5 Questions with Janet Cherobon-Bawcom

Lisa Uhl, Janet Cherobon-Bawcom and Amy Hastings
comprise our 2012 Women's 10,000 Olympic Team
(photo: TrackAndFieldPhoto)

After an exciting Olympic Trials, 5 Questions with is back! Today we have the first of our interviews with a member of the 2012 London Olympic Team.  She overcame sickness in Eugene and made her way from roads star to Olympian in just over a year.

Janet Cherobon-Bawcom is happy to be here. She came to the United States to get her nursing degree, and slowly, but surely, has found out she's a pretty darn good runner too. She won the 2011 USA Running Circuit Title and then had her proper Marathon debut at the Olympic Trials in January, finishing fifth in 2:29:45. After last week, she is now a US Olympian at 10,000 meters. She has done all of this while continuing her studies. Follow her very funny commentary on Twitter @JanetRuns

5 Questions with Janet Cherobon-Bawcom

1. Writing About Running: First off, congrats on becoming an Olympian. What has your last week been like as a member of the 2012 US Olympic team that will be traveling to London next month?

Janet Cherobon-Bawcom: It's been super hectic.  I am taking a full load of classes this summer, and after a couple of days of excitement in Oregon, it was back to reality - and to being way behind on my work.  To make things worse, we got back to Georgia just in time for the heat wave to hit and decided to head back out to Flagstaff where there was less heat and less oxygen.  I've been here since the 1st, and I'm finally getting caught up on sleep, homework, and getting back into some good training.

2. Writing About Running: With the nature of the Women's 10,000, you were one of three women (excluding Shalane Flanagan, who will run the Olympic Marathon) who had the Olympic A-Standard. What was your strategy with that in mind?

Janet Cherobon-Bawcom: To be honest, I was so sick in Eugene that I can't even pretend that I had a strategy.  I'd been fighting a respiratory illness ever since Bolder Boulder, and it took a real turn for the worse when I got out to Oregon.  I wasn't going to publicize it before the race, but I knew that, if anyone made a successful run at the "A" standard there, I would be left off the team for sure.  There was no way I was going to keep up with them - I could barely breath during the race.  Of course, two miles in, I knew that the pace was too slow for anyone to hit the standard, and it was like a huge weight was off my shoulders.  It's not how anyone would want to make the team, but with the way I was feeling that night, I had to say a big prayer of thanks that I even made it through the race.

Running below the Olympic A-Standard
at Payton Jordan with a 31:33.50
(photo: TrackAndFieldPhoto)

Of course, the really ironic part for me was that I went into the Payton Jordan meet just shooting for the trials "A" standard.  I hadn't run on the track since 2006, my 10k PR on the road was 32:26, and I really didn't consider myself a contender for a spot on the team.  The Friday before that meet, I did a workout in Flagstaff that made me think, "you know, I might be able to break 32:00 if I get lucky."  Well, I got in the race, felt decent, and now here we are.

3. Writing About Running: You have had a whirlwind past few years with gaining your citizenship, winning the USA Running Circuit Championship and becoming an Olympian. Is this what you imagined when you heard the term "the American dream?"

Janet Cherobon-Bawcom: Again, I can't pretend that I had any idea or dream about being where I am.  I came to the US never having broken 20:00 for 5k.  My dream at that time was just to run well enough to keep my scholarship so that I could pursue my "American Dream" of getting my nursing degree.  I had zero aspirations of doing anything significant as an athlete.  I loved watching the Olympics as a kid - my favorite athlete was Maria Mutola back then - but I wasn't involved in the sport at the time, so I certainly didn't dream that I'd be where I am.

After college, I kept running just to give me something to do - even with 3 DII championships to my name, my PR's were not blazing fast (16:19 and 34:21), and I wasn't a US citizen - so I couldn't dream of running for the US.  When I started the citizenship process, I would've been crazy to think that one day I'd be representing the US - at that time my marathon PR was just under 3 hours.  I was hoping that I could become a citizen and one day work for the Center for Disease Control.  Needless to say, I think God had other things in mind because there's no other explanation for the way things in my life have worked out.

