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Julie Culley runs at the 2007 Mayor's Cup in Boston.

Interview with Julie Culley

Posted on December 18, 2007, Interview conducted December 18, 2007

By Jon Little

Julie Culley is a 2004 graduate of Rutgers University, where she was an All-American cross country runner, thanks to a 32nd place finish at the 2002 NCAA Cross Country Championships. More recently, she finished second at the 2007 USATF National Club Cross Country Championships, two seconds behind winner Delilah DiCrescenzo. Culley holds PRs of 2:10 (800m), 4:17.5 (1,500m), and 16:00.5 (5,000m). She is originally from North Hunterdon, New Jersey, and currently lives and trains in Virginia.

When did you get into running? Did you run throughout high school?
I started running when I was a freshman in high school. It was a suggestion from my traveling soccer team coach. He said I should try running distance because I was a midfielder and he never had to pull me off the field because I never got tired. I ran just outdoor track my freshman and sophomore years (and played varsity soccer in the fall). Junior year, I tried cross country… I became a state champ that fall and was fourth at New Jersey Meet of Champions. Senior year I ran cross country, indoors (partially before a stress fracture) and outdoors. That outdoor season my distance medley team ran 12:05 and we became All-Americans. I never trained in the summers. I started running the week before practice started in August. Cross country was my favorite for sure.

What were your college PRs?
4:33 (1,500m), 4:46 (1,600m), 9:17 (3,000m), and 16:29 (5,000m).

What was your major in college?
I did a double major in Marketing and Political Science

What did you do after college? Did you take sometime off from running?
I came back for a fifth year [of NCAA eligibility at Rutgers]. I threw my back out the first day of cross country practice. I was in a brace for a month and had two epidural shots before it healed…in November. I didn't have indoor eligibility, so I trained for outdoors. After my first race, I felt pain in my foot. It got worse and worse and eventually the end of the season rolled around. By that point, after so many injuries, back trouble, and everything else, I was spent both mentally and physically. I was done with running for a while. I knew I had a lot left to give, but I was just spent.

I was planning to just work and eventually volunteer with AmeriCorps in Denver, Colorado. I wanted to give back after having been so blessed in my life. One day I got a call from my coach at Rutgers, Roberta Anthes. She said an old friend of hers was the Athletic Director at Loyola College and they were looking for a new head coach. She asked if I was interested…sure, why not. I talked to the AD and we arranged an interview. I interviewed on a Tuesday, and he offered me the job on a Friday.

How was coaching? Was it hard to coach and train?
Coaching was incredible. It was the best learning experience of my life. I was hired as a DI head coach at the age of 22. It was so difficult trying to be confident and an authoritative figure to a bunch of girls (and guys!) who would have all been my teammates/drinking buddies a few months prior. The outdoor track program had one year of existence under its belt, but I was to introduce the school's first-ever indoor track & field program. It was a year of learning, but coaching is all about learning, just like running. You make mistakes, you learn from them, you move on.

The team that first year was incredible. I swear they helped me more than I helped them. I don't remember running much that year. I'm sure I ran all the time, but it wasn't at the forefront of my thoughts. I just remember wanting to give them everything I could. By the end of that first year, I was exhausted. If you give too much of yourself, you also lose yourself. Going into that second year, I knew I had to take more time for me. That's when I started trying to make my own training a priority again. Even if it was just getting out for a run or getting a lift in each day. About halfway through that second year, I found myself going to meets and feeling frustrated that I wasn't the one on the starting line. It was starting to burn in me again—that feeling of having unfinished business.

At the end of the second year, I resigned. My friend Brett was hired in my position. He and the Loyola AD hired me back as an assistant coach, so I could have time to train. I am so blessed for their generosity and patience. That fall I trained alongside the Loyola team until I felt fit enough to seriously sit down with my (now) coach, Matt Centrowitz. Starting in January, I would commute twice a week to D.C. to work out with Coach, the American University team, and a few of Coach's other post-grads. That's when training really started picking up.

What are you doing for employment now? Is it full- or part- time?
After my surprise visit to USAs in the 1,500m, I moved to Virginia to be closer to American University, some of my training partners, and Coach Centrowitz. I got a job at CustomInk.com, a T-shirt company based out of McLean, Virginia. One of the marathoners in my group worked there, and I got started a few weeks later. It's been rough trying to manage both a full-time (40-45 hours per week) job and training. Some things have had to give, which has been frustrating. I believe in balance, but this has been a little too much. I'm hoping for better time management on my part come 2008.

Tell me about the race on Saturday at the USATF National Club Cross Country Championships? Are you happy with it?
I am happy and unhappy with the race. I'm happy because I felt awesome, ran fast, and beat some good people. I'm frustrated because I had a brief lapse when Delilah [DiCrescenzo] threw a quick two step surge in. I didn't react and the next thing I knew it was over. I'm happy overall, but I have a lot to learn and a long way to go. The mud was a blast and I definitely enjoyed pretending to be a steeplechaser over those hay bales! Although, I definitely don't see steeplechasing in my future.

What are your racing plans for the next few months?
I plan to train hard the next few months. Coach suggested two indoor races. I will probably run a mile and a 3k. I can't wait to see what all the workouts on the polo fields (where we practice for cross country) translates to on the track. Then I'll just be gearing up for outdoors.

What events have you qualified for the Trials in? Are you going to run the 5k or 1,500?
I hit the 'B' standard in the 1,500m (4:17.5). I ran 16:00.5 for the 5,000m. My training leading up to those two times was solid, but not fantastic. It was the first six months back in serious training after 2-½ years off. I PRed by 16 seconds in the 1,500m and by 30 seconds in the 5,000m. Things have really taken off since then. My training has been more intense and we've increased the volume. My cross country PRs fell pretty dramatically this fall, so it will be exciting to see how things translate on the track.

You were the [fastest runner who didn't advance to] the finals last summer in the 1,500 [at the USA Championships]. How did you end up running the 1,500 instead of the 5? Which do you think is your better event?
I was the last one to make the cut to actually run at USAs in the 1,500m so to finish 13th and beat half the field was a big deal to me. Obviously it would have been incredible to make the final, but the experience in itself was what I wanted and to have run a PR and beat half the field, I was excited. I was upset about not having qualified in the 5,000m, but the 1,500m was a blast. I think the 5,000m will definitely be my best event. I will be chasing the standards in the 5,000m this spring. If I keep dropping my 1,500m times in the meantime, I'll take it!

Who is your coach? Do you train alone? Do you have a contract?
My coach is Olympian and Oregon alumnus Matt Centrowitz. He is the best coach I could imagine at this point in my training and racing career. I've never been pushed so hard mentally and physically. If anyone is going to help me reach my goals, it's him. Sometimes I train with the younger guys on the team, sometimes I work out with Susannah Kvasnicka, the other elite runner who Coach Matt coaches, but she is a marathoner so a lot of our workouts are separate. I don't currently have any type of financial assistance or even a shoe contract for gear.