Jan 29, 2004
Terrance Shea- Olympic Mens Marathon Trials Views- 335

Birmingham, AL - RunMichigan was able to talk with Terrance Shea the Bucknell University alumni. The Bioinformatics Associate qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials by running 2:21:51 at the 2003 Chicago Marathon. Terrance just moved in January from Boston to Rochester, Michigan to join the Hansons-Brooks Olympic Development Project. He will be heading to Birmingham, AL to try an earn a spot on the 2004 U.S. Marathon Olympic team.

RunMichigan: Congratulations on your finish at the HP Half-Marathon and what was the goal for the HP Houston Half-Marathon?

Terrance: The Halliburton Half-Marathon in Houston fell near the end of a considerable workload phase. The plan, then, was to run goal marathon pace. For me, this was 5:15-5:16 (2:18 marathon) pace, and the race developed as expected. After a slow start (5:25 first mile) I was able to pick things up and reach the 5:15 average, until the last mile when I ran a 5:02 to finish in 68:39.

RunMichigan: What were your thoughts in Chicago when you saw the clock under 2:22 as you crossed the line and you knew you had qualified for the Olympic Trials Marathon?

Terrance: Being so close to the standard coming across the line, it took me a few seconds to realize I was actually under. Once I convinced myself that my own watch as well as the race clock were correct, the first feeling was one of personal satisfaction: to finally know that my training methods the previous few years worked, that my confidence of my fitness was justified, and to know that I could execute a marathon race (almost) exactly as planned.

RunMichigan: How many Marathons have you run now and how will you use this knowledge to help at the Olympic Trials Marathon?

Terrance: I have raced 6 marathons (I do not include two others that I simply used as long runs) and I finally feel that I am getting to know the race fairly well. More than anything, I have learned that relaxation is critical. In a race of such length and time, any number of things can happen and one will encounter both good patches as well as bad. Patience and poise are important, to not freak out about little things, and conserve as much mental energy as possible for when it is truly required during the later stages of the race.

RunMichigan: What type of training have you been doing since Chicago to prepare for the trials race on Feb 7th?

Terrance: My training is somewhat similar to pre-Chicago training with slightly more mileage and without really cutting back on volume at all. My mileage has averaged about 125 with a range of 111 to 154 miles per week. My training did not change too much upon joining the Hansons-Brooks group just before the new year: Sunday long run of 20 to 23 miles, workouts on Tuesday and Thursday, and a Friday medium long run usually of 16 miles. The workouts are usually strength based - either tempo runs or long intervals at or slightly faster than goal marathon pace.

RunMichigan: Have you been to Birmingham, AL before and what have you learned about the Olympic Trials Marathon course and how will you use that knowledge to help on race day?

Terrance: This is my first time to Birmingham. So far, I have only learned about the logistics of the course (a point to point first 8-9 miles leading into a 3 lap loop) but we will see the whole course during our stay here prior to the race. As for the 3-lap layout, the biggest advantage will be that our large group size (9 men from the team racing) will mean a very large and vocal support crowd, heard numerous times.

RunMichigan: What is your goal for the Olympic Trials Marathon race?

Terrance: My training over these past 12 weeks point towards a fitness level of 2:18. I therefore plan to run steady 5:15s, and I expect to move gradually up through the field, especially during the second half of the race.

RunMichigan: What made you move to Michigan and join the Hansons-Brooks ODP?

Terrance: Let me answer this in a round-about fashion. I have followed the progress and success of the program pretty much since it began and over the past year became convinced that this group was really doing things right in terms of developing runners with a clear plan and the proper focus. My girlfriend, Carly Graytock, shared these same feelings and was looking forward to the eventual creation of the women's program. When the women's team came about and Carly joined in October, I saw myself eventually moving from Boston, possibly in the spring of 2004. In December, I became aware that a move to Rochester would allow for me to join the men's program. I was thrilled to receive an invitation and right then quickly made arrangements to move to Michigan as quickly as possible. Given a chance to join such a successful program and to become the best runner I could be, particularly with the Olympic Trials looming somewhat closely, well, I wanted that to start as soon as possible. The Christmas week spent in my hometown, Altoona, Pennsylvania, allowed for a great transition into the program prior to arriving. I met up with Brian Sell, also originally from that area, for some great training.

RunMichigan: Since you have only been in Michigan a short time do you have any favorite places to run yet or least favorite? Other then the snow, what do you like most about Michigan?

Terrance: I am really psyched to have more access to soft running surfaces in the form of trails and dirt roads, particularly when they are accessible out the door of the apartment (as opposed to having to get in a car to reach them) My favorite runs have gone through the Stony Creek and Sheldon Estate trails. My least favorite runs occur when snow forces us off the trails onto the concrete roads or sidewalks.

RunMichigan: Is the weather better or worse here in Michigan then it is in Boston?

Terrance: Michigan is better, for sure. A low point of my training occurred the second weekend in December, when Boston received a 30 inch snowfall. I was hoping the winter weather would come late in order to get in good training leading up to the Trials. From what I have seen so far, temperatures and sometimes biting wind are similar between the two but our location in Michigan gets much less snow. But what makes the conditions infinitely better than in Boston is the group of guys to share in the challenges day in and day out. First off, motivation is not a problem when other guys have to go through the exact same thing. Also, there is the matter of measuring effort. There have been two workouts that weather has made nearly impossible to hit the target pace, but at least there are other guys to have a measure of the effort that we are each putting out.

RunMichigan: While you were in Boston how did you find enough time to get the proper training to qualify for the trials while also working?

Terrance: First off, I think that if one is motivated enough he or she will find time to run the proper mileage. I was fortunate to live within a reasonable distance to work and to have locker room access on site, so that I could run as a form of commuting. Most days I would wake up and do my first run ending at work and the second run leaving work and ending at home. Time saved on commuting meant extra time to take care of other things such as stretching, and most importantly, get a full night of sleep.

RunMichigan: Where are some great places to run in Boston?

Terrance: My favorite place to run in the Boston area is the Lincoln Woods near Walden pond. The trails are fantastic. This summer a group of guys from various clubs would meet each Thursday evening, and I would often go back on Sunday for long runs with guys from my club (BAA) and/or the Reebok Boston group. Other good places to run are along the Charles River as well as the Boston Marathon course, particularly the stretch from the Newton Hills into Cleveland Circle.