Interview with Christian Smith

Smith endured a long season, which included running at the Penn Relays in April (Kirby Lee)

I'm sure you've been asked this question a million times, but I'm going to ask it again. Just how exciting was it to know you made the U.S. Olympic Team in the 800 meters after diving to the line for third place at the Trials?

It was, without a doubt, the most exciting moment of my life. The time out on the track with the crowd going crazy after the race is still kind of a blur. I've always believed it could happen but to be out on the track holding the American flag, taking a victory lap with two other Oregon guys and knowing that I was going to the Olympics is indescribable.

Did you feel Khadevis Robinson on your right as you dove to the line? Looking at the finish line photos, it appears as though he was trying to hold off you and Lopez Lomong to his right

Actually, I didn't know his arm was on me until I saw pictures afterwards. I knew he was right there but no, I didn't feel him holding me back. In a moment like that everyone is just so desperate to get to that line.

As a part of the Oregon Track Club, how much have the training group in Eugene and coaches helped you to where you are today?

I moved to Eugene in September and immediately my volume and base training improved. Part of that was due to the climate change and it not being so hot and humid, but it was also being able to go out and enjoy running with a great group of teammates. When you are getting to finish runs and do workouts at Hayward Field it is pretty hard not to be motivated. The atmosphere in Eugene has been great all year and it really kept me focused on the trials every day. You could just feel that there was something big on the horizon. Coach Gags has definitely been supportive as well. This year has not gone the way either of us expected going in, but the end results are what matter and he has helped me get there. After I struggled indoors, I decided that it was the Olympic year and I needed to go back to what I knew worked for me and that I was comfortable with. I started working with my college coach again. I was still able to do a lot of runs with my OTC teammates and Coach Smith and Coach Gags talked on a regular basis. Even though I had run fast in 2006, a lot of people around me saw poor results in races and maybe assumed that I wasn't going to get back my fitness this year. I really needed Coach Smith because he saw where I started and knows what I am capable off. Without his support and coaching, I have no doubt that I would still be struggling in my training, racing, and confidence.

How have your competitions been heading into Beijing?

I have now raced twice over the past 10 days. The results haven't been what I expected but I think I am headed in the right direction. I have been training hard since the trials to try and re-peak at Beijing. I am racing a little on tired legs but I should definitely be running faster soon. My final race was in London on the 26th. [view results]

Looking back at your collegiate career at Kansas State, what are some of the accomplishments that you'll always keep close to you that you'll never forget? How much did the collegiate experience in Manhattan help shape your professional career?

I think the collegiate record in the 1,000m and the NCAA Championship in the mile were my two defining moments in college. Both of those races set me up to run professionally. I can remember a drastic improvement in training after I won the mile indoors. I think it gave me the confidence that I needed to contend with best and move up to the next level. Manhattan was a great fit for me. I walked into a good, but small, training group where I was able to work closely with Coach Smith. I had older teammates, Joe Lee and Erik Sproll, who were both Big XII Champions in the mid-distances and set the bar high for me early on in both training and racing. Coach Smith has always looked at the big picture in developing my training and he has used a steady progression that I could handle since I started at K-State, adding a little more work each year. I had only one major injury in college and that was my freshman year. Coach Smith knows my background athletically and is very focused on training me as an athlete, he always keeps my long term interest in mind when deciding what to do. His long term approach has really set me up to be successful into my professional career and I think I have a lot of room to continue to improve in both the 800 and 1,500.

As we're just a few weeks away from the track & field portion of the Olympic Games, what will your training consist of? What has worked for you in the past to stay healthy and in top shape for each competition?

This is a learning experience for my coach and me. This is the first major team I have made and we are trying to figure out the best way to peak again for the Olympics. The first couple of weeks following the trials we went back to base training (ie. fartleks and hills). I am currently getting more specific and will get more and more sharp the closer we get to the games. As far as staying healthy and in shape through the season, my training has always consisted of a lot of core strength. We actually had to abandon some of that this spring due to an ab injury but Coach Smith has developed an alternative protocol for me to follow that will achieve the same purpose which is to be strong and stay healthy.

