PreRaceJitters Interview: The Mind of Lauren Centrowitz

She’s older now, she turned 23 on September 26 –but one thing about Lauren Centrowitz will never change: She’s plays it cool.

Centrowitz doesn’t take herself too seriously and isn’t afraid to laugh at herself. A trait that has served her well in her track career. She walks with a little swagger. It’s not overdone but it’s there.

Within track circles, she is known as the daughter of track legend Matt Centrowitz, a former U.S. record holder at 5,000 meters and head track coach at American University. She is also known as the sibling of Matt Centrowitz, the All-American sophomore runner at the University of Oregon.

She appeared at ease while competing in college under the scrutiny of the national spotlight as a track blue blood in storied program. It appeared almost methodical to watch Centrowitz drop her times over the last four years and progress into one of the United States’ most seasoned collegiate middle distance runners.

She made her presence known to her teammates and competitors while at Stanford.  Lauren Centrowitz played a pivotal role in helping the Cardinals win two nationals championships in cross country, earned All-American honors nine times and is the school’s record holder at 1,500 meters (4:10.23).

Against a stacked field, she showed poise, finishing sixth in the 1500 meters at 2009 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in June after running a long collegiate season. And then later in the summer, Centrowitz realized her dream: competing in her first runs in Europe this summer along with the sport’s elite runners.

Right now things are pop’n.  Lauren Centrowitz has packed her belongings and moved back home to the East coast. She is pursuing a Masters Degree in Public Policy at the University of Maryland and is training as a member of her father’s training group to get ready for her first full season in 2010 as a rookie on the professional track and field circuit.

But don’t let her lofty education pursuits fool you. In this interview, a lighthearted Centrowitz talks with PreRaceJitters about politics, competing against her brother Matthew, and of course Michael Jackson.

9 Things You Might Not Know About Lauren Centrowitz:

1. Her favorite political figure.
“If you look across history, I like Steven Colbert because he’s funny,” says a half-joking Centrowitz.

2. Post-collegiate Endeavors.
She is currently in her father Matt Centrowitz Pacer’s Racing Team training. Centrowitz says, “Officially my role is an athlete and unofficially my role is keeping my father happy for everyone else.”

3. Do or die.
“I simply can’t live without chocolate or my iPod.”

4. Michael Phelps fan.
Lauren confesses, “Michael Phelps is my favorite athlete outside of track and field. He’s also rep’n Maryland it’s just amazing to see an American athlete so dominant. I also have a lot of respect for swimmers because track and swimming are so similar.”

5. Playing Games.
Athletic families are known for sibling rivalries.  “I can beat my brother Matt in pretty much everything but running.  He can’t touch me in nertz, my favorite card game,” she laughs.

6.  A career in politics?
While Lauren’s preoccupied with running track and field, her education has meaning. After a long pause she responds, “My dream job in politics is anything that is behind the scene.”

7. New Job.
If Lauren were President of the United States for a day, she would focus on helping people. “I would provide universal healthcare because private interests shouldn’t come before people’s health, says Centrowitz.”

8. King of Pop.
My favorite Michael Jackson song is Can’t Stop Till You Get Enough.

9. Always Remembered.
She remembers the moment clearly.  Centrowitz recalls, “I was watching E! News, a couple hours before my 1500m prelim at USA’s, when they cut the program to announce that MJ had died. I immediately changed the channel because I didn’t want to get upset before my race.”

Brussels Golden League Start List

Event|Sex NAME Firstname Nationality

JAVELIN MEN FRYDRYCH Petr CZE
JAVELIN MEN GOYVAERTS Tom BEL
JAVELIN MEN KOVALS Ainars LAT
JAVELIN MEN MARTINEZ Guillermo CUB
JAVELIN MEN PITKAMAKI Tero FIN
JAVELIN MEN RUUSKANEN Anti FIN
JAVELIN MEN SMET Thomas BEL
JAVELIN MEN THORKILDSEN Andreas NOR
JAVELIN MEN VASILEVSKIS Vadims LAT
JAVELIN MEN WIRKKALA Teemu FIN

100 M MEN BURNS Mark TRI
100 M MEN CLARKE Lerone JAM
100 M MEN FRATER Michael JAM
100 M MEN GAY Tyson USA
100 M MEN MULLINGS Steve JAM
100 M MEN PATTON Darvis USA
100 M MEN POWELL Asafa JAM
100 M MEN RODGERS Mike USA
100 M MEN WILLIAMSON Simeon GBR

