Alicia Monson had a yr to recollect in 2023. The 25-year-old Monson, a local of Amery, Wis., who’s now primarily based in Boulder, Colo., as a member of the On Athletics Membership, set American information within the 3,000 (8:25.05), 5,000 (14:19.45), and 10,000 meters (30:03.82). She completed 2nd in each the 5,000 and 10,000 meters on the US championships in July. On the World Championships in Budapest in August, Monson took 14th within the 5,000 and fifth within the 10,000 — the latter was the very best end by an American girl in that occasion since Emily Infeld‘s bronze in 2015.
Monson was happy with that race because it represented a serious enchancment on her earlier finishes at international championships — thirteenth on the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo and thirteenth once more a yr later on the World Championships in Eugene. However the College of Wisconsin alum will not be glad. As she begins her pursuit of a second Olympic berth in 2024, Monson desires to run even sooner — she’d wish to turn out to be the primary American girl below 30:00 for 10,000 — with the goal of constructing sufficient power to be in rivalry to medal at a worldwide championship.
Monson will start her 2024 season by operating the 2-mile on the Millrose Video games on February 11, which is the penultimate cease on the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold. Millrose is an occasion the place Monson has loved loads of success just lately, successful the three,000 in 2019, 2022, and 2023. This week, Millrose organizers made Monson out there for an interview with LetsRun, the place she mentioned her record-breaking 2023 season, her goals for 2024 (and why she is planning on operating The TEN as an alternative of World Indoors or World XC), coaching with Hellen Obiri, and whether or not she’d commerce an American report for a US title.
LRC: You’re operating the 2-mile at Millrose. Why the 2-mile, and do you could have a goal time in thoughts?
AM: I’ve raced at Millrose 3 times, I’ve simply all the time accomplished the 3k and have actually loved it. This yr it’s a 2-mile. I didn’t even notice it was a 2-mile till just lately so I feel it’s a enjoyable swap up. I don’t actually have any expectations going into it. I do know it’s going to be a extremely good area. They’re most likely going to have a superb pacer and get us out. I truly don’t even know – have you learnt what the American report instances are?
Yeah, I regarded up the American report, it’s 9:10.28, which is the indoor report and in addition the general report set by Elle St. Pierre a pair years in the past.
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Okay, gotcha. I can think about that if the race goes out quick and if there’s sufficient individuals competing then it positively could possibly be within reach to hit the American report. Final yr going into Millrose with the 3k, even within the fall, it had been like, I’m going after the American report. However this yr it’s extra like simply getting in actually good coaching all by means of the autumn and winter and mainly breaking it up with Millrose after which most likely The TEN (on March 16). Principally getting in actually good races to exit and compete so I can present up, hopefully, to Paris in the summertime and be like, I’ve had these good races and this nice yr of coaching in order that I can actually put together for that. Type of retaining my expectations free this yr, I assume.
You probably did run a mile this previous yr indoors in 4:23. Did any a part of you wish to run the Wanamaker Mile at Millrose as an alternative?
I’ve up to now type of been like, Oh possibly that may be enjoyable. However there’s so many good American milers proper now that I feel there’s positively individuals who possibly deserve the spot within the Wanamaker Mile greater than me. It’s all the time simply been my factor to do the 3k and particularly with us taking a look at doing The TEN this yr in March, it wouldn’t make as a lot sense to do that actually high-level mile when it’s solely 4 weeks earlier than The TEN. The 3k is an efficient distance to throw some pace in there and never have to alter the coaching an excessive amount of.
Will you run some other indoor races?
Simply planning on Millrose, truly. I could be pacing a 5k at BU. Quite a lot of our teammates are going there so I might tempo individuals to the usual, ideally.
Would you think about operating World Cross Nation this yr?
I don’t suppose that we’re planning on it. After final yr, I positioned fifth at Worlds within the 10k, it was like: I didn’t do something mistaken apart from, if I desire a medal, I’ve to get higher. We’re taking the lengthy sport of getting in a extremely good yr of coaching. I feel a few of my teammates are possibly going for World Indoors, however for me it’s having these landmarks of Millrose, The TEN, and stepping into out of doors racing. So no cross nation for me this yr, however who is aware of sooner or later? It may be some enjoyable racing, however with the Olympic yr, it didn’t make sense for me.
You have already got the Olympic customary within the 10,000 meters, proper? So are you able to clarify the logic of doing The TEN within the spring as your foremost huge occasion?
