Andrew Lemoncello is one of Britain's top distance runners. Born on October 12 1982 in Tokyo, Japan to an American father and Scottish mother, Lemoncello currently Lives in Flagstaff USA with the McMillan Elite training group, he has been one of Scotland's best runners since a youth having won 19 national championships (road, track, cross country, mountain) to date.

Lemoncello also has the 2nd fastest all-time steeplechase performance by a Scot. While attending Florida State University, he set school records in the indoor 3,000m, 5,000m as well as outdoor records in the steeplechase, 5,000m and 10,000m (also an ACC record). Lemoncello won 11 ACC Championships

Last year Andrew was selected to run for Great Britain at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in the 3000m steeplechase, finishing 9th in round 1.

Career Highlights

2009 3M Half-Marathon - 3rd Place -1:01:51
2008 Manchester Road Race - 5th Place
2008 Olympic Games Round 1: 3000m Steeplechase - 10th Place
2008 UK Olympic Trials - 3rd Place
2007 NCAA Track & Field Championships Runner-Up - 3000m Steeplechase
2007 IAAF World Track & Field Championships - 3000m Steeplechase
2005 IAAF World Track & Field Championships - 3000m Steeplechase
2001 European Junior Cross Country - Team Gold Medallist
2008 3M Half-Marathon - 2nd Place
2-time UK National Champion - 3000m Steeplechase

Personal bests

Questions

Easy runs

I do easy runs everyday. I do my main runs of the day in the morning so the second runs of the day are usually pretty easy, unless I'm feeling great and I'll pick the pace up a bit. Here in Flagstaff it would be anywhere from 6.10s to 7.30s. It all depends on how I feel and what we have done in the morning or the day before. At sea level it's usually between 5.30-6.00s. At 7000ft it's more important because you really need them to recover for the next days work. I can't run 6.00s for all my mileage day in day out up here because it would just kill my sessions. In the morning I always have company with someone from my training group but the second runs I usually do on my own as everyone has their own schedules and work times to keep.

Steady runs

I will do steady running but not very often A steady run will be around 5.30s-6.00s at 7000ft if I'm feeling frisky. These aren't really built into the training as you are just supposed to run easier a lot of the time in between sessions but on a mid week 90 min run I may pick it up a bit. I do them on my own usually to just get my head right as a lot of my mileage is slower so I like to go out there and run a bit quicker and feel good doing it.

Interval work

Q. How many times a week?
A. I do hard session usually twice a week and a hard long run.

Q. Can you give examples of important?
A. During the base phase I do a steady state run every week building up to 10 miles on a 2 mile dirt trail with a big hill at the end of each lap. It really hardens you up for the rest of the winter's sessions and it's a great way to build your endurance up. Steady state means not tempo and not easy. I build up each lap usually so I may start at 10.40 per lap at the start and then finish at 10.10 pace. I also do a lot of fast finish runs so a 90 minute runs with the last 20 minutes hard.

Q. What would be your shortest fastest session?
A. I usually keep in touch with speed work right the way through the year. I normally do a 70 minute run with 8 laps of the track in the middle doing 200m hard, 200m easy or 300m hard, 100m easy.

Q. Do you change surface dependant on time of year?
A. Yes. Most of the year round I have loads of trails to run on so your almost always on softer surfaces but when the snow comes down the only place to run is the roads unless I drive down the mountain 300ft to Sedona to run on trails there. Most of the runs are with a group.

Q. Hardest session?
A. Any kind of hill session. I'm terrible at hills and I usually do a lot of them after the base phase but haven't started them yet so I'm glad about that. There's something about them that just kills me! I remember a few years ago when I was in Stirling, Morag McClarty was keeping up with me on some of the reps!

Q. Do you use races instead of sessions?
A. I do occasionally use races for training but only in the off season usually. I do it a couple of times during the summer over the barriers but I wouldn't usually do that. I would rather train specifically for races in training as I have enough team mates to go hard in training.

Q. Could you give a typical training week?

Regular week:

Mileage

Q. What sort of mileage are you doing in training phases?
A. Base - 100 to 120, Hill - 100 to 120, Specific - 100, Race/Peak - 70 to 90

Q. What is your longest run of the week?
A. My long run is usually 2 hours which is usually around 20 miles as I tend to use that as a third session. It's a great workout because there are no flat roads or trails here so you're getting a lot of eccentric/concentric movement which gets you so strong.

Q. Do you run big mileage when racing?
A. Not really, I usually run between 70 and 90 miles depending on the race. I occasionally just train through races so will still be above 100 mpw.

Q. What's your opinion on mileage in general?
A. I always seem to have better results with higher mileage but there are those who do less and still get great results. Look at Bernard Lagat, he runs 60-70 mpw but everything is fast, not much running slower than 5.20 pace (even when he's up here in Flagstaff). I think the biggest problem for some people is that they do high mileage to say they are doing it but most of it is very slow. I'm not saying there's not a place for it but I do believe that you should get used to running at a decent pace rather 8 min/miles if you want to be a strong runner. I tend to use Jack Daniels recommendation for easy pace being 90 seconds a mile slower than 5km race pace (Obviously I have to adapt this up at altitude).

Cross country

Q. Is it important?
A. It depends on what you're focussing on. I know lots of athletes who are successful without running cross country. It's hard to run on the country here in the states because there is no cross country season unless you're in university. I will tend to stick to the roads instead.

