Shane Knoll, a Michigan State junior, recently broke onto the national scene with his convincing three minute, 57.36 second Meyo Mile victory. The Spartan has goals this indoor season of dropping a fast 800 and 3,000, as well as mixing it up in the mile at the NCAA Championships.

So, are you still riding the wave?

A little bit. I've calmed down a little.

What was it like when you got back to school?

My friends all threw a party for me. My apartment was covered and my friends got some five-dollar champagne and sprayed it all over me. It was neat, we covered up the couch so we didn't get anything dirty. It was really cool because everyone was over. It was a good time. It was pretty excited because my parents were happy. They don't usually see me run that often. So, that was like the best part about it.

Why? Is it hard to get a babysitter that will watch 19 people, or however many you have in your house?

(Laughs) Yeah. My mom and dad work a lot. And my brother is a big-time football player in Warren. They go and see him play and all of us that play sports. They usually make time somewhere. This one they came to.

They might want to come and start watching you if you're apparently going to be the breadwinner.

(Laughs) Yeah.

What's it feel like when you put in all the work and you finally cross the line of a mile in sub-four minutes? 3:57 in your case. Indoors, none the less.

It feels amazing. Everyone's like, “you feel like you've had something lifted off your shoulders.” I don't. I felt like there was pressure for me to break four...and people were like, “are you going to do it?” I was really focused on just trying to win. I think that was the most important thing to do. I get nervous like two weeks before I run. I don't think it was about me breaking four. I've dreamed about breaking four minutes since I started track. I think that dream faded until I ran 4:01. I went from 4:07 to 4:01 and dropped six seconds. I was like, “man, maybe I'll break four.” I got hurt last outdoor season. I didn't know what kind of shape I was in. I ran cross country too. When I broke it...I was...happy, astonished, amazed. I knew I was in shape. We haven't done much speed, but I'd do 400s just at 60 pace, just to see how it feels, and I felt like it was nothing.

I don't know if you caught Sportscenter today, or checked out ESPN.com to see what's happening to Alex Rodriquez, but I think this is a fair question to ask with you dropping six seconds to PR, then another four seconds...are you taking any PEDs?

No. I'm not. I think I dropped those seconds because—well, did you know I went to community college (Lansing Community College) before I went to Michigan State?

Yup.

Well, we didn't have that much competition. But I feel like whoever I'm racing, I can just keep up with them. I just trust in the race. If you want to go out that fast, I can go out that fast. I'll usually get a race plan. They usually go out at 4:07 pace. Coach Drenth too. He's a really good coach. I mainly ran the 800 at LCC. Coach Drenth just—well, I get nervous a lot—and he can cool me down. He knows what to say to me. He knows what kind of workouts I need. I haven't done much speed and I was telling him, “dude, I don't I know if I can go with these guys.” He says, “you've got to think you can run with them and you can.” He would tell me I was going to break four and I was like, “Coach, I don't know...”. I haven't ran 55s for quarters at all this season. Maybe a 57.6 in practice. I kind of want to do good for the guy. He's such a good person and he cares so much. It makes you want to make him happy and make him look good.

And you did that.

Yeah.

As much as it sounds like you want to say, “yeah, everything came together and it was perfect...” it also sounds like think there's room for improvement there?

I think there is. I'm not a cocky person whatsoever. I'm not a big talker, but I can say there's more there. There's more there for me in the 800 too. The 800 was one of my first loves. I think I can run well in an 800 if I'm fresh. Maybe I can run a good 3K too. The idea is opening up. I've never had a base before really. At LCC, I didn't do much base. Maybe 50 miles a week. I got here and I slowly started going up. He's got me at 70 a week in six (days) now. It's just all coming together. I worked really hard this summer. I was in the weight room doing strength stuff. I think there's still a little bit more in my tank. I can go a little bit faster in the mile.

You've got to realize that it is indoors...I mean, how many seconds do you think you can drop?

I think I can drop about two or three seconds. I'm not going to lie. I think if someone took that race—and I took the lead with like 300 to go—I feel like if someone pulled up on me I wonder if I could drop a couple of seconds. At the end of that race, the last two steps, I kind of lifted up. I don't think I even sprinted through the line. I picked up and then I fell. I don't know for sure, but I felt that—I don't even know how I got across actually—but I think I could drop a couple more seconds.

Are you setting goals for nationals, or are you just going to mix it up? Are you going to try the eight or the 3K?

