Let's play a quick round of Guess Who!
Here are the clues:
Passionate. Driven. Tenacious competitor. Humble. Student of the sport. Team-first attitude. Model of consistency. Ultra-talented. Natural leader. Equally classy in victory or defeat.
Oh wait, did I mention 3-time Meet of Champions winner!!
I know the answer is obvious. I pretty much gave it away, right?
But in case you have been living under a shot put circle for the past couple years and somehow still don't know the answer, when you add all of those things together you get the one and only Emma Zawatski!!
Zawatski, who will be a senior at Freehold Township, really does check every box when it comes to everything you want in one of the state's biggest stars. And you really won't find anyone who is more liked among their fellow competitors and who shows greater sportsmanship than Zawatski.
She really is the total package!
Zawatski is coming off an remarkable junior year.
After shocking herself by winning the 1,600 as a sophomore at the 2022 outdoor Meet of Champions, Zawatski came into last XC season with huge expectations. She handled all that pressure and rose to the occasion by leading her team to its first State Group 4 title, winning the M of C title by running 18:38 at Holmdel Park, and qualifying for the Champs National Championships.
Last indoors, Zawatski ran the fastest mile ever by a junior indoors in NJ history by dropping a 4:48.71 in Boston, and she captured her third M of C title (one in each season) by winning the 1,600.
This past spring, she ran a PR of 2:11.13 in the 800, a PR of 10:38.18 for 3,200, and outdoor PR's of 4:49.56 for the mile and 4:48.13 for 1,600. She won her second straight State Group 4 title in the 1,600, and placed second in the 1,600 at the M of C.
NJ MileSplit recently caught up with Zawatski, who will bid to become just the 11th girl to repeat as a M of C winner in XC, to get her thoughts on her summer training, what it means to be a 3-time M of C winner, how and why she became a distance runner, her team and personal goals for this season, and a whole lot more.
So lean back in your fancy beach chair or grab your favorite spot on the couch and enjoy our latest installment of Feature Friday as we shine the spotlight on the great Emma Zawatski, one of the top distance runners in the country!
NJM: How is your summer training going? How many miles a week have you been running, and where have you mostly been running? Is your training different from last summer? If so, in what way is it different?
Summer training has been going great! It's always hard first getting back into higher mileage after track season, but the transition has been a lot smoother this year than it has been in the past! Without the addition of warm ups and cooldowns, I have been averaging around 40-45 miles a week mostly around the park behind my school. On Saturdays we do like to switch it up a bit and run at one of the courses that we tend to race at a lot like Holmdel or Thompson Park. My summer training is almost exactly what I did last year. The only difference is that we are really focusing on running the correct effort for certain days like recovery days more than we did last year.
I know you and your teammates have been putting in lots of mileage together. When did XC training begin for you and your teammates, and how much do you feel it helps for teammates to train together as often as possible throughout the summer?
My team takes about 2 weeks as a break after our spring track season before starting up XC training. After the break, we all jumped right into 7 a.m. practices every week Monday- Saturday. It is so special spending this time with my teammates because we all are working so hard to reach our individual and team goals. No teenager wants to wake up at 6:20 a.m. everyday in the summer to run at 7 a.m., but somehow we all show up every single day with a new funny story to tell. We might all be exhausted, but without fail, there are always a lot of laughs on those warmups.
Have you attended a Running Camp or are you planning to?
Since Coach (Todd) Briggs gives each of us a personalized training schedule, no one on our team really sees the need to attend a camp. I do see the benefits in meeting new people and learning different methods, but I think we would all rather have consistent training under one coach.
I know how driven and motivated you are, so after running a Holmdel PR of 18:37 and dropping a 17:09, No. 2 in course history at OCP last year, what are your thoughts on trying to get under 18 at Holmdel and becoming the first girl to get under 17 at OCP this season? How big are those goals for you and what would running those times mean to you?
Obviously breaking 18 at Holmdel and 17 at OCP is going to be extremely difficult to do, but I know it is not impossible. During cross country I prefer to focus on place, not time, however I know there are talented girls across this state who can help push me to those times. Breaking 18 and 17 would definitely be something that I am looking to achieve this season. I really want to look back on my senior year with pride, and breaking those two time barriers would be very special to me.
What does it mean to you to be a 3-time Meet of Champions winner (one in each season). Winning a M of C title is something every NJ high school T&F and XC athlete dreams about, and you have accomplished that feat 3 times!!!
Being a MOC winner in every season is something that I will never take for granted. MOC is such a coveted meet in NJ cross country and track and field and I am so honored to be named among some incredible people from New Jersey. Having a state championship with the entire state is such a unique thing across this country and I think it is super cool that New Jersey has kept this incredible meet a thing!
Indoors in 2023), how has having that streak end by finishing second (behind Julia Scrudato of Montgomery) in the 1,600 at the M of C last spring fueled your competitive fire even more to repeat as M of C winner in XC this season?
In this sport there can only be one person who wins. As someone who is a very competitive person, I do not like when I am not that one person. After not having the perfect spring season I hoped I would have had, I am more motivated than ever to build back my strength and speed to be able to achieve all of my goals in this next year. I know that everything will not go as planned and there will be plenty of bumps in the road, so I am preparing myself for that. This year I am coming back stronger than I have ever been in the past, and will be using all of the good AND bad memories from last year to motivate me to achieve even bigger things.
Last year, you qualified for the Champs National Championships by placing 10th in the NE Regional and then placed 23rd at the Nationals Championships. What is your goal this season for those postseason races?
