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Catching Up With Tyler Pennel - USATF 10 Mile Championships

Published by
DyeStatPRO.com   Sep 30th 2015, 1:58pm
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Putting in the Work with an Eye on the Trials

By Scott Bush

It’s been a season of working on tactics and speed for ZAP Fitness star Tyler Pennel. The 2014 USATF marathon champion set track personal bests over 1,500m, mile, 5,000m and 10,000m distances between late-March and mid-June and took home two top six finishes at the USATF 20 km and 5 km Championships. Needless to say, the arrow is pointing up for the 2012 Western State graduate.

We caught up with Pennel as he prepares to compete at the USATF 10 Mile Championships this Sunday and discussed his recent training, his eye on the Olympic Marathon Trials, his latest tattoo and so much more.

Follow Tyler: Twitter | Website | USATF Running Circuit Bio

Scott Bush (SB):  The USATF 10 Mile Championships are here. You've run well in your recent races. How's training been of late and what are your expectations heading into the weekend?

Tyler Pennel (TP): Thank you! Training has been going well. I was pretty beat up after the 20km, so I took a while to recover from that. I think I was still a little tired coming into the 5km, but had a good performance. Since getting back to ZAP, I have felt better and better each day. My workouts and long runs have been superb, so I am expecting an excellent race on Sunday.

Also, this fall season has been about getting more race experience, especially against many of the guys who will be in the mix for the Olympic Team in February. Just like the 20km and 5km, I plan to put myself in the mix and run for the win. Minneapolis/St. Paul has been kind to me in the past, so hopefully that magic will continue.

SB:  How does your race approach differ from a 5k to a 10 mile?

TP: Honestly, my race plans do not change much. There are quite a few guys that I raced at the 5km (and 20km) champs who are running the 10 mile, and just like those two, I am going to go there and run with them. With the quality of field that has been brought in, the race will be exciting both to watch and compete in.

SB: How does it feel to come back to the city you performed so well in one year ago, when you won the USATF Marathon Championships?

TP: I am excited to make a return to Minneapolis/St. Paul. I had a great performance a year ago, and I know how the final miles of course run. Beyond knowing the course, the fans and support of Twin Cities in Motion is amazing! They do such a great job putting on the event and make it a great experience for all.

SB:  What did you learn from your debut at the 26.2 mile distance and how come you haven't run another marathon since?

TP: The biggest thing I learned was the importance of taking my easy days easy. Since marathon training is so much more demanding on your body, the days between hard efforts need to be easy. Basically I learned how to listen to the signals my body were sending and actually listening.

Well, by winning Twin Cities last year I qualified to run the 2015 World Championships Marathon, but chose not to. The biggest reason I did not run was that I did not like the thought of running 26.2 miles in the heat, humidity, and mostly pollution of Beijing. To make the Olympic Team, I will need to be 100% healthy. I felt that running the World Champs could set me back, even if it was less than a percent. Also, my coach and I talked about how it would be beneficial to run some faster road races in the fall to prepare and develop some tools for the Marathon Trials.

SB: What does training look like after this weekend's race, as the Olympic Marathon Trials start to come into focus?

TP: After the 10 Mile, I am going to finish my season at the 12km Champs in Alexandria, Virginia. But until then I will run one race, but my coach and I are trying to figure out which one. Once the season ends, it will be all about the Marathon Trials in February!

SB: You've set a number of PRs this year on the track. What, if anything, has allowed you to have such a successful season in 2015?

TP: I think the biggest contributor to a successful track season was the fact that I have been healthy for over 4 years now (knock on wood). Since the beginning of 2011, the only injury I have had was this winter where I had month of little running because of my Achilles. I felt like I have run well every year, even if my PRs did not show it. This was the first track season that I set PRs at everything from a mile to 10,000m. I was just able to put it together all in one season.

SB: Last but not least, you recently got a leaping fox tattoo. What's the story behind the fox?

TP: There is no real backstory, just that I have always been drawn to foxes. I find the mythology behind them fascinating. In western culture, they are often portrayed as cunning and malevolent, but I like the Finnish and Japanese stories. The Finns depict the fox as weaker than both the strong bear and evil wolf, but is able to outsmart them both, displaying intelligence over strength. For the Japanese, the fox is a magical creature possessing great intelligent and wisdom.



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