Really good RW article. Written before Rio, but has some super interesting tidbits.
"Ward’s high school coaches brought him along slowly, believing his best days lay ahead. They never pushed him beyond 40 miles a week (in six days, because his Mormon faith requires rest and reflection on Sundays). In the fall of 2006, he finished second in the Utah state cross-country meet, then shocked many observers by grabbing eighth place in the Foot Locker West Region. That brought him a ticket to Foot Locker Nationals, where he finished 22nd in a race won by Ryan Hall’s brother, Chad. “Being at Foot Locker was such a blast it made me hungry to reach more events of a similarly high level,†Ward said."
"Beyond that, they have a two-pronged game plan for Rio. First, get as fit and healthy as can be. Second, Ward says, “Coach wants me to treat the Olympic Marathon as just another day in the office. He wants me to remember that I’ve raced thousands of times in the past, and the tactics and attitudes that worked then are the ones I should follow in the Olympics.â€"
Discus.