Issue 10

Maximize Pre-Race Nutrition With 2before

“The key to pre-race fueling is eating the same familiar foods you had during training. A light snack 30-60 minutes before your race will help top off glycogen (energy) stores. Make the most out of your fueling by pairing a packet of 2before blackcurrant powder with 30-60g of simple carbohydrates. Examples include a plain english muffin with nut butter and honey, 2 apple sauce pouches, or 1 pouch of energy chews. One of the benefits of New Zealand blackcurrants is enhanced blood flow, meaning the nutrients you’re getting from your snack will get to your working muscles faster.” - Jennifer Ho MS, RD

Interview with Joe Klecker ahead of the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary

Some things to know about Joe — While at Colorado University, he was a seven-time All-American and two-time NCAA runner-up. Since turning professional with the OAC, Joe’s became a US champion in the 10k, and is one of the fastest American men ever over 5000m and 10000m. He is currently ranked 8th in the world over 10000m heading into the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

Hey Joe, welcome to The Hammer. How are you doing today?

Doing well, preparing for the World Championships in Sankt Moritz, Switzerland.

You’re coming off the USA champs where you finished 2nd in the 10,000m, booking your ticket to the World Championships, and 4th in the 5000m, coming just short of making the team in a second event. After a couple of weeks of reflection, how are you feeling about those two performances?

I am really happy to qualify for my 3rd global championship. Certainly, I wanted to defend my title in the 10,000, but I was very happy to get the job done and return to Worlds. As for the 5k, I am happy with how I felt, but I really didn't race aggressively enough to give myself a chance. Having qualified in the 10k I think I just went through the motions in the 5k.

Since joining the OAC, you’ve made some massive improvements. For instance, you’ve bettered your time in the 5000m by ~40 seconds (13:34->12:54) since your days at CU. What things have you leveled up since college?

The biggest reason for the improvement I feel is just a progression of all aspects of training, and getting the opportunities to run fast. I think at CU I could run under 13:20 but in the college season, it's hard to find the right time to attack a fast race. The training volume and workout volume are just able to be so much higher than it was in college with classes and homework.

You’ve had the chance to work with two of the best coaches in the game, Mark Wetmore and Dathan Ritzenhein. What were some of your favorite parts about working with Mark and the other coaches at CU? On the flip side, what do you love about working with Dathan?

I have been very fortunate to have worked with Mark, Heather, Billy, and now Dathan. I think what worked really well under my coaches at CU was the emphasis on consistency in training. Not a lot of downtime, never training too easy, always getting a little better. This is still very much how I look at training.

Now with Dathan, who also ran under Mark, it is a similar philosophy. However, the biggest change is a higher level of intensity. CU we ran lots of miles, long runs, and fartleks. Any VO2 work was very short. Now I will do workouts up to 8 miles of moderate to high intensity.

In last year’s major championship, you finished 9th in the 10,000m. This was obviously a fantastic performance, but we track athletes always want more out of ourselves. What things have you done since then to be more prepared for a championship race like that?

I was very happy with 9th last year but will not be happy with 9th this year. Last year I felt I ran to my potential at the World Champs which is the most you can hope for.

Last year, I fell off the lead pack about 800 meters from the finish, obviously, you cannot compete for medals if the race is 50 meters ahead of you. This year, I have focused a lot on holding a higher threshold volume than last year later into the season. I can tell I am much fitter at this point than I was a year ago. The goal this year is to be in the lead pack with 400 to go.

With all the “Klecker” miles you do, you’re obviously a man that’s built to tackle the marathon at some point in your career. Does the marathon excite you the same as the track does? What’s the timeline look like for you regarding a transition to the roads?

The marathon is the carrot in front of me that keeps me really motivated. This event is where I think I can be the most successful. Although the debut won't come for a few years, we are doing work behind the scenes to ensure the transition from track to the roads is as seamless as possible.

If I remember right, you were doing more schoolwork recently. Are you thinking of entering the workforce after your running career is said and done? If so, what are you interested in doing?

I recently started a master’s in applied biotechnology through UW-Madison. I just got bored and got a scholarship from the US Olympic Committee, so I figured I might as well learn something!

Do you have a tentative racing schedule for the rest of the summer to share with our readers?

Obviously Worlds on August 20th, Zurich Diamond League 5k on August 31st, and 5th Avenue Mile on September 10th. Then, if I qualify, the Diamond League Final on September 17th.

Alright Joe, let’s do some rapid-fire questions to finish this puppy off.

1) Will the Vikings win the Superbowl this year?

I just hope in my lifetime.

2) Boulder or St. Moritz?

LONGMONT

3) Homemade bread or store-bought bread?

Homemade sourdough

4) Favorite sparkling water?

Valser from Switzerland

5) OAC merch coming anytime soon?

Merch is in the works, and it is looking really good!

Get a Summer Training Plan

Hammer & Axe has you covered for your summer cross country training. Coach Joey Berriatua whipped up a bunch of XC plans for athletes at all levels (16:00-17:30 for 5k). Take a look if you need some accountability this summer!

If you’re training for something else, we’ve also got you covered! Just check out our list of training plans here.

Giveaway Winners

If you purchased a Hammer & Axe training plan at any point in July, be sure to email us at [email protected] to claim your free box of 2before. Include your address and a screenshot of your purchase receipt. As always, thank you for your support! We’ll get those shipped out as soon as possible.

If you haven’t already, check out our other newsletter, The Axe, and read interviews from athletes that have used Hammer & Axe’s 1-on-1 coaching.