A Part of Hearst Digital Media family is catching up to Ryan in distance, but Sara Hall doesn't intend to sacrifice range or speed as she pursues longer events.
Her 2014 racing schedule was all over the map. In April, Hall, who made it to the 2012 Olympic trials final in the 3,000m steeplechase, finished second at the USA 10 Mile Championships (52:54), followed by a fourth place at the B.A.A. Invitational Mile (4:45.9) and a third-place finish at the USA 1 Mile Road Championships (4:33.81). She posted a 9:42.10 3,000m steeplechase in May, her best-ever season opener in the event. In July, she placed second at the USA 10K Championships (32:28) and then second in the USA 7 Mile Championships (37:21).
With no Olympics or world championships, this was Hall's year to try something new. The road mile, for example, was to keep her fast. "You need to be able to kick well no matter what event, even all the way up to the marathon, if you look at how these races are won," she says.
During the summer, she was building up to a fall marathon debut, tacking on another 20 miles to her weekly volume to get up to 90 a week, increasing long runs to 2:30 and tempo runs from 8 to 15 miles. She also continued to do intervals.
But Hall learned quickly that preparing for a marathon comes with its share of unplanned events. In August her appendix ruptured. Her doctors advised six weeks off, but she took only two. It was still enough to nix any plans for a fall marathon.
"I didn't want to feel rushed going into my first marathon and go in underprepared," she says. At press time she was still considering winter marathon options that wouldn't jeopardize spring track racing.
Hall made her half marathon debut in October 2013, winning the Healdsburg Wine Country Half Marathon in 1:14:33. She then ran a 1:13:38 at the USA Half Marathon Championships in January.
"I felt like I underperformed [in January], and I needed more experience focusing for that period of time on the roads," she says. "I started having a lot of fun doing road races, and I've always wanted to do what I've seen Ryan doing."
That would be Ryan Hall, whose 2:04:58 marathon PR was clocked at the 2011 Boston Marathon. Sara is coached by Steve Magness, but her husband helps with her training, too.
"I'm pretty blessed to have the fastest [U.S.-born marathoner] in history to bounce my questions off," she says.
Ryan points out that she's still able to maintain the snap and power in her legs needed for successful track competition, even during the heavy volume of marathon training.
"She can transition back and forth between the roads and track quickly because her basic speed is so good," he says. "It's a gift when you have both the explosiveness of a track runner and the strength of the road runner."
Dena Evans recruited and coached Sara at Stanford, and again from the fall of 2010 through the 2012 Olympic trials. (The Halls are also godparents to Evans' younger daughter.) "She really enjoys the process of running and running long, so it's nice to see her embrace that in race form and see some positive results at those distances," Evans says. "There's more to come."
For next year, the 2012 U.S. cross country champion is thinking about taking another run at the title and then preparing for the 2016 Olympic trials. While she hasn't ruled out going for the marathon, track is still a priority. "I could stay comfortable running on the roads," Hall says, "but that's not going to always prepare me the best for the Olympic trials."
STATS
Date of birth: Leading Edge: Sara Hall
Lives: Flagstaff, Arizona
RECENT PRs
1500m: 4:08.55
3,000m steeplechase: 9:39.48
10 mile: 52:54
Half marathon: 1:13:16
