2005 USA JUNIOR OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Interview with Sarah Bowman
Reported by Parker Morse

Sarah Bowman. (Photo by Alison Wade/New York Road Runners)

One day after finishing fourth in the 800m, Sarah Bowman, a recent high school graduate, rebounded to win the junior 1,500m race in 4:18.48. Her victory qualified her to represent the U.S. at the Junior Pan Am Games at the end of July. Bowman will be a freshman at the University of Tennessee in the fall.

Q: Did it not help much to be running the later part of the race by yourself?
Sarah Bowman: That's how I run. I like to go out hard, and if someone wants to come with me, that's okay. If someone comes up on me, that's great. If no one wants to come, you learn to push yourself and stick on pace. I hit the pace I wanted to hit. If I hit each split where I want it to be, it makes me push the rest of the race. If I don't hit the split, I feel a little down, but if I hit 'em, I'm good.

Q: Does this make you feel a little better about yesterday's 800?
SB: Yes, definitely, I was out for my revenge.

Q: You had a pretty ambitious schedule this weekend, with four races, including two yesterday.
SB: Yes, but all year, with my high school team, I [was] doing three races in one day. I was pretty used to it. Yesterday I had some stomach problems, and that wasn't really working for me. It was a bit of a rough day in general. I just wanted to hit this thing hard. I was a little nervous, because I have been racing all week, so I didn't know. I'm not as fresh as I'd like to be. But I felt fine.

Q: Will you do Pan Ams?
SB: Yes.

Q: That's going to make for a long season.
SB: I probably will take some time off now. It's only long if you're not enjoying it.

(Interview conducted June 25, 2005.)