Q + A with ANTHONY CHIULLI

Interviewed by Dave Milner 03.08.07

Twenty-one year old Colorado University junior Anthony Chiulli may be one of the most versatile collegiate runners in the country. Bookending his 1500m PR of 3:42.54 (which is worth almost precisely 4 minutes for a mile), he has clocked 24:57 for 8K cross-country, and he regularly splits 48 seconds over 400 meters when called up for relay duty by the Buffs.

He recently won his first Big 12 conference title in Ames, Iowa. Front-running his way to an emphatic victory in the 1000 meters, Chiulli clocked a very impressive time of 2:21.82, just four seconds away from David Krummencker's U.S indoor record over the (admittedly) rarely-run distance. Unfortunately, there is no 1000-meter run at the NCAA Indoor Championships in Fayetteville,AR this weekend, and Chiulli will not be competing. He ran in the Alex Wilson last chance meet at Notre Dame, but fell well short of the automatic qualifying mark in the mile, clocking 4:05.34. Earlier in the year he clocked 4:03.82.

The Memphis native, who was a 4-time state champion while at Christian Brothers High School, now has his sights set on making a splash at NCAAs outdoors. Last year, as a redshirt sophomore, after placing 3rd in the Big 12 1500, he made it to the big dance by virtue of his 7th place finish in a sit 'n' kick 1500m at the Mid-West Regional meet. But he ran poorly in his heat at nationals and failed to advance.

In 2007, a year stronger, a year wiser, and with his injury woes seemingly well behind him, Chiulli is widely expected to lower his PRs and make a splash at the national level. At 1500 meters outdoors, he is the 15th fastest collegiate returner in the nation, and with a wealth of fast-twitch fibers on which he can call to fire, this Memphis miler is expected to be dangerous in the kind of tactical affair that usually unfolds in a championship race. His 800m PR of 1:49.98 is likely to be revised in short order and then there is the matter of the 4-minute mile, something that is never far from this young man's thoughts. Chiulli opens his outdoor season in Boulder at the Potts Invitational. TR talked to him between the Big 12 and NCAA indoor meets.

TR: First of all, congratulations on your first Big 12 conference title. How did that 1000-meter final feel?

AC: Thanks. I felt surprisingly strong considering a dreary Colorado winter that brought about a lack of sound track sessions. I was surprised at the lack of depth this year in the middle distance events, especially the mile and 1000, but nevertheless, I was anxious to step to the line and race hard. I had prepared myself to run out front and new that it was my race to lose. I knew that I could run somewhere around 2:22, and I planned on running out front and making the pace honest.  My plan was to get our hard and continually pick up the pace every lap. I was very pleased with running pole to pole and being able to move the last 280 meters (the track at Iowa State is 280m) like I did. Leading the race from start to finish only added to my confidence and contentment with my first place finish.

TR: And then you had the fastest leg on your 1600-meter relay team. What did you split?

AC: My coaches had me at 47 point something, but I don’t honestly believe that. I lost my left spike at the 3rd exchange as my teammate stepped on my heel coming in, resulting in a very uncomfortable 400 meters. Although we were behind, I didn’t want to sacrifice my team's chance for points by stepping off the track. It was by far the most difficult relay I have ever been in. My foot was pretty banged up afterward.

TR: Unfortunately, however, there is no 1000-meter run at Nationals and your mile clocking wasn't fast enough get you in. With a potential relay pool of you, Nate Terry (48.94 this year), Will Buchanan (1:52.17), Pete Jansen (4:08.85 mile at 7000 feet) and Stephen Pifer (4:00.86 mile), it seems like you guys could have probably qualified for Nationals. Why is it that CU never ran a serious Distance Medley Relay this season?

AC: Most of the good guys on our team like to gain provisional or auto qualifying marks before they attempt a serious DMR. The other hurdle that we have to overcome is our indoor schedule. We race a tune up-meet at Air Force Academy (7000ft) and then head to Seattle, WA for our first serious indoor meet. This is the first time that any of our guys can prove themselves and run qualifying marks. If you don’t succeed there, then the only other chance you have is at Big XII or a last chance meet. Unfortunately, at conference, most of us double and try to rack up points. It's difficult to run a decent mark when you have prelims and are running more than one event. Well, unless you’re a guy like Pifer, it makes it difficult! We were debating putting together a DMR for a last chance meet this year, as we do almost every year, but we never had 4 guys who all fit the best case scenario.

