Chloe Curtis, Redondo CA, has gone 2:09.07 for 800 this year. She also led her team to a 11:54.75 DMR with a 4:51 split, and more recently a 20:03.48 4x1600 with a 4:47 split. She is far from satisfied, as her goals indicate. Read on to learn more about Chloe...
MileSplit.us: 2:09.07 plus the 11:54.75 DMR, great way to start the season. How are you feeling about your races and your fitness at this early part of the season?
Chloe Curtis: I feel great about my fitness level at this early point in the season and I'm happy with those times for now, but I know I'm ready to run much faster. I think the reason that my times were so much faster this year at the same meet is because between cross country and track I trained really hard. I was consistent the whole time with no little injuries or sicknesses to slow me down.
MileSplit.us: Have you decided on your goals for the year for the 800? 1600?
Chloe Curtis: 2:03 & 4:36.
MileSplit.us: What type of workouts and training do you do to prepare for the mid-distance events?
Chloe Curtis: My coach, Bob Leetch trains my teammates and I mostly strength-oriented and then as the season progresses he has us do more shorter intervals on the track and less tempos out on the road. I love the way he trains me because I feel so strong through the whole season, and each week I get quicker and quicker so my times in races drop.
MileSplit.us: How has major invitational competiton gone so far this spring?
Chloe Curtis: I ran at Arcadia (got 2nd in the 800 by .05 or something, then came back 30 minutes later and anchored the DMR with a 4:51 and we ran 11:54.75, which is the fastest time in the nation this year!!) (Editor's note: Prior to Mt. SAC and Torrey Pines 11:41.84)
I'm going to Mt. Sac Relays to run the 4x1600 with my team, and if we all run well we have a shot at the National record of 19:56! (Editor's note: Redondo ran 20:03.48 for US#4 All-Time after conversion to 4xMile)
After that it's just league finals and CIF and then state. My main goal for the season is to win state, but I haven't decided which event yet. I might double, but it will be one or two of the three: 800, 1600, 3200.
MileSplit.us: What has been your most memorable race to date? Why does this one stand out?
Chloe Curtis: My most memorable race to date would probably be CIF finals last year in the 1600. I was in the back of the pack the first 800, then started moving up, and I made a move with 300 to go and won in 4:54. It's not my fastest time or the biggest race I've won but it's memorable because I became a CIF champion which was something really special for my coach and I. That race gave me a lot of confidence and I ended up winning all of my races leading up to state.
MileSplit.us: What do you like to do with your time when you aren't competing or practicing? Hobbies? Activities with friends?
Chloe Curtis: I'm a beach girl so I'm always hanging out there playing volleyball or surfing. Other then that just hanging with friends and going to school
MileSplit.us: What role models do you have in T&F? Why?
Chloe Curtis: Anna Willard because she just seems really cool. She runs lots of different events, like me, and it seems like she steps on the line to try to win no matter what distance it is.
Also Christine Babcock! I'm really excited to run with her next year!
MileSplit.us: Who do you look up to outside of T&F? Why?
Chloe Curtis: My parents.
MileSplit.us: Are you running in college and have you decided on a college yet? If so, what excites you most about collegiate running?
Chloe Curtis: Yes, I am going to the University of Washington next year. I'm really excited to be a Huskie because the team is so good and focused and intense, and I want to be a part of that. Everyone there is super friendly and nice, Seattle is beautiful, coach Metcalf is awesome, and the class of freshmen coming in is stacked with great runners!