4. Writing About Running: What's it like training with the legendary coach, Jack Daniels?

Janet Cherobon-Bawcom: It's been great.  Jack is the perfect fit for me.  He's a true genius, but he is also someone who really respects the experience I have as an athlete and the knowledge I have about how my body responds to certain things.  I do some pretty crazy things from time to time - racing too much, etc. - but instead of trying to talk me out of things, Jack works hard to make the best plan for me, even if it seems crazy.  I really appreciate that he's committed to helping me reach my goals - not like some coaches who try so hard to force their ideas on the athletes.  He understands that my running is just that, my running, and he does a brilliant job of helping me get the most out of it.

Winning the USATF 20k Championship en route to
her 2011 USA Running Circuit title

5. Writing About Running: Your twitter profile says "Started running so I wouldn't have to keep milking cows. Still running and still not milking cows!!!!" When exactly is the last time you milked a cow? and what are your plans after the Olympics?

Janet Cherobon-Bawcom: Actually, I milked a cow in February when I was back in Kenya.  The weather in Flagstaff was killing my training, and I wanted to be at altitude to get ready for my spring season, so I decided that it would be an ideal time to go visit my family.  My little sisters started talking some trash about how I'd gone soft in America, and I had to defend myself, so I grabbed the old milking bucket and got to work.  It's pretty much like riding a bicycle - once you learn how....  Of course, I'm not so great on the bicycle, so who knows.

After the Olympics, I'm actually going for a long vacation with my husband's family, then back to training with my eye on doing a few USA Running Circuit events and a fall marathon.  I've been running pretty much non-stop since last August, so after the marathon, I plan to take a long break from running - and then we'll see what happens!

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Road to Houston: Meb and Shalane triumph, while Abdi surprises in Olympic Trials Marathon

I had to fly to Houston to watch the live stream

It was an exciting morning in Houston. The weather was excellent and the runners rolled. The Men took off at a furious pace and the early pack consisted of Meb Keflezighi, Ryan Hall, Dathan Ritzenhein, Abdi Abdirahman, Mo Trafeh and former steepler, Brian Olinger. Bit by bit, the Men began to fade off the back, eventually leaving Meb, Hall, Ritz and Abdi to fight for the three spots. Ritz was the first to drop, and was down 35 seconds to Abdi with about a 5k to go. This is when Abdi began to fade and Ritz began to pick it up. As Ritz rounded the last turn, it looked as though he just may catch him. In the end, Meb triumphed (in 2:09:08), with Ryan Hall finishing a strong second (in 9:09:30), Abdi rounding out the podium (in 2:09:47) and Ritz being the first alternate (in 2:09:55). Brett Gotcher ran a strong fifth in 2:11:06. Click here for full Men's results.

On the Women's side, they took it out very, very easy (6:13 first mile) and slowly paired it down. Like the Men's race, in the late stages, it was a pack of four. This pack consisted of Flanagan, Davila, Goucher and Amy Hastings. Hastings was the first to drop, and just as you thought she was done, she put the hammer down and took the lead just before going into the last lap (18.2 miles in). Eventually, the move wore her out and Davila showed her strength. Flanagan hung with her and Goucher stayed a few steps back. Flanagan pulled away over the last 5k and won in 2:25:37, with Davila just a bit back (in 2:25:55) and Goucher just behind her (in 2:26:06). Hastings finished fourth (in 2:27:17) with Janet Cherobon-Bawcom (in 2:29:45) rounding out the top five (Women's full results are here).

More to come later...

Click here for my "fan video" of Meb rounding the last turn with Hall just behind.

Click here for my "fan video" of Shalane rounding the last turn, with Desi and Kara following thereafter.

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Road to Houston: Watch out for the Wild Cards

Who will be this year's Brian Sell?