110 M H MEN BRATHWAITE Ryan BAR
110 M H MEN BROOTHAERTS Damien BEL
110 M H MEN BROWN Joel USA
110 M H MEN FAULK Dexter USA
110 M H MEN NOGA Artur POL
110 M H MEN OLIVER David USA
110 M H MEN SHARMAN William GBR
110 M H MEN SVOBODA Petr CZE
110 M H MEN THOMAS Dwight JAM

200 M MEN BOLT Usain JAM
200 M MEN CHRISTIAN Brendan ANT
200 M MEN CRIBARI Marco SUI
200 M MEN GULIYEV Ramil AZE
200 M MEN HAECK Joris BEL
200 M MEN HESSION Paul IRL
200 M MEN KIMMONS Trell USA
200 M MEN MBANDJOCK Martial FRA
200 M MEN SPEARMON Wallace USA

3000 ST MEN BUC Bustjan SLO
3000 ST MEN DESMET Pieter BEL
3000 ST MEN GARY Roba ETH
3000 ST MEN KEMBOI Ezekiel KEN
3000 ST MEN KESKISALO Jukka FIN
3000 ST MEN KIPTEREGE Elijah KEN
3000 ST MEN KIPYEGO Mike KEN
3000 ST MEN KOECH Paul KEN
3000 ST MEN KRISTENSEN Ustad NOR
3000 ST MEN LANGAT David KEN
3000 ST MEN LANGAT Patrick KEN
3000 ST MEN MATEELONG Richard KEN
3000 ST MEN MOHAMED Mustafa SWE
3000 ST MEN MUTAI Abel KEN
3000 ST MEN RAMOLEFI Ruben RSA
3000 ST MEN SZYMKOWIAK Tomasz POL
3000 ST MEN TAHER Tareq Mubarak BRN
3000 ST MEN VAN KOOLWIJK Krijn BEL

4 X 1500 MEN ALGERIE
4 X 1500 MEN AUSTRALIA
4 X 1500 MEN BELGIUM
4 X 1500 MEN ENGLAND
4 X 1500 MEN KENYA
4 X 1500 MEN MAROC
4 X 1500 MEN MIXED TEAM
4 X 1500 MEN SPAIN
4 X 1500 MEN USA

400 M MEN BINGHAM Michael GBR
400 M MEN BROWN Chris BAH
400 M MEN DJHONE Leslie FRA
400 M MEN GILLET Antoine BEL
400 M MEN GILLICK David IRL
400 M MEN KIKAYA Gary COD
400 M MEN QUOW Renny TRI
400 M MEN WARINER Jeremy USA
400 M MEN WROE Sean AUS

5000 M MEN ABDOSH Ali ETH
5000 M MEN BEKELE Kenenisa ETH
5000 M MEN BETT Josphat KEN
5000 M MEN CHEBII Abraham KEN
5000 M MEN CHEPKOK Vincent KEN
5000 M MEN CHERUIYOT Jonas KEN
5000 M MEN CHESARI Jacob KEN
5000 M MEN EBUYA Joseph ETH
5000 M MEN ESHO Benson KEN
5000 M MEN FARAH Mo GBR
5000 M MEN KIPCHOGE Eliud KEN
5000 M MEN KIPLIMO Joseph KEN
5000 M MEN KIPTOO Mark KEN
5000 M MEN KOMON Leonard KEN
5000 M MEN LONGOSIWA Thomas KEN
5000 M MEN MERGA Imane ETH
5000 M MEN NDIWA Mangata KEN
5000 M MEN ROTICH Lucas KEN
5000 M MEN SOLINSKY Chris USA
5000 M MEN TEGENKAMP Matt USA

800 M MEN AL-SALHI Mohammed KSA
800 M MEN BORZAKOWSKI Yuri RUS
800 M MEN KIRWA YEGO Alfred KEN
800 M MEN LEWANDOWSKI Marcin POL
800 M MEN MULAUDZI Mbulaeni RSA
800 M MEN MUMO KIILU Vincent KEN
800 M MEN REED Gary CAN
800 M MEN RUDISHA David KEN
800 M MEN SOM Bram NED
800 M MEN SYMMONDS Nick USA

TJ WOMEN ALDAMA Yamilé SUD
TJ WOMEN ALEKHINA Nadezhda RUS
TJ WOMEN BOLSHAKOVA Svetlana BEL
TJ WOMEN GAY Mabel CUB
TJ WOMEN NZOLA MESO Teresa FRA
TJ WOMEN PYATYKH Anna RUS
TJ WOMEN SMITH Trecia JAM
TJ WOMEN TOPIC Biljana SRB
TJ WOMEN VELDAKOVA Dana SVK

