XC Sessions: Steven Fahy

XC Sessions 2013

Oct 05, 2013

Fahy finished 3rd in a breakout performance at Stanford. (Photo by Maria De La Rosa)

MileSplit - How is your fitness now that you are in the middle of the 2013 season. What excites you the most about the rest of the season and what you want to accomplish?

Steven - I feel like I'm in the best shape of my life right now, at least for cross country. I have been responding really well to the workouts my coach has given me and have been stoked with some of my early season races. My main goal this year is to win state for D2, and from there I hope to run at Footlocker.

MileSplit - You had a break-out at Arcadia last year with a 9:02 3200m. How did that change your outlook on your potential in the sport?

Steven - I knew from my sophomore year that I had the potential to go far in the sport, but it wasn't until after that race at Arcadia that I started to think higher up and pay more attention to all the top guys in the nation. From there I knew it would only be a matter of time before I could run with those guys.

MileSplit - What was Stanford like last weekend, going head to head with some of the best runners in the country and being able to be competitive in the race?

Steven - I came into the race knowing that the field was stacked, but I wasn't really nervous at all. I just wanted to hang in there with all the top guys and try to keep contact for as long as possible, so naturally when Haney and Hardy started to break away I was focusing on them and nobody else. I think not being afraid to race against anyone was key. I didn't hesitate to pass anyone, I was just racing and going off what felt good.

MileSplit - When & how did you get started in cross country?

Steven - My dad (Eoin Fahy) was a runner in his day, so my brother (Darren Fahy) and I would go out on runs with him starting when we were pretty young. I did USATF for a few years, but then gave it up for a while to focus on soccer. After watching my brother do well in high school I decided to come back to it freshman year, and from the beginning the team was what kept me into it.

MileSplit - Person/people most influential to your success in cross country and why?

Steven - Definitely all of my teammates. Throughout high school those guys have always been some of my best friends, and they make all the hard work and extra stuff worth it. As an underclassman just being a part of the varsity team and being surrounded by all my role models was enough to keep me working hard every day, and now as a leader on the team I couldn't be happier with the dynamic we have. I wouldn't be nearly as driven or successful as a runner or a person without all of them. (especially Steven Terris and Ryan Hershey!)

MileSplit - Who has influenced you the most so far in your life and what they mean to you and your success?

Steven - My dad has had a huge influence on me in both life and athletics. Throughout my life he has always encouraged me to push myself relentlessly in pursuit of my goals, and to never be afraid to fail. He never forced me to run, but when I took it up he taught me all that he knew about the sport, and more than anything helped me to master the mental side of running.

MileSplit - What are the keys to your successful cross country training program and what work did you put in to start off so well this year?

Steven - I have never been a high mileage guy, so prior to this summer my max was around 55 per week. This summer I built up to 60 and held it through the early season meets, and supplemented it with some light strength work and swimming for cross training. I also really cracked down on my nutrition, cutting out sweets and other sugary snacks. Those little things just help me feel better day to day, and allow for more consistent training. Other than that, my team does a lot of hill and interval workouts that are effort based, and give me an opportunity to decide how hard I want to go that day. There's no easy way to build mental toughness. You just have to decide how good you want to be, and train like it.

MileSplit - What are the keys to your team's unity and how you train to reach your goals?

Steven - We have a really tight knit group this year, so we're always having pasta dinners before meets or team movie nights on the weekends. Having discrete team goals is a big part of it too, as it keeps everyone honest in their training and gives us something to work for as a unit. The team has come a long way but it is all really coming together now, and we're excited to see what we can do this year.

MileSplit - Your favorite past performance in a cross country race and why?

Steven - Mt. Sac last year. I placed 3rd and ran 14:46. I've had a lot of breakthrough races in high school, but a 53 second pr at the biggest invite of the season is an easy choice. Big confidence booster for the rest of my junior year, too.

MileSplit - Who are the cross country competitors you most enjoy competing against and why?

Steven - Tal Braude from Torrey Pines. Our schools are huge rivals, and over the years we have developed a pretty fun rivalry of our own. We have gone back and forth since literally our first race in high school. My limits are tested every time I race him, and he is always humble and genuine. I wouldn't be surprised to see him contend for the state title in D1 and I expect to see him on the starting line at Foot Locker.

MileSplit - What is your greatest non-running experience in cross country so far and why?

Steven - Flying up to Stanford with the team and hanging out in San Francisco. You never know what you're going to find in that city. I could tell you a hundred reasons why that trip was fun but you really just had to be there.

MileSplit - Do you have any long-term goals in running?

Steven - I want to run in college and work my way up on the team, and running at NCAAs would be cool. Beyond that, we'll see, but I don't think I'll ever be able to stop running altogether.

MileSplit - What was your favorite performance from the 2013 World Champs?

Steven - Nick Symmonds in the 800. SO close!