Interview: Josh Rohatinsky

By Josh Spiker

Josh Rohatinsky was a standout runner at an early age, winning a junior national title in the 3,000 meters in sixth grade and tying the national age-group record. He moved onto a stunning high school career during which he was a three-time Foot Locker national qualifier in cross country (with two top-five finishes) and a seven-time Utah state champion. In 2001, as a true freshman at Brigham Young University, he qualified for NCAAs in the 10,000m, running a 29:07. Josh spent the next two years serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Uruguay, Montevideo. After not running for two years, he returned last winter to run 8:04 in the 3,000m before a hip injury ended his outdoor season.

Rohatinsky spent this past summer in California and Utah, running up to 85 miles a week. The training has paid off, as he won his first three races of the cross country season, and placed seventh in the men's "white" race at the NCAA Pre-Nationals. In the Autumn Classic, he broke Kip Kangogo's course record with an impressive 19:31 on the four-mile course. At the Notre Dame Invitational, he took down some bigger names, including Notre Dame's 3:41 1,500 meter runner, Kurt Benninger, as well as Indiana's Sean Jefferson, a top-20 finisher at last year's NCAA Cross Country Championships and the 2004 NCAA Indoor mile champion. At the NCAA Pre-Nationals, Rohatinsky placed seventh, just 12 seconds behind race winner, Ryan Hall of Stanford.

MensRacing.com: You won the BYU Alumni Invitational and the BYU Autumn Classic, beating Minnesota All-American Andrew Carlson in the latter. How did these two races play out?
Josh Rohatinsky: The first meet was really small (BYU and BYU Alumni runners) so our team stayed together for the first two miles, running about 5:05 pace. I picked up the tempo and ran 4:45 and 4:50 for the last two miles. It was more of a warm-up race than anything else. In the second race, I planned to sit with the leaders for at least two miles, because I knew Andrew Carlson was a good runner with All-American honors. However, after 1,000 meters I decided to take it out. I ran the second mile really hard and gapped Carlson and then just hung on after that.

MR: You also won the more competitive Notre Dame Invitational. How did the race unfold and how did you feel afterwards?
JR: The race was a blast! It was my first really competitive cross country race in almost four years, so I didn't quite know what to expect. My plan was to just put myself in a good position early in the race and not lose contact with the leaders. I stayed on the shoulders of the leaders for four miles and the pace felt surprisingly comfortable. Then when [Stanford's] Nef Araia made a move with a mile to go, I went with him. With 1,000m left I felt that it was a 'now or never' moment, so I made a push of my own and was able to hold on for a three-second win. I felt great about the race. More than anything, it made me confident that I can run with guys who are of that caliber.

MR: At the Pre-National meet, you ran against some of the biggest names in collegiate cross country, including Stanford's Ryan Hall and Michigan's duo of Nate Brannen and Nick Willis. How did you approach this race mentally and how did it go? Were you satisfied with your performance?
JR: I used to be intimidated when I raced against big names like those guys. However, I've made it a goal this year to believe that I belong with them and make a name for myself. Mentally, I used to get too nervous before races — I couldn't talk to anybody for an hour before the race, and I was just a nervous wreck. It would psych me out, especially in the big races. Since I've been home from my mission, I've taken a different approach and tried to just go out and enjoy racing and competing, and that has helped me out greatly.

The Pre-National meet went really well. I wanted to make sure I got a good position and didn't get boxed in, and I did that well. Unfortunately, it took the wind out of me for the first two miles and I felt myself starting to fall back. At the 5,000m mark, I got a second wind and caught up to the chase pack. I felt good during the last two miles, but I wish I had started my kick earlier. I feel like I could have moved up a few more spots, but I'm pleased with seventh.

MR: You are obviously in good shape. What kind of training did you do this summer?
JR: After finals in April, a few teammates and I went to Vacaville, California, to sell pest control. I stayed there until just after the Olympic Trials and my mileage was in the 60s and 70s, with one tempo run. The Trials inspired me and I decided to go home and train more. I bumped my mileage up to as much as 85 miles per week and continued to do tempo runs. My highest mileage previous to this year had been 69 miles, and that killed me.

MR: You were a star in high school and pre-high school, for that matter. What kind of training did you do then?
JR: In high school I ran between 30 and 35 miles a week, and did tempo runs and intervals in the fall. [Provo High School cross country] Coach [Phil] Olsen has coached many great athletes such as Kassi Andersen, Nathan Robison, and my sister, Tara. He never overtrains any of his athletes. I didn't do much and had a lot of fun. It was low-key overall. Prior to high school, I would just go out and run a few miles. I never did any workouts. It was all about racing, which I loved. I hated training when I was younger.

MR: Your father, Ray, was also a great runner at BYU. Has he been a big influence in your running career?
JR: Yes, that's how my sister and I got involved in the sport. When I was about 10 or so, my dad would take us to USATF races. I hated training when I was younger so my dad didn't put much pressure on me to train. I just loved to race and was lucky in races, I guess. My parents loved to see us succeed, but never put much pressure on us, although they would get really nervous before races. My dad would say to go on a short run to the park and to run a few laps on the track, but I sometimes would just walk there and play at the playground and then come home. I really didn't want to train when I was younger.

[Author's note: Josh and I ran in the 3,000m race at junior nationals in Gainesville, Florida, in sixth grade. While Josh ran a 9:50 — tying a national age-group record in the blistering heat and humidity — I had to sprint the last 100 so I would not get lapped by him.]

