Sarah Engle - Interview carried out 8/28/07

How long have you been working with Ric? 3 years
What is your event? Has this changed since you began to work with Ric? How? Triathlon would be my event, with the 3 different disciplines. As a runner, I’ve been trying to increase my running speed, and training for the mile.
What has Ric’s coaching done for you and your running skills? He’s awesome! He seems to be able to find the right pace and distance for everyone, no matter what level you’re at. When I first started working with him, I’d been running for a year on my own, and really couldn’t get past like a 10 min mile, I’ve just been getting progressively faster. He pretty much tailors your workouts to what your goal is. Last year I did some longer tracks, at Olympic distances and half marathons, this year I’m doing the mile.
What is he like to work with? He’s like pure encouragement. He always makes you feel good about your performance, even if it was not a good performance and you’re really disappointed, he can find like the one ray of sunshine, to motivate you to keep going. I‘ve got have a goal. I’m not one of those people who can just go out every day and run without a purpose, And he helps me figure out what that goal is. During the races, I’ve never been very competitive, but I do enjoy doing races, even if its just my own time that I beat, I’m not going to win, but there’s a lot of things to feel good about.
How can you tell that your skills or fitness level is improving? I’ve been going faster, especially this year: it blows my mind. I’ve never been very athletic, ask anyone who’s known me, but now…What? Her?
Would you recommend Ric’s training to a friend? Oh, yeah.
If you wanted to try a different distance or sport, how would Ric respond? He’d be great. I started with him coaching my running for the triathlon, , I learned a lot about that but he’d branched out and learned about triathlons, and . I really only expected him to coach me for track, but
Can you give an example of some observation, statement or training tip that Ric has given you that has been especially helpful? Probably the most important thing would be to start out slower and run faster at the end of the race instead of at the beginning; I never would have got that on my own. I thought you were supposed to flat go out as fast as you could until you just died. .
Have you worked with other coaches in Ric’s training program? Has that been helpful? How? Heather is really … I was kind of working on my form, at that time, so I learned a lot about that. Peter is phenomenal. He can help you be as strong as you want to be. I haven’t worked with Peter except in plyometrics- Its difficult, you have to be careful at first that you don’t overdo it.
How does Ric respond when you are struggling with something, or injured? He tells you to relax and not overdo it. It’s not about killing yourself; this is fun. He never yells or puts you down. It actually has the opposite effect with me, I used to be a quitter, but now I can’t just quit.

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Interview done 8/28/07 Name: Drew Henderson.

How long have you been working with Ric? Oh, say, 5 years or so.. it started with my kids, they seemed to enjoy doing it, and then my wife started, so I did too.
What is your event? Has this changed since you began to work with Ric? How? I started to train with Ric for the Bolder Boulder, and was interested in 5K’s and 10 K. Now I’ve added triathlons, I’d like to do an Olympic triathlon: 1500 m swim, 42K bicycling, 10 K run. Doing triathlons has helped my times for the 5 and 10 K.
What has Ric’s coaching done for you and your running skills? It’s definitely helped me to be faster. My 5K used to be 26 or 27 minutes, after the first year with him I broke all my records, got a whole lot faster. It’s made it interesting, like a puzzle to figure out strategies, improved skills. I believe it’s helped me not to get injured. At age 51, it helps me to get going on the track workout. It can be boring and hard, but Ric makes it a gradual run. You don’t have to go all out every lap, you get to build up. There is enough variation to make it interesting, and you learn that to build speed and conditioning you don’t have to go all out all the time. I was pretty amazed, when I look back at my 26-27 min 5K, my times now are <23 min, and my 10K is under 48 min. For my age I’m really happy about that- and to be able to run to maintain my health.
What is he like to work with? He’s great: he’s got a sense of humor, he’s not arrogant, he’s not misleading.
How can you tell that your skills or fitness level is improving? Shorter times. At this point, I’ve kind of plateaued; Ric is honest about how much I can improve. Once I get to that place, its not an easy phase of my life. But I feel good, and I am able to place in my age group.
Would you recommend Ric’s training to a friend? I have recommended it to several people.
If you wanted to try a different distance or sport, how would Ric respond? He is very supportive. He’s helped me find the appropriate distance and speed. He’s adapted his program for me, you can see the difference in my running. He is the most adaptable and has the widest range of any coach I’ve come accross.
Can you give an example of some observation; statement or training tip that Ric has given you that has been especially helpful? Definitely: you have to have a rest day or two, that’s critical. That’s been very helpful.
Have you worked with other coaches in Ric’s training program? Has that been helpful? NO How?
How does Ric respond when you are struggling with something, or injured? He helps me by making suggestions and modifying my training and race plans. We discuss it and he gives some tips. Fortunately, I very seldom get injured because of his help. My injuries not due to running, but repairs and domestic stuff. I worked with him after I’d had an ankle injury and with his help I could get back to running again faster and better

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Interview Questions for RRR Name: Chuck Rose

Interview carried out by phone: 11/14/07

How long have you been working with Ric?

