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TCS NEW YORK CITY MARATHONOctober 30, 2015Alana HadleyNew York City, New York Q. We're here with Alana Hadley, the youngest competitor in the history of the New York City Marathon elite field. How does that feel? ALANA HADLEY: It feels really good. Q. We saw you for the first time in New York, it seems like many moons ago. You were only 12 running the Mini‑10K. Can you talk a little bit about the six years since then. Has this always been a dream for you to be able to come back here and run the full marathon? ALANA HADLEY: The past six years have definitely been crazy since I've explored the longer distances. At 14 I started running the half marathons, really enjoyed them. 16, I started running the marathons. Now 18, almost 19, I'm back here where it all started, which is kind of why I really wanted to run that full, in part because it's like one of the World Marathon Majors, but also because this is where everything started, and it kind of feels like I've come around full circle. This is the start of me thinking that I could make it professionally, and now I feel like I've asserted myself into that field of professional athletes in the marathon now that I'm part of the elite field here. Q. What has the trip been like so far the last couple of days? ALANA HADLEY: It's been very crazy. Yesterday I actually went and was part of the Closing Bell ceremony for the Stock Exchange, which was really crazy. It was so interesting and like exciting to be there. And then a whole bunch of different press stories have just been like pouring in the past couple days, and I've been trying to keep up with all the social media. It's been kind of overwhelming, but it's really helping to prevent me from being nervous for this race. It's more making me really excited for it. Q. You're missing sociology class as we're speaking. How difficult has it been balancing now college life with the other training necessary for this race? ALANA HADLEY: It's actually been going really well. I like it a lot better than high school having to balance everything just because, since I just have classes that's are like two days a week, and at different times for different days, it's really nice because, instead of just this huge chunk of time that I have to be at school, I can work my schedule for classes around when I want to train, which is really nice. Q. And talk a little bit about your training. Like how has this training block been for you in comparison to some of your other marathons? ALANA HADLEY: This has by far been my best marathon training cycle. I have hit my best and fastest times for a lot of like the key workouts, like mile repeats and tempo runs, and I've been hitting a faster pace than I have before in any of my other training blocks for a marathon. So I'm really happy with where I am. I feel like it's the best one, and I'm the most prepared that I've ever been. Q. So coming off that, what are you anticipating in terms of performance time? What are the goals for Sunday? ALANA HADLEY: The goals for Sunday is to put 100 percent of myself out there and leave everything on that course. I'm hoping that that gets me under 2:37. At least a PR is what I want, but I focus on what I can control, which is the effort that I put into it. So as long as I give the very best I can and know that I can't give any more than what I have, then I'll be happy with the time it produces. Q. Have you done much research into the course? Where are some of the parts you're looking forward to and maybe not so much? ALANA HADLEY: I definitely put a lot of look into the different hills and bridges just because I'm not used to running on the bridges. So my dad has helped me out. We've been looking at the elevation, and kind of seeing the elevation of that and seeing if there's any hills I run in at Charlotte to see if they have that kind of elevation so I know what to expect. And that's helped because I found there's actually quite a few hills that I normally train on that have the same elevation profile as some of the bridges that we have to go on. Definitely, the bridges are also what I'm kind of worried about, but at the same time, I'm really, really looking forward to the Queensboro, coming off of it, where you're just like by yourself on the Queensboro and then being able to turn on First Avenue and hit what they call the Wall of Sound. I'm really, really excited for that part. Q. That's also probably the trickiest part of the course. ALANA HADLEY: It is. You have to watch yourself because easily without trying you pick up the pace because you have all that atmosphere, and all that adrenaline rushing through. It's the part that everyone is looking forward to, but at the same time, you could lose a race during that part by going too fast without trying. Q. So where does this sort of fit into your overall racing plan? Obviously, you're going to run the trials even though you can't make the team in Rio. Is this sort of a table setter for that race? Where does this fit in the grand scheme? ALANA HADLEY: This is definitely helping me in preparation for the trials. This is a really good race to be in such a high caliber field that I'll also be in at the trials. And also, I wanted to be able to take some time off of my PR before the trials to put myself in a good position, to be right in the mix, and hopefully be in the top ten for the trials. Q. Not many people come to New York City to run the marathon looking to improve their PR. ALANA HADLEY: Yes. Q. This is usually not the place for that to happen. Is the key going to be trusting the training and running within yourself? Or is there something else that you think you need to do well on Sunday to get that PR? ALANA HADLEY: I definitely feel like I need to make sure I'm racing smart. There's certain parts of the course that can be very easy for me to take off and let my pace quicken or slow down without trying. So I'm definitely going to have to be very on top of my cadence and my pace for the race. But I'm very confident with my training. I've been not only training physically, but this past summer, I've been reading books on sports psychology, trying to help myself mentally, to get myself in a position to be able to put it all out there on this race. Q. So everybody knows you're too young to compete in the Olympics. What inspired you to do trials anyways? ALANA HADLEY: I want to be able to race against the top U.S. women and see where I stand in that field and kind of put myself out there to be like, well, even though I'm not old enough to run in the Olympics, I still ran the trials, and I still made it like‑‑ to be able to say I made it in the top ten, like I'm the top ten fastest women in the marathon for the U.S., like that's a great thing to be able to put out there and say and be like, see, I belong here. Kind of make my mark in the U.S.. Q. Do you think you belong there? Do you feel ready? ALANA HADLEY: I feel so ready, and I've worked so hard for this, and I've had a lot of downs lately. I'm just ready for that uphill. I'm