As we are only a few days away now, you've probably heard plenty about Ryan Hall, Dathan Ritzenhein and Meb Keflezighi on the Men's side and Shalane Flanagan, Desi Davila and Kara Goucher on the Women's side. All this is for good reason. They are the favorites. They deserve your respect. They have nice contracts. They'll be ok, even if the trials don't go as planned. On paper, they should be the top three on each side. But as we all know, the marathon is a an animal. It's a wild animal at that. You can have the best training block of your life and then have a bad race day. You can also go through a rough block and find magic in a bottle. That's what this group of competitors will be trying to find on their "Road to Houston." Everyone likes the underdog, and here's a few to root for (in alphabetical order).

Wild Men
Ryan Bak

Nike

Did Bak just get a deal with Nike after his strong performance at CIM? Maybe so. His 2:14 this close to the trials certainly shows promise. Will it be enough of a launchpad to give him the confidence to challenge for a spot? From his recent interviews, it certainly looks as such. Will be interesting to see what he's got in the tank after racing a month ago.

Fernando Cabada
Unattached (Translation: If he can make the team, he'll get paid)
Cabada has been on it for years and seems to be rounding into top form at the right time. Judging by some of his recent workouts, he's primed to rip one. He's seasoned, has a 2:12 PR, an American Record (at 25k) and a National Championship in the Marathon ('08) to his name. Beware the "Cabadass."

Hartmann would love
a Chicago repeat

Jason Hartmann
Nike

Hartmann has proved that he can run well on flat courses and in the heat. His finish as the top American at Chicago in 2010 should give him confidence that he can run something similar (in similar weather) in Houston Saturday. Hartmann was 10th at the 2007 trials and will be looking to put everything on the line as he gets later into his career. Will the 2:11 kind of performance he ran at Chicago be enought to make the London team? It may be a stretch, but he's certainly got the credentials to give it a run (pun intended).

Jason Lehmkuhle
Saucony
Lehmkuhle has put together a group of nice runs over the past few years and will be primed for a spot this year. People may forget that Lehmkuhle was 5th at the 2007 Trials (for the 2008 Olympics). Don't expect him to go out and push the pace, but expect him to finish very strong. This tactic worked very well for Brian Sell in '07 and it wouldn't surprise me if Lehmkuhle developed a similar race plan. (And be sure to check out the very cool "Marathon Road" video about Lehmkuhle and Team USA Minnesota by clicking here)

Mike Morgan
Hanson-Brooks Distance Project
If you've seen any of Flotrack's "Made in Detroit" series, you can see this guy is fit. He's run on the international stage before and looks primed to make a run at it. The Hansons are always in the mix, and between Morgan and Luke Humphrey, one of these guys is going to be up there in the top seven making a run for the podium.

Cherobon-Bawcom would love to
 break the tape Saturday

Wild Women
Janet Cherobon-Bawcom
Atlanta Track Club (Translation: Like Cabada, a top three finish would likely gain a shoe deal)
Cherobon-Bawcom may be the biggest wild card in the field, as no one really knows what she is capable of. She came on strong late in the year to win the USA Running Circuit title and then started Marathon training with the one and only Jack Daniels. It wouldn't surprise me if she finished second, but it also wouldn't surprise me if she finished tenth. We'll see what she's got in the tank Saturday.

Amy Hastings

Brooks

Hastings had an incredible debut, running 2:27 in LA, in the rain (last year). Training in Mammoth certainly suits Marathon training, and 5k training, considering her excellent 2011 outdoor season. With the 5000 at the track trials being her backup plan, I'm sure she'd like to go ahead and punch her ticket to London on Saturday. 

Deena Kastor

Asics

It's hard to think that anyone would consider the American Record Holder at the Marathon a wild card, but that's exactly where she falls. She ran great at the NYC Half, but hasn't done much else in the past few years. That may be exactly how she wants it. She is a former Olympic Medalist, so she's got the mental capacity to will herself to something great. It will be exciting to see if that Deena shows up Saturday. Let's hope so!

