1) What was your own athletic experience? What sports did you play? Proudest achievements?
I ran XC and track in both high school and college, and was Captain of all four. I had many big moments and have cherished race results. I try hard not to rank them. After college, I ran 25 marathons, including 10 Bostons, several New Yorks, and Philadelphias. and broke 2:30 five times. After my serious running days at about 32 years old, I took up high altitude mountaineering and made 2 trips to Nepal, 1 to Chile, and 3 to Switzerland. All fantastic experiences and collectively all of this made me what I am today.
I wanted to get a Ph D, but I needed to work a couple of years to save money. I got a job teaching high school biology and coaching distance runners. I am now at 42 years old, instead of just two. I lucked out big time getting into a school like Stillwater. It is a destination teaching/coaching job, and I was merely in the right place at the right time.
3) What are some of your proudest memories and accomplishments as the Stillwater cross country and track and field coach?
Again, I try hard not to rank things. Despite winning 13 state team titles, I might say winning my first conference title was the most exciting. As the years and titles wore on, I felt relief much more often than I felt joy. Before NXN, the "national champions" were named by Marc Bloom at The Harrier. Our 1997 team that stayed as the top-ranked team in the country all season was most gratifying, but at times, that season was stormy, too. The four or five years that our team was pretty average were the easiest and least stressful to coach.
4) From your early years in coaching to now, what do you feel has changed the most for you as a coach?
There is no substitute for knowledge, experience, and wisdom. Nothing else comes close. My training schemes have evolved, and my coaching style has changed with the times. If a coach does not change as society changes, you are dead in the water eventually. My biggest change was the mindset of moving on from coaching the sport to coaching people. For most coaches, that usually occurs around years 7 or 8.
Being involved with USATF changed my life. I started by simply trying to gain more knowledge through attending a level 1 and 2 school as a student. Soon, I was asked to be an instructor. From there, I liked being in the room when important decisions were made. I then moved to chief endurance curriculum writer, which frequently put me in the labs of great scientists and at practices with notable coaches. Bloom outlined it in his taxonomy diagram. You become really knowledgeable when you teach and write. As I was doing all of this, my own teams were getting so much better, so I had plenty of reasons to continue. I like presenting scientific information to coaches. I seldom, if ever, present the Stillwater Training Model. My role is what and why. I will leave how and when to others.
6) Comparing your cross country and track and field training programs, what changes the most for your runners between the two sports? Or is it very similar?
Not similar at all. I train for the events of the season. In XC, I train to the demands of the 5K profile. In the spring, I train to the demands of the 800/1600 profile. Then it takes me all summer to transition from middle distance to distance. Sure, my kids are racing the 3200 in the spring, but it's the case of a miler stepping up.
7) What are the key components to being a successful distance runner?
I have had 4 really good distance runners. All have raced internationally for the U.S. in global championships. Our most successful being Ben Blankenship, 8th in the 1500 at the 2016 Olympics. I have had hundreds of other distance runners who have stated they want to be like Luke, Sean, Ana, or Ben. I give them the list of 10-15 things that they did to be really great, including so many lifestyle issues. They usually look at the list and walk away. It seldom comes up again from them.
They follow the "God Theory". That is, they lock on to the training of a successful coach that they have heard about or met, and follow what they do completely with little adaptation to their situation or athletes. The coach they view as God can do no wrong or say anything that is inaccurate. Following some other coach is fine to a point, but more importantly, understand the science. Instead of buying a training book, buy an exercise physiology textbook and figure out what you are doing.
9) We have been fortunate to be part of an amazing group of coaches on the Monday Night Zoom calls. What have you enjoyed the most about those calls?
The fantastic mix of training ideas, personal anecdotes, and general sport topics. The very "best" thing about COVID-19 was the Zoom calls that organically sprouted up among some really great coaches, both young and old. Every successful coach has an ego, or you would not ever get there, but on these calls, ego is never in evidence because whatever somebody has done, another has done better. A really good mix of ideas, and I have learned a ton. Some of which have become a part of Level 2 and 3 discussions in our schools and assignments because I deeply understand what successful coaches are thinking.
10) If you could change anything about the high school distance scene, what would you change? Any rule changes?
I absolutely love our Minnesota racing restrictions. It is a great rule, and not just because I am used to it. A high school runner must only be able to run 2 races longer than 400 meters in a track meet, including state. This prevents over-racing, which is the biggest problem in high school, and it creates opportunity for others.
Be patient....it takes a long time to achieve top-end success that is sustainable. It is a pyramid of time structure of building, not a straight line course of building. Go to USATF Level 1, 2, and 3 schools. Master your craft.
12) Anything else you would like to add?
We love you, Albert.
Thank you very much for your time, Scott. AJC
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