Q. Do you enjoy it?
A. I do enjoy it but there are the days when it can be miserable and the last thing you want to do. Everyone's been to the races where it's cold, windy and the course is muddy. That's the type of running that isn't too appealing to me but I know others who love that type of stuff. I've maybe gone soft but I'd rather run the roads now. I wouldn't say that cross country is vital but it's certainly great for building strength during the winter. The focus in Britain during the winter is running over the country so I think you really have to make a go of it as the road running scene isn't as high quality as in the states. If I was still in the UK I would definitely be focussing more on the country.

Strength work

I will do circuits 2-3 times a week depending on the time of year. During my base phase I was very diligent in doing my circuits 3 times a week but once I started to do a bunch of races I dropped it for a few weeks and I also didn't do them as much when I was building up my mileage to 120mpw, Weights will also be built into the circuits programme.

Massage

Q. Do you use massage, is it worth while?
A. I get massage every second week and I find it very helpful. It helps a lot with my recovery and getting into any kinks that may have built up over the week. My therapist is a runner also so he knows what it feels like and what kind of pressure I can take which is very helpful.

Diet

Q. Any special diet?
A. No just generally eating healthy most of the time. I work in a sushi restaurant so that is great for keeping on top of a good diet. My dad is a chef so I have eaten well my whole life and he taught me early how to cook so I don't find it hard to get all the nutrients that I need to recover and perform well.

Group training

Q. What are your feelings on group training is it essential?
A. For me right now I am finding it very beneficial. In Scotland I have always trained on my own and in Florida a lot of the longer stuff and steeple specific I was on my own but now that I'm focussing on the longer distances I am finding it helpful to have team mates to run with.

Q. Can you achieve a high standard without?
A. Of course you can reach a high standard on your own because you can always gauge how you feel and listen to what your body is telling you easier as you aren't trying to keep up with someone or push too hard. I am finding it helpful because it is so hard to do certain sessions at 7000ft and without others there I don't think I would be able run as hard as I would like to without them. Long runs we generally do together but the group will break up early into the run as some people will take their long run easier where as I would prefer to run my long run harder. So some of us will run 20 miles over the 2 hours and others will run 17 miles. It all depends what their focus is.

Q. It sounds like you have a great training group, you must be pleased?
A. I have a great training group right now! It's really helpful for me during my base phase as when I finish with my summer season I take a two week break and when I get back to running everyone else is 2 months ahead of where I'm at. It means that I have to work really hard for the first few weeks to keep up. This year we started to do a new road circuit for basically the only reps we do during the winter. It's just over a mile long so when we got to doing them I found it very hard to keep up with them. Although I really dragged through those sessions it really helped me mentally because I would be hurting from the start and would want to be sick but it felt great once I was finished with the session. It's the same for them on the steady states and tempo's when I will tend to be out in front of them so it's great to have a big group of guys who all have different strengths.

Altitude / Warm weather training

Q. Do you ever use altitude or warm weather camps before moving full time?
A. I went to Boulder in 2003 for the first time and found it really helpful. Once I came back I always knew I wanted to move to altitude and that's where I'm at now (Flagstaff - 7000ft). I love living up here although the winter can be harsh. It so beautiful up here and that is a big thing for me as I have always lived in the countryside. I wake up every morning and I have the mountains right in front of me and it's a 2 min jog to the trails. I like what my coach here says about all the distance running conferences that he attends - Everyone talks about high altitude training as if its some kind of secret and you only do it in little stints but we should be talking about going to sea level training camps and everyone living at high altitude. I am actually taking a two week training stint in Texas this week to get into the warm weather after my half marathon.

Thoughts on British distance running

I think distance running isn't as good at the moment (on the men's side anyway) because it's just not as popular nowadays. Back in the day there were loads of runners beating each other up everyday in training and you had to train hard just to make your club team. I think there should also be a lot more support from the big races like London marathon because they can make such a difference to the sport and they just haven't chosen to so far. Living in the USA I see what a huge impact that New York Road Runners have made to the elite side of the sport.

They get their money from the New York marathon and pump it back into the sport by setting up good races, pace makers at track meets, giving money to squads, paying for athletes to race each other. It's also quite frustrating to always hear from our greatest athletes and hero's that we just don't work as hard as they did in their day. I know I work really hard everyday but the sport is in a different era now where a being a 13.20 runner isn't going to get you world medals. I wish we could get help and encouragement from the guys we look up to rather than constant public slating.

America

Q. In what ways do you think you're collegiate and post collegiate experiences have benefited you?
A. I wouldn't be the athlete I am if I hadn't come to the states. I've had far more support over here than I have had in the UK simply because they are putting money into the athletes. My scholarship at FSU was so beneficial because I could concentrate on my running and that's it plain and simple.

Q. What is the set up like where you are now?
A. Now I am in Flagstaff I am very lucky to have been selected for a squad that is focussed on helping the athlete transition from post collegiate runner to contract athlete. Adidas funds our housing, travel and equipment needs and Greg, our coach has his own coaching company that helps with other expenses. This makes it easier for us to work just part time so we can get our rest and do all the things necessary to progress as an athlete. It's nice to know that there are those that believe in you and your goals and help towards that even if it's not from my own country. Its good to see people like Liz McColgan putting together groups of athletes and supporting them to become better like the USA models are doing.

Finally..

Q. Can you tell us you're training for you Half Marathon week where you ran a big personal best?
A. Yeah sure,

Race week (last week for the half marathon):

Andrew Lemoncello

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