STEVE HOAG

This interview is dedicated to my friend Scott who said to me a couple of weeks ago, "You should interview Steve Hoag." I thought, "Great idea, Scott. Let me call up my good buddy, Bill Rodgers, and get his phone number." Well, no need to call Bill, as I came across Steve's contact info on a "world famous" running forum. With clues like; 2:11 marathoner, from Minneapolis, owned a running store, I was pretty sure it was THE Steve Hoag. This one may take awhile to get through - but it's well worth it! (All photos courtesy of Steve Hoag; Steve Hoag running in Theodore Wirth Park)

Obviously, you’re best known for your 2:11:54 second place finish at the 1975 Boston Marathon. I believe your PR heading into that race was “only” 2:16. What were your expectations for the race?
I cranked up my training in quality and quantity, shooting for the works at Boston in 1975. At Boston you are never sure of the field, only that it’ll be tough. Based on a 2:16 6th place finish in ’74, I wanted “top 5” and thought WINNING was a distinct possibility if I could run 2:12. Ron Daws agreed, and he knew my ability better than I did (e.g., moments before the ’74 race, he told me he thought I’d run 2:17. I ran 2:16:44. Ron, like most people, thought a 2:12 SHOULD win.

I increased mileage, topping out at 90-plus miles for a few weeks, and ran the hill workouts fiercely. Good quality, longer intervals were done using ladders; 440 yards to mile and down, 10 x mile at 4:50-5:00 pace, depending on the interval. I got a LOT of help from my Twin Cities Track Club teammates (Garrett Tomczak in particular) who would run partials of the mile repeats or every other one. Daws and others helped with the 25-30 mile long runs. I was ready to go by mid-April!! That winter was especially brutal for running, which I believe helped n my base building and long runs. We had a tremendous cardio effect happening without realizing it!

What are some of your other accolades that you’re most proud of?
One of my proudest moments came from winning the Big 10 two-mile (Indoors). I dreamed of being a Big Ten Champ and getting under 9-minutes, which was the “holy grail” for most college distance men in that era. I accomplished both in 1969 by winning in 8:57 with 4:36/4:21 splits! Considering my mile PR wasn’t much faster, and that there were several 4:05 mile guys in the field, it was a very satisfying win. It was a race I probably shouldn’t have won, but I threw in a 61-second fifth 440y to catch the speedy guys napping!

Another race that comes to mind is the 1968 NCAA 10,000m where I placed 3rd (won by Gerry Lindgren) and made All-American! Steve Hoag, from Anoka, MN, a track All-American!!?? Also meaningful to me was that I beat several big name collegiate distance runners and I got invited to the 1968 OLYMPIC TRIALS at Lake Tahoe!!

Probably my last good race, the ’75 Springbank 12 mile in London, Ontario, which had incredibly good fields. In 1975 the field consisted of none other than Frank Shorter, Bill Rodgers, Jerome Drayton and 2 other Boston Marathon winners, plus England’s great Ian Thompson. It was a “balls-to-the-wall” fast pace as we came by “3 miles” (actually it was a little short) in 13:45. It was frightening because my 3 mile PR was 13:52 – and I still had 3 more of those to go. I ended up placing 5th. A great time and a lot of fun.

Captaining the Gopher cross-country team to its best finish ever (4th place) at the ’68 NCAAs also comes to mind, along with being inducted into the Minnesota Track and Field Hall of Fame. That was very gratifying. It validated my running career by my peers. At the time (2000), I think that only about 35 individuals were in the HoF. I was very honored!

Finally, being ranked 4th in WORLD for the marathon in 1975 by Track & Field News was a great honor.

What are your other PRs?
Yawn!

Track: 880 yards – 1:57, 1 mile – 4:12, 2 miles – 8:57, 3 miles – 13:52, 6 miles – 29:03, 10 miles – 49:51.

My track PRs were all done in 1968-69, at age 21. Regrettably, I never raced seriously on the track after that.

Roads: 5 miles – 23:45, 7 miles – 34:59, half marathon – 1:06, marathon – 2:11:54. I’ve had other, faster, road times, but they were questionable for accuracy.

You sold your store (Marathon Sports) a couple of years ago. Does that mean you’re retired? What are you up to nowadays (working, running, etc.)?
I’m retired, but still pretty busy with hobbies. Believe it or not my hobbies are as diverse as: restoring old classic cars (I have a ’55 Chevy BelAire and a ’65 Mustang convertible…oh yeah), restoring old motorcycles, scooters, bicycles, rehabbing old houses, collecting metal toy cars from the 1900-1950s. My wife (of 35 years), Jeri, and I do lots of stuff together too. Plus, we just became grandparents, so we're looking forward to that.

My “running” is based on the “gentleman’s 3”: slow, easy running for 3 miles, usually on trails or grass.

You’re also coaching cross-county. Are your athletes aware of your running accomplishments?
I coach x-c at Richfield H.S., which I really enjoy. The kids know about my running background, but I don’t believe they can reconcile “Coach Steve” and running a 2:11 marathon. It’s funny though, last year at Twin Cities Marathon water stop, where the team volunteered, one of them asked in dead earnestness, “Steve, if you started really training, you could win this, couldn’t you?” Kids just don’t realize that a 58 year old man with a bad back will probably not win the TCM, no matter how fast he had run 30 years ago. Bless their hearts.

You were interviewed in October 2002 and one of the questions was about the current state of U.S. distance running. You said, “It goes in cycles and I think we are going to see it [U.S. runners being competitive on the world stage] again.” Since then we’ve collected a couple of Olympic medals and, more recently, Ryan Hall set an American Record for the half marathon. Based on comments you’ve made, I assume you attribute this to the elite training groups that are set up around the country?
Most definitely, the recent popularity of the elite training groups has fueled this resurgence in U.S. distance running. Meb Keflezighi and Deena Kastor at Athens, the 2006 Boston Marathon, and Ryan Hall, Andrew Carlson, Jason Lehmkuhle and others this month in the Houston Half Marathon. The current training sites/clubs are similar to training in the ‘70s with more structure, some money and the inclusion of women.

There really is no mystique as to why there was so much success by U.S. distance running: love of running, pure hard work that was made enjoyable by the group effort. Also the success starting in the mid-60s with Buddy Edelen, Gerry Lindgren, Bob Schul, Billy Mills, etc. and Frank Shorter at Fukuoka and Munich. Success begets success; we started believing in ourselves. We’re getting there again!

I’ve been doing some research for another project by looking through some MDRA newsletters from the early ‘70s and a few things stand out to me; First, “you guys” ran a lot of events that you don’t see any more; 1-hour races, 10-mile races on the track, 24-hour relays where teams of 10 alternated running mile repeats, etc. What are your thoughts on some of these events and how they compare to today’s race schedule?
There were indeed some interesting races in the ‘70s that probably wouldn’t catch on today. In 1973, for example, a typical race had 20-50 (mostly male) runners. You could work the finances to make races of that size work, as they were held at tracks and parks. Today it costs $3,000-10,000 to close down Lake Harriet for a 5K. Tracks, for liability reasons, are often hard to use. Today, races are huge and are mostly a big business.

I particularly liked the 10-mile track races. Each runner had to bring a person to count all 40 laps. I sometimes hated 10,000m on the track, but a 10-mile track race was “fun.” Go figure. Probably because a 10K is faster and more intense; a track 10-mile allows a slower, more manageable pace. I ran 49:51 at Macalester’s track in ’68 and I recall it being almost hypnotic.

Another example was the two-person 10-mile relay. You partnered with someone close to your ability and you each took turns running 20 x 440y at 60-65 second pace.

I never was intrigued that much with running a 24-hour relay with mile repeats. I guess I valued my sleep too much. They were popular for a few years, and a post-collegiate team from Minnesota did extremely well one year.

Also postal races (where you submitted your results through the mail to a national coordinator who would send out final results later to all the clubs involved) were somewhat popular. “Last person-out” races were fun to watch and run on the track. Handicap 10-mile races were interesting, also. There’s nothing like spotting someone a half hour and then trying to beat them. Pat Lanin, who ruled over road-racing events in -the ‘60s and early-70s, was great. Pat should be given TONS of credit for what he and his wife Emily did for Minnesota distance running.

Second, I just assumed guys like you, Ron Daws and Garry Bjorklund were winning every race around. However, while you won your fair share, there were a lot of other guys (Tom Hoffman, LaVerne Dunsmore, Chuck Burrows, Glen Herold, Chuck Ceronsky, Don Timm, etc.) winning too. Is that mainly a testament to the depth of the running scene at that time?
Yes, winning was pretty spread out, due to the talent here! No one could really dominate, except possibly Garry “BJ” Bjorklund, who was good at everything from 1 mile to marathon. BJ didn’t race much locally though.

There were some guys who were better at 5 mile and shorter (Don Timm and Mike “Slicker” Slack). Some were good at the difficult events like the Mudball (Ceronsky). Burrows and myself were good at 10 miles and up. Hoffman and Herold were actually from Wisconsin, but they raced well over here. Interestingly, for every name you mentioned here, I can come up with 3, 4, 5 names equally as good; Garrett Tomczak, Bruce Mortenson, Jim Ferstle, Dennis Barker, Mike Seaman, Van Nelson, etc., etc. Nelson was totally phenomenal but his career was over by 1969.

Incredible talent in this area at that time, and DEEP!! Women runners were represented by Jan Arenz, Val Rogosheske, Alex Boies, Jill Hanson (UM’s Ben Hanson’s mom). All were nationally ranked or recognized. Marathon World record-holder Cheryl Bridges later trained here (with the guys, no less). Lorraine Moller (New Zealand medalist in the marathon) trained with us while married to Daws. Later Janis Klecker, Jan Ettle, Bev Docherty would do well at the Trials and Olympics (Klecker).

