Bobby Mack Ready to Improve on an Already Successful Year
By Ricky Quintana

Bobby Mack, Sr, North Forsyth, has always run in the shadows of Matt Debole, Sr, Mt. Taborr, a Georgetown signee and the 4^th fastest returnee in the mile(Dyestat.com). The two high schoolers from Winston Salem are good friends and train together sometimes, but Debole has almost always gotten the better of Mack. In cross country it was Debole taking 5^th and Mack taking 11^th at the Footlocker National Cross Country Championships held in San Diego, CA in December. At least year’s state indoor and outdoor 1600m championships, Mack took third and second to Debole’s win. The one time that Mack did beat Debole, Mack doesn’t even count. Debole was “cruising” and Mack was able to inch past him at the line. But the tide seems to be changing for Mack.

At the North Carolina State Indoor Track and Field Championships held on the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill campus, Mack was able to get the 1600m win over Debole in a state record setting time of 4:10.61. The time was also a best for Mack who only dipped under the 4:20 barrier once as a junior. The win marked the first time he had beaten Debole when both were “at the top of their games.” Ironically, it was indoor mile where he beat Debole last year, but he doesn’t really count it as a win because Debole was just “cruising” in.

Mack’s star has risen at the appropriate time as NIKE Indoor Championships (NIC) in Landover, Maryland on March 15 and 16 looms on the horizon. In somewhat of a twist, he has decided not to run in the mile where he ranks 4^th nationally indoors (Dyestat.com). Instead, he will be run the 2 mile which he feels is his better race and hopes to go under 9 minutes. Certainly capable of that, he is a dark horse in a stellar NIC two mile field and no one will be surprised if he is able to pull off the win.

He spoke about the NIC’s, his mercurial improvement this year and what he expects for the indoor and outdoor seasons last weekend. He’ll run one more race, a relay, before NIC’s at UNC Chapel Hill to ready himself and is eager to see what he can do.

RQ: You’ve had a great indoor season so far.
Mack: I really didn’t realize I had that much speed this year. Last year, I only broke 4:20 in the mile once, so I really considered myself kind of a two miler or cross country type of guy. This winter, it seems I’ve gained a lot more strength probably because I’ve been putting in more distance. Strength is speed. I’ve really noticed my speed has gotten a lot better this indoor season.

RQ: You beat your friend and sometime training partner for the first time. Is that correct?
Mack: That was the second time I beat him. Actually, I beat him once in the 1600 last year. I caught him off guard. He was kind of cruising it in the last 100. I was really giving it my all and caught him at the line, but yeah, this is really one of the first times.
This past weekend at our indoor state meet, is probably the first time that I’ve beaten him when he’s at the top of his game.
We have a really good relationship. We talk before race and afterwards. After state cross country, we trained together about 4-6 weeks before Footlocker South and after that we trained together for Footlocker Nationals as well.

RQ: Can you talk about the Footlocker regional?
Mack: I felt pretty confident. I knew if I ran what I was capable of. I wasn’t looking to get lucky or anything, but I just wanted to go into it and just run a solid race and I knew I’d be in there and probably make it. It turned out good and I qualified.
Something that hurt me was that I went out too hard in that race. Some people tell me that I went out in 58 for the first quarter. That probably took a little bit out of me.
That was pretty big, qualifying for that. It gave me a lot of confidence that I could run at the level I’m running at now. It was really a fun trip to go to nationals as well.

RQ: There were reports of you running in a time trial with Matt before nationals. Matt went 8:56 and you were right behind him. Can you talk about that?
Mack: We did that the year before as well. We usually do it ten days before Footlocker South. Two years ago, our junior year, he was 9:11 and I was 9:35. This year when we did it, it was pretty much just Matt and I out on the track and we kind of do it at night so it’s cooler. We do it under the lights. We were going to play music, but we never got into that. Our coaches kind of show up. My brother ran a few laps with us pacing us out. We went through our mile in 430 so Matt ended up negative splitting and I kind of came back in 38. The main reason we do it is because we know we are in good shape. It just really gets our confidence up running a fast time on the track. We’re ten days out from Footlocker South so we just get pretty pumped up after we run a PR on the track.

