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American Milers Club Interview with Daniel ClarkPublished by
Daniel continued training on his own during the 2011 and 2012 seasons. Heading into the 2012 season, Daniel had set the goal for himself to qualify for the 2012 London Olympic Trials. His training would hit multiple unfortunate rough patches between late 2011 and into the early 2012 outdoor season. Daniel was able to get healthy just in time to make a serious run at the Olympic Trials "A" Standard of 3:39.00. Ultimately Daniel would get his final chance at the June 13th American Milers Club Meet. Clark raced smart, positioning himself around fifth place through the majority of the race. Still fifth with 100 meters to go, Clark would summon a monster kick to get the win in his section, and defeat 2012 NCAA Champ Andy Bayer of Indiana. Clark's finishing time of 3:39.11 was just off the "A" Standard but would get him into the Olympic Trials. Daniel raced well in the trials, and was the unfortunate "fastest man left out" of the final, finishing 13th overall. Below, Daniel talks about his buildup to the trials and his dream come true. 1. Could you start out by telling us a little bit about your build up prior to the series and how your outdoor season in 2012 panned out leading up to your big P.R. and your qualifying for the Olympic Trials? My buildup to the 2012 season was anything but ideal. I remember St. Patrick’s Day coming around and I had yet to have any consistent or healthy training since Thanksgiving. Thankfully, I stayed the course and things finally turned around. The beginning of April I was gradually able to start hitting decent track sessions; with the lack of base I kept the focus on quality over quantity. 2. Looking back at results, you appear to be someone who has excelled in the series, posting multiple personal bests in the mile and 1500 events. What does the series provide you that allows you to consistently perform at that level? The timing and management of the series enables it to assemble some of the best runners across the country. Quality fields with similar goals makes the AMC a great environment to get the best out of your fitness. 3. Can you tell us a little about what your specific expectations and goals were going into the race when you earned your U.S. Olympic Trials qualifying mark in 2012 of 3:39.11 on June 13th? Heading into the AMC race last June I was hitting my stride in races and workouts. I had run two pb’s in the three weeks leading up to that race. It was do or die time to qualify for the trials. The goal was to run the trials auto standard of 3:39.0. While that wasn’t accomplished, my time ended up securing me a spot on the start line in Eugene! 4. How is your current training going? I’m still training and last fall started training with the Very Nice Track Club. We're a great group of focused runners supported by The Running Institute in Ann Arbor, MI. Ron Warhurst is my coach, and the genius behind the operation. He is an unbelievable coach and person, and knows how to push runners to do workouts they never thought they could. While the transition from writing my own workouts to being coached by a legend has required an adjustment period, I’ve come a long way from the fall and am responding well to the workload. My mileage has increased considerably and has provided the strongest aerobic base I’ve ever had leading into a track season. 5. Can we expect to see you at the AMC series again in the future? What does your race schedule this season look like? Yes, I've had the AMC series dates starred on my calendar since they were released. Currently, I am planning to race at two of the AMC meets in June. They’re perfect opportunities to tune up for USATFs. Beyond that I’ll toe the line a couple of times in May, where and when is still being determined. Thanks, Daniel and good luck with your 2013 campaign! More news |
Daniel Clark