While you’re in-tune with what’s going on nationally, are you aware that some of the guys you ran against, like Alan Gilman and Jeff Reneau now have kids (Pete and Michael, respectively) that are now tearing up the roads and have qualified for the Olympic Trials Marathon?
Yes, I have met Jeff’s son, Michael, and he looks like he is better than his old man was, and he was tough! I ran against Jeff for a few years and he wouldn’t give an inch in a race. I raced against Al a few times too and he was very solid. I KNOW his son Pete is good because when I was with Marathon Sports, I sent him a check for racing so well at TCM. It’s fun to see the kids are taking after their “ol men.”

Do you look at the results for your current age-group and were there ever any thoughts of a “comeback,” even at the age-group level?
I occasionally look at the age group stuff, and find it interesting that a lot of elite age groupers were not that active/good in or after college. It seems that a lot of them took up racing in their later years with “fresh legs”. Most of us are pretty “dormant” now, regarding high level racing. There are always a few exceptions, but it’s very hard to maintain the drive to compete at a high level for a long time. I still love “running” but my ego and pride will not allow me to compete. If I ever get thoughts of a comeback, I wait until they pass.

What was like to be a runner in the Twin Cities, prior to the running boom? Reading some of Hal Higdon’s early writings, it sounds like you had a better chance of being arrested for “suspicious behavior” while running, than actually seeing another runner on the roads. It’s hard to picture the lakes or river roads without a large number of runners on them.
I can remember running in my hometown of Anoka, and well-meaning neighbors, friend, etc. would stop their cars and ask if I needed help. “Gee, you’re running for NO reason?” I believe Anoka and Minneapolis cops talked to me on a few occasions. I got into an argument with a Minneapolis policeman once because I was running 5:00 mile repeats on West River Road and he didn’t want me “jogging” on the road. He pulled me in to the squad car and was going to bust me, but he chickened out a block from the station. Looking back now, it does seem strange that so many miles were run on the roads. Now we have nice paths around the lakes, river road, etc. Back then, we were indeed ROAD runners or sidewalk runners. There was a path around the lakes, but we didn’t use it much. I think we raced on the roads, so it made sense to train on them too.

I’m always curious what the “Old School” runners think about all the training terminology (lactate threshold, anaerobic threshold, tempo runs, heart rate monitors and the different zones, etc.) that gets thrown around now-a-days?
I admit I break out into a cold sweat when I hear terms like lactate and anaerobic threshold. We had days when we ran very hard for varying distances, we had intervals – long and short, we had long aerobic days of 15-30 miles and we had easy “filler” days to rest and help get our mileage totals up. We were just not real scientific about it.

We followed a basic Lydiard program of base (easy) LSD for about 6 weeks, transitioned into hills and distance, and finally transitioned into intervals and racing. Distance dropped as you entered the racing phase. There was the old maxim that you can’t race AND train at the same time. We raced until you could almost sense you were losing condition, desire, or both. We would take a 2-3 week rest period, usually in November or December, and then start again from scratch.

Depending on what you were training for, there were about 2 cycles per year. The other rest period might be in June if you ran Boston in April. After a rest period, you could start another cycle for fall. That was always secondary to me, as Boston was my focus most of those years.

Daws was probably the epitome of “Old School” regarding shoes and clothing, but he was using a heart rate monitor toward the end of his life. He didn’t use it every day, but found that he wasn’t running hard enough DOWN hills and needed to run harder to keep his HR up. Conversely, he was revving too high on the uphill portion, so he slowed down to keep his HR in the target zone. He also MADE a crude treadmill for his basement, with music piped in. It was a butt-ugly contraption, but Ron would use it very occasionally to run 10 x “mile” repeats if he couldn’t get into the UM Fieldhouse.

Of course, I have to ask about Ron Daws. Someone recently told me that he was the kind of guy that no matter what kind of mood you were in, you were in a better one after talking with Ron. Would you agree? (Photo of Ron Daws and Steve Hoag in Theodore Wirth Park)
I would need 100 pages or more to ADEQUATELY describe Ron Daws. He was without a doubt the most complex and genuine person I have ever known. He was also perplexing and contradictory; extremely outgoing most of the time, barrel of fun, incredible wit, and yet, he could be very reclusive and private for seemingly no reason. He was very approachable, yet at times, he could resent his privacy being compromised. Most of the time though, Ron liked to help anyone interested in the sport he truly loved.

I always thought it spoke well of Ron that he could run in the Olympic Games Marathon and a week or two later, run in some rinky-dink all-comers race and come in 5th or 6th place. He didn’t mind. He always ran hard – whether he was in Mexico City or Mankato.

It would have been very easy for Ron to become jealous of my success at Boston, after he dominated the local, regional, and national running scene. I represented the “changing of the guard,” as I was 10 years younger. He not only accepted that, he relished the idea of coaching/advising me. He loved to share his knowledge of running and I soaked up every tidbit Ron gave from clothing/shoe tweaking to training and racing. Although Ron didn’t help me much in my collegiate racing years (Roy Griak sure did), he was the most influential person involving my road racing career. There is absolutely no doubt that I would not have run 2:11 without Ron Daws.

Did he always put you in a better mood after seeing him? Well about 99% of the time he would. Ron’s personality could light up a room. The Minnesota running community got a little darker after Ron died in 1992.

Is there anyone that did a better job of explaining Arthur Lydiard’s program (including Lydiard) than Daws?
No, Ron was a great conduit to Lydiard training. He modified it slightly as needed without losing its essence. For example, Ron did not like hill bounding. He did a little bounding, but not consistently. I do not think that he thought it was absolutely critical. He did Lydiard’s mandatory 100-mile weeks (usually 110-125) for base. He knew that, for some reason, I couldn’t handle 100 mpw, so he modified my program so I could be successful at 75-90 mpw. Nobody really agrees 100% on what Lydiard means all the time, but Ron had it nailed for us. Ron’s books are cult items now; explaining so well his and Arthur’s ideas on distance running and putting them in very enjoyable and understandable terms.

One of my standard questions, to my younger interviewees, is; “If you could run with any Minnesotan, past or present, who would it be?” My thinking is they’ll say something like Steve Hoag, Ron Daws, Garry Bjorklund, etc. That makes me curious to hear whom you would choose.
Present day, Carrie Tollefson comes to mind, as she is so mentally tough and talented. She has dealt with adversity in a remarkable manner. I sort of wrote her off a few years ago when she had the major surgery on her heel. I thought it was the end of a great running career. Mistake! I’m very glad I was wrong. She’s one tough runner! Now, I couldn’t run with her or Katie McGregor…they are way too fast.

Also Bob Kempainen, as I like his understated attitude - the guy just got the job done! Very humble. Also, I think he understood the “big picture” when it came to pointing to a big race (e.g. the 1996 Olympic Trials when Keith Brantly was going to out-kick him). I have never met Bob, but I have heard great things about him.

He’s not a Minnesotan, but Steve Prefontaine comes to mind. Although he was incredibly cocky, it would be very interesting to hear HIS story about the Munich 5000m and what he planned to do about Viren’s kick, and others, at Montreal in ’76. With Pre, it would also be great to tip a few beers after the run, but I would take away his car keys.

Finally, what impact do you think you’ve had on the sport in Minnesota?
I feel fortunate to be a VERY small part of an incredible distance running heritage, starting in about 1960. Think of a long chain; I am ONE of many links to it. My times and performances pale in comparison to MY Minnesota heroes, whom I won’t mention. Garry Bjorklund once paid me a great compliment in a speech he was giving, by saying that I had “raised the bar” in distance running in Minnesota. And Dick Beardsley said he read about my workouts in Ron’s book, The Self-Made Olympian.

If anything can be taken from my running experience it would be: Believe in yourself, work very, very hard and you may find yourself on an Olympic team or on the podium at places like Boston or New York. It can happen! It’s a sport that rewards hard work, perhaps as much as raw talent.


Rather than ask Steve 50 more questions, I thought it would be easier to comb through his comments from said "world famous" message board and post his comments on various topics. (Steve Hoag's 1968 UM Captain's photo)

ON COLLEGE
I was fortunate to be on some very good track and X-C teams at the U of M in the late ‘60s. We won the Big Ten Outdoor Championship in 1968 (by one point!) and finished 4th at NCAA Cross Nationals at Van Cortland Park ('68). The next year, Garry Bjorklund (BJ) came to Minnesota and continued another string of good U of M teams, winning Big 10 X-C with a 1-2-3 finish (BJ, Don Timm, and Tom Page). If only BJ had been a year older; we would have had an awesome X-C team in 1968. Couldn't have touched Villanova, but we would have been up there.

ON AFRICANS
I feel that I was somewhat fortunate to not have the Africans to contend with in the mid-seventies. The Kenyans and Ethiopians were formidable (to say the least!!) in the late sixties and then basically disappeared for a decade or more. The only African runner of significance was Richard Mabuza of Swaziland in the 1975 Boston; he was in the hunt for about half the race and then faded badly. Also, I am surprised that Abebe Bikila and Mamo Wolde ran poorly at Boston in 1963, possibly due to the cold weather that year. I cannot imagine Abebe Bikila losing to ANYONE, after the way he dominated the Marathon in two Olympics!

I have often wondered how our two greats – Frank Shorter and Bill Rodgers - would have fared against the current Africans (Geb and company). Granted it's tough to compare. Based on times, you would have to give the nod to the current stars. Yet, Frank and Bill were both so tough and competitive, I don't know if I would bet against either. I just read where more than 500 Kenyans ran 2:20 or better by 2006; in the 1970s, sub 2:20 was almost considered world class!! Very humbling.

My old friend and training partner, the late Ron Daws, was a great admirer of Abebe Bikila and often said there was a huge untapped market of distance runners in eastern Africa. This was in the late 1960s! Ron also said that the marathon times would change dramatically when the track guys like Frank Shorter and Garry Bjorklund moved up to the marathon. Not bad forecasting by Ron, as the elite 10,000 guys, up until then, basically spurned the marathon.

