AJ Acosta (El Camino, Oceanside)
talks a week after the big State 1600
June, 2006
Background to the race in training, strategy,
and how it panned out!!
photos by Kirby Lee
AJ Acosta and Michael Coe in the State Finals - Determined AJ down the
homestretch!
Certainly one of the most anticipated showdowns this spring
Track and Field season was the State finals 1600m race between AJ Acosta
(El Camino, Oceanside) and Michael Coe (Cabrillo, Lompoc), with the 1-2
duo from the Foot Locker National Finals in Cross-Country destined for
a big end of season showdown at Cerritos in the four lap event. Below,
AJ Acosta takes us through a bit on his preparation, race plans, and
thoughts on how the contest that he won in 4:04.95 turned out. He
also talks a bit about the near and distant future as he has some big
competitions planned during the summer, and looks to continue improving
under Coach
Vin Lanana at the University of Oregon.
1) How had training gone the couple of weeks prior to the
state meet? How fast did you feel you could go if you had to--?
The training the weeks leading up to the state meet had been
going real well. I felt very confident in my ability to kick and my strength
was all there. There were a few workouts where I felt flat, but that
was usually because I had gone to hard on the run the previous day. The
week of state I just did a real light tune up workout. I hit all my paces
and overall it was a real light workout so that I could go into the meet
fresh and relaxed. I am fortunate that in the San Diego section, I do
not have to go into the well every week in order to advance like some
of the Southern Section guys do, so I think that coupled with my training
enabled me to go in fresh and feeling good into the state meet. As for
how fast I felt I could have gone, it is all speculation, although I
can say this, I was ready to go as fast as I needed in order to win whether
it have been 3:59 or 4:59 is up to the fans to imagine.
2) How many possible race plans did you have in mind, and did any include
you setting the pace like in Foot Locker Nationals CC and dare anyone
to come catch you? Explain a bit---
My coach and I had several race plans going into the race. We really
had it narrowed down to two though. One being the one I actually did,
the other being if it went out too slow, that I would take the lead and
try to run away with it. With guys like Marlon Patterson and Mike Perez
in the field, guys who have run 152 for the open 8... a slower pace opens
it up for guys like that to come in and run away with it in a kick. I
am very confident in my finishing ability, but anything can happen in
a race like that where it turns out to be a 200 finish. The way it ended
up working out worked the best for me because the pace was slow enough
where I could finish huge at the end. I commend Mike Coe a lot for taking
the lead the way he did, and fortunately enough for me, the race played
out in my favor
3) Through the first two-three laps were you surprised with how the contest
at State Finals developed as far as the pacing and tactics? Explain--
Not really. Tom and I had talked about a couple different ways
the race could play out. I figured that someone was going to take it
out in about
2:05 or so, I did not think that Mike would, but he ended up being the
pace setter. Suprisingly, this year went out way faster then it has in
years past... my sophomore year we went out in 2:17, last year it went
through the half in 2:12. Coming though in 2:05 was faster then in past
years, but it was still pretty comfortable to handle.
4) How did you feel with a lap to go and then with a half a lap to go
in the contest?
With 500 to go I knew that I was going to win. Having come through 1200
before in 3 flat, 3:08 pretty much felt like a jog. I was thinking about
going from there and trying to run away from there, but waited until
200 to actually start going. I was surprised how much pop my legs still
had and I felt really good as you could tell. I was surprised when I
heard the time though, I did not think that I was going to close in a
56!
5) What were your thoughts when you moved past Michael Coe with a bit
less than 200 meters to go in the event?
My thoughts were actually on the state meet the year before where
I was cutoff with 125m to go. I wanted to stay clear of trouble the last
lap
so that nothing could be called against me or could interfere with my
chance to win a state title. I put everything I had into that last
surge, and kept a little extra held back in case I needed to respond
again.
6) With a final half lap of about 27.5 have you ever finished a race
so fast?
I did an 800 last year where i finished in 24.5 on a dirt track...
we also came through the 600m mark in 1:30. Last years state meet Mark
(ed: Matusak who won at 4:10.72 with Acosta finishing second but dq'd
for interference earlier in the contest) and I had a closing 200 of 27,
so
I have finished
that
fast before, but this year I felt so much better finishing then I did
at last
years
state
meet. I still had a little something in the tank, but it felt good
that last 20-30m to know that I was going to win.
7) What's on the racing schedule from here on in?
A big one actually! I am set to do the 2 mile at Nike Outdoor,
1500 at USA Juniors in Indianapolis, a sub 4 attempt at East LA the week
after,
and finally a race in Puerto Rico where I will do an 800/1500 double.
If I can make the world team, I will be racing in Eugene on the weekend
of the 12th, and then in Beijing around the 18th I believe.
8) Vin Lanana when he was at Stanford always supported his distance runners
who qualified attending the World Junior Track & Field Championships
even if they ran late into the summer--if you make the US Junior team
for the mid-August World Jr Champs would you plan to attend? Explain---
I have talked with Vin about it and he is all for me running
the meet in Beijing should I qualify. It has been my dream to make a
World team
so I would accept the invite should I make the team. The plan would
be to see where my fitness is and how tired I am after the sub 4 race
to see if I am going to take a week off, or keep doing speed work until
then. Even off of a small base, I ran a PR at Boston Indoor, so I think
under Coach Lananna's training, I could be in 3:45 1500 meter shape or
faster with only a months training.
9) Where do you realistically see yourself fitting in on the 2006 Fall
Univ Oregon Cross-Country squad?
It all depends on where I am at and how I am feeling, and whether or
not I make the World team. If I make the world team, there is a higher
possibility that I would redshirt because as a frosh, there is no real
rush to contribute right away. I plan on staying five years anyway, so
it ends up working out. If I do not end up red shirting, I think I could
make an immediate impact. Coach Lananna is an amazing coach and we already
have an awesome relationship. I trust that he will make me better so
I think as a frosh, being top 5 on the team is a real possibility.
Thanks and best of Luck AJ -
Doug Speck
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