Molly Pritz
Asics
It looks as though Ms. Pritz has gotten a new sponsor over the past few weeks, but don't expect her new contract to make her any less of a bulldog on the roads of Houston this weekend. Pritz's first 'thon was NYC and she ran well, but faded a bit, like many do, over the last 5 miles. Expect her confidence to carry her towards the top group Saturday. She's one of the younger competitors of the group, so we could be getting an early look at one of the favorites in 2016.

Rhines would be happy with this outcome

Jen Rhines

Adidas
Rhines is the ageless wonder and continues to perform, year in and year old. Only this June, at the USATF Track Championships, she beat Davila in the 5000 and 10,000, so she'll come in with confidence. The fact that she trains in Mammoth with Hastings and Kastor doesn't hurt at all either. Her experience will come in handy amongst an excellent field.

We're only a few days away! Bookmark the "Road to Houston" Recap page for continued coverage leading up to the 2012 Olympic Marathon Trials in Houston, TX on January 14, 2012.

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Road to Houston: An early look at the Women's Olympic Marathon Trials contenders

On Sunday, I covered the early contenders for the Men's race. Today, we'll look to the Women's Contenders for the "Road to Houston." These are what I think are the top ten contenders, but it wouldn't surprise me if someone like Jen Rhines showed up big on race day and made the squad. Another darkhorse is the always tough, Tera Moody, who came out of nowhere to finish fifth at the 2008 trials. But that's the beauty of it, someone will show up race day and make a run at it that we didn't expect!

Shalane Flanagan. So hot right now.

1. Shalane Flanagan
Resume: 2nd at NYC Marathon (2:28:40 in 2010). Bronze at 2011 World Cross. Top Half mark (68:36 at Philly 2010). American Record Holder at 10,000 (30:34.39 in 2009). Bronze Medalist at Olympic 10,000 (2008 in Beijing).
Why she'll make the team: Flanagan appears to be in peak shape and has made a strong commitment to the marathon with her coach, Jerry Schumacher. Davila will be the only one that could take the US title from her at Houston.
Why she may not: The only way Flanagan doesn't make this team is if she goes out very hard and bonks. This won't be likely as she'll likely have a race plan that involves negative splitting.

2. Desi Davila
Resume: 2nd at Boston in 2011 with top mark in the marathon (2:22:38). PR'd over 5,000 (15:08) and 10,000 (31:37) on the track in the 2011 season.
Why she'll make the team: Her gutsy performance at Boston, followed by huge PR's during the track season show Desi is ready to roll. Expect her to challenge for the win, with little chance she'll fall out of the top three.
Why she may not: Davila's fitness appears to be at a higher level than ever and it would take an injury or a mistimed move to keep her off the London squad.

Davila waited patiently in Boston

3. Kara Goucher
Resume: 2nd best mark in the half (1:09:11 at NYC in 2011). 2nd at 2011 US Championships at 10,000 (31:16). 3rd at Boston Marathon (2009). Bronze Medalist at 2007 World Championships at 10,000.
Why she'll make the team: A seasoned veteran and a bulldog of a racer, Goucher will throw every effort at qualifying for this team and has proven, when needed, to rise to the occasion.
Why she may not: Since giving birth to her son, Colt, Goucher has faced the injury bug. While she appears to be rounding into fitness, her 1:12:59 at Miami Beach shows she's no shoe in.

4. Janet Cherobon-Bawcom
Resume: 2011 USA Running Circuit Champion. Has run 1:11 in the half four times.
Why she'll make the team: Cherobon-Bawcom has been excellent as of late, winning the USA Running Circuit in impressive fashion and winning the 2011 BAA Half Marathon.
Why she may not: She's yet to run a great marathon. Can she keep up with the big three? It will take a big effort to make the team, but something that she's capable of.

5. Amy Hastings
Resume: 2nd at 2011 LA Marathon in her debut (2:27:03). Ran a PR of 15:14 at 5000 this summer.
Why she'll make the team: Hastings 2:27 was run in her debut. After that, she improved her track times. She has the speed to hang with the best. Also, trains with Deena and Angela Bizzarri in Mammoth.
Why she may not: She only has one marathon under her belt and is more of a track specialist. She'll have to have another great race, with some luck, to make the team.

