The Lumberjack sits down with junior cross country runner Ben Ashkettle, who has been a key part of the team’s success this. Here, Ashkettle sits down to discuss his transition from New Zealand to life in America, smart cars and a cool caramel milkshake.

Matt Beaty / The Lumberjack. Junior Ben Ashkettle of New Zealand is one of NAU's top runners.

The Lumberjack: How do you feel about the meet coming up this weekend?

Ben Ashkettle: I am just looking to run a solid effort that feels quite good and hopefully isn’t too slow.

LJ: Do you feel you’re ready for it?

BA: I don’t think I’m ready to run my best right now because I’ve recently had mono and potentially still do. So I’m hoping to just sort of get a decent effort out of it.

LJ: What’s your favorite drink?

BA: I reckon probably a caramel vanilla milkshake.

LJ: What’s the last book you read?

BA: The God Delusion.

LJ: If you could trade places with any person for a week — it could be a famous person or not, maybe even one of your fellow athletes — who would it be and why?

BA: I would say my girlfriend Courtney, so I can see what she has to put up with.

LJ: What’s your favorite song?

BA: Probably “Truly, Madly, Deeply” by Savage Garden. 

LJ: If you could be a superhero, who or what would you be?

BA: I don’t know who I’d be, but I just want to fly, so then I can go all the way back to Australia and back whenever I like.

LJ: If you were a salad, what kind of dressing would you be?

BA: Balsamic.

LJ: If you were a car, which would you be?

BA: The smallest one, maybe those smart cars, so I can go fast, but I bet if I got hit I’d probably die.

LJ: If you had six months to live, what would you do with your time and why?

BA: Probably travel around to see all the people in my family, because they all live in different countries. And I’d probably do what I can to help other people and decide who’s going to get my organs, maybe.

LJ: What do you like best about living in America?

BA: I like the diversity; you can drive to a nearby town, and it’s a completely different scenario.

LJ: What makes you angry?

BA: My economics class, because people have opposing views to myself on politics.

LJ: How many close friends would you say you have on the team?

BA: Two.

LJ: If you were written about in a newspaper, and you were on the front page, what would you want the headline to say?

BA: I wouldn’t want to lie; I wouldn’t want it to be untrue, so as long as it’s good and true, it doesn’t matter to me.