Interviews: Will Leer of Pomona-Pitzer
 (Photo courtesy of DePauw University assistant coach Linda Skaggs)
Will Leer on his way to winning the NCAA Division III Pre-National Meet on September 22nd in a time of 25:22.11 on the 8k course.
Will Leer of Pomona-Pitzer is the reigning NCAA Division III indoor mile champion. Leer ran away from the field in a time of 4:09.42 to capture the National title. He also garnered runner-up honors in the 1500 with a time of 3:49.70 and gained All-American status by placing 8th in the 800 meter run with a time of 1:52.82 at the 2006 NCAA Division III Outdoor National Championships. Leer is hoping to start off his senior year campaign with a strong showing at the 2006 NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships.
By: Keith Solverson (10/17/2006)
Could you tell us a little bit about yourself (where you're from, how you got started running)?
I hail from the beautiful state of Minnesota. I graduated from Minnetonka High School, class of ’03. Running entered my life during my sophomore year after I decided to no longer pursue tennis. It was basically my father’s constant nagging, and a little bit of encouragement from some of my soccer buddies that made me go out for track. The original plan was to use track to get me in (better) shape and faster for soccer. I guess the rest is history, the role of the two sports changed roles and so during the summer and fall I was using soccer to keep me in shape for track.
What were your PR's in high school (cross country and track)?
I never really ran cross country in high school, not in the normal sense at least. I just ran in the meets to help out the team. That is, if the soccer schedule didn’t conflict. But my 5k PR was somewhere around 16:25 which was at our section meet, to qualify for state. The top 10 individuals qualified, I placed 11th. I always thought this was very fitting.
I took track much more seriously than cross. I set all of my PR’s during my senior year, thanks to my amazing coach Jeff Renlund.
800m: 1:54.64 (1:53 split)
1600m: 4:16.41
What are your current PR's (cross country and track)?
I am now taking both sports pretty seriously, although I view myself as more of a track runner.
Cross PR’s: 8k – 24:14
Track PR’s: 800m – 1:52.06, 1,500m – 3:45.71, mile (indoor) – 4:09.42, 3k – 8:24.01
What made you choose Pomona-Pitzer?
Sontag Greek Theater
(Photo courtesy of the Pomona-Pitzer website)
(Photo courtesy of the Pomona-Pitzer athletics website)
I chose Pomona College for a number of reasons: the beautiful southern California location, top liberal arts college, etc. But most importantly, I chose Pomona because during my visit as a prospective student I found that the team (track at the time) had a really good balance between academics, running, and having an active social life (let’s just say that PPXC knows how to have a great time on the weekends).
I found this to be a big draw to the school because I wanted to pursue all of those things in college. Also, Pat Mulcahy, my coach, is a really chill guy and it great to be around.
What was your training like this past summer?
Training this past summer was, in a word, spotty. I was basically on my own for the entire summer, except for the one or two times a week that I would run with my high school coach. So as a result of this my training lacked the essential component of the really long run. But as a rule of thumb, when I went out the door my run was at least an hour, unless it was a double or if I was under some time constraint.
What is your favorite workout(s) during the cross country season and what does it include?
In both cross country and track my favorite workouts are generally the hill repeat workouts. During the cross season this usually includes longer hills, approximately 800m. But as for the down and dirty workouts, I like mile repeats. I mean, I don’t really enjoy them, but I like how they emphasize both the mental and physical aspects of running. They force you to concentrate on the task at hand, especially during the last couple.
What are your goals for this cross country season?
My goals for the cross country season include winning our conference championship (keeping the individual title in the hands of a Pomona-Pitzer athlete in the way my mentor, Crosby Freeman, did) and finally running well at NCAA’s, we’ll see where that gets me.
What are your plans after college?
I would love to continue running for at least a year and hopefully qualify for the Trials. Racing at Hayward Field has always been a dream of mine. I have been talking with Nick Symmonds who is training with the Nike Oregon Project up in Eugene, that sounds like a pretty sweet deal.
Who has been the biggest influence in your life and/or running?
My high school coach, Jeff Renlund, is really the first person who got me to believe that I actually have some potential in running. His love for the sport really rubbed off on me. Another big influence, and I would be lying here if I didn’t include him, is Crosby Freeman. For the last three years he and I basically ran together every day. His influence was more in the realm of getting me to venture outside of my comfort zone and try new things, like putting in heavier miles.
On the day of a race, is there anything you do to mentally prepare yourself (i.e. pre-race routine, maybe comb your moustache, dye your hair, etc.)?
Not really, in high school I was more superstitious. Although when I had my moustache I would usually shave the rest of my face the night before a race, just to keep it clean. Now I am more focused on just doing things as a routine. I do essentially the same warm-up for workouts as I do for races, so my body knows what it is about to endure… pain.
What's the running environment like at
Pomona? Where does the team train?
 The Ridge
(photos courtesy of Sean McCarron, Pomona-Pitzer Class of 2007)
Running at Pomona is pretty bland on a day-to-day basis. We pound the pavement like every other team. There aren’t many options if you are looking for a soft surface. You can get in a lot of soft if you stick to running around the 5C’s (The Claremont Colleges), but if I am staying soft for a run I usually just loop the inside of the track or the soccer field, it aids in mental toughness.
However, we are located in the foothills of the San Gabriel mountains so on the weekends we go on some amazing runs up there, on the fire roads and such where it is all soft dirt. I have a special place in my heart for those mountains.
What advice would you give to other runners who aspire to be a champion?
I mean, this might sound really cliché, but the thing that has helped me the most is believing in myself. If you don’t believe in yourself, who else will? Also, get to know your body, what works and what doesn’t. This helps to escape injury as well as maximizes the effects of your training.
Thanks to Will for a great interview.
post comment
Untitled Comment
10:28 PM, October 22, 2006
.. Posted by Anonymous
if anyone has the chance to meet will, do it. he is THE MAN!
Untitled Comment
1:06 PM, October 24, 2006
.. Posted by Anonymous
can you please bring back the sweet mustache for nationals?
Untitled Comment
7:08 PM, October 28, 2006
.. Posted by Anonymous
going to the same high school as will leer i had the oppertunity to run with him frequently durring the summer and yeah will basically kicks ass
Untitled Comment
2:06 AM, June 3, 2007
.. Posted by Anonymous
Indeed, Pat Mulcahy is a chill guy.
<br>We knew that back in the 70\'s.
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