ON U.S. RUNNING TODAY
As far as today’s elite U.S. marathoners go, they are very impressive. The 2006 Boston performance was exciting and long awaited. U.S. marathoning goes in cycles like most things: Frank Shorter's gold at Munich set in motion the great U.S. era that lasted a decade or more. Alberto Salazar, Dick Beardsley, Bob Kempainen and others had their days at Boston. Now, largely because of the team-training concept, U.S. distance running is again very respectable. Can they compete with the great African runners? Tough, but we will see.

It seems that the most noticeable factor over the years is hunger (for financial recognition) plus inspiration by a coach or fellow countryman. U.S. elite marathoners in the seventies were for the most part hungry for recognition and inspired by the success of Frank Shorter at Fukuoka and Munich '72. Even prior to that, many of us took a lot of pride in Bob Schul, Bill Dellinger, Billy Mills and Gerry Lindgren (beating those big, bad, older Ruskies!) in 1964. Also, Buddy Edelen's World Record in the Marathon told us maybe we were NOT the embarrassment of the distance world, like we had been. The hunger was there for American runners and we trained like crazy in places like Florida, Boston, California, Oregon, and even in the Twin Cities.

I sense the same thing happening today with our elite runners. The pride is there and they're training together hard in clubs across the country. The Brooks-Hanson group reminds me a lot of the way running was in the 1970s and they are getting results. I see the same scenario locally with Team USA Minnesota, although they are more into 5/10k racing. Katie McGregor showed some great marathon potential recently and could be incredible at that distance when she wants to move up from the 10k. Meb Keflezighi and Deena Drossin certainly showed us that Americans can compete internationally, with their medals in Athens. Let's see if it launches the U.S. into another great distance era.

Ryan Hall's great half marathon performance (59:43 at Houston on January 20th) reminds me a lot of Bill Rodgers’s 2:09:55 American and Course Record at Boston in 1975. We saw a glimpse of Bill's talent in the World X-C's a month earlier with a 3rd place finish. Americans just didn't do that well at that event.

Bill's time sent shockwaves through the national and international running communities! Like Hall's brilliant run, he pulled quite a few other Americans to PRs. Along with Shorter at Munich and Fukuoka, Rodgers began a wave of American distance dominance that lasted into the early '80s.

Watch for young upstarts like Andrew Carlson and Jason Lehmkuhle, Brooks-Hanson guys, and others to pop some great Marathons. Are they guaranteed success at the marathon? Certainly not, but this half marathon performance in Houston, along with Meb's success and experience could usher in a new age of American distance excellence. Can they compete with Kenyans and Ethiopians ("A" teams) in the near future? This race indicates that they can!!

Bob Kennedy's SUB-13 5k was also an incredible breakthrough for U.S. distance running. It's unfortunate that the "wave" did not follow! I have a gut feeling that this IS definitely the beginning of an American resurgence in international distance running. I think that the biggest thing going on right now is getting back to the TEAM/CLUB training concept that existed here in the seventies through early eighties. Teams like GREATER BOSTON and FLORIDA TC are the obvious ones that come to mind, helping to make greater runners such as Bill Rodgers, Bob Hodge, Thomas, Vinny Fleming, and of course Frank Shorter, Jack Bacheler, Jeff Galloway, Misner, Barry Brown, etc, etc. These guys were good to begin with, but the club atmosphere made them a lot better!

In Minnesota, we had the Twin Cities Track Club with Ron Daws as our guru. We all trained harder and ran faster because of the group effect. There were other lesser-known clubs like ours that existed and produced some very good runners. No financial rewards at all; the common goal was for EVERYONE to improve times, usually at the marathon.

Team USA Minnesota and the Brooks-Hansons are on the right track, and we are seeing the results. Here in Minnesota, there is a great training environment, and Andrew Carlson, Jason Lehmkuhle, Matt Gabrielson, and others are seeing great improvements. On the women's side, Carrie Tollefson, Katie McGregor and others are thriving under this concept. It's really 1970s training taken to the next level, with a little more structure, science and money thrown in.

ON GERRY LINDGREN
I have grown up as a runner watching Gerry Lindgren, giving me some inspiration in 1964 when he beat the Russians (We were not supposed to be near them in distance races!). Little did I know that I would be in the 1968 NCAA 10,000m running against Gerry Lindgren. I remembered how he seemingly jogged the first six miles and kicked in the last 376m to notch yet another NCAA title. I hung on for 3rd place in what was my PR. Gerry of course had his big race against very tough runners in the 5,000m and used the 10 probably as a "workout". He won the 5, also.

Gerry certainly had his "ups and downs" in running as we all do; his were just much more noticeable, because his "ups" were so fantastic. Misfortune struck during his two Olympic bids. Billy Mills, I believe, thought that Gerry might have won the 10,000m at Tokyo if not injured, and he was injured prior to the 1968 Olympics/trials. Maybe if he trained a little more cautiously he wouldn't have had those injuries, but that wouldn't be Gerry!

His place in distance running history should be near the top; he changed U.S. attitudes towards distance running that PRE-saged our success in the seventies and eighties. His training was bizarre and I often wonder if the mileage (50 miles/day) he claimed he did was for affect. His training claims did get a lot of attention. Nonetheless, he got U.S. runners believing in themselves and probably training more.

I'm glad that Gerry has finally surfaced and is giving his advice to today's runners. Granted some of it is "hokey"; not everyone can be great if they just believe in themselves. And I'm not sure the best way to train is to run anaerobically for the first mile of a 10 mile run. However, take it from someone who was there, he was the real deal!!!

Lindgren's "message" was basically; “Do the most mileage you can and do not put limits on what you can achieve.” I often read where successful distance runners claimed they had no talent (speed, fast-twitch, etc.). What is often overlooked - even by them - is that being able to run a lot of miles without injury is TALENT! Ron Daws always said he didn't have much talent, and he was correct in the sense of mile, 5k, 10k speed (4:25, 14:35, 30:30, respectively) compared to the times of other world class runners. Yet he had a talent to know what he needed and to be able to handle that required mileage; 100-120 mpw. “Ratchet up your mileage to a tolerable level, include QUALITY running, believe in yourself and you WILL improve.” I think that is the essence of Gerry Lindgren's message.

ON MONTREAL
I did think seriously about the Olympics in Montreal after my 2nd place at Boston,'75. It seems that everyone (including me) conceded the first 2 spots for the marathon to Frank Shorter and Bill Rodgers, leaving a dozen or so guys with a realistic shot at the third spot on the team. I probably raced too much after Boston and developed a bad case of sciatica in the right leg. It was very frustrating. I went to chiropractors, therapists, podiatrists, etc. with not much success; my leg was numb and weak. I managed to train for Montreal but went to the trials in Eugene knowing I didn't have much of a chance. I went out fairly well at the start, coming by 10M in 51:30, but with that field, that was middle of the pack! By 12M, my right leg and lower back were getting tighter, and I dropped out. I got a ride back to Hayward Field in time to see Don Kardong get the third spot on the team. He ran a smart race, holding back at the start and moving up.

I think my fitness level was a year off. "If only" is a tired excuse, so I won't use it! There were a ton of very, very good marathoners in the mid-to-late 1970s; I was fortunate to be one of them at least for a year or two. Now that I am older and wiser (?), I realize that the window for an elite distance runner is very small. It’s probably similar to an NFL running back (2-6 years) without, of course, the cha-ching! I always marvel at guys like Frank Shorter, Bill Rodgers, Tom Fleming, etc. that ran well for SO many years and put up dozens of W.C. times and did huge mileage. I had a couple of good years at the University of Minnesota (track and cross), took a break in the early 70s, and had a "second career" on the roads. My mileage was “only” between 75-90 mpw, but I developed sciatica problems, essentially ending my career.

ON MILEAGE
I think 75-90 mpw is A LOT OF MILES, however, it's just relatively low compared to the mega-miles that Bill Rodgers, Frank Shorter, Tom Fleming, et al did in that time period. I talked with Tom Fleming after the 1975 Boston Marathon (he was 3rd, behind me by 11 seconds.) and he said that he would not run well off my mileage. And I would self-destruct running his 120-140 mpw.

Ron Daws, my coach/training partner wanted me to up my mileage. When I would try to get more than 100 mpw, I would either get sick, rundown or injured. Ron and I both agreed that my mileage was best at 75-90 with some good quality: Lydiard hill workouts, intervals, and long runs, done in a well-planned sequence.

Tom Fleming and I both arrived at the finish line at Boston in essentially the same time with different ideas of high mileage. I came from a track background at the University of Minnesota, where I had pretty good success with mileage of 50-60 mpw. Running 75-90 mpw was high mileage for me! Don Kardong and Craig Virgin, for example, both have said that one doesn't have to run absurd mileage to race the marathon, but instead find your optimal mileage to get the best results.

I think that more mileage will usually help most individuals, but people have different limits. You can benefit from Gerry Lindgren's advice to run a lot of miles as I did. It's just that my concept of high mileage was different than Gerry's. To me, I trained high mileage, compared to previous years, and found success. I do not see a contradiction in that.

ON LETSRUN.COM
I am absolutely amazed at the wealth of information out there on this forum. Yes, we do have to sift through some of the garbage, negative attacks, etc. to find threads that interest us. We all have different running interests, of course. Nonetheless, I have been able to get very useful information from the likes of Henry Rono, Bob Schul, Gerry Lindgren, “malmo”, and other authorities like Renato Canova, Orville Atkins, etc., etc. This would have been unheard of in my "racing days", 1967-1978. While I am not advocating spending hours every day on this site, there is a definite value! If I can be of help to anyone wanting to learn more about this great sport, I welcome it. Believe it or not, I was young ONCE (!) and I valued so much the information passed down to me from Ron Daws (Lydiard), Buddy Edelen, and others in my area of the country.