I don’t want the usual for the 10k. I don’t want the usual for 5k if I have been to decide on to do this. So mainly, it was simply what can we do that may make me really feel probably the most prepared for the Olympics? And I really feel like that’s operating a sub-30:00 10k. I assume the plan could be to interrupt the American report once more (Monson ran 30:03.82 in 2023), however actually it’s how briskly can I run to really feel probably the most ready? As a result of clearly I’m operating towards individuals who can run very quick and [I need to] be ready to run at a tempo that feels simple to them after which kick off of it. So [The TEN] could be to see the place we’re at in coaching and construct confidence for the summer season.
Gotcha. So clearly we’re nonetheless a number of months away from that race, you haven’t accomplished all of the coaching you wish to do for it but. However what’s a time at The TEN that may make you’re feeling assured that you simply’re able to take that subsequent step?
Monson ran an American report of 30:03.82 at The TEN in March and will probably be making an attempt to run even sooner in 2024 (Kevin Morris photograph)
To start with, seeing 29 on the entrance could be big, simply because no American has ever gone below 30:00. We’ve type of thrown round 29:30, however clearly that’s rather a lot simpler stated than accomplished. It’s going to be a extremely exhausting race. If I’m below 29:50 and feeling good off of it, then I can really feel like I can do it. We noticed final yr, [world champ Gudaf] Tsegay ran, mainly, 29:30 on the [Ethiopian] trials. She will run that after which nonetheless really feel ok to kick.
I’ve been coaching with Hellen [Obiri] and Josette [Andrews] is basically nice for the pace aspect of issues. So probably not planning on a particular time but as a result of it’s so distant, however mid-29 minutes is a good factor to say that, yeah, this particular person could possibly be a reliable potential for a medal.
Once you visualize that and also you say these instances, how does it make you’re feeling? Is it intimidating to be chasing such a quick time? Or thrilling?
Desirous about that 29:30 means you’re operating two 14:45 5ks in a row. That’s type of insane. However I attempt to cut up it up – the instances that I’ve run quickest is once I’m splitting it up lap by lap and making an attempt to reset. So most likely making an attempt to do this. Then there’s a complete different factor of if we wish to run that quick, we’d need to arrange pacers and there’s solely so many individuals who it make sense to do this. You’ve acquired individuals doing World Indoors, World Cross.
So I’m making an attempt to take it sooner or later at a time, mainly. Making an attempt to not get dropped by Hellen on daily basis!
These occasions like World Indoors and World Cross Nation – I do know you probably did World Indoors again in Belgrade in 2022. Are there issues World Athletics can do to inspire athletes to run these occasions?
There’s positively issues they may do. We’ve acquired Worlds, the place the winner will get an auto to the subsequent Worlds, so possibly they may do one thing like that. But it surely’s exhausting to overlap with the Olympics. Cross nation is tough as a result of there has, I really feel, been much less and fewer participation in that. Typically we don’t do it as a result of it’s going to be messy and will find yourself getting you injured or one thing like that. So exhausting to say.
I’m saying that, but in addition a few of my teammates are keen to go to World Indoors. So I feel it actually relies on your distance, additionally. That’s to not say it is best to by no means do it. However for me personally this yr, it simply didn’t fairly make sense with the Olympic yr.
You had an amazing yr in 2023: American information within the 3k, the 5k, the 10k, fifth place within the 10k at Worlds. What do you suppose was your greatest race this yr and why?
I might say that the World 10k was most likely my greatest race this yr as a result of I’ve had World and Olympic experiences up to now and I’ve by no means fairly delivered on these. And I really feel like I did this yr with the 10k. It’s positively numerous strain to remain in it for that lengthy, and I mainly stayed in it till the final lap when it type of separated. That’s the defining level for me.
However then you definitely take a look at, I ran the 10k report and the 5k report, which have been positively confidence-building races for me to enter the World 10k and be like, yeah, I can stick with them. However I might say it’s nice to run quick and stuff however these aren’t essentially the races that I really feel like I actually excelled, racing-wise. I used to be simply proving my health. The championship races is the place I’m taking a look at the place I can enhance.
I’ve acquired an attention-grabbing proposition, then. Since you set 3 ARs final yr however you could have but to win a US title on the monitor.
Proper.
If I stated you would commerce these American information for what Elise Cranny had this yr – two American titles on the monitor – do you make that commerce?
I might say I wouldn’t. Clearly, Elise had an incredible yr and tremendous spectacular to take what possibly wasn’t her ideally suited spring and switch it round and are available out on prime within the US for each the 5k and the 10k, which is tremendous spectacular. However personally for me, it was extra useful in the long run to know that I can run these American information. And that places me ready the place I’m like, if I can pull it collectively in a race the place it issues, then I will be there.
Hopefully, I’ll win a US championship sometime, however I’m taking this yr as a win in particular methods and positively have areas to enhance. And clearly Elise is an unimaginable runner, so it would positively be an attention-grabbing Olympic Trials. I don’t know what occasions she’s planning on doing, but it surely’s a great way for us to measure up and make one another higher for the Olympic stage.
