Pre-Foot Locker Bobby Lockhart Interview, 12/7/01

Bobby Lockhart on his way to a course-record-tying win at the 2001 Foot Locker South Regional. (Photo by Brian J. Myers)

Bobby Lockhart runs on the Foot Locker Nationals course with his coach the day before the race. (MensRacing.com Photo)

By Alison Wade

Bobby Lockhart Bio | Post-Race Interview with Bobby Lockhart

How is it different competing here as one of the favorites?
I guess it might be a little more pressure on my back but I'm feeling confident. I know everyone here is good. I really don't count anyone out. I'm just going to stick to my normal race plan, run hard and see what it comes down to in the end.

Can you elaborate on what your "normal race plan" is?
I'll go out in the front - I know there's going to be a lot of guys pushing it in the middle, which is what I like. I don't like it coming down to a kick, I like running hard from the gun. I think there will be a lot of guys that will do that. It'll be different from a lot of races I've run. They'll run hard the first mile, then hopefully two miles will come through pretty fast. Last year was really slow, I came through the two-mile in 9:45 and I had a bad race. This year should be a lot faster. We'll see what it comes down to but I'm feeling pretty confident.

It seems like a very different race this year without Dathan Ritzenhein and Alan Webb.
Without Webb and Ritzenhein, who set themselves apart from the rest of the country and pretty much dominated, the race will have more of an anyone-can-win kind of feel... It'll make for a faster race, but I'm looking forward to it.

What have you learned, having been here twice before?
I've gotten a feel for the course - how to run it, the right place to make your move, how hard to go out and just getting used to the environment. It's pretty warm here - I don't think anyone is really used to the warm temperatures and humidity.

What was the weather like back in Virginia?
We've actually had warm temperatures in Northern Virginia, it's been in the sixties a couple times and we hit seventy once. It's not the same humidity though. I've done a lot of heat training, wearning a lot of clothes on training runs for about a month.

This is your third trip to Foot Locker Nationals. Is it just as fun each time around?
The first time I came here, I just wanted to make it. Last year I finished second to Webb at regionals and I wanted to get a top 5-7 finish. That didn't happen, I had a bad race. Now, I'm just coming to win. It's the only race I've been gearing towards the whole season... forever. This is The Race. If I could end my season on any race, this would be the ultimate race to win. I just really want to win this race. I've never wanted to win a race more than this one.

What kind of training did you do leading up to this race and how is it different than what you've done in past years?
Well last year my summer mileage was 50 miles (per week) at most, and I was doing 35-40 during the season. This year I hit 60-65, then I had three 70-mile weeks in a row which, for me, is a lot. Now I'm trying to move it up a little bit so I can adjust to college a little better. I've been running off of pretty low mileage for most of my high school career. Now I'm really trying to step it up.

What kind of taper have you done?
I didn't taper much for States but I tapered for Regionals. I've been putting in a lot more speed - ladders, 400 repeats and 200s. I went from doing mile repeats, 1000m repeats and tempo runs to longer fartleks and more interval-type speed training. I think I've tapered pretty well and I feel like I'm peaked right now.

You sounded like you felt good and had a little left after Regionals.
Yeah, Regionals was the perfect example. I'm just hoping I can run the same way and feel the same way as I did at Regionals.

Are you looking ahead to track season at all yet and do you have any particular goals?
Well, first I want to try the (USATF) Junior Cross Country Championships (in February) and try to qualify for Worlds.

So will you skip the indoor season?
I'll probably run the state meet for my team. I'll primarily be training for the 8k and trying to make the World Junior team. If I don't, I might go to indoor nationals. I'm not going to do any kind of speed during the winter. The next main goal will be outdoor nationals. I'll probably run a few invitationals too. I don't know what I'm going to concentrate on, if I'm going to go for a low four minute, possibly sub-four minute, mile or an 8:45 two-mile, or the 5,000. I'd like to concentrate on the 5,000 because I feel that that's really my forte. I don't know what I'll concentrate on yet, my coach and I are still discussing that.

What made you choose Wisconsin for college?
I had tons of phone calls after July 1st. I eventually had it down to Stanford, Georgetown and Wisconsin. I really liked Georgetown a lot but I just didn't think it would be the right training environment for me. Once I went to Wisconsin... you can run trails all the time, it's just such a nice college city and not overwhelming. The team's awesome and I really like the coach a lot, we get along well.

Do you think they're going to redshirt you your freshman year?
I don't know yet, it's going to [come down to] what's best for the team, I think, and for myself. Next year they're going to have Tegenkamp, Spiker, Keller (all sophomores), then they're going to have Wallace and Festa as fifth-year seniors. I'd really like to run with them, I have confidence that they can win a national title next year. I'd really like to be a part of that, but I'll do whatever Coach Schumacher thinks is right for me and what's best for the team. He has another good recruit, Simon Bauer the Canadian Junior Champion, and he's looking for one more. I guess it'll depend on what the other guys are doing. If I'm ready to run, then maybe [I will].