2005 USA OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Interview with Lisa Galaviz
Reported by Parker Morse

Lisa Galaviz. (Photo by Alison Wade/New York Road Runners)

Lisa Galaviz came from behind to grab second (9:40.58) in the women's steeplechase. Her top-three finish qualifies her to represent the U.S. in the World Championships in Helsinki in August.

Q: That's a pretty quick time.
Lisa Galaviz: It's a PR, a six-second PR.

Q: So now you have a Worlds team to worry about.
LG: I'm so excited. With 300 to go, I had a big smile: 'I'm going to make the Worlds team!' And then I was second!

Q: You've been in this event since it started in the NCAA. Why did you choose the steeple?
LG: My coach, Walt Drenth, the first year it came out he was really in to it. We had a lot of girls that practiced it. I was a gymnast when I was younger, so the steepling came really easy. My first race was so fun, because it went by so fast. You weren't just running flat, you were worrying about the next steeple. It feels a lot shorter.

Q: What does it mean to be part of the first world championship in the event?
LG: That we're closer and closer to becoming equal with men. They put the pole vault in six years ago, and now the steeplechase. Maybe soon women will be doing a 10,000m cross country race.

Q: What's your training situation like now?
LG: I train with ASU, both the girls and the boys. My workouts are mostly by mysef, but for runs I have people to run with. I was with Walt Drenth, but when I graduated, I started being coached by the assistant, Louis Quintana, because head coaches are really busy with athletes. I've been with Louis for two years, and he's the head coach now.

Q: Are you able to train full-time?
LG: I work 25 hours a week as a software engineer. I sit on my butt all day. It's a good job for a runner.

Q: Did you feel like you had a lot left?
LG: I just wanted to make the Worlds team. I didn't care if today's race hurt, I just needed to run through it. I've run fast before, but usually it seems like it's where I'm feeling good. Today, I needed to do it where it [was] important.

(Interview conducted June 26, 2005.)