Carmen Riano, a senior at Miami (Ohio) and the reigning Mid-American Conference champion in the women's 3,000-meter steeplechase and 5,000 meters as well as an NCAA Division 1 Outdoor Championships qualifier, joins DyeStat editor Erik Boal to discuss her preparation for the conference cross country final Oct. 29 in Athens, Ohio, and the opportunity to become the program's first female athlete since Laura Neufarth in 2007 to capture the individual title. Riano reflects on her 6-kilometer victory Oct. 14 at the Bradley Pink Classic in Illinois and eclipsing the 20-minute barrier for the first time by running 19:54.2. She also revisits her third-place finish Oct. 1 at the Louisville Classic at E.P. "Tom" Sawyer Park with a 5-kilometer effort of 16:42.6 and finishing behind a pair of All-Americans in Ceili McCabe from West Virginia and Bethany Graham of Furman. Riano, the Spanish Under-23 record holder in the steeplechase, reminisces about her summer competing in Europe and her opportunities to race at both the Spanish Senior Championships, in addition to capturing titles in both the steeplechase and 5,000 at the Under-23 finals. She also examines taking a break from her cross country training to travel to Italy in September to compete in the Mediterranean Championships. Riano analyzes the potential of both Miami (Ohio) men's and women's teams at the conference final and how significant it is to have the meet in Ohio. She examines the lessons learned from a third-place finish last year and her excitement to compete against reigning champion Joy Chirchir of Toledo. Riano also shares her anticipation for competing Nov. 11 at the Great Lakes Regional at the LaVern Gibson course in Terre Haute, Ind., and her ambitions to contend for an individual berth Nov. 19 at the Division 1 championship meet at the Greiner Family Course at Oklahoma State in Stillwater, looking to elevate from a 36th-place finish at the regional meet last year at Angel Mounds in Evansville, Ind.