Badgering: Seth Hirsch

Oct. 26, 2018
LINCOLN, Neb. -- This Sunday's Big Ten cross country championships will be a homecoming for Wisconsin men's cross country's Seth Hirsch as the No. 3 Badgers will race in Lincoln, Nebraska, which less than an hour away from his hometown of Omaha. Hirsch shares his thoughts on his first Big Ten meet, what he misses from Nebraska and how running at high profile meets at home will help him this weekend.

This will be your first time racing in the Big Ten Cross Country Championships. How do you feel about this weekend's race and what do you hope to accomplish?
"I'm just really excited to be back in Lincoln. The postseason kind of starts and I've never ran in a post-season race. I just want to go out there and help the team and hopefully the team wins."

How does it feel to be racing back home in Nebraska in front of your friends and family?
"It's really cool. I've got a lot of people coming to watch. It's only 45 minutes from my house. I don't think a lot of people can say that they run Big Ten's back in their hometown. That'll definitely be pretty exciting.

Which city is better – Omaha or Lincoln?
"Definitely Omaha. I'm from Omaha. We have a better zoo, better food, pretty much better everything- except hopefully not a better cross country course."

Are there places (restaurants, stores, etc.) in Nebraska that you wish we had in Madison?
"Runza. It is like the Culvers of Nebraska. It's a little better than Culvers. I miss Runza a lot."

How has racing in high-profile meets like the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational and the Wisconsin Pre-Nationals meet prepared you for the competition at the Big Ten championship?
"It will be a lot different. Those are like big fast packed races. This is a smaller field and more head to head racing and more about place and not as much time. It will be a lot different."

If you had a free weekend at home in Nebraska, what would you do?
"I would just chill on my couch with my cats and take a lot of naps."

What is something underrated about Nebraska?
"Pretty much everything. The one thing is probably just the people are really nice."

Who do you look up to most on the team?
"Probably Andrew Schilling. He just gives me a lot of guidance and is a big senior on the team."

You've had a growth spurt during your time at Wisconsin. How has that impacted your training and running?
"It has changed a lot of things. I am just training with a different body. It is a totally different feel and I just have to get used to training and racing with that body. It is just an adjustment process."

University of Wisconsin Athletics

Related News

Players Mentioned

Seth Hirsch

Andrew Schilling

Related Videos