U.S. Trials 800 meter winner Nick Symmonds decided to stay home and not compete overseas until the Olympic Games. What are your thoughts on competing outside of the U.S. as the Games quickly approach?

I believe that I have to do what has worked for me in the past and that is racing. Going into the trials Nick ran very few 800's in the spring and he was obviously on top of his game at the right time and that worked for him. On the other hand, I was running an 800 almost every week. Part of that was because I was trying to qualify for the trials but another part was that in the past I have needed to race to stay sharp. In 2006, I raced the entire indoor and outdoor season before setting my PR's in the summer. I am going to have to stay sharp by simulating race effort in practice.

You've received a lot of fanfare after making the U.S. Olympic Team. How have you handled the new pressure of living up to everyone's expectations, especially when many did not even think you would qualify for Beijing?

You are right, going into the trials I felt almost no pressure because no one outside of myself, my family, girlfriend and Coach Smith knew what I was doing and that I was capable of being in the top three. It was actually more like I was trying to convince people that I was fit and to let me in the Prefontain Classic, to give me a rabbit in a couple of smaller races when I was trying to get a faster qualifier for the trials and then when I thought that I was going to have to build an appeal to try to get into the trials. It has been surreal having people recognize me and ask for my autograph all over town. With my family, friends, Oregonians, and Kansans all telling me how excited and proud they are. It really is a great feeling. For a few days following the trials I really just enjoyed everything and soaked it all in, but then I refocused and am now trying to block a lot of it out as a I prepare for Beijing. Even though I made the Olympic Team, I again feel like I'm in a situation where a lot people might not be expecting me to go to Beijing and be competitive. I am approaching it like I did at the trials, confident that if I prepare myself in training and race smart, I am capable of being in the final. Once you get yourself to that final, anything can happen. The idea that people doubted that I was fit again and gave me no chance of making the Olympic Team is motivating and just makes me that much more focused on what I'm doing and what is ahead.

Are you able to financially support yourself through running? How do you think we can improve on this aspect so future Olympians and professional runners can make a decent living in the sport? Right now it appears to be too top-heavy with the contracts.

I have a contract with Nike in addition to the support that we all receive from OTC which allows me to focus on just track. I do think that groups like the OTC allow for many more athletes to continue training and striving for their goals. It seems that more and more of the top Americans are associated with clubs now. The funding from the OTC has been vital because I have access to regular massages, doctors, fitness centers, facilities and physical therapy. Otherwise, doing everything you need to do to train at a high level can get very expensive. It seems like there can be big improvements to be made when runners move out of the college program but its hard to find the right opportunity to continue training and it definitely can involve a big sacrifice financially. There has been the big movement bringing track back to Eugene and Nike is really stepping forward taking the lead. I would agree that it is too top heavy on contracts but I think the trials generated a lot of excitement and attention nationally to track. If track, as a sport, can become popular again then it won't just be a few top athletes getting the contracts.

Finally, how do you like to spend your free time away from the track? Do you have much time to relax right now after the U.S. Trials?

When I am in Eugene sometimes it is hard to separate track from everyday life because all of my friends in Eugene are part of the team. But a few of us go out to dinner every Tuesday night and that seems to be what I look forward to each week. In Kansas it is a little easier. I like hanging out with my dog and just relaxing in the evenings. Also, catching a K-State basketball game during the season. As for right now, I took one day completely off from running after my race at the trials to just enjoy the experience and soaked it all in. Now I am focused on running and doing the that best I can in Beijing. I will relax in September.

More on making a living in track

06:41, 23 August 2008 .. Posted by Anonymous

Hi Guys,
My son is an aspiring high school track athlete and we are just beginning our research on possible college scholarship programs and the potential for ultimately making a living in track. Right now, his specialty is 1600 m but may include 800 m. Can you explain what is meant by the comments about clubs, contracts, etc.?