Feature - Q&A With Caitlin Standifer
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Senior women's cross country star Caitlin Standifer (Plano, Texas) sat down with Bruin Insider Donny Turnbaugh this week to have a question and answer session on some of the distance runner's favorite things. Check out the complete discussion below.
DT: What are your superstitions?
CS: On race day there is a certain pair of socks I have to wear. Ever since I was little I would wear a specific pair of socks. I had this one pair of orange socks that got it started and now I just think if I wear a certain pair of socks I'll race better.
DT: What are some of your pre-race rituals?
CS: I'm big on having just a simple bagel. Some people think you should have whole wheat but I like simple white bread. Just having as few complex carbs as possible. I'll put honey on the bagel. I also have some fruit and half of a health bar. I eat almost the same thing every time.
DT: Where is your favorite place to run?
CS: Around here, it's Percy Warner Park. I came from Dallas where there weren't many trails around us so coming here that was a real treat.
DT: What are your favorite pizza toppings?
CS: This is interesting because I can't have dairy so I'll make my own pizza so there are all different types of substitutes. I really like Hawaiian but I usually just put on as many vegetables as I possibly can. I don't eat that much meat so I'll put tofu on my pizzas. I also like pesto, I make my own and use that.
DT: Where is your favorite place to hang out in Nashville?
CS: Bongo Java, actually. I go there regularly and spend hours there to knock off homework.
DT: What is your top travel spot?
CS: Colorado. I have family that lives around Beaver Creek and Vail area. My favorite ski resort is Breckenridge in Colorado.
DT: What are your favorite winter sports?
CS: I've been skiing since I was three but I picked up snowboarding when I was in sixth grade. I would say I'm more of a snowboarder now.
DT: What is your favorite summer activity?
CS: I love hiking. We don't get that that chance during the season so I try to go a lot in the offseason.
DT: What part of a salad would you be?
CS: I would be the spicy nuts.
DT: Favorite type of music and musician?
CS: It would be Indie. My favorite artist is Broken Social Scene. They convey a certain feeling and there is no artist like them.
DT: What class at Belmont have you enjoyed the most?
CS: My most challenging one would be adventure planning. I'm an entrepreneurship major and I have a big dream of opening up a running store and that class challenged me to create the business plan for the store I would open up. I don't think I would have done it otherwise if I didn't have the people who taught me how to do it.
DT: What is your favorite sport to watch and who is your favorite team?
CS: Football and my favorite team is the Dallas Cowboys.
DT: Who is your Super Bowl pick?
CS: I think it's going to be the Eagles. I can see them going against the Patriots but I really hope they don't make it.
Standifer and the Belmont women's cross country team will be competing in the Commodore Classic this weekend at Percy Warner Park in Nashville. The women's race is set to start at 9:30 a.m. CT.
