KYtrackXC: Favorite event to run?
TM: The mile. There is no secret to racing it, yet it has an allure that no other event has. It’s almost a sacred event.
KYtrackXC: Favorite event to watch?
TM: The 5000 meters. The true competitors emerge in the 5k.
KYtrackXC: What was your favorite invitational when you were in high school?
TM: Heart of the Bluegrass in Harrodsburg, KY stands out the most for track. We went there for a lot of other meets too, so I have memories there. I definitely remember my senior year (1999) when I won the 1600 with some stiff competition and ran a big PR (4:27 I think). There were a lot of people at that meet and I felt like star.
KYtrackXC: How does someone go from 9th his senior year at AA XC State Meet to SEC Champion and national level runner?
TM: One race, one season, one year at a time. There was never a moment when I said, “I’ve made it.” It was the culmination of improvement that led me to SEC Champion. At the same time, my improvements fed my desire to train harder and compete. I never really surprised myself; I always accomplished what I thought could at a particular time.
KYtrackXC: At what point in your life did you realize you were a runner?
TM: I realized I was a runner when I joined my high school track team in 8th grade. I had enjoyed running before that but I also played other sports. I still tried to play basketball and football in middle school, but once I got to high school I knew it would basically be running from then on. I was still active in a lot of other sports but running was my favorite. My brother and my friends also ran, so it started out as a social thing really, but I always enjoyed pushing myself through running.
KYtrackXC: How would you describe your experience at UK as a runner?
TM: Running at UK was the total experience for me. The running became serious, but we always knew how to have a good time. I got to travel all over the country racing, which I enjoyed no matter how the race went. I enjoyed training everyday. I enjoyed my teammates and coaches. I enjoyed being a student-athlete and the perks. In so many ways, my involvement with the track team, defined me. I would be a different person without running.
KYtrackXC: What do you feel is your strength as runner?
TM: Persistence and consistency. Anyone can put together a couple weeks or a month of good training, then get injured or burned out. I always carry a long term approach. No one gets fit overnight. Train consistently, every day for months, or even years and it pays off. Thwarting injuries and keeping motivated in hard times is something I always have been good about.
KYtrackXC: What are your goals for this upcoming outdoor season?
TM: Obviously ambitious. The 5000 will be my primary event. I believe I have a whole lot to improve there. I want to get top 5 at US Outdoor Championships, then go to Europe and run really fast. I also really want to break 4:00 in the mile, which I haven’t officially done yet. I will have many opportunities this year, I just have to capitalize. I know my fitness will be there.
KYtrackXC: You were able to race in Europe last summer with ZAP Fitness, how was that experience?
TM: It was one of my most memorable experiences as a runner. Two of us from ZAP went over to Belgium with some people from some other development groups. The social culture and the running culture were very exciting. I was on fire, racing, so I enjoyed it. I ended up doing an extra race in Dublin, Ireland since I was running well. I learned a lot on that trip. People worry way too much about their races and get too worked up. Nothing runs smoothly over there, in terms of the meets. One of my races I wasn’t even in. With all the confusion, they scratched me from an earlier heat and put me in a later one, but scratched me again, so I just jumped on the starting line at the last moment, won and set a PR, then went to the scorers table and told them to put me in the results. You can’t expect anything to go perfectly, you just have race.
KYtrackXC: Any suggestions for the younger runners in the state of Kentucky?
TM: Everybody gets into running for one reason or another, most of the time for external reasons, parents, and friends or unsuccessfulness at other sports. The reasons you should stay in running and excel at it are your internal motivations. It is a very individualized sport, to do it well you have to do it yourself. Your coaches, teammates and parents are only there for support. You have to have a kind of selfishness about your lifestyle to get the most out of your potential.