ORANGEBURG, SC — With Cross Country season in full force I had the chance to sit down with Tinashe Bure to give an inside look on how the season is going.  Bure a junior majoring in cybersecurity talks about how a positive mindset keeps him focused throughout life.
 
Q: What college did you attend before SC State?
A: I went to Monroe University and competed for two years at Junior College.
 
Q: What inspired you to start XC?
A: From day one, I started running XC I just had the ability to do it, and during training sessions it made it much easier, so I saw that I was good at it, and even the results spoke for themselves. I would say getting the results is wanted inspired me.
 
Q: What actions do you take to put your best foot forward at practice?
A: I turn my negative thoughts into positive thoughts, and that's how I prepare positively and forget about negative things that will happen during practice or hard workouts.
 
Q: What's something you wish others knew about XC?
A: Cross country is good; it's easy if you prepare enough, and cross country makes you strong as an athlete. It gives you a strong mentality, especially when you are running on the track.
 
Q: How many years have you been training XC?
A: It's been 15 years now, including this year.
 
Q: What's your go-to meal before a hard practice?
A: It can be rice or pasta with chicken or beef.
 
 Q: What keeps you pushing forward on long days?
A: I have a mentality that I have to do it. I have no other way, I have no other choice, and there's no other way. If you are to make it in life, you have to be consistent; consistency is the key. I guess that's the motivation to what keeps me going each and everyday.
 
Q: If you are not running in the course, what are you doing?
A: I usually watch movies, take some walks to relax my mind from stress, and study my bible.
 
Q: As a junior, what was one thing that XC quickly taught you that bettered your performance?
A: XC taught me to be a strong athlete, like whenever it gets hard, it taught me to keep on pushing and keep on going. Eventually, there's light at the end of the tunnel.
 
Q: How would you rank these three essentials: eat, rest, hydrate?
A: Eating is the first one, you have to eat a lot of food because you use a lot of energy to run, and so your body doesn't break down. Rest, I'll put at number two. Rest, fix those little injuries you don't see or feel. Hydration is the last one; hydrate so your body doesn't cramp.
 
Q: It's midway through the season. Name one thing you want to
improve on before the championship?
A: I just want to improve my performance in terms of my time in the 8k. I ran a 26 (minutes). I just want to run a 24 or 25 (minutes). Before the championships, maybe at the championships, I'll run a 24 (minutes).
 
Q: Any advice for anyone interested in starting XC?
A: My advice would be to be a disciplined athlete, be humble, you know, this is about XC. Be sure that you want to do it and keep a positive mentality, and also chase your goals; the sky's the limit.
 
Q: What's something you want the readers to know about you?
A: I want people to know that I don't bow down before circumstances, I rise beyond recognition, and I flow as a waterfall, and that God is with me as my name says it, Tinashe.
 
 
Rapid Fire

• Dirt road practice or repeat 400s: Dirt road practice
• Spikes or trainers at meets: Spikes
• Go to meal after practice: Pasta, chicken, turkey, or beef
• Favorite workout so far: 400 repeats
• Go to artist to lock in before competing: Don't listen to music, so pray
• Water or Gatorade: Both

 
ABOUT SC STATE ATHLETICS
South Carolina State University is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level intercollegiate athletic program. The university currently fields teams in 14 sports: women's volleyball, men's and women's tennis, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's indoor track & field, softball, men's and women's outdoor track and field, women's soccer and football with all teams competing in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), except for women's soccer.
 
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