Interview with Nicole Bush

March 26, 2008

In the last indoor competition of her career, Michigan State senior Nicole Bush went out in style, finishing sixth in the 3000m (9:13.48), and fourth in the 5000m (16.03.27), earning All-America honors in both, at the 2008 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships. Bush becomes the 12th MSU women's track & field indoor All-American, and the third in history to garner All-America honors in two separate events in the same season. After a fifth place finish at the 2007 NCAA Cross Country Championships and her successful indoor season, Bush is ready to tackle new obstacles as she will compete at the Olympic trials this summer.

How did it feel competing at your first NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships?

It felt good to finally be there. It was like being at any National Championship meet. The track is fast and everyone is ready to compete.

Coach Drenth talked about how hard it is to run the way you did in the 3000m, after running in the 5000m the night before. Describe how difficult it was to place so high in the 5000m and then come out and be so successful in the 3000m just one day later?

There isn't much more to it than just deciding to stick. I ran the 5000 on fresh legs and then went to bed. When I woke up on Saturday I had to forget about the energy I had put in the night before and just accept that my legs were a little ragged and go with it. In the 3000, I knew that my mind would be my biggest limiting factor before my legs would ever come into play. I just got in the second race and stuck with it, making the hard decisions when my body wasn't really feeling it.

What did it mean to you, knowing that you were the only representative for Michigan State at the NCAA Indoors?

On one hand, it is kind of neat. But on the other, it would have brought an amazing energy to have teammates there. At competitions like Big Tens, it's a great feeling to have teammates competing with you and around you and I really missed that at nationals.

Knowing that this was your last indoor collegiate event, how did it feel to come out and perform the way you did?

I mean, it felt good enough. It doesn't really matter that it was my last indoor collegiate event; it was just cool to get in there and have an opportunity to compete in that sort of arena. I got into two, back-to-back, very competitive races, on a small banked track and I think that's a great experience for me to have.

You are the 12th women's indoor All-American in school history, does that carry any significance with you?

I think that it's pretty cool. But I also think that in the next few years, there's going to be many more. Especially with the talent that's developing on this women's team.

You are only the third MSU women's track student-athlete to gain All-America honors in two different events in the same year, how does it feel to be up at the top with some of the great track athletes in Michigan State history?

It's really an honor to be a part of MSU's track history.

Coming into college, did you expect this level of competition and results out of yourself? If not, when did you realize that you could compete on this level?

When I came in I expected something out of myself. But I don't think I knew what it was. Then I had a pretty unfortunate freshmen year, which was my own fault. But sometime during my sophomore year I started getting my stuff together and that's when, with help from Rita, I started to realize I was on to something.

With all of your experience at NCAA Championships (Outdoor 2006 and 2007, Cross Country 2007), how did that help you at this year's Indoor Championships?

Eventually the nationals just become the nationals. You learn how to evaluate your fitness and you know where you belong. The rest is just going out there and performing to the best of your confidence level. At the indoor national, my past experiences help me to understand the atmosphere and get a little more comfortable with it for a fourth and fifth time.

Between cross country, and indoor and outdoor track, you now have more All-American honors than any women's runner in school history, is that any surprise to you?

I know that we've had some very outstanding athletes in the past and having that honor is a pleasant surprise. But I have a feeling, with the rising standards of the program that there will be more people to run, jump and throw, through this program grabbing many of their own accolades.

Looking back on your career, what is the hardest thing that you have had to overcome on the track to get to the level that you are at?

I think the biggest thing, especially as a freshman, was a self-infliction. I had a really hard time getting out of my own way when I was younger; whether it was slacking on my mileage or having a diet high in Kit Kats. My biggest obstacle was just lining up my priorities and focusing my energies in the right places. It definitely delays the progress when you don't have everything together, but the opportunities are pretty limitless when you put all your ducks in a row.

Describe what it will be like entering the Olympic trials this summer?

I'm not quite sure what to expect. But it'll be an experience to say the least, and I'm looking forward to it.