• Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Login
  • Register
  • Home
  • Archive
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Archive
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
No Result
View All Result
Home Interviews

Matthew Centrowitz Knows Where To Be, Middle Distance Specialist Is Unflappable by Dave Hunter

RBR Adminby RBR Admin
August 13, 2014
0
0 0
0
SHARES
2
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

163957250DP142_IAAF_Day_in_.jpg

A Day in the Life, Matthew Centrowitz, May 13, 2014, 
photo by Doug Pensinger/IAAF/Getty Images


On July 18, Matthew Centrowitz ran a PB of 3:31.09 at the Meeting Herculis, where he placed ninth in one of the fastest fields ever. Centrowitz is a bronze and silver medalist at the World Championships in the 1,500 meters. 

As David Hunter reveals here, Matthew Centrowitz has many fast races in his future, but, most of all, this young middle distance runner may be one of America’s best bets, in decades, to shake up the athletic world at his distance. 

RelatedPosts

Jeff Benjamin’s Book Review 2025 Book # 1 “Always Speeding – Memoirs Of The World’s Fastest Human” By Steve Williams

Two World records at NIKE Pre Classic

This Day in Track & Field History, July 9, Rafer Johnson regains Decathlon WR (1960), by Walt Murphy


Matthew Centrowitz Knows Where To Be
Middle Distance Specialist Is Unflappable

August 10th, 2014

Watching Matthew Centrowitz race will put a smile on your face.  For middle distance athletes – like Centrowitz – competing in some of the quickest events that aren’t run in lanes the entire way, it is absolutely essential to possess a certain track awareness for successful racing.  And when it comes to being in the best spot and out of trouble, the young Nike Oregon Project Dave_Hunter_Right_On_Track.pngathlete is almost without peer.  “The NCAA is a big reason for that.  We race 20-30 times a year, including indoor, in different rounds and different races,” the young athlete explains.  “I think a lot of practice during those four years I was at the University of Oregon really helped me be the type of racer that I am.”  Running at sub-60 second pace just inches away from aggressive competitors can be unnerving. But Centro never sweats.  He can coolly tuck in on the rail, run on the leader’s shoulder, or even chill behind the lead pack.  Whatever cards are dealt as the race unfolds, this riverboat gambler can play the hand.  “I’ve been in fast, slow, ridiculously slow races – where we’ve gone out in 2:12 for the first 800.  I’ve had to come back from being dead last with 500 to go.  I’ve been in the front with 500 to go.  I’ve just been in every position in every type of race.”  And when there are 300 meters to go, the 24 year old 1500/mile specialist invariably is in just the right unobstructed location to unleash his kick and give himself the best chance to perform at the highest level.  “Being able to practice all these different ways have allowed me to be able to run in different ways in these tactical races,” states Centro.  “I am confident running from the front; I’m confident running from the back; I’m confident running in the pack.” 

163957250DP164_IAAF_Day_in_.jpg

Matthew Centrowitz, A Day in the Life, 
photo by Doug Pensinger/IAAF/Getty Images
  
After a dazzling career at Oregon,  the 7-time All American and 2011 NCAA outdoor 1500m champion has been an impressive post-collegiate performer.  Just before turning pro, Centrowitz captured the national outdoor 1500m title in Des Moines, disposing of a first rate domestic field with a scintillating kick and topping off the victory with a throat-slashing hand gesture as he crossed the finish line the clear winner.  He was the first Oregon undergrad to win a USA outdoor title since Steve Prefontaine.  As a professional, he won the crown again in 2013 – also on the Drake track – as he seized his second national outdoor 1500m title by prevailing in a tactical race which featured heavy traffic over the final circuit.

The 2012 Olympian has brought a different approach to the current outdoor season in a year without a global championship.  “I think a lot of athletes have placed a lot emphasis on fast times this year.  So it is all about just breaking PR’s, achieving records – whether it be your personal record or an American record.  I know that’s what our team [the Nike Oregon Project] definitely put a lot of focus on this year.  So it’s all about just running fast times,” explains Centro.  “With this year especially, you just train just as hard as you can – week in and week out. And you race as many opportunities as you can.  That’s what is great about this year because you are not peaking for any specific part of the season.  You’re just training hard and racing a lot,” he offers.  

