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Casey Moulton

Interview with Casey Moulton

Posted on May 31, 2006, Interview conducted May 23, 2006

By Duncan Larkin

Casey Moulton, a native of Pelham, New Hampshire, finished sixth in the Freescale Austin Marathon in February with a 2:15:26 and qualified for the 2008 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials.  His time there was a five minute improvement over his previous PR of 2:20:19, which he ran at the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon in 2005. Moulton, who is a member of the Greater Lowell Road Runners, has had a stellar road racing career, winning many New England races. He was the 2004 New England Grand Prix champion on the roads and holds PRs of 14:32 (5k), 23:52 (5 miles), 49:52 (10 miles), and 1:04:41 (half marathon). Moulton has also set recent course records at the Boston Prep Derry 16 Miler, the Monson Half Marathon, and the Eastern States 20-Mile Race.

Moulton is currently a senior at UMass-Lowell, where he is majoring in Criminal Justice. He has a twin brother, Pat, who finished nine seconds behind Casey at the Freescale Austin Marathon and also qualified for the Olympic Trials.

First of all, congratulations on your 2:15 at Austin. Tell us about it.
The morning of the race, our bus driver got lost and I almost lost my timing chip. So the day didn't begin too well. It was really cold, with a pack of about 30 through the first mile (5:23). I remember how bad I felt through that first mile. I ran with my brother, Patrick, and teammate, Nate Jenkins, the entire race. Having them there helped me get through the rough patches. Sammy Unberhagen paced us through the half in 1:07:24. He just moved to Lowell and has run sub-4:00 in the mile. As the race progressed, I felt better and better. We hit 20 miles in 1:42:22 and ran the last mile in 4:57. We slowed some during the last 10k, but I won't complain. Ed Baker and Terry Shea also qualified. It made for a perfect day.

What did you do to train for your 2:15? Can you give me some sample workouts?
My training has been consistent 90-100 mile weeks. After Chicago [in 2005, where he ran 2:20:19], I continued to train hard, not taking any down time. I ran many road races, from 5k to the half marathon. I believe this continuation of racing helped for Austin. Leading up to the race, I did many long runs over the Boston Marathon course. I ran the Freescale Half Marathon [in 1:04:41], and did workouts like 8 x 1,000 in 2:50 with my brother and Ed Baker.

What's the hardest workout you've ever done? What was your highest mileage week?
Two years ago I ran 12 x mile in 4:50 with a 200-meter rest. That was really tough. My highest mileage week is about 120 miles. My goal is to try and keep it there all summer.

What happened at Boston this year [where he dropped out at mile 24]? Tell us about the experience.
I pretty much just ran out of steam. I wish I had eaten a little more before the race. With the noon start, it throws the body off a bit. Even though I had a tough race, I had a great time down there. The Hansons team brought a lot to this year's race. I ran with Clint Verran, Luke Humphrey, and Chad Johnson through the half in 1:07. They pulled away on the hills. I made it to 20 miles in 1:43:00. My legs just were shot at 22. Boston is an awesome race and I hope to finish strong there next year.

What are your racing goals until the Olympic Trials?
My goals are just to run PRs and maybe win a fall marathon. I'm thinking about running Philadelphia or Columbus. I might run two this fall. My main goal is to run well at Boston next year. I think the experience this year will only help me in that effort.

What will it take for you to make the Olympic team?
A miracle, but anything can happen. Look at Trent Briney's incredible fourth-place finish in the 2004 Trials. His race was extremely inspiring. My goal would just be to place well and run a great time.

Where do you see yourself in five years with regards to running?
I hope in five years that I still have the passion and love for the sport. Running is extremely rigorous and demanding. I hope I'm still having fun with it and my times progressively get better. I have times that I would like to run but don't want to jinx myself, so I'm going to have to leave it at that.

Are you coached? Do you subscribe to a particular running philosophy?
I don't have a coach but I do seek out advice from others. Greater Lowell's John Barbour helped in some of my preparation for Chicago. Running isn't really complicated to me. It's just about getting in consistently high mileage year in and year out, as well as having the drive to keep at it, especially during the tough times.

Who are your running heroes, and why?
Bill Rodgers, Dick Beardsley, Derek Clayton, Joan [Samuelson], Jack Foster, Ron Daws, Benji Durden, Bob Hodge, Paula Radcliffe, Weldon Johnson, Brian Sell, Clint Verran, Trent Briney…I could go on forever. Each one of them has a unique story. The common element found in all of these individuals is their perseverance and work ethic. I greatly admire that.

What is your favorite pre-race meal?
Pasta, oatmeal, or chicken parmesan.

What advice do you have for someone of any ability running the marathon and training for the marathon?
The marathon is not easy. I was burned my first time and again at Boston. Training needs to be consistent. I think frequent races at varying distances would be beneficial. A 20-mile or 25k race before the marathon can help in establishing a goal and a pace.

Will you beat your brother at the Trials?
Now that's a great question. If he out-sprinted me for third then I would be really pissed. He's the one person I don't mind getting beat by.

If given the option of doing repeat 400s or repeat miles at relative paces, which would you choose? Why?
I would choose the repeat miles. Before Chicago and Austin that is pretty much all I did: 5 x mile in about 4:35 to 4:40. I believe mile repeats will make you tougher and stronger for a marathon more than 400s will. I believe the mile repeats will make you stronger for the shorter events as well.

What was your first running experience or race. What got you into running?
I ran during middle school and finished third in the state. During high school, I stopped. I think I just needed a break from competing. I played baseball, basketball, tennis, and even dabbled in karate growing up. I returned to running after seeing all the success my brother had. He was the New Hampshire high school cross country champion and did really well at Providence College. My first race back was the East End 5 Miler. I ran 26:10 and finished second to Eric "The Keg" Beauchesne. I remember going through the mile in 5:00 and that was a PR. At about four miles, I stopped a bit because it hurt so bad.

In your opinion, is the U.S. experiencing a running boom?
Absolutely. From high school to college everybody seems to be running faster. More people seem to be sticking with it after college. Teams like Hansons, ZAP Fitness, and the Boston Athletic Association have all helped in this effort. The Greater Lowell Road Runners have been very supportive of me.