ND Runner Interview #3- Alexis Zeis

Freshly minted with a second individual national championship, our third interview is with a former Bismarck High School standout who is now winning titles locally for the University of Mary, Alexis Zeis.

Official team photo
Courtesy: University of Mary Athletics

Zeis started out at Bismarck High in Bismarck, North Dakota. Running for a program with an almost uncountable number of national titles in cross country and track and field, she started out her freshman year by finishing 12th at state cross country and 4th in the 3200 at the state track meet that spring. Next year as a sophomore, she finished 9th at the state cross country meet (a lonely place to be- one place away from 1st team all-state), while placing 6th in the 1600, 4th in the 3200, and 2nd as a member of a 4x800 relay team at the state track meet.

Her junior year she moved up the chain, starting off with a second place finish at state cross country, finishing the 4k in 14:52, only five seconds behind her teammate, Brittany Brownotter. At state track she finished 4th in the 1600 and 5th in the 3200, while being a part of the state champion 4x800 relay team that broke the Bismarck Community Bowl (now the MDU-Resources Community Bowl #sponsored) record by running 9:33.

Her senior year she finished 4th at state cross country, running 14:28 for 4000 meters. At state track she again placed 4th in the 1600 and 7th in the 3200, while being a part of a 4x800 relay team that again broke the Community Bowl record by running 9:29.88, which still stands as the fourth-fastest time in state history. And thus the elusive individual state title was never realized.

But it gets better.

In college she went/is still going to the University of Mary, a Division II college in Bismarck that has received some very talented women's runners in the last 5 years. Her freshman year started out well, running for a 4th place finish at the region cross country meet and 21st at the National Championships, securing an All-American status in the process. She ran 21:49 for 6000 meters.

During the indoor season her freshman year, she never finished worse than 8th place in any race. She swept the 3k and 5k at the indoor conference meet, and went on to finish 8th in the 3k at the national meet and 5th as a part of a DMR (Distance Medley Relay- 1200/400/800/1600) team, securing two more All-American honors. She finished off the year by placing 3rd and 5th in the 1500 and 5000, respectively, at the conference meet.

Her sophomore year of college is where things really start rolling. She literally won EVERY race of her cross country season, including the Maroon Division at the prestigious Roy Griak Invitational in the Twin Cities. The topping on the cake was a victory at the 2015 NCAA Division II Women's Cross Country National Championship, where she finished the 6000 meter course in 20:03, beating second-place by 0.3 seconds. This, of course, secured another All-American honor. Indoor and Outdoor track didn't see the same amount of success; she placed 9th in the 3k at indoor nationals (9:35) and 15th in the 5k at outdoor nationals 17:02). It was the 5th time she had run between 17:00 and 17:30 in the 5k on the track; a breakthrough was soon to come.

Crossing the finish line 1st at Nationals XC
Photo Courtesy: NCAA.org

Her junior year (2016-2017, this year), brought more success. She placed second at the conference cross country meet, and then first at the regional meet (she and a runner from Minnesota-Duluth swapped places at those two races). She then placed second at nationals, finishing behind the girl that she narrowly beat the year before. This was another All-American honor.

This indoor season she finally broke through the 17:00 5k barrier, running a blazing-fast 16:20 school record on the big track at SDSU, which followed an equally-fast 9:22 school record in the 3k the week before on the small track at NDSU. She again swept the 3k and 5k at indoor conference, winning by margins of 26 (!!!) and 40 (!!!) seconds, respectively. She completed another stellar indoor season by winning the 5k at indoor nationals just two weeks ago, in a time of 16:23, the third time she's ran in the 16:20s in the last month and a half. She also placed 7th in the 3k with a time of 9:31, giving her two more All-American honors.

So in conclusion, halfway through her junior year she has two national titles and 7 All-American honors.

Here is my interview with Alexis Zeis:
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ND Runner: First off, congrats on your national championship! Second place was within a second of your finishing time; what were the last few laps like? How did the race play out?

Alexis Zeis: Thank you very much! The last five laps are what really broke everyone apart. I saw Coach Newell (editor's note: Dennis Newell, the Head Coach for XC and Assistant Track Coach at Mary) hold up two fingers, saying he wanted to hard laps which was the 20^th and 21^st lap. The last three laps Kendra Foley (editor's note: Foley runs for Grand Valley State in Michigan) was right on my heals like the whole time during the race and then the last lap I was able to break away. It was Foley and I the last 23 laps of the race and Coach and I knew that it would probably come down to her and I again. Out there I was just racing how I have been racing all season. All my qualifying races I ran by myself, except for one, so I knew during the race I could do this because I have been doing it all season.