ERIN WARD

Two weeks ago, Erin Ward, ran 2:48:18 at the Houston Marathon. While the 32-year old St. Paul resident narrowly missed the Olympic Trials “B” standard of 2:47, her time was nearly a 5-minute PR. Erin was also recently awarded a MEADP Grant to help assist in her development.

Subconsciously, I think Erin is somewhat responsible for the creation of this site. I few years ago we were both struggling to break the 3-hour barrier. Then all the sudden, Erin had a huge breakthrough. Though I only met her once, briefly, I emailed her to find out her “secrets.” She sent me a very long, detailed response of all the things she thought helped her. I still have that email in my in-box today. Anyway, I probably figured if Erin was willing to share that information with me, other runners probably would be too. (Photo courtesy of Wayne Kruduba)

Congratulations on your performance at the Houston Marathon. The good news is you PRd by 4:41. The bad news is you missed the Olympic Trials “B” standard (sub-2:47) by 1:19. How do you feel about that?
Thanks, Chad! I was thrilled with my race. I consider my result to be 99% good news and only 1% bad news. I had quite a few minor setbacks during my preparation for Houston: a mild hip injury, low-grade anemia, and some over-training/fatigue issues. My confidence was pretty low, and I even considered withdrawing from the race about a month before.

I talked with Dennis Barker, my coach, and he managed to convince me that my training from the Chicago Marathon had given me a strong base, and also that many athletes have great performances after injuries or illnesses. So I decided to proceed with an “anything can happen” attitude, and I was so glad that I did. I had a wonderful experience in Houston. Now I hope to run the standard at Grandma’s in June, and achieving this significant PR was a big step toward that ultimate goal.

Since you were so close to qualifying, were you “doing the math” during the final miles? When did you realize you weren’t quite going to get the standard?
There wasn’t really any point during the race that I thought that I had the standard wrapped up. I think that was a good thing, because that way when I fell off the pace a little during the final miles I didn’t panic or have a moment of crushing disappointment. I was doing my best to stay with the 2:47 pace group—I knew that if I dropped behind, it would be too easy to slow down, so I just forced myself to keep up for as long as I could. The race volunteers at the mile markers were calling out what pace we were on rather than the overall elapsed time, which was unbelievably helpful. I would encourage all races to do the same, because unless you’ve memorized 26 split times, pace means more than time. I was hearing a lot of “6:22s and 6:23s” through mile 20, and then when I heard a “6:24” I knew that I was slowing a bit.

What can you tell us about Greg McMillan’s program of helping Americans qualify for the trials? Were you happy with the pace setters, the pack of women trying to qualify, etc.?
Greg’s program is one of the two factors (my coach being the other) that allowed me to run such a significant PR. Our lodging, food and race fees were paid for, which left me responsible for only my travel expenses. I probably would have skipped a winter marathon if I had to pay for everything myself. There were two men who were responsible for pacing the group to a 2:47 (6:22 pace), and they were great. I was told, our fastest mile was around 6:13 and our slowest around 6:29 (I don’t calculate mile splits myself). The pacers dropped out at 16 miles, and our group pretty much broke apart after that, which exemplifies how important pacers can be.

Two of the other women in the program, Jenna Boren and Melissa Gacek, are friends of mine, and we all ran together through the first half. It was so helpful to have friends there. I’ve run with Melissa before at Chicago, and she kindly told me in the first miles of the race at Houston to shut my mouth and stop chatting so much so I wouldn’t waste energy. Jenna was so comfortable with the pace that I liked watching her run because then I could delude myself into thinking we were running at a comfortable pace (if only for her). Greg’s program had every detail ironed out for the runners, so all we had to do was run fast. The volunteers in that program were tremendous. The best part, though, was that we had a big group of runners from Minnesota and Wisconsin, and we all had a great time together.

While most people would consider a (nearly) 5-minute PR a breakthrough, you’ve run 2:53 for 3 of your last 4 marathons – a span of over 2 year. Do you consider it a breakthrough or is it something you’ve been expecting for a while now?
My initial 2:53 was the breakthrough, because that was an 11-minute PR for me! I ran that race with exactly even splits, and it’s the best that I’ve ever felt in a marathon. The subsequent 2:53s were disappointments, because I was eyeing the standard in each of those races, went out hard, and then faded for one reason or another. I’ve felt capable of a sub-2:50 for some time now, but it was still a great feeling to finally do it.

Prior to your string of 2:53s you were stuck in the 3:04-3:13 range. What changes did you make to account for such a leap?
I was running the 3:13s on low mileage: weeks in the 50-mile range and long runs of 16 miles, with very little (if any) organized speed work. I decided to get serious and try to break three hours, I hired Dennis, increased my mileage into the 70s and 80s per week, ramped my long runs up to 20-plus miles, and added tempo runs and intervals.

It still took me awhile to get there. I remember declaring before Grandma’s one year that if I didn’t run a sub-three I was going to retire. I ran a 3:05, but I’m still running!

One of the neat things that happened before my 2:53 was that I was awarded elite status for the first time by the Twin Cities Marathon. My PR at that time was 3:04, and as I looked down the list of PRs for the elite women I saw that mine was the only one over three hours, and most were way faster than mine. I wonder if merely thinking of myself as belonging in that elite class had a big impact on me so well that day. I’m sure the 30 extra miles per week didn’t hurt, either.

Speaking of training, a couple of years ago you mentioned that Dennis Barker [Team USA Minnesota’s coach] was giving you advice. Are you still working together?
Yes, I credit Dennis for helping me to improve so much in the past couple of years. I got to know Dennis because I coached his two daughters in high school cross-country and track. When I decided that I wanted to get more serious about my training and racing, I approached Dennis and asked if he’d be willing to coach a “recreational” runner like me. Dennis has the perfect personality for me—he’s laid-back and funny, and always looks at the bright side. His coaching accomplishments aren’t too bad, either! It’s fun to know that I’m doing similar workouts as what Katie McGregor or Carrie Tollefson would be doing (just not as fast, of course!).

What kind of mileage and key workouts were you doing leading up to Houston?
I’ve been able to increase my highest weeks to around 100 miles. However, heading into Houston I was lucky to make it up the stairs to my third-floor apartment without stopping to catch my breath. I had a very difficult month or so with injuries and my health during the time in which I’m usually doing my most intense training. I do think that the preparation for Chicago must have stayed with me, because once I felt healthy again, it didn’t take long for my workouts to improve dramatically.

Dennis is a fan of taxing all systems at all times of the year; it’s the relative amount of aerobic to lactate threshold to VO2 to speed workouts that varies with the racing season, depending on the races that are the most important that year. My long runs are about three hours, and I’ll often try to throw in one-minute pick-ups during those to break things up a bit. I’ve also been doing a 5-6 x mile with 2 minute recovery workout the week before my marathons, and this workout usually gives me some confidence.

Can you point to differences in your training between your 2:53s and your 2:48?
I think the difference might have been the series of 100-mile weeks and intense workouts that I put in during the late summer, leading up to Chicago. I think I was actually fit enough to run the qualifying standard at Chicago, but the cold temperatures and the energy drink at the marathon conspired to make me throw up for the last 11 miles.

I think that the key for me at Houston was that I was very calm, ironically, because I didn’t put any pressure on myself due to my perceived lack of quality training. I just told myself to do the best I can, stay with the pace group as long as I can, and then hold on for a PR. I also tried to eat better, leading up to Houston. I’m notorious for my poor eating habits—plenty of junk food. I gained a few pounds, and I think I was stronger because of it.

Luckily the Trials aren’t until April 2008. What do you have planned between now and then?
TRAINING! I hope to put in a lot of mileage this winter and spring, do the little things that I need to do to stay healthy, run some fast spring races, have fun with the sport, and finally get this little matter of a sub-2:47 taken care of so that I can move onto other goals.

Did you run in college? If so, where?
My freshman year I ran at the University of St. Thomas, but I was injured for both the indoor and outdoor track seasons. I broke my foot and toddled around on crutches with my foot in a cast in January and February—cold toes! I transferred to Iowa State before my sophomore year, and I continued to struggle with a series of irritating injures that I couldn’t seem to shake. I just don’t think it was in the cards for me to be successful in my collegiate running career. I finally got so frustrated that I decided not to run my senior year. My coach at ISU told me once that he thought I would be one of those runners who excelled later in her career at longer distances. I guess he knew what he was talking about. I met some of my best lifelong friends on the Iowa State team, though, and I’ll always think of myself as a Cyclone.

What are your PRs?
Mile: 5:13
5K: 17:54
10K: 37:20
10 Mile: 1:00:45
Half-marathon: 1:22:21
Marathon: 2:48:18

Do you have a favorite local and/or national race?
My favorite all-time race is the Living History Farms race in Urbandale, Iowa. It began with a hundred or so runners, and last November there were nearly 5,000 finishers. The course runs through cornfields, streams (one this year was thigh-deep) and up hills so steep and muddy that you have to pull yourself up with the aid of a rope. I try to do this race every year. I have only missed one or two years since I was a freshman in high school. I was almost as excited to win the race this year, for the first time in a dozen attempts, as I was with my 2:48 marathon! As far as marathons are concerned, I’ll always love the Minnesota races, Twin Cities and Grandma’s. They treat me well, and my friends and family can cheer me on and greet me at the finish line.

If you could run with any Minnesotan, past or present, who would it be?
I’d like to run with Janice Ettle. She was a phenomenal runner, and she’s so modest you’d never even know that she ran, let alone how good she was. Carrie Tollefson lives about a block away from me, and I’ve run with her a couple of times. I typically treat those runs as races, and taper before them so that I don’t slow her down! I like to get together with the men and women of Run n Fun. I’d love to run with Jenna Boren more. I looked over at her during the Houston Marathon, during the first half of the race when she was takin’ it easy, and said, “I don’t believe I’ve ever had the pleasure of running with you.” My favorite group ever, though, is the Baba Yaga Hood-to-Coast team. If you have to be in a small van with 6 women for over 20 hours straight on little to no sleep, those are the women you want with you (and one very patient male driver).

