Junior Jen Cleary of Bohemia Manor of Cecil County was a double state champion this year in the 1600 (5:06.61) and the 3200 (11:19.97). Cleary talks about training on the Eastern Shore and the challenges involved in being one of the tallest runners in the state1. Each season you seem to always come into your own towards the end of the season. How do you plan your training so that the state meet is always your best race?
During the season I try to work on lengthening my distance and increasing my speed. Then towards the last few weeks of the season I back my training off a little so that my muscles can recover and I can produce faster times. My coaches are really good about training me for the end because they know that the championship races are what counts the most.
2. During outdoor track you seem to run a lot of races in your league meets. Do you find this beneficial or a hindrance to your progress during the season?
Running more races is actually very beneficial because I use most of them as training for the championships at the end of the season. My coaches try to put me in different events each week and we usually come up with a strategy as to how to run each particular race. Sometimes I run the first two laps of a mile harder and then just try to hang on and sometimes I run for a good and even pace in the two mile. Training like that in league meets overall helps me to perform better in the state and region meets.
3. Do you participate in invitationals during the outdoor track season? Why or why not?
I do not participate in invitationals during the track season because it is usually complicated to balance my training around extra races.
4. What is your favorite event? Do you feel that your best event might be the 5K track run?
My favorite event changes from year to year, depending on how much I run in each event throughout the season. Last year I think I favored the two mile and the 800, but this year I preferred the mile more because I did not run as much of it. I only ran the 1600 a few times in the league meets and I think that not running it made me miss it more, so that by the time the state meet came I was exicted to see what I could really run for four laps. I'm not really sure how i would do in a 5K track run. I'd like to think I'd be pretty good at it because I do well in cross country, but running about 12 laps on the track is definitely not the same as running a cross country course. I tend to do better on grassy terrain when it comes to longer distances, and I think that 12 laps might be a struggle for me in the end.
5. What are your thoughts about summer training and how do you structure your training?
My cross country coach asks each of us what our major goals are in terms of performance for the upcoming season in the fall and then helps us to make a day-by-day schedule of what to run over the summer. As long as I run what is on the schedule, I always feel as though I am a step ahead with each step I take in the summer. I don't really enjoy running in the heat, but I've learned that running in the summer is one of the most important steps for improving performance for both cross country and track.
6. You are one of the tallest girls out on the track. Does your stride length help you on the track?
My stride length does help me a little in events such as the 400 and 800, but contrary to what most people think it plays no part in my performance in distance events. No matter how tall I am, I still have to pace myself in the 1600 and 3200, and opening my stride takes more effort and causes me to take quicker steps, which overall tires me out quicker. In shorter events I don't have to worry about pace as much so opening my stride is beneficial because I can cover more ground, but the only time my stride length helps me in the distance events is during the last lap.
7. What about cross country? How do you get yourself ready for all the hills in the fall?
Training for hills in the fall is a little difficult for schools in the eastern shore, but we usually make up for the flat land by running workouts such as intervals on the track. Running a short quick lap is basically the same idea as running a hill, although mentally it can be challenging to run all season on total flat terrain and then switch over to one of the most hilliest courses for the state meet.
8. What do you consider to be the hardest workout you did last season and why?
The hardest workout I ever did last season was a timed two mile. For the first mile I had to give everything I had, as if I were running a timed mile. Then I had to try to hang on for the remaining four laps and see how far I could go holding the same pace. It was one of the only workouts I doubted myself in because it was so mentally challenging as well as physically, and it tested true strength, stamina, and spirit.
9. Do you plan to continue your running carreer in college
I do plan to continue running in college, and I have already started looking at a few colleges and universities.
10. Do you run 5K's during the off season? Why or why not?
I have not run any 5K races in the past summers, but I may do a few this summer to keep me in shape as well as have a good time with my friends. I don't look specifically to race in the summer because that is my only time to keep my training low so I don't get injured, but I think running a few 5K's may be beneficial to keep me mentally in check for cross country.
