Q&A with Kevin Anding

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Sophomore Kevin Anding, coming off an ACC Championship with Virginia’s distance medley relay running the 400m, opened his outdoor season winning an event he doesn’t typically compete in and finishing runner-up in another. Last season, Anding was a member of the Cavaliers’ 4x400m relay team that finished third at ACCs, earning all-conference honors and helping Virginia clinch its first ACC Championship.

Question: You had a good season opener this weekend, winning the 200m and finishing runner-up in the 100m. How does it feel to be back outdoors competing?
Anding: It feels great to be outdoors again. This weekend was a little different for me since I normally don’t run either of those events, especially the 100, but it was great to get to run those just to see where I am at. Running a 200 gives me a better idea of where I should be at for the 400m, so it was good to get a good one under my belt this past weekend. It was a lot of fun to run those events too.

Question: Do you prefer the outdoor season compared to indoor?
Anding: I definitely prefer outdoor season to indoor. For one, it’s a lot warmer which makes training a lot easier since we can get outside on the track a lot more often than we could in the winter. I also like the idea of just having to run one lap for a 400 instead of two laps on the tighter turns indoors.

Question: You had a pretty good indoor season, winning an ACC Championship with the distance medley relay. How does it feel to be an ACC Champion?
Anding: It’s amazing. With all the great competitors in the ACC you have to be thankful every time you come out on top. I also think it says a lot about not only the three other guys I was fortunate enough to run with, but also about our team as whole – both the athletes and the coaches. One thing we talk about is going out there to compete not only for your team, but as a team, and especially for ACCs. So it was great to be able to help get some points for the team.

Question: What is it like to win a championship with an entire relay team? You had other people relying on you and you had to rely on others, what is that experience like?
Anding: It was a really cool experience. You see the guys running before you, working their hardest, so you know that you have to go out and give your all too. I really wasn’t worried about relying on the other guys. If anything, it was comforting to know that I was running with such great runners. I knew we could be very competitive if everyone ran well.

Question: Do you like running relays?
Anding: I really enjoy running on relays for some reason. I’m not really sure why though, because I always seem to be more nervous for those events than any open ones. I guess it’s just the fact that usually you’re going out and running your event by yourself, and so it’s a unique experience to be able to run with three other guys.

Question: The outdoor season has a lot of opportunities to run various relays – as you compete at events like Raleigh Relays and Penn Relays. Do you have a favorite relay to either compete in or watch?
Anding: I’d have to say that my favorite relay to compete in would be the 4×4 mostly because my main event is the 400. My favorite relay to watch is definitely the 4×1, but the 4×4 is a close second. Last year at Penn Relays we got to see USA place first and second in the men’s 4×1 and the women beat Jamaica to get first so that was pretty special. Pretty much anything is fun to watch at Penn Relays though, just because of the great atmosphere there.

Question: What about outside of track, what do you enjoy to do in your free time?
Anding: In my free time, I really just like to relax and hang out with my teammates and other friends.

Question: What is something most people don’t know about you?
Anding: When I was in sixth grade, I was actually in a movie. I didn’t have that big of a role but I did get a couple lines in there.

Question: What was the movie?
Anding: It was called The Keeper: The Legend of Omar Khayyam. It was about a boy who finds out he is related to the great Persian mathematicians and astronomer Omar Khayyam and that it is his job to keep this story of him alive.

Question: What made you decide to come to Virginia?
Anding: It was the fact that Virginia had such a great mix of academics and athletics. There aren’t too many other places where you can go and get a great education like you can here and still be a part of a team as competitive as we are.

Question: Have you decided on a major?
Anding: I’m thinking about majoring in economics but I’m not completely certain yet. I’m not sure what exactly I’d like to do in the future, but I would love to do something where I could stay involved in sports some how.

Question: I asked a few people this during the indoor season, but if you could choose to be anyone else on the team, who would you choose to be, and why?
Anding: I think I’d choose to be Greg Nelson. I always wanted to be able to jump really high and I think being able to clear seven feet would be pretty awesome.