PV WOMEN BATTKE Anna GER
PV WOMEN DENNISON Kate GBR
PV WOMEN GADSCHIEW Kristina GER
PV WOMEN ISINBAYEVA Yelena RUS
PV WOMEN JOHNSON Chelsea USA
PV WOMEN KIRYASHOVA Aleksandra RUS
PV WOMEN MURER Fabiana BRA
PV WOMEN PYREK Monika POL
PV WOMEN ROGOWSKA Anna POL
PV WOMEN SPIEGELBURG Silke GER

HJ WOMEN AITOVA Marina KAZ
HJ WOMEN BEITIA Ruth ESP
HJ WOMEN CHICHEROVA Anna RUS
HJ WOMEN DI MARTINO Antonietta ITA
HJ WOMEN GORDEEVA Irina RUS
HJ WOMEN GREEN Emma SWE
HJ WOMEN HOWARD Chaunte USA
HJ WOMEN MELFORT Melanie FRA
HJ WOMEN RYAN Deirdre IRL
HJ WOMEN SHKOLINA Svetlana RUS
HJ WOMEN SLESARENKO Yelena RUS
HJ WOMEN VLASIC Blanka CRO

100 M WOMEN BAPTISTE Kelly-Ann TRIN
100 M WOMEN BORLEE Olivia BEL
100 M WOMEN CAMPBELL-BROWN Veronica JAM
100 M WOMEN FERGUSON Debbie BAH
100 M WOMEN FRASER Shelly-Ann JAM
100 M WOMEN JETER Carmelita USA
100 M WOMEN SIMPSON Sherone JAM
100 M WOMEN STEWART Kerron JAM
100 M WOMEN STURRUP Chandra BAH

100 M H WOMEN BERINGS Eline BEL
100 M H WOMEN CARRUTHERS Danielle USA
100 M H WOMEN DAVIN Elisabeth BEL
100 M H WOMEN ENNIS-LONDON Delloreen JAM
100 M H WOMEN FOSTER-HYLTON Brigitte JAM
100 M H WOMEN GOLDING-CLARKE Lacena JAM
100 M H WOMEN LOPES-SCHLIEP Priscilla CAN
100 M H WOMEN O’ROURKE Derval IRL
100 M H WOMEN OFILI Tiffany USA

2000 M WOMEN ALMINOVA Anna RUS
2000 M WOMEN BELETE Almenesh ETH
2000 M WOMEN BURKA Gelete ETH
2000 M WOMEN CHEMOS Milcah KEN
2000 M WOMEN CHENONGE Ines KEN
2000 M WOMEN CHERONO Mercy KEN
2000 M WOMEN CHERUIYOT Vivian KEN
2000 M WOMEN CHOJECKA Lidia POL
2000 M WOMEN HILALI Siham MAR
2000 M WOMEN KIBIWOT Viola KEN
2000 M WOMEN MISHCHENKO Anna UKR
2000 M WOMEN PLIS Renata POL
2000 M WOMEN ROMAN Sonja SLO
2000 M WOMEN WURTH-THOMAS Christin USA
2000 M WOMEN YEVDOKIMOVA Natalya RUS

400 M WOMEN DUNN Debbie USA
400 M WOMEN FIROVA Tatyana RUS
400 M WOMEN HARGROVE Monica USA
400 M WOMEN LLOYD Shereefa JAM
400 M WOMEN OHURUOGU Christine GBR
400 M WOMEN RICHARDS Sanya USA
400 M WOMEN SANDERS Nicola GBR
400 M WOMEN WILLIAMS Shericka JAM
400 M WOMEN WILLIAMS-MILLS Novlene JAM

800 M WOMEN CUSMA Elisa ITA
800 M WOMEN JEPKOSGEI Janeth KEN
800 M WOMEN KREVSUN Yulia UKR
800 M WOMEN OKORO Marilyn GBR
800 M WOMEN ROSTKOWSKA Anna POL
800 M WOMEN SAVINOVA Maria RUS
800 M WOMEN SIMPSON Jemma GBR
800 M WOMEN TSYGANOVA Natalya RUS
800 M WOMEN VESSEY Maggie USA
800 M WOMEN WILLARD Anna USA
800 M WOMEN ZBROZHEK Oksana RUS

Ritzenhein named USATF Athlete of the Week

USA Track & Field
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
For Immediate Release

INDIANAPOLIS - Dathan Ritzenhein has been named USA Track & Field’s Athlete of the Week after setting the American record in the men’s 5,000 meters Friday at the at the Weltklasse meet in Zurich, Switzerland.

