University of Richmond Athletics
20 Questions with Chris York
10/12/2011 | Cross Country
Editor's Note: Throughout the 2011 season we will sit down with a Spider cross country runner each week and have them answer a set of 20 questions about their lives both on and off the course. This week we interview junior Chris York, who most recently paced the Spider men at Lehigh's Paul Short Run on Sept. 30.
RichmondSpiders.com (RS): What does it mean to be a Spider?
Chris York (CY): For me it means always striving to achieve one's full potential, whether it is through athletics, academics or some other passion. Every time I wear a Richmond jersey, I stop and think about all of the people before me who dedicated so much time and effort to making the Richmond name what it is today. I'm honored I can add to that name.
RS: What is your most memorable moment as a member of the program?
CY: Placing 24th as a team at Nationals. The team met at the track apartment at the beginning of the year and said, "We are going to nationals." We all bought into the training and believed in the goal. We were then able to accomplish something special.
RS: What has been your favorite road trip while competing as a Spider? Why?
CY: Last spring I travelled to the Mt. Sac Relay's in Walnut, Calif. The day we arrived, we drove around Beverly Hills and then grabbed lunch at California Pizza Kitchen in Hollywood. The race itself went well and I was able to PR by 75 seconds in the 10k. To make things even better, the next day I got to hang out at the beach before the evening races. Even though I got the worst sunburn of my life, relaxing in the California sun was exactly what I needed after a tough 10k.
RS: After having now reached the midway point of the season, what are your goals moving forward this fall?
CY: As a team we are racing to defend our Atlantic 10 title. Personally, I am going to race for the individual title. Cross country is a messy sport and we need to be ready for anything!
RS: Of all your teammates, both past and present, from whom have you learned the most and why?
CY: Andrew Benford, one of our current assistant coaches, has taught me the most about running. The way he approaches running is very serious in that he gets in all the work that he needs and he makes sacrifices to put himself in a position to win every time he lines up to race. But at the same time he never lets stress overwhelm him. I'm still trying to emulate that approach - being serious and yet being able to step away and mentally relax when I need to.
RS: Do you have any pre-meet rituals or superstitions?
CY: If I have the chance I will drink a cup of coffee. But it's not something that I have to do.
RS: How many miles would you say you actually run in a given week?
CY: During the summer I worked up to 100 miles a week. Now that we are racing, I am averaging just over 90 for weeks without races and 80 when we race.
RS: What is the single greatest motivator in running all these miles?
CY: I want to see how fast I can run and how far I can push myself while I am still young, healthy and have the time to do it. I don't want to look back and wonder where I could have gone in the sport.
RS: Will you please finish this sentence? If I stopped running, I would be...
CY: bored.
RS: If your teammates gave you a superlative, what would it be?
CY: Last year we did team superlatives and I was voted Most Sarcastic and Most Likely to Marry a Millionaire.
RS: Who has the better laugh, Steve Taylor or Lori Taylor?
CY: I don't want to start a family feud, so I will pass on this one.
RS: Who are your role models both in and out of the sport?
CY: In the sport it is my high school coach, Dustin Sweeney. He did some ridiculous things in his attempt to be the best high school coach in the nation. For example, for a few weeks he woke up at 3:30 a.m. just to prove that he was more dedicated than a rival coach who woke up at 4:00 a.m. But beyond the dedication, he was a coach who understood high schoolers and could inspire us. He made us set our goals high and then made us want to work to achieve them.
Out of the sport it is my grandparents. They are incredibly supportive of me and that helps me believe in myself. After every one of my races we talk on the phone. They know my PRs and places in races better than I do. I hope to one day be as supportive and loving to the people who I care about as they are to me.
RS: What is your major and dream job?
CY: I am a Philosophy, Politics, Economics, and Law (PPEL) major with a concentration in Politics. I want to go to law school and work in criminal law. (If any lawyers are reading this, I hope to work in a law firm this summer and am looking for internship opportunities.)
RS: Where is your favorite spot on campus? Why?
CY: The Jepson computer lab is my favorite spot. When I have a ton of work to do, I go down there and hammer it out. Throughout the years it has become the place to study among many members of the men's team.
RS: If you could go on a run with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be? Why?
CY: My dad and his college roommate, Ray, have told me that they trained for some marathon at some point. It would be cool to go out for a run with them as college students.
RS: If you could play a role on any TV show or movie, what would it be? Why?
CY: My roommate, Conor, and I joke that we have a similar relationship to that of Sean and Gus on the show Psych. So, I think playing Sean would be somewhat natural and a lot of fun.
RS: If a genie appeared and granted you three wishes, what would they be?
CY: 1. To make my friends, my family, and me happy - whatever that would entail; 2. To have one of the mansions on River Road (and to be able to pay the property tax on my new mansion); 3. To give every child the opportunity to have a quality education.
RS: If you were stranded on a deserted island, what one person and thing would you like to have with you?
CY: The intelligent choice would be a fully functional helicopter and a pilot. But I think it would be more fun to have Will Ferrell as my person and Wilson from Castaway as my object.
RS: What's something interesting about you that most people don't know?
CY: I am related to Medal of Honor recipient Sargent Alvin York.
RS: What do you enjoy doing outside of the sport?
CY: During the school year we don't have much free time, but when we do I like exploring the city with my friends and finding new places to eat. When I am home, I like to go hiking on the Appalachian Trial with my little brother, Daniel