163957250DP165_IAAF_Day_in_.jpg

Matthew Centrowitz with Peter Julian, Nike Oregon Project Assistant Coach, 
photo by Doug Pensinger/IAAF/Gettty Images
With his ability to be a formidable racer in domestic middle distance races firmly established, Centrowitz has not been reticent to tangle with the world’s best in Diamond League contests where international athletes have provided stiffer competition.  At the Pre DL meet earlier this season, Centrowitz ran among the star-studded mile field.  Although he finished up the track in 8th place behind Ayanieh Souleiman’s U.S. soil record clocking of 3:47.32, Centro’s time of 3:50.53 is this year’s American leader and now ranks him #8 of the U.S. all-time list – ahead of such notables as American miling icon Jim Ryun.  

Centro jumped at the opportunity to toe the starting line with the stacked field in the men’s 1500m in Monaco earlier this summer.  “There was all this talk about a world record, that [Asbel] Kiprop was trying to go for the world record.  Obviously, anytime someone is going for a world record, everyone is just thinking about tucking in there, knowing it is going to be a fast race,” he explains.  “They allowed pretty much all the top guys in the world into the race.  So it was a very deep race.  And it obviously came through.  I don’t know how many guys broke 3:30 [there were 7].  But I do know that my 9th place finish [in a PR 3:31.19 – 7th on the U.S. all-time list] was the fastest ever 9th place finish in any 1500 meter race.  So it shows you the depth of the race.”  

Centrowitz_Matt-Worlds11.jpg

Matthew gets his bronze, Daegu, 2011, photo by PhotoRun.net

The 2011 world championship 1500 meter bronze medalist appreciates personal bests, but nonetheless wants to become more competitive.  “I want to get in there and be as competitive as much as possible.  In a race with a fast pace, you wouldn’t want to put yourself in a position that would prevent you from giving yourself the best shot at running something as fast as these guys,” offers Centro who knows how important  blistering races against the best in the world – like Monaco – are for his continued advancement.  “I finished  9th and I wasn’t happy with that place.  But I PR’d so I can’t be too upset.  But I tried to be as competitive as I could.  I put myself in that position early on in the race.  I fell back a little bit more than I like to in the middle part and that’s something I need to work on.  It’s more than just hanging on.  I have the mindset of wanting to be competitive.”  Matthew, who will cap off his 2014 outdoor campaign with a mile race at the Birmingham DL meet later this month and  a 1500m in the Bruss
els DL final in early September, knows now is the time to go for it.  “When the opportunity presents itself, you have a good opportunity to run fast, so that is what you do.”

Thumbnail image for Centrowitz_MattSF1c-Moscow13.JPG

Matthew Centrowitz takes his silver, Moscow 201e, 
photo by PhotoRun.net
The Alberto Salazar protégé knows that frequent 1500m/mile battles with the other international middle distance stars will provide the callousing experiences that will make him a better racer.  But Centrowitz is patiently aware of other essential ingredients to his continued progression.  “I think it is going to take maturity on my part.  I’ve shown a good progression, I feel like, over the last few years.  My PR is coming down, but I’m just not ready to run 3:27, 3:28 yet.  I do believe I can run 3:30 – and on a great day 3:29.  I’m going to get in more of these faster races.  I don’t get that many opportunities, to be honest with you.  I might get maybe four – max – throughout the year.  That’s another reason why I raced Lausanne instead of defending my USATF outdoor 1500 meter title.   Because if I had not raced Lausanne, I would have had Monaco and Brussels as my only international 1500’s this year.  And that’s not a whole lot of 1500m opportunities.  Oslo and Pre were mile races and Birmingham will be a mile.  I just need to keep putting myself in these fast 1500’s  and continue bridging the gap between me and the leader.  That’s going to take more strength, more speed.  It’s going to take more maturity, more years with Alberto, building up the miles, lowering my 800 P.R. [currently 1:45.86], lowering my 5K P.R. [currently 13:20.06] and that will translate into a fast 1500.  It’s really just all over the board, not just one thing.”
 
