Interview with Katie McGregor
by Andrea Haver

Katie McGregor leads Lauren Fleshman at the 2005 USA Cross Country Championships. (Photo by Alison Wade/New York Road Runners)

Katie McGregor recently qualified for the U.S. World Cross Country team for the third year in a row by finishing fifth in 8K at the USA Cross Country Championships. After running at this weekend's IAAF World Cross Country Championships in France, she'll compete at the USA 8K Championships on the roads of New York City on March 26.

A two-time NCAA champion while at the University of Michigan, McGregor, 27, now lives in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area and is a member of Team USA Minnesota. She finished fourth in the 10,000 meters at the 2004 US Olympic Trials, narrowly missing a spot on the Olympic team.

Fast-Women.com: What will your training be like between your World Cross 8K on March 19 and the USA Women's 8K Championships in New York one week later? Will you train hard through these two races towards a later-season goal, or will you taper a bit to feel fresh in NYC?
Katie McGregor: For the most part, I try to keep a normal week of training. But, with traveling so far and with racing, my mileage will be less and my workouts a little different. Even if I didn't want to, I would be forced to taper.

FW: Do you do all your fast running indoors in the Minnesota winters, or are you able to also get in some quality road workouts? (And does Team USA Minnesota ever consider spending a winter season in Southern California?!)
KM: Ha! Well, we are able to get on the indoor track for all our fast workouts.
Also, we go to Life Time Fitness to use their fast treadmills during the winter. For the most part, we can run outside. I only had to run two long runs indoors, the rest of the time I was on the roads. The worst months are February and March, when we experience a lot of ice due to the change in temperatures. And, if I really feel like getting away, we have many great options. I just prefer to stay in one place.

FW: How do you manage the transitions between cross country, road races, and track? Do you prefer to run separate "seasons" of these three types
of races or to mix it up throughout the year?
KM: I like to mix it up. For the most part, I use cross country, road races, and indoor to prepare me for outdoor track. Plus, I am a racer. I prefer to race more often than have long periods of just training. Road racing is a key to my running because you can race all year on the roads.

FW: As a runner with an impressive track background, are you looking forward to the (approximately) one mile on the track at the USA Women's 8K Championships? [The race starts and finishes on the track with another 500m of track in the middle of the race course.]
KM: I am really excited for the 8K Championships. I think the course will bring some fast times and showcase a lot of talented athletes. Mentally, breaking up a race into parts makes it easier to cover. Having spectators at the key points in the race and running on the track will definitely motivate me to maintain a faster pace.

FW: Though you haven't yet seen the 8K course on Randall's Island, you might already know that it is blissfully flat and has varied terrain — some track, some road, some grass. Do you have a certain race strategy you plan to use?
KM: I will have to wait until I actually see the course to commit to a game plan. I plan on being in the front pack the entire time. A mid-race surge is inevitable with the track and the rush of being in front of a crowd. (Or, at least I hope I can surge!)

FW: You've run against many of the best distance runners in the world and will soon arrive in NYC having just run against a top international field at World Cross in France. Do you prefer international races or USA Championships, with an American-only field? How does the atmosphere differ in these two types of races?
KM: I enjoy racing all types of fields. I think that running American-only fields prepares us for international competition. Since we have to race American-only races in order to make World teams, they are extremely important and always intense. In the end, when we have a US team heading to international competition, is so great to become teammates with people that are normally considered your competitors.

FW: You were fifth at the 2004 Circle of Friends New York Mini 10K, another major event in New York Road Runners' professional racing series. How does the experience of running in New York differ from championship events in smaller towns? Do you enjoy the energy of the city?
KM: I loved running in New York City. The energy was amazing and running through Central Park was a so much fun. There are a lot of races out there that I enjoy going back to every year. I hope that NYC is one stop I continue to include in my annual race schedule.

FW: What advice would you give to developing middle-distance runners who are still a few minutes behind your 8K and 10K PRs?
KM: It took me some time until I felt like I had some control over longer distances. I still haven't been able to accomplish my goals. But, just when I think that I am stuck at a certain level, I surprise myself. For me, committing to long distance running means having patience and the willingness to struggle. In the end, I believe that at some point I will have a breakthrough.

If you feel unsure about your talent, just look at the people you compete against. If they can do it, why can't you?

FW: Finally, as a runner myself, I can't resist. What's your typical weekly mileage? Which types of training do you do on each day? Do you have a favorite workout?
KM: Well, my mileage isn't that high compared to competitors preparing for distances longer than 10K. That is something I plan on working on this year. Right now, I stick to around 90 miles a week. My weekly training consists of everything you can imagine. Dennis Barker keeps us working all levels of speed and distance. I do half of my workouts on the track, and the other half on the roads, working on threshold and distance. I do have a favorite workout, but I can't reveal it! I enjoy getting on the track and running shorter, faster intervals. But, I also enjoy finishing a longer run knowing that I ran it well. Longer runs and intervals are what give me confidence for the 10K.

(Interview posted March 17, 2005.)