GREENSBORO, N.C. – Senior
Colin Alexander of the UNC Greensboro (UNCG) men's track & field team recently rewrote the record books.
On Friday, April 15, Alexander took on the outdoor mile with one goal in mind – to break the school record.
The school record that was once held by two-time Olympic medalist Paul Chelimo on March 22, 2013 at the HPU VertKlasse Meeting is erased following Alexander's career-best time at the Dennis Craddock Coaches Classic in Lynchburg, Virginia.
Alexander's time of 4:07.15 was just under a second different from Chelimo's 4:08.06. The Southern Pines, North Carolina native finished third overall out of 12 competitors.
We caught up with Alexander about the moment --
What were your intentions going into last weekend's race?
My intentions were to break the record. It was a record I had been eyeing since freshman year. We had only gotten word that the Lynchburg meet directors were offering a full mile a week prior so I was fortunate that I would be given a chance to go for it. But at the very least we were looking for a time under 4:10.
What was your training like heading into the race?
My body doesn't recover particularly well from doing long threshold work like most of the guys, so to keep my legs fresh, we stayed short and fast for the workout that week. Starting with a 200m rep at about 29-seconds and slowly increasing the distance and speed until we reached 300 meters at about 38 to 39 seconds. But throughout the season I've been pretty lucky with no injuries which have allowed my training to stay consistent, that's something that I've had trouble with in the past.
Do you do anything special before racing, superstitions, or traditions?
No, I'm not a fan of superstitions or traditions before racing. I think I did have small things when I was younger like wearing the right socks or listening to specific songs. But, I found that they stressed me out because then the power to do well or poorly wasn't in my own hands. So now I just focus on being confident in my ability and preparation on race day.
Can you as briefly explain the mindset of the mile?
The mile has a very special place in the hearts of American middle-distance runners. It's really a treat to get to compete in the event outdoors as the 1500-meters has replaced it almost entirely. As a runner, you can feel the excitement on the track when the mile gets run. It's an event that doesn't require you to be a die-hard track & field fan to understand. You pretty much just have to be American and have grown up in the US education system.
How did you feel while racing, and did you know you broke the record post-race?
The pace felt surprisingly easy through 1200 meters (3 laps). Lynchburg did a good job of advertising the mile event and people turned out for it. The backstretch was practically deafening with people shouting so loud which definitely provided some adrenaline. When I glanced at the clock in the last few meters of the race, I saw 4:04 so I knew I would be around 4:06-4:07 when I finished.
I saw the team run up to you post-race, what was that like and what did it make you feel?
Well, my immediate reaction was that I was going to suffocate since I was already breathing so hard. But once I caught my breath, I was able to take it in and appreciate them for their excitement.
Do you have a goal for the remainder of the season? If so, what is that goal?
Yes. The Southern Conference Championship is still ahead of us. A strong placing in the SoCon 1500-meters is still the primary goal of the season. Another goal is running a 1500-meter as close to 3:45 as possible, which I plan on shooting for at a late season meet I have planned for in Tennessee.
With a lot of personal bests from this team over the past couple of meets, what has been the key to this outdoor season?
Improvement in distance running can take a tremendous amount of time. It's not something you can just drill and practice for a few months and all of a sudden see massive amounts of improvement. For me personally, it has been working towards getting stronger aerobically. I've worked with the coaches since about December to stay in touch with threshold work. But even before that, I made a commitment over a year ago to simply push my weekly mileage up past 70 miles a week and I believe I'm really starting to see a lot of the benefits from that decision. Maturity and discipline have played a large role when it comes to the overall team's performance. People are taking training and recovery much more seriously than they have in years past and I think that sets a really good example for the freshman on the team as to what lifestyle you have to live just to succeed in this sport. Friday was a really great way to showcase a lot of the work we've put in as a team. And I know just from listening to the guys on everyday runs that everybody is really excited for the remainder of the season.
Alexander and the rest of the men's team and the women's team are preparing for the SoCon Outdoor Track & Field Championships. The championships will be held this weekend, from Saturday, April 30 to Sunday, May 1 in Birmingham, Alabama at the Shauna Yelton Field, hosted by Samford.