I started September 2001, (9/11); I had heard about him through a good friend, Bobby Fischer, who’d worked with him for years.

What is your event?

I started out doing 200m; my event right now is 400m.

Has this changed since you began to work with Ric? How?

In high school I started with the 800m, then went to 400 and then 200m. I didn’t do much after high school. I was a smoker and did all the dumb things. I usually ran a couple miles a week, and always enjoyed it. I’d also do intervals on a track, -but until I began to work with Ric I wasn’t really getting much better. After we started work together, it became apparent that I was really better fitted for 400m.

What has Ric’s coaching done for you and your running skills?

I can give you a really interesting example. 11 years ago I read about the Colorado Games, and I wanted to run it. But I’d run and injure myself. After I met Ric through Bobby, I recognized that this guy really knows what he’s doing: he knows the physiology, the science of running. He’s really interested in your progress, he goes the extra mile, does his job 110%. He’s been there, he’s ahead of the run.
After we looked over my running history and goals, I started training in September of 2001, and I made All American by August of the next year. There were meets I’d have been honored to walk in, but he got me there as a runner, and as a reasonably good runner at that. Sometimes during the first 11 months he’d say “ I think you can do this, do that, and I would. I’m not the most likely runner, I have leg length differences, bad knees, and yet here I am.
He totally got me to where I wanted to be, and it was totally beyond where I thought I could go. He tailor made a program that was perfect for me. He absolutely individuates a program.     With most coaches, track is a sideline, something they do because it’s a useful skill for other sports like football or soccer.
Running is Ric’s emphasis, he wants to help people learn to run the best they can and not get injured. He looks at where you are, modifies the program to prevent injury, and emphasizes developing an economy of motion. My advice is to let the man do his job!

What is he like to work with?

For example, in 2001, I wanted to run the 200; it became obvious that the 400 was where I was. I had lots of injuries. But then we sat down and worked on the running program. I’ve really worked; I’d like to see if I could break < 60 sec on the 400 (62 sec is the record for my age group). … But then I came back from a 2nd surgery; he showed me 3 precise programs: if you want to go for a certain goal, these are your possible paths. You have a choice between an extreme, a middle of the road, and an easy program. Each of these has consequences, and your choice depends on where you want to go, and the risks you are willing to take.

How can you tell that your skills or fitness level is improving?

I am MUCH less likely to get injured working with Ric. I thought I was doing it right before. I’ve learned so much about stretching and warming up. I don’t think you get enough of this kind of training.
If he’s got 50 people (clients), he knows what every one of them is doing. He makes time for you. You’ve got his undivided attention when you are working with him.
Improvement in personal skills, I have a difference in leg length, and tend to limp. Ric has helped me see more. I had a tendency to pull out an arm, and he noticed that and helped me. Now my body carriage and movement are more efficient.
Visualization is a part of me now. You’re not just in your body; you’re able to train to visualize your options in a race. Visualizing is specifically keyed to your event, your anticipation of the event. It becomes automatic.
He breaks down the components needed to do a race. The “Runners Kit” can help you have an edge. It holds all the things you might need at the last minute, like spare shoelaces and safety pins and other things.

Would you recommend Ric’s training to a friend?

You bet I would! I’ve recommended his training to several people; he’s very reasonably priced, too. The thing is that there aren’t too many people who are running types.

If you wanted to try a different distance or sport, how would Ric respond?

He’d help you. He’d give you a rundown of what you’d do, or need to do; given the goal you say you want to aim for, whether or not it was something he is used to coaching. He can give you a good idea of the basics for a lot of sports, but if it turns out that you want to go in a direction he’s not familiar with, he’ll either learn something new to help you, or send you to someone else who can help.

Can you give an example of some observation; statement or training tip that Ric has given you that has been especially helpful?

