Interviews

Our team of writers welcomes opportunities to interview rising athletics stars, world champions, seasoned athletes, and other achievers to get their perspectives about how motivation, training, and education can help each of us reach our potential and be the best we can be.

We hope you’ll find ideas and inspiration from the insights offered by these amazing athletes and individuals, all of whom share that indefinable quality common to those who succeed in competitive sports—and in life.
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Boston Marathon Memories …by a Three-Time Champion

With runners from all over the world readying for the 120th Boston Marathon, Uta Pippig shares some personal memories—some joyful, all heartfelt—of her three consecutive Boston victories.

On the Eve of the Berlin Marathon, Uta Recalls How This Special Race Changed History—and Her Life

In a wide-ranging interview, Uta Pippig shares memories of her triumphs in the beloved Berlin and Boston Marathons, discusses the future of Women’s marathoning, and explains how her own journey inspired her “Running To Freedom” project.

Meb Keflezighi: Olympic Silver Medalist in 2004 and Avid Student of Marathon History

U.S. Olympic marathon hopeful Meb Keflezighi studies the sport’s history books—and gets inspiration from a gold medal performance of 28 years ago. Meb qualified for the Olympics for an impressive third time.

John E. Turner: “The Longer I Race, The Better I Run”

John shares his thoughts about what it’s like to run ultras and 24-hour races as a mature runner. Incredibly, he has stayed injury free for nearly 30 years thanks to minimal training and lots of walking.

Patrick Makau Talks About How to Break the World Record

Take The Magic Step® spoke with Patrick Makau, the fastest marathoner in the world in 2010. In the interview, Makau discussed his running background, his ambitions, and the wealth of running potential in Kenya.

A Pre-Race Interview with New York City Marathon Champion Meb Keflezighi

Meb Keflezighi, winner of the 2009 New York City Marathon sits down with Take The Magic Step® to discuss his running, family, and new passion: what he hopes to do with the MEB Foundation.

A Chat with Lineth Chepkurui: The Little Kenyan with the Big Record

KIMbia’s Lineth Chepkurui has had a phenomenal 2010 road-racing season. In this interview, the former cross-country runner who enjoys competing on tough, hilly courses, hints at running a marathon before the 2012 Olympics.

Believe, Believe, Believe: Billy Mills’ Own Story—from Desperation to Winning Gold

Only one runner in the Western Hemisphere has ever won an Olympic gold in the 10,000m: Native American Billy Mills. In his interview with Take The Magic Step®, Billy reflects on that magical moment 46 years ago in Tokyo and reveals his personal struggles and how they empowered him to win.

YES YOU CAN! How Team Hoyt Overcame All Obstacles to Complete its 28th Boston Marathon

Dick Hoyt reveals the struggles that were an unseen backdrop to legendary Team Hoyt’s courageous finish in the 2010 Boston Marathon … and talks about the future of running’s most famous wheelchair team.

Ryan Hall Hopes His Intimate Knowledge of the Boston Course Will Bring Victory

In an exclusive eve-of-the-marathon interview with Take The Magic Step®, U.S. runner Ryan Hall explains why he believes a move he made three weeks ago could help carry him to victory tomorrow in the 114th Boston Marathon.

Haile Gebrselassie: “Running Gives You So Much!”—and Foresees a Sub Two Hour Marathon

Haile Gebrselassie is one of the best long distance runners in history. He runs because he loves the feeling it creates in his body and mind, and he wants everyone to experience the elixir of running and the benefits it can bring to you.

She’s Back! Chicago-Bound Deena Kastor Talks About Her Next Marathon

Deena Kastor, known for being one of the world’s fastest marathoners, is preparing to run this year’s Chicago Marathon after her broken foot in 2008 slowed down her career. She speaks with Take The Magic Step®.

If You Dream It, It Can Happen: Kenenisa Bekele Reflects on His Recent Success

Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele reflects on his record-breaking double at the World Championships 2009 in Berlin, and shares his thoughts about his storied career.

Irina Mikitenko After Withdrawing from the World Championships: “I Feel Empty and Exhausted”

After the difficult decision to withdraw from competing in the marathon of the World Championships 2009 in Berlin, Irina Mikitenko talked about her thoughts and feelings.

The Road to Eugene: Sara Hall Interviews Before Her Big Race

Sara Hall sits down with Take The Magic Step® before her 5,000m race at the U.S. Track and Field Outdoor Champs in Eugene, Oregon. She says she is ready—and reveals that training with her fellow world class runner and husband, Ryan Hall, keeps things fun.