163957250DP162_IAAF_Day_in_.jpg

Alberto Salazar has high hopes for Matthew Centrowitz, 
photo by Doug Pensinger/IAAF/Getty Images, A Day in the Life 
The Maryland native respects – but is not in awe of – his global competitors such as Silas Kiplagat,  Souleiman, and others.  But Centro singles out one accomplished athlete for special mention.  “Kiprop right now is the two-time defending world champion and the 2008 Olympic champion.  He has obviously shown that he can perform well in the Diamond League races.  He is definitely the guy I look for,” he states.  “You can’t win every single Diamond League race, and he doesn’t.  But I would say he is the guy that everyone looks to and points toward in the 1500m right now.”
163957250DP160_IAAF_Day_in_.jpg

Galen Rupp and Matthew Centrowitz doing the core workout, 
photo by Doug Pensinger/IAAF/Getty Images
Just three years out of college and with many competitive years in front of him, the former Duck has some thoughts as to how he would like to be remembered.  “I would like to be able to look back and see that I helped out American middle distance running at a time when we weren’t doing quite as well on the world stage; that I helped to jumpstart a huge wave of young American milers and distance runners to continue to be dominant and competitive on the world scene,”  says Centrowitz after some reflection.  “When I am older and tune into the Olympics and the world championships, I want to be able to watch the current American middle distance runners be competitive with the other runners around the world.”

With many years of world class racing remaining for Matthew Centrowitz, it not yet clear what will lie ahead for one of America’s all-time best milers when his track & field career has concluded.  But chances are the savvy race tactician will be in the right place at the right time.  
~Dave Hunter

Author

  • RBR Admin

    View all posts
Previous Post

Zurich Diary: Jo Pavey wins 10,000 meters, and inspires a nation, by Alex Mills

Next Post

Pavey Makes History with European 10,000m title, by David Monti, RRW, used with permission

RBR Admin

RBR Admin

Similar Post

Jeff Benjamin’s Book Review 2025  Book # 1  “Always Speeding – Memoirs Of The World’s Fastest Human”  By Steve Williams
Reviews

Jeff Benjamin’s Book Review 2025 Book # 1 “Always Speeding – Memoirs Of The World’s Fastest Human” By Steve Williams

July 10, 2025
Two World records at NIKE Pre Classic
Diamond League

Two World records at NIKE Pre Classic

July 10, 2025
This Day in Track & Field History, April 28, 2024, Charlie Paddock (1928), Glenn Cunningham (1934), Roger Bannister wins Penn Relays mile (1951), CK Yang (1963) sets WR in Decathlon at Mt.SAC, by Walt Murphy News and Results Service
2024 Diamond League

This Day in Track & Field History, July 9, Rafer Johnson regains Decathlon WR (1960), by Walt Murphy

July 10, 2025
The women’s long jump is on fire!
Diamond League

The women’s long jump is on fire!

July 10, 2025
Dos Santos Reclaims Momentum With a Season-Best Win Over Benjamin in Eugene
Diamond League

Dos Santos Reclaims Momentum With a Season-Best Win Over Benjamin in Eugene

July 10, 2025
2023 USATF NYC Grand Prix: Zarnel Hughes 9.83 WL/NR, Sydney McLaughlin 49.51, Athing Mu goes 1:58.73!
Diamond League

Athing Mu-Nikoleyev’s Flat Return Raises Hard Questions Before U.S. Championships

July 10, 2025

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Subscribe to RunBlogRun's Global News Feed

Wake up to RunBlogRun’s news in your inbox. Sign up for our newsletter and we’ll keep you informed about the Sport you love.

*we hate spam as much as you do

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Clyde Hart’s Guide to 400 meter training (from 1996 Super Clinic Notes/World Coaches Notes)

Clyde Hart’s Guide to 400 meter training (from 1996 Super Clinic Notes/World Coaches Notes)

April 5, 2023
2023 Nike Pre Classic: Two Amazing Days of Track & Field!

Noah Lyles, The Clock Doesn’t Lie

March 7, 2024
Grand Slam Track’s Kingston Slam Comes to a Close with 12 Slam Champions

2025 Spring Racing/Training Program, April 11, 2025, week 4, day 5, fourth week of year, Friday is an easy day!

April 12, 2025
USATF / Day Four:  USA’s Assembled Team Is Ready!

