May 19, 2016

A Transcribed Ian Thompson Interview from the 1975 Marathon Handbook

The following is a transcribed interview, including all the inconsistencies and typos. See the previous post for further explanation.

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Ian Thompson--2:09:12
by Dave Cocksedge

"I always enjoy my training. It's never been a chore to me..."

"I'm never too bothered about others in any race..."

"I've been running for more than 10 years at club level, without a great deal of success..."

It could be any of a thousand fun-runners talking, runners whose biggest dream in life is breaking three hours at Boston. Ian Thompson wasn't much different from them until October 1973, and he still doesn't think much differently.

Thompson entered marathoning almost accidentally. His team needed an extra man for the scoring in the British national championship. Ian volunteered, and won in 2:12:40. That race qualified him for the Commonwealth Games. He won again there, with 2:09:12--the second fastest marathon ever. Since then, he has won the Athens and European races, both in the 2:13s.

After the last one, he reportedly said, "The only person in the world who can challenge me now is Frank Shorter." Perhaps he was misquoted, since this doesn't sound at all like the Thompson pictured here.

Ian Thompson, 5'6 and 126 pounds, was born Oct. 16, 1949. He is a graduate student in Spanish.

How fast do you think you can run a marathon, judging from the experiences in those you've done?

I think I can go faster (than 2:09:12), provided I pace myself more sensibly over the first half of the race. There were certain things against me before the Commonwealth race. My training was interrupted by two bad colds, as well as other factors. Given time, and they say a marathon runner reaches his peak at about the age of 28, I will definitely run faster than 2:09. That gives me another for years.

I think I overdid the first half at Christchurch (Commonwealth Games). I went through the turn in 1:03 and took 1:06 for the second half, whereas if I'd run a 1:04 first half, maybe I could have run another one for the second half to finish in 2:08.

Can you describe a typical week's training?

Sure. Sunday's, I do a long run--about 28-30 miles. Every lunch hour from Monday to Friday, I do a six. On a Monday, I run another six in the evening. Tuesdays, I do a track session in the evening. Wednesdays, I run two easy road runs, then Thursday another track session. On a Friday, I run either a track or hill session in the evening. Saturdays, I either race or do another fairly long run. I like to get the long run in, and then fit the rest of my sessions around that.

What s your ideal number of top-class marathons each year?

I think no more than two major ones a year--like Commonwealth and the European (in 1974). I could probably get away with a couple minor races as well, but two really big ones a year is plenty to get on with. I mean, you're asking a man to hit a peak twice within a year, and physically and mentally that requires a lot of careful planning and hard work.

What about thoughts of Montreal in 1976? Does the prospect of that volume of training until 1976 daunt you at all?

Well, I live very much day to day with my running, so I've hardly ever bothered to think that far ahead. I always enjoy my training. It's never been a chore to me. I'm quite used to high mileage now, as I've been averaging 140 a week at times since I was 21. I've built up a background of heavy mileage over the years, so the thought of a few more doesn't scare me. I simply love running for the sheer hell of it.

When I ran 14:05 for 5000 in 1971, I was on that sort of hard road work. I believed firmly in Lydiard training for the track. It didn't really work for me then, but now I think I'm beginning to reap the benefits from it. Obviously, it was ideal preparation for the marathon.

Don't assume that I'm running 140 a week all the time, though. Mostly I supposed I average 90, but occasionally bump it up to 140. When I tried to average that figure week in, week out, I found I couldn't cope with it. My body didn't have time to recover.

What are your feelings about racing a fit Frank Shorter?

 Well, I read an article on him some time ago and I was impressed. Obviously, the Olympic champion must be good. But with a 27:51 10,000, he's got almost frightening speed as well. I'd love to race him, but I'm never too bothered about others in any race. When I'm out there, I'm out to run my best and let everyone else do their own thing, so to speak.

It's what you do on the day that counts, isn't it? I've no doubts that Shorter will be tough to beat. But when I'm against him, I won't worry about him in any way.

In your interviews, you've always tended to adopt a low profile, always claiming not to be overly impressed or even greatly aware of the reputation of your rivals. Is that genuine or assumed attitude?

Well, I don't spend time reading up on other runners. Basically, I run to get the maximum out of myself. And to be honest, tactics in marathon races are just not on in that sense. You've got to pace yourself and run to your own capabilities, so what's the use in knowing everything possible about the men running against you?

