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Blake Russell on her way to winning the 3,000 at the 2006 adidas Track Classic. (Photo by Victah Sailer)

Interview with Blake Russell

Posted on June 2, 2006, Interview conducted May 30, 2006

By Alison Wade

In 1993, Blake Russell (then Blake Phillips) walked on to the University of North Carolina cross country and track teams, and she has been climbing through the distance running ranks ever since. By her senior year, 1997, she won outdoor ACC titles at 1,500 and 5,000 meters, and finished 13th in the 1,500 at the NCAA Championships. Post-collegiately, she was consistently among the top finishers in national competitions, including a seventh-place finish in the 10,000 at the 2000 U.S. Olympic Trials. Later that year, she won a bronze medal in the 5,000 at the Pan-American Games. In 2003, she made her marathon debut with a 2:30:41 win at Twin Cities Marathon. In 2004, after leading for much of the race, she finished fourth at the Olympic Marathon Trials and just missed qualifying the the Olympic team.

Russell continued to improve in 2005 and finished 15th in the 4k at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in St. Galmier, France, helping the U.S. women to a team bronze. She ran a huge 10,000m personal best of 31:35.25 in finishing a close second at the 2005 USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, which qualified her to compete at the World Championships in Helsinki, where she finished 22nd. Later that fall, she won the USA 20k title at the New Haven Road Race, and then finished sixth at the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon in 2:29:10, another personal best.

Russell's results have been nothing short of phenomenal in 2006. In February, she won the 8k title at the USA Cross Country Championships and finished third in the 4k one day later. In March, she defeated a strong field to win the USA 15k title at the Gate River Run by more than 30 seconds. And in April, she finished 11th in the 8k and 18th in the 4k at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, leading the U.S. team in both races.

Russell has carried this momentum into her 2006 track season. On April 30, she finished second in the 5,000 at the Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational in 15:10.58, a signifcant personal best. And on May 21, she won the 3,000 at the adidas Track Classic in yet another PR of 8:51.57. Her next race will be this weekend in New York City, where she will compete in the 5,000 at the Reebok Grand Prix.

A native of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Russell now lives in Marina, California, with her husband, Jon Russell, who was a top runner for Wake Forest. She has been coached by Bob Sevene since 2000, first in Massachusetts and now in California. Russell worked as a physical therapist until 2005, when she put that career on hold to pursue her running career full time. She will turn 31 on July 24.

Bob Sevene recently announced his retirement. What does that mean for you?
Things are still up in the air, but as of now Sev is going to stay in the Monterey area to be close to his daughter and will also continue to coach me as long as he wants. Jon and I plan to stay because it is a wonderful area for his work and my training. I believe the Big Sur Marathon would like to continue the [Big Sur Distance Project], but it will be difficult without Sev. Since I plan to continue working with Sev, I will not be part of the [training group] after he officially retires in July.

You followed Sev out to California. You were already really good when you went out there, but you've improved significantly since then. Are the move and your improvement related?
I think before the move I was finally starting to come into my own. The move was almost symbolic I guess — one final 'all or nothing' commitment. I think aside from having a much better training environment (weather, trails, etc.) I finally started thinking of running as my main job, rather than a hobby.

What is your training partner situation like? Do you run with other people on a regular basis?
Most post-collegiate women learn fast that training partners are pretty scarce. Other than training with my college coach, Joan Nesbit, for a year, I have never trained with anyone on a regular basis for recovery runs or workouts. I actually really enjoy doing everything alone at this point. I think it helps me listen to my body and not over or under do it.

Are you still working as a physical therapist?
Thanks to Reebok, I stopped working last January. I was working full-time in Boston, and then 20 hours a week in Monterey. It was surprisingly tough to get used to not working. Jon gets sick of me calling him at work to see what he wants for dinner or how his day is going!

How has the decision to put that on hold affected your running?
I miss the structure, but I also make myself get up early and get out the door pretty early for my main run or workouts. I think not working has helped because I did not realize how tired I was all the time, and how little I slept. It is called 'physical' therapy for a reason, and is a lot like manual labor for someone my size. It is also nice to not worry about not having enough vacation days for races.

You've already run so well in the past year, and this season particularly. What are some of your goals for the remainder of 2006 and beyond?
I still want to get my 5k and 10k PRs down. I was hoping to get into a 1,500 for fun, but it don't think I will have time. The ultimate goal is to make the Olympic Marathon team in 2008 and run some fast times in the process.

And on a related note, what are your racing plans in terms of balancing track racing/road racing/marathons? What will you focus on?
I have been focusing on the track to help with the next marathon. I needed to get back some leg speed, work on my form, and above all get a mental break before tackling a fall marathon. Running some PRs this year will give me some more confidence going into the next training phase. I might do one or two road races if they fit into marathon training.

Will you race in Europe this summer?
Yep, finally! I have never been except for cross country Worlds and Helsinki last year. I have heard the crowds are amazing and everyone really runs well, so I am hoping leave with some PRs. I plan to run a 3k, 5k, and 10k over there in July.

Was the 2004 Olympic Trials marathon a turning point for you in any way?
It was a turning point for me in that I realized I was so close, and could be one of the best if I was more focused on running rather than physical therapy. Jon was really supportive and moved across the country to help me pursue my running goals. I love being a PT, but it is a job that will wait for a few years.

Does your training differ significantly, depending on what distance you're training for?
I am definitely more a strength runner, so I hardly ever do anything fast or short on the track. I have to be pretty careful to not overdo it because I have problems with anemia. My training does not vary too much.

What was your post-collegiate running experience like?
I stayed in Chapel Hill, NC and worked part-time while waiting to go to grad school. I trained and was coached by Joan Nesbit, who was my college coach. She really gave me guidance and taught me how to be independent and stubborn. Then I started working with John Goodridge while he was at Wake Forest, because I moved back to Winston-Salem, my hometown. John left to pursue a job in Ann Arbor, so I coached myself for almost two years before the 2000 Trials. After the Trials, my husband and I decided we needed a coach, which is why we moved to Boston to work with Sev.

What advice would you give to someone like you who was coming out of college right now?
My advice would be to stick with the situation that is working for you. If your college coach is willing to help, I would keep the routine and try and learn the ropes for a year or two. Find a mentor, as I did with Joan Nesbit, who I still use today for inspiration and advice. Stay with what is familiar, and don't change your training drastically. If you have the opportunity to get in a club system, I would definitely say 'go for it.' Don't get hung up on racing for money — it will hurt you in the long run.

Finally, as a person in a high-pressure job, how do you keep yourself from being overly nervous every time you line up for a race?
I always tell myself there is no need to be nervous if I am prepared, so I never race unless I am ready to really run. There are very few opportunities for post- collegiate runners, so you have to make every race count. Some nerves are good, though. It means you are truly invested. The time to worry is when you aren't nervous [laughs].