Abby Steiner replies via twitter, on the curiosity about her new professional running contract

February 6, 2025
Mondo Duplantis and the Jump that made him the greatest of all time

Mondo Duplantis and the Jump that made him the greatest of all time

8
What happened to the crowd at Eugene?

What happened to the crowd at Eugene?

7
My Five Biggest Takeaways from the Men’s Olympic Trials Marathon, by Oliver Hinson

My Five Biggest Takeaways from the Men’s Olympic Trials Marathon, by Oliver Hinson

7
Asafa Powell, Considering Longevity in Sprinting

The RunBlogrun Interview: Asafa Powell

5
Jeff Benjamin’s Book Review 2025  Book # 1  “Always Speeding – Memoirs Of The World’s Fastest Human”  By Steve Williams

Jeff Benjamin’s Book Review 2025 Book # 1 “Always Speeding – Memoirs Of The World’s Fastest Human” By Steve Williams

July 10, 2025
Two World records at NIKE Pre Classic

Two World records at NIKE Pre Classic

July 10, 2025
This Day in Track & Field History, April 28, 2024, Charlie Paddock (1928), Glenn Cunningham (1934), Roger Bannister wins Penn Relays mile (1951), CK Yang (1963) sets WR in Decathlon at Mt.SAC, by Walt Murphy News and Results Service

This Day in Track & Field History, July 9, Rafer Johnson regains Decathlon WR (1960), by Walt Murphy

July 10, 2025
The women’s long jump is on fire!

The women’s long jump is on fire!

July 10, 2025

Popular Stories

  • Clyde Hart’s Guide to 400 meter training (from 1996 Super Clinic Notes/World Coaches Notes)

    Clyde Hart’s Guide to 400 meter training (from 1996 Super Clinic Notes/World Coaches Notes)

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Noah Lyles, The Clock Doesn’t Lie

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • 2025 Spring Racing/Training Program, April 11, 2025, week 4, day 5, fourth week of year, Friday is an easy day!

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Abby Steiner replies via twitter, on the curiosity about her new professional running contract

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • An epic pole vault competition

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
Jeff Benjamin’s Book Review 2025  Book # 1  “Always Speeding – Memoirs Of The World’s Fastest Human”  By Steve Williams
Reviews

Jeff Benjamin’s Book Review 2025 Book # 1 “Always Speeding – Memoirs Of The World’s Fastest Human” By Steve Williams

July 10, 2025
Two World records at NIKE Pre Classic
Diamond League

Two World records at NIKE Pre Classic

July 10, 2025
This Day in Track & Field History, April 28, 2024, Charlie Paddock (1928), Glenn Cunningham (1934), Roger Bannister wins Penn Relays mile (1951), CK Yang (1963) sets WR in Decathlon at Mt.SAC, by Walt Murphy News and Results Service
2024 Diamond League

This Day in Track & Field History, July 9, Rafer Johnson regains Decathlon WR (1960), by Walt Murphy

July 10, 2025
The women’s long jump is on fire!
Diamond League

The women’s long jump is on fire!

July 10, 2025

Recent Tweets

Next Post

Pavey Makes History with European 10,000m title, by David Monti, RRW, used with permission

runblogrun

RunBlogRun comments on the global world of athletics, sports & ethics, and the Olympic movement. @runblogrun

Browse by Category

Newsletter

Subscribe to our mailing list to receives daily updates direct to your inbox!

  • Home
  • Archive
  • Contact Us

© 2022 Run Blog Run - All Rights Reserved

No Result
View All Result
  • Archive
  • Contact Us
  • Home page
  • My Account
  • Sample Page

© 2022 Run Blog Run - All Rights Reserved

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

Select a password for yourself. (minimum length of 8)

Paste here the user biography.

Provide here the twitter screen name. i.e. @RunBlogRun

Provide here the instagram screen name. i.e. @RunBlogRun

Provide here the facebook profile URL. i.e. http://www.facebook.com/RunBlogRun

Provide here the linkedin profile URL. i.e. https://www.linkedin.com/in/larry-eder-5497253

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

No Result
View All Result
  • Archive
  • Contact Us
  • Home page
  • My Account
  • Sample Page

© 2022 Run Blog Run - All Rights Reserved