Weese was an All-American in the 3000 meters indoors (MSU sports info) |
1. You finished seventh in the 3000 meters, the third-fastest American in the race, at the 2003 NCAA Indoor Championships, earning All-America honors for the second time in the last four months. How has everything been going for yourself heading into your final collegiate outdoor season?
I couldn't feel better headlining into the outdoor season. It seems every athlete interview I come across claims to take indoor and cross country easy and supposedly focus on outdoor, but when their training is evaluated it becomes apparent they are training just as hard as others. So having said that, I don't want to be another runner to claim they took indoor easy, but I can tell you I didn't do anywhere close to the intensity and volume of indoor workouts as in past years. Fortunately, this has left me fresh and motivated to compete outdoor. I feel great and am ready to put in some great training.
2. What kind of training are you going to focus on now that the outdoor season is upon us?
After the NCAA indoor meet I took a week of easy runs. For the next three
weeks the training will look as follows:
SUN: Long Run 16-19 miles
TUES: Hill Workout
WED: Tempo Run 5-6 miles
SAT: Fartlek Workout
The days in between will of course be comprised of the regular recovery
runs. Average mileage will be in the 85-95 range. I will be running the
steeple at MT. SAC and the 5000 at the Oregon Invite. The only problem is
that I will not have much track work before these races, but this scheme
will prepare to run well at the end of the year. After the three-week
period, I'll dive into the typical interval and repetition track workouts.
3. Could you give us some background about yourself, such as how did you get into the sport and what were some of your top times in high school?
My sister ran distance in high school and through her I became interested in the sport. I ran track and cross country throughout high school. My best times were 1:58, 4:23, and 10:04. I was not especially serious about running in high school running 20-25 miles a week, but I did manage to win a state championship in cross country.
4. What events will you be focusing on this season in which you would also like to qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Championships in?
My main focus will be the steeplechase followed by the 5000. Additionally, I would like to run a fast 1500 somewhere along the line. I want to run the steeple at NCAAs and am considering a possible 5000 double. In the steeple and 5000, I would like to run sub 8:25 and sub 13:40.
5. Not many people are familiar with the Montana State program. Describe what the atmosphere is like and what the coaches have to offer.
Montana State has a coach who allows athletes to develop and has the flexibility to tailor training and volume to the needs of individual athletes. Bozeman offers an incredible place to train with an unlimited amount of trails around the valley. There are also over twenty miles of maintained trails within Bozeman. Running on trails really makes the training enjoyable. Bozeman does get a lot of snow, but is rarely overcast. There is something about the sun shining that makes one's day a little better, even when there is snow on the ground.
Weese looks to continue his success into the outdoor season (MSU sports info) |
6. Have you ever had to deal with any major injuries that forced you to sit out a great number of weeks and how have you overcome them?
I have been fortunate in avoiding a serious injury. I attribute some of
this to my progression in training volume:
High School-20-25
Freshman-40
Sophomore-45
Junior-60
Senior-70-75
5th year-75-80
7. At the last chance meet in Washington a few weeks ago, you ran the last 800 meters of the 3k in 1:58 which you came through in 7:54.35. How important does speed development during your workouts translate over to your races every weekend?
Speed development is really important to the training here at Montana
State. The younger runners tend to do more speed work, before they are
moved up in distance. For example, my main focuses my first two years were
the 800 and mile.
During the indoor season I did not, however, do as much speed work as we
had in years past. Most of my workouts were at 5K or tempo pace, with 300
cut downs after the 5K workouts during the second half of the indoor season.
8. With the installment of regionals set to begin this year, how does this affect you during your training during the season?
I will begin track workouts a couple weeks later than usual and will have to train through the conference meet a little more than in years past. The regional format does not upset me, I will get as fit as possible and run well in Lincoln.
9. What are some of your favorite workouts and what do they consist of?
I really enjoy hill work. My favorite hill workout is 10 times 3 min hills
with a jog back recovery. My favorite type of training is fast speedwork,
however, it is really hard on my body. I've always had a difficult time
doing consistent speed workouts, day after day, month after month, without
breaking down and getting sick. For instance, I'd rather run back-to-back
5Ks than miles. My favorite speed workout is two sets, cutting down the
second set, of the following, with substantial rest:
800
2*400
4*200
I haven't done a workout like this in over a year, but the best I have done
is about:
(2:05, 59s, 28s)
(2:00, 58s, 28s)
I will do more of this type of work outdoor, which really tunes me up to
race well.
10. Who are some of the professional athletes and role models that you look up to for any support or advice?
Billy Mills has always been special to me. He came and spoke here in Bozeman a couple of years ago, which was a great experience. Also, I really look up to the runners who were upperclassmen here when I was younger. I was fortunate to learn patience and maturity from past Bobcats.
11. Besides competing on the track, what was the best experience you had during your time at the NCAA Indoor Championships at Arkansas?
The experience would have been much better if there had been other Bobcats competing at the meet. However, the crowd was great and the atmosphere was incredible. Even though the crowd is an advantage for Arkansas, it is great to have knowledgeable track fans. Having said that, I couldn't help but be surprised at the amount of "peeling out and hot-roding" going on. I was almost run over many times by drivers who thought they were Tony Stewart and/or one of the Dukes of Hazard. I'm just kidding, but they could use some more traffic cops down there.