Syracuse’s Karl Winter recently reached rarified air on the track. But his efforts on the track pale in comparison to his goals in the broadcast booth. Colin Bock caught up with Winter and talked about his ambitions.
Transcript
Colin: Well, you’ve heard the saying that you’ve got to run a mile in somebody’s shoes to understand their situation…
But in the case of track and field star Karl Winter, that might be physically impossible…
While he ran a career-best 3:59 in the one-mile race, I ran, at best, a 7:30 mile…
So, I asked him, how did you run that fast?Karl: (“It’s something that every runner dreams about. You still have to have some level of internal motivation in order to really excel at running. It’s a yin and yang, where I’ve found that in running I can go to a very dark place in my mind to push myself. But it does help to have teammates around me that are doing the same thing.”)
Colin: Having teammates can certainly motivate you to do your best, but in a sport like cross-country, you’re competing for yourself…
Karl: (“I’m my own harshest critic, and I know that if I give it anything less than 100%, I’ll regret it after the fact. There’s a quote from a runner I like, named Paul Chelimo, who’s a 5,000 meter Olympic medalist for the United States. He says you go hard or suffer for the rest of your life.”)
Colin: Well Karl certainly gives it his all on and off the track…
Winter is a graduate student studying broadcast and digital journalism here at SU’s Newhouse School.
From hosting ACC Network studio shows to doing play by play for college sports, Winter says both of his talents make him who he is…Karl: (“I want to get into sports media specifically, and being an athlete helps me cover athletes better. And covering athletes helps me respect what they do in sports outside of my own as well. So I think it’s iron sharpens iron in that sense.”)
Colin: And Winter certainly knows that the decision he made to come to Syracuse will pay off forever.
Karl: (“Coming here to Su and to Newhouse even only for one year puts me in a very good position for the rest of my life.”)
Colin: Well, as you can clearly tell, speed certainly kills. Reporting from the Barnes Center at the Arch here in Syracuse, NY… Colin Bock, N-C-C News…
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – Sometimes, a few seconds can make or break your confidence. For Karl Winter, it was just one second.
A little over a week ago, Winter crossed the finish line of his one-mile race as the clock struck 3:59. Prior to the competition, Winter’s best mile time clocked in at 4:02. To Winter, those few seconds are a source of massive relief.
“It’s something that every runner dreams about,” Winter says. “I think the biggest emotion was relief because this has been something I’ve known I could do since my junior year of undergrad… and I finally achieved it. It took a weight off of me because I don’t have to worry about running under four minutes… I can just go out and race.”
As a result of his sub-four minute performance, Winter sits in rarified Syracuse cross country air. He’s now just the eighth runner in program history to break the four minute mark.
Such an achievement requires immense concentration and preparation. For Winter, the solution is simple: work hard and live with whatever comes of your virtues.
“I’m my own harshest critic,” admits Winter. “I know that if I give it anything less than 100%, I’ll regret it after the fact. There’s a quote from a runner I like, named Paul Chelimo, who’s a 5,000 meter Olympic medalist. He says you go hard or suffer for the rest of your life.”
Winter was a three-sport athlete in high-school, playing basketball, baseball, and running for the track team. After realizing his potential for track in his sophomore year, he abandoned the two team sports to focus on the individual pursuit of track and field.
Such a competitive spirit has enabled Winter’s pursuit of a master’s in broadcast and digital journalism at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. When he’s not outrunning everyone on campus, Winter can be found hosting studio shows for the ACC Network, or serving as play-by-play for various events.
As an athlete, Winter understands the struggle of preparing for high-stakes situations and believes it’s part of why he’s built for a career in broadcasting.
“Being an athlete helps me cover athletes better,” asserts Winter. “Covering athletes helps me respect what they do in sports outside of my own as well… I think it’s iron sharpens iron in that sense.”
Admittedly, Winter will tell you he’s not quite sure what his future holds.
“2023 is the first year that I’ve entered in my life without knowing where I was going to be at the end of it, both geographically and in terms of goals and ambitions,” claims Winter.
But what Winter can tell you for sure is that, “coming here to [Syracuse] and to Newhouse even only for one year puts me in a very good position for the rest of my life.”