RQ: You’re part of a good group that went out from the South for nationals. Can you talk about your experience out there?
Mack: It was a great experience. Going into it, I was really hoping to finish in the top fifteen and get the All-American honors. After we walked over the course on Friday, I really started to feel like I could finish a little higher than top fifteen. It was more of a strength course. I’m pretty big and I’m pretty big on running hills. I like hills and the tougher the course, the better for me. McAlpine is not really my favorite. It’s a little too flat for me. Yeah, once I saw the course I realized that this was my type of course.
I went out in the middle of the pack. At one point, I think I was probably right around tenth. For the last half of the race, I slid back to probably fifteenth or so. Near the end, I got a couple of guys in the last 800. I was really happy with my finish there. 11^th was better than I wanted to be and I was excited about that.

RQ: It was pretty close on that last hill. Matt was pretty close as was everyone. What happen in that last half mil after the hill?
Mack: That hill was pretty tough. It pretty much felt like you were walking up it. After we went up the big hill and before we went down the steep hill there was a pretty big group of guys. I was probably about fifteenth or so. I noticed Matt was right beside me. Seeing him there, gave me some more motivation to get going. He must have put on a pretty big kick because I think he moved up and finished fifth.
Going down the hill, I’m not too strong of a down hill runner, so I just stayed where I was until I hit the flat again. There was a small incline back towards the finish line. It was my last high school cross country race and it was nationals and I just wanted to make sure I didn’t leave anything out on the course. I just gave it my all to the finish and it worked out well.

RQ: To did so well, did that give you confidence for this track season?
Mack: Yes, it does. That was one of the main things. Just qualifying and doing well at nationals gives me confidence that I can run with these guys and lets me know that all the hard work that I put is paying off now. It’s nice.
I kind of have to reset my goals because early this year, we set some goals for track. We have to set them again because I didn’t really expect to run so fast so early indoors.

RQ: What did you do between cross country and indoor track?
Mack: After cross country season, I took ten days off. I pretty much did ten days of nothing. I started running two days on and two days off for about a week. I kind of biked and hung out with friends. I just kind of chilled out little bit. I didn’t really think too much about running.

RQ: Was your transition back to running pretty easy?
Mack: Yes, because during indoor we do more base stuff. Kind of like summer training so it was pretty easy to get back into it after my break. I did distance runs mainly. Now, the past month we do one long run a week, one tempo/fartlek type run a week, and usually get on the track once a week and do some 100’s or maybe some 200’s with full recovery just to sharpen up a little bit and develop a little more speed.. We haven’t been getting on the track that much. Maybe once a week or once every two weeks.

RQ: So you are basically running this off your base phase?
Mack: Yeah. We really haven’t been… that’s what surprises us so much when out 4 x8 team ran 7:49 at Virginia Tech. Our goal was to be under 7:57. Our coach told us that other coaches were coming up to him afterwards and asking him what type of training we were doing. He really didn’t know what to say because the only thing we’ve been doing is meeting and doing some distance runs, tempo, fartlek and maybe getting on the track and doing some 200’s in 30 seconds once a week.

RQ: What do you think about the future as far as goal times?
Mack: I didn’t really expect to run as fast as I did this indoor season for 1600 because I have a two miler mind set. I have more of a distance runners mind set than a miler. I’m starting to like the mile more.
I’m going to run the 3200m at Arcadia. I’d really like to break 8:50 or do better there.
In the mile, I haven’t set any goals. I’d like to get down to 4:08 or 4:07 for the full mile this year. I like to go run as I go and see where I’m at. Just have confidence in what I’m doing I have goals in the back of my head, but I don’t usually make a goal or limit myself for the season.

RQ: For NIC’s you are entered in the two mile. How did you come to that decision?
Mack: We’ll be doing a 4x8 there. Coach and I were talking it over and I think that there are only two hours or two and half hours between the 4x8 and the mile. I haven’t run a really competitive tow mile yet this indoor season. I think I’m going to go in the 4x8 and definitely the two mile. There’s also a four and half to five hour recovery between the 4x8 and the two mile. I think that will be pretty good to get in a two mile because I’ve gotten some pretty good 1600’s in.

RQ: Your best is 4:10ish. You should be able to run about 9 flat.
Mack: That’s definitely what I’m shooting for. 9 flat is a nice barrier to break. That’s definitely going to be my goal for indoor nationals. Right now, I’m in shape to go a little bit faster.