Finally, what do you know now that you wish you’d known when you first started running?
I wish I’d had more perspective about the importance of running in my life during high school. It was so high-pressure for me that it wasn’t much fun sometimes. I started racing to not lose rather than racing to win, or racing for the pure love of racing. I lost so much joy for the sport because of it, and it took me years to find that joy again. Maybe if I’d known that I’d still be racing into my 30s I wouldn’t have taken every race so seriously! The best part of running has always been the friendships that I’ve formed as part of the running community, and that will always be true.

JENNA BOREN

At Grandma’s Marathon in 2006, Jenna Boren of St. Paul earned the “B” standard (sub-2:47) for the 2008 Olympic Trials Marathon. Less than two weeks ago, the former sprinter lowered her PR by 3-minutes and 12-seconds to 2:42:39 at the Houston Marathon. That means in her last two marathons, the soon-to-be 30 year old Menasha, WI native has shaved four-and-a-half minutes from her marathon PR.

I’ve been fortunate enough to "train with" Jenna for two years now and by “with” I mean run with her before the “real” running starts and possibly talk with her after the run – if she waits around for me to finish. (Photo courtesy of Wayne Kruduba)

Congratulations on your performance at the Houston Marathon. Since you had already qualified for the Olympic Trials, what was your goal heading into the race? Did you think the "A" standard (sub-2:39) was a possibility at all?
Thanks! My plan going into the race was to go out conservatively and then try to pick up the pace at the half. The “A” standard was too far off and I wasn't entirely certain of my fitness level. We had a fun group of women in the “B” group, including Erin Ward, who is very fun! I just wanted to feel like I was running “under control”.

Looking at your splits, it looks like you ran 6:20 splits for the first half before dropping to 6:05 pace the rest of the way. Was that your race plan?
I was surprised at how comfortable 6:20 pace was and I decided after 10 miles to start slowly picking up the pace one mile at-a-time. I ran by myself until around 19 miles...there weren't even any men around. I had two voices in my head; one telling me to hold back and the other telling me to go. I listened to the "hold back” voice through mile 25 because I was SO afraid of blowing up. I was in a bit of shock that my legs felt as good as they did, but I didn't trust myself either. I never really felt bad or on the edge. I was more afraid of my past tendencies to explode in the marathon.

How do you feel about your race?
The whole weekend was great. I think the best part of the weekend was the group of people with us. Michael Reneau, Matt Hooley, Erin Ward, Angie Voight, Kevin Haas, Desiree Budd, Eric Hartmark, etc. It really is about the group and support system. I was proud to be from the Midwest. I was happy about my race but energized by the group itself! Mike Reneau had the race of the day!

What can you tell us about the Houston Marathon’s U.S. Athlete Development Project, run by Greg McMillan’s company, which is designed to help Americans qualify for the trials?
The USADP program was awesome. Greg invited runners from all over the country who were hoping to qualify for the Olympic Trials. He was on top of everything from travel, lodging, food, etc., which basically allowed for us to just focus on running. From the moment we first communicated in the fall to the afternoon following the marathon, he was organized and quick to help. He was on the course and at the finish and he provided an incredible amount of support. I can’t say enough about Greg’s program. The weekend itself was one of the best weekends I have had in a long time!

You actually qualified for the Olympic Trials Marathon at Grandma’s Marathon with a 2:45:51 in 2006. What was your race strategy and how did that race play out?
At Grandma’s, my plan was just to qualify. I went out with a group of women with the same goal and just stuck to a consistent pace. The weather was muggy and warm but I had just decided to ignore it while trying to be smart about keeping fluids in. It helped that I also started out with a good friend of mine, Dave Tappe.

At what point during Grandma’s did you realize that you were going to qualify?
I started to feel a bit dehydrated and my legs began to cramp around mile 17 but I made sure to keep drinking and I started to feel better after mile 19. In fact, I think I felt the best around miles 22-23. I knew at the top of Lemon Drop Hill [mile 22] that if I just kept my pace under control, I would make the time. I decided not to push the pace at all because I feared cramping and “losing it”. I relied on the energy from the crowd, once I got into downtown Duluth.

During that same timeframe, you were busy setting up a new business. How’s that going? Can you tell us a little bit about what you specialize in?
Another chiropractor (Rebecca Amstutz) and I own our own clinic in downtown Saint Paul called; Bridging Health Chiropractic & Rehabilitation. We specialize in two different soft tissue techniques, Active Release Technique (ART) and Graston. It took a significant amount of energy and emotion to get the business going. Although all is well now, I was ready to throw in the towel the week of Grandma’s. We were having a difficult time convincing the owner of the building that we are a legitimate business. In fact, I went to Grandma’s with the assumption that I was probably going to be moving back to Wisconsin. I love Wisconsin but I’m VERY happy to still be in the Twin Cities. The following week was definitely a wave of emotions but everything has turned out for the best!

At Grandma’s the previous year you dropped your PR from 2:50:07 to 2:47:09. Even though the qualifying window wasn’t open yet, did you find missing the standard by a mere 9 seconds to be a confidence booster?
Yes, it was a huge boost for me. I had been training with the same group and training program for over a year and I was feeling much stronger. Prior to breaking 2:50, I thought it would be a miracle to qualify. But I knew that if I broke 2:50, it would be a possibility. John Naslund always reminds me to appreciate every PR because you never know when it remains a PR [forever]. I always keep that in mind, while also striving for more.

Four months later the qualifying window was opened for TCM. Under tough conditions, you ran 2:51:23. How did that race affect you as you prepared your qualifying race?
I basically ran with an attitude problem. I saw some of my friends who were trying to qualify drop out and I convinced myself that qualifying wasn’t going to happen for me. I was too emotional about things (I am female, you know?!). Although I was frustrated, I knew there was still time to qualify and it wasn’t worth over-analyzing.

I learned a good lesson that day. I was actually a bit faster than pace, until mile 19. I got all worked up about what was ahead and I threw in the towel. I stopped a few times, gathered myself and just finished. I took that race with me to Grandma’s. When I started feeling bad at 17 (at Grandma’s), I just managed it and even slowed down a bit to get my composure back. Matt Haugen always gave me a hard time because I lose my composure too quickly, so I had something to prove to myself! I have now learned that a person has to be patient through a few bad miles and they can regain momentum.

I first read about you a couple of years ago in a Midwest Events article. It mentioned that you were working with Coach Matt Haugen and that one of the first things he did was cut your mileage. What kind of mileage were you doing and what did he cut it to?
Matt coached me for one season in college, so I was familiar with him. Prior to working with him, I was busy with school and had given up any thoughts of trying to qualify for the 2004 trials. His training group was appealing because I liked the diverse mix of people, which includes triathletes. At the time, I was running around 100-110 mpw but didn’t do any real “workouts”. I was at the point again when I was ready to train, but needed a group to help with the intensity of the workouts.

He dropped my mileage because he knew I would have to adapt to the intensity of the workouts…which I did. I remember struggling to a walk after a few hill workouts. VERY HUMBLING! I credit my improvement to Matt’s training program and group. I followed it for 2 ½ years and I really feel like his program has been right for me.

I believe your mileage was back up in the 110-120 MPW range for Houston. Are you now strong enough where you can handle that mileage, along with quality workouts?
I basically did the same thing for Houston but was able to do more miles and longer tempos. I stuck to the same type of program but felt like I could do more. I really love doing high mileage!

You normally run a spring and a fall marathon. Being in Minnesota, how difficult was it to train for a winter marathon? Did you have to adjust your hard workouts due to the weather?
Well, I would NEVER encourage global warming…NEVER. However, given the mild winter, I was able to train outside quite a bit this year. Being from Minnesota, Matt knows the hardest hills and staircases around that somehow end up being “run-able” year round. TOO BAD FOR SUCKERS LIKE ME. I also do a significant amount on the treadmill and at the Metrodome, because I like the company.

Prior to the marathon, I ran 3 or 4 long runs on Saturday with a REALLY fun group that has been running together for years. I don’t know if it’s the coffee afterwards or the complaining about how hard/cold the run was, but there is something rewarding about the winter running. A few weeks before the marathon, Ed Whetham ironically picked the location for the long run and then he didn’t show up. So, we suffered, complained, got lost, nearly hit by cars, etc., while Ed slept in – but we survived. Looking back, I remember it as a really fun day. Runners are weird.

The Trials aren’t until April 2008. What do you have planned between now and then?
I hope to run Grandma’s because it is one of my favorite races. Then, I just plan to train hard and skip a fall marathon. I will definitely go out and watch the guys (Olympic Trials) in New York though.

It seems that you rarely get injured? Do you think your line of work is part of the reason?
Don’t jinx me. Knock-on-wood, I have been fortunate. Yes, I do believe that my job allows me; 1) to be on my feet, 2) to always be stretching someone and 3) to constantly be taken care of by my co-workers or friends. Ask me again in 20 years.

Rumor has it you actually started out as a sprinter. Is that true?
I didn’t start running until I was at St Olaf College. As Coach Chris Daymont likes to remind me now; she was afraid I would die if I ran further than 200 meters. So that is why I was initially a sprinter. She was so good to let me be on the team though and she has been an inspirational woman to me ever since. So, I was considered a sprinter only because I would have collapsed, due to my fitness level, if I tried to run further. Those results are locked in a vault somewhere.

What are your PRs?
5K - 17:09 (ish), 8K - 27:39, 10K - 35:03 and marathon - 2:42:39

Do you have a favorite local and/or national race?
Bellin 10K in Green Bay, River Bank 25K (national championship) in Grand Rapids, MI (probably due to rooming with Kat Koski - who is one of the funniest women I have ever met), Grandma’s Marathon (I love the post-race party, including GB Leighton’s band) and I have to say the Houston Marathon (because I liked the course).