He noticed the way I was carrying my body. It helps me learn/ be aware of what I am actually doing out there.
The big thing is, do what the man tells you! He has a reason for each of the things he has you do and the times he has you run. If pushing it too hard isn’t good, what is? That’s what you need to learn. DON’T GET INJURED, and how not to get injured. There is a learning curve because of the way we were brought up to think about running and exercise. He debunks the myths of running. After the first surgery I had in 2003, I thought I was back in training and I thought I could cut down on the warm up time. Boom! I got another small injury. It’s important to stick with the training!
Ric will fine tune and bring you on to be really ready for a race, if you stay on the targets he defines. He’s really a craftsman, an artist in the truest sense of the term. He’s not just making you feel good, he’s getting you to the best place you can be for a race.

Have you worked with other coaches in Ric’s training program? Has that been helpful? How?

No, I have been too far away.

How does Ric respond when you are struggling with something, or injured?

He builds a program to the specific situation. He knows what he’s talking about, and can tell you what to back off on, what else to do, like to ride a bike to stay in shape, will tailor make a program to help you heal and still stay in shape He gives you answers, and sometimes they can be negative.

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Interview with Lydia Van Vleet carried out 8/28/07

How long have you been working with Ric? Worked with Ric in Dec 05, now I have started up with him again, because I want to get on the CU team.
What is your event? Has this changed since you began to work with Ric? How? I’m working on distance, 800 m not necessarily really long intervals, in conjunction with longer runs that faster and up. I’d like to do 6K in < 25 min.
What has Ric’s coaching done for you and your running skills? Knowing him has been a good experience. He knows me and knows my strengths and weaknesses. He helps me to develop better skills.
What is he like to work with? [Her responses were mostly technical: specific methods or exercises.] I think he can help anyone who’s willing to be coached. My current emphasis is on developing a better anaerobic threshold (AT)
How can you tell that your skills or fitness level is improving? My times have gotten shorter, I got my PR for a mile in school with him.
Would you recommend Ric’s training to a friend? Yeah, I would. Someone who is not too confident, or not sure. Someone who wants to got to the next level, to move up.
If you wanted to try a different distance or sport, how would Ric respond? He’d never tell me no, he’d want to know my reasons, say ‘lets try it out, try out the numbers’, ask ‘OK, what’s your goal?’ He’s realistic, flexible.
Can you give an example of some observation, statement or training tip that Ric has given you that has been especially helpful? The most important thing for me in 2005 was working on speed. We worked a lot on my 800 m, and my speed for other distances. Short bursts of speed, and better form, have helped my numbers, and my confidence.
Have you worked with other coaches in Ric’s training program? Has that been helpful? How? No, in 2005 there was one Russian person, pretty much
How does Ric respond when you are struggling with something, or injured? He’s very open observant. He always asks about things; There was one time I was a little worried I’d had had a stress fracture, and he backed me off. I was doing training and I got a little overworked, I was working with two coaches,.

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Ruth Janjic Interview

How long have you been working with Ric? I started in 2004
What is your event? Has this changed since you began to work with Ric? How? Originally, 100 to 400m. I’ve done some longer events, like two mile road races. I got injured coming out of the blocks, so I’ve been doing endurance training while I’ve been healing. Now, I’m beginning to add speed work again since my injury has improved.
What has Ric’s coaching done for you and your running skills? I’m good at speed, but he’s taught me confidence. I would say that the main thing is setting goals for different events.
What is he like to work with? He’s very calm and positive, its really good to benefit from all his experience in running.
How can you tell that your skill or fitness level is improving? Its very objective, actual numbers. I was able to improve speeds at every event, every time. You can feel it, too, it makes you feel better.
Would you recommend Ric’s training to a friend? Oh Yeah.
If you wanted to try a different distance or sport, how would Ric respond? He’d be supportive. He supports what you want to do.
Can you give an example of some observation; statement or training tip that Ric has given you that has been especially helpful? Again, there is a lot. Goal setting, that’s the top one. One step at a time, building towards a goal, building a foundation and then working from there. It’s a slow process, and you need guidance and encouragement. I think he is a huge help in the process.
Have you worked with other coaches in Ric’s training program? Has that been helpful? How? I am impressed by them. I just started working with Heather Biglow (Ric’s sprint coach) doing sprint conditioning with the other sprinters. It’s a lot of fun and it’s intense – you really feel it the next day. I think it’s helping me.
How does Ric respond when you are struggling with something, or injured? I’ve been the poster child for that! He’s been super. He’s found ways to keep me in shape. That makes it easier to come back, you still have a program you so you can stay in shape, and focus on getting better. It can be hard, it helps to have his support to keep your spirits up.

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