Chris Ewoldsen of Indianola High School considers himself to be an underdog, which he says he is absolutely content with as he approaches his collegiate career as a Viking. Check out an interview with Chris about his decision and his passion for running below!
How did you begin
running?
I loved to run around
as a little kid. I'd just chase things and play like every other kid would. I
guess I just realized one day in about 8th grade that I was pretty good at it
and I should try out for track. Turned out to be a good decision.
What is your favorite
distance to race?
I absolutely love the
indoor 60. The shorter the better for me. I admire track athletes such as
Ronnie Baker and Asafa Powell and the raw power and explosiveness needed to be
good in it.
How do you prepare for
races?
I like to get as
focused as possible. I listen to a lot of music and I normally stretch and warm
up by myself to help myself be in the zone once the gun goes off. I use a lot
of the same superstitions and traditions that I would during football.
What are you hoping to
accomplish in the upcoming track season?
My ultimate goal is to
be running in the state finals in at least one event. Just making it into the
finals in an open would mean so much to me. Indianola hasn't had a sprinter
qualify in an open in a number of years. A team conference championship would
be amazing as well. Improving times is always the goal but taking home some
hardware is also pretty great.
How have your
teammates and coaches helped prepare you for collegiate athletics?
My coaches have always
held me at a really high standard because they knew of my potential way before
I did. They've asked a lot of me and I can't thank them enough for that. My
teammates are also the greatest. Always pushing each other every practice to
see who can beat one another. I would honestly say that my team is more of a
family than a team.
How did you make the
decision to attend Grand View for college and join their track team?
I felt that I could
get a great education as well as being able to help the team early in my
career. I also feel that Des Moines is a great city to achieve my major in. The
Grand View coaching staff was great as well, they helped me through the process
and allowed me to visit other schools without pressuring me which definitely
influenced my decision.
What are you most
looking forward to about attending Grand View?
I'm very excited to be
so close to home and to be in the great city of Des Moines. It's nice being in
an area that I already know so well.
What are your goals
for your collegiate career?
To improve on my times every year become an
overall better runner.
To see Chris's high school stats, check out his athlete profile here!