BEST MARKS WEEK ENDING AUGUST 30

MEN

100 - 9.95 Doc Patton (Nike) - Zurich, SUI 8/28
200 - 20.56 Thomas Hunter (unat) - Merksem, BEL 9/29
400 - 44.21 LaShawn Merritt (Nike) - Zurich, SUI 8/28
800 - 1:44.86 Nick Symmonds (OTC Elite) - Zurich, SUI 9/28
1500 - 3:36.94 Lopez Lomong (Nike) - Zurich, SUI 8/28
5000 - 12:56.27 Dathan Ritzenhein (Nike) - Zurich, SUI 8/28 AMERICAN RECORD
110H - 13.17 Terrence Trammell (TSA) - Zurich, SUI 8/28
400H - 49.25 Bershawn Jackson (Nike) - Padova, ITA 8/29
HJ - 2.23/7-3.75 Andra Manson (Nike) - Tallinn, EST 8/25
TJ - 17.04/55-11 Brandon Roulhac (HPC Elite) - Zurich, SUI 8/28
JT - 80.11/262-10 Mike Hazle (Nike) - Tallinn, EST 8/25

WOMEN

100 - 10.86 Carmelita Jeter (Nike) - Zurich, SUI 8/28
400 - 48.94 Sanya Richards (Nike) - Zurich, SUI 8/28 World leader
800 - 2:02.22 Morgan Uceny (Reebok) - Padova, ITA 8/29
1500 - 3:59.38 Anna Willard (Nike) - Zurich, SUI 8/28 U.S. leader
100H - 12.48 Dawn Harper (Nike) - Zurich, SUI 8/28
HJ - 1.98/6-6 Chaunte Howard (Nike) - Zurich, SUI 8/28
PV - 4.61/15-1.5 Chelsea Johnson (Nike) - Zurich, SUI 8/28
LJ - 6.72/22-0.75 Hyleas Fountain (Nike) - Tallinn, EST 8/25
HT - 67.53/221-6 Amber Campbell (Mjolnir) - Padova, ITA 8/29
JT - 55.73/182-10 Rachel Yurkovich (Oregon) - Riga, LAT 8/26