NDR: This wasn’t your first national championship, because you won NCAA DII Women’s XC Nationals in 2015 in what was also an incredibly close race. How were these two races similar? How were they different?

Zeis: The race was very similar because it came down to Foley and I, the only thing that was different was that it was on a track and it was a 5k instead of a 6k race. When I won XC Nationals, I didn’t take the lead until there was 1k to go, then Foley and I kept going back and forth. For this race, I took the lead after the first two laps and never looked back.

NDR: Going back, did you have any athletes locally or nationally that you looked up to or drew inspiration from?

Zeis: I really am a big fan of Emma Coburn, Galen Rupp and Molly Huddle*. Two very good distance runners. Even though Emma Coburn is a steeplechaser, her worth ethic is so incredible. I watch a lot of flo track videos and when it comes to those three, I get huge inspiration from how well they do. Watching some of their workout videos also helps me too.

NDR: In high school you ran for Bismarck High. What was the program like from your perspective? What was it like to be surrounded by the massive amount of success that the Demon XC and Track and Field programs have achieved in the last 15 years?

Zeis: I really liked running for Bismarck High, we had such a rich tradition of excellence. With some really awesome coaches. When I came into the program I knew the Demons were good, and I felt like I had to help keep the tradition alive. So, knowing I’m running on a team that has had so many state champs and people that have gone on to do some incredible things, helped me with performing at my best, while representing Bismarck High.

NDR: What led to your decision to choose the University of Mary for college?

Zeis: I grew up always being told to choose the school that best fits me academically, along with athletics. After junior year of high school, I knew I wanted to run in college, but I knew I wasn’t good enough to go D1. Growing up I always heard about how Mary has always had a rich tradition of good athletes, also they had a very good Athletic Training program, which I am going in to. I knew I wanted to be close to home also because I am a pretty big home body, so it was nice that I could go to a school that has a good running program and AT program.

NDR: What is the most difficult part about being a student-athlete, in your mind?

Zeis: One of the most difficult things about being a student-athlete is keeping up with your grades and sleep, but also knowing what needs to be done to have a good workout every day also. I struggled a little bit coming in as a freshman, but I really started to prioritize myself at the end of my sophomore year.

NDR: One thing that people from all over the United States can’t fathom is how people can train in the winter in North Dakota. How do you do it? How do you stay motivated?

Zeis: Mental toughness is a big thing that comes to me when it’s trying to train in our weather. North Dakota has some really bipolar weather and so you should always be prepared every day for any kinds of weather that is thrown at us. I run when its snowing, raining or if its even 35 degrees outside. (as long as its not really icy) I also do a lot of treadmill runs too, which involve 12 milers. You must learn to deal with what you have dealt in front of you, because if you always complain about it, you will never get the work done.

NDR: Obviously something is working quite well for you at Mary- what do you think led to continued strong improvement in college? How much of a boost do you think can come from the new track they are building (editor's note: they built a new 200m indoor track)? 

Zeis: When I was growing up I was a full-time figure skater and part time distance runner, if you want to put it that way. I dedicated my childhood and early high school years to skating on the national synchronized skating team we have here in Bismarck and skating individually. It wasn’t until Junior year I realized I was pretty decent at running and wanted to run in college so I had to make a change. I decided to quit skating for the team that I was on for 7 years and just focus more on running. Then coming into college, I quit skating full-time and made a commitment to myself to make running my main priority. When we had the new track done this year it helped training a whole lot easier and I felt more motivated to go to practice because we weren’t running on such a tiny track and what felt like cement when running on it.

NDR: This indoor season you ran in the 16:20s for 5k three times, 9:20s in the 3k on a small track in Fargo, and won a national title. What are some goals now in your mind moving forward? 

Zeis: After this season my mind has really opened to what I know I can do. I had huge PRs this indoor season because I was able to come in and finish healthy. With outdoor season starting now, I want to run some more PRs and hopefully break some records. It’s the same as indoors also, to hopefully qualify for outdoor nationals in Bradenton, FL at the end of May.

NDR: What is the greatest struggle you’ve had to endure in regards to running?

Zeis: Collegiate running is a very long season, starts mid-June and ends in May. So really you have to make sure you don’t wear yourself out with the season. I’ve learned to take time for myself, if I need a day off, I’ll take it or I will cross train which is biking or swimming. I’ve had to learn along the way that you have to be mentally tough and it grows with you as your training grows.

NDR: If you could recommend any place in North Dakota for someone to run, where would it be?

Zeis: I really love running along the Missouri river here in Bismarck. Especially in Bismarck during the summer, when the sun is either rising or setting. Some other good places to run are in the badlands on the trails. It’s a different view than what you normally see in North Dakota.

NDR: What is one piece of advice you could give to any runner out there?