so ready for it to just come out that I'm a marathoner and I'm also a good marathoner. Q. How frustrating is that that you're good enough to be there but you can't go? ALANA HADLEY: It's definitely frustrating, more so in the sense that the rule exists rather than it affects me, because the 50K race walk and the marathon are the only track and field events where you have to be 20. That rule in general, it's so frustrating to me because it doesn't make sense as to why it exists. There is no logical explanation for it because you've seen 19‑year‑olds win like the Dubai Marathon, and they've won World Championships, and they've won the Berlin Marathon. It's like, obviously, 19‑year‑olds are able to run a marathon and be the top in the field. So why can't we do it in the Olympics? It just doesn't make sense. Q. Have you heard any of the history about like why that rule exists? ALANA HADLEY: Not really. We kind of asked around a little bit, and it just seems more of a political type of thing in IAAF. I'm not really sure. I've heard they've tried to get the rule changed sometimes, but it never goes through. So why it exists and why it's still there, I have no idea, but it's a very frustrate thing. Q. Do you know what the process is for changing it? ALANA HADLEY: I know someone from IAAF, a representative from another organization, has to bring it up and put evidence forth, and then everyone has to vote on whether or not they want it to go through and change the rules. So it's like a long, drawn out process, just like anything with a government organization is. Q. Have any of the other athletes given you any words of encouragement or anything like that about your situation? ALANA HADLEY: Yeah, the people here are very supportive, and I've really‑‑ the athletes are very supportive in the situation because they know how they would feel in the same situation because they understand how much it is to put in all that work and find out that something that you were working towards originally, you all of a sudden find out that you're not able to do. Q. Is it kind of inspiring that, if you go to trials and get one of the top times, that you could be a poster child for change? Is that like a motivation for you? ALANA HADLEY: A little bit. I don't know if I would be ready to run the type of time I need to, but it's definitely crossed my mind that if that is the case, a lot of people in the U.S. will be like, why do we have this rule? What do you mean she can't go? A bunch of people know about it now just because of me trying to figure out whether I could even run the trials, like that whole section. Some people knew, but not a lot of people truly know that I wouldn't be able to‑‑ if I was to make it on the team, I wouldn't be able to go. So if I was in the place where I was in the top three, and they would say, sorry, you can't go. Number four is taking your spot. Everyone would be like what? So just to put it all in perspective and feel like more people would be behind it and put a lot of pressure against them to change that rule. Q. Does that almost motivate you? ALANA HADLEY: Yeah, that can definitely be motivation to know that kind of like almost to prove them wrong, like I'm going to prove that I am good enough to do it no matter what your rule says. Q. So do you automatically circle Tokyo as, okay, this is where I can make my Olympic debut? ALANA HADLEY: Definitely Tokyo is where I'm looking at. Q. You've done really well in the medium sized races. How are you going to translate that victory to the largest race in the world? ALANA HADLEY: Hopefully, that helps me with just confidence and knowing that after a good training cycle, putting everything I have out there, that I can put everything together and have a really good race. I just have to be really confident in my training, and who I am and knowing that I am strong enough and tough enough to be able to do it no matter what field it is, whether it's the small local field or the largest marathon in the world. Just knowing that, at the end of the day, we're all runners who are trying to get from Point A to Point B in the fastest time possible. Q. You've been doing NYRR races since you were 12 years old. So you have some familiarity with the courses, right? ALANA HADLEY: I do. The first one I did was the 10K‑Mini at the end of seventh grade. That was the first race I ever got invited to. So that was my first big race. So I definitely feel a lot of comfort being here since that race was pretty much solely in Central Park. So to know that the place that I finished my very first race in New York I'm finishing this marathon at is very sentimental because I feel like I've kind of come around. Q. And how did your teachers feel when you gave the excuse that you're going to be out running in the New York Marathon? ALANA HADLEY: It was definitely very interesting. Some of them knew I was a runner, like my honors teacher. They had heard about me from the honors program since I had to do an interview to get into it. They're like what do you do outside of school? Well, I'm a professional marathoner. So they knew, and they understand. Some of the other teachers were like what? They're very confused, but they just kind of went with it, like okay. Like they weren't sure whether or not I was making it up. But my teachers have been very supportive. I've had emails from two of my teachers actually, "Hey, just want to make sure you know we're cheering you on." It's the support at college has been really wonderful. The college has actually been putting out different things today about making sure that everyone knows that I'm running in the race on Sunday, which is really big for me. Q. How long have you looked forward to making your New York City debut? ALANA HADLEY: I've looked forward to that probably since I first got to New York City for the 10K‑Mini, just knowing that all these people that I've watched run the race have been here. They've been on this street, and they finished where I'm finishing. And knowing just like, oh, I've got to wait until I'm 18. Like as a 12‑year‑old, I used to think that's six years away. Do I really have to wait that long? But the fact that it's finally here is just really, really exciting. Like as soon as I was 18 this year, I was with my dad, I was like, do you think I could ask now? Like I'm 18 now. Q. Is it the time and place for you, or is it more just racing against the field? ALANA HADLEY: My main goal is to put 100 percent of myself out there and make sure I leave anything and everything I possibly can and get it all out on the field and have nothing left when I'm finished. My hope is that's an "A" standard under 2:37 and a PR. However, knowing that I've given it everything I can and raced to the best of my ability, I'm happy with whatever that produces. Q. If you get that "A" standard, I know you're already qualified for the trials, but the Olympics have the rule you have to be 20, I believe, or thereabouts. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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