An Interview with UC’s Coach Nick Bias

RunWV.com is excited to welcome Coach Nick Bias for an interview. He continues to be very successful as the Head Men's XC & Track Coach and Women’s Cross-Country Coach at the University of Charleston. He began coaching for the Golden Eagles in 2014 with the reinstatement of the men’s program. He has quickly developed the Golden Eagles into a contender within the Mountain East Conference. He has coached 42 All-Conference athletes, 11 MEC Individual Champions, 4 NCAA Qualifiers, 3 MEC Freshman of the Year, 1 Track Athlete of the Year, and 7 Academic All-Americans in either track or cross country. Before he coached, Nick attended Concord University in Athens (WV), and earned a master’s degree from Marshall University.

Nick Bias is active in the running community, completing twelve marathons (Boston three times) and winning numerous local races including 4 top 10 finishes at the Charleston Distance Run 15 miler.

Coach McMillion - Let’s start with your running history. When did you first start running?

Coach Nick Bias – I started running when I was 19 years old at Concord University. I didn’t have a cross country or track & field team at Van High School. I focused primarily on basketball my whole time through school where I was a standout on the hardwood. When I went to Concord I became friends with the guys on the cross-country team that lived in my residence hall. They would see me running throughout campus in Athens and knew I was running 4-5 miles a day. They encouraged me to talk to Mike Cox (Head Coach) about joining the team and that is where my love/obsession with running began.

CM - Did you run track or cross country in high school or college? If so, where?

CB – I graduated from Van High School (Boone County, WV) in 2002 and played basketball/football from elementary school through high school. We did not have a running program there. I ran cross country/track at Concord University under the coaching of Mike Cox (2003-2006). His excitement and coaching style really helped me grow to love this sport. I consider Coach Cox my running mentor!

CM – I know you were pretty serious about training for marathons when I was coaching at the high school level. Do you still run competitively?

CB – Yes, I still run competitively on the road racing circuit. I focus more on marathons and half-marathons. I just ran the Houston Marathon in January 2018 in a PR of 2:45:14 (6:18 avg.) and I will run the Boston Marathon next week in my 14th marathon overall.

CM - What do you consider the peak of your personal running career?

CB – Where I got such a late start to my running career not having a middle school or high school team - I feel like I’m in the peak of my running career currently (Age 34). During the last 3 years, I have PR’d in every distance from the 10k-marathon and I contribute that to the consistency of 10-15 years of running and staying injury free. I’m running faster and stronger than I did in college and since I’ve turned 30 it seems as if I keep getting faster for longer distances especially. Having good coaches and mentors like Mike Cox, Howard Nippert, Adam Coon, and Corky Drinkard have helped me train the right way over the years.

CM – What personal running accomplishments are you most proud of?

CB – Well, personally I would say the Houston Marathon a few months back when I ran 2:45:14 which is a PR. Also, this past September I finished 4th in the Charleston Distance Run 15 miler which is the best I’ve finished in that race which is special to me because it’s a local race with lots of history. I won the Poca River Run 15k in 2015 which is WV’s oldest road race - the number of great runners who have run that course is amazing.

The 2004 WVIAC XC championship team I was a part of at Concord also ranks at the top. We had 5 WV guys (myself, Coon – Sherman HS, Smutko – Scott HS, Herron - Liberty (R) HS, and Snell – Ravenwood HS) Zickefoose - NC, and Abe - Japan on that team that came into the season as underdogs and had a chip on our shoulder all season. On that October afternoon at Camp Virgil Tate, we won the first conference title in XC since 1968 for our school and was Coach Cox’s first championship of many he would go on to win. We were all best friends and would run through a brick wall for Coach Cox. Our motto that year was “Suffer Now, Win Later” and we sure lived up to it. We also finished 5th at the Atlantic Regional a week later.

CM – What is your favorite part of being a runner or running?

CB –Running gives me a sense of accomplishment each day. I’m very health conscious so the benefits it gives me is second to none. I’m also very competitive so I enjoy the training involved to be able to race at the level I feel I need to be at.

CM – Let’s focus on the Eagles now. How many men’s and women’s athletic programs does UC Sponsor?

CB – There are 19 athletic teams (9 men/10 women).

CM - Does UC offer cross country and track for both men and women?

CB – Yes, we offer Cross Country, Indoor Track & Field, Outdoor Track & Field for both men and women.

CM – When or what coaching positions did UC hire you for?

CB – I was hired in January 2014 as the Head Men’s Cross Country/Track & Field Coach. I assumed the role of Women’s Cross-Country Coach in August 2017 as well.

CM – Did you coach anywhere else prior to working at UC?

CB – Yes, I coached at Scott High School from (2007-2013) & George Washington High School (2013-2014).

CM – What motivated you to be a coach at the college level?