RQ: What kind of strategy will you use? Will you go out like you did at Footlocker South?
Mack: Probably not. That race I got pretty much excited because it was something I’d been aiming for all year and when the gun went off, I just went out of control.
I like to get out at an honest pace. I always like to be ahead of my goal pace. The past two, the 4:12 at Virginia Tech and the 4:10 at states, I got out right at 60 for both. I usually go out hard, settle in and then finish hard at the end.
At indoor nationals, if we’re going out any slower than 9 flat pace or even 8:55 pace… I just hate being slow on pace. I like to have a little bit of a cushion. Getting out harder, gives you that little bit of a cushion if you slip up mid-race. You can have that little bit of a cushion so you can come back at the end of a race. If you go out slow, you’re behind from the start.

RQ: You have a lot of guys who like to lead in the race. How are you going to handle that?
Mack: I’m not a guy that has to lead. I just like to know that we’re on pace to run a fast time. If we’re on pace, I’d don’t see myself taking the lead to just take the lead. Is Dalpiaz in the two mile, do you know?

RQ: Yes, he is.
Mack: With some of those in there, I’m sure the pace is not going to go out slow. It should be a pretty competitive and good race

RQ: You finished eleventh at nationals and now you’re mentioned in the same breath as Dalpiaz, Solinsky and your friend, Matt Debole. How does it feel to be in that group? You’ve made a huge step.
Mack: It definitely nice to know that I’m one of the top guys in the country right now. I try not to think about that too much. I’ve run some pretty good races lately.
Coach and I get pretty excited at the race and then the next day. But then, the next week at practice, it’s back to business. I’m pleased with how I ran, but I try to keep focused on the rest of the season because indoor nationals and outdoor track is where the bigger races are going to be so I want to make sure I’m running well there too.

RQ: What do you credit these big jumps to?
Mack: I think stepping up my training. When I went into my junior year of cross country, I was only doing 40 miles a week. I was devoted to running and it was what I loved to do, but I didn’t realize what other guys were doing around the country. My coach was a 400/800 guy in college so he’s more of quarter/half mind set when it comes to training. I spoke with him this summer and realized we needed to step my training up. This summer, I probably averaged about 60-65 miles a week. I had a few weeks where I was at 70. This was the first summer I added a long run into my training. I feel like that’s given so much strength and that strength kind of turned into some speed. I feel that if the strength is there, the speed comes too.

RQ: Your team ran 7:49. Can you talk about that?
Mack: It’s a great group of guys. We’re all best friends off the track too. When outdoor rolls around, we start getting in to some tougher workouts.
We have a kid on our team, Clay Regan, who’s really quick the 500 and 300. When we’re doing workouts, it’s good to have him because he pushes us through the speed stuff because he has so much speed. It helps us get our fast workouts in.
When it comes to the longer stuff, my brother and I help him out in doing some the longer drills that we do.

RQ: 7:49 this early, what kind of times do you think you could run?
Mack: We’re definitely like to go faster outdoor and hopefully, we can go faster at indoor nationals. I know we ran on the bank track at Virginia Tech and bank tracks are faster, but I don’t think they’re that much faster. Hopefully, we can run a fast time in that and get the national title.
We’re definitely looking to run faster outdoors. I don’t know if we’ll do the 4x8 at outdoor nationals, but we might do a distance medley there.

RQ: What other big meets are you running?
Mack: We’re going to take our 4x8 team to Pen Relays and I think I’m going to run the mile there too. I think Friday is the 4x8 trials and later that evening, I’ll have time to recover before the mile. Saturday morning will be the 4x8 finals. That’s probably going to work so I’m definitely going to try and get into the mile there.

PROFILE INFO

Name: Bobby Mack
Born: 12-30-84
Height: 5' 10''
Weight: 137
School name & Location: North Forsyth H.S. Winston Salem N.C.

Background(How did you become interested in track?): I always did pretty well in the middle school gym class mile run and when I got cut from the soccer team in seventh grade I decided to go out for track.

Best performances: 800 1:54.7, 1600 4:10.6, 3200 9:08.  I'm looking forward to running faster this spring.  5K XC 15:07  (Footlocker South)

If possible annual progression in each event: 8th grade (800 2:21) (1600 5:11)  9th grade (800 2:02) (1600 4:32) (3200 10:07) (5k XC 16:53)  10th grade (800 2:03) (1600 4:33) (5K XC 16:36) times didn't improve because I broke my toe that year.  11th grade (800 1:56.7) (1600 4:16.3) (3200 9:25) (5K XC 15:36) 12th grade (5K XC 15:07)

What do you do for a workout warm-up?: ` 2 mile warm up, then 5-10 min stretching, then drills high knees, butt kicks, straight legs, I’m not sure about all the names we just call them our ABC's What do you do for a meet warm-up?:  Light stretching then 1.5 to 2 mile warm up, more stretching, then drills, then closer to race time do about 5 or more striders usually 150 yards increasing pace as I go

Any mental preparation:  Just think of all the hard work I’ve put in and mainly have confidence in myself and thank God for giving me the ability to compete at the level I'm at.  I have to go to the line with confidence to do well, if I’m not feeling my best I don't dwell on that I just keep telling myself I’m ready to go.

