Post-Race Interview with Amber Trotter, December 8, 2001

By Alison Wade

Trotter leading the way at the 2001 Foot Locker National Finals. (Both photos Alison Wade/New York Road Runners)

Amber Trotter is surrounded by reporters following her record-setting win.

Amber Trotter Bio | Pre-Race Interview

So, how did you feel out there during the race today?
Very good, until the last mile, when I felt like I was dying (laughs). I was surprised by the time I ran because it felt like the last mile was very, very slow and painful. I actually have a very bad sore throat, I'm really just kind of sick and now I don't feel so good. But I really just tried to get into my own world and my own zone and just be like, "I'm so lucky to be here, I'm so happy to be here and able to run." I said, "Give it your all girl. I want you to be in as much pain as you can be in."

The Mt. Sac Invitational was really the only other race that I've had to go all out for the whole race. In other races, I've kind of just sprinted out there and then I didn't really kick. When I saw that clock today, I was kicking, I was hurting. I was like, "Go for it. It's your last high school cross country race. Love it."

I really ran it too for my coach and my mom who have just been so amazingly, incredibly supportive, through thick and thin and through much Amber-lameness. Back and forth and not recovering, not doing the things that I'm supposed to do. It's a really difficult thing. They both came and they were both there before the race, and I just went out there and it's not about time or place, it's just about running your heart out. I just wanted to run [myself] into the ground.

Were you thinking about the other girls in the race at all?
No.

You asked the panel of elite runners last night what they think about when they run. What were you thinking about today?
I was thinking about the course. And also some positive things like, "Come on Amber, come on." But a lot of it is that you don't think, you just run. My thoughts as I run are about cutting the tangents, all those little curves, using them, working the downhills, those kind of thoughts... You're just so focused and in the zone. And like I said, focusing on "Turnover, turnover" and like, "Come on, come on, you want this, you want this," and "Dig." That's what [her coach] Jerry always says to me when he runs with me on hard workouts, he'll be like "Dig down, dig down." And just a lot of "Come on, Amber. Come on," that last mile. "Give it your all."

It's comforting watching you run because even though you're winning by a lot, it's clear that it's painful for you, just like the rest of us.
Trust me (laughs). Some people make it look effortless, but I'm not one of those people.

It's clear from listening to you that you really believe in the power of the mind and mental toughness. What strategies can you offer someone who isn't as mentally tough -- how do you become tougher?
Through overcoming obstacles (laughs). Everything I've been through has really made me tough. But a lot of workouts that we do - like 10-mile runs where every mile you do is faster and faster. Then there's this one workout we do, we warm up a mile and a half over to this park - this is probably our hardest workout during the summer. There's this 800 meter loop. We do between four and six miles and you surge for 300 meters and cruise for 500 meters. I hit the whole thing between 5:50 and 6:00 pace for like six miles. I always hit a point in that workout where I just want to quit. There's always a point where you just want to back off. You just can't let yourself. Every time you get through a workout like that, every time you get through a workout where you don't give up, it just builds that mental toughness.

Another really huge thing is just thinking positively. I used to feel pressure a lot, to perform, but now I really don't care so much. I don't think about that anyway, even if I do care, I don't let myself. You have to have control of your mind and give yourself all positive vibes, "You are so strong and vibrant and you can totally do this." I have five affirmations. One of them is, "I relax before and during the race to perform and have fun like the well-trained athlete that I am." There are five of them like that and I just say them over and over again, and I just work myself up. You have to have this confidence and joy out there and if you're negative and worried, you're not going to run well.

And there was a lot of pressure on you today, whether you were paying attention to it or not.
I know (laughs), it's not like I didn't notice it . But you just try to go inside and get away from all of that and remember why you run. I remember runs with my best buddies... like way out in Tahoe... actually last night I was trying to think of runs where I was really challenged, where I never thought I was going to make it. My friend Casey and I ended up being kind of together on the end of this run out in Lake Tahoe when we went camping. I don't even know how many miles it was, it was like 13 or 14 and it was supposed to be an eight- or nine-mile run, we got totally lost. It was totally uphill and I was exhausted and totally sleep-deprived. I thought I was never going to make it back to the campground. I just focused on Casey's back... And coming through enough runs like that - every run or every race that you experience that point where you're really just exhausted and you don't give up, it builds.