MR: Many Americans believe that racing competitively at such a young age may burn a runner out. What are your thoughts on this matter?
JR: I don't agree with that at all. People get burned out when they train too much or too hard, not because they race. I didn't train very hard and didn't do much, but raced often and loved it. It was a positive [experience] because [I learned a lot] from racing. I loved the competitive side of the sport and learned it at a young age. If a kid doesn't want to run, you shouldn't push him to. But if he wants to, let him. It should just be fun.

MR: What is your sister up to these days? [Rohatinsky's sister is Tara Northcutt who was a seven-time All-American at BYU.]
JR: She ran for one year after college, for Asics, and then had a baby. Now she lives in San Diego with her family, and has been helping coach a high school team.

MR: Being raised in Provo, which is at about 4,500 feet, and now attending school there, do you notice a difference when racing at sea level?
JR: Yes, I can feel a big difference in the middle of races. My lungs and breathing feel much better.

MR: You recently served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Uruguay, Montevideo. How was it and did you get to train?
JR: I loved the mission. It was a life-changing experience. I got to learn a new language (Spanish) and speak with people about God and Jesus Christ and the things in life that are more important than running. I had to temporarily give up many important things — [being with my] family, school, and running — and that sort of experience changes your whole perspective on life. I realized what my priorities were and had a new outlook on life. Most importantly, I feel like I helped some people out.

I probably only ran five times in those two years, besides the soccer that we played every few weeks. We had a 30-minute period each day where we could exercise, so at first I would try to get my companions to run. I even tried a speed workout at a local track, but it didn't go well. I realized I didn't need to race for another two years, and that was not the point of the mission so it really didn't matter.

I used to get overly nervous before races. Now, even though running is still very important to me and I really want to accomplish my goals, I realize that a bad race or season is not very important in the overall scheme of life. It's helped me to calm myself down and just enjoy the sport more, and that has contributed to better races for me.

MR: What would like you to do as an individual and as a team this year in cross country?
JR: As an individual, I want to be conference champion. It will be tough as Matt Gonzales and his Kenyan teammate Shadrack Kiptoo Biwott are both in the Mountain West Conference, as well as many other good runners. [Note: Shortly after this interview was conducted, Rohatinsky finished third at the Mountain West Conference Championships, behind Kiptoo Biwott and Gonzales.] At nationals I definitely want to be an All-American, and the closer to the front the better. I really want to be a good competitor in the big races when it counts. I haven't had a chance to put myself up front and get my name out there.

Our team wants to be a trophy team (top four) at nationals. I think we have ranked in the top five at some point in three of the last five years, but have fallen apart at the end. We really want to change that this year. We are going to watch our health and be smart about everything and put ourselves in position to be on the podium.

MR: How do you like working with Coach Ed Eyestone?
JR: It's awesome. We have a really cool relationship. He is like one the guys most of the time, and switches to the coach role during workouts. Talking with him is like talking with one of your buddies. Many coaches don't have this kind of relationship with their athletes and I think that hurts them. He makes it a lot of fun. If he goes overboard on anything it would be going too light on us, but he knows exactly where the line is. I've been lucky to have coaches that fit my style.

MR: Do you run on Sundays?
JR: Nope. Sunday is my day off. I just go to church, eat, nap, do a little homework, and that's it. It's something you get used to. Some people get used to running every day and that's what they need because they are used to it.

MR: Do your men's and women's teams hang out a lot?
JR: Our teams are completely separate at races and at practice, but outside of that, the singles hang out a lot. Many of the guys and girls are married so they spend time with their families. The singles hang out a lot and sometimes go on group dates. We're really close friends on the men's team, so we get together and all get dates and go have fun. Most of the time we end up taking out [runners] from the women's team. It's really not a bad deal because most of the girls are pretty good looking!

MR: How is Kassi Andersen doing? [Kassi is a friend of Josh and a member of the women's team. She was recently in involved in a bicycling accident and broke her elbow and hip.]
JR: Kassi is doing amazingly well. We went to high school together and I have been amazed at how well she has been racing. My mom would send me newspaper clippings of her performances while I was on my mission and it excited me to see her doing so well. I saw her walking about two weeks after the accident and she was in really good spirits and very positive about everything. If anyone can come back from something like this, it's her. I believe she'll back for next fall, although she thinks she'll be ready by outdoor track. She's hard core.

MR: Why do you think African runners are so dominant and how can we compete with them?
JR: I think the big difference is lifestyle. The way they live makes them successful. I believe it is possible for Americans to race with them, but it requires a new lifestyle. The athletes would need financial support in order to change their lifestyles. For example, Ed Eyestone was sponsored by Reebok for a number of years and was therefore able to focus more of his time on running than would have been possible otherwise, and he did really well because of it. I'm glad to see guys like [Alan] Webb getting big contracts, because I think they deserve it and need it in order to compete successfully on an international level. I've thought a lot about how much time I want to put into it. I feel I could do well, but who knows what will come up. I would like to run for eight more years, so I could try for the 2008 and 2012 Olympics, but I also want to go to medical school. I'll just have to see what the situation is like when the time comes and then [make a decision].

Josh Spiker is a top runner for #1-ranked Wisconsin. He and Rohatinsky are expected to continue their friendly rivalry — which began in sixth grade — at the 2004 NCAA Cross Country Championships.

(Interview posted November 2, 2004.)