Well, I'm in the half this weekend, so we'll see what happens there. We haven't talked about that yet, but I'm pretty positive I'll be running the mile. I guess the goal for me is trying to win the mile. I haven't talked to my coach to see how the race is going to be. For this past race, my plan was to, like with the last race, where with 400 to go, I felt sweet and just went for 4:04. Coach was like, “if you have it in your legs, make a big move. Make a move they're not going to expect.” And I felt like that's what I did. It worked out for me. Usually in the race I'm going to kick you down in the last 75 meters, this one...I was running scared the last lap. I wanted to look behind me.

You've never been in a race like that in your life?

No. I went to nationals for community college and it wasn't even as big. I've never experienced noise like that. I was in the Big Ten mile last year and I took seventh, but that was a learning experience because we went out in 2:30 and came back in like 1:53.

What brought you from LCC to Michigan State?

I love East Lansing. I talked to like Iona in New York, and some other schools, but Drenth really sold me. He's a straight-up guy and I asked him, “how fast do you think you can make me run?” He said, “I think you break 3:40.” I said, “hey, why not go here?” I just like his attitude about things. He's a no  non-sense guy. He doesn't kill us in practice or anything, but he doesn't take bullshit from anybody. He gets me pumped. He doesn't even try to get me pumped, it just the thing he says. It gets me going.

Are you going to get a chance at a 3K?

Yeah. I think I might. I might at Big Tens. I haven't talked to him about it and he doesn't know, but I want a shot at the 3K at Big Tens. I want to go mile/3K. A mile time of 4:20 will win it at Big Tens if someone doesn't take it out.

You sound like you run with a little bit of bravado, but do you get intimidated when you see guys like German Fernandez drop a 3:56, Dorian Ulrey drop a 3:57, Galen Rupp's split from his DMR? You mentioned that you were nervous for this Meyo Mile...do you think your nerves would affect you at nationals?

It's not like Coach Drenth talks them up like, “these guys are fast, you can beat them.” It's just different kind of stuff. I get nervous about racing anybody I race. I feel like any runner can win. I know some are just really talented and you have no shot, but I also think that the guy who's ranked seventh in that race could win the race. I think that's how I am. I'm usually not ranked that high in every race, like no one knows who I am...and I'll end up winning somehow. I feel nervous to race at Grand Valley (Invitational) and I don't even know who I'm racing. I'm just trying to prepare for it. There's always somebody in the race. Coming into Meyo, I was looking up everyone's time because I didn't know who these people were. I knew Justin (Switzer) and the guys from the Big 10, but I didn't know who Lee Emanuel was until I looked him up on the internet. I saw that he was like 3:40 and was like, “oh, crap!” (Laughs)

After watching the Flotrack post-race interview, I've got to ask if you need to practice saying all your siblings names or if it comes naturally?

It just comes like that, man. Oldest to youngest. I don't practice it. People don't believe me.

If you had a weekend where you didn't have to worry about running and you didn't have to worry about school, how would you spend your weekend?

Can I go anywhere?

I'm not paying for it. We can be as hypothetical as you want.

(Laughs) Well, if I can go anywhere, I'd go somewhere hot. The week before the weekend, I go and get my motorcycle license, then get my brother's motorcycle and drive that motorcycle somewhere. Then drive it back to East Lansing and go to one of my friend's houses and play Taboo. You ever play that game?

Yeah! That's a fun game.

Yeah. That's a fun game, so I'd probably ride a motorcycle and play some board games. Hang out with my friends and just kick back and get some laughs.

In real life, do you have motorcycle's license in your near future?

In the near future, I'd like to be driving a Harley. My mom wouldn't want me to do that. And my coach probably...but this summer I'll probably try to get that.

You remember what happened to Ben Roethlisberger a few years ago, right?

(Laughs) Yup. I'm not crazy though. I'll be safe. Hopefully.

This is my last question: can you give me a crazy running related story?

When I was younger, I had this paper route. This was when I was in sixth or seventh grade. It would be my two brothers and me who had this paper route. My dad would come sometimes and drive us. It was a really bad winter day one time. Snow was everywhere, so my dad drove us. All my brothers would do was frickin' rubberband the papers. I was the youngest, so I'd go out and run around and throw these papers. So, the car gets stuck and I already had to go outside and run. The lousy part is I got to run down the neighborhood streets carrying like five papers in this snow up to my chest, throwing papers and running back to the car. I did like the whole neighborhood...like 80 houses from one spot while the car was stuck. I got like five bucks to do all the work. I did this every time.

Maybe that's what enabled you to do this kind of running later on in your life. Maybe you should deliver the school paper at Michigan State.