery and fresh air was amazing. The trip was two weeks and we went to Croatia and Italy. We stayed around the Mediterranean Coast except when we headed up to the Alps, but it was really cool. I thought Croatia was really nice. It was pretty unique. It wasn't too touristy but definitely had some sights and definitely had an awesome coast line.
GS: What made you decide to get involved in community service?
JM: I was in Boy Scouts, and I got my Eagle Scout rank, so to do that you have to put in a lot of service hours. I also aimed to get my community service letter in high school so that required a few more hours of service. I really enjoyed all my service projects that I did. It was cool to help out and get to know a field that you might want to go into. I did 200 hours for my Eagle Scout rank alone, so about a total of 300.
GS: What was your favorite community service project that you did?
JM: I have two that I really liked. One is when I got to help out with an after school program through our community center. I got a chance to go with them on their field trips. We brought the kids to Valley Fair and I was in charge of all the 14-year old kids who wanted to go on the fastest rides. It was a fun time with them. Another fun project of mine was building two benches and a storage shed for the Edina art center. I got my friends involved in that. It was rewarding to see it every time I ran by.
GS: How do you prepare for a race? What does a typical breakfast look like on a race-day?
JM: I think the coaches have done a really good job getting us freshman the training we need to move up to an 8k distance rather than a 5k. I have some superstitions but not many. I normally try to get as much sleep as possible and eat something because you don't want to go hungry during a run. I drink a lot of water, not a lot of milk. I try to eat grains, and maybe pancakes if they're in the dining hall.
GS: What has been your favorite thing about being on campus so far?
JM: I like how close the city is. There is also plenty of spots to run here. I really enjoy the team and the relationships that we all have with each other. I like all the activities that are around the city that are close to campus. I did a lot during the summer but I'm looking forward to attending concerts coming up.
GS: What was the experience like running at the Griak Invitational as a high school student versus running as a collegiate student-athlete?
JM: Last year was the first year I ran the Griak in high school because I ran into some injuries the previous years. I liked how big the race was; I normally do pretty well in those big races. Moving up to an 8k didn't seem too different, the only difference I felt was more of a coasting period while racing. I was watching my old high school teammates doing the 5k and it seemed so short. I'm looking forward to the Griak again next year and all these other big races with these talented runners. Being in a big Division I race has always been my goal and I'm glad I was able to race that and do pretty well.
Story by Athletic Communications Student Assistant Sandra Valentinaviciute
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