My goal this season is definitely to make it back to Nationals. That was an incredible experience that I will cherish forever. Qualifying for Nationals at Champs Northeast Regionals last year was probably one of the most difficult races of my life, but it was also the most rewarding. I will do everything in my power to be able to make it back there again!
Let's get into your team, Emma. How is the Freehold crew looking? I know you have a lot of young talented runners behind you to form a strong pack. What are the big goals for your squad after producing the best season in school history last year? I imagine repeating as state Group 4 champs is a huge goal. Can this team be even better? How much potential do you see with this pack and how excited are you for this season?
The whole team is so focused, working hard, and ready to take on the season! We are so fortunate to have our whole top 7 from last year returning so that's really exciting. We also have a couple new freshman who are an awesome addition to the team and we are all really excited to see the impact they can make! Our chemistry is definitely one of the keys to our success. So yes…I would dare to say we can be an even stronger team this year. We are definitely looking to repeat as the Group 4 Champs and build from there. This sport is all about setting goals and measuring yourself against what you've done in the past. You always want to reach for more, so our team is excited to improve on our historic season from last year.
What are the keys to making all those team goals a reality?
Obviously summer training and everyone staying healthy are critical. In our case though, I think it really comes back to team chemistry and being together every day all summer working toward shared goals. Whether that's dragging ourselves out of bed to run at 7am, going out to breakfast after runs, texting non-stop in our team group chat, going to the beach or mini golf together, team pool parties, or meeting up for ice cream at night. We all genuinely like each other and lift each other up. A lot of the credit needs to go to Briggs. He pours his heart and soul into our team and cares so much about each one of us. His passion sets a tone for the whole team and we all want to make him proud.
What is the story behind how you became a distance runner? When did you first start running, and how did it come about?
My brother Zach joined a local kids running program just so that he could get a little faster for soccer. This led to him falling in love with running and leaving soccer for it. I was the annoying little sister who got dragged to all of his practices, and then wanted to beat all the boys there. When I was finally old enough to join the team myself, in 3rd or 4th grade, it was a natural progression from there and I just continued to love the sport more and more each year.
When was your big breakthrough moment when you began to realize that you could do big things in this sport?
I sort of have two that really stand out to me. The first one was in 5th grade. I went to USATF Junior Olympic XC Nationals in Alabama, mostly because my brother was racing so my parents figured I may as well race too since we'd be there anyway. There was no pressure and I didn't have any expectations. I finished 3rd in my race which I don't think any of us were expecting. It was my first national race so it gave me a taste of what my future could hold if I continued to improve. The whole trip was so fun and helped me realize I love running. The second was during indoor season of my sophomore year. It was the 1600m race at Groups. I don't think I had the maturity or confidence before then to realize I could compete with the top girls in the state who were older than me. I got out-leaned and placed second that day but mentally everything changed from that race forward. I knew I had the training and tools to accomplish big goals after that!
What do you love the most about being a runner?
The thing I love the most about being a runner is the community. Runners just understand each other and have such an appreciation for what each individual is able to accomplish. Whether it's some random person setting a PR at a local 5k or NJ legend Sydney McLaughlin setting another world record, runners are always so proud of that person because we know the hard work they put in to be able to get that achievement. I have met thousands of runners since being a part of this sport, and it is very, very rare to find one that isn't happy for someone else's accomplishments.
What do you love the most about running in N.J.?
I love that we are a small state but have so much depth! The past couple years, I didn't even have to leave Monmouth County to face some of the nation's top competition. It makes us all better to race each other week after week. Runners in NJ are also just cool. We are all friends. We are all passionate. It's an amazing community and I feel really lucky to be a part of it.
If you could for a long run with any 4 runners (dead or alive) who would it be and why? I can't wait to see what you write for this one.
I've had this answer planned out for years and it would be a dream to actually be able to run with these 4 people. I would choose Emma Coburn, Steve Prefontaine, Craig Engels, and Allyson Felix. I've actually already had the opportunity to run with Emma, as she was one of our coaches at Champs Nationals, but I am including her anyway because she is my all-time favorite and any time I could run with her I would do it over and over again. Allyson Felix is just the epitome of a girl boss. There are many inspiring female athletes in this sport, but I think Emma and Allyson would give a lot of valuable advice on how to succeed as a runner. I have met them both and know that they have great personalities, so they would definitely be fun on the run. Next, I think if Pre was still alive, he and Craig would be best friends. I don't know if it's just the mustache that makes me think that, but I feel like they would have the most hilarious stories to tell on our run and it would make the hard miles go by so much faster.
How about the future, Emma? I am sure by now you've probably lined up some college visits for September. Which schools do you plan to visit, and what specifically are you looking for in a college?
I am in the final stages of the recruiting process and plan to commit by early October. I have a couple offers already and still have a handful of official visits later this month and in September. I started talking to coaches last summer and have been developing such great relationships. That's really important to me. Fit with the coaches and team is huge for me. I didn't want to commit in the spring and rush the process. There is so much turnover with the transfer portal and coaches changing schools. I wanted to take my time and see how things shake out. For example, the coach at one of my top schools left last week and I had to cancel my official visit. I've watched both of my older brothers lose their college coaches so I just want to be sure I'm choosing the right school and considering everything. I have big goals. I don't want college to be my highest level of running. I'm looking for the team that can give me the best overall preparation for a career in this sport beyond college running. As far as what schools are on the short list… I am not quite ready to put that on record yet because I still have a couple schools to tell that I won't be taking official visits with them.
Last year you opened your season at the Shore Coaches Invitational. When do you plan to open up this season? Same plan?
This season, I will likely open up a week earlier at the Thompson Fall Classic. For now, that's the plan unless I need to use that weekend for an official visit.