But then on the other hand, I don't deliberately go out of my way to be in total ignorance of rivals. Knowing more about other runners has virtually been forced on me in the last months, since I came through into the big-time. I mean, in Christchurch, I couldn't very well not know the others, since I was surrounded by them and got to know them as people as well as reputations.

There are many athletes who I think spend far too much time worrying about others in their event, and this is not a very healthy attitude. There are other things in life besides running. I just like to do my training, and then I don't really want to know for the rest of the day. I'd rather spend it on another activity. I believe in keeping it in it place. I don't even bother to watch athletics on television unless I happen to be in and something is on. I won't go out of my way to watch it.

What do you think about when training and racing?

Racing is entirely different from training. Frank Shorter said that marathons, when one is running well, are compressed into about three-quarters of an hour in thinking time, and I found this--especially in Christchurch. I was pressing myself forward all the time so much that there was little time to think about anything else except my form. I had sensation of time dragging by.

You know, two hours and nine minutes sounds a long time, but it seemed to go by pretty fast during the actual run. Odd thoughts flash through your head, like, "What will I do first after finishing?" or, "I wonder if my friends and family are watching, or if they know how well I'm going today?"

Training runs can be tough mentally, though. I can think of a recent long run. It was a murderous thing. I felt tired and heavy. I wasn't flowing as well as I'd like to, and time was dragging by. I kept thinking of the work I should have been doing at home, and anything and everything really, just to fill up the time until I could finish.

Do your regard mental preparation to be important for racing?

Yes, very important. For me, this means staying relaxed and not thinking hard about the big race beforehand. Relaxation is very important. I was relaxed before my first marathon because I wasn't particularly expecting anything earth-shattering. And, strangely enough, in the Commonwealth I was relaxed too, with a sort of quiet confidence. I was happy about a lot of other things in life besides my running. Everything was clicking, and I was in a relaxed frame of mind--which is ideal.

From what you've learned in your first year of marathoning, what advice for a novice attempting a marathon for the first time would you offer?

Train! Do a lot of training for it. That will give you the confidence as well as prepare you physically. Long runs regularly will give you the relaxed rhythm you need.

With the increasing pressure you've obviously experienced since winning the Commonwealth and European titles, how long do you think you'll be able to exist at the top level?

I don't really know. The deciding factor will be the sort of job I get. At the moment, I have the freedom to train all I want, though my studies have inevitably suffered since October 1973. If the job makes demands which encroach on training and racing time, then they have to go.

This is the case for professional athletes. If one can devote onesself exclusively to racing, one can have a long and useful career in the sport. But as an amateur, a man has to work and earn himself a decent living wage. The successful amateurs are people who have been able to fit their job in with their training, with the athletics having first consideration.

Would you continue with athletics even without further success?

Oh, yes. You've got to remember that I've been running for more than 10 years at club level, without a great deal of success to spur me on. As I said earlier, I would run just for the pure love of running. I mean, if I lived just for racing, it wouldn't be enough. Races are over in a flash, relatively speaking, after a lot of building up for them. So it's the enjoyment of the training that keeps me going too.

It's a weird sort of pleasure, but it works. You know, you get a feeling of satisfaction after you've forced yourself to get out for a long run on a wet and windy day when you'd rather stay indoors. Besides that, when I'm out on my own, feeling fit and the running is coming easy on a bright sunny day, I'm flowing along the roads and it's just good to be alive and well, enjoying the sensation. It's a pleasure in itself, really.

I think if I ever got to the stage where I'd be constantly worrying about my form and unable to enjoy my training, I'd give up racing.

What else excites you besides running and racing?

Hard to say, really. Not a great deal. Dancing occasionally, and the very occasional drink. I'm a pretty placid type of bloke. I don't have many ups and downs in life; just prefer to take things calmly as they and as they come along. At parties and socials, I'm quite happy to take a back seat and let other people get the attention. You wouldn't call me the life and the soul of the party; just part of the audience, perhaps.

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Thompson would not, as it happened, run faster than 2:09:12--although he would continue marathoning with some success until 1987. I cannot find anything regarding what manner of job he ended up with. 

2 comments:

  1. Excellent. Thanks for sharing that.

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    Replies
    1. I'm glad to have done so. Being honest, I hadn't heard of Thompson before reading this. It's kind of a trip how people that fast fall out of memory.

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