Blogs : NCAA Division III Blog

Interview: Jimmy O'Brien of Ohio Northern University

(Courtesy of Alison Wade, eliterunning.com)

Last year’s Indoor and Outdoor National Champion in the 800 meters as only a sophomore, Jimmy O’Brien solidified his status as one of the top contenders in that event over the next two years.  Owner of the second fastest time in Division III this year, Jimmie will look to defend his national title at his home track on March 15^th.   Already a sub-1:50 performer, Jimmy recently took some time out to talk about some of his experiences with running and his goals for this year.

Could you tell us a little bit about yourself, like where you're from and how you got started running?

I grew up just outside the town of Pemberville, Ohio which is a little east of Bowling Green. I guess when I think about it, I have always been running. In elementary school I always loved playing games like tag or other games which required running because no one could catch me. I remember winning the 100 yard dash on field day every year, and even running to and from school which was about a half mile away. I never thought of running as a sport though, baseball was my true love.

In 7^th grade I had to decide between playing football and running cross. Since I really wanted to focus on baseball, my dad convinced me that cross country would be better for me. It turned out that I was pretty good and I ended up going out for track in the spring instead of baseball, and I’ve been running ever since.

How do your PRs in high school compare to what you've done so far in college?  More importantly, how has your understanding of training, racing, and running in general evolved?

My PRs in high school were 16:20 for 5k, 4:24 for 1600, 1:52.74 for 800, and 50.2 for the 400. My PRs are now 25:04 for 8k, 3:53 for 1500, 1:49.94 for 800, and 48.49 for 400. In high school I ran very low mileage. I never ran more than 45 mpw during cross, and during track I ran 20-25 mpw, or possibly less. I trained specifically for the 400 and 800 in high school, so I did a lot of speed and quality work, and less emphasis was put on quantity.

Since coming to college I have taken running more seriously. I worked hard in high school, but I’ve taken it to another level at Northern. It’s easy to do when surrounded by teammates and coaches who are very dedicated to the sport. My mileage has increased greatly and I usually get about 70-75 mpw in cross and 60-65 mpw in track.

What drew you to choose Division III, and Ohio Northern University in particular?

Many people have asked me why I didn’t go DI with a PR of 1:52 in the 800. To me, running was important, but academics and finding a college that fit me was more important. First and foremost, I wanted to go into engineering. I also wanted to stay at least somewhat close to home. Finally, I wanted to run for a team with a good program. I looked at some DI schools, but they just didn’t interest me. I also wanted to avoid the mid-major schools because of the recent trend of dropping their track programs like Ohio University just recently did. I liked what Coach Maus was doing at Northern and it was the perfect fit. I have loved every minute I’ve been here, and have no regrets.

You had a breakout season in cross country this year (placing 34^th individually and earning All-American status, whereas last year you finished 257^th); what was your training like this summer and how was it different from past summers?

Like I said earlier, I came from a very low mileage background and didn’t start putting in higher mileage until I came into college. The summer before my sophomore year was the first summer I put in a good amount of miles, and it showed during cross. I went from not even lettering my freshman year to being on varsity and having a breakout race at regionals  where I took 20^th  overall, was our number two man on the team, and was All-Region. However, I went on to run very poorly at nationals. This summer I ran even more miles and got up to a little over 80 mpw. I think this cross season was the first year I truly reaped the benefits of my hard work over the last two summers. I started to run really well at the end of the year when it counted the most. I surprised a lot of people, including myself.

Similarly, what has your training been like since the end of the cross country season?

After cross I took a week off then slowly built back up to about 75 mpw. When practices started I backed off to 60-65 mpw with usually two days a week on the track, and a meet on the weekend.

What are your goals for yourself and your team this season and year?

As a team we are trying to win our first OAC championship since 2000. There is a lot of talent on this team, and I believe we have a good shot at winning. Individually, I would like to defend my championship in the 800 both indoors and outdoors, and I would like to hit the ‘B’ standard for the Olympic Trials outdoors [1:48.50].

(Courtesy of Alison Wade, eliterunning.com)

As the defending indoor and outdoor National Champion in the 800, do you feel like you have a target on your back?  If so, does the fact that Ohio Northern is hosting Nationals add to this?  If not, how has Ohio Northern hosting this year’s Indoor National Championships affected your outlook on Nationals?

I’ll probably be the favorite coming in. Just being the favorite is a lot of pressure, but running at home will probably add to it. That doesn’t bother me a whole lot, though. I tend to run well under pressure and it will be nice that all my friends and family will be able to watch me race and cheer me on.

What is your favorite workout during track and what do you like about it?

We do a workout we call the increasing interval. It starts off going 100 meters, and increasing 10 meters every rep until the last repeat which is 200 meters. It starts off pretty relaxed but it gets faster every repeat until the last 200 which is almost all out, and the rest is pretty short. The last time I did the workout, I ran the last 200 in under 25 seconds. It’s a tough workout, but I love it because it gives me a chance to run fast and train my body to run fast when tired.

Who has been the biggest influence in your life and/or running?

My parents have always been a big influence on me and support me not just in running, but in so many other ways. I’ve also been lucky to always have had great coaching. During high school my cross coach, Coach Morgan, and my track coach, Coach White, really gave me a love for the sport. Now that I’m in college, Coach Maus has really helped me get to that next level. 

What do you like the most about Ohio Northern Cross Track and Field?

It’s definitely the team. They make practice the highlight of every day. It’s just a great atmosphere. We’re all working toward the same goal and always there to support each other. They’re the ones that really make me love this sport.

What's the relationship between the track team and the other athletic teams?  What's the athletic culture like at Ohio Northern?

There’s a healthy respect between the teams. I’ll often see members of other teams and other students at our Friday Night Series meets cheering for us.

How do other students (non-runners) and professors at your school view the track team and its members?

There are quite a few students and professors who keep track of how we’re doing. Many professors will ask me what I’m running at an upcoming meet or how I ran at a previous meet. Sometimes random people I don’t even know will congratulate me on a race from the previous Friday Night Series meet.

Can you pick one passage from Once a Runner and tell us how you identify with it as a runner?

I always liked the passage on demons. I’m not too sure there are actually demons in me that I let loose when racing, but that passage always made me want to jump into a race and hammer it as hard as I could.

Do you follow running at the collegiate or professional levels at all?  Would you care to confess to what extent you lurk on Letsrun.com or other message boards?

I follow running at the professional level pretty closely, especially in the middle distance. I like to keep close tabs on recent DIII graduates such as Nick Symmonds and Will Leer, who both ran well at the USATF Indoor Nationals just recently. I get on letsrun and other sites like trackshark fairly often, but I very rarely post. I mostly like the news and the entertainment factor.

Do you have an online running log you’d be willing to share?

I use the best running log on the internet, running2win.com. The following link will take you to my log:

http://www.running2win.com/community/public-log.asp?m=running+is+fun&k=trackshark

Are there any other closing thoughts or pieces of wisdom you'd like to share?

I guess I would just say to remember to have fun with running. It’s easy to get caught up in times, and filling calendars with miles and we sometimes forget the reason we run is because we enjoy it.

Thanks Nathan and Jossi for the interview, and this great blog!

Thanks to Jimmy for a fantastic interview.