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Iowa's Best: An Interview with Kevin LewisPublished by
A Distance Gala Interview At the Drake Relays just under two weeks ago, Kevin Lewis (Sr., Ottumwa, IA) did the unthinkable. He broke the meet record in the boys 3,200m event, running 9:05.58, eclipsing the mark of 9:06.3, set by Mark Johnson in 1973. Lewis' time not only proved he's quickly become one of the most overlooked runners in the country, but that he's pushing times lower than few Iowa runners ever have. With a few more weeks left in his senior season, Lewis discusses his goals, how he's progressed as distance runner and what his expectations were heading into the Drake Relays. ----
Distance Gala (DG): Congratulations on your big performance winning the Drake Relays 3,200m event in an event record of 9:05.58. Heading into the relays, what were your expectations?
Kevin Lewis (KL): Going into the race I knew there would just be a couple people up front throughout the race, and I was expecting to get a nice PR over my perivous time of 9:12 because my training had been going well. DG: Looking forward, what are your goals the rest of the season? KL: I want to break 9 minutes for the 3200, and run 4:10 in the 1600. DG: You've seemingly taken your distance running talents to a whole new level this spring. What do you attribute this nice jump in performances to? KL: I've just been doing the same kind of training with a lot of mileage at a fast pace and doing some sprints to get a quicker turnover during the off-season. It has been dropping my times consistently over the past couple years. DG: Fans who aren't too familiar with Iowa distance running are probably wanting to know a bit about you. How did you get into distance running? KL: I first started to like distance running when I ran the mile in elementary school for gym class. In high school, i initially made goals to finish in the top portion of all of my local races, and gradually got to the point of competing right along side the best runners in the state. DG: You're headed to the University of Iowa next fall. What drew you to Iowa? KL: Growing up in Iowa it's all about the Iowa Hawkeyes, so it will be really fun running for them the next four years. Also, it is a good fit academically. Quick Six DG: Favorite band or musician? KL: Kid Cudi DG: Shoes you race in? KL: I race in Japan Thunder 3's DG: Favorite TV Show? KL: Family Guy DG: Car you drive? KL: Ford Escort DG: Favorite movie? KL: Forrest Gump DG: Favorite vacation? KL: I like going to Florida
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