Deatherage: "I needed to get my head back in the game."

When DtB last talked to Jenelle Deatherage, HERE, it was on the heels of her 8th place finish at the 2007 USA Outdoor Championships in Indianapolis. She was trying to find some answers in frustrating season that had challenged her confidence.

What a difference seven months can make!

Yesterday, we heard from to the former University of Wisconsin star again. This time as the Reebok Boston Indoor Games champion in the mile, a laurel she surprisingly won over the weekend. Deatherage (pictured winning in Boston), formerly of Team USA Minnesota, told us about last season, the changes she needed to make, and how she is training now.

DtB: Were you surprised by your run on Saturday? Did you have indications from your training that you were ready for a fast one?

Deatherage: My training has been going well and I was hoping to finish near the top but yes I was surprised. It's so early in the season that you just never really know what to expect.

DtB: We know 2007 wasn't a banner year for you. How difficult was it for you?

Deatherage: I don't know, I guess looking back it wasn't that it was difficult, just more of a turning point. I realized that I needed to make some changes if I wanted to be serious about making the Olympic team. I needed to get my head back in the game.

DtB: What do you think has changed for the better for you now?

Deatherage: Honestly, my attitude. I turned 30 last September and really thought to myself "wow, you don't have a lot of time left in this sport you'd better make the most of it".

DtB: We saw in some of post-race coverage that you credited both your former coach Dennis Barker and your current coach Juli Henner for your success at Boston. What has each of them offered that was helpful to you?

Deatherage: I have been INCREDIBLY lucky throughout my running career to have worked with some of the very best coaches in the country. They all have their strengths just as the athletes do. I think that Dennis is an unbelievable motivator. He really helped me to dream big and to realize that anything is possible. Juli is really passionate about the sport as well and brings personal experience with racing my event. Most importantly they are both good people who genuinely care about their athletes.

DtB: What exactly is your coaching/training situation like right now? Are you training alone mostly? How do you and Juli communicate?

Deatherage: We communicate by phone and e-mail. I was out in DC in the fall to learn some drills and to get a personal feel for the program. I'll probably go out there again a few times in the spring. For now, I do all of my hard workouts on my own and try to meet up with the Team USA girls as much as possible for easy runs.

It's not an ideal situation but moving wasn't really an option. My husband and I LOVE the Twin Cities. We have such great friends here and are both really happy with our jobs. I'm proud to call myself part of this amazing local running community! Where else do you see tons of people out for a long run on Saturday morning when it's in the single digits?

Photo by Lisa Coniglio http://www.photorun.net/.