CB – College level coaching had always been a goal of mine when I started coaching. I believe coaching talented kids who went on to have successful college careers like Will Shaffer - Scott HS/Marshall/Virginia Tech (4 time state champion in track/3 time All-State in XC) and Matthew Brafford - George Washington HS/Oklahoma (State champion in XC/3 time All-State in XC) made me believe-you know what I can coach high-quality runners and guide them to success. What I like about college coaching as well is you are getting to coach/mentor kids who are between the ages of 18-22. These are the years they are really growing up and becoming men/women. I want to help guide them in the right direction and I believe running is the perfect thing for that.

CM – Is there any difference in being the head coach of the cross-country team and being the distance coach for the track team?

CB – I’m the head coach for both but I primarily work with distance runners for cross country and track. I’ve recruited all the men on both xc/track teams and now I also recruit women distance runners as well. We are pretty blessed at UC to have a coaching staff of 4 people where we can coach what our specialties are.

CM – In just four years of coaching, you have been incredibly successful as a coach for the University of Charleston. Did you ever imagine working with so many great runners and teams when you first began coaching?

CB – Well, I knew it was going to take a few recruiting classes to get it established but the kids I recruited really bought into our program and year after year we have gotten stronger. I had a very clear vision when I got hired about how I wanted to build this program and that’s what I have tried to do. I wanted to start with a strong core of distance runners and then begin adding sprints, field events and hurdles to the mix. I would say we are very well balanced in all areas which is what you want if you want to be strong in cross country and track.

CM – How many runners do you have on cross-country team (men & women)? How many distance runners do you coach during track (men & women)?

CB – We have 45 men on the track team and 17 cross country runners. We have about 40 women on track and 12 cross country runners. All the cross-country runners run distance for me in track season.

CM – Can you list some of your athletic and/or academic accomplishments while coaching at UC?

CB –

· Academic - 7 Academic All-Americans in XC (6 men, 1 woman) 3.25 GPA and top 30% finisher at regionals.

· Men Academic All-American Team (3.0 - Team GPA) - 2016, 2017

· Women Academic All-American Team (3.0 - Team GPA) - 2017

· Athletic - 42 All-Conference Athletes in XC and Track, 11 MEC Individual Champions, 9 All-Region Performers, 4 NCAA Qualifiers, 3 Freshman of the Year, 1 Track Athlete of the Year

Cross Country:

· Team finishes: 2014 - 7th; 2015 - 3rd; 2016 - 3rd; 2017 - 2nd

· 2016 MEC Freshman of the Year - Max Allen

· 2017 MEC Freshman of the Year - David Cecchi

· 2017 All-Atlantic Region - David Cecchi - 24th

· 9 - 1st Team All-MEC runners

· Men: 2015 - Kevin Charette - 7th; 2016 - Kevin Charette - 8th, Jake Casto - 10th; 2017 - David Cecchi - 6th, Hunter Riffle - 7th, Jake Casto - 8th

· Women: 2017 - Kelly Whittaker - 4th

· Top 10 in Atlantic Region: 2016-10th, 2017-8th

Track & Field:

· Team finishes: 2015 - 4th; 2016 - 5th; 2017 - 2nd

· 2015 MEC Freshman of the Year - Liam Mumford

· 2017 MEC Track Athlete of the Year - Zack Marcum

· 2017 All-Atlantic Region - Zack Marcum – 400m; Bryson Dennison - Pole Vault

· 2018 All-Atlantic Region - Christov Cornish - Triple Jump; David Morales Perez - Long Jump; 4x400m relay - Zack Marcum, Michael Strachan, Tre Brooks, Chris Burnham; Hunter Riffle - 3k Steeplechase; Kevin Charette - 10k

· Conference Champions: 2015 - Liam Mumford - 1500m & 800m; 2016 - Liam Mumford – 1500m & 800m; Jaylond Butler – 100m; 2017- Liam Mumford – 1500m, 800m, & 4x400m; Zack Marcum – 400m & 4x400m; Aaron Elliott – Hammer; David Morales Perez - Triple Jump; 4x400m - Marcum, Mumford, Darius Booker, Troy Fisher

CM – Are you personally involved in the recruiting process? If so, explain what that’s like.

CB – Yes, I recruit all the men’s team and now the women’s xc/distance runners. It’s very exciting because you can see who may make a great fit for your team and you can piece that together. Everyone brings a different dimension to your team and that is what makes the team a family.

CM – Do you feel that you are starting to see fruit from your labor as a recruiter and coach?

CB –Yes most definitely! I told my athletics director when she hired me it would take a few recruiting classes to start to see the success I had envisioned. I think now you are starting to see just the tip of what my teams are capable of. The foundation has been built and now we just must keep it moving in the right direction. I believe the best is yet to come for UC cross country/track & field.

CM – One aspect of Division 2 athletics that I don’t fully understand is how scholarships are distributed particularly when it comes to cross country. How many scholarships for the cross-country team do you get, and do they count towards track, or do the scholarships all count towards track, but some are meant for distance runners? Please explain!

CB – We have a certain allotment of scholarship money for cross country/track & field. It is my discretion how I want to distribute those. I’m sure each institution has their own policies.

CM – Does the amount of scholarships change if you give a full scholarship to an in-state student-athlete compared to an out-of-state student-athlete?