1 Cleary, Jenn 02:21.68 Bohemia Manor 10 800 UCBAC Championships
3 Cleary, Jenn 02:22.98 Bohemia Manor 11 800 Maryland State Outdoor Championships
3 Cleary, Jenn 02:23.05 Bohemia Manor 10 800 Maryland State Championships
3 Cleary, Jenn 02:24.00 Bohemia Manor 11 800 UCBAC Championships
1 Cleary, Jenn 02:25.47 Bohemia Manor 11 800 Maryland Regional Championships
1 Cleary, Jenn 05:06.61 Bohemia Manor 11 1600 Maryland State Outdoor Championships
3 Cleary, Jenn 05:12.49 Bohemia Manor 10 1600 Maryland State Championships
1 Cleary, Jenn 05:20.00 Bohemia Manor 11 1600 UCBAC Championships
2 Cleary, Jenn 05:27.91 Bohemia Manor 11 1600 State Indoor Track Championships
1 Cleary, Jenn 05:32.00 Bohemia Manor 0 1600 UCBAC Chesapeake Championships
1 Cleary, Jenn 05:32.00 Bohemia Manor 0 1600 UCBAC Chesapeake Championships
1 Cleary, Jenn 05:36.45 Bohemia Manor 11 1600 Maryland Regional Championships
19 Cleary, Jenn 05:39.32 Bohemia Manor 10 1600 Montgomery Invitational
3 Cleary, Jenn 05:41.17 Bohemia Manor 11 1600 1A East Regionals
41 Cleary, Jenn 05:53.24 Bohemia Manor 0 1600 Montgomery Invite
2 Cleary, Jenn 11:16.00 Bohemia Manor 10 3200 UCBAC Championships
1 Cleary, Jenn 11:19.97 Bohemia Manor 11 3200 Maryland State Outdoor Championships
1 Cleary, Jenn 11:33.00 Bohemia Manor 11 3200 UCBAC Championships
1 Cleary, Jenn 11:53.57 Bohemia Manor 0 3200 Cecil County Invitational
2 Cleary, Jenn 11:58.23 Bohemia Manor 10 3200 Maryland State Indoor Track Championships
5 Cleary, Jenn 12:05.66 Bohemia Manor 10 3200 Maryland State Championships
1 Cleary, Jenn 12:07.36 Bohemia Manor 11 3200 Maryland Regional Championships
10 Cleary, Jenn 12:10.38 Bohemia Manor 0 3200 FIT Invitatiional
2 Cleary, Jenn 12:16.32 Bohemia Manor 11 3200 1A East Regionals
3 Cleary, Jenn 12:30.51 Bohemia Manor 11 3200 State Indoor Track Championships
2 Cleary, Jenn 12:45.43 Bohemia Manor 10 3200 1A East Regionals
7 Cleary, Jenn 12:53.00 Bohemia Manor 0 3200 UCBAC Chesapeake Championships
7 Cleary, Jenn 12:53.00 Bohemia Manor 0 3200 UCBAC Chesapeake Championships
2 Cleary, Jenn 12:59.20 Bohemia Manor 0 3200 2A1A East Indoor Regional
9 Cleary, Jenn 13:15.60 Bohemia Manor 0 3200 1A2A State Championships
17 Cleary, Jenn 15:01.00 Bohemia Manor 0 3200 UCBAC Championships
2 Cleary, Jenn 18:41.00 Bohemia Manor 0 3MileXC UCBAC Championships
2 Cleary, Jenn 19:41.00 Bohemia Manor 0 3MileXC UCBAC Susquehanna Division
7 Cleary, Jenn 19:51.00 Bohemia Manor 0 3MileXC UCBAC Championships
5 Cleary, Jenn 20:12.74 Bohemia Manor 0 3MileXC UCBAC Chesapeake Divisionals
14 Cleary, Jenn 20:24.00 Bohemia Manor 0 3MileXC Maryland State Championships
2 Cleary, Jenn 20:33.00 Bohemia Manor 0 3MileXC State XC Championships
1 Cleary, Jenn 21:02.30 Bohemia Manor 0 3MileXC Maryland Regionals
7 Cleary, Jenn 21:05.20 Bohemia Manor 0 3MileXC South Carroll Invitational
16 Cleary, Jenn 21:06.63 Bohemia Manor 0 3MileXC UCBAC Championships
2 Cleary, Jenn 21:10.00 Bohemia Manor 0 3MileXC 1A South Regionals XC 2007
2 Cleary, Jenn 22:08.00 Bohemia Manor 0 3MileXC UCBAC Susquehanna XC Championships
1 Cleary, Jenn 22:49.00 Bohemia Manor 10 3MileXC Cecil County Invitational