If you could run with any Minnesotan, past or present, who would it be?
I have been very lucky for the opportunity to run with the people that I have over the past few years. In fact, I currently run with some of the best runners from the ‘70s and ‘80s, as well as, master women who balance busy lives. They motivate me because running is part of their lifestyle and they are also great friends. Because of running, I have friends of all ages that I know I could call at any point if I needed ANYTHING. There are many people who are blessed with the natural ability to run, but I am most impressed with the people who do it for a long time (at various paces) while balancing other things in their lives.

Finally, what do you know now that you wish you’d known when you first started running?
I have enjoyed running as a constant learning lesson. I didn’t run in high school, so in college, I did it entirely for my team and myself. Since then, I have really enjoyed the constant challenge and ups and downs of it all. I started with an incredible coach, followed by years of running with good friends. I am always learning.

SONYA & KURT DECKER

I thought I’d try something a little different this time around – a husband and wife interview. While that makes it twice as long, hopefully it makes it twice as interesting. Kurt and Sonya (formerly Anderson) Decker have been married for nearly a year-and-a-half, and they’ve been fixtures in the Twin Cities running community for a lot longer.

Between Kurt and Sonya, this interview has it “all” - an ultra-marathoner, what it’s like to come back after giving birth, a recent Master, juggling family, careers and running, etc. (Photos courtesy of Kurt and Sonya).

When did each of you start running? How’d you get involved?
Kurt: I started running in high school. I was a long time soccer player that decided I needed a change. My best friend Steve Hibbs talked me into it going out for cross-country our junior year of high school.

Sonya: When I was about 18 years old I started regularly doing some running/biking/swimming to stay in shape. I only ran a few days a week back when I started. My mom was doing some triathlons then and sometimes I would join her for part of a run. It took me awhile to get comfortable & actually be able to run 4-6 miles. I started running more after I graduated from college when I got busier. It seemed to be the best bet for fitting exercise into my day within the shortest amount of time (as opposed to trying to get to a pool, etc). I didn’t start racing until my early 30s.

What are your PRs?
Kurt: Well I tend to do much better the longer the race;
Half marathon - 1:11
marathon 2:40
50k 3:42
50 miles 7:35
100 miles 16:08

Sonya:
5k - 18:02
8k - 30:01
10k – 37:17
10 mile – 1:01
Half - 1:22
25k – 1:39
Marathon – 2:51

Let’s see, you guys had a baby, Sonya turned 40 and I believe in the same week, Kurt started new job (moving from Runner’s Edge to Gear) and ran the U.S. 24-hour Championship. I’m sure I’m missing a lot, but I think it’s safe to say it has been a busy year. Any thoughts on 2006?
Kurt: Yep it was busy!! But it was great!! We are looking forward to 2007 in many ways.

Sonya: No wonder we are tired!! I definitely enjoyed the later part of the year more with the arrival of our son and with finally feeling better. We had lots of big changes last year & in 2005 – that’s for sure.

Sonya, how was your training prior to Evan’s birth at the end of July?
Well, I don’t think I would call it training, but I did run every day of the pregnancy. That wasn’t what I planned and I was surprised that I actually made it to the end, but each day I would think that this wasn’t going to be the day that I give up & sit on the couch. So it was truly a one-day-at-a-time kind of thing.

Did you do any cross-training to stay fit?
No, I hate cross training. I ran a minimum of 30 minutes a day with one run of at least an hour and a half on the weekend up until Evan was born. I can get kind of stubborn about things. I did receive many suggestions (even from complete strangers who saw me running) about switching to swimming or walking, but since neither my doctor nor husband had objections, I kept going.

How quickly were you able to resume training?
I was frustrated with this part, because I planned to run right away like I did after my daughter was born, but this time my doctor was advising no impact for 6 weeks due to some complications during the labor. Since she mentioned the word surgery, and I trusted her as not being just another one of those “stop running” doctors, I listened and waited (for the most part).

I got on the elliptical daily and limited myself to running 1-2 times per week for a very short distance. By the end of the 6 weeks when I got the go ahead, I was more than ready to get out there again! For one of my first runs, I ended up running with the Gear group & getting kind of lost/confused about how far we were going, so it ended up being about 2:30. The next week I figured I could survive City of Lakes 25K if I made it that far the previous weekend.

I know you squeezed in some races towards the end of 2006, including a victory at the Freedom 10 mile in 1:05:17; however, you missed the heart of the racing season. In addition to having a baby, you became a Master, so you must be twice as eager to tear up the racing scene in 2007. What are your racing plans for 2007?
I am anxious to run some races – it was fun to be able to participate in the TC 10 and WBL 10, but yes, the season was pretty much over just when I was starting to feel stronger again. I got really bored running (jogging would be more accurate) while pregnant, because of doing the same thing pretty much every day. I really missed the variety of doing specific workouts, really long runs, etc. So it has been fun to mix it up again and to be able to push myself.

Thanks for mentioning the masters part [laughs]. It will be nice to help out our team if I can for some races, but it wasn’t like I was looking forward to it because of changing age groups, placing higher, etc. I don’t really get that thinking – for me it’s more about that I want to run certain times or at least within a range of where I think I’m at – not about where I place based on age. What I am trying to say is that I feel like I’m competing more with myself and the clock, than with whoever is at a particular race.

Any particular goals you’d like to achieve?
Hopefully finish an ultra this spring – as long as I can continue to train & still nurse Evan, I will give it a go. So far so good (he’s over 19 pounds already)! I also plan to hit the team races as much as possible and get a marathon in at some point.

Do you have a favorite local race? Why?
Kurt: my favorite local race was the Easy Does it 5 mile, but that is gone now. There are many other great races that is for sure. I like many of the Sporting Life races.

Sonya: Anything 15k or over is a favorite of mine. That’s where my comfort zone starts.

Kurt, as you approached the finish line of the Guidant 10K, you could be heard mumbling something about “sticking to ultras.” What do you “enjoy” the most about ultras?
Well good question. There are many things that come to mind. A few of them would be things like the mental journey one goes on in those races. At the end of a race I really feel like I learn a lot about myself. The scenery on the trails is most spectacular as well!

What’s your favorite ultra distance and your favorite race? Why?
On one hand I would say the 50 mile since you can push pretty hard much like you might in a marathon. But more than anything I would have to go with the 100 mile. Words cannot describe all you go through in one of those things. As for my favorite race, Western States 100 in California would take the cake as for now. There is reason they have a lottery to get into it. A lottery for a 100 mile race? How crazy is that.

In November, you ran the U.S. 24-hour Championships in Texas. Can you tell us a little about the race, like; what was your goal, how’d the race progress and what were your results?
I went there with one goal and that was to place in the top 6 and get over 135 mile so I could make the USA team for this year’s World Championships. Training for the race went okay for the most part, but not super great. I still felt like I had a good chance of reaching my goal. The weather was pretty good. The course was much more hilly than I thought it would be. Most of these timed races are on real flat courses. I thought the hills could be a problem.

I felt real good through the 75 mile mark. I was on pace. Then my worries about the hills came true. Like on a dime, my legs went down hill real fast. I am sure it had a lot to do with my lack of hill strength. I ended up calling it a day after 16 hours and 88 miles. I was not going to make the team and I figured “live to fight another day.” It was a tough decision but I feel it was the right one

I’ve crewed for one ultra runner and it’s harder than it looks. Rumor has it your mom is the ultimate crew. Is that true and what’s her secret?
Yea tell me about it. I have done it a few times. Yea my Mom is very good at it. I think she is very focused on what I might need. Like she puts herself into my shoes. Now with Sonya who is also a champ at it, I have the world’s best crew. I am very lucky.

What are your race plans and goals for 2007?
I am still putting things together but I am leaning, in a way, towards the Leadville trail 100 in August. But I will be at all the other races like Trail Mix 50k and Ice Age 50 mile to name a few.

Sonya, I first met you at the 2005 Winter Carnival Half Marathon. With the out-and-back course, it seemed like about 100 people cheered for you during the second half of the race. How does it feel to be such a Rock Star?
Ha! I think it just means that I am getting older and have been around for a while now. I consider myself lucky to have been able to do something I love so much and meet so many great people along the way.

There was a great article in the October/November issue of Twin Cities Sports on women’s running. It mentioned that you started the Gear Racing Team. What year was that and what was your motivation?
Actually it was kind of a team merger of sorts in 2000. We had a growing group of women on our original team and weren’t happy with our team affiliation, so we were going to do something on our own and go without a sponsor. We just wanted to keep our group together and have it be a real positive environment. Around that time, Mike McCollow, the owner of Gear Running Store contacted me because he was looking to expand the store’s racing team. He was willing to take on our whole group, regardless of people’s times or any other criteria, so it worked out well for all of us. He has been enthusiastic about the racing team and we have appreciated his support.

My original motivation to find more women for our team was that there were only a few of us, not enough to score, so I started trying to recruit. I really didn’t know anyone at races back then and I wanted to meet other women to run/train with, too. Once Laurie Hanscom and Joelle Nelson joined us, we really started to form the core group that is still the heart of Gear. I think those 2 women have probably set a record for running the most team races [laughs]. They have also helped by encouraging other women to join us, as have many of our teammates who are always on the lookout!

Given that you’ve increased the team from 5 to 40 runners and have won the last two team titles in the local road racing circuit, I assume you’re happy with how the team has evolved?
Yes, it’s been great to grow and become more competitive. But the best part is that so many great people have connected and formed lifelong friendships.

