Q & A With the ‘Cats – Get to Know Manuel Finley

Year in School: Senior

Home Town: Port Orford, Oregon

Major/Minor: Finance/English

Why did you come to Linfield?
My old high/middle school coach/teacher, Bob Lemerande, sold me on it. All of his kids went here, including his son Brandon, who I'd run against in high school. It seemed like a no-brainer to me. The school was small and I knew I'd be able to run track if I wanted to, so I came for a tour and all the pieces just fit far better than any other school.

What is your fondest memory thus far from your time at Linfield?

One comes from an easy run during my freshman year of track. At the time, the middle distance team was composed of Lester "Zeno" Maxwell and myself, and since Zeno was a part of the cross country team already I was sort of the odd man out. Not a sprinter, but not really a distance runner, either. Most days we would do core circuit with the sprinters and then Zeno would jet off somewhere and I'd do a few loops of the wellness trail on my own. One day he decided to stick around and run with the distance squad. I came with him, eager for a change. The similarity of the group dynamic to my old high school cross team was surreal. The sarcasm and friendly ribbing were an immediate signal that I was home and I started to toy with the idea of doing cross country next season, although it would take awhile for Zeno and Flint Martino to fully sell me on it.

What is it that you enjoy most about cross country?

The bond that forms from suffering as a group. It all comes down to workouts. I've been involved in a lot of sports - cross country and track, obviously, but also basketball, soccer, and even some dabbling in football - but the level of comradery that cross country offers here at Linfield is beyond anything I've experienced. Each morning workout at Joe Dancer, with the fog low on the soccer fields and the sunlight just splitting over the treetops, is finished with goofy grins and words of encouragement as everyone on the team hands out high fives. To struggle through it together creates friendships different from any other.

Who is your athletic hero/role-model?
Gotta have a shout out to Pre. Being from the Oregon coast, I've run in the Steve Prefontaine Memorial 10k. I've traced every route he was known to frequent in Coos Bay and North Bend. I'm more than familiar with his favorite trails by Sunset beach, despite the hornets that were there every summer. Like every distance runner worth their salt, I know Pre and aspire to always run with that chip on my shoulder.

Another favorite of mine is Emil Zátopek. Nicknamed the Czech Locomotive, his form was awful and he wheezed like a kazoo, but he was a force to be reckoned with. He won the 5k, 10k, and marathon (the only person ever to do so) at the 1952 Olympics, with the marathon being his first ever and a last minute decision to boot. His training was unorthodox, his pedigree nonexistent, and his character on and off the track was unparalleled. Where he didn't have the same fire as Pre, he had
a joyful quality to him that I hope I emulate.

Do you crinkle your race bib number or leave it smooth?

Smooth. Why crinkle it... what does that even do?

What’s your most embarrassing athletic moment?

"Not today, Ian." I don't want to talk about it. Go ask someone else.

What is your favorite movie?

Caddyshack, Fight Club, and The Maltese Falcon.

What song is most played on your iPod?

Blood and Thunder by Mastodon

What is your homepage on your computer?

Whatever it was when I last closed it because I am both lazy and forgetful.

What words of wisdom would you offer to a college-bound high school senior?

Take the extra time and look into everything college related on your own. Scholarships, financial aid, acceptance, housing, dining options, the ply of the toilet paper - don't leave a single stone unturned because it probably will matter at some point. Don't miss out on free money because you couldn't be asked to look it up yourself.