James Gilreath Looks to Take Down State 800 Record at Vol Classic

James Gilreath Looks to Take Down State 800 Record at Vol Classic

 

This coming Saturday in Knoxville, the Volunteer Track Classic will host, what many regard, as the greatest high school boys 800 field ever assembled on Tennessee soil.

 

The site will be the University of Tennessee where James Gilreath, of Bartlett Tennessee, will try not only to win but break the Tennessee boys state 800 record.

 

"The goal for this weekend is to go under 1:50.20 and break the state record," said Gilreath's coach, Kris Harmon.

 

Meet Director Marty Sonnenfeldt anticipates a barn burner.  "At present, we have three entries with legit sub 1:52, 800 times," said Sonnenfeldt.  "If the weather is favorable, it would not surprise me to see a sub 1:50.

 

The star- studded field includes the following:

 

James Gilreath - Bartlett, Tennessee - 1:51.39.  Gilreath, a recent Baylor University signee, defeated a strong 800 field in the Mobile Meet of Champions in cool breezy conditions in early April.  Gilreath has also recorded sizzling times of 47.43 in the 400 and 21.91 in the 200 at Cordova this season.

 

Axel Mostrag - Fork Union, Virginia - 1:51.49.  Mostrag is a recent University of Tennessee signee and the reigning Nike Indoor National 800 Champion.

 

Chris Bilbrew - Smith Station, Alabama - 1:51.08.  Had the fastest indoor 800 time in the nation this past season.

 

Jake Stevens - Mountain Brook, Alabama - 1:52.63

 

Drew Tucker - King, North Carolina - 1:54.39

 

Recently, I had a chance to speak to James Gilreath and Coach Kris Harmon of Bartlett regarding James's development as one of the best high school 800 runners in the country.  Here are some of the excerpts from those interviews:

 

Tell me about James and his work ethic?

 

Harmon:  "Last year was my first year coaching James.  He is very, very serious about running.  Obviously to do what he's done and what he's going to do.  If I was able to talk him into it, I promise you, if I could tell him if you run as fast as you can to that brick wall and try to run through it and it will make you run 1:48, he would honestly try to do it."

 

"Last year was my first year coaching James.  When I first got there and Coach Steinbrecher asked me to coach, there was a riff there on who was going to coach James and how we were going to coach him.  We initially did a few tests.  Now remember, this is straight off of cross country.  All of the base training and slow training he's had.  We did a broad jump, a 30 meter & 150 meter dashes.   His broad jump was 9'8", his 30 was a hand timed rounded up 3.7 and that is not a flying 30 meter time trial either.  So I was like I'm not sure we're doing the right thing so we started training him down like a 400/800 meter runner.  He had been a miler or a long distance guy the whole time.  He almost had a 10' broad jump doing nothing but miles which is ridiculous!"

 

Can you tell me what kind of training James is doing at this time?

 

Harmon:  "We started back with James in mid January.  He was having some problems with his hips so we took some time off.  His training is not too long.  The longest distance we train over is 1000 meters and that ends in February.  We no longer do any long runs any more.  All the aerobic conditioning comes from his warm up, cool down and active rest.  We mostly train from 200 meter-600 meter fast, with long rest 3 times a week when there is not a meet and two times when there is a meet.  We mix in tempo runs of 200 and 300 meters throughout the week as well.  We always take two days off during the week and never in a row."

 

You talked about whom and how you were going to coach James in high school, my question is who is going to coach him at Baylor, Clyde Hart or Todd Harbour?

 

Harmon:  "That is another funny story.  He was at the Harding Relays and he split a 46 something 400 and there were a couple of people timing him and I looked at mine and I had a 46.6 and I looked at Coach Steinbrecher and asked him what did you have and he said 46.2.  Of course James was so excited he text messaged Coach Harbour.  He made a funny statement like do you guys have video.  It was kind of like I believe but don't believe it.  He then runs 47.4 FAT at Cordova and he's like we can't let Coach Hart find out about this and after the Mobile meet where he ran 1:51 he was like Coach Hart would like to make you a quarter miler.  James is loving this.  He loves the 400 and those guys know what they are doing.  I've told James if they tell you to run the mile when you get up there, just listen to them because those guys know what they are doing and this is their life."

 

James, tell me about the decision you made to attend Baylor University?

 

Gilreath:  "I talked with Tennessee, Missouri and Baylor.  I liked all three schools but it came down to Missouri and Baylor.  They are pretty similar programs because the people are involved with the athletes.  They make sure the emphasis is on academics as well as athletics.  I just think Baylor was the better fit for me."

 

Who will you be training under, Clyde Hart or Todd Harbour?

 

Gilreath:  "I think I will be under Coach Harbour most of the time."

 

During your trip to Baylor, whom did you meet?

 

Gilreath: "I got to meet Jeremy Wariner.  It was pretty cool because a lot of the things he has accomplished.  I guess I was kind of star struck because I didn't think he was going to talk to me."

 

Which runner do you most admire and why?

 

Gilreath:  "Alberto Juantorena because of him winning the 400/800 double at the Olympics.  I like Michael Johnson as well because of his dominance in the 400 and 200.

 

Will you double in the 400/800 at the State meet?

 

Gilreath:  "That is one of my goals and I think I will be able to do it as long as I have 30 minutes or so rest."

 

Coach Harmon's take on the 400/800 double.

 

Harmon:  "We are going to do it!  There are a lot of nay sayers but that is his goal.  Our worry is not state.  It's sectional.  At state we have the private school rest and everything else.  At sectional, its girls and guys then bam.  He wants to do it and I'm not going to stop him. I believe he has earned it."

 

How about goals for this season?

 

Harmon:  "The goal for this season is 1:49 or under.  1:48.99 is our goal.  At the beginning of the year, the 400 state record was not a goal but now it is.  Everything is a goal for James.  Honestly, he thinks he can go under 21.0 in the 200.  Nothing is unstoppable to him.  Our major goal is making the Pan Am team.  He wants to be one of the two to go overseas."

 

Are there any other big races you have penciled in for this year?

 

Gilreath:  "I'll probably do Dave Milner's meet, the Music City Distance Festival, the Nike National Outdoor Meet and I will try to make the Pan Am team.  That is my number one goal."

 

What about the race this weekend at the Volunteer Track Classic?

 

Gilreath:  "My training has prepared me well for this and I'm really excited.  My goal is to break the state record."

 

I tell you what, I'm really looking forward to taking my three children and my wife down to Knoxville this Saturday for what I feel will be a most memorable 800 race.

 

"I'm afraid your state record is going down," said Sonnenfeldt

 

Marty, after speaking to Coach Harmon about James's commitment, training and performances to date, I believe this time you may be right.