CRC: When did you begin running?  And what drew you into track?Conner Smith: I started running when I went out for track in the 7th grade.  My brother had done it, and he and my parents told me it would be fun to try.  I had played football in the fall, but I was a lot smaller than most of the guys out there so I really got pounded on.  Track seemed like it didn't matter what size you were, so I thought I'd enjoy it more.  I wasn't very good, but I had a really great time competing and hanging out at the meets.   I think what really drew me to track originally was all the friends that I made there; it was always a good time running with my buddies and sharing that common bond in the sport.  

CRC: You've done some field events in the past.  Not many long distance guys come out of the long jump, but you've been well rounded in the sport - what's been your favorite event?  What's your focus now?
CS: I have always enjoyed long jump since I first tried it in 7th grade, and I consistently improved about a foot and a half a year jumping 19' 1'' my junior year, but once I began running the 4x800 it started to conflict and I have not been able to jump as much.  My focus now is more on our 4x800, the 400 and our 4x400 relay.  I would say that my favorite event is the 4x400 relay because it’s just so fun!  It’s the last event, which typically by then you are under the lights, and everyone gets down on the track to watch it.  It all comes down to that last race and when the gun goes off, you just blast out of the start with all you got.  When you hit that last curve going into the home stretch and that crowd is just screaming right in your face and you know that you have got to turn on the nitro... it’s the biggest rush you'll ever experience.  I love it.   

CRC: It’s hard not to love the 4x400m – it’s the perfect way to end a big meet.  Now, so far, what has been your greatest running memory?CS: My greatest running memory was my junior year at the Darby Distance Twilight Classic.  It was a really competitive meet and I remember everyone there was running great times.  There were guys from all over the place there, even out of state.  We had come to the end of the meet and the 4x800 was the last event.  It was dark out and we were under the lights and there was a misty rain falling down.  They had been playing music during all the races at the meet so Nick Immell and I went over and requested that they'd play "The Final Count Down" for our race.  They played it on the last leg of the race as our team, anchored by Ryan Daulton, came through in first place.  I remember being in the infield going crazy because it was so awesome!  We ran a really good time for our relay and it was the perfect ending to an awesome meet.  When we got our medals they had run out of gold so we got bronze because it’s all they had left – we all thought it was pretty funny.

CRC: I love the DDT meet.  There aren’t many high school meets in the country with that kind of depth in every distance event, and I’m sure it was a thrill to win that title.  Now, what are your personal goals for this season?  What are your long term running goals?
CS: I would like to break 2 minutes in the 800 and get our 4x800 back at the state meet, and our 4x400 relay is the best it’s ever been so I’d like to at least get to regional final with that team.  I won’t be running in college but I would like to run some triathlons and a few marathons before I get to old.

CRC: What's your favorite track meet?  Why?
CS: My favorite meet is the Larkin invite at UA.  I just love it because it’s our last regular season invite and I feel like we always have good races there.  Also, the weather always has turned out nice and they grill out brats, burgers, and hot dogs at the stadium and it smells so good!  It's just a really nice atmosphere and is a lot of fun to run.

CRC: You've run in the state meet before with that traditionally strong Coffman 4x800m.  What's it like?  We've heard stories of a nervous junior puking out the window of the bus - how do you deal with those nerves before a major race?
CS: States is pretty intimidating, at least it was for me anyways.  It is such a high level of competition, it feels like a different league of track.  It's a really cool experience to run down at Jesse'o though, with the huge crowd and people from all over the state, it makes you feel like you have accomplished something.  My nerves did get to me pretty bad there, the stories are true, on the way down 315 I hurled out the window of our bus, haha, it was pretty nasty.  Last year I never really learned to control my nerves that well but I haven't had a big problem with them this year.  My coaches have told me to just get out there and have fun, enjoy my senior year, and I think that’s what I've been doing.  I just stopped stressing out about it and try to have fun.

CRC: Do you feel more at home racing the shorter distance events in track, or do you prefer XC?  How do you feel your track seasons have impacted your XC seasons?
CS: I think I am more at home running shorter track events.  Although I really enjoy XC, I think I am a track runner at heart.  I feel like my XC seasons actually have had more of an impact on my track seasons than the other way around.  Training for the 5k really helped build my endurance for the 800, and I don't think that I would be running the times I do now if I hadn't run XC.  It played a really key role in my training.

CRC: Injury seems to have been a regular part of your career.  How have you kept your head up through the ups & downs?
CS: It’s been pretty frustrating, especial because I've gotten the same knee injury 3 times, but I just listen to the trainer and do what you gotta do to get healthy and stay positive about it.  I just focus on the cross training and know if I work at it I’ll get better.  That’s all you really can do.

CRC: You’ve managed to post some impressive results despite the injuries, so those trainers are doing something right.  When you’re healthy & out with the team, what do you like about the Coffman team that makes you guys unique and different?
CS: We are all just really good friends and a lot of us have know each other since middle school, so we have all been able to see each other improve in our running and ability throughout the years.  We all run our workouts together and put in extra miles together in the off-season.  When you spend that much time training with people you get really close.  Most of us all hang out outside of the sport too, so it just adds to the fun.  It has really been the best part of my running career.

CRC: So, what kind of training do the guys at Coffman do?  What's your favorite workout?
CS: For our easy/rest days we just do 2-4 mile road runs, and for our hard workouts we run intervals on the track.  I run the 400/800m workout so we usually have combinations of repeat 800's, 400's, 300's, and 200's.  I don't know if I really have a favorite workout, but it always feels good when you have finished a really hard interval day and you know that it made you stronger and faster.

CRC: Do you plan on running in college?  Which college is your dream school?
CS: I thought about it and looked at running at some smaller schools but I decided I'd rather go to a big school than run at a really small one, so I won’t be running in college.  If I was going to run in college though, I would run at Ohio State.  I am going there for school, but I have always wanted to go there and it would be an honor to be on their team.

CRC: With this being your senior year, what are your goals for life after high school?  What do you want to do after you're finished with school?
CS: Like I said, I am going to Ohio State next year.  I got into a scholars program there in environmental science, so I plan on studying something in that field, I really don't know though.  I haven't really thought about what I'll do after I'm finished with school.  I'll probably get a job and get married, live the American Dream you know?

CRC: Outside of running, what do you like to do with your free time?CS: I love to fish.  I try to get out whenever I can and I spend a good amount of my summer up at Lake Erie fishing out on the lake.  I also like to spend time with my girl and kick it with my bro's.  In the winter, I am a big time skier, and I picked up diving this year which I also really enjoy.  Anything that is outdoors I really have a good time doing.

CRC: Having been through the ups and downs of your high school cross country & track career, what piece of advice would you offer to underclassmen looking to improve as runners?
CS: The best advice I could give would be to listen to your coaches and have fun.  As a freshman I never thought that I would be running the 400, but my coach told me I should give it a shot.  I didn't want to at first but I ended up doing well and now that’s one of my main events.  It was the same way with the 800, and running in that put me on a state qualifying 4x800 team.  And you got to have fun and enjoy it – without that, you’re just going to be a nervous wreck.  A wise man, Casey Hague, once told me "there ain’t nothin’ to it but to do it."  I try to just live by that and have a good time.