©  2008 Mark Winitz and Pacific Association. All rights reserved.

2008 Pacific Association/USATF Olympian

 Interview with Blake Russell

 By Mark Winitz

PA/USATF Feature Stories and News Manager

Russell (far left in pack in photo to the right) leads pack chasing first half leader Magdalena Lewy-Boulet.

For Blake Russell, finishing an oh-so-close-but-oh-so-distant 4th at the 2004 U.S. Women’s Olympic Marathon Trials in St. Louis was just a tremendously disappointing hiccup in her professional athletic career—compared to the afflictions she endured leading up to a redeeming effort at the 2008 Trials. For a year-and-a-half, injuries made the Pacific Grove, Calif. resident wonder whether she would have to quit the sport, let alone make it to the Olympic Games.

But Russell, who will turn 33 on July 24, overcame the obstacles and silenced the critics who inferred she was a non-factor because she hadn’t recorded a marathon finish in over two years. By placing a strong 3rd at last April’s Women’s Marathon Trials in Boston—behind fellow Californians Deena Kastor and Magdalena Lewy-Boulet—Russell is now headed to the women’s Olympic Games marathon in Beijing, which takes place on August 17.

Russell, and her coach of eight years, Bob Sevene, turned the athlete’s frustrating St. Louis adventure four years ago into an educational experience. After all, the ’04 Marathon Trials race was only Russell’s second marathon after an eye-catching 2:30:41 win at the 2003 Twin Cities Marathon (the 4th fastest U.S. debut of all time).

In 2005, Russell had a superb year. She recorded her current 10,000m PR on the track of 31 minutes, 35.25 seconds at the U.S. Outdoor Track & Field Championships, and competed on the U.S. team at the IAAF World Outdoor Championships in Helsinki, Finland where she finished 22nd. Then, she won the USATF 20K Championships before improving her marathon best to a sterling 2:29:10 at the ’05 Chicago Marathon. Her time made Russell the 15th fastest American ever at the marathon distance.

2006 started out just as promising for the Reebok-sponsored athlete. In February, Russell won the 8K title at the USA Cross Country Championships and finished 3rd in the 4K a day later. She then won the 15K national title at the Gate River Run. In April, Russell placed 11th in the 8K and 11th in the 4K at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, scoring first for the U.S. team in both events. Her ’06 track campaign began well with PRs at 5,000m (15:10.58), 3,000m (8:51.57), and 1,500m (4:06.71)—before misfortune struck.

In early June of ’06, a suitcase from an overhead airplane bin was accidentally dropped on Blake’s right foot, fracturing her second metatarsal. She kept training through several mis-diagnoses, and when the fracture was finally detected Russell was placed in a boot for two months. That caused alignment problems, and when Russell returned to running her knee and hip hurt—sometimes so badly that racing again seemed a remote possibility. Another injury (torn ligaments in a toe) set her back further.

Russell managed to qualify for the Marathon Trials with a 10,000m win at the 2007 Stanford Invitational in 32:31.90, but she dropped out of the London Marathon in April. She finally got back on track last November, and set her focus on the Trials.

Russell (formerly Blake Phillips), was a walk-on at the University of North Carolina where she won ACC titles at 1,500m and 5,000m and earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology/exercise science. She also has a master’s degree in physical therapy. Blake’s husband, Jonathan Russell—a former All-American distance runner at Wake Forest—introduced Blake to veteran distance coach Bob Sevene in 2000. Sevene, whose athletes (including Joan Benoit Samuelson) have held three world records and 11 American records on the roads, agreed to coach Blake. The Russells moved to the Monterey Peninsula from the Boston area in early 2004, following Sevene, to train with Team USA Monterey Bay (which subsequently disbanded due to lack of funding).

The Pacific Association’s Mark Winitz caught up with Russell several weeks after the Marathon Trials for an interview.

Pacific Association/USATF: Have you had time to reflect on what it personally means to you to make the U.S. Olympic team?

Blake Russell: It still sounds strange to me when you say it like that. It doesn’t feel quite real yet. I think it’s going to hit me when I walk into the opening ceremonies. I’ll realize the magnitude of it then.

PA/USATF: How does it feel to be part of a U.S. women’s Olympic marathon team that is composed of all Californians?

B.R.: It definitely says a lot about the training (environment) here. The trails and the good weather are conducive for good training. If you asked me before the race who the top three would be, I would have said Deena, Magdalena, and myself. I was definitely giving the nod to the veterans.

PA/USATF: What are the factors that contributed to your success at the Trials?

B.R.: This time around, it was really seeing myself on the team—a ‘I know I can do it’ attitude, as opposed to ‘maybe I can do it’ (at the 2004 Trials). Having come so close before, I knew things had to go right, and I knew I was stronger than four years ago. I wasn’t as nervous as last Trials. Even though things (in training) weren’t going great, I knew I just needed a good, solid performance,

It definitely helped to have my coach (Bob Sevene) with me through all the ups and downs. There were a couple of times coming off the injury (foot) that it was so painful to run; I didn’t think I’d be able to run again. It was a tough comeback, and it helped to have someone who has stuck with me.

PA/USATF: Was Sev fairly confident, too, about your prospects for making the team, even though you’d had some unplanned down time?

B.R.: Yes, he definitely went in with the [attitude] that a top-three finish was a doable goal. Everything started to click a couple of months before the Trials, so I wasn’t really worried, as long as everything was just solid. The way we were looking at it, it definitely would have been a tragic thing not to make the top three.

PA/USATF: How important is it for you to have a coach who is close by and can oversee your workouts, versus working long distance?