Paul Tergat: “Passion, Determination and Belief Lead to Success”

Paul Tergat’s running career is filled with superlative achievements. He has set numerous world records and was the first runner to break 2:05 in the marathon. Paul spoke with Take The Magic Step® about his legendary career and his future.

Dinner and a Chat with KIMbia’s Men’s Team Before the Bolder Boulder 10K

Relaxed and ready to run, the athletes of Team KIMbia talk about strategy, team racing, and staying fresh for another competition despite their hectic running schedule.

James Koskei, A Master Who Vows to “Run with the Elites” in Boston

James Koskei, at age 40, has been running marathons for only five years. And as he hits master’s age, he says he is getting stronger. Take The Magic Step® sat down with him on the eve of the 2009 Boston Marathon.

Ryan Hall Interviews with Take The Magic Step Before His Big Boston Debut

Ryan Hall has the running world wondering if he will be the first American to win the Boston Marathon in over 25 years. Take The Magic Step® spoke with Ryan in the final weeks of his training before the fabled marathon.

The Marathon of Life

In 1997, Thomas Geierspichler was abusing drugs and alcohol to forget the wheelchair beneath him and the 1994 car crash that had put him there. But then he began an amazingly inspiring journey that brought him the title World Champion and a world record time in winning the Beijing 2008 Paralympic’s Marathon.

Famiglietti: What, Me Run Recklessly? My Legs Tell Me What To Do!

Fans know him as “Fam,” and after his self-described “reckless running” in the 2008 Olympic Steeplechase, the 30 year-old captured the attention of runners everywhere. In an interview as spirited and full throttle as his running, Fam talks about his running style, his desire to win, and his mental toughness.

History-Making Olympic Star Shalane Flanagan Talks with Take The Magic Step^®

A few months after her phenomenal bronze medal race in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, American distance runner Shalane Flanagan sits down for an interview to talk about her incredible experiences at the Olympics, her holistic approach to training, and her future racing plans.

Dreams Do Happen! A Take The Magic Step Interview with Irina Mikitenko

As the first German woman to break the 2:20-hour barrier, 36 year-old Irina Mikitenko also became the fourth-fastest female marathon runner ever. The former top athlete on the track made a fast transition to the marathon, and talks in this interview about her motivation, her training, and her family.

“The Burnout Doesn’t Seem to Have Happened”: An Interview with Nicky Martin

Nicky Martin is in the classic tradition of high-standard British club runners who have competed all their lives over track, road and cross country, but his is a story with a difference.

Running’s Rich History: An Interview with Roger Robinson

Roger Robinson has combined an academic career with a passion for distance running. This interview offers insights into the development of running as a sport in the past 50 years, including the rise of the Africans, and the qualities required to be a competitor in the Olympics.

Haile Gebrselassie: “I Can’t Run Slowly”

On the last day of September 2007, Haile Gebrselassie set a world record of 2:04:26 at the Berlin Marathon. The 34-year-old Ethiopian improved the old mark of his Kenyan rival Paul Tergat, who had run 2:04:55 in Berlin in 2003, by 29 seconds.

Meseret Defar: “In Ethiopia, We Learn How to Overcome”

Meseret Defar improved her own world record for 5,000m to 14:16.53 at the Bislett Games in Oslo, Norway, in June 2007. Her new record was an impressive eight seconds faster than her previous one. Take The Magic Step® spoke with the Ethiopian 5,000m Olympic champion.

Every Breath He Takes: An Interview with Veteran Endurance Athlete Jim Phelan

Jim Phelan is a deep thinker about endurance sport. He developed his interest in the duathlon and triathlon from a base as a track, cross-country and road runner for Blackheath and Bromley Harriers, a British club founded in 1869 and based in south London. This interview was conducted in May 2007.

One Runner’s Wisdom: An Interview with Roger Low

Roger Low has competed in every London marathon since the race’s debut in 1981, and has developed a highly distinctive approach to marathon preparation. For Roger, the long run is the key, and that might be an understatement once you have read the interview.

Interview with Elana Meyer: “I Love Being Fit”

After her amazing career, Elana Meyer announced her retirement from international competition in 2005. She’s finding new mountains to conquer, literally, as she is planning to summit Mt. Everest. Elana talks about her approach to fitness, her work on behalf of children’s fitness and her thoughts on how sport and politics mix.

The Fire Still Burns: An Interview with Bill Rodgers

Bill Rodgers won the Boston and New York City marathons four times each and was ranked #1 in the world three times. At 58, his competitive juices still flow. But more importantly, Bill has become an elder statesman and ambassador for the sport of running. (A 2006 interview.)