Run it Back: An Interview with Matt Beyerle

by Jarrett Felix

Just a few days after another very memorable Mid Penn Championship, I got a chance to talk with a recent graduate of the newly crowned champions State College: Matt Beyerle. With districts around the corner at D3 and D6 as well as the state championships, I was able to get some quality insight from a strong runner who was particularly successful on the Big Spring trails. Check out my conversation with Matt below and big thanks to Matt for taking time from his busy schedule at PSU to give me some quality information.

JF: How did you get your start in cross country/track and field? What made you passionate about the sport? MB: I began running pretty causally in 2009 when I joined the club Nittany Track and Field, a team that competes against CYO teams during the championship season. I began to compete more seriously in middle school, and I stepped my training up in 9th grade. My biggest breakout came between my freshman and sophomore year in high school. The reason I have such a passion for the sport is because it is so simple. There is one goal: run faster than the guy next to you.

JF: Your Junior year, you were a part of a top five team in XC. What were some of the traits that defined that team and allowed it to succeed? MB: Our team was really close-knit during my junior year which allowed us to train effectively. We’d put in the miles on weekends and push each other in workouts during the week. Because the senior class that year was so strong and experienced, we could trust their leadership and didn’t stress too much on race day.

JF: Talk about your rivalry with Altoona at the district meets both in XC (where only one team makes states) and track. MB: One thing that makes the district meet challenging is the quantity of teams in the race. District 6 AAA is a very small race and the odds of State College or Altoona winning approach 100%. The race is always man on man and times are not of concern-- at the end of the day, points matter most. Counting Altoona out any year is foolish, because they peak extremely well and are sharp and ready for districts, especially in cross country. On the track, the district meet is also very competitive, especially in distance events. The takeaway here is that Altoona is always ready when the time comes.

JF: You have had some of your best races at the Big Spring course that will house the district 3 championships this year (and maybe states in the future) especially your senior season at Mid Penns. How would you describe the course and your strategy on it? MB: The big spring XC course is my easily favorite cross country course. It is composed of rolling hills in the middle of the woods -- it is a true XC course. My strategy is to take it out quick and maintain a fast pace for the first two miles, and make a big move with 1k to go after climbing the final hill. The last half mile is the fastest in the course because it is all downhill. I was impressed to see State College take the win this past weekend!

JF: You have experience on both Hershey's course and Mid Penns (and you have been on successful teams at both meets). Which do you prefer, if either? MB: I prefer Big Spring to Hershey ten times out of ten. Honestly, It would be awesome if the state course moved to Big Spring, Carlisle, or Penn State’s spiked shoe course. Not only is Hershey’s course hilly, it is too narrow for the first mile.

JF: State College has a strong reputation for training 800m runners, but you really excelled at a wide variety of distances, most notably the 3200 (where you won the district). What was it like training for the longer distances? What strategies allowed you to have success? MB: I did the same training as the rest of the squad, which helped me sharpen up at the shorter distances that are most challenging to me. I liked to alternate one and two week training segments so I would get two off days every three weeks. That being said, the training I did was pretty typical.

JF: What did you think of the state championship 3200m this year (a race you competed in) that had 4 men under 9 minutes? How did it feel to be apart of such a fantastic field? MB: Although my race was lackluster, it was special to be in such a competitive race. It was cool being shoulder to shoulder with the fastest guys in the state. The whole weekend at Shippensburg was awesome, but my favorite part was watching our 4x800 team run 7:41 to set a new school record.

JF: What was your favorite race during your running career? What are your favorite memories being part of the State College team? MB: My favorite XC race was at Mid Penns last year and my favorite race on the track was my 3200m at districts last year. I have hundreds of fantastic memories from my the SC squad to pick one, but our 4th place finish at XC states in 2013 was something I don’t think I will ever forget.

JF: Looking forward to this year, what do you think of this State College team and their potential to get back in the top 5 at states? Who are some of the names on the team people should be aware of looking ahead? Top guys or sleeper picks? MB: I think the State College team has a strong chance of finishing in the top 5 at states. Obviously SC has a strong 1 and 2 with Milligan and Feffer, but the 3-7 are also extremely strong. I don’t know exactly who will round out the top 7 because it is never set in stone, but I’m confident they will be ready to roll come districts and states.

JF: I know you are at PSU this fall, any running plans looking ahead? What are your remaining goals, if any, in your running career? MB: I am on the club xc team at PSU and it is a fantastic squad! The team is extremely cohesive and practices are super flexible. I like racing against DII teams while training with a club. In the future, I hope to race a few fast half marathons and eventually complete 26.2. In the meantime, I will focus on putting it together for 8k races!