Mensracing.com: It’s been a while since we’ve seen your name in any race results. When was your last race, and what have you been up to since then?
Jorge Torres: After the USATF Outdoor Championships in June [where Torres finished fourth in 13:25], I went over to Stockholm and raced a 3K at the end of July, which went awful. [Torres ran 8:00.11.]. That was my last race. I came home after that and took two weeks off from running and let my body rest.
MR: Is that when you decided to switch coaches from Mark Wetmore to Brad Hudson?
JT: Well, at the end of every season I like to reevaluate things and see how my races and training have gone, look at what worked and what didn’t, and then decide where to go from there. Last year it seemed that, every day, I was saying to myself that I wish I had training partners and a group to train with. I knew that Brad had a group going, and I really missed that team synergy that I had throughout college and high school. I wanted to finish out the year with Mark, though, then talk things over with him.
MR: And how did that conversation go?
JT: After the outdoor season, I mentioned to Mark that it might be time for me to make a change, and he was very respectful of that. He knew that I wanted to try something new in my training and work with other people. He respected my decision and took it really well. Mark is a great coach. He understands and has been known to say that elite athletes need more attention once they turn professional. He’s kind of stuck, because I think that in his head he wants to coach more post-collegiates, but he doesn’t have the time nor the resources to do so because of his coaching duties at Colorado.
MR: Speaking of coaching, last year you were helping out as a volunteer assistant at CU. Is that something you’re still doing?
JT: No. I was still helping out the team this past fall, but when NCAAs wrapped up, I decided that I needed a little more time for myself. I wanted to focus on training and allow myself a little more time to rest, so I gave that up.
MR: You’ve been working with Brad for a few months now. How has that been working out?
JT: Well, fall training basically started up in early September. I was running really low mileage at that point and just focusing on building my base back up. In late November I was starting to breathe really heavy and my heart rate was a lot higher than normal. Brad suggested that I get a blood test, and the results showed I was anemic. After we found that out, I started taking iron and zinc supplements and just made sure that I was getting enough rest.
MR: Did you take any time off from running?
JT: At that point I took about five weeks of easy time—not really time off, just jogging and no workouts.
MR: So nothing really structured at all during those five weeks?
JT: Nope, I was just going out there and enjoying the scenery.
MR: Are you healthy now?
JT: Yes. I feel like I’m in great shape right now, but I haven’t raced in a while, so you never know. I’m back to training at a high level, and I think we nailed the anemia thing early enough that it’s no longer a problem. I’m on track now and hope to make the U.S. cross team at 4K or 12K and have a good showing at Worlds.
MR: Have you decided which of those two races you’re going to run in New York?
JT: I’m looking to double, but you never know. I feel like the double is doable, but I’ll have to see how I feel when I wake up the morning of the 12K. This is the last year of the 4K, and I’ve always wanted to finish top ten in that race at Worlds. The focus is on first making it to the World Championships and finishing as high as I can against international competition. If I’m able to make both teams, however, I’d like to run on the one that has a better chance to get a team medal.
MR: You were scheduled to run in the two-mile at last month’s Boston Indoor Games but pulled out a few weeks prior. What was the reason for that?
JT: Yeah, I had originally planned on running in Boston and was excited for the race. They put together a really great field. I just wasn’t ready to race yet, and decided to get a few more weeks of good training in before cross trials.
MR: In terms of training, how has yours changed since you began working with Brad?
JT: Training with Brad is a little different than with Mark. There are a couple things that have taken getting used to. For instance, Brad believes in keeping some sort of workout in the rotation throughout the year, instead of just building base in the fall. With Mark, there were maybe three or four months of the year where I just went out and ran how I felt without doing any workouts at all. The biggest difference for me, though, is having a planned easy day. Now, an easy day means running easy and not just going on how you feel.
MR: So easy days in your training schedule now are laid out just as carefully as workouts?
JT: Yes. Every run has to have a purpose. Until you get that concept down, you’re never going to recover. Just to get that idea into your head is tough for a lot of people. With Brad, you have to be on top of what you’re doing for that day, whether it’s a workout or just going for a recovery jog.
MR: In terms of specifics, has your mileage or number of runs increased from what you were doing under Wetmore?
JT: Last year with Mark, we decided to do more double runs, so I’m not really doing many more right now than I was previously. My mileage has been about the same, between 90 and 110 a week since September.
MR: Brad’s training group also consists of your former CU teammate Dathan Ritzenhein, as well as your brother Ed, Jason Hartmann and Clint Wells. How often do you guys train together?
JT: We actually try not to get together every day. There are egos involved, and that’s just part of being in a group. We try not to kill each other every day, but we do meet up two or three times a week, usually for longer runs and occasionally for workouts. It’s been great and is working out really well so far.
MR: In the past, you typically haven’t raced longer than 5,000 meters on the track, and have only competed in one serious road race as a post-collegiate. [Torres won the U.S. 8K Championships last March in New York.] Do you have any plans to move up in distance in the near future?
JT: Brad and I have talked about opening up with a 10K outdoors, but we’re not sure where yet. I think it’s time for me to move up. Since it’s not a World Championship year [in track], I may run one or two road races in the summer, depending how the early track season goes, and maybe get ready for a marathon in the fall.
MR: You’ve been living in Boulder for a few years now, where you own a house with Ed. Do you see yourself living there long-term?
JT: Well, Eduardo is actually getting married in September, so he has his own place now. But Fight Club still exists, and I’m still living here. Sarah Schwald just recently moved to Boulder to train with Brad, and is living in the house right now. I also have a spare bedroom for friends to crash in when they come out to visit. Luke Watson has been here for the last two months, and it’s been great to train with him. Boulder is just a great place to be an athlete in general. It’s a very knowledgeable community and a great environment to be in. It keeps you humble, but keeps you hungry at the same time.
