An Interview with Erin Moeller

Erin Moeller was a Distance Medley All-American at Wartburg College in Iowa. Since moving from the middle distances up to the marathon, she has improved her personal best in all seven 26.2-milers she has run.

Boston Athletic Association: How did you first become involved in the sport?

Erin Moeller: My interest in running actually started in seventh grade when the junior high track coach / typing teacher asked if I was interested in going out for track. Since others had already committed, and were interested in the shorter (fun) sprints, I offered to run the 1500m. One of my classmates came from a family of distance runners, and she agreed to take me under her wing. One of the competitors from a neighboring school said to just follow her and she’d help me get to the finish line in my first race. With 300 meters to go she was in second to last place. You can imagine what place I was in. Glancing across the track, I realized the race was nearly over and I wasn’t even tired. Since I knew my parents, who are farmers, had left the field (it was planting season) to see my first race, I figured I at least owed it to them to be tired when I finished! I started to sprint, and managed to pass each of the girls but one. From that moment I was hooked! We had a successful running program at North Linn High School, and then I chose to continue my collegiate running career at Wartburg College.

E.M.: Having the opportunity to run at a Division III school allowed me to be surrounded with other people that loved to run. We had various talent levels, but all shared the joy and camaraderie associated with running as a team. Coach Steve Johnson does a great job of recruiting athletes that love to run, and are willing to dream big dreams. He taught us that “attitude is everything,” and encouraged us to never stop chasing our dreams.

B.A.A.: After running the 1500m and 3,000m in college, you made the transition to the marathon pretty quickly after graduation. Was the marathon a distance you always saw yourself moving up to?

E.M.: No – I really didn’t enjoy the long distance. I never ran beyond 3,000m on the track!

Upon graduation from Wartburg, my plan was to start my career at Benchmark, Inc., get married, and possibly continue running at my leisure. Due to a strange sequence of events, my plans changed along the way. During my senior year, I finally started to pull my running together. My times were dropping and my confidence was really strong. I had a great training partner in Erin Van Zee, and our chemistry really worked for both the success of our team, and the two of us individually. Regardless, at graduation time, I knew that I needed to get a job, and prepare for my approaching wedding.

One of the things that attracted me to Benchmark, Inc. was their interest in running / exercise. A number of the owners are marathon runners, and we just seemed to click. I am very fortunate to be able to workout over my noon hour, and was quickly introduced to the city’s Alliant 8K road race shortly after I started work. Following a strong finish, I decided that maybe I would set a goal for myself of running a marathon during the upcoming fall. I figured I was probably in the best shape of my life, and might as well do it before I got too far out of shape.

Following my 3:17 marathon at Chicago in 2000, I really had no desire to run another. I was very under-trained, and the recovery was extremely painful. However, my memory must have been pretty short. In 2002, I was again registered for the Chicago Marathon. My second attempt at the distance was 3:00:59 – just missing the 3-hour barrier. After setting a goal to break 3:00, my time got closer to the Trials mark. I’ve always enjoyed setting goals for myself, and it’s been a lot of fun to see how hard I can push myself.

B.A.A.: Remarkably, you have improved your personal best in each of the seven marathons that you've run. How have you maintained such a constant and steady improvement in such a demanding and unpredictable event?

E.M.: A lot of it is luck. As we all know, we can train all we want, but staying healthy, injury-free, and getting good weather is sometimes out of our control. I am a pretty focused person though, and enjoy setting goals to stay motivated along the way. I also think that with each race comes more experience, and experience leads to more confidence. So much of the battle in a marathon is mental, and confidence is a great thing to have on your side.

B.A.A.: Would you say that you have learned something new about the distance in each of those seven marathons that has helped you the next time out?

E.M.: Absolutely. I’ve learned the importance of long runs, the benefits of speed workouts, and the joy of having people to train with. Each marathon has been a new challenge and test, and I feel like I’m still learning about pace, strategy, nutrition, etc. I’ve run big marathons and small, and each has been a great experience.

B.A.A.: Who has been your biggest influence in running?

E.M.: A number of people have influenced me over the years. Robyn (Olson) Friedman has been someone that I’ve admired since I was in high school and following her success at Wartburg. She’s a strong competitor, and extremely driven. My sister, Ellen, has also had a tremendous amount of running success. Her dedication has encouraged me to push myself. Andy (my husband) has also been a tremendous influence. His positive attitude and unending confidence in my abilities have pushed me to accomplish things I never thought were possible.

B.A.A.: What are your goals for the remainder of the 2007 season? And for 2008?

E.M.: I am planning to run the Ney York City Marathon. Breaking 2:39 would be incredible! Beyond that, I may race the Cross Country Club Championships in December. At this point, my training is focused solely on NYC. Following the marathon, my plan is to take some time off before getting geared up for the Trials in April. I’ll probably focus on some shorter races leading up to the marathon, but nothing definite.

