Big River Dual Interview: Billy Bell and Mark Buha

Billy Bell and Mark Buha were St. Louis' top high school distance runners from 2002 through 2004 and forged a memorable battle at the 2003 State Cross Country Meet with Columbia Hickman's Tim Cornell. Bell (pictured at top), a graduate of Parkway Central High School now attends the University of Missouri. Buha (bottom picture), from Chaminade, is studying at Duke University. Bell and Buha agreed to answer a few questions for us and give today's high schoolers a look at what life is like at the next level.

BR: You both had great high school careers in St. Louis and a lot of high school runners in St. Louis
still remember you both.  Can you give us an update on what you have been up to since you graduated.

BB: Well, since I graduated I have been running for Mizzou and pursuing a degree in Business Management. When I am in St. Louis I train with a lot of my training buddies from high school at Castlewood.

MB: I am at Duke University studying philosophy and economics.  So far I haven't made any decisions
for after graduation.  I'm still weighing the pros and cons of careers in business or law.  As for running,
the last couple years I have battled a few injuries but I am now healthy and ready to improve.  

BR: Can you tell us a little bit about the recruiting process and why you chose Mizzou (Billy) and Duke (Mark)?

MB: Unless you're a superstar, you have to initiate contact with the programs you're interested in, because they will rarely come to you. I only got one or two calls, but I contacted about ten colleges I wanted to run for.  After visiting the campuses, talking to the coaches, and meeting the teams, Duke felt like the best combination of everything I was looking for: Great academics, a solid track program (yet one I can make an impact on), and a good group of guys on the team that I am comfortable with.

BB: I actually wasn't really recruited by that many schools. I contacted most of the schools I was interested in myself through email first and then went from there. I had a few schools that I visited but I really wanted to go to Mizzou so once I went on my visit, I verbally committed there almost immediately. There were a lot of reasons I chose Mizzou. I really wanted to run for a division 1 school that was close to home so I looked around the Midwest mostly. Also, Columbia has a really great variety of trails which was very important to me and on my visit I just felt really comfortable with the team, they are a really great group of guys to train with. On the academic side, I knew I was going to be studying business and it has a pretty good program with a brand new business school building that I really liked. I also just really liked the idea of representing the state I have grown up in.

BR: What was the transition like moving from high school running to running in college and in your case for a major Division I program?

BB: I would say it has been pretty hard so far. I ran pretty decent mileage in high school so the mileage didn't really break me down but everything is just so much more intense. Workouts are just a lot more intense and faster than I did in high school, but they are less frequent. I think on the Cross Country side, the transition has been smoother but on the Track side of things, I am still having a hard time adjusting to racing for some reason. It can be hard sometimes because every guy you race is fast and they were all studs in high school. It can be tough mentally to go out in 5:00 for the first mile in a cross race and be in last place which happened to me a couple times my freshmen year. It is definitely something I was expecting though, I knew racing in division 1 would be very challenging but it is also really fun getting to travel to meets and being around great runners all the time.

MB: The most-talked-about difference between high school and college is the training.  The emphasis in most college programs is more mileage, more tempo runs, and generally more aerobic work.  More importantly, though, you are now training with 20 guys who are as fast or faster than you, and everyday can feel like a race.  For me, this transition was probably smoother than most.  I came from a high-mileage background and I always trained with older, faster runners in the winters and summers.  The change that struck me was racing. I was always used to being near the front or at the front in races, and now I'm usually a mid-packer.

BR: What about running in college has been the biggest challenge for you?

MB: After observing a lot college runners I can see two pretty common trends.  Some guys respond to the greater expectations of college running by trying to improve too much, too soon.  They race every workout and boost their mileage unrealistically, and end up injured and/or frustrated.  Others are used to winning every race in high school and are shocked at the reality of college running: running 14:30, a huge improvement from high school, is really nowhere on the national college scene.  Realizing they can't win any more, they sort of "fall through the cracks" and lose the focus and passion they used to have.  If I honestly look at my career so far, I would say I have spent a little time in both groups (though mostly in the over-exuberant group).  The biggest challenge for me, then, has been being patient and believing in myself enough to know I can be pretty good someday.  If I can do that, I think I can do some big things my junior and senior years.  

