George Washington University Athletics
10 Questions For... Dave Azari
11/11/2003 12:00:00 AM | Cross Country
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| Dave Azari |
As the top male performer, Dave has been an integral part of GW Cross Country since arriving in Foggy Bottom. He finished first for the Colonials in four meets this season while completing a degree in economics with a minor in mathematics. Dave has been named Academic All-Conference twice and Atlantic 10 Performer of the Week three times in his career. Here is a look inside the world of a cross country runner.
1. Why run?
DA: I'm 5'7'', 130 and have very little hand-eye coordination.
2. Men's races are usually 5 miles. What is going through your head around mile 4?
DA: Freshman year, having never raced more than 3.1 miles, I used to wonder what sick mind dreamt up adding another couple miles to the race. Now I just zone out and try to wake up by the last 400 meters.
3. The cross country team seems to be very close. Do you guys always run together in packs or do you try to be the first one back to Smith Center?
DA: We've got a no-race policy for practices. Of course, if some of the younger guys are feeling good and try to be practice champion that day, the seniors are obligated to hammer them all the way back to 22nd street.
4. When your parents brought you to college, did you ride or run next to the U-Haul?
DA: I'm from the Philly area so it is about 170 miles to GW. I slept during the ride but ran about that much during the preseason freshman year.
5. Why are running shorts cut so high?
DA: Keeps us moving. No one would be caught dead walking around in them. That and the ladies seem to like it.
6. How many pairs of running shoes do you go through each year?
DA: Five.
7. Will you continue running competitively after you finish school?
DA: I'd like to hook up with one of the more competitive running clubs down here. There's some very quick post-collegiate guys in DC. Failing that, I'll pack on a few pounds, strap on a fanny pack, and jog around with the housewives who are "marathon training" once a week on Saturdays.
8. There aren't any referees in cross country. Have you ever seen anything that would warrant a foul or a penalty?
DA: If you get 200 guys all trying to get to the same narrow path, some interesting things happen. I've seen a guy turn around and punch the kid behind him for clipping his shoe. That might deserve a warning.
9. If you could race against three people, who would they be and why?
DA: Tough one. The first two would be my high school coach, David Heffner, back when he ran at Penn State, and Brian Beil, our assistant coach from last year. Both of them were quick in their day, which would make for a good race.
The third would be Michael Johnson. He's great at 400 meters, but I'd wreck him over 4000 meters.
10. All things considered, shouldn't coach Cane have named her baby boy Dave?
DA: Haha.