Did any of the Gear people give you a hard time for marrying someone from Runner’s Edge? What about you Kurt, anyone at Runner’s Edge give you a hard time? Since you’re both with Gear now, I guess it doesn’t matter.
Sonya: I think it helped that we weren’t really directly competing against each other with Edge having the large men’s team, versus Gear having more women. There was some good-natured flack that went back & forth (even between the 2 of us!) At Hennepin Lakes Classic this year, we came out to watch when Evan was only about 10 days old. We were debating about whether he was cheering for Edge or Gear, when Erin Ward chimed in and said that she was sure he was routing for Run ‘n Fun!

Kurt: Well a bunch of them did give me a hard time, in the nice sort of way. I was glad Sonya had her great group and would have never asked her to give it up. But yea, now we are all one BIG happy family. It’s funny how things can work out.

What are your training philosophies and/or are there any certain programs you tend to follow?
Kurt: I think for the most part the Pete Pfitzinger books are great. Solid plans and ideas for all types of runners. Other than that I love picking other runners brains for ideas. I have gotten lots of stuff from my good friend Patrick Russell.

Sonya: I like some of Jack Daniels stuff. Mostly I am just a big believer in the hard/easy philosophy. I like pretty high mileage, too. Not because I think that is the answer for everyone, but because I like to run lots of miles & that is usually how I run best across the distances, including the short stuff (ugh).

How have you had to adjust your training schedules with Evan around?
Kurt: Yea it is still a work in progress with him and the two older girls, Kyra (10) and Summer (8). But so far so good. When it gets warmer out it should be much easier because we will use our baby jogger a whole bunch.

Sonya: Lots!! Since I am nursing and planning to continue, that is always a factor to figure in with timing and run preparation. We are also trying to juggle around Kyra’s and Summer’s schedules. Kurt and I try to find ways to switch off so we both get out – sometimes literally with one running in the house and the other one running out. He has been extremely supportive about trying to help me find time to train, to the point of sacrificing a lot of his own running right now. It will get easier in the spring when Evan can be in the baby jogger with us.

What is a typical training week like for you, in-season (i.e. mpw, types of hard workouts, etc.)?
Kurt: For the most part, like 70-85 miles per week. I like hills and tempo work on the roads the best. I also like the long trail runs (30+ miles) with my friends.

Sonya: I don’t think there is a “typical” for me anymore, because I have to just take opportunities where I can find them. What I have done in the past for marathon training (which has usually been the focus for me) is to run somewhere between 70-100 miles per week with 2 hard workouts per week, one tempo-type and one interval-type.

What is your training like during this time of year?
Kurt: I am behind schedule as for now. I normally like to hit between 60-70 during this time of the year.

Sonya: I have a lot of shorter days due to lack of time, but am managing to get at least one pretty long one in on the weekend and am trying to do something faster at least once per week. I am trying to be careful about not forcing things too much, like when I feel really tired, just backing off and waiting for a better day.

Do you have a favorite workout?
Kurt: I love doing ski hill repeats at Hyland Hills ski area.

Sonya: Anything longer – longer tempos, intervals, etc. I like going for long runs with a tempo in the middle to break it up & make me really appreciate the warm-down! My favorite kind of run is going for about 3 hours on the trails.

Do you have a least favorite workout?
Kurt: Mile repeats.

Sonya: Anything shorter.

Who do you enjoy training with the most?
Kurt: There are so many people to mention. Paul Holovnia, my trail buddy, and all of the Gear runners for sure. Plus there is nothing like the time I get to spend running with Sonya. It is what brought us together.

Sonya: This is a tough one because there are so many people I love to run with. My Gear teammates are great! I love the Saturday store runs.

More specifically, I love to run with Kurt and am missing that since we don’t have much chance these days. Trail runs with Kurt and our ultra-buddy, Paul Holovnia are the best! Both of these guys are so positive and such tough athletes that I always hope it will rub off on me. Whenever I get whiny, I think about the amazing things that they have done, whether it’s running a 24-hour race or 100 miles or whatever, and that quickly makes me suck it up. Seeing what kind of athlete Kurt is, like watching him at FANS [24-hour race] and other races, inspires me to try to be a better one.

Heather Giesen is one of my best friends and training partners – we have spent lots of miles and celebrated/suffered lots together. I respect her athletic ability & incredibly upbeat attitude, and it helps that we train alike (high mileage with hard/easy runs). It is great to know that as a training partner she is going to really push during a workout and then truly go easy on a recovery day.

I also really appreciate Joelle Nelson, as someone who is such a positive person and talented/speedy - she will also adjust her pace and be flexible. The people mentioned above were the ones who hung in there with me during pregnancy and would actually slow down to run my snail’s pace! I sure appreciated the company because it definitely got lonely.

Last, but not least, I enjoy running with our girls, and now with Evan. It has been fun to take him out on a few of the warmer days in the baby jogger. He was my constant training partner for 9 months, so it only seems right when we are running together again [laughs].

If you could run with any Minnesotan (past or present), who would it be?
Kurt: Other than my normal running partners (which I am oh so lucky to have). I would pick Scott Jurek. I got to run a bit with him a few years ago in a race, but would love to have a full long run to talk and pick his brain on ultra-running.

Sonya: Bev Docherty – she is amazing! Anyone that can qualify for the marathon trials every time over all the years, and do it while balancing family and work, has my utmost respect.

What do you wish you’d known when you first started running?
Kurt: I am glad I did not know anything. The journey has been the best part.

Sonya: I’m going to answer this about racing – and that is to fully appreciate those PRs & breakthrough performances, rather than too quickly jumping to what needs to happen next.

Finally, what’s your fondest running memory?
Kurt: I would pick two. Finishing the Western States 100, it was so hard. Also, the 2005 Edmund Fitz 105k team relay. Sonya and I ran on a winning team together then got married that night on the shores of Lake Superior.

Sonya: I am happy to say that there are too many to mention! I will sum it up by saying that I have these “this is why I run” moments – they can be anything from noticing breathtaking scenery, wildlife spotting, having a great conversation with someone while running, running a strong race, etc. Those moments make all the work or tough times well worth it.

GARY WILSON

Gary Wilson has been coaching for 37 years, 21 of which have been at the University of Minnesota. While he’s stepping down as the head coach for women’s track and field, a recent contract extension insures he’ll be coaching the distance runners, as well as the cross country team for the next 6 years. His complete list of accolades is too numerous to mention, so here’s just a sample; Big Ten Champions, numerous Coach of the Year honors, President’s Award for Outstanding Service, UW-LaCrosse Hall of Fame, Drake Relays Coaches Hall of Fame, and on-and-on.

A native of Lyndonville, NY, Gary competed in cross country and track at Cortland State, NY. He and his wife, Suzy, have three grown children: Ben, Laura and Adam. (Photo courtesy of University of Minnesota)

First off, congratulations on your team’s 11th place finish at the National Championship cross country meet. I’m sure you were hoping to improve upon last year’s 9th place showing. However, losing someone as talented as Lauren Williams (due to graduation) is tough to replace. How do you feel about the season?

I thought we had a great season. We ran very well all year, especially with such a young team. It was too bad that Jamie Cheever got sick the day before the NCAA [national] meet. Just with an average race we would have scored about 50 less points which would have put us at least 6th if not 5th in the nation.

This is a great group of women on all levels. Their dedication, enthusiasm and loyalty to the U is really something. I love these kids.

Anyone who knows distance running also knows how difficult it is to repeat as an All-American and for Ladia [Albertson-Junkans] and Brownie [Emily Brown] to do that is really something. As you know Lads lost her dad to cancer a few days before Regionals and ten days before the NCAA [national] meet and ran the two best races of her season. I can not say enough about the focus and mental toughness of that kid. She is a real inspiration to everyone on the team.

Next year you’ll lose 2-time All-American, Emily Brown. However, the rest of your team from Nationals (one junior, one sophomore and four freshmen), including another 2-time All-American, Ladia Albertson-Junkans, will be back. The future looks bright for the women’s program. Any comments?

Yes we feel the future looks very bright. Not only do we have 6 of our top 7 back but also 18 of our top 20 kids. We also have Nikki Swenson [Class A champion in cross country last year] coming next year from Dawson, Minnesota, as well as Dagmara Handzlik. Dagmara is from Poland and went to the University of Toledo for 3 semesters. She was the MAC runner-up in CC and was an NCAA Cross Country [national meet] qualifier as a freshman there. She will join us this winter.

Can you share the names of any in-coming freshmen you’ve recruited for cross country?

Nikki and Dagmara are our scholarship kids who have signed early. There are others we are recruiting but NCAA rules do not allow me to comment on them. We think we will add about 10 new kids to our roster next year.

Speaking of your roster, I counted nearly 50 gals on it. What’s your philosophy on that? Do you let anyone who’s interested join the team?

I have always had big teams. When I was at UW-LaCrosse we would have as many as 70 women on our team.

We limit our team to kids who have run under 5:45 for the mile and 11:45 for the 2 mile.

We have had a lot of success with walk on kids and as long as a young woman brings positive energy to the team and a dedication to work hard we accept many young people.

I have always felt that athletics is an educational opportunity for kids to learn life lessons. It has never been a win at all costs or an elitist philosophy for me.

Every year, except this year, we have had at least 2 to 4 kids on our top 7 who have walked on the team.

When you took this job 22 years ago, you hung a plaque in your office that said, “Home of Future Big Ten Champions.” Last spring, that became a reality as your Outdoor team won the conference meet. Recently you retired as the head coach of the women’s track program (and signed a 6-year extension to coach cross country). Was that a matter of “going out on top” or were you planning on retiring no matter what?

I think retirement is a misnomer. [laughs] Things will not change except Matt [Bingle] will have the reins of track and field. I will still be coaching CC and the distance runners in track.

As I told someone the other day, “I have been on the road for about 10 days straight doing clinics and recruiting. If this is how retirement goes? I must have missed a memo.” [laughs]

I have been considering this [retiring] for the last two years. Joel Maturi [UM athletic director] and I have been discussing this for a long time. The change really had nothing to do with the fact that we won last year but of course it is always nice to go out on top.

