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Catching Up With Mattie Suver - USA Half Champs

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Suver Looks for Continued Improvement, Success

By Scott Bush

After USA 20k and 25k Championship runner-up finishes last USARC season, Colorado-based star runner Mattie Suver is looking to move up one spot and win the USA Half Marathon Championships this weekend. After a great 2013, we caught up with Suver, as she and her American Distance Project teammates ready themselves to race in Houston. Here's what she had to say:

Connect with Mattie: Twitter | Website

Scott Bush (SB): It's a new year and the USA Half Marathon Championships are here. How's training going for you and how excited are you to race in Houston?

Mattie Suver (MS): Training is going well for me, I am really looking forward to kicking of the 2014 racing season with the USA Half Marathon Championships in Houston, and am excited for a few days in warmer weather!

SB: You ran the NYC Marathon in November and are already bouncing back with a half. How did your recovery go after the marathon?

MS: I ended up running the USATF 12k Championships two weeks following the marathon, which was a fun race, but my body definitely was not ready and the race did not go well at all. That kind of delayed my recovery time after New York, and I struggled a bit mentally to get back into serious training again. With a marathon, you put so much time and work into the preparation, so it was very disappointing when it did not go as well as I had hoped. I am happy to say that I am finally back in the full swing of things and am very excited for a hopefully even better 2014!

SB: NYC was a tough race. You ended up with a solid PR, but the second half of the race was a challenge. What did you learn?

MS: NYC was an extreme challenge. I learned a lot about myself over the second half of the race. As much as I would've like to stop or drop out, I made myself push through the end of the race. The energy and crowds at the NYC Marathon was absolutely incredible and is certainly an experience I will never forget. Although my time was nowhere near my goal time, I am happy with my efforts and I am proud that I finished the race and still managed to place as the 3rd American woman. 

SB: You have to feel confident heading into this weekend, especially after placing second in USA 20 km and 25 km Championships. The half marathon distance seems like the perfect distance for your talents. Does that seem about right?

MS: Yes, I love the half marathon! I definitely feel very confident and strong at that distance. I am looking forward to this weekend to see where my fitness is and to get back into the competitive mindset of racing again. I think this race will be a great starting point for the 2014 season. 

SB: While you certainly made your name on the roads in 2013, you finished US#6 in the 10k. Any chance we'll see you focus on the track a bit more this season?

MS: I really love everything about racing on the roads, and I have met so many awesome race directors, elite coordinators and other runners. It is always inspiring to see how the different communities embrace the road races in their towns and take pride in them. For these reasons, it is sometimes hard for me to commit to track, as I know it means I may have to pass up on racing one of the many road races I enjoy. With all that being said, this year I have come to terms with that, and am thrilled to be getting back on the track again. I have only raced one track race since college, (Stanford 10k last year) and I am looking for some, hopefully, big PRs in the 10k and maybe even the 5k. 

SB: Last year you raced USARC events six times and ended up third in the standings, while leading for the last few races of the season. The two women who overtook you in the standings only raced twice. Would you like to see less emphasis on the final race of the season and a little more placed on consistency and frequency within the circuit?

MS: I would love to see more emphasis on the series as a whole rather than the weight of the circuit title all based off of the final race. I think that the 12K was a great addition to the series, but the fact that it was worth triple points almost contradicts the idea of it being called a road racing circuit. Take a look at Janet for example, who won three races in the series, yet she did not even place in the top three in the overall standings. 

SB: You run for the American Distance Project, with some amazingly talented teammates, like Alisha Williams, Brianne Nelson and Wendy Thomas. What's it like to be part of such a strong team and how has it allowed you to progress as an athlete over the past few seasons?

MS: My teammates are absolutely amazing! I love these girls, and without them, I would not be where I am in my running. That probably sounds cheesy, but It really makes such a difference to know that you have teammates that can work together with in workouts and races, and that support each other 100% and are genuinely happy for each others' successes. I have learned a lot from them, and I feel fortunate to have them around to ask for advice, travel to races with, workout with, and just have fun with. I have never laughed so hard as I do when I am with this group of girls! 

SB: It's 2014! What's your non-running resolution for this year?

MS: My non-running resolution for this year is to have a more positive outlook on everything, and to stop worrying about things that are out of my control. Sometimes I tend to stress over little things, so my new mottos for this year are "Control the controllable" and "Worrying does not empty tomorrow of its struggles, it empties today of its strength". 



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