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Susan Kuijken kicks to a win in the "Blue" race at the 2007 NCAA Pre Nationals in Terre Haute, Indiana. (Photo by Tim O'Dowd - www.irishrunner.com)

Interview with Susan Kuijken

Posted on November 15, 2007, Interview conducted November 13, 2007

By Alison Wade

Florida State's Susan Kuijken surprised some with her early-season success, but based on the season she's had thus far, no one should be surprised if she runs well at the NCAA Cross Country Championships on Monday. A native of the Netherlands, Kuijken arrived at Florida State during the spring semester in 2006. Since then, she has earned All-America honors in cross country (with a 27th place finish at last year's NCAA Championships) and track. Her runner-up 4:11.34 finish in the 1,500 at the 2007 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships was a collegiate breakthrough for Kuijken, and she has carried that momentum into the 2007 cross country season.

On October 13, Kuijken led her team to a runner-up finish by winning the "Blue" race at the NCAA Pre Nationals in the second fastest time of the day. (Only "White" race winner Jenny Barringer posted a faster time.) She followed that up with a victory at the ACC Championships, where she led her team, now ranked second in the USTFCCCA Coaches' Poll, to its first-ever ACC Cross Country title.

Prior to coming to the U.S., Kuijken already had quite the running resume. She finished third at the 2005 European Junior Cross Country Championships, second in the 3,000 at the 2005 European Junior Track & Field Championships, earned a gold in the 3,000 and a bronze in the 1,500 at the European Under-17 Track & Field Championships and represented the Netherlands at the World Cross Country Championships twice.

After the 2007-08 school year, Kuijken has two years of NCAA eligibility remaining. We caught up with her via e-mail in the week leading up to the 2007 NCAA Cross Country Championships.

Congratulations on your win at Pre Nationals. Did that race change your expectations or hopes for this season at all?
Yes, the race definitely changed my expectations. During my preparations for this season I felt a lot better than I did last year, so before I started racing my goal was to end in the top 20-25 at Nationals, since I got 27th last year. My race at Notre Dame felt a lot easier than last year, too, although I improved by 20 seconds. So at that point I decided top 15-20 would definitely be possible. Since my race at Pre-Nats went so well, my next goal was to win ACCs... After that race I changed my goal once again to top five. I know it is going to be hard and there are a lot of girls in the mix, but I just feel strong and every race seems to be better than the one before.

You looked great in the last 200 meters at Pre Nationals. Were you pretty confident that you'd have a strong kick? Do you usually have that extra gear?
Last year I had a strong kick in every race, but I guess the reason for that is that I took a rest in the middle of the race. Because the race at Pre-Nats was still fast in the middle, I wasn't as confident as usual. Apparently I improved enough though to handle the fast middle bit and still have a kick.

What do you think has caused you to take a step up this year?
I think part of the reason is that I had just come off of a good outdoor season, unlike last year when I started my cross country season. The other part is definitely my new coach, Karen Harvey. Her training philosophy is similar to my coach's at home and I think that in my cross country season last year I never fully adjusted to the different way of training in America.

What specific changes has your new coach Karen Harvey brought to the Florida State cross country program?
She brought structure in our training program and taught us not only how to run, but also how to live as elite athletes. We never paid enough attention to little things such as core, stretching, weights, and hydration. But she made us see how important it is. Besides that she has a lot more time for us than our old coach, Bob Braman, who used to coach both the men's and women's teams. I think that her spending more time with us made us into a stronger team. We help each other through races now, one of the reasons we won ACCs this year. Also, her individual attention made every single member of the team a better athlete.

How did you end up at Florida State? Were you recruited, or did you seek the school out? What made you decide to go there as opposed to another U.S. school?
One of my teammates at home, Joep Tichgelaar, used to go to Florida State. I came to visit once and went to a training camp here in Tallahassee. After that, I just carried on with my studies at home, but found out that the combination of studying and running wasn't ideal at home. By then I had more invitations of other universities and decided I really wanted to go to America. Since I had already met my coach, Bob Braman, and he worked together with my coach at home for a couple of years, I chose Florida State. Besides that, I also knew there were a lot of trails here and the weather is perfect.

How much post-high school schooling did you do in the Netherlands before you came here?
I did a couple of months of university (exercise science) at home before I found out it really wasn't working out with my running.

You seemed to be on a good track with your running before you came to the U.S. What made you decide to come here and try running in the NCAA?
First, when I got the idea in my head, I just wanted to go to America because it gave me a chance to get a degree and run at the same time. But the more I thought about it, the more I saw it as an opportunity I really didn't want to miss. Although some people in Europe are negative about going to America, I just wanted to try it and see it with my own eyes.

