Catching up with: Calvary Christian junior Joe Cathey

By JOE SMITH
Published October 12, 2006

Cathey emerged on the county's cross country radar this fall, clocking an impressive 16 minutes, 27 seconds at the flrunners.com Invitational last month. The time ranks him among Pinellas' best.

Cathey spoke with Times staff writer Joe Smith about his internal clock, his battle with the bushes and his "milestone" race.

You said your freshman season was filled with injuries. What happened?

I had found out I ran the second half of the (cross country) season with a stress fracture, and I couldn't run in the winter. After track, I hurt myself again jumping over bushes.

Bushes? How did you manage that?

At home, I jumped over bushes to the work bench on the other side and landed on a plastic crate. That gave way and I twisted my foot. I hurt it pretty bad. I needed to wear a boot for a while until my ligaments healed."

You've done well in track the past two years. But your coach (Erik Lipham) said you turned the corner in cross country camp this summer at Appalachian State (Boone, N.C.)?

I definitely started working harder. After that, I realized my leg strength wasn't that good. I needed to work on that to get that speed. I started running 40 miles a week and working my way up from there.

It paid off at the flrunners meet, where you finished seventh. What did that mean to you?

It was a great milestone. That race really took it out of me. I don't even remember half the stuff that happened afterward."

You seem to run a steady pace, with obviously a strong kick. But are you becoming more of a strategic runner?

I never have been - I don't even run with a watch. I've always had an internal clock. When I was 8 or 9 years old and my mom told me to be home by eight - I'd be there when the clock turned."

[Last modified October 12, 2006, 06:36:35]