Senior Daniel Franz has been making an impact on the UC San Diego cross country program since he walked on as a freshman. Franz played an important role last season as UCSD's second scorer at the conference championships and third at the NCAA West Regionals, where the Tritons finished seventh as a team. "Daniel has been an excellent leader on our team," says head coach Nate Garcia. "He is committed to doing the hard work necessary to be successful. He has been a great resource for our younger guys, always being willing to lend a hand in helping them get up to speed in the program." Franz, a human development major at Warren College, took some time to answer questions ranging from the upcoming campaign, his hometown, and the fate of his mullet. The Tritons kick off the 2015 season at the UC Irvine Invitational on Sept. 5, with their lone home date, the annual Triton Classic, set for the morning of Oct. 10 on North Campus.
Q: Your team is coming off of a 2014 season in which it ranked as high as 12th in the nation and finished seventh at the NCAA West Regionals, one place shy of qualifying for the national championships for the second straight year. Can you give us an outlook on the 2015 campaign? What is it going to take to get over the hump and get to nationals?
FRANZ: It will take three things. First comes faith. We need each individual to believe it is possible to reach the national championships. Once that is the case, there needs to be tons of sacrifices made, sacrificing any future plans you may have had and focusing on the opportunity of this season. Faith and sacrifice will give our team the best chance on the largest stages of the season, which is ultimately needed to reach the national championships. You need to be able to perform there, when it counts.
Q: In terms of running, what is one thing you know now that you wish you would have known as a freshman?
FRANZ: As a freshman, it is hard to grasp the entire sequence of training from a development perspective. It is a process, and at the time I walked on to the team, I wanted the results right from the start. There is a learning curve. Had I known that, I would have saved myself tons of stress.
Q: You list winning the team title at the 2015 CCAA Track & Field Championships as your most memorable moment at UCSD. Can you take us through it?
FRANZ: We had not won a conference championship on the men's side until last year. There were tons of standout performances by really dedicated athletes, athletes who threw away personal trips to the national championships in order to contribute points at the conference meet. As a team, we dominated the first day (Friday), which was usually the case (in years past). This time, we met the night before, and the guys decided that we were not going to give the lead away. Saturday it was announced that we were the new conference champions. Everyone on the team was emotional and excited. I thought, "Wow, this is history. This will only bring in more talent for future recruiting. I want another one."
Q: In your bio, you state that chili cheese fries from Del Taco is your favorite food, but I cannot imagine you eating that before a big race. What is your favorite meal the night before a race? What about the morning of?
FRANZ: The night before, I enjoy going out to a nearby restaurant with the guys on the team. I am not too picky on what I have the night before. Really, this just allows us to joke around and ease some of the nerves we have about the race the next morning. Once I wake up, I'll have oatmeal, a slice of bread, and a Clif Bar. I'll wash it down with some water and Gatorade, and head out the door ready to go.
Q: Can we expect to see the mullet back in action this year?
FRANZ: Unfortunately, there will be no mullet this season. It was really fun for a bit. I would get all kinds of smiles when I walked around, and even got a thumbs up from some tough guy on a chopper.
Q: What is your favorite type of workout (intervals, hill repeats, long run, etc.) and why?
FRANZ: My favorite workout right now is what we refer to as tempos. It is a crucial part of training, and it's aimed toward building our tolerance for and efficiency in the processing of metabolic waste. Nate (Garcia) will say, "Run 5:25-5:35 pace for eight miles." It has always been something I knew I could be better at, so this season I'm making it my favorite.
Q: Where are your favorite places to run? Do you have any local trails that you prefer?
FRANZ: We have plenty of runs away from campus that we decide on (sometimes argue about) when we get the chance. My favorite place is what we call "Del Dios". It's a dirt trail right by Lake Hodges, just south of Escondido. The start is really rough and filled with hills, and there's a bit of a drive to go along with it. Nate will say, "Okay guys, we're running from Del Dios at 7 a.m." You'll hear a couple of groans, but not from me.
Q: What's one thing that you would like our readers to know about your hometown of Palm Springs? Are there any misconceptions that you would like to clear up?
FRANZ: A lot of people know how hot it gets out in Palm Springs during the summer. The high this week is 116 degrees. What people don't know is how great it is during the winter. The mountains surrounding us will be covered with snow, and the parks and basketball courts will be filled all day. There are a lot of people who have had to deal with frustrations like the heat, that they learn to enjoy aspects of life others may not.
Q: What was the transition like coming from a desert city like Palm Springs to UC San Diego, located right by the Pacific Ocean?
FRANZ: Well, now if I want to go to the beach, instead of driving a couple hours, I can walk a couple of minutes down the road. The transition was great. Every once in a while I would hear a teammate say, "Man, it's hot out here today!" I always gave them a discrete look, but never said anything. I just think, "I can't ever say that."
Q: So what is your answer when someone asks you, "desert or beach?"
FRANZ: I would say beach. The weather here gives us a great opportunity to get in quality training. I'm all for a positive environment. I'll go where I'm surrounded by a group of individuals who all want to be great in a shared interest, running.
Previous Triton Q&A Features
Meagan Wright (Women's Volleyball) August 10, 2015
Chase Cockerill (Men's Water Polo) August 3, 2015
Kelcie Brodsky (Women's Soccer) July 27, 2015
Kuba Waligorski (Men's Soccer) July 20, 2015
Nate Garcia (Cross Country) July 13, 2015
2014-15 • 2013-14 • 2010-13 • 2004-09
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