University of Georgia Athletics
A Quick Chat With ... Bryan Kamau
September 15, 2016 | Cross Country
By John Frierson
UGAAA Staff Writer
The life of the collegiate distance runner is something that most of us can't really understand. When a "light" day begins with an 11-mile run, well, it almost makes you question if we're using the same dictionary.
Bryan Kamau was born in Kenya before moving to the United States when he was young. The junior, who graduated from Shiloh High School in Snellville, Ga., opened the Bulldogs' cross country season on Sept. 3, with a win in the UGA Cross Country Invitational.
On Wednesday, Kamau stopped running long enough to have a quick chat about logging all those miles, returning to Kenya over the summer and much more. Here's some of what he had to say:
Frierson: When you say you had a light day of practice, what does that mean?
Kamau: The afternoon is going to be a walk-through, with some strides and drills, something to warm my legs up -- we also have a weight session -- so it won't be anything too difficult.
In the morning I did about 11 (miles) and we'll go out again around 2 this afternoon, so that will be around 13 for the day.
Frierson: How old were you when something like that became a light day? Because there had to be a mental and physical switch at some point, right?
Kamau: I'd have to say the transition phase was probably sophomore year, and then junior year is when it started clicking. I was just thinking about the older guys that have now graduated, they used to do this on a regular basis and I thought it was crazy. But now I'm doing the same thing.
It became normal probably this season, but it was a gradual change throughout my whole sophomore year.
Frierson: What about when you were young, was there a breakthrough moment or season when you recognized that you were a really good runner and that you enjoyed putting in the work that's required to be really good?
Kamau: I'd probably say around sophomore year of high school was when I realized that, thankfully, I'm pretty good at this, I have fun with friends on the team and it's something I'd like to do collegiately. That was when I started taking it more seriously.
I still have fun with it, I've never been bored with it and I've always enjoyed running. I might not enjoy getting up at 6 a.m., but it's always a fun thing to do with friends.
Frierson: What's the most creative thing you do, or something creative you'd like to be able to do?
Kamau: I'd like to play an instrument. I admire people who can play an instrument, or dance. Those are two things I can't do, but I admire people who can.
Frierson: Did you watch much of the Olympics?
Kamau: The track and field I watched all of and everything else I watched parts of it.
Frierson: There's so much of the track and field that I look at and just think, how the heck can they do that so fast or so far? What stands out to you as a collegiate runner watching the Games?
Kamau: The one that jumped out at me the most was our teammate, Keturah (Orji, who placed fourth in the women's triple jump), did amazingly well, so it was awesome to watch her. And then in the 1,500 (meter run), it was Matt Centrowitz who won gold.
They took it out fairly slow, but in that last 800 they closed in like 1:45, and I personally can't even run that fast for an 800 -- but they're doing it at the end of the 1,500. Even though the overall time was slow, knowing that they can run that fast for the last 800 is incredible. That was awesome to watch.
Really, watching our teammates compete had to be the best moments. I'm watching Kendell Williams (in the heptathlon) and I'm like, I know her, she's my teammate. That's pretty awesome.
Frierson: Say it's after a race and you've had a good day, and you can go out and eat anything you want, what are you eating?
Kamau: I would probably get a cold Coke and I like barbecue or some type of burger. I'd want something that's meat and fatty, and an ice-cold soda.
That's probably not the best thing to eat after a race, but I think it's all right.
Frierson: How closely do you have to monitor what you eat? There's a book called "Once A Runner" and in it there's a line from one of the runners in it about how if the furnace is hot enough anything will burn.
Kamau: I think I do a pretty good job of paying attention to what I eat. I don't have a strict diet or anything, but I just like having my fair share of carbs and protein and vegetables -- but also at the same time I'm not too strict on it. After a race or after the week's over, I'll go pig out.
I make sure I do the right things during the week but I also have my days when I'm completely off, and I don't mind.
Frierson: What's something that's entered your life in 2016, or that you've experienced, that really hit home or has had a profound effect on you? It can be a book you read, a movie, a sandwich you can't get enough of -- anything that you're grateful you've discovered.
Kamau: For 2016 I'd have to say having the opportunity to go back to Kenya. I was born in Kenya but I came here when I was in second or third grade, and I hadn't been back in about seven years.
I went for about a week and a half, toward the end of summer. I was cutting it close because it was close to the start of practice and I didn't want to mess with my training too much. But it was an opportunity that I couldn't give up. Being able to see my family -- cousins, aunts, grandparents -- was something pretty big for me, and I had a lot of fun.
Frierson: What stood out to you the most while you were there, because it's in a lot of ways a very different world from here? What maybe touched your heart the most?
Kamau: How content and happy they are. They might not have as much, they definitely have what they need, but they're just so happy.
Kamau and Georgia's cross country squads are back in action Saturday at the Commodore Classic in Nashville.
John Frierson is the staff writer for the UGA Athletic Association and curator of the ITA Men's Tennis Hall of Fame. You can find his work at: Frierson Files. He's also on Twitter: @FriersonFiles and @ITAHallofFame.
