Ballard native Kailey Campbell is a member of the University of Washington women's cross country team that is ranked number one in the country heading into the championship meets.

Campbell, a Ballard High School graduate and a sophomore at the university, discusses the success of the team, how she became a part of it, and how the team can keep it going.

Ballard News-Tribune: What's it like being on a team that is ranked number one in the nation?

Kailey Campbell: It's really cool because the energy on our team is just amazing right now. Our coach has been quoted saying this, and a lot of the girls have been saying it too, 'You really see the synergy going on on the team.' Everyone's really excited. We push ourselves to do more, and not just in terms of running, but when we get back from runs doing all the things that count, like the drills and working as a team.

BNT: You didn't run cross country in high school. How did you get started with it at the University of Washington?

KC: My high school coach Bruce Drager would probably have killed to have me run cross country. He hates me for not running that. I ran track all four years in high school, and I ran what in high school is considered more the distance events, so the mile. I would never touch the two-mile because I thought that was too long, too many laps around the track. I knew that when and if I chose to run collegiately, I would be entering some type of cross country program as well, because in college you don't run one mile plus without being part of a collegiate cross country team.

BNT: Was it the distance that prevented you from running cross country in high school?

KC: No. I would have done it, but I was a soccer girl. I didn't want to give up soccer and being with my team.

BNT: What is it about running that makes you stick with it?

KC: With a lot of people you hear, 'Oh my gosh, cross country. You run? That's your sport?' It's kind of a big shocker for them. Like, 'Why would you want to do that? When I go to Green Lake, I get so tired.' But when you start to get in shape and you're really working hard, every work out you finish you have this sense of completion like. 'Ah I'm done.' And, the feeling of being physically fit - it's crazy, but it's like a drug. It's kind of addicting. You just want more of it.

BNT: You're the number one team in the country, you have the Pac-10 Championship coming up, where does the team go from here?

KC: Really all our ranking is is just what some coaches out there think we should be based on a couple meets that we've run. Right now, we have the meets that really count. We go to the Pac-10 on Oct. 31 and that's really where were going to see a lot of competition. The Pac-10 is really good for cross country. There are a lot of really strong teams. Most notably is Oregon. They're ranked second. It will be an interesting showdown. I think it will be really fun. After that, two weeks later, we have regionals in Palo Alto. and after that it's nationals in Indiana.

BNT: Is there anything you or the team needs to work on to be prepared for those meets?

KC: I think it's just the same thing we've been saying all year long. Cross country is all about consistency and the only thing that really matters is Nov. 24, which is nationals. Just staying consistent with training and not pushing yourself too hard, but getting the work done that we need to get done. And, we need to know that we are student athletes, so staying on stop of schoolwork and all the other things so that we have the least stress possible.

Michael Harthorne may be reached at 783.1244 or michaelh@robinsonnews.com