University of Georgia Athletics
Quick Chat: Nicholas Yanek
August 28, 2019 | Cross Country, Track & Field, The Frierson Files
By John Frierson
Staff Writer
Nicholas Yanek runs and speaks with great energy and enthusiasm. Between school and running and the numerous other commitments he has, the Georgia distance runner's days are very full — and he wouldn't want it any other way.
Last month, Yanek was busy in Costa Rica at the Pan American Under-20 Championships, where he earned a silver medal in the 10,000 meters. On Saturday, Yanek and the men's and women's cross-country teams will open their seasons in the Bulldog Invitational at the UGA Golf Course.
Yanek, who last spring was honored as one of Georgia's eight Presidential Scholar-Athletes, is majoring in both Chemistry and Exercise & Sport Science. During a Quick Chat on Tuesday, he talked about his busy days, the joy of a good bagel and much more. Here's some of what he had to say:
Frierson: What was the best or most interesting part of your summer?
Yanek: Probably running at the Pan Am U-20 Championships; that was pretty cool because I got to go to Costa Rica for that. Otherwise, I was just here taking classes for the other part of the summer. [Laughs.] That was the most exciting thing I got to do because I got to travel, which was fun. I also met some of our now-freshman runners on the track team that were there.
Frierson: What was it like for a group of Bulldogs to be there representing their country like that?
Yanek: It was actually super cool; it was nice because we had a built-in support system already just between those of us that were there. Everybody there was great and it was cool watching everybody run. We already had a common bond and we were out there cheering each other on; it made you feel a little more comfortable, I feel like, because you already know people.
Frierson: When you're doing a long training run, especially one by yourself, what are you thinking about? How much are you thinking about maybe the mechanics of what you're doing and how much are you thinking about whatever's on your mind that day?
Yanek: I feel like it's mostly the thoughts of the day; usually the last song I listened to is in my head the whole time — I'll have Beyoncé in my head for like an hour and a half. [Laughs.] Usually, I don't think too much about form and stuff like that, but I'll think about what I have going on for the day or that week, or homework I have to do. It's a good time to think about what I have to do after the run.
Frierson: Take me through your academic demands and what all you have going on beyond running and school. And where did the drive to do all that come from?
Yanek: I am very busy this semester with 17 credit hours, which is a little more than I wanted, but two of the classes are online so that's good. ... I am part of the Tate Society (the Dean William Tate Honor Society), and that's a great group to be around; they're insane: super smart and super involved. I'm part of that, which takes some time.
I'm also part of the Student Alumni Council and we have meetings for that a lot. I'm the operations chair so I have to make volunteer signup sheets and help remind people when their shifts are coming up and take notes during meetings. I'm also part of the Student-Athlete Advisory Council, so we have those meetings and I take notes for those, as well. [Laughs.]
I'm also part of an initiative called Sport Support, we don't really know what to call it, but it's kind of catchy. So we're assigning teams to other teams, to come out and watch a home game. ... It's a way to way to help promote our school spirit. I also do research in the kinesiology department, so that adds a little bit in there, too. That one's a little harder to squeeze in, but we're working on it.
I think the drive to do a lot and keep pushing the limit to see what I can do comes from my parents, probably. They came not the best background and they were able to move up and lot and be successful. I look up to them a lot and I want to put their work to good use.
Frierson: Are there enough hours in the day for you to get everything done? That was a very long list, plus you've got a lot of miles to run every day.
Yanek: [Laughs.] I still manage to get eight hours of sleep a night, so that's good. I definitely prioritize that, and I still get to the treatment room. I definitely have to schedule my time very wisely, but it's gotten me really good at scheduling.
I try to be as efficient and to the point with everything I'm doing just so I can keep the ball rolling.
Frierson: When did running become something serious for you?
Yanek: I started running in seventh grade and I wasn't very good and I did not like it. My parents were like, you need to do something. I was like, I guess I'll run because my sister does that. I think my 2-mile time was 19:36 or something like that, it was close to 10-minute miles, but then that track season in seventh grade things kind of picked up a little bit.
In eighth grade I was like, oh, I kind of like running. When I was going into high school that was a big turning point because I really did focus on running instead of just doing it for fun. ... Throughout high school is when I really devoted more time to it.
Frierson: What's something you could eat every day and never get tired of it?
Yanek: Oh, definitely bagels, my team knows that. Bagels and coffee are my go-to right there. Even on Sundays when I'm just sitting around, if I'm doing my homework I'll have a bagel with peanut butter and banana, and a coffee with it, that's like my ideal Sunday — just getting work done and it's relaxing and it tastes good. [Laughs.]
Frierson: If you could travel anywhere in the world on somebody else's dime, where would you go?
Yanek: I really like the beach, which is weird because I don't really like swimming. [Laughs.] I do like having stuff to do because I get super bored — as you can tell I'm kind of busy with everything, so I like to be moving all the time. It would have to be a mix of somewhere where I can relax but also has stuff to do.
Maybe if I could do the whole country of Italy or something, or France, doing a whole tour of the country.
Frierson: Would you not know what to do with yourself if you had just a blank slate of a weekend?
Yanek: I have to admit, when I was home for a week between summer classes and coming back for practice, I was so bored. I just cleaned nonstop, so my parents love when I'm home; since I have nothing to do I'll be like, I'll clean the kitchen.
There are things I want to do, like reading. I have a whole stack of books but I never have the ambition to start reading.
Frierson: In a perfect world, what are you doing 10 years from now?
Yanek: Ten years would be 2029, if I could be running professionally, in the marathon, that would be super exciting — doing the Olympics in 2028 in L.A. would be really cool. If running weren't to go as planned then I do want to go to medical school, I am pre-med right now, so at that point I would hope to be well into that chapter of my career.
Frierson: What kind of doctor do you want to be?
Yanek: I either want to be a cardiologist or an orthopedic surgeon because those deal a little bit more with athletes, as well as diet, nutrition and overall health. I'd like something that blends all of my interests into one.
(This Q&A was lightly edited for length and clarity.)
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.
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