BB: The biggest challenge for me is probably been racing on the track and the intensity of some workouts. Like I said before I haven't quite figured it out yet it seems. It has also been challenging because I haven't raced very much yet so I still feel pretty inexperienced right now. It seems strange because I am already a junior for cross but I am still just a freshmen in track because I redshirted last year. With the workouts, for the most part they aren't too bad but when you are with so many good runners, its like you have to bring your A game every time and sometimes it just isn't there. When you are training with so many great guys you can really pull through some great training and workouts that you wouldn't have thought you could do alone though so there are definitely a lot of positives to training like that.

BR: The outdoor track season has begun. What have your run so far and what are your goals for the rest of the season?

BB: So far I have done two 5k's and I will be running one 10k in 2 weeks and if things go well there I might run at the Big 12 meet. My goals this season weren't very complicated, I just want to improve. I mainly wanted to focus on just going out there and racing and getting more comfortable with it. I guess my main goal is to run fast enough to run at Big 12's. I am actually kind of banged up right now though, I have some tendonitis in my foot right now and I had a problem with my hip a few weeks ago. They aren't too serious though so I have been able to deal with them without too many setbacks.

MB: I ran 14:55 for 5k this past indoor season, but I have yet to improve upon that this outdoor season.  My original pre-season goal was to run 14:35 or better.  I have adjusted my goals a little bit and I am now shooting for 14:45 in one of my last two races coming up.

BR: As you approach the halfway point of your college career and look toward the future what would you like to accomplish in running before you leave school?

MB: My biggest goal is to be part of a team that qualifies for NCAA cross country nationals.  It has always been my dream to compete in that meet.  

BB: I agree with Mark, before I leave, I definitely want to take our team to nationals in cross country. We haven't been there in a while but I feel we have what it takes to make it there.

BR: On to a broader topic, American Distance Running is definitely on the rise if you look at times across the country from high schoolers all the way to the professional ranks. What do you think is the biggest reason for the fast times being run by Americans?

BB: The biggest reason for the fast times being run by Americans I believe is the increase in mileage again.  I think people are starting to believe more in higher mileage than they used to which is great for the sport.  I also think we have had a few guys spread the idea of not being afraid of taking a chance and running with the Africans.  Guys like Bob Kennedy who kind of started the beginning of the comeback of distance running in the U.S. went out and trained with Kenyans and made that big move for a medal at the Olympics.  Then you have Alan Webb go 3:53 in high school which just set a new standard I believe for milers in the U.S.  There are a number of guys that come to mind now that aren't afraid of running against the best in the world and believe they belong, Goucher, Ritz, Meb, Culpepper, these guys have shown that they want to be the best in the world and are taking chances in races and it is paying off.  Also, our country has started to form some great training groups around the U.S. that have really benefited the sport such as Salazar's training group in Oregon, Hudson's in Boulder, the group they have up in Palo Alto with runners like Meb, Hall, and Dobson, and the Hanson's group up in Michigan.  So yeah, basically a mix of higher mileage, more dedication, and believing that Americans can run with the best in the world is the reason we are better now than we were 10 years ago.

MB: I think the difference is training ideology and a more confident attitude.  The early 90s attitude was to focus on speed and run as little mileage as you can get away with (due to fear of "burning out").  That was when U.S. running was at rock bottom.  Now we are realizing we can do more mileage (like the 70s) at a younger age and that, given enough time and consistent work, we can compete with the Africans.  

BR: Going back to your high school days what was your most memorable running moment?

MB: I will have to give you a tie:  my team winning the state 3A cross country championship my sophomore year, and my team winning the Metro Catholic Conference cross country title my senior year.

BB: My most memorable moment would have to be senior year of the state cross country meet placing 3rd.  It is my favorite race I have ever run because even though I wanted to win, I know I gave everything I could have done and I delivered my best on that day.  I still wish I could have won that race but I know I did everything starting from the first day I started training for the season in the beginning of June until the end of the season in November.  It was just a really fun and intense race that I will never forget.

BR: Finally, if you had any bit of advice for St. Louis' current crop of high schoolers what would it be?

BB: Run hard and train hard!  High School Cross Country and Track is such a fun thing and it only lasts for four years so make the most of it.  Get out and train in the off season and you will improve, go out to group runs and meet other runners from different schools.  It is a great way to improve when you meet and see how other people do things and show them what you do.  It will help the sport and it will help you as well. 

MB: Dream big and act big.  I always felt that, because of Missouri laws that restrict us from traveling to out-of-state meets, St. Louisans tend to think on a local scale and not on a national scale.  I think there is enough talent in our city to think bigger, but know that you have to be committed enough to think that way.  

BR: Billy and Mark thanks for a great interview and best of luck with the remainder of the track season!