CB – Scholarships are based on athletic performance.

CM – I coached a runner back in high school who ran against one of your top freshman runners, Hunter Riffle of Doddridge County. Hunter was a very talented runner who hated running distances over 2 miles. How did you convince a talented runner like Hunter to buy into your program? What made the difference in his training that he can compete at the next level?

CB –Hunter is a great young man who has been a joy to coach. We have a great relationship and he has put his trust in me to coach him to a national caliber type runner. We have a great group of older runners on our team like Kevin Charette, Jake Casto, Josh McClung, and David Cecchi that serve as great role models for Hunter and he sees how they go to work every day. His attitude and work ethic is what makes him such a talented runner. His best running days are ahead of him if he continues to put in the work. He is now focusing solely on running and you are starting to see why he was a coveted recruit.

CM – Without getting too complicated, can you explain your training program?

CB – I compare my training to building a house. I have my runners build a strong base or foundation worth of mileage and aerobic threshold work (tempos, steady state runs, progression runs, fartleks). Next comes the siding - As the season progresses we incorporate different aspects of VO2 max work (mile repeats, ladders and repetition/interval type work) while still incorporating threshold to keep the body in check. Lastly comes the roof - When peaking for championship season we reduce the overall volume but try to keep the intensity high, so the body is sharp for racing!

I use training aspects from the likes of Dr. Jack Daniels, Brad Hudson and of course my college coach Mike Cox and current personal coach Howard Nippert.

CM – What is your favorite part of coaching, and what are you most proud of as a coach?

CB – My favorite part about coaching is getting to work with young adults each day and help mold their growth in the time I spend coaching them. I love seeing them have success both in running and the classroom. Coaching is just like teaching or mentoring-it’s your job to make sure they get the discipline and life lessons that set them up to be successful in life. When they run a huge PR in a meet-I’m just as excited if not more than they are. I know the hard work they put in and the grind they put in each day to take off mere seconds/minutes in a race.

CM – What conference does the University of Charleston compete in? Can you name some of the schools you compete against for the conference title?

CB – We compete in the Mountain East Conference, which is a collegiate athletic conference that competes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II level. It consists of 12 schools, mostly in West Virginia with other charter members in Ohio and Virginia.

Members Include: University of Charleston, Concord University, West Virginia Wesleyan, Wheeling Jesuit University, Fairmont State University, Glenville State College, University of Virginia’s College at Wise (UVA-Wise), West Virginia State University, Shepherd University, West Liberty University, Notre Dame College (OH), Urbana University (OH)

CM – What off-season training do you suggest for a high school distance runner who is planning on running competitively in college? What are some things they can do during their Junior and Senior year to prepare for the next level?

CB – Build a big base! I want my men and women to have a big aerobic engine-aka-Cardiorespiratory fitness - Don’t worry about doing track workouts in June, July, or August-you need an aerobic base. A house with a solid foundation is awfully strong when it’s built from the ground up. I suggest building your mileage slowly over the summer - 10% rule - don’t increase your mileage by more than 10% each week. Important runs - Tempos, progression runs, fartleks, hilly runs, consistent long runs at your pace but not too crazy. Keep a journal so you can track your progress-take a day off every now and again - don’t get caught up in the mileage game. You must build your base up over time. Consistency - get into a routine and live the runner’s lifestyle!

CM – How can high school coaches help a runner make a smoother transition to compete in college? What are some of the best things a high school coach can do to prepare a high school runner for running in college?

CB – Consistency over time breeds successful runners! Consistent training can make a person very fit! There’s no one workout that you look back and say, man that’s the one that made me run that fantastic time - it’s all those runs or workouts collectively that helped me run well.

Just like I stated in the previous question - Quality over quantity when you are a high school runner. Some runners can handle a bit more volume in mileage than others. Make sure they are doing long runs for strength and understanding every day is not a race or workout. Every day’s run serves a purpose whether it’s an easy run, workout, long run or some hill intervals.

CM – What suggestions do you have for a high school coach who wants to take an average team and build a highly successful program?

CB – You need to have a clear vision where you want to be 2-3 years. Have a plan ready, set goals and execute it. Walk the walk, Talk the talk. Success doesn’t come overnight - it takes week, months, and years. Consistency over time is what will make your program successful. Be excited! Bring it! The kids will feed off your energy and excitement for running!

CM – Would you like to add anything else?

CB – Thank you for your time to help promote our sport! Running is a lifestyle – get out there and enjoy it!

[Personal]

CM – Are you married, and do you have any children?

CB – Yes, I am married to Brooke (Wilson) Bias. We have a son, Tanner, who is one.

CM – What’s your Education?

CB - Concord University – BS - Sports Management & Health Education – 2006; Marshall University - MAT – Education - Physical Education/Health Education - 2011

CM – Where do you currently live?

CB – I currently live in Charleston, West Virginia.

CM - Thanks very much Coach Bias for your time. I wish you continued success in the future.

Submitted by Coach Mike McMillion (04/11/18)