HOKA Trials Athlete of the Day: Sid Vaughn: From Unsigned Out of College to HOKA NAZ Elite Pro Dreaming of Tokyo

HOKA Trials Athlete of the Day #13

by LetsRun.com (sponsored by HOKA ONE ONE)
February 21, 2020

February is Marathon Month on LetsRun.com as the month ends with one of the greatest events on the athletics calendar, the 2020 US Olympic Marathon Trials in Atlanta. From the contenders, to the dreamers, to the mountain men and women, HOKA ONE ONE has 17 athletes competing at the Trials, and LetsRun.com is partnering with HOKA to profile all of them. We hope these profiles not only show you the cool stories of the people running the Trials, but also help gets you pumped for the Trials, and gives you some advice for your own running. This content is sponsored content for HOKA, but not approved by them.

Of the three HOKA NAZ Elite male pros toeing the line in Atlanta at the Olympic Marathon Trials a week from today, Scott Fauble, Scott Smith, and Sid Vaughn, Vaughn is the new kid on the block.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B8EWToYnVDX/

Vaughn grew up in Louisiana, hence his instagram handle @cajunlightning, and went to high school and college in Georgia. At the University of Georgia, Vaughn ran solid but not spectacular times of 14:01 and 29:08, which left him on the outside of guys who get pro contracts. However Vaughn knew he had unfinished business in the sport, and moved to Boulder, Colorado to train in Boulder, Colorado with Parker Stinson and Hudson Elite.

Vaughn made big breakthoughs in 2018, running 28:32.06 to win the 10,000m at Mt. Sac, placing 8th at the US Half Marathon Champs, and winning the San Jose Rock N Roll Half Marathon in 1:03:36 to qualify for the Olympic Marathon Trials. His first foray into the marathon was not a success (2:22.01), but his successful year attracted the attention of HOKA NAZ Elite coach Ben Rosario and Sid signed his first professional contract to kick off 2019.

Vaughn lowered his half marathon PR to 1:03:30 in New York last year and adapted to training with Fauble and Smith who had great success in the marathon in 2019 (2:09 for Fauble in Boston, 2:11 for Smith in Chicago). For the vast majority of the Trials build-up, Vaughn has been running side-by-side with the two Scotts. We spoke to all 3 of them yesterday and will post that later this week, but until then here is Vaughn’s Trials Q&A.

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Name /Nickname: Sid Vaughn Jr.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B84KifinjS0/

Age: 25

Hometown: Baton Rouge, Lousiana

High school: Lakeside High School (Evans, GA)
College: University of Georgia (2017)

Occupation: Professional Runner
Training Group: HOKA ONE ONE NAZ Elite

How did you qualify for the Trials? San Jose Half Marathon 2018 1:03:35

High school PBs: 3200m- 9:20 1600m- 4:19 5k xc- 15:23

College PBs: 10,000m- 29:08 5000m- 14:01

Post college claim to fame: Half Marathon- 63:30, 10 mile- 47:46 10,000m- 28:32

Training shoe: Clifton 6

Racing shoe: Carbon X

Family: youngest of 10 siblings

Road to the Trials

How did you start running?  

I started running track when I was in middle school (2006) but did not fall in love with the sport until my Junior year of high school (2010-2011).

How long have you dreamed of the Trials/Olympics?  

I have wanted to compete in the Olympics since my Junior year of high school

What does it mean to make the Trials?

It’s a great feeling to be competing in the Trials for a spot on the Olympic Team. This is the first step towards making the team so to be in this position is amazing.

What’s your goal for the Trials?

Try and make the Olympic Team

What do you think of the course?

The course is one of the most challenging courses I have ever seen. There is no real flat sections to it so that will beat up the legs over the course of the marathon. It is going to make February 29th a very interesting day.

How has your training gone in the buildup for the Trials?  Did you do anything different because it’s the Trials?

Training has been going very well. My coach has modified our workouts to be on tougher courses in order to be as best prepared for the Atlanta course as we can be. I don’t feel any extra pressure. I love racing so I just look at it as another chance to get on the roads and be competitive.

How long was your buildup?

12 weeks

What was your highest mileage week? Your average week?

102 highest week, 95 for avg

What is your favorite workout?

Mile Repeats

How much sleep do you get a night?

8-9 hour

Free Training Advice

What one piece of advice would you give to a high school/ younger runner?

