The Dartmouth: Last week's interviewee Panagiotis Savidis '06 was from the desolate plains of Upstate New York. You, of course, are from California, a place far more documented in popular culture. What's it like to surf between classes, vote for the Terminator, and know only blond people?
Kelsey Wiegmann: I actually live in NorCal. It sounds like you might be confusing my childhood with your typical SoCal lifestyle. My life isn't like "The O.C." at all except for the blond part and everyone being ridiculously attractive. It's actually a lot more like "Sex and City" if you replace sex with running and City (a.k.a. New York) with San Francisco. And yes, I did vote for Arnie. I really like his political persona and his well sculpted and manicured appearance. I just can't wait for the day when the next generation looks up to us and thanks us for our foresight in electing the Terminator to rule our state.
The D: Actors Dana Carvey and Stanley Tucci and musician Sammy Hagar have all lived in your hometown of Mill Valley, California throughout certain points of their lives. What was it like growing up amid celebrities?
KW: I'm not sure why people always ask me what it's like to be best friends with celebs, I mean they're just like you and your friends -- only richer, skinnier, more interesting and better looking (and by better looking, I mean tanner and blonder). And not everyone I know is a full-fledged celebrity; some are just children of CEOs and professional athletes.
The D: In addition to having memorized the entire movie credits to "Chariots of Fire" by heart, any track and field aficionado could tell you that Mill Valley stands at a whopping 80 feet about sea level. Similarly, world class Kenyan athletes, to the chagrin of many, train at high altitudes to enhance their performance. How do you respond to constant allegations that your training altitude has given you an unfair advantage toward excelling at your sport?
KW: To tell you the truth, Steve, I prefer to train sub-sea level. That is underwater, right off the coast of San Francisco. I find the chilling temperatures and ear popping pressure provide just the amount of resistance I need to excel on the track. Plus McCovey Cove (right outside the walls of Pac Bell Park) is the perfect spot to dive for some of Bonds' homers, although I find it sometimes difficult to compete with the fishermen and their nets, it can get pretty violent out there.
The D: As a star member of the Dartmouth track and field team, I'm sure you have many influences in the track and field world. Who are your favorite track and field athletes and why?
KW: Well actually my true inspiration when it comes to blistering speed is Andrea "Ange-Lightning" Smith '06. While technically not a track athlete here at Dartmouth or anywhere for that matter, I find her attitude towards training and competition something we all can learn from. Keys to her success are mental preparation and imaging (that some might call fantasies) to make herself believe she is faster than she really is. And I love her motto, "Running isn't always fun."
The D: The track team's racing outfit is a highly debated topic. Some say it reveals too much, some say it reveals too little. What's your opinion on the uniform?
KW: Some people would say that hurdling and jumping scantily clothed is uncomfortable and even go as far to say it is degrading. I would tell these people: Don't knock it till you've tried it because once you go "bun hugger" you never go back. There is nothing like the feeling of hurdling around in undies. I find I get an extra boost just knowing that my behind is millimeters away from being seen by the public. The real problem here is that they do not come in enough varieties and styles for me and my stellar teammates, but I am currently talking with Juicy Couture who will soon be developing a custom line of track undies for the Dartmouth girls to run and jump in.
The D: Being under 21, it must be difficult to resist Dartmouth's renown of Sophomore Summer drinking culture. Describe your typical weekend night.
KW: Difficult it is, Steve. But I find that my friends and I can live outside the law. We show no fear to both Safety and Security and the Hanover Police. It's quite exhilarating to top off an evening of pong with a little game of cat and mouse with the authorities. Sprinting home to safety from a night out at the frats not only allows me to evade the law, but I also get to burn off a few of those Keystones while working on my speed and turnover. I look at it as part of my daily training.
The D: In addition to serving as a showcase to highlight my Adonis-like body, Tubestock weekend promises to have tons of social options. For example, one of my friends said that over the weekend he plans to get drunk and then nap outside. Another friend said that he plans on getting drunk and then going for a swim and then taking a nap outside. What are you most looking forward to?
KW: Well, before my nap outside, I'm looking forward to lounging on my $15 inner tube, courtesy of Heorot, and admiring the EBAs and pong-sculpted bodies of our fine young Dartmouth men. There's nothing more that can steal a girl's heart than a well-developed beer belly.
The D: Friends have described you as being both competitive and an exceptional eater. Have you ever considered integrating both of their qualities and delving into the world of competitive eating?
KW: After much consideration, I've come to the conclusion that I would receive far more recognition competing in the sport of food consumption than I'll ever attain through track and field. It takes quite a bit more skill than most people realize. Miss Casey Hazel '06 and I have been working for the past few years to perfect this pastime and to gain enough support to turn it into a highly competitive playing arena. The key is to keep eating even when full because there is always more room, and never let a boy tell you to walk away from the fro-yo machine, never (But if for some reason he's really cute and convinces you to walk away, go to Topside and buy a carton of Ben and Jerry's).