The 2008 team of Magda, Deena and Blake will contend

6. Magdalena Lewy Boulet
Resume: 2008 Olympian, 2:26:22 at Rotterdam (2010) and 2:28:44 at Chicago (2010). PR'd at 10,000 at 2011 USA Championships (31:48.6).
Why she'll make the team: Magda's two marathons at 2:28 and under (during the qualifying period) show great consistency. If she can run in that range, she'll have a shot. Also, being a former Olympian, she knows how to get on the podium.
Why she may not: The field is deep, and Magda will have to beat Flanagan, Davila or Goucher, which will require a strong effort.

7. Deena Kastor
Resume: American Record Holder for the marathon (2:19:36 at London, 2006). Bronze Medalist at 2004 Olympics (Athens). American Record Holder in the Half Marathon (67:34 at Berlin, 2006). 2008 Olympian.
Why she'll make the team: Deena is the veteran of the bunch and has been here before. If she's fit, she's a threat.
Why she may may not: Deena ran 69:43 for the half twice in 2010, but hasn't run a decent marathon in a few years, so she'll be a big wild card on 1/14/12.

8. Stephanie Rothstein
Resume: 3rd at Houston 2010 in 2:29:35.
Why she'll make the team: Has run well on the Houston course and is capable of the time needed to make the team.
Why she may not: Rothstein doesn't have the resume that the others here do, so will have to run strong and unintimidated for a shot at the podium.

9. Blake Russell
Resume: 2008 Olympian. 3rd at 2011 USATF 10k Road Championships (54:44).
Why she'll make the team: Russell's been there before and is a strong cross country runner as well, showing the strength she'll need to fight for a spot.
Why she may not: Has run 1:11 in the half during the qualifying period, but hasn't run a qualifying marathon. Will take an A+ effort against this tough field.

Pritz will look to build on NYC success

10. Molly Pritz
Resume: 2:31:52 at NYC (2011). 1st at 2011 USATF 25k Road Championship (1:25:38). 1:11:05 half at New Orleans (2011).
Why she'll make the team: Pritz is coming off a strong debut on the tough NYC course. Has run some races that show she has the talent to compete for a podium spot.
Why she may not: Like Meb, Pritz only has two months to recover, and being that she's recovering from her first marathon, it will take a strong effort, and a quick turnaround, to make the top three.

Stay tuned for continued coverage leading up to the 2012 Olympic Marathon Trials in Houston, TX on January 14, 2012.

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Road Rage: There's a new baller in town; Janet Cherobon-Bawcom is her name

Janet Cherobon-Bawcom will eat your bagels
(courtesy Facebook)

It looks like there may be a shake up in the predicted top three finishers at the 2012 Olympic Trials Marathon in January. Why is that? There's a newcomer on the US scene that is staking her claim on that podium. Her name is Janet Cherobon-Bawcom. Today, Cherobon-Bawcom annihilated the field at the Tufts Health Plan 10K for Women by almost 30 seconds for the win in 32:47. The race served as the USATF Women's 10k Championship. The win also locked in the overall title for the Women's 2011 USA Running Circuit. Oh yeah, she won the BAA Half Marathon yesterday (by over 2:30 in 1:11:58). This all comes just 8 days after winning the USATF 10 mile Championship as well.

The biggest question on American distance running fans minds right now is "Who is Janet Cherobon-Bawcom?" and "Is she eligible to compete for an Olympic spot?" Well... the answer to the latter question seems to be yes, per the New York Road Runners' David Monti and her sponsor, MarathonGuide.com. Per the IAAF, her marathon PR is 2:37:27 from 2008 (in Albany, GA), but judging by her recent success, and her USATF 20k win in September, mid to high 2:20's seems more predictive of her current fitness. As who who is Janet Cherobon-Bawcom? She's from Kenya, has lived in the United States for years and got her citizenship this year. She currently lives and trains in Rome, GA and is finishing up a degree at Jacksonville State in 2012. Here's a link to her post-race interview today with Kevin Ullman from Runnerspace.

