Issue 8

Interview with Jamaine Coleman

Hey Jamaine! Welcome to The Hammer. How are you doing today, boss?

Hey man! Things are going well right now. Training and racing have been trending in the right direction recently, so I am excited to keep the momentum.

We sadly didn’t see you compete this indoor season. Can you tell the readers what went into your decision to abstain from the winter competition?

Last year the indoor season was a big breakthrough for me with big PRs in the 3k and 5k. Going into the season, I had full confidence that I would run much faster than I had the year before as I was putting together some really solid workouts. Ultimately, that did not come to fruition. I raced one indoor mile at CU and I honestly cannot tell you what I ran, something like 4:19.

For those that do not know, I work a full-time sales job and during the winter I went from selling Solar Panels to the Medical Sales field. I severely underestimated how stressful switching jobs would be. I was unable to balance the two for quite some time and this resulted in my athletic performance dropping considerably. I figured it would be best to take a step back from racing and attempt to regain some stability, hence why I did not compete again during the indoor season.

Your last couple of years on Tinman Elite has been pretty successful—PBs over 1500m, 5k, the steeple, and a big win at your national championships last June. What excites you about your upcoming season in 2023?

The biggest thing that excites me about the outdoor season is defending my British title. It took me a very long time to get my first senior title and now that I have one, I am desperate to rack up many more.

The last few weeks have been a great progression for you, culminating in an 8:33 performance this past weekend in Los Angeles. What things have you been working on to get yourself back in the groove with racing?

In these last few weeks, a big focal point for me is just trusting in myself. I get in my own head when it comes to racing, and that is always my biggest limiter. Just reminding myself to believe in my ability and training makes all the difference.

What are your favorite things about working under Joan?

One of my favorite things about Joan is that she is open to suggestions. Some coaches are incredibly stuck in their ways and do not deviate at all from the plan. Joan adapts to any given situation so that we can maximize our potential.

I know you stay pretty busy outside of training. Do you think it’s important to set aside time away from the sport?

Personally, I believe creating an identity outside of the sport is incredibly important. That does not mean having a full-time job necessarily, but something that gives you joy and distracts you from the day-to-day monotony that running sometimes brings. Running is amazing when going great, but we all go through those tough times. Having something else in life that you can focus on during those times can help prevent you from letting your mind spiral.

Enough of this running stuff. Give the audience a few TV/ movie recommendations!

The last show I watched was Love is Blind, so I doubt y’all want suggestions from me, lol.

The Berry That Boosts Performance and Increases Recovery

“Since using 2before, I’ve noticed an increase in energy throughout my workouts. It’s also been great in terms of recovery… it aids in my muscle recovery and gives me extra energy in the morning which has been really beneficial.”

- Drew Hunter talking about 2before in Training and Conditioning Magazine

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.

Tip of the Month

Summer training means sweating, and if you’re sweating, you need electrolytes!

Why? When you sweat, your body loses key nutrients, like sodium, potassium, magnesium, and others. Each person loses a different amount of these nutrients, so it’s important to find out what you’re losing. Many running clinics offer sweat tests to better inform you of the amount of the nutrients (electrolytes) you need to be taking post-run.

Our team’s current favorite electrolyte mix is below ⤵️

Skratch Hydration Sport

Skratch has great flavors and their resealable bags last a long time! S/O coach Tori (a Skratch employee) for hooking us all up.

Giveaway

We’re excited to partner with 2before for this month’s giveaway! Simply answer this poll, leave some feedback on the next page, and you’ll be entered. We’ll choose five people on 7/1 to win!

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.