Excerpts from Dathan Ritzenhein Excerpts

USA Track & Field For Immediate Release Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Dathan Ritzenhein teleconference excerpts INDIANAPOlIS - USA Track & Field on Tuesday hosted a media teleconference featuring Dathan Ritzenhein, who set a new American record in the men’s 5,000 meters when he crossed the finish line in 12 minutes, 56.27 seconds at last week’s Weltklasse meet in Zurich. Ritzenhein’s performance bettered the 13-year old standard of 12:58.21 set by Bob Kennedy, and made him the third American ever to break the 13-minute barrier at 5,000 meters. Ritzenhein is coming off of the 2009 World Athletics Championships in Berlin, Germany, where he finished the 10,000 meters in a personal best time of 27 minutes 22.28 seconds, which is the best time ever by an American at a World Championships. His sixth-place finish in that event is the highest ever by an American at Worlds. Excerpts from today teleconference follow: Opening Statement by Bob Kennedy: Dathan, I know we had a chance to talk for a couple minutes right after your race, but it was a little broken up. I wanted to take this opportunity to say congratulations. I had an opportunity to watch the race and it was a helluva performance, gutsy and disciplined, and congratulations on your record. I’m very proud of you. Dathan Ritzenhein: Thanks so much, Bob. It was an awesome feeling. As you know the atmosphere in Zurich was just amazing and you just kind of get into your own world there almost. It felt so awesome that finally after 13 years to see that amazing record come within the grasp of American distance runners. Questions for Ritzenhein: Q: As a young runner, what did you think about Bob’s record, and how does it feel to be the person to break a record that has been there so long? A: When I first started getting interested in distance running and started really getting good at it, I was at that age when Bob was in his real prime when he ran that time, and that was an inspiring moment for me. I remember watching the Atlanta Olympics and he was an idol of mine for so many years and he still is. That was a pinnacle moment for my interest in running, when Bob ran that record. The record has lasted for 13 years and it’s a testament to how difficult that record is, and there’s been some great runners to go through and have not approached that yet. For me to be the person to finally make the big jump and actually get it, I’m so thrilled to be able to have that. In the future, should I hopefully continue to improve and have great races, and maybe run faster than that, this will be one that will always stick in my mind because it’s a turning point, I think. Q: Was there a point in Friday’s race in Zurich when you thought that you could get Bob’s record? A: Yeah. I was nervous going into the race because they had talked about a very fast pace, and they did the pace they said they were going to. For me I had to hold on for dear life because Alberto (coach Alberto Salazar) told me beforehand, he said, ‘You can’t go out in 4:02 or 4:03 the first mile, but you can’t get dropped either, because if you get dropped, you can’t run fast.” So I just had to hold on to the back, and it was so fast that I had to really stay focused and bring it back slowly and try to run a fairly even pace. That was really difficult for me at first because it was so fast that I felt awkward through the first half of the race, but through the middle part of the race I started to catch people and feel good, and then with about four laps to go I realized that I had a very good shot at breaking Bob’s record because I felt great at that time and I had been running an even pace and hadn’t fallen off at all. I knew I was going to break it with 200 meters to go because I saw the clock and knew that I would have to really, really fade (to not break the record). I think I was at 12:25, and I knew that I would have to run 33 seconds the last 200, and I was still feeling good enough at that point that I knew I could hold it. Q: Was it sobering to run that fast and not win? (Ritzenhein finished third in the race) A: No. I was so ecstatic at that point because I was really just thinking about competing as much as possible and when I got into the later stages in the race especially, I saw Bekele close enough to me. The greatest runner in history was not that far ahead and I was closing on him, so I know I ran as good as I could and ran an awesome race. Of course I didn’t win the race, but that doesn’t happen that often with as strong and deep as distance running is, so it would be really greedy for me to say that I was disappointed at all because I didn’t win the race. I think I ran an amazing race, and even if I didn’t break Bob’s record I still was able to get in there and compete and that’s really the step in the direction we’re trying to take. Q: In addition to your record-setting performance in Zurich, you set a 10,000m personal best at the World Championships in Berlin. To what do you credit all your recent success? A: I started the year off slow, but I seemed to improve at the right time. For me the biggest change for me after the London Marathon, where I was disappointed with my finish there when I thought I was really ready and it was a big blow for me, and so that’s when I had to make a hard decision, and it’s always difficult to break out of your comfort zone and I think that was the biggest thing in making that one step across the line. So, when I went to work with Alberto it really breathed a new fresh life into me. Alberto has been able to get me excited about racing again, excited about running, and he got me believing that I can run with the best guys in the world, and that’s something that I kind of lacked over the last few years. Q: What’s next for you, and do you plan to run a fast 10,000m race anytime soon? A: Next up for me is the World Half-Marathon Championships (October 11, 2009 in Birmingham, England). The thought behind that is coming off from this season we still feel that I’m the best fitted over the longer distances. Ultimately that means the marathon and that’s really what I love to do, although I’ve gotta say that I really have enjoyed track this summer. Alberto wanted to avoid, though, getting into the actual full on, big training of the marathon because we really wanted to take this next year, year and a half, to get efficient again and get fast and work on my form and technique. To do that we needed not to do a fall marathon, which was a hard decision, but at the same time we didn’t want to go for so long without doing the long, hard effort close to that. There was originally a thought of doing a half-marathon, but he said after the 10K that ‘you’re one of the best runners in the world and you need to race the best runners in the world.’ The World Half-Marathon Championship field is going to be so deep and so strong that it’s going to be something where we can really mix it up, and that will give me the confidence the next time I step on the line in the marathon. As far as running a fast 10,000, I just don’t see it happening anytime soon. Q: Are you back in Eugene now, and where are you in terms of your living transition from Eugene to Portland? A: Right now I’m in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I stopped back here for a few days to say hi to the family, and we really didn’t know what I was going to do after the track season. I’m coming back to Portland at the end of the week, or the early part of next week. To tell you the truth, as far as the transition, I feel like a nomad. I don’t think I’ve been home in three months and I’ve been all over the place. We have a house for sale in Eugene and as soon as the Half-Marathon Championships are over we’re going to find a place in Portland and try to really settle into a full on routine. Q: When will you run your next marathon? A: I have no idea really. I want to do one more full track season and give it a real good go at running some fast times again. Things always seem day to day with Alberto, especially. I’m just enjoying this right now and enjoying racing again. In all likelihood, I’d like to do it sooner than later because I’d like to concentrate on that for the 2012 Olympics, so I’ll have to get back to it, but at the same time I want to give it as good a shot as possible to run fast this summer. Q: Are you also looking to someday own the American 10,000m record? A: Definitely. I think that I never really was someone to shoot for records so much. I always liked to compete more and the hardest thing about 10k’s is that there’s not a whole lot of them. But at the same time, I think sometimes it doesn’t work to go out and try to break a record. Sometimes it has to just happen in a race. So if it happens it happens, and if it doesn’t maybe it’ll have to wait for another year. For me to go out and say I’m going to break it at this race, I don’t think it’s good to put that kind of pressure on myself. I know after these last couple races that I’m capable of it, but I just have to get in a race and when it happens it’ll happen.

« Previous Page