B.A.A.: Speak a little bit about your training philosophy, how it has evolved over the years. Do you continually modify your training based on your most recent marathon experience? And what, if anything, are you doing differently as you prepare for the Trials.

E.M.: Over the years I’ve learned the importance of mileage. My mileage is still pretty low compared to others' standards, but it seems to be working well so far. I do however plan to increase my mileage following NYC, as I prepare for the Trials. I also try to get a mixture of both speed workouts and base mileage during the week (mid-week speed and weekend long run). My body also responds better to having a day off during the week to recover from the long run.

E.M.: Our first Christmas together, Andy gave me a matching running outfit. Partially he was tired of seeing my old mismatched running attire, much of which dated back to high school days. As I unwrapped the gift, he told me that he really thought I could qualify for the Trials, and that anything was possible if I set my mind to it. I remember laughing at him at first. Over time, his words finally sunk in. I was set to give it a shot for the 2004 Olympic Trials, however a couple broken ribs from a car accident the week prior to the Austin Marathon in 2004 made for a change of plans. Instead I opted to run the Napa Valley Marathon one month after the accident with hopes of qualifying. Although I was able to win the race, I was not able to crack the qualifying time. At that point, it became a realistic goal to focus on the 2008 Trials…that is after we started a family with the birth of our son Ryne in January 2005.

B.A.A.: Describe your feelings and emotions when you first qualified for the Olympic Trials. What did that accomplishment mean to you?

E.M.: When I first qualified in Green Bay in 2006, it was such an incredible feeling. Along with Andy, my parents and sister were there as they watched their first marathon. Ryne was also there for the event sporting his “My Mommy Rocks” T-shirt. What an inspiration it was to see all of them throughout the course! The day was incredible. It was my first marathon since Ryne had been born, and it was such a great experience to qualify with all of them there to enjoy the moment. I must admit, qualifying felt like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders.

B.A.A.: What was your reaction when you heard that the Trials were going to be held in Boston on the day before the 112th Boston Marathon?

E.M.: I think Boston is going to be absolutely electrifying this April! Many people that aren’t familiar with the running community have asked if I’ve run Boston. Since I haven’t, I often get a pretty typical response when I admit that I haven’t. So many people don’t understand the level it takes to qualify for the Trials. Rather, to them, “Boston” is huge! When you think of a marathon, the first thing that comes to mind is Boston. Even though we aren’t running the traditional Boston course, I’m still excited to be in the environment, and be able to explain that I’m planning to run in Boston!

B.A.A.: Do you have any specific goals or expectations for the Trials that you're willing to share?

E.M.: Realistically, finishing in the top three is likely not going to happen. However, I definitely would like to get a new PR, and see how far I can push myself.

B.A.A.: Who inspires you?

E.M.: A number of people inspire me for different reasons. Being from Iowa, it has been incredibly inspiring to see the success that Michelle Lilienthal has had. Also, I’ve never met Jenny Crain, but her tragic accident has reminded me to never take anything for granted.

B.A.A.: What do you do to relax and unwind?

E.M.: I love to be with my family, play outside with Ryne, read stories, and just be at home! Additionally, I am very fortunate to have a husband that gives me regular leg massages.

Since Ellen and I both run, many of our family conversations seem to revolve around this topic. We also have two brothers in the family – Mitch and Vince. Although they have very little interest in participating in any running functions, they do their best to support us. However, they repeatedly remind us that golf carts exist for a reason and their trucks can get them anywhere they need to go. Obviously our family has split views on the purpose of a golf course. The girls recognize various courses as cross country opportunities or challenging hill workouts. The guys just see the course as a place to swing their clubs! Regardless, their teasing keeps us grounded, and reminds us that it’s only a sport

B.A.A.: How do you balance your training with a full-time job?

E.M.: I think it’s great that Ryne is growing up with running, but I don’t want him to think that running is all I do. Because I don’t want to miss so many precious moments, I typically do my training while he and Andy are sleeping. I find that getting my workouts in before I head off to work typically works best for me. 4:30 a.m. can be a tough time to slip on my running shoes, but it’s a tremendous sense of accomplishment when I’m done! I am also very fortunate to have the backing of my employers at Benchmark. They have been very understanding with my workouts over the noon hour, and have been very supportive of my goals. I also could not do it without the support of my family and the local running community. Whether it’s my family coming to races to support my running, or having my dedicated running partners meet me at 4:30, I’ve truly been supported throughout this journey.

B.A.A.: What is something interesting that the running community may not know about you?

E.M.: I am a big Cubs fan, and it pains me to have to once again say “wait ‘til next year.”