Tell us about the Seven Hills Running Team. How big is the group? Do you train with other members of the group? How long have you been a part of that?
Seven Hills Running Team (runningteam.zevenheuvelenloop.nl) is a group that was started exactly 10 years ago by my coach, Has van Cuijk. Our team is connected to the 'Zevenheuvelenloop' (which is the Seven Hills 15k Road Race on November 18th in my hometown). I joined the team in 1999 after my coach recruited me. In total we probably have about 40 members, all runners, between ages 12 and 23. Of course we train in smaller groups, and I have five different training partners, mostly guys. Only one does all the workouts with me, he is a triathlete and about the same level as me.

Do you still receive any guidance from the team's coach?
I always discuss my training and race program with him. After the season is done here, back at home he will coach me to European Cross, and he did the same last year for [the European Under-23 Championships] on the track. Therefore it is important to communicate and let him work together with my coach here at Florida State.

How do you rank nationally in the Netherlands? Do you have a pretty realistic shot at making the Olympic team? Is the team chosen via a Trials system, or some other way?
Last track season I was ranked first in the 1,500m in the Netherlands. Since the Netherlands is not that big, the hard part of making Olympics is not the trials, but the qualifier. The qualifier is 4:04.80, which is really fast, but still in the back of my head.

How old were you when you started running competitively? How did you get into running?
After I had done gymnastics for a couple of years, I decided I wanted to do something else. Since I still wanted to do a sport in which you have different events, but not a team sport, I joined the track & field club in my hometown.

I started running competitively when I was 13 years old, right after I switched from the track & field club to the running team. It was a coincidence that one of my first races was the big cross country meet in Brussels. I had no idea what was going on and thought that every cross country course was supposed to be that muddy and hilly, yet I never ran on a harder course after that race.

Having already competed in world level competitions, do you get a little less nervous before representing Florida State in these smaller meets?
Cross Country meets in America are actually bigger than in Europe. Especially Pre-Nats and Nationals, which have way more girls on the starting line. Last year, during cross country season, I didn't get that nervous at all, because I didn't know anyone and had no idea where I could finish. It's a little bit different now that I know what my level is compared to others. But in general I'm usually pretty relaxed before races. Of course it is different to compete on world level and also to run for your own country instead of your university. I think it makes me more excited than nervous though.

What does a typical week of training look like for you in the middle of the cross country season?
Monday- A longer fartlek on the golf course (which is hilly)
Tuesday- AM: an easy run, PM: a shorter run followed by weights, hurdle mobility and core
Wednesday- Intervals (for example 6x600m) on flat surface
Thursday- AM: an easy run, PM: a shorter run followed by weights, hurdle mobility and core
Friday- A four-mile tempo run
Saturday- Long run
Sunday- Easy run/off

What is your mileage range during the cross country season?
In race weeks I run about 45 miles and in training weeks my mileage goes up to 60 miles.

What did you do this past summer? Do you get to go home much?
I went back to Holland for the summer and competed in the 1,500m at European Under-23 Championships (and got fourth). After that I went on a holiday by train across Europe. I started in Athens and via Rome, Venice, Milan, Monaco, Barcelona, and Paris, I ended up back in Amsterdam. Of course I took some time to catch up with family and friends too. I don't see them too often, but I still get the chance to go back to Holland twice a year, in the summer and at Christmas.

Are there fun any activities that your team participates in (aside from the grueling workouts) that you feel brings you closer together as a team?
Since there is not much time to do other things beside all the running, sleeping and school, my five roommates and I (who are also members of the team) try to make daily life as fun as possible. One of our main activities is playing the Wii, which was last year's Nationals gift. Every person in the house has their own look-a-like character on the Wii. We play in each other in, for example, tennis, bowling and baseball. The highlight of the day is when everyone has to do their Wii fitness test to find out what their 'real age' is. The whole house is cheering for each other (or trying to distract each other), to finally see who is going to be the loser of the day. Besides playing the Wii we also grow our own vegetables in the backyard, which is really Barbara Parker's idea, and we take care of two turtles named Bill and Ted.

From the pictures on your web site, you seem like a fun-loving kind of person. What do you like to do in your free time?
Just like everyone I like to hang out with my friends and family whenever I get a chance. Besides the playing the Wii, I also like to play sports in real life. I like to play tennis, golf, beach volleyball... I guess basically any sport. I love good (European) food and I like to try to find good restaurants, which is usually a little harder here in America than it is at home. Overall, I think my favorite thing to do in my free time is traveling. I've been to a lot of places in the world, but I don't think I'll ever get enough of traveling.

And finally, how is your last name pronounced?
Apparently phonetically its written as Kike-en, but I always think it's a good start to just leave out the J.