Zeis: One piece of advice I would give to any runner would to be always run for yourself. No matter if you are running for fun, for an everyday type of exercise, in middle school, high school, collegiate running and even professional running. You never want to out run your joy for running, that is one thing I live by every day. 

Thank you to Alexis Zeis for agreeing to do this interview for North Dakota Runner! I hope any of the readers can draw inspiration from any of her story. As always, keep running and have fun!

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*Editor's Note: Emma Coburn is the 2016 Olympic Bronze Medalist and American Record Holder in the Women's Steeplechase. Galen Rupp is the 2016 Olympic Bronze Medalist in the Men's Marathon and the American Record Holder in the 10,000 meters on the track. Molly Huddle is the American Record Holder in the 10,000 meters, as well as a dominant force on the road racing circuit.

Casual Blizzard Running

The word was passed around at lunch: school would be dismissed early at 2:00 pm. A buzz echoed through the school as the elementary kids had recess inside while the wind was picking up outside. Big, heavy snowflakes were being whipped around like paper, and visibility was dropping. Teachers looked expectantly out of their windows, thinking about the coming drive home. Time flew by as fast as the wind, and as soon as it began- the school day was done. Students were whisked out of school while teachers threw everything into bags and raced out the door, egged on further by teachers arriving back from a funeral, giving warnings of pending trouble on the roads.

The roads did not disappoint. Multiple stretches required driving 25 mph in a 65 mph zone due to the complete lack of being able to see anything, including the road. Those moments are terrifying, hence the term 'white-knuckle driving'. The wind was battering my car around the road, while most vehicles were displaying their hazard lights while driving, simply so other drivers could see them from 50 feet away instead of 20. It was during one of the moments of least visibility that I had a sudden realization: I desperately wanted to go for a run in this.

There's something that I believe is in all of us; an urge to explore the unknown and push the boundaries of what we can do. For some, it's making new recipes, while for others it's jumping out of a spaceship many miles above the surface and parachuting all the way to the ground. Being a normal human being, I experience much the same feelings. Through running I test the limits of my own body, mind, and spirit. Anybody can work out when they feel good, but when a person's comfort zone is broken and pain starts to seep in, that's when the real work of growth begins. My point is this: bad weather gets me excited because it means I will go for a run. I'm not looking for some sort of test against Nature, being it will win every time. No, what I'm looking for is to feel something so much stronger than myself that my only option is to submit and learn from it. I wanted to run in this blizzard because I wanted to learn. I wanted to feel fragile. I wanted to lose. 

I stepped outside into a war. 

Though I was protected from the brunt of the attack, heavy snow fell and was captured by 50+ mph wind gusts. The snow would race across the ground like a herd of deer seen from the sky. The snow would fly past above my head, much like rain during a strong summer thunderstorm. The sound of the wind blowing through the trees was similar to having semi-trucks driving close by on an interstate. I took a few moments to absorb it all, and then I went back inside to get another layer; it was cold out.

It seems that everyone in the north country has a blizzard story. Whether it's something tragic of a past relative who died in one, or simply an historic one that dumped globs of snow- we all seem to have one. As a lover of weather, I love hearing those stories, but more importantly I love living them. I double-layered the running pants, double-layered the running long-sleeve shirts underneath the running jacket, grabbed some heavy gloves, and added a pair of sunglasses to complement my hat. I figured that if sunglasses can protect my eyes from sunglare off of the snow, then they maybe could stop the snow from tearing my eyes apart as well. So I ran in the blizzard with sunglasses. 

I started jogging down the road, headed for the open country. Trees regally guarded both sides of the road, protecting the wind so that it was only slightly intrusive. As I came up to the mailbox- my escape from protection- I could only see a mile or so off into the distance because of blowing snow. I started to get excited about what was going to happen. White powder rushed across the road and down the hill, scuttling across the lake, headed for wherever the low pressure was at that point. Under an overcast, un-seeable March sky, I turned the corner and faced the elements of Nature. 

Well, actually I embraced the elements. You see, we have a tendency to think that we always have to 'fight' the weather and the outdoors. We fight the cold, the heat, the wind, the rain, the snow, and anything we come across. We try to make up for this by inventing air conditioning, heating, rain-proof everything, snowblowers, and enclosure that block out everything. I believe that Nature is something to be worked with and learned from, not fought against. When the wind is howling in such an intimating fashion, it's a reminder of the power and force of everything we can't control. Why try to control it? We have amazingly sophisticated technology, but tornadoes and hurricanes- which can be reasonably well predicted- devastate homes and families every year. The fact is that whenever we fight Nature, we will lose. 

