FW: Let’s talk a little about your background and how you got to where you are today. To start with, what sports did you do when you were growing up in Salina?
SW: I participated in a variety of sports while I was growing up including basketball, softball, tennis, soccer, gymnastics, and volleyball. Gymnastics was probably my favorite up until middle school. My middle school did not offer gymnastics so I chose to participate in the school sports of volleyball, basketball, and track. In high school, the school allowed me to compete in five sports [volleyball/cross country, basketball, track/softball] during my junior year by doing the running on my own and attending practices for the other “team” sports. In my senior year I did give up volleyball to focus on cross country. My family has always been active in sports. My older brother was a pitcher on the Kansas State baseball team and to this day my dad spends his lunch break at the YMCA playing handball and competes in national tournaments when his schedule allows.

FW: When did you start running and what did you accomplish in high school?
SW: I started track in seventh grade and during my junior year in high school, the cross country coach convinced me to go out for the team in order to have enough people to score as a team. I never did win a state championship in high school and if my memory is correct, third was the highest place I ever earned. Cross country was my favorite and during the track season, softball was my primary sport.

FW: You went to Colby Junior College your first two years. Was that a good program for running?
SW: Colby had one of the best junior college programs in the state and, in my opinion, the best junior college coach in the state. I know without a doubt my running career would have been over years ago if it weren’t for Coach Kirk Hunter. He taught me so much about running and always gave me the confidence that was lacking at times.

FW: How did you end up at Oklahoma State?
SW: I actually wanted to go to Kansas State as a freshman but was far from the times they were looking for to make the team. After two years at Colby, I had improved my times considerably but was still only offered the chance to walk on at Kansas State. So following my brother’s advice, I checked into the program at Oklahoma State. He said he had played baseball there and he thought it could be a fun school…what a great reason for choosing a college!! Anyway, I took a campus visit with a fellow Colby runner and we both really liked the campus. They offered me a scholarship and that is how I ended up in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

FW: What did you accomplish at Oklahoma?
SW: The college did not have a particularly strong running program but it worked for me. In my senior year, I placed fourth in the NCAA 10,000 and I improved my 5000 time on the track. Also, I placed 19th at cross country nationals. However, I still felt that there was room to improve. My times had not reached a plateau and I was always learning about better ways to train and race.

FW: Was cross country your favorite?
SW: It was always my favorite and the area where I experienced the most success. But I would not say that I was a great cross country runner in college. I was pretty naive and just went out and ran. My junior college coach used to say that my ignorance is what made me good. It was just so much fun and I never looked at who was in the race. Actually it probably wouldn’t have mattered because I did not know who the big names were anyway. I have definitely missed cross country the last few years.

FW: When did you decide you wanted to become a professional runner?
SW: I don’t think I ever considered becoming a professional runner. Things just seemed to fall into place perfectly for me and it took me awhile to actually consider myself a professional runner. I did know that the marathon was where I was headed. The longer the distance the more success I would have. The coaches at Oklahoma State kept telling me that I had the potential to improve and introduced me to the idea of continuing training with one of the post-collegiate programs. I was a little hesitant at first but at the same time excited for the chance to continue competing at a high level.

FW: Why did you decide to join Team USA Minnesota and after being in Kansas and then Oklahoma? Was it difficult to adjust to the winters?
SW: My education goals were on hold as I wanted to take the MCAT and apply to medical school, so it was a perfect chance to move up to Minnesota in 2002 and see what was out there with the running. Yes, the winters were a huge adjustment. In Oklahoma I had endured running in 110 degree temps so this was very different. I remember e-mailing all my friends after doing a run around the chain of lakes with minus-19-degree wind chill. It just seemed absurd to me but it did take my mind off the running. But some of my best results have been when the weather is less than optimal. It was below freezing wind chill at NCAA Cross Country Nationals in Iowa in 2001 [she placed 19th], Cross Country Nationals at Houston in 2003 was in the mud [placed sixth in the 8K], and there were chilly temperatures for the USA Women’s Marathon Championship in St. Louis in 2003 [she won].

FW: You’ve been coached by Dennis Barker since 2002. How has he helped you over the years?
SW: Dennis is a super coach. He really knows his athletes and is able to individualize the training based on each person’s strengths. He has been a very positive coach and always encourages me when things are not going so great. His love of the sport is obvious and it makes you want to do well not only for yourself, but also for him. I think that his training philosophy really fits for me and has helped me continue to succeed at longer distances.

FW: Have you been able to train with the other Team Minnesota athletes or have you had to do a lot of training on your own because of your school schedule and injuries?
SW: During the first couple of years I was training with the team a lot more than I am now. School has kept me very busy and prevented me from being able to meet with the team for workouts. This is another area where Dennis has been very flexible. We do a lot of conversing on the phone to set up workouts and assess how I am responding.

FW: So far, would you say that 2003 was your best year as a professional runner?
SW: Yes, 2003 and some of 2004 were probably my best racing years with 2003 the most solid year that I have had. I would have to go back and look but I think my mileage was in the 80s with a few 100 mile weeks incorporated into the training. I also think a key to 2003 was the consistency with training and extra time available to rest/recover instead of rushing off to school. I started 2004 with an injury so that was a little discouraging. However, 2004 is when I ran my marathon PR so I would consider that the highlight of the year for me.

