Ugandan distance runner, Samuel Kosgei, of Lamar, is going into his last NCAA indoor and outdoor track season. The multi-All American has high hopes for 2010, including two international competitions. In 2006, at the World Cross Country Championships at Fukuoka, Kosgei placed 46^th in the long race, running 37 minutes, 37 seconds over the 12,000-kilometer course. Kosgei hopes to go professional and become a fixture in international track and field competition.

Did you get your long run in today?

Yeah, I did 16 miles.

What were you doing while all the other Lamar runners were training for cross country this fall?

I didn't train with the team because of the NCAA rules, but I was training for indoor. I was basically getting in the mileage to prepare for indoor and outdoor.

You're 100% healthy and ready?

I'm feeling better now, but you know, I went back to Africa. I went to Africa in December for high-altitude training. I just came back on the 13^th. I got some allergies while I was there. It just messed with training. I got two and half weeks of good training.

What kind of mileage will you typically hit in your training?

I was hitting about 85 miles a week. That's with doubles. I was running twice.

16 is your typical long run?

16 or 17. I have to run 17 sometimes.

Is the marathon in your future?

Right now the marathon is OK for me. I've been training a lot and putting in a lot of mileage. Basically, I can run a marathon. I like long distance. I'm a long-distance runner. Right now my focus is running the 10,000 outdoor.

And the 5,000 indoor?

I'm going to run the 5,000 indoor, yes. There is the World Indoor Championships, in Doha. I want to qualify for World Indoor.

How difficult is it to make Uganda's team?

It's not really hard. Last time I ran 13:48 in the 5K. I didn't train that much and I've since put in more miles. I think I'll be ready to run a really good 5K this time. I haven't done much speedwork, but I will be ready by then.

What meets are you looking at doing?

I was supposed to run that one in Washington on the 13^th of February. I'm not going to run that because when I came here—with the weather and everything—it messed me up and I won't be ready.

How fast do you think you can run an indoor 5K?

I think I can run in the 13:30s.

When you get outdoor, will there be any fives or just 10,000s?

I want to run the 10K because of the Commonwealth Games, too. I'm focusing on the Commonwealth Games outdoor in the 10K. This is in my last school, college run. Mainly I'm focusing on those two championships.

13:30s for a 5K indoors. What do you think you can run for a 10K outdoor?

I'm sure I can run 28 minutes, because last year I ran 28:45. I can run low 28s. I didn't have the mileage for the 10K. Now I've got the mileage and I continue to put in the miles for the 10K. I'm using the indoor 5K for speed for my outdoor 10K.

Are you saying that your focus for 2010 is more on the world scene more than the NCAA Championships?

You know that the NCAA is also very competitive. As I focus on that and go through nationals, I'm sure if I run good and be in the top 10 in the NCAA, then definitely I'll get that time. Training for the NCAA is going to help me go through toward the World Indoor Championships and Commonwealth Games.

How did you find yourself to Lamar in the first place?

When I was in Uganda, I ran the World Cross Country Championships in Japan.

Did that expose you to scouts who brought you to the NCAA system?

Yeah, they found me. I had a friend who transferred from New Orleans to Lamar. He introduced me to the coach.

Was it a perfect fit for you, with the climates being more similar than if you went to a college more North of Lamar?

Yeah, sure. It worked out well for me. Even though where I come from has more altitude, the weather is basically the same as Texas.

You've done well at the NCAA Cross Country Championships before, does that mean you can run well in the cold?

I don't prefer running in the cold. I've never run good in the cold. Especially in the NCAA Cross Country, I go to the meet when I'm in really good shape. Every time, I don't perform the way I want to.

Your best finish was 37^th. If it was warm, where do you think you would have finished?

I remember entering the race, I had a good time in the 8K...23:33. I beat this guy who was the National Champion three times in the 10K. I was really in good shape.

When the weather drops, your running drops too?

Cold weather. I don't run well or feel flexible when it's cold. I'm glad I'm here.

Had you looked at any other schools?

No, basically just Lamar. They helped me in a lot of things I wanted. They followed through on things they promised, so I didn't look anywhere else.

Have you ever had the opportunity to run with some of Uganda's other top runners?

Yeah, I have. I always run with them. I run with them most of the time. Even when I was at home, we used to train with them. Even Bekele, I've run with him. When they're at home, we all get together and I make sure I run with them. Whenever we are at meets, we run together. I think it's my chance to be in the Olympics. I'm training toward that as my goal.

Where did you run with Bekele?

It was at the East African Cross Country Championships. We were hosting it in Uganda. That's when we ran with him.

Did you run in Uganda's Olympic Trials in 2008? How did that go?

No, I didn't go because I had an injury in 2007, a back injury. I had a slipped disk in my back and it slowed me down for some time. At the time, I was really good. In Japan, I was number 46 in the world over 12K. I was in really good shape.

How did you get into running in the first place?

I used to run because of school, but I didn't know that I was training. I was training indirectly. School is more than five miles away. Sometimes you run, sometimes you walk. If you woke up late, you have to run.

Did you wake up late a lot?

Yeah, mostly. Especially in the morning. I was running everyday. We'd run every day and didn't know we were training. After high school, I really started running because I wanted a scholarship.

Was it difficult for you to transition to the United States from Uganda? What was different?

The food was different. Back home, you know, we don't buy a lot of stuff. We just get it from the farm. Here, you have to buy everything. It was kind of hard for me to accept, but after a while, I got used to it. When I came, I wanted to live in an apartment so I could make my own food. I'm still doing that. I didn't want to stay in the dorms, because in the dorms you have to eat in the dining halls and sometimes I don't feel like eating that.

You're not into American-style fast food?

I could tell you the amount of times I've eaten fast food since I've been here. I never buy fast food. I get it every once and while. If someone buys it for me, I'll eat it. Especially in the season. In the summer, I'm not that picky and I'll try new food.

Do you plan on staying in the United States after you graduate or will you move back to Uganda?

Right now, I'll be graduating in May. I'm planning to train pro. If I train pro, I'll stay in the United States.

You recently got married. Is your wife here or is she back in Uganda?

She's here with me in the United States. I can live with her. I'm focusing more on running pro after school and I don't know who I'm going to sign with. That's why I'm focusing on running good this indoor and outdoor season, so I can go ahead with pro running.

So, your long term goals are to run in the 2012 London Olympics?

Yes, in the 10K!

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