NEW YORK — Two days before her marathon debut, Laura Thweatt of Bolder, Colo. is excited at the prospect of taking on a brand new event at the TCS New York City Marathon. 

The USATF Cross Country Champion is a known threat on difficult course terrains, but has never attempted the 26.2-mile distance, until now. Two separate injuries sidelined Thweatt, and led her in a new direction in preparation for the 2016 Olympic year.

Although she was forced to sit out a portion of the 2015 season, Thweatt has made great strides in the past few years, notably with a win at the USATF Cross Country Championships and a top 30 finish at the World Cross Country Championships. Thweatt also crushed nearly every personal best on the track in 2014, including a 4:10 1500m and a 15:04 5K, all demonstrating the impressive range of the Colorado alum. 

Aside from the half marathons she ran in Philadelphia in 2014 (71:02) and in Virginia Beach in September (72:59), New York will mark the longest distance Thweatt has ever attempted. 

 

FloTrack caught up with the Boulder Track Club athlete at the TCS New York City press conference on Friday to hear about her race plans.

 

Are you excited to make your debut?

Yeah, I’m really excited in like, a terrified sort of way just because I don’t know what to expect out there and it’s a completely new distance for me, but I couldn’t be more excited. What a great atmosphere to debut in, you know, New York City. It’s one of the big ones so I’m really excited to be here. 

 

I read the ESPN piece where they asked you about coming back from injury and taking on this completely new distance. Can you talk about that decision?

We were trying to figure out what would give me good momentum and get me fired up going into next year, whether it was going down the same road for similar races or completely new and outside the comfort zone. We kind of removed that expectation a little bit so I surprised myself a little, just deciding to go the marathon route. It’s earlier than I originally saw myself running a marathon but I’m excited and I think pushing my comfort zone like this is only going to make me better going into the Olympic year. 

 

You’re definitely an animal on the cross country course, you are very good and tough on those various surfaces, does that give you confidence heading into a marathon?

It does, especially New York because it’s a really tough course. It’s hilly, there’s bridges, it can be really windy, the weather can be all over the place. It’s a grind. It’s cross country, but extended. I think my strength in cross country and how much I enjoy cross country is really going to carry over to this marathon. 

 

Are you still coaching high school cross country?

I am! I coach at Monarch High School. They have state tomorrow so, go Coyotes! I’m a little bummed I’m missing it but they obviously understand and they’re ready to run fast so yeah. 

 

Are they excited for you?

Yeah they are. They’re awesome. They’re one of my little support teams, they’re great so yeah I love it!

 

How has the training been? Has it been dramatic jumps?

No, my training has really remained the same. My long runs got longer, that was the only change so just trying to keep it what it’s been and not doing anything too crazy, just trying to get to the start line healthy. Like I said, I’m not a marathoner yet so this is just something I’m going to get my feet wet with and then probably come back to it later on. 

 

Awesome! Good luck!

Thank you! I appreciate it!