RunMichigan: How did you feel at the 2001 New York City Marathon when you knew you had qualified for the 2004 Olympic Trials Marathon?

Monica: I had mixed feelings about my NYC performance.  I had hoped to run faster than 2:40 (the trials A standard), and I'd fallen short of that.  But, I finished in the top 5, which was another goal going in, so that made the race feel like more of a success.  And, of course it was a relief to be qualified for the trials at such an early date.


RunMichigan: How does it feel to be running in your first Olympic Trials Marathon?

Monica: I'm definitely looking forward to the chance to run against such a talented field of women.  The race will be a great experience for me to take to the 2008 trials.


RunMichigan: What is your goal for the Olympic Trials Marathon race?

Monica: I hope to run a PR and to leave St. Louis knowing that I did everything possible to accomplish that goal.


RunMichigan: Since you were recovering from an injury during December and January, what type of training did you do to stay in shape? How did you stay mentally focused when you weren’t able to run?

Monica: I spent most of Dec. and Jan. cross training.  Luckily, Lifetime Fitness has given free memberships to our whole team, so I could always get on an elliptical.  Dave Martorano at the YMCA also gave me a pass so that I could aqua jog out there for those couple of months.  As tired of cross training as I got, it wasn't that hard to stay focused since I knew it was my only hope for being fit at the trials.  After the first couple of weeks, you just kind of get used to it and accept is as what you do every day without really thinking about it.


RunMichigan: How will use your previous experience from running on two World Half-Marathon teams to help with the Olympic trials race?

Monica: I think international competition helps with the intimidation factor.  You learn that you can compete with some of the best runners in the world, and you realize that you can make it through some really big-deal-events.  And, if you're able to handle these things when you're overseas, it should be easy to compete in the familiarity of your own country.


RunMichigan: How long have you been with the Hansons-Brooks Olympic Development Program? How has the training environment helped you prepare for the Olympic Trials?

Monica: I joined the team in August, and I really can't say enough good things about the program here.  I feel very lucky to be a part of it all, b/c I don't think there is a better setup anywhere.  Everything here is centered around running, and it's all so convenient.  Our team doctor, Dr. Rifat, sees us for free.  Ormsbee Chiropractic also works on us and gives us stim and ultra sound for free.  A physical therapy office in town, MIHP, works with us free of charge.  We don't have to think about asking off work for races, b/c Kevin's wife makes our schedules and basically acts as our travel agent.  We get to work in the stores and get free health insurance.  Brooks provides us with gear and performance incentives.  And, of course, just living in a house with runners who share your pain makes it a lot easier to put the miles in.  Everybody just does the work and pushes each other.  I know that I've done workouts with the group that I could have never done alone.


RunMichigan: Since you haven’t raced the Olympic Trials course, what have you learned about the course and how will you use this knowledge to help on race day?

Monica: I don't know a whole lot about the course, but I do know it's a 3 1/2 loop route.  Since the second half will obviously be pretty identical to the first, I know I should plan to run negative splits.  Kevin and Keith have convinced me that that's the only way to run your best marathon.


RunMichigan: Since you now have less then four weeks until the Olympic Trials Marathon, what type of training will you do these last few weeks to prepare for the Trials?

Monica: This is our last really hard week of training.  AFter 2 pretty substantial workouts this week and an 18-miler on Sunday, we start to back off a bit.  Our mileage will still be relatively high for another week, but the intensity will decrease.


RunMichigan: After a successful College running career, why did you decide to focus on the Marathon? How many Marathons have you run and how will you use this experience for the trials race?

Monica: I've always known that endurance, not speed, is my strength, so moving up to the marathon distance was kind of a no-brainer for me.  I love marathon training b/c I enjoy the more strength-oriented workouts.  I ran my first marathon (Long Beach) six months after completing my collegiate eligibility.  A year later, I ran NYC.  Both races were great experiences, so I'm glad to have two positive memories to take into this race.  It gives me confidence that this, too, will go well for me.


RunMichigan: What do you do to relax from running?

Monica: I'm pretty boring, b/c I'm usually too tired to do anything that requires leaving the house.   I enjoy just hanging out with my exciting roommates.  Leigh has us hooked on all the reality shows.  I also sometimes enjoy cooking or finding a random project to work on.  Oh, and I'm never too tired to leave the house if the trip involves ice cream.


RunMichigan: What is your favorite workout and why?

Monica: I don't really have one favorite workout, but I prefer the longer stuff.  That's one great thing about the Hanson-Brooks program--we do a variety of workouts, but an interval here is rarely less than 2 miles long.


RunMichigan: Where is your favorite place to run in Rochester? And what do you like most about Michigan?

Monica: I enjoy running on flat, soft paint creek, and I really like Bloomer park for an easy afternoon run.  Some of the dirt road loops are really pretty too, especially in the fall.  The best thing about Michigan is just being a part of this program and getting to live in the Driftwood House.


RunMichigan: Where is a great place to run in Bloomington? And what do you
like most about Indiana?

Monica: I had a lot of random road loops that I liked in Bloomington.  It's a beautiful town with lots of cute houses and neighborhoods.  I also went out to the rail trail sometimes, if I wanted to get on a flat, soft surface.  The best thing about Bloomington is just the diversity of the small town.  There is a lot to do there.