Brett Gotcher Interview

Below is an interview I did with Brett Gotcher shortly after his US Olympic Trials Marathon in Houston, Texas.

He is in a funky spot, 5th - which for a 2:10:36 marathoner is not a great spot, but considering that the field was stacked, he stacked up alright on race day. I think he was seeded fourth.

Apparently only the fourth place finisher gets to be the team alternate. I find this odd considering the prevalence of injury in the sport of marathon running. One would think that all runners who better the IAAF qualifying standards would be candidates to be alternates.

Let's say Ritz - the fourth place finisher - races the 10,000m distance and qualifies for the Olympic Games. Let's say he ends up saying that regardless of who may not be able to run on race day he does not want to run the marathon. Let's just say that happens. Why wouldn't Gotcher be permitted to suit up? He has run as fast as 2:10:36 and has a 2:11:06 under his belt now too.

Why not?

http://athleticsillustrated.com/uncategorized/2547/

Brett Gotcher raced the US Olympic Marathon Trials Saturday, January 14th in Houston, Texas. He finished in a near personal best time of 2:11:06, 30 seconds off of his debut result that he achieved at the 2009 Chevron Houston Marathon, 2:10:36 – the fourth fastest American marathon debut.

The 2012 Trials was one of the deepest US marathon races to date with 81 finishers bettering the 2:30 threshold, 50 going sub-2:20, 21 bettering the sub-2:15 mark and four who ran sub-2:10. Those four were Meb Keflezighi – the oldest Trials champion at age 36, he ran a personal best time of 2:09:08, Ryan Hall 2:09:30, who is the American record holder with his 2:04:58, Abdi Abdiriham 2:09:47 and Dathan Ritzenhein 2:09:55. Ritzenhein will become the American alternate should one of the three who ran faster are unable to compete. Gotcher finished 5th overall.

He trains in Flagstaff, Arizona with Coach Greg McMillan at adidas-McMillanElite.

Personal bests:

10,000m – 28:09:21

20k – 58:57

Half Marathon – 1:02:09

Marathon - 2:10:36

The interview.

Christopher Kelsall: Congratulations on your 2:11:06 at the US Olympic Trials in Houston, Saturday. Not a personal best, but close and a return to form after a tough result following your stellar marathon debut of 2:10:36 at the 2009 Chevron Houston Marathon. Was that the primary goal, to return to form?

Brett Gotcher: Thanks! My main goal out there was to compete. That’s what the Olympic Trials are all about. I went in with a race plan that I thought would give me a good shot and I tried to execute as best as could. I don’t think I ever really lost form, I just had a bad day last year and finished the race. I’ve been building upon that first marathon and knew that if I had a great day I could beat a lot of people.