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ING NEW YORK CITY MARATHON

November 6, 2011

Apolo Ohno

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK

RICHARD FINN: I congratulate Apolo on a great run.
APOLO OHNO: Thanks, man.

Q. What was it like, and will you do it again?
APOLO OHNO: It was amazing. I don't think it gets better than having my first marathon being the New York City Marathon. Serves very lucky to participate. I had a great team here, my family was here, my friends were here. Subway supported me the entire way. I had a great trainer, Todd Rushworth who helped me train throughout this whole experience, and we hit the time goal. So we were able to get $26,200 toward the Special Olympics, which was a big motivation for me.

Q. What was the toughest part? You're feeling good up until about what? What mile was the toughest?
APOLO OHNO: I felt pretty good the entire way, actually. I was cramping like really early, which was really weird since I had never cramped ever in my entire career as an athlete.

Q. Your short twitch muscles were cramping up?
APOLO OHNO: I don't know what was going on. They were screaming. So I think some of it was to be expected. It was -- but more than anything, I wasn't going to stop no matter what. The people were just incredible. I mean, all the way from when we started in Staten Island, it was just lined the whole way.
So when I hear people say this is the people's race, it literally is. I was very blessed to be able to run. I was hurting, but it's okay. I think it's supposed to hurt, right?

Q. Yeah, absolutely. Will you do it again?
APOLO OHNO: I'm not sure. My dad says no way. But if I did do another marathon, definitely the New York City Marathon is a special one. Just a city that people line the streets. It was amazing.
I really had a really good time, I really did. Flogging myself through the full 26.2 miles. It was just much different. I spent my entire basically since I was 10 years old, molding myself to be the best short track speed skater in the world, so I would do everything, even the way I would sit in my car on the way to training, I would sit a certain way so that I could teach my body to form in a specific shape that would be conducive to skating. Now all of a sudden between three and six months I have to totally change that mentality and that training from like short, ballistic, 40-second, minute-and-a-half type of training to something that lasts, you know, three hours and 24 minutes longer.

Q. What was the time goal, Apolo?
APOLO OHNO: It was 3:30 was the time goal. But we wanted to stay under 4:00. We wanted to stay under 4:00 hours in order to make sure I could have Subway participate and the Special Olympics, both of those partnerships. So it was great.
This entire journey was really amazing. Totally different type of training. There were a lot of famous fans involved in Subway. We have a lot of different partnerships, and a lot of different athletes from all different types of sports. Jared, who ran last year, he completed it. So whether you're the winner of a marathon at 2:05 or whatever it is, which is insane, or you're crossing the line at 7:00 tonight at the cutoff, to run a full marathon is very special.
I guess I can check this one off on my bucket list.

Q. What did you think of Messier's efforts? He's another guy who made a living on skates?
APOLO OHNO: You know, Messier is a living legend. The guy's a monster. So I think his efforts in the marathon, the guy's a leader. So I think what he's doing and what he's trying to do, the goal's that he's trying to accomplish and bring more awareness to what he believes in and what he believes rightfully should be displayed which is basically the ten-year anniversary of 9/11 here in this beautiful city, was very special. So, very special.

Q. When are you going to decide about the next Olympics, whether you'll compete?
APOLO OHNO: I guess I have to make a decision pretty soon, don't I. Time is definitely ticking. I've never completely ruled it out. But I tell you, I've been really enjoying my time off away from the sport. Finally being able to focus on a lot of other challenges and different paths that I've always wanted to focus on. And this being one of them. I always thought I'd run a marathon at some time in my life. I had no idea I was going to run it this soon. It feels amazing. Hopefully, I can convince my dad to do the next one.

Q. How would you compare this to your dancing with the stars training and experience?
APOLO OHNO: Oh, there is no comparison. This is way harder, way harder.
I mean, look, Dancing With the Stars is fun. I had an amazing experience, but it's still a produced television show, and there is a lot of raw emotion, agreed. But what I saw out there today was the real -- was real life. People struggling. People helping each other. The streets from Brooklyn, Staten Island, Queens, Manhattan it just absolutely is amazing. Just the support of the people, that's what I think pushes people on to finish the race.
I'm sure not every single person had marathon training or had the time to do marathon training the right way, and they're still out there pursuing it. So almost 50,000 people here running this ridiculously difficult race is pretty remarkable.

Q. Was there anything specifically that somebody said to you while you were running that sticks out in your mind?
APOLO OHNO: Somebody said at mile 20, they said, "now this is the halfway point." I was like, what is this guy talking about, right? And then I found out mile 21.
I remember when I did my first 16-miler, I was in so much pain for like three days, I could barely leave the house. Then I did a 20-miler, and that was ridiculous.
The furthest I had ever run was 20 miles in preparation for this marathon. The last 6.2 miles are gruesome. I mean, they're tough. They're really tough. My body's just not designed for it. I feel so good in the beginning because I'm a sprinter, so I want to hammer and go hard out of the gate. Everybody's like just, "relax, take it easy." Trust me the last 6.2 are going to be very testing in terms of your mental capacity.
So I think we were on pace the entire time. We picked it up towards the end, and it was a team effort.
Look, I'm not a runner. I'm not a great marathon runner, but I did my best, and I had a great time. So I participated.

Q. If we saw you in the Olympics again, how would this experience today in the marathon affect you as a performer and on the ice?
APOLO OHNO: I think if I decide to go back to short track one more time, the physical aspects, there is no crossover. This actually hurts my short track abilities. But the mental toughness I think one can gain from this crazy marathon is incredible. I think that's applicable towards not just sports, but anything. Those who are finishing today and who have finished can take that mental toughness and apply it towards every single aspect of their life. That's what we want to showcase is to get America more fit. To get them more hungry to be better as people, and that we want to inspire people.
I couldn't let anybody down. I wasn't going to let myself stop no matter how bad my cavs were cramping up. You know, I mean, Subway had the streets lined with people holding their little cards with my face on it. It was awesome. It really was. It was awesome.
RICHARD FINN: We congratulate Apolo. Welcome to being a marathoner.
APOLO OHNO: Thank you.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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