B.R.: It’s probably more of an advantage for me because I don’t have anybody to train with. So, (Coach Sevene) is more like a training partner, but on the sidelines. He can ride on his bike with me (during workouts). I think [Kastor and Lewy-Boulet] have their husbands and other training partners that they can run with. It’s definitely nice to have a coach that can be there when you’re not truly motivated to do a workout. The good thing about [Coach Sevene’s] coaching is that he coaches a lot with his eyes. He can adjust workouts (midway). For example, if I’m feeling really good, he can add something. If I’m not looking as good as he wants, there’s no point in overdoing it. So, it works out really well for me to have a coach right there.

PA/USATF: You seem to thrive without training partners. Is that your preference? I guess if you have to do it, the Monterey Peninsula environment isn’t too bad, right?

B.R.: I really haven’t had anybody to train with until the year after I got out of college (University of North Carolina). I miss being able to do some running with Jon (husband), but he hasn’t been able to with his work schedule and injuries. I like being able to run hard if I feel good, and run slower if I feel a little tired. I don’t have to worry about anybody else’s workouts. I’m on my own time schedule. When you’re by yourself, it’s a good way to concentrate on how your body feels. I think the marathon (distance) is kind of a solo effort in most cases. If you find yourself alone after about 17 miles--which is how the race unfolds for me—it’s nice to have that experience from training.

PA/USATF: Blake, in an era when training groups like Mammoth Lakes (Team Running USA), Hansons-Brooks, Team USA Minnesota, and ZAP Fitness are contributing to the resurgence of U.S. long distance running—you’re sort of a kickback to the “loneliness of the long distance runner” days. Evidently, you don’t have regrets about following Sev to the Monterey area from Boston (in early 2004).

B.R.: No, especially when I see the weather reports back in Boston all winter. I like to call and make fun when they’re getting two feet of snow and were getting nice, sunny, 65-degree days. I would have loved to have taken advantage of the running groups if they had been around right after I got out of school. They definitely serve a purpose for kids who need to figure out post-collegiate running for a year or two and need a support network.

PA/USATF: Are you going to be competing in the 10,000m in Eugene (U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials)?

B.R.: Yes, we think that will fit in really well with training. I really enjoy doing a good 10K, so we’re leaning toward doing it. The 10K that I did at the Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational (two weeks before the Marathon Trials) really worked out well. The (women’s) track trials 10K (June 27) would be a little bit earlier (before the women’s Olympic Games marathon, August 17). So, it will be nice to do something different (in training) for a little bit, go in to the Trials 10K a little tired, but still try and run a good time.

PA/USATF: And, what if, low-and-behold, you make the team in the 10,000m? What are you going to do?

B.R.: You have to commit to one or the other. We’ve committed to the marathon because you have to pretty much start training for the (Olympic Games) marathon at the beginning of June. But, it would be frustrating if I did make the (10,000m) team only because running a 10K would be a lot more fun than running a marathon in the (Beijing) heat.

PA/USATF: Do you have any concerns about smog, heat, and humidity in Beijing?

B.R.: The pollution doesn’t bother me because there is nothing I can do about it. I think that [the Chinese government] will take a few measures to make it as good as possible. But, as far as running a marathon in 80-degree weather and humidity, it’s not fun to think about. At least everybody will be running in the same conditions. We’ll do the best we can to get ready for the heat. I think it will help us to prepare, knowing right off the bat that it’s not going to be comfortable.

In Athens, people still went out pretty hard and a lot of people ended up dropping out. I definitely think it’s going to have to be a more conservative beginning than I’d normally like. I think the weather conditions will definitely dictate a little bit of the tactics.

PA/USATF: Have you set any performance goals for the Games? What kind of performance will you personally be satisfied with?

B.R.: We’ve learned from the past year or two that a really solid performance might get you in the top 15, which, I think is doable for me. Cathy O’Brien finished 10th (in the women’s marathon at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona). (Editor’s note: O’Brien was also coached by Sevene.) Whenever a country is only allowed to send three athletes, it helps a little bit as far as placing high. It depends a little on how the race unfolds, but I think I’d be ecstatic with a top 10 or top 15.

PA/USATF: Regarding your training for Beijing, will you be tweaking or changing anything in your training? Do you have any other races planned during this time besides the track trials?

B.R.: For racing, I plan on the New York Road Runner Mini 10K on June 7 (where Russell placed 6th in 33:40 in warm, humid conditions-Editor) and the 10K at the (Track and Field) Trials. My marathon training will probably be about the same (as for the Marathon Trials). I may be able to do a bit more mileage since I’m coming in with more strength and base work from the trials marathon. I’ll be able to jump into (marathon) workouts faster than I did the last go-around. We used a pretty conservative training program for the Trials—just trying to get me feeling good, healthy, and strong. Sev might try a little longer (workouts) than he has in the past, but he’ll decide as the weeks unfold.

PA/USATF: And, what’s your typical mileage when you’re training for a marathon?

B.R.: I’ve averaged about 100 miles a week. I don’t tend to do too well doing lots of mega miles.

PA/USATF: And, you probably don’t need much more with your leg speed (31:35 for 10,000m).

B.R.: Hopefully, not. Keep a little speed. Whenever I’ve tried to do a little more I start hurting a bit more, so it’s probably better to stay on the safe side. We usually do some type of interval work once a week and a marathon-type workout on weekends.

Blake Russell - USATF Bio:
http://www.usatf.org/athletes/bios/Russell_Blake.asp

Story published in mid June, 2008