Cross training(lifting, sit ups, push ups etc...): I do push ups, sit ups, reverse sit ups, crunches 3 to 4 times a week I don't usually get into weights during the season.  If I do use weights I’ll lift in the summer or winter always high rep low weight and I’ll focus more on upper body than I do on lower.  Also I really enjoy cycling so during the summer if I take a day off I usually ride my bike.  And on my 10 day break after the XC season I’ll ride my bike some, it's fun to switch things up a little

Typical week of XC training: Sept 15th-21st 2002
Sunday: 6.5 miles recover from Saturday’s race
Monday: Long run 14 miles in 1hour and 23min its a pretty flat course.  I usually try to run at a pretty good pace for my long runs or if I start out slow I like to pick the pace up the last half of the run.  I always do long runs on trails and stay off the roads
Tues: 8 mile run, then 6 to 8 100 yard striders on football field
Weds: 3.5 mile morning run,    8.5 mile distance run at afternoon practice
Thurs: Workout day on the track 1200 meters in 3:26, 3 min recovery, 1200 in 3:28, 3 min rec. 600 in 1:33, 3 min rec. 1 mile loop up-tempo around school around 5:40 pace, 3 min rec. 400 in 59, 1 min rec. 800 in 2:15, 3 min rec. another 1 mile loop around school up-tempo 5:40ish pace. 1 mile cool down.  I like this workout alot, we do it to kinda imitate the Michigan.  It's pretty relaxed at the beginning then gets pretty tough when you start doing the faster stuff at the end.
Fri: 8 mile distance run
Sat: 2 mile warm-up then 7 mile tempo run in 37:30 about 5:20 pace.         1 mile cool down.  This week was around 67 miles

Typical week of winter track training: Feb 2nd-8th 2003
Sunday: 8 mile distance run 
Monday: 1.5 mile warm-up, 4 mile tempo in 20:38, 5:10 was goal pace, 4 mile cool down
Tues: AM 4 miles  PM 7.5 miles
Weds: track workout (latter) 1600 tempo on track in 4:52, 2 min rec. 3x200 in 31 sec. with 1 min rec. 2x400 in 65, 1:15 rec. 1x800 in 2:09, 2 min rec. 2x400 66, 1:15 rec. 3x200 in 30 with 60 sec rec. With warm up, workout, and cool down today was 8.5 miles 
Thurs:  9 mile run
Fri: long run 13 miles
Sat: 7 mile recovery run.  Mileage for week was around 66-67 I would usually give myself more recovery between Monday’s workout and Wednesdays but I had a college visit planned for the weekend and needed to get the workouts done early in the week

Typical week of spring track training:
Sunday: 9-10 mile long run
Monday: 10x400 meters 60 sec recovery starting at 69 and working down to 63ish
Tues: 8 mile recovery run
Weds: small dual track meet would probably use it as a workout or run short events like the 800 or 400.  Since its a small meet we would do a long warm up and long cool down to keep mileage up
Thurs:  If we have a meet Saturday we would do some sharpening up like 6x200 in 30 sec with 30 sec. recovery
Fri:  distance run 8 miles 
Sat:  some kind of fartlek or tempo run. Sometimes we do an 8 mile hilly fartlek run at a moderate pace 6:10-6:20 and we hit the hills at a harder pace for the fartlek part.  Weekly mileage would be around 55 miles  

Short explanation of summer training: Just distance runs, last summer I averaged around 60-65 miles a week and I usually went high low like 70 miles for a week then 60 miles the next then 65-70 the next then back down.  I usually do 6-8 100 yard striders once a week and I do double runs once a week.  I never hammer on summer runs the pace is usually very comfortable once a week if I'm on a run and feel good I’ll pick up the pace but I never go into the run planning on running in hard 

Pre race rituals:  Stay focused but don't think to much about the race.  I still hang out and talk with teammates before the race and try to remain in a good mood.  I've noticed when I don't talk to anyone before the race I get more nervous and all I think about is the race.  I want to go to the line feeling a little nervous and very confident.