This is a great interview. I just listened to it for the first time. I was warned that it would come out but I didn’t know when. I loved it. Grant is an articulate young man who knows where he wants to go.
On occasion, I read these boards. I used to post all the time but I have not done that in the past few years. No matter, I’m posting now. A few people have encouraged me to post so I am.
As a Coach, I see progression as a gradual thing. When I first got Grant, he did EVERYTHING the way I told him to do it. You try it the way I know works, and then as you progress, things may change. Well, usually between Junior and Senior year, the body changes, the mind changes, and the training changes. It HAS to change. You match the training to the athlete. Not the other way around. Grant really began this change at the end of his Sophomore year. At the state meet that year, Grant should have won the mile (against the defending Champion) but the crowd was going crazy and the defending champ got past Grant in the final meter. Yes, the last step. It was a photo finish and Grant didn’t come out on top. Immediately, he and I left the stadium to go jog. We talked. He had the two mile ahead and we needed to get out of the noise and regain focus. Grant came back and won the two mile. I tell that story because it shows Grant’s true strength. His mental focus. Grant’s number one strength is his mind.
Fast forward to his Jr and Sr year. Grant and I started ‘discussing’ race plans, not dictating to them. I was writing all the training to match what he wanted (body performance wise) to come out in the races. But for race planning, we set a plan, we agree to a plan, and Grant executes the plan. There is no hesitation when it comes to follow through. And sometimes, we discuss ‘what ifs’ and ‘then whats’ but we eventually come up with a plan that we think will get him to the medal stand. And that is exactly the way I believe it should be. By the time Grant got to Stanford, we had experimented with many different race plans. All to gain knowledge of how he can best win the race.
So, for Grant to say, ‘I wanted a bit more control over my training,’ that is exactly what we are doing now. We sit down weekly to discuss plans. We adjust training weekly (and even WITHIN a workout if needed) often. We use lactate several times; per workout. His plan is written out through the important races of the year; he sets the races, WE set the plan.
None of this is new to Grant, we used it back in his teens. And while training is simple when you watch it, it’s incredibly complex when you train all the different systems of the body properly.
Grant didn’t really go into training much in the interview but I’m fine sharing our training with others. I love the fact that Jakob shares his stuff. Jakob has made lactate testing cool! The only problem with sharing stuff is that people pick one or two things from the plan and try them. And I’m sure they can complete them. But training is like a puzzle, you have to have ALL the pieces, not just one day, to see the PROGRAM. That is where it gets difficult. People see one day and either compliment or criticize but they are not seeing the program. They are looking at one day. I’m a results oriented Coach. If the results are good, I like the program. If the results are not good, the program has to change. This is non-negotiable.
The thing that is also non-negotiable is attendance at practice. I don’t know if Grant has ever missed a practice. He hasn’t with me. He gets his rest, he eats properly, he comes prepared to do the work, then during warm up, he gets his mind ready for the work day. And we get to work. This alone sets him apart from 99% of the others who watch him on TV. And it HAS to be this way. You cannot improve if you are not training. You will not improve if you don’t rest (on easy days). This is all very simple. Yet, execution day after day, year after year, is very difficult.
Lastly, I don’t mind talking training principles. I do it daily with coaches all over the country. There are many HS athletes out there that have no idea that I’m coaching their coach. I’m fine with that. I wish every athlete would run shocking times. Then, it would be harder and more challenging for me (and the guys I currently coach) to beat those ‘other fast guys.’ I like the pressure of making sure we’re doing things properly; day after day; with focus and intent. And I don’t mind talking training at all. But again, the training MUST match the athlete. Not the other way around.
In summary, the interview was fantastic to listen to. Looking forward to ’24.