What does this mean for the Olympic Marathon Trials in January. If Cherobon-Bawcom can indeed run, it throws another big name in the mix with the three favorites; Shalane Flanagan, Kara Goucher and Desi Davila, along with Deena Kastor, Stephanie Rothstein and Amy Hastings and Magdalena Lewy-Boulet. Here's the list of all the qualifiers.

Congrats to Janet on her recent success and be on the lookout for her on January 14, 2012 in Houston!

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Road Rage: Ben True seals 2011 USA Running Circuit victory in Minneapolis

True wins in Providence

It's been quite a 2011 for Ben True. In 2010, True left Oregon Track Club Elite and headed back east, closer to home, to train with Tim Broe's new group, In The Arena. It has proved to be an excellent move, with True finishing second today at the USATF 10-Mile Championship in Minneapolis, MN, and more importantly, securing the overall 2011 Mens's USA Running Circuit Championship.

In 2011, True qualified for the USA World Cross Country team, was runner-up at the Gate River Run (15k Championship), won the BAA 5k, ran a 10,000 PR of 28:16 on the track (qualifying him for 2012 Olympic Marathon Trials and 2012 Track Trials), ran a 5,000 PR of 13:24, won the USATF 10k Road Championship at Peachtree, won the USATF 5k Road Championship in Providence and capped it off by securing the 2011 USA Running Circuit Championship today with the runner-up finish in the 10-Mile Championship to Mo Trafeh.

True ran a smart race, staying with his main competition, Aaron Braun, and then kicked when he needed to. For his efforts, True will pick up $20,000; $12,500 for the USA Running Circuit Championship and an additional $7,500 for his runner-up finish today. 

True's win also brings more attention to Tim Broe's "In the Arena" team. Broe spoke with Let's Run in June 2010 about the formation of the group (iTunes link here). True's success this year should bring even more talent into an already expanding group of talented male runners. They've got a nice, well-kept blog as well!

On the Women's side, Janet Cherobon-Bawcom ran away from the field early, and didn't see anyone else until about mile nine, when Mo Trafeh passed her to earn the $10,000 equalizer bonus. Cherobon-Bawcom's win makes her the front runner for the 2011 USA Running Circuit Championship, with the Women's finale in 8 days. New York New Jersey Track Club's Julie Culley ran a strong race for second, and former North Carolina Tar Heel, Blake Russell, rounded out the podium with a strong run in 54:44.

The Women's Championship will wrap up next Monday (October 10) in Boston with the 10k Championship, hosted by the Tuft's Health Plan 10k for Women. As usual, Runnerspace will provide live coverage.

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Road Rage: The Black Cactus is back! Abdi Abdirahman wins USATF 20k Championship

Abdi after winning 2008 Olympic Trials 10,000
(TrackAndFieldPhoto)

Abdi Abdirahman aka "The Black Cactus" won his first National Championship in over two years today (last was 2009 10k at Peachtree) in breaking away from a strong field, with a 4:36 fifth mile at the Stratton Faxon New Haven Road Race in New Haven, CT. For his USATF 20k National Championship, Abdirahman will take home the $8000 first place prize. His winning time was 1:00:13.

Finishing second, in 1:00:34 was Team USA Minnesota's Jason Lehmkuhle. Finalizing the podium was Boulder, CO's Fernando Cabada in 1:00:58.

On the Women's side, new American citizen (via Kenya), Janet Cherobon-Bawcom, took the title in 1:08:30 over Clara Grandt, who finished in a near personal best of 1:09:06. USA Running Circuit veteran, Katie McGregor, was third in 1:09:56.

Here are the results, courtesy of Runnerspace. Kevin Ullman and Chris Nickinson did an excellent job covering the race this morning with no finish line mishaps!

Next up will be the 5k National Championships in Providence, RI on September 18th.

For more on the USA Running Circuit, check out: http://USARunningCircuit.com

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