Cross Country/Track Q&A: Jackson Felkins

Freshman Jackson Felkins of the Pepperdine's men's track and cross country teams has been turning heads all season. He was Pepperdine's top runner at the NCAA West Regional and was Pepperdine's #2 runner at the WCC Championships in the fall. This spring, he's set a school record in the 10,000 meters. We talked about his transition from Texas to Malibu and how became so successful on and off the track:

Q: How did you end up here at Pepperdine?

A: I came on a visit not expecting to end up here, but I really liked the guys and they made a very welcoming environment. A few of my other college options didn't pan out so here I am.

Q: As we wrap up this school year, how has your freshman year been on and off the track?

A: In terms of races it's been a pretty good year. We had a lot of setbacks from the fires, a teammate transferred, we also lost a coach. There were a lot of weird/unexpected situations but the guys came together and still managed to do well. It was a lot of work but a pretty rewarding season overall. Off the track, it was significantly less fun than running. Especially second semester, it's been hard academically as classes ramped up, but it's all been manageable.

Q: There's been no doubt that you are one of our top freshman runners, but the start of your season was slow. Was there an injury?

A: Yes, at the beginning of my cross country season I had a stress fracture in my foot from the summer so I wasn't on high mileage and couldn't do real workouts for a while. So the beginning of my season was mediocre.

Q: You have steadily progressed throughout this season and finished as our top runner at the NCAA West Regional. What did you do to improve?

A: Honestly, it has mostly been the older guys encouraging me. They have been the best workout partners and have pushed me every step of the way. It has been a lot of help having my supportive teammates with me every step of the way.

Q: What is like to run for a half-hour for 10,000 meters? You set the school record on March 29 at UCLA.

A: It sucks. In high school you only raced 5k and it feels very hard. The best quote that I have heard for racing 8k and 10ks is that at the 5k mark you still feel like you do at the end of a 5k, but you're only halfway done. I think I can do well at the longer races, but they aren't preferred.

Q: What is your favorite memory from this season?

A: So far my favorite memory would have to be cross country regionals even though there was a lot going on. It was the day after the shooting and we left when the fire happened. We were in Sacramento waiting for updates because we had no idea what was going on but the team still pulled together through the stress. It was cool to see all of us come together and have our best performance in regionals. It was meaningful.

Q: What are your goals/plans athletically and academically for the future?

A: My goal academically is to go to med school after undergrad, hopefully to become a trauma surgeon. I will be getting my bachelor's in philosophy. I won't be running after college so I just want to be the best that I can be while I'm here and help lead the team.

Q: If you could describe your team in one word what would it be and why?

A: I'd day welcoming because coming here and not knowing anyone was scary but after knowing the team for two or three days I immediately felt like I had a ton of best friends, which made the entire freshman year a lot easier.

Players Mentioned

Jackson Felkins

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