Sept. 14, 2011
Nashville, Tenn. –
Meet one of the new faces of the Commodore Cross Country team, Hannah Jumper, who is one of four freshman competing in the Commodore Classic this coming Saturday at Percy Warner Park. The women’s 5,000-meter event starts at 9:30 a.m. CT.
Hannah Jumper, freshman from Chattanooga, Tenn.
What does it mean to be a Commodore to you?
“It is amazing; Vanderbilt is such an awesome community and I’m so blessed to get to be a part of it and represent the school.”
What most impresses you about your coaches and your teammates?
“My coaches and my teammates are all around great people. It’s nice to be around people who work really hard, love what they do, and still manage to have fun and stay balanced.”
What has been most difficult thing you’ve had to handle since you got here?
“The adjustment has definitely been hard, but for the most part it has been smooth. The hardest thing would have to be managing time between homework, tests, exams, practice, and sleep.”
When you race, what goes through your mind?
“Honestly, I don’t think much. When I look back on races I have no idea what I thought about through the race. I try to focus on the race and think about getting the girl in front of me.”
What did you do individually and as a team to prepare for this upcoming meet?
“Honestly, I don’t feel like we train for certain meets but instead the season as a whole. It’s nice to be able to race at home because it is a familiar course and close to home, but there are also more distractions, so we have to make sure we remember we’re racing even though we’re still in town.”
What was your reaction when you realized this meet rests a bit on the freshman?
“It’s definitely a little intimidating but it also raises the standards and makes us want to do the team proud.”
How would you say you’re feeling and what are you thinking about coming into this race?
“I’m excited to race again and race a full 5K. Coming into the race, I am just hoping to run fast for early in the season.”
What do you love most about running?
“I love getting to be around my teammates, who are my best friends, all the time and working hard to accomplish something. Running is a really hard sport but in the end, accomplishing your individual and team goals is the best feeling.”