Photo by Running Guru
You ran at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley. That program isn’t on the radar of most of our readers. Tell us about your track and cross country experiences there? How good were you, how good is the program, and where did you race?
It is very understandable as to why most people have not heard about the University of Northern Colorado’s men’s distance program, simply because there barely has been a program. My first refracted emotion is frustration. I was recruited my senior year of high school from a few D2 Colorado programs and chose UNC for various factors other than running. The first month of freshman year, my head track & field coach was fired for NCAA violations. The coaching was unstable for my freshman and sophomore years due to the fact that UNC was in transition from a D2 to a D1 program. I had nine different coaches throughout that time period. I was able to drop my 5K PR by almost two and half minutes from high school. My junior year we received a decent coach, we were finally D1, and the university added men’s cross country for the first time in 23 years. At our first NCAA Conference Championships, I led the team to a 13th place finish in 25:00 for 8K.
I overtrained that winter, began to biomechanically breakdown, and sat on the sidelines for track. As I was making my comeback for my senior year cross season, our coach left the program. We were again left to coach ourselves. Problems arose within the program because of our head coach’s numerous decisions, which resulted in 17 athletes quitting the team.
The former men’s distance program formed a track club called NoCo TC. We competed unattached at various meets throughout the country. Meanwhile, UNC hired a replacement distance coach, only to fire him during the middle, yes, middle of the track season. Recently the Athletic Director has fired the head track & field/cross country coach.
I returned for a 5th year to run under the direction of volunteer coach John Gutierrez, who is the current distance coach. He is a very knowledgeable coach that is now leading the program towards a positive direction. With the talent that he has, the distance team has since gained huge improvements in time and secured placing at conference meets.
Why don’t you have a sponsor? You’re always a podium finisher up there with Boulder Running Company, Boulder Express, Runner’s Roost, and more sponsored athletes. Have you tried to seek out a sponsorship with one of the local store teams? If not, why do you choose to race unattached?
Back in December of ’09, I raced unattached at XXX. I beat several members of…team. I contacted its head coach…twice by e-mail. No response. I called…to verify…e-mail address. Over an 8 month period, I sent…four more e-mails detailing my improvements. No reply each time. As a result, I now have a very negative view of XXX. I chose not to join other running store sponsors after hearing about all of the strings attached from sponsored athletes. My personal records have continued to drop since college. The bottom line goal is to run fast, place high, and then the sponsorships eventually come.
At UNC, you earned degrees in Biology and Exercise Science. Medical school plans aside, you’ve put a career on hold for the near-term while trying to chase some PRs. Do you feel pressure from society to give up the dream and start a 9-5 career?
In short, it depends on who I am talking to. Some inspire me to continue forward with running, others deter me away. For now, I am working two part-time jobs, doing post baccalaureate coursework, and volunteer at a few different sites.
What is the dream? How fast do you hope to get?
I tend to dream really big, however I have a very rational consciousness which keeps me realistic. My short term goal is to qualify for the Olympic trials marathon. My short term dream is to achieve a top 10 placing at the Trials.
Not just racing without a sponsor, you train without a coach and only with a couple of has-beens trying to hang on to some fitness. What is your basic training, in terms of weekly mileage and key workouts?
First, I have a bachelor’s degree in Sports & Exercise Science along with 10 years of running experience to back it up. At the level I am currently at, I am confident in self-coaching. When the time is right, I will enjoy developing an athlete-coach relationship. Thus far, I had 14 different coaches. Each of them has had an impact on my training mind. I have taken a few concepts from a vast amount of sources and blended them into my current training program. My plan focuses on short, mid, and long term development. In preparation for the marathon, I get the mileage into the low 100s; however my yearly average is in the low 80s.
What’s still on the calendar for you this year?
Georgetown to Idaho Springs Half, Chicago Marathon...the big three for me remaining this year are Georgetown to Idaho Springs Half Marathon, Quad Cities Half Marathon, and the Chicago Marathon. Peppered in there will be numerous Colorado road races such as USATF Colorado 10K Championships.
Charles will compete at the USATF Colorado State 10K Championships this weekend in Evergreen. While he knows that the marathon is a different animal, his 5K PR of 14:37 equates to 2:22 for the marathon per the McMillan Running Calculator, which is within range of the Olympic trials 2:19 standard. Good luck to Charles as he chases his dream and hits future PRs!
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