Carrie interviews 4-time Olympian Abdi Abdirahman! He chats about starting a new training group with Mo Farah, training for the Boston Marathon, and much more.
Show notes for this episode can be found at ctollerun.com.
Abdi Abdirahman
Abdi Abdirahman is a Somali-born American distance runner. Abdi competed in the 2000, 2004 and 2008 Olympics in the 10,000m, and was on the 2012 US Olympic Marathon marathon team. Abdi also has four U.S. 10,000m titles. Abdi and his girlfriend, professional runner Diane Nukuri, live and train in Arizona.
Carrie interviews 2-time Olympian Desiree Linden! Desi chats about training for the 2018 Boston Marathon, new teammates with the Hansons Brooks Distance Project, writing her own workouts and developing mental toughness.
Show notes for this episode can be found at ctollerun.com.
Desiree Linden
Two-time U.S. Olympic Marathoner Desiree Linden finished 7th at the Rio Olympic Games. She is a native of San Diego suburb Chula Vista, California. Linden earned All-American honors in both cross country and track during her tenure at Arizona State University before joining the Hansons Brooks Distance Project in Rochester, Michigan. Desiree wowed the marathon world with her near win at the 2011 Boston Marathon. Her second place finish, an incredible 2:22:38, set an all-time U.S. record on the Boston course (since broken) and made her the third fastest American ever. She was named USA Track & Field’s Athlete of the Week for her performance. In 2015, Desiree participated at the Boston Marathon which featured a strong international field and the top three US marathoners. She finished as top American and held on for a strong 4th place finish, less than 45 seconds from the win. She bested two former Boston champions, a Berlin and Rotterdam Marathon champion, and the World Junior Record holder. In the summer of 2015, Desiree earned the Pan-Am Games Silver Medal in the 10,000 meter race. In early 2016 she finished 2nd at the US Olympic Marathon Trials in LA, she followed that up with a runner-up performance at the US Half Marathon Championships before heading to the Rio Olympic Games. Other career highlights include earning her spot on the US Olympic Team at the 2012 London Summer Games with a runner up performance at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials (2:25:55), a runner up performance at the 2013 US Half Marathon Championships, 11th at the 2009 Marathon World Championships (2:27:53) and multiple top five performances at four of the six World Marathon Majors: her Boston runner-up in 2011, 2nd at the 2010 Chicago Marathon (2:26:20), a 4th at the 2017 Boston Marathon, and 5th place showings at the 2008 Chicago Marathon (2:31:33), 2013 Berlin Marathon (2:29:15) and blustery conditions at the 2014 NYC Marathon (2:28:11) where she was the top American. Earlier in 2014, she clocked an impressive 2:23:54 in Boston. Desiree graduated from Hilltop High School in Chula Vista in 2001 and studied psychology at Arizona State University. A self proclaimed bacon aficionado, her hobbies include writing, collecting assorted whiskeys, coffee drinking, throwing out first pitches at Major League ballgames, relaxing with her dog Atlas, listening to good music and outrunning her husband, fellow marathoner, budding triathlete and Kona veteran, Ryan.
Carrie interviews Boston Marathon Race Director, Dave McGillivray! Dave discusses running his first Boston Marathon, the depth of the 2018 elite field, running the World Marathon Challenge and much more.
Show notes for this episode can be found at ctollerun.com.
Dave McGillivray
Dave McGillivray, Race Director of the B.A.A. Boston Marathon, the B.A.A. Half Marathon, the B.A.A. 5K and the B.A.A. 10K, manages and oversees all operational and logistical aspects of these world-class events. He also directed the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Women’s Marathon in Boston. In 1996, Dave established himself as one of the world’s premier race directors with his successful coordination of the 100th Boston Marathon, which attracted a field size of nearly 40,000 participants, the largest in B.A.A. history. Dave is President of Dave McGillivray Sports Enterprises (DMSE), Inc., an event management company which creates, markets, and produces mass-participatory athletic events throughout the U.S. DMSE directed the U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Women’s Marathon in 2004, the 1990 ITU Triathlon World Championship, and consulted on the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games. DMSE also directs the TD Beach to Beacon 10K, the New Balance Falmouth Road Race, and the Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk, as well as numerous other world-class events. Athletically, Dave first gained national prominence in 1978 when he ran across the U.S. to raise money for the Jimmy Fund. In 2004, he ran cross-country again as part of a relay team event called TREK USA, which he founded. Dave has run 144 marathons including 43 consecutive Boston Marathons, completed 9 Hawaii Ironman Triathlons, run up the East Coast of the U.S., run for 24 hours, biked for 24 hours, and swam for 24 hours – all to raise money for numerous worthwhile causes. In 2003, the DMSE Children’s Fitness Foundation was established with a focus on funding nonprofit organizations that use running as a vehicle to promote physical fitness in children. In 2005, Dave was inducted into Running USA’s Hall of Champions. Among other recognitions he has received are Competitor magazine’s Lifetime Achievement Award for more than 30 years of service to the sport of road racing and triathlons. In 2000, he was named Race Director of the Year by the running industry’s Road Race Management, Inc., and in 2007 Runner’s World named him one of their Heroes of Running. In 2011, he was inducted into the USA Triathlon Hall of Fame, and a year ago he was awarded the Road Race Management Lifetime Achievement Award. Dave resides in North Andover, Massachusetts, with wife Katie. He has five children: Ryan, Max, Elle, Luke, and Chloe.
Carrie interviews Bernard 'Kip' Lagat! He chat's about competing in the upcoming World Half Marathon Championships, the importance of his training partners, and he shares some of his favorite memories of the sport.
Show notes for this episode can be found at ctollerun.com.
Bernard Lagat
Bernard Lagat is a Kenyan American middle distance runner. He attended Washington State University as a Kenyan citizen. While a Kenyan, he won the bronze medal at the 2000 Olympics and the silver medal at the 2004 Olympics at 1500 meters. His 1500-meter personal best of 3:26.34 is the Kenyan record. He became a US citizen and represented the US at the Olympic Games in 2008, 2012 and 2016. Bernard is an 11-time world championship medalist and holds numerous American records and World masters records. He is married to Gladys Tom and they have two kids.
Carrie interviews Olympian Andrew Wheating! Andrew talks about his decision to retire from professional running, his family, favorite memories from the Olympics, and his future plans.
Andrew Wheating
Andrew Wheating is from Norwich, Vermont. He ran for the University of Oregon Ducks from 2006-2010 where he won 3 individual NCAA championships (2x800, 1500) as well as 2 relay team NCAA championships (Indoor DMR). In 2008, at the age of 20, he qualified for the Beijing Olympic Games. He signed a professional contract with Nike where he went on to compete in the 2012 London Olympic Games (1500m). After running professionally for 7 years he opted for retirement in January of 2018. A lesser known achievement is that he has eaten 24 Reese's Cups in one sitting, some say he didn't have the stomach for twenty-five.