by T. Patrick O'Dowd
Ames, Iowa - 20th November 2000
Keith Kelly (Drogheda, Co. Louth) is a fifth year senior at Providence College in Providence, Rhode Island. He is coached by Ray Treacy (Villierstown, Co. Waterford). Kelly finished fourteenth in 1998 and ninth last year in the NCAA Cross Country Championships. He entered today's race undefeated and was among the pre-race favourites behind defending champion, David Kimani from Kenya who competes for the University of Alabama, young American, Jorge Torres, a sophomore at the University of Colorado and another African, Eliud Njubi from Texas Christian University. Despite unbearable weather conditions that included a temperature of 20 degrees F buffeted with winds in excess of 25 miles per hour, Kelly ran the second fastest time on the course ever to become the NCAA Individual Champion. The course alone is extremely challenging but with these dreadful conditions it was almost intolerable.
Kelly (#181) with the early lead at this year's NCAA Championships
Irish Runner.com: What was the race like?
Keith Kelly: Nobody wanted to take control. People were bumping into each other, then the race would go hard and then it suddenly would stop again. It was very uncomfortable. For a while we were going slower than my first fall dual meet of the year. I was thinking is this really the NCAA Championships. My coach said, "Be patient, the last 2k is where the race will be won." He couldn't have been more right. I knew I came into this race better prepared than I've ever been in my life. My strengths are running the same pace and kicking at the end.
Kimani and Ondieki made a move I have a good kick but I haven't got the kind of speed to make a move from 2000m out which is why I could go with them. But with 400m to go I've got more speed than anybody. With 2k to go they broke away and there was 30 metres between us. Going into the home straight, I was almost behind by 50 metres. It looked like it was too much but no it wasn't. I was glad the finish line was where it was. If it had been 20 metres more I wouldn't have made it.
IR.com: What did you feel like when you crossed the finish line?
KK: There was relief but I couldn't walk and there were so many guys in red coats saying, "Come through." [The chute] I can't even move. I gave it everything, seeing stars, arms shaking, it really hasn't sunken in yet. I couldn't feel my face. I'm starting to come around now. It's overwhelming. The support was grand as well.
Kelly passes Stephen Ondieki to win!
IR.com: Were you surprised to pull it off from that far back?
KK: Ray, I'm sure is not surprised because he had so much confidence in me all year. At 2k to go Ondieki and Kimani made a move up the hill. That made a gap on me I was starting to run out of energy even though it wasn't a fast race. If I try and go with these guys now, it's gonna kill me and people will come from behind and pick me up. I'll play me cards and I know I can finish here I shouldn't have let that gap between Torres and Sanchez come to me. I shouldn't have let that happen. That was a bit of a weakness on my part. I just saved a bit, saved a bit. Then I started chasing them into the wind [up hill after the 9k mark]. It was easy to get back onto them. I thought of course I have more energy left. Of course I can sprint harder, I thought maybe they ran to early, I'd been saving it. I knew I could finish; the straight was long enough to make up the ground. I'm not thinking of winning at this stage, I'm thinking of taking the top 3. Then my coach said, "Let me see it, let me see the 55." When I was in track races last year I was always running 55 for my last 400 metres. If I have a chance to win and with that wind behind my back I told Ray I'd run 55. I was thinking this straight looks too long that there's a chance for me to win. It didn't end. I kept my head down and then when I passed David Kimani I looked up. I said "At least I have second." I'm still had 200 metres to go I can still win it. I'm not gonna stop sprinting 'til my body stops. I was confident but not too confident. My PB's are as good as the other guys. Look at Dave Kimani, he's an animal, let me try and run with him and I'll see how it goes. Kimani gambled early but he can afford to. He's run 3:37 for 1500 metres. I kept thinking, keep going - keep going. How's it gonna feel if I give up now. I'm a fifth year senior. If I stop now I'm gonna regret it the rest of my life. So, go until you can't possibly go anymore. Dig as deep as you can. My coach said I want to see everyone vomiting after the race cause this is you last race. I didn't because there was nothing in my stomach. I'm going home to run the Irish National Champs [Inter Counties] next week on Sunday. Its in Waterford I don't know what condition I'm going to be in. I'm strong though perfect training-no injuries no sickness. I ran the race sensibly.
How did you like the Iowa State cross country course?
Kelly celebrates on the rostrum
All photos by T. Patrick O'Dowd
IR.com: On training hard this summer and fall.
It's all about sacrifices; I really found that out myself this year. If you wanna make it to the top level, you have to decide you're going to make the sacrifices. You can't give it 50 or 75% you have to give it 100% from the day you decide. I brought my training log and I write quotes to encourage me as I'm going along. Last night I wrote in it, the work is done. When did start thinking about winning this title. The day I started thinking about winning this title, to be honest with you was when I finished last in the NCAA indoor 5,000 metres. I ran absolutely disastrous. Kimani and Stanford guys lapped me. It's a feeling of sickness that you can't describe when you're around a track like your carrying golf clubs. We were coming home and my coach and me were not really on the best of terms because I ran so badly. I felt really bad for him because he put so much effort into me. He just turned around to me and said, "How do you feel right now?" I said I feel embarrassed, the worst feeling ever like…. Well crap and do you wanna win the NCAA cross country, you think about how you feel right now if you never wanna feel like that again, you start training now." From that day on I said I'm never gonna be embarrassed again at a National level.IR.com: How about your chances next week at the Inter counties?
KK: It depends how I bounce back after this. Next week I am going to be running in thick mud. Here, it was like a road race. This took 110% and I haven't run 110% all year. This [NCAA] was a big one. I'm gonna have Inter County and National Championships for the rest of my running career but I'm a fifth year senior and this is the last NCAA Cross Country Championship I'll ever run. I looked at the NCAA program and looked at the past champions like Adam Goucher, Bob Kennedy looking at these and imagine being a part of all this. Imagine having your name there with that company. Now I'm with that company. I'm ecstatic its absolutely brilliant.