Lindsay Cunningham, a sophomore at Winona State and an NCAA Division 2 All-American in cross country and the indoor 5,000 meters, joins DyeStat editor Erik Boal to discuss competing May 28 at the Division 2 outdoor national final in the 5,000 at Grand Valley State in Allendale, Mich. Cunningham reflects on her 10,000-meter victory in 34:09.57 on May 12 at the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Championships at Northern State in Aberdeen, S.D., and how that performance provided a good indication of her fitness entering her third NCAA Championships of the school year. She shares how taking a very efficient approach to racing this spring has allowed for several extended periods of training and the ability to structure important workouts ahead of big races. Cunningham revisits her 5,000 victory April 28 in 16:05.36 at the 112th Drake Relays in Des Moines, Iowa, becoming the first Division 2 athlete in meet history to win the event, and her ambition to produce a sub-16 performance in Michigan. She examines the opportunity to compete against Division 2 record holder Roisin Flanagan of Adams State, and her confidence in being able to push the pace in the middle of the race, if necessary, instead of waiting until the final laps to increase her speed. Cunningham explains how she has benefited from the familiarity of racing elite competitors from Adams State, Grand Valley State, Lee University in Tennessee and Queens University in North Carolina at the previous NCAA finals, and how it has given her belief to be able to race in a pack of athletes for extended stretches of the race. She analyzes the potential of her Winona State teammates, along with her Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference peers, at the national final and expresses gratitude to coach John Hibshman for helping her continue to develop into one of the most promising collegiate distance runners, regardless of division. Cunningham also shares the details of pursuing a degree in movement science, with a minor in psychology, and the support of her professors in her career, especially when it comes to proper rest and recovery.