Is your plan to double 10k/5k on the Trials? Or would you simply concentrate on one?
As of proper now, we’re considering of simply specializing in the 10k being that the 5k is first [at the Olympics]. I used to be glad that I doubled at Worlds this previous yr, as a result of I felt like by the ultimate of the 5k, I used to be positively drained. I feel the 10k is my higher occasion, so I wouldn’t wish to put myself ready the place I’m already drained toeing the road.
Clearly that may change. Final yr, I stated I wasn’t going to double after which I doubled. However as of proper now, planning on doing the 10k.
How do you’re feeling about the place your kick is at proper now? As a result of I keep in mind a pair years in the past watching you and Francine Niyonsaba battling it out proper to the road in Lausanne. That was a kicker’s race on the finish.
Properly proper now, particularly, I’ve been doing a complete lot of fall coaching, so I most likely wouldn’t wish to be in a kicker’s race in the intervening time.
Yeah. However once you’re prepared?
I’ve confidence that my final pace is nice, it’s simply I haven’t discovered tips on how to do it on the finish of 10k. And a part of that’s, within the 10k, the folks that I used to be racing with and kicking with may run a minute sooner than me. So I used to be already at my restrict is the way in which I might say it. I’ve gotten good at pushing it to the restrict throughout your complete race so I don’t have something left to provide with 400m to go. In order that’s the stance we’re taking, is making an attempt to get my health up there and making an attempt to get it thus far the place I’m not at my restrict with 400 to go and I can kick with the remainder of them.
I nonetheless believe. I do know individuals will say that I don’t have a kick. However I do know that I prepare with 1500m runners. So I wouldn’t say I don’t have it. I simply suppose it hasn’t come round but on the finish of a race.
What’s your 400 pb? Do you ever run them all-out?
I’ve solely ever run one exhausting one. We don’t actually do exhausting 400s, to be trustworthy. I ran one 400 on the finish of a tough exercise earlier than Worlds this yr. [Coach] Dathan [Ritzenhein] paced me by means of it. That is in Chiavenna, so mainly sea degree. It was 4 x mile, I feel we should have averaged like 4:43 per mile, after which a 600 in…does 1:36 make sense? Is {that a} smart time?
Yeah.
Yeah, like 1:36ish. After which I did a 400 in 59-flat, and that was the one time I’ve ever truly damaged 60. It’s taken me a number of years to really get to the purpose of being match sufficient to run a high-quality 10k. So now lastly this yr we acquired to the purpose the place I can prepare my pace as properly. So now that I’m match sufficient, we’ve been sprinkling in additional of that. Type of thrilling, however we nonetheless have a methods to go.
You talked about coaching a little bit bit with Hellen Obiri. How typically do you run along with her, how typically do you’re employed out along with her? And what’s that like?
Monson will attempt to make her second Olympic workforce in 2024 (Kevin Morris photograph)
It relies on what her marathon coaching schedule is. Earlier this fall, main as much as New York, I didn’t prepare along with her in any respect as a result of I used to be on a break. However final yr I skilled along with her main as much as Boston. And just lately I’ve been operating along with her rather a lot – and that’s mainly doing exercises and lengthy runs. However I can think about as soon as she will get nearer to marathon coaching, she’ll be separating from my lengthy runs.
Principally we’ve been doing numerous base coaching stuff collectively just lately, so, like, fartleks. We had a long term just lately the place it was like 8 miles of standard operating after which 8 miles of threshold. So I did that along with her. She jumped on the monitor with us – she and I did 8 by 1k and 4 x 400 this previous weekend. It’s a superb time for us as a result of I’ve been build up my fall coaching and she or he’s been getting again into common non-marathon coaching since she received’t be operating a marathon for a little bit bit.
She’s so gifted. It’s unimaginable that she will be able to do a extremely exhausting exercise time and again. It’s the week after week that she’s in a position to do. In order that’s what I’ve been making an attempt to do along with her, is simply build up this actually high-quality base. Not taking anybody exercise however simply over time sticking along with her and seeing what I can do.
Properly Alicia, I admire you taking the time to speak to me. Anything you needed to say about Millrose or the rest?
I assume I might simply say I’m tremendous excited to be again to Millrose as a result of it’s all the time handled me properly and handled the OAC properly. The previous two years, we’ve had wins and information and it’s all the time a superb time. And the group is all the time tremendous thrilling and tremendous loud in that indoor area. Hoping for good climate this yr. However I feel it needs to be a brilliant enjoyable time.
This interview has been edited and condensed for readability.Dialogue: After record-breaking 2023, Alicia Monson talks about operating….. 29:30! for 10,000m*PSA: Millrose Video games Tickets are on sale right here
