Interview: Luke Watson

By Matt Baum

Luke Watson finished out a stellar career at Notre Dame by placing ninth in the 5,000m at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in June. Over the winter, the fifth-year senior managed to run both a 3:57 mile and qualify to represent the U.S. at the World Cross Country Championship. A native of Stillwater, Minnesota, Watson will now embark on a professional career running for adidas and training with Team USA California.

MensRacing.com: Luke, let's kick things off with NCAAs. You seemed to put it on cruise control in the prelims. of the 5,000, but you weren't quite yourself in the finals.
Luke Watson: Yeah, I think that was the result of a long season taking its toll on me. I felt terrific in the prelim. and was hoping to run similarly in the final, but my legs seemed to lack the necessary strength. These things happen at the end of a five-month season where you're banging out intervals and racing every week. I was also nursing a slight hamstring strain that would take a few days to recover after a hard effort, so it wasn't quite up to par, just something I was running through. I am looking forward to next year, when I can focus on running well in July and not try to be at my peak from January through July.

MR: Was this also the problem during your race at USATF Championships? (Ed. Note: He finished seventh in a tactical 1,500m prelim. and did not advance to the final.)
LW: No. Positioning was my problem at USAs. I went through the first 100m and the pace was quick, so I settled into the pack thinking it would continue. Shortly thereafter, someone up front just hit the brakes and I was hopelessly boxed in. I didn't come clear until 200m to go, and by then it was just too late to pass all those guys. It was only the second 1,500m I've raced in the past four years, so I am still learning a lot about race strategy in that event, given that it is run so slowly here in the U.S. It would be different if it were a 3:35 race, because I am good at getting out there and cranking. Staying relaxed and finding good position in a slow pack are two things I need to work on.

MR: Do you see a future for yourself as a 1,500m runner?
LW: It's a possibility. One of the most difficult decisions for me has been, and continues to be, my event choice. It's also a great opportunity, because I feel that I can compete at a national level in the 1,500m, steeplechase, 5,000m, 10,000m, and marathon. I need to decide which suits me so well that I can take it to the international level. If there were a 3,000m, it would suit me perfectly right now. I am looking forward to more aerobic development this fall by doing tempo runs and spending time at altitude, and that will help me compete at longer distances. At the same time, I want to keep sharp in the shorter distances because improving in the 1,500 makes for a better runner in all the other events.

MR: So, you just signed with adidas and will be running professionally. Can you tell us more about that?
LW: I haven't yet 'signed'anything because the contract takes some time to put into legal form, but I have an agreement with adidas through 2005. I plan to move to Mammoth Lakes, California in September to begin training with Team USA California and Coach Joe Vigil. We will be in Mammoth for the fall and at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, CA for much of the spring. I am very pleased with both the adidas agreement and Team USA California and am looking forward to taking everything up a level.

MR: So, you'll be reunited with your old teammate, Ryan Shay.
LW: Just like old times. Ryan and I are good training partners and I look forward to training with him again. We are such different runners that I think we really gain a lot from training with each other.

MR: Who else will you be training with?
LW: Meb Keflezighi is part of the group, and he and Nick Rogers train together, although they work with Coach Bob Larsen. I know that Peter De La Cerda and Terrence Mahon also work with the group when they are in town. There is a talented women's group as well and from what I've heard, I'll be running pretty freakin' hard to keep Deena Drossin from passing me by, especially in the 8000 foot elevation! It will be my first significant period of time at altitude.

MR: Do you think the collegiate system has helped prepare you for your professional career?
LW: Overall, yes. The college system was perfect for me in cross country. It worked very well for me in track when I was a freshman and sophomore, but by junior year I was beginning to reach a new level and would have liked to avoid the collegiate schedule. There is simply too much emphasis on year-round racing for one to be effective when it matters most. I have always felt like I was hanging on to health and fitness by mere threads when it came to the NCAA and USA Outdoor Championships. The conference races and dual meets really offer nothing to the elite athlete, but the schools use them to determine bonuses and such things. During my redshirt year in 2001, I only raced twice and ran huge PRs (a 48-second PR for 5,000m and a seven-second PR for 3,000m) both times by focusing solely on those races. Most athletes race better when not spread so thin. I cannot wait to devise a similar system wherein I peak for the USA Outdoor meet and summer races.

MR: Do you have any idea what race you will be focusing on the most? Perhaps the 2004 Olympics?
LW: Yes, the Olympics are the most important event in the next year and they will be my primary focus... Obviously I may run some road races, cross country, and/or spring track, but the Olympic Trials and Olympics will be preeminent.

MR: How does Coach Vigil plan to approach this and bring you to the next level?
LW: While I have not experienced the program firsthand, I know that there will be a major emphasis on developing the aerobic threshold while concurrently improving speed, even top-end speed. Some of the key workouts seem to be tempo runs, mile repeats, long runs, quarters, and accelerations. Core strength work and life at altitude will also make me stronger.

MR: Finally, do you have an accomplishment that sticks out the most?
LW: Athletically, running 3:57 for the mile has been the most recognized accomplishment, and it has to be one of the best. That was one of the most perfect races I've ever run; I was completely in the zone that day and it paid off. Still, I have faith that my best accomplishments remain in the future. I don't dwell on past achievements, except when using mental imagery to recall the feeling of running a great race, capture it, and attempt to recreate it. It's a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately sport and I'm looking forward to doing some things for people, including myself.

(Interview posted 7/15/2003.)