There was a point today in the race, over by the bridge, where I was thinking, "I don't care if they pass me." There was a moment there where I could have just slowed down. And somebody said, "You're going to win this if you walk to the finish line." And I thought, "Hmmm." I just said, "Dig. You want this. You'll never forgive yourself." It wasn't about the time. I told myself going into the race that my goal was to run as hard as I could and I was going to be mad at myself if I didn't. There are different levels of pain. You think you're hurting, and yeah, you're hurting, but you're not really hurting. I've had those races where you're just like, "I've discovered a whole new level of pain."

Do you run most of your workouts with your coach?
It depends. I trained a lot on my own this summer. A lot. Because my family was travelling and stuff. It takes a lot of discipline to do that too. You're at Reggae on the River and you get up and do that run, even though you're tired and hungover. At practice, often I do run by myself, often I run with my coach but often he doesn't run, and then often I run with top guy runners on the team, who are a couple of my best guy friends. I really get along with the whole guys team. And then on easy runs, I run with the second girl runner on our team -- she's a sophomore and she's really quite talented, she's got a lot of potential, she one of my best friends. She's so sweet. She's just one of those people who are just too darn nice. I don't deserve such a nice teammate... And then every morning I run on my own.

Do you always run twice a day?
Not always, but I did pretty much all summer. I run three miles every morning Monday through Friday. I love that. I watch the seasons change and the moon wane and wax. I don't think about competition, I just think about things. It's my little world out in the country. And then I have practice during the day. They're kind of different things for me. There's like running and there's competing. On Sundays I'll go like five miles, just at recovery pace. I like that, unless I'm really sore, then I don't like that.

Do you ever take days off?
I can't remember the last (interrupts herself), yes I can. One Sunday at Reggae on the River, which was like the first weekend of August, I didn't run. After every season, I'll take just a little bit of time off. I think I'm going to not run for five days or so after this and start easy and do some morning miles but cycle instead of going to practice, or swim - I love to swim.

Do you do any cross training on a regular basis?
I'm a pretty active person but no, not really. If I go backpacking, or I love to swim... My brother is like Mr. Biker. He works at a bike shop. He's the cutest kid, he's 14, I adore my brother. He's a skateboarder, a freshman, he's way cool, trust me. But no conscious cross cross training. Except -- I try to do arm weights and I suck (laughs). I bought some weights and I try to do this little routine three days a week. I used to try to lift in the gym at the high school. It was totally disgusting. All of the football and baseball players are making fun of you and you can't do a pushup... So I got these weights, and especially in preparation for track, as much as I dislike it, I'm really going to try.

Do you have plan for what comes next -- any important races over the winter?
We'll do a lot of base miles in the winter. Jerry's really good about just keeping your turnover up. You'll go on a six-mile run and come back and do one mile at 5:50. And it's an easy day, you don't even notice. It's like, "Okay, everyone on the track, let's do a tempo mile," and you groan a little bit... but I never lose the turnover completely. Or he'll randomly tell us to speed up on runs or say,"Let's do some 200s" in the middle of a run. I guess in February or March we'll start getting into intervals. I don't know, I didn't run track last season, so it'll be a new experience. I ran track freshman and sophomore years but it was at a whole different level. Like 5:17 is my PR in the mile.

What was your fastest mile split this season?
I ran 5:04 at Mt. Sac. (And she ran 5:04 for her first mile at Foot Locker as well.) Yeah, 10:50 and 5:17 are my PRs... I don't like track workouts nearly as much as cross country. Sixteen 400s makes me feel like a guinea pig, just running 'round and 'round the track.

Would you consider running the USATF Junior Cross Country Nationals in Vancouver, WA in February?
Probably not. I have the information on it, it's something to think about... after my five days off.

One final question - any particular reason you wore a "Fleet Feet" tattoo on your arm today?
Oh, it's just the running store where I buy all my shoes. They're totally nice.

So you just wanted to give them a little business.
Exactly. I wore one at my league finals too and it was really fun and I meant to wear them for other races but I just haven't. So I busted it out. I figured if I'm going to be on [TV], I'll wear my Fleet Feet tattoo.