Joe Moore Talks About His US Team Experience, Irish Run 8K Win

Joe Moore at the NACAC in Jamaica
Photo courtesy of Mike Scott

 The Twin Cities Track Club's Joe Moore had a breakthrough in the Fall qualifying to compete on the US team that went to Scotland and won the team title there, and the NACAC Meet in Jamaica where the US once again took the men's team title.  All this after he took a couple-month, cross-country trailer trip for his shoe company sponsor Karhu.  After some time off to recharge the batteries he jumped into the Irish Run 8K  on Sunday and won.  Below he talks about those experiences and what's ahead for the summer of 2013.

Down the Backstretch:  You had a long Fall and Winter season with the US team opportunities taking you to Scotland and Jamaica.  What did you learn and/or what sticks out from those experiences?

Joe Moore: I learned a little about USATF and how much work they put into sending people around the world to compete.  They get a bad rap a lot of the time, but I think they do a really good job.  I also was reminded that cross country is the best team sport there is.  I hadn't raced on a team for years, but we came together (in both races) and pulled out the win.  It was an amazing feeling to race in the USA jersey and I really hope I can earn it again.

DtB:  Mike Reneau said you told him about the NACAC race where one of the Canadian coaches “said too much,” i.e. his comments late in the race to one of the Canadian runners who was ahead of you at that point that he had to hold his position for Canada to win the team title.  What were your thoughts as this was happening?  Take us through the moments that ultimately decided the team race there.

JM: I was having a pretty terrible race up until that point.  When we had seen who Canada had sent for the race, we were all a little taken aback.  I was really worried that we'd get beat. Canada was definitely the favorite in most people's eyes (Letsrun.com). I knew I was hanging on by a thread after a long season of racing, but I figured I could suck it up one more time. 

The Canadians had brought several coaches along too, and they all over the place cheering for their runners.  In that instance however, when I heard the coach tell his runner that he needed to stay in front of "the US guy" to give them the win,  I knew it was time to pounce.  What better time that when he was realizing that it was up to him to not lose the race. 

I went past him hard and held it.  The last 2k was one of the most painful experiences of my running career.  Every time I went around a turn I tried to make a serious face, not revealing my complete anguish. I actually managed to catch another Canadian (Simon Bairu - formerly of the Univeristy of Wisconsin) and seal the deal.  I was even more excited when I found out that Craig Forys had outkicked Cam Levins for the win. 

DtB:  You took some “time off” after the XC internationals.  How important is that in the overall picture, knowing when to “chill out” for awhile, instead of going after it all the time?  How do you recognize when it’s time to back off?

JM: I always benefit from some down time.  That fall season became longer than I'd planned, so I was really at the end of my rope by the time NACAC rolled around.  I was only running a few miles a day and doing really short workouts leading up to it, trying to keep it together for another week. 

I drained everything out in that race and was completely toast.  I didn't do anything physical at all for the next week or so besides standing around at Gear or walking to the fridge.  It was great.  By the middle of the next week I was ready to go again and built back up to a normal mileage load in about three weeks. I consider times of not doing anything a very important part of the overall training cycle.  It's also the part of the training cycle at which I am very good.

DtB:  The Irish Run had a good field.  What were your thoughts going into the race?  What were you expecting?  What were your goals going in?

JM: I have to admit that I was pretty nervous.  I hadn't raced in a while and some of these local races can be hot.  I could tell a few days out that this one was stacking up to be a dogfight, and I wasn't sure how I'd respond.  Ben had just run really well at Gate River, and we all know what he did in college.  I knew he was the guy to beat.  It was also our first time with a whole team for the Twin Cities Track Club, and we were gunning for the Run 'N Fun team. 

DtB:  How did the race play out?  Was it always a battle between you and Ben (Sathre) or did it just come down to that at the end? 

JM: Mike took it out hard, which is his m.o. in short races.  I got kind of stuck in the pack and was back about twenty yards early.  Jason(Lehmukle) joined up with me, and we spent the first two miles slowly gaining some ground.  At about 2.5, I was getting close, and I noticed Ben make a surge and get a gap on Mike.  I realized that I needed to get on the train or get left, so I got up behind Ben. 

I tried a few times to get on his shoulder, but he threw in a lot of short moves to shake me.  Finally, at about 3.5, I got up next to him and decided I needed to make a dig, or it might come down the last half mile, which I'd prefer to not get into with a 22-year-old 8:07 3K runner. 

I got what I felt to be a pretty decent lead, and was pretty confident that I was off the front.  With a little over half a mile left, I could hear him getting closer and then he went right past again.  I caught back up and we came over the last hill side by side.  We were kind of sizing each other up coming down the last stretch.  I knew I'd be screwed if I went too early, but I still wanted to get the jump. 

He glanced over at me with about 150 to go and I went right then.  I sprinted hard through the line, actually leaning like a sprinter just to be sure.  I feel like when it comes down to a hard sprint like that, it's just kind of whoever has the legs that day.  It worked out for me. Mike got third and Jason (on two weeks of training, mind you) was fourth.  Run 'N Fun beat us in the team race, but it was pretty close.  I'm excited about a team rivalry with them, and I think they are too.

 DtB: You’ve said that you want to run fast and win a lot of races and do some more track races to get your PRs down.  Are you one of those runners who thrive on a lot of racing.  Some people have a hard time in training pushing themselves, so they use races to get sharp and get that extra push.  Are you like that or do just like to race?  Or was the Fall/Winter schedule recently just something that happened and not typical for you? 

JM: I glean confidence from workouts as well as races.  It's nice to have a good measurement of where your training is.  I didn't know what kind of shape I'd be in for a five mile race, so that probably contributed to how nervous I was Sunday. 

I've spent a lot of time training alone in the past, so I've prepared to push myself, which I think is a nice skill.  All the racing I did in the Fall and Winter just kind of happened, so I wouldn't normally be out there that often.  I think that was mentally taxing.  I like the art of the race, and I don't really use them as workouts.  That probably wore me out. That and living in a trailer for a couple of months.

DtB:  Do you have any specific goals for the track season—times, events—or will you just take it as it comes?

JM: Track meets are weird.  I don't want to go to California, so I'm going to have to be creative.  Mike and Chris Lundstrom and I are planning to have a fast 10K at the Hamline Twilight meet on April 24th.  Hopefully I can get some help and good weather and we can all go out and run a really fast race.  I'd like to finally break 29 minutes for 10K.

DtB: You made your first national team in cross country.  You’ve had a taste of the international scene.  What did you take away from that experience in terms of your own potential, what you want to achieve in the sport?  Did it alter your goals or merely reinforce objectives you had already had your sights upon?

JM: I almost feel like I belong with elite runners now. Those international races really fired me up to keep climbing the ladder.  A few years ago I couldn't even get a comp entry into a race and was thinking about giving up. Now I'm sneaking onto national teams and even contributing a little.  I'm looking forward to getting another level or two up if I can.