Stay the course and be willing to put in the time and work in order to achieve your goals. You don’t get successful in running overnight and no one workout will or training run will do it either. It is the sum of weeks, months and even years that will get you to your goals.

What one piece of advice would you give to a first-time marathoner?

Do not try anything new on race day. Stick to the plan that you have had and practiced throughout your training. Whether that’s your fueling the day of or dinner the night before etc..

What one piece of advice would you give to a runner pursuing their dreams?

Don’t let other people tell you what your dreams should be or that you should not pursue them.

What is your favorite running memory?

Signing with NAZ in 2019

Who inspired you as a runner as a kid?

Leo Manzano, Bernard Lagat

What is your race day routine?

Wake up 3 hours before, have coffee and some peanut butter toast + a granola bar

Why do you run?

My whole day feels off if I don’t run.It is the best way for me to start my day whether that’s because I feel a sense of accomplishment from exercising or I need some time to think on my own.

Previous HOKA ONE ONE Takes On The Trials Stories:
* HOKA NAZ Elite Coach Ben Rosario Talks 2020 Marathon Trials Expectations, Shoe Technology, Jim Walmsley, & Even Galen Rupp

• HOKA Trials Athlete of the Day #12: Stephanie Bruce: From Beating Boys in Grade School, to Partying in High School, to First National Title at 34, to the Olympics? Stephanie Bruce has nearly done it all in the sport. But two big things remain. Conquering the marathon and making an Olympic team.
• HOKA Trials Athlete of the Day #11: Scott Smith: Can He Get Top 3 Like His Dog at the Dog World Championships?Scott Smith is dreaming of the Olympics after his 2:11 in Chicago.
• HOKA Trials Athlete of the Day #10: Rajpaul Pannu – From Being an Overweight Highschooler to the Olympic Marathon Trials Rajpaul Pannu started running to lose weight in high school. Now he’ll be toeing the line at the 2020 Olympic Marathon Trials in Atlanta. Read his cool story.
• HOKA Trials Athlete of the Day #9: Tyler Andrews The Male Trials Runner Who Didn’t Break 18 Minutes in High School Who Now Trains with Kenyans in Ecuador Tyler Andrews has a true where your dreams become reality story as he didn’t break 18 minutes for 5k in high school and now is training with Kenyans in Ecuador and running the Olympic Marathon Trails and winning US championships.
• HOKA Trials Athlete of the Day #8: Jim Walmsley Looking for Advice Before His First Marathon
• HOKA Trials Runner of the Day #7: Brandon Johnson: From Sports Illustrated Steeplechase Fall to the Marathon Trials This HOKA field rep recruited by Pete Julian in college first made national news by face planting in a steeple pit, but has been climbing up the distance ranks since.
• HOKA ONE ONE Trials Athlete Of The Day #6: Clinical Cancer Rearcher Manager Liza Reichert Who says you can’t be an Olympic Marathon Trails qualifier and have a very important job? Meet Liza Reichert.
• HOKA ONE ONE Trials Athlete Of The Day #5: Texan and US Mountain Team Member David Fuentes Meet the two-time Trials qualifier who has never broken 2:20 in a marathon. Will the hills of Atlanta result in a big breakthrough for this US Mountain team member? Not only does he work a full-time job, he also has a cool side hustle.
• HOKA ONE ONE Trials Athlete Of The Day #4: Swarnjit Boyal’s: Incredible US Olympic Trials Story Learn how Boyal has progressed from being cut twice in college, to being a walkon, to a conference champion, and now a US Olympic Trials qualifier.
• HOKA ONE ONE Trials Athlete Of The Day #3: Meet Addi Zerrenner The Trials Qualifier Who Taped a Picture of Shalane Flanagan on Her Wall in High School During her 1st week of HS track practice, Zerrener was told she “ran like Shalane Flanagan” and she’s been hooked ever since.
• HOKA ONE ONE Trials Athlete Of The Day #2: Former US Marathon Champ Sergio Reyes Ready to Excel at Possibly His Final Trials at Age 38 How many 38 year olds do you know that run up to 140 mpw.
• HOKA ONE ONE Trials Athlete Of The Day #1: 2007 Foot Locker Champ Ashley Brasovan In HS, she beat Jordan Hasay to win the crown and later was told by doctors she would never “run again, let alone compete, after being diagnosed with osteoporosis and having 4 femoral stress fractures.” Yet she’s become a professional trail runner and 2X Olympic Marathon trials qualifier.
• Introduction: HOKA ONE ONE Is Ready To Take On The Marathon Trials