My main concern was that I have seen soooooooooooo many coaches who have been some place for a long time, hang around too long as the Head CC and Track and Field coach. That is all well and good but I think young kids want to know if the program will be the same if they commit to an older coach.

I think that if there isn’t a younger person in place to insure that the program will continue at the same high level, you risk the chance that you will lose recruits that you shouldn’t [lose].

This transition will insure that not only will our program remain at a high level but also that recruits will see that it is a stable situation.

Also I would add that I have a wonderful young volunteer for the distance runners by the name of Sarah Hesser. She ran for me and has been with me for two years now. She is going to be a star. I hope I can keep her around a while longer but eventually she will move on and take the reins of her own program. She will be hard to replace but we always have great alums who come back and help.

I always try to have someone who has run for me be my assistant. They have shown loyalty to the U by coming and running here and I feel it is my obligation to reward them by helping mentor them so they can go out and be great coaches in their own programs. Patti Walsh-Percival is one of those. She is now going to be the Head CC coach at White Bear Lake and it is rewarding to know that she was with me for a while and hopefully learned some things along the way.

Your list of accolades is extremely long; Coach of the Year-here, Hall of Fame-there, President’s Award for Outstanding Service, etc. However, you know you’ve “made it” when you’re the topic of debate on the running message boards. That’s exactly what happened last year after it was announced that Elizabeth Yetzer was coming to the University. Do you follow any of that banter and, if so, how do you deal with it?

I do not follow that banter but of course my kids and assistants bring some of it to my attention.

The things that concerns me about any of these message boards is the fact that people are sitting behind their computers and do not even have the guts to put their real names on the comments that they make. Any coward can do that.

I am a big boy and can handle any of this because I consider the source, however what concerns me is that people make comments on situations that they know NOTHING about.

People have to realize that not every school is right for every kid and that coaches live and die every day with the kids in THEIR program. Kids who come to a school do so because they believe in the program and they believe in the school.

It is not right for someone out there to throw rocks at any kid’s decision. If kids go someplace and decide they do not like it then they transfer BUT to me it is waaaaaaaaaaay out of line for anyone to comment on things they have no FIRST HAND knowledge about.

As the old saying goes, “If you can’t say something nice, then say nothing at all.”

I try to do everything I can to discourage our kids from getting on the internet when it comes to face book or letsrun.com. Looking for results is fine, but when it gets into someone else’s personal life or the life of another team it is a waste-of-time.

As I tell people. Instead of wasting time putting someone down, why don’t you go out and volunteer someplace and try to make the world a better place.

One of your former athletes is curious how you got interested in coaching women runners and why?

When I was at UW-LaCrosse, I took over for a guy who was gone getting his doctorate. I was coaching the men’s track and field team then.

In 1977 Buck Jones, the coach who was on leave, returned and I was offered the Head Women’s CC OR Track and Field job. I had never coached women and was VERY unsure that I wanted to. I looked for other men’s jobs that summer but at the end it just felt right to stay at UW-L and coach the women’s cc team. It was the best professional decision I have ever made. I was coaching women for less than two weeks and I knew that was what I wanted to do the rest of my life.

It has been an awesome journey to see just how far the women have come since those very early days.

What types of training resources would you recommend for post collegiate runners who want to keep competing?

I think that post collegiate kids should stay with the coach who worked with them best in college. However, if that is not possible then I think it is best to try to hook up with a team like Team Minnesota or some other club. Dennis [Barker – coach of Team Minnesota] does a great job with those people and if a post collegiate kid can find that type of situation then it is awesome.

Post collegiate kids have to have a purpose to their training. The thing that those kids miss the most is the team aspect of things and if a coach can provide that at the post collegiate level then that kid will flourish.

I will say this. I think we make a HUGE mistake in this country with our post collegiate distance kids. These kids need time and money to prosper.

If we could keep most of our top kids running for ten years after college we would really have something.

I think we waste a lot of money on Olympic Training Centers. Do not get me wrong, I think they serve a purpose but if we gave the top 50 in each event $20,000 per year and said you work with YOUR coach that got you to where you are then I think we could take a serious run at distance medals in the Olympics and World Championships. Runners do not need a lot of money to get by, they simply need enough to eat and have a roof over their head.

What is happening right now is kids are leaving college, trying to find a new coach and at the same time trying to make ends meet financially and then they struggle and then finally end up dropping out.

You have a reputation of giving so much of your time and being passionate about all your athletes. How do you balance family and work?

I have a wife who is a saint. Suzy has been at my side for 30 years and when we first met I told her, “I am a coach and that is what I do.” Her comment was that she always wanted to marry a coach. Right away I knew that I had a winner. Perhaps not a very bright winner (just kidding Suzy) but a winner.

I would not have had a career if it was not for the support of my wife and our three wonderful children. A coach can not make it without that.

It is a balancing act but somehow we all get through. However, I will say this. When our kids were young I always made every attempt to be at home for dinner and then spend an hour after dinner “rough housing” with them.

I think that made a world of difference. However, being a coach’s wife and a coach’s kid is not for the faint of heart.

Finally, training the body receives a lot more attention than training the mind. You recently gave a speech on “Sports Psychology and Visualization” at the Nevada Holiday Distance Summit. What type of drills do you have your runners perform to help build their mental toughness?

We do not do any special drills. However, we do have our kids do visualization as a team and as individuals. We have this as a regular part of our program.

I was very lucky to have a great mentor at UW-L by the name of Jack Curtis. He taught me so much and even wrote books and had videos called THE MINDSET FOR WINNING. The skills I learned from him have been invaluable over the years.

I think trying to coach toughness is a very difficult thing. In my experience being mentally tough is almost a genetic thing and if not, it is learned long before the kid reaches college.

I think the reason I like farm kids is the fact that they have had to learn to get up in the morning and do the chores. Of course that is not all, but I love blue collar kids who do not expect me to wait on them hand-and-foot. I have never done that and when I recruit I tell them just that; “You are here to learn to be an adult and I want you to grow at all levels. I want you to grow from being a scared 18 year old freshman into being a self reliant, confident, strong young woman who can go out into the world and make a difference professionally and personally.”

Hopefully we do that well here at Minnesota. I think that is one of the reasons that Joel [Maturi] and I get along so well. He believes in athletics as an educational experience. I know that the business-side of things is very difficult for him to get his arms around. I know that it tore him up inside to have to fire Dan [Monson – UM basketball coach] and Glenn [Mason – UM football coach] because he knew what great people they were.

JULIE NELSON

One of the nice things about my speed, or lack of, (depending on how you look at it) is that I tend to finish my races near some of the top local women runners. So when I ran a good race at the Fetzer 20K in April and didn’t recognize the gal ahead of me, I had to find out who she was. Julie Nelson, (no, not Julie Nelson from KARE 11) 33, of Eyota, MN runs for the Run ‘n Fun race team. While she doesn’t race a lot, from what I can tell she won nearly every race she entered in 2006. Her worst performance (place-wise) was 11th at the Guidant Heart of Summer where she ran a very respectable 36:45 – just 10 seconds from her PR. (Photo courtesy of Paul Phillips at Competitive Image)

When did you start running? How’d you get involved?
High School is when I actually began to RUN! I went jogging a few times when I was really young with my Dad.

I got involved because my older sister was in Track with her friends and it seemed like a good sport to get involved with.

Did you run in HS/college?
I ran in both; High School at Dover-Eyota and College at the University of Nebraska (CC, Indoor and Outdoor T&F).

What are your PRs?
I could call my Dad and he would rattle them right off – I know I will be close:
Mile = 4:48
3000 = 9:39
5000 = 17:00
10000 = 36:35
½ Marathon = 1:22
Marathon = 2:48

What’s your fondest running memory?
Running my best Cross Country race at the U of M…I ran for Nebraska –however, loved to run in my home state!

I first “met” you at the 2006 Fetzer 20K. After you beat me by about 30 seconds, I looked you up on raceberryjam. The first thing I noticed is that you ran Fetzer nearly 5 minutes faster than 2005. What’s the reason for such a large improvement?
Training and feeling better, I put more training in prior to April in 2006 than my race in 2005; I didn’t feel the best during the race.

In addition to Fetzer, you had several other very good races in 2006, including 17:48 (5K), 36:45 (10K), and 57:28 (15K). Were you happy with your performances during the year?
WOW, you are about as good as my Dad with stats!! Yes I was happy; it felt like I was finally in shape to really compete again!

What are your goals for 2007?
Keep focused on my family and still stay in decent shape to race!

Do you have a favorite race? Why?
The Ronald McDonald MacAttack 5K; Food/Entertainment/Team/Fun!!

What’s your training philosophy?
Never run so much that it is no longer fun

Are there certain plans (Pfitz, Daniels, Lydiard, etc) that you tend to follow?
NOPE

What is a typical training week like for you, in-season (i.e. mpw, types of hard workouts, etc.)?
50-60 mpw; Long run on Saturday – hardest workouts include 10x1 mile or 20x400!! (During Marathon training)

What is your training like during this time of year?
Minimal – 4 miles/day.

Do you have a favorite workout?
400 repeats are the most “fun” and I have an 11 mile loop that is my favorite route/run!

Do you have a least favorite workout?
Just when I don’t have time to do it and have to squeeze it into a BUSY day.

Do you ever take a day off? How about extended downtime at the end of the season?
Every week – one day off – at least 2 weeks off at the end of the season.

Do you prefer running alone or with friends?
Morning runs with friends – Mostly alone at night.

Who do you enjoy training with the most?
My sister.

If you could run with anyone (past or present), who would it be?
My best friend in college was an excellent runner – Theresa Gosnell (Stelling) and/or Fran ten Bensel (Both very inspiring to run with!!)

What do you wish you’d known when you first started running?
How much more fun you can have when you are in shape and that you get to choose that as an athlete – the more you put in the more you get out!!