FW: You ran the U.S. Women’s Olympic Marathon Trials in 2004 and finished in a personal best time of 2:33:17. Was that a difficult race for you to prepare for because you had some injuries?
SW: Training was much more time consuming because I was driving to the Plymouth Lifetime Fitness club to do pool workouts, sometimes two times a day. I also spent a lot of time on the Stairmaster and the elliptical machine. I think the biggest challenge was having the confidence that I would be able to race well since the training had been so much different than in 2003.

FW: What injuries have you had?
SW: The main injuries were the sacral stress fracture in 2004 and the plantar fasciitis in 2005. I was told that the sacral fracture was probably a result of a condition called spondylolilsthesis that had been present since the gymnastics back in grade school. A brief explanation of the spondylolisthesis is a fracture in the spine that allows one vertebra to slide forward on the vertebra below. This can put pressure on different areas and in my case may have been exerting force on the sacrum which caused the sacral stress fracture. I was also getting some sciatic involvement down the leg and muscle spasms in the lower back [starting in 2003 after the marathon]. With the help of physical therapy - got to get a plug in for my future profession - and crosstraining, I got through the 2004 Trials then took a long break. My experience with injuries and the fact that the Trials were over is what prompted me to go back to school. I figured I could continue training and racing as well as I could through school and then return my focus to running after I graduated in 2007, which is a month away!

FW: You did a lot of treadmill running prior to the 2004 Trials – did that work for you?
SW: I did do a lot of treadmill running and have continued to train on the treadmill. There are Lifetime Fitness clubs everywhere so it makes it very convenient. I know many people cannot stand running on a treadmill but for me it works. I guess I am motivated when I am able to increase the speed/incline for certain workouts. Also, when I am having trouble getting motivation to go outside and run, I can set the speed on the treadmill and know I have to keep up or I am going down. Another benefit that I found is I can practice drinking my fluids and running in warmer temperatures.

FW: You were just about ready to run the Twin Cities Marathon in 2005 and then developed a case of plantar. Was that a hard decision to not do that race, particularly since it was a qualifier that year for the marathon trials?
SW: That was a very frustrating injury because I was finally feeling like I was coming back from the injuries in 2004 and finding a balance with school and training. I probably was not back to my prior fitness level but I was excited to get out there and race and I thought I could at least get a qualifier.

FW: You went back to run Twin Cities in 2006 but didn’t get your qualifier for the trials [she finished in 2:54:07]. What happened at that race?
SW: I think there were a couple of factors involved. First, it was hard finding the time to train and I was not getting the mileage like before. Second, I did not run a very smart race. In the first two marathons, I started out at an easy pace and then tried to pick it up after the half-way point. At Twin Cities last fall, I think I got a little excited that I felt so good and tried to go out a little harder than I should have. I can now say that I know what it is like to “hit the wall” in a marathon. Between mile 19-20 I was out of gas and it was all I could do to get to the finish line.

FW: At one time you were planning to go to medical school and become a doctor. Did you defer starting medical school in 2003 in order to continue running?
SW: I did get accepted to the 2003 class at Kansas but was not granted the permission to defer to 2004. It was a very difficult decision but it was during my most successful year of running. I used to question my decision but I did meet my future husband here in physical therapy school so there is no doubt that I made the right decision!

FW: You started a doctoral program in physical therapy in 2004. Why did you change your plans to become a medical doctor?
SW: I did not want to put my career on hold for another four years and 2004 was the best time for me to go back to school and be done in time to train for the 2008 Trials. I had considered physical therapy in the past and one of our team docs [Dr. Bill Roberts] suggested that I check out the PT program at St. Catherine’s here in the Twin Cities. The thought of reapplying to medical school and being in school for another four years followed by three years of residency made me realize how difficult it would be to continue racing at the same level.

FW: Has school and then the internships been pretty demanding on your time?
SW: It has been a demanding schedule. I was trying to focus on both school and running but found it a little overwhelming. I was dealing with the little injuries and noticing prolonged recovery time after hard workouts. I wasn’t getting enough sleep and was noticing the effects that stress was having on my training.

FW: Did you ever consider quitting running in order to concentrate on your career?
SW: Yes, but I don’t think I really could quit. It was when I was crosstraining and going into the pool very early in the morning before class that I thought, for what? I was not racing; I was not even running. I started to wonder if I would ever get back to where I had been before school and before the injuries. Now that the end is in sight, I am anxious to see where I can go. I still believe that I can improve and that is what motivates me to keep the faith.

FW: You’re completing your final clinical rotation, studying for the board exams, and getting ready for graduation in May. What do you plan to do with your degree?
SW: I like the fact that there are so many areas where physical therapists can work – sports clinics, hospitals, schools, nursing homes, specialty clinics, etc. There are opportunities to work part time or full time and I will be looking for a position that allows me to train. I am not sure what setting I want to be in but I really enjoy pediatrics and sports medicine.

FW: Is your fiancée a runner?
SW: He doesn’t consider himself a runner but I would say he is a recreational runner. We run together quite a bit and he is very supportive of my running aspirations. He even met me at the Metrodome [indoor sports arena in downtown Minneapolis] this winter to do intervals or at least some of them and has followed me on a bike for long runs in pretty cold weather. As physical therapists, we both have the same interests – sports medicine and pediatrics – but we are not necessarily planning to work together. If we both find a position in the same clinic, that would be great, but it is not a requirement.

FW: Between graduating, getting married and training for the Olympic Trials, it sounds like it will be an exciting time. Are you looking forward to the next 12 months?
SW: Yes, it is very exciting. Once we get through the next two months and pass the board exams, a lot of the stress will be eliminated.

Interview conducted on April 7, 2007, and posted on April 13, 2007.