Fairfield's Men's Cross-Country team has enjoyed one of its most dominant seasons in recent history, placing in all three meets held on campus. The team, predominantly made up of freshmen and sophomores, has flourished under the leadership of junior captain Benjamin Heslin. Heslin, a native of Kensington, CT, has been one of the Stags' top two finishers in all four 8k races run thus far in the season. He earned MAAC “Runner of the Week” accolades for his 7th place finish at the Victor Leeber Memorial Invitational and ran the 18th fastest time in school history at the Iona Meet of Champions this past September. As the team sits poised to compete at the MAAC Cross-Country Championships next Friday, the focal point of the season, Heslin took time out of his busy schedule to answer a few questions:
Q: Thanks for your time. So what made you come to Fairfield?
Heslin: It was a good academic school and the size fit what I wanted. I saw it similar to my high school. Also I had the opportunity to run on the Cross-Country team here, which played a large role in my decision.
Q:Wheres your favorite place to run and why?
Heslin: The Beach! Because... I like the water. I don't know how else to put that.
Q: Any pre-race rituals?
Heslin: I make sure I do the same warm-up routine every time.
Q:What were/are your goals for this season?
Heslin: I want the team to continue to improve and hopefully the hard work will payoff in the MAAC Championships on Friday, October 30th, 2009.
Q: What do you think about during those hour-long runs?
Heslin: I usually think about what I need to do during the day, and also the upcoming races.
Q:This freshmen XC class is one of the most talented the program has seen in a while. Who is your favorite freshman and why?
Heslin: I don't have a favorite freshman, I like them all equally. They each bring something different to the team, and in their own way.
Q:What is your proudest moment while being on the team here?
Heslin: Proudest moment would be the training runs when we work together and all succeed in the workouts, and how that translates into races.
Q: Your sister Erin is one of the best female runners in Fairfield history, having run the three best times in our school's history. Do you see a healthy sense of competition between you and her, given her success with the program?
Heslin: Her success motivates and pushes me to do well. Her past experiences as a Fairfield Cross-Country runner offer me ideas of what to expect as well as serving as a role model for me.
Q:You're an RA. What's the hardest part of being one?
Heslin: The hardest part is making sure the building is quiet so that people can sleep, even on the weekends.
Q:One last question. What's the best thing about Fairfield?
Heslin: The people.
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