I was reminding myself of this as I ran down the first stretch of gravel- due north and almost directly into the pulverizing Northwest wind. My hat was woefully inadequate (a theme of my whole running career unfortunately; I did in fact sustain slight frostbite on my ear one time on a windy day in college) and the wind was finding every single crevasse possible. That's another interesting tidbit about wind of that chill and magnitude: it exposes your weaknesses. If there are any openings on your body, the wind will find a way in and make you miserable. In this case, I would periodically have to turn my head to the side for a few moments to give that side of my face (and that ear) necessary recovery. All of my thoughts revolved around surviving the first mile so I could turn and have the wind at my back. Then, I reasoned, everything would be fine. I finally made it to the corner, after a paltry first mile of 7:49, and turned east for the next mile. 

Once the wind was at my back, I recognized two things immediately: the first was that my breathing sounded like I had just finished a workout, and the second was that I wasn't going to slow down at all this mile. When the wind blows this hard, the feeling is actually similar to running down a steep hill- short, choppy strides, and a lot of tension on the quads in an attempt to slow down. In this case, the wind literally blows you forward, and more effort is exerted in slowing down rather than speeding up. Oftentimes when the gusts push me forward on the road, I laugh out loud at the absurdity of it all, and the despair of realizing I'll eventually have to turn around. The mile went by quickly, and I could feel the cold air finding the sweaty spots on my shirt and making them cold. After a quick stretch of relative recovery, it dawned on me that it was time head back. 

I realized that this was going to be rough. The first 1/3 of the mile would be up a decent hill, directly into a 40 mph sustained wind with gusts up to 52 mph, coupled with snow and wind chills just a tish below zero. I muttered aloud a quick prayer for strength and safety (I couldn't hear it), turned around, and began the next mile. As promised, it was brutal and horrible. Running at an effort similar to 'as hard as I can possibly go', the wind still would almost completely stop me in my tracks. It's hard to describe the power of this wind: each time I lifted my leg forward was an effort similar to the end of a race with lactic acid buildup. I had my head down and tried to survive assault after assault from the brutality of Nature. I knew not where the hill ended- indeed I couldn't look up to see it, but rather that I would somehow get to the top. At this point, it was survival.

While climbing, I remembered all that I learned about peace this summer. When something like the wind batters you around, don't fight and curse it. The wind is there to make you stronger and you can learn from it. Living life in the negative will see you end up as a bitter, unsatisfied person. I often find myself laughing when crappy weather befalls my runs, because life is more interesting that way. I let the weather surprise me and give me something to think about and notice. Sure, sometimes I get the wind knocked out of me (excuse the pun), but it's all worth it in the end. I watched a group of Canadian geese fly up out of a nearby field, worried about me for some odd reason. They frantically tried to form their V-shape to continue north to Canada, but the wind tore their alignment to pieces. They continually faced directly into the wind and flapped their wings with fervor, but made no forward progress. Once they reached exhaustion, they'd let the wind take them down towards the ground and to the south. Eventually, they'd plop back on the ground and sit, usually farther away from their destination than when they started. They fought, and they lost. 

I was trying to not fight. I moved my head from side to side, trying desperately to protect exposed skin on my neck while using super-human efforts to pick up one leg at a time. About halfway through the mile, I needed a rest, so I turned around and started running backwards. I'd imagine I made for quite an absurd sight: on some gravel road in the middle of the North Dakota prairie during a blizzard, a blaze orange hat-wearing person running backwards. I took this time to assess how I was doing. My recovering knee was starting to flare up again with some pain, my hips were exhausted, my neck and ears were freezing, and I was a mile from where I needed to get to. I've had worse. 

That's the mantra of plains people: it could be worse. We've seen almost every kind of weather that this planet can offer, and each of those kinds come in many forms every year. We learn about our own weakness and fragile nature from storms that destroy homes, snowstorms that keep us homebound, and intense droughts and hailstorms that ruin crops. It was, at this moment on the gravel road, that I reached the point that I was- oddly enough- hoping to reach: a point of complete submission to the elements. It's when you look up at the sky and say "You win". It's the 100 degree day when the sweltering sun finally beats you; It's the hail that punctures windows and hurts trees; It's the brutal cold that seeps into your bones; It's the blizzard that comes up the day after a legitimate taste of spring. We learn that maybe we don't control this Earth in the way that we puff out our chests and say we do. We learn that our bodies, minds, and spirits can have limitations. We even learn that sometimes we need to rely on things outside of ourselves in order to survive. 

And so it was, that I received a favorable wind for last mile, tenderly jogging my knee back to the cabin, and arrived. 

"How was your run?" I was asked. 

My beard was covered with ice, my ears were cold, my heart was beating quickly, and my ears were ringing from the loudness of the wind. My knee was a little sore, my body broken, and my heart happy.

"Good" I replied. And I smiled.