TR: Okay, rewinding a little, tell us how you got started running competitively.

AC: I was born in Carrollton,GA, and we moved to Memphis when I was 10. My parents, Brian and Susan, were very supportive. My father did not miss a single race during my high school track career.

I grew up being an athletic kid, playing everything from baseball to basketball, soccer and running. I have always been blessed with natural speed and was always the “fast kid” on my teams. I then made the transfer into running, jumping into 5Ks on weekends with my pops and started placing well in my age group. I raced for a youth track club in middle school and ran the 400 meters.

TR: Like our last interviewee Allie Bohannon, you were a three-sport athlete (track, cross-country, and basketball) in High School. Did you display the same ability at basketball you showed in your running?

AC: Not really, and unlike Allie, I dropped the hoops fairly early on. I played JV ball my freshman year and ran cross-country during the fall. I didn’t pursue track because of the conflict [of seasons] but stayed in shape. I was pressured by my coach at the time to quit running and focus primarily on basketball, but I ended up going the other way. I didn't start running track until my sophomore year, and things took off from there.

I was a nut on the court, though! I had a very hard time working with my coach and dividing my time between running and basketball practice. I was by no means a great basketball player, but I loved playing defense and was the kind of in-your-face player who would never go away. I was extremely passionate and was all over the court. I loved the fast-pace style of the game and the pay-off of constant hustle.

TR: As a sophomore in 2000, you placed 7th at the Tennessee State Cross-Country Meet, clocking 15:52, behind McCallie's Matt Hudson and Baylor's Brad Wharton (now a senior at Wake Forest with a 4:02.81 mile this year). And on the track in the spring, you placed 3rd in the 1600 at the State Meet (4:21.78), behind the same two runners. Was that frustrating, even though they were older?

AC: Yeah, I was very frustrated at coming up short. These guys were older, but I knew that I was lacking something that they had - strength. I was a very lightweight kid in high school and never had the strength to hang with those kids. I started training harder and putting in more miles, along with hill workouts and repeats, and soon found myself on an equal playing field. Also, as a sophomore, it was my first year ever running track. I had never raced a competitive mile until I went to State!

TR: As a junior you won the DIv. II State Cross-Country title in 15:26, finishing three seconds up on Brentwood Academy's Brad Polley. How well do you remember that first state title?

AC: It is very clear in my mind. I remember that season being this huge fairy tale and how hard I focused on the state meet. I really cherish that race and believe that my work ethic and focus set me up for a strong finish. As far as training goes, you get out of it what you put in, and I was ready to go that year. It was a huge stepping stone for me, and I enjoyed every minute.

TR: You then won the 1600 at the state meet in the spring (4:16.86) and then, just 45 minutes later, placed 2nd in the 800 (1:55.92) behind Baylor's Jamie Bach (who didn't run in college). An impressive double.

AC: I always loved doubling in the mile and 800 and then coming back to run a leg on the 4 x 400 relay. Finishing second is always tough to swallow, and Jamie Bach was a strong, fast guy. Throughout high school, I always continued to push myself in racing competitively in dropping my PR's. I knew that doubling in meets was only helping my fitness.

TR: As a senior, in the fall of 2002, you placed 2nd, two seconds behind sophomore Andrew Bumbalough at the state cross-country meet in a very exciting race. How well do you remember that race?

AC: I remember thinking how tough it is to have a target pinned to your back. As a defending champion and a senior, you want to prove that your win wasn’t a fluke and that you deserve to be amongst the best. I trained very hard for that race and ran my heart out. Bumbalough flat out beat me, hands down, went on to have stellar high school career, and is turning out to be a force in college.

TR: On the track the following spring, though, you won the 1600 (4:15.04) and 800 (1:54.30) at the State Meet with ease over Bumbalough. Talk us through those races.

AC: I was a freak my senior year on the track! I was very excited to have the state meet in my own back yard in Memphis, and have everyone I knew show up in support. I wanted to finish my career and finally complete the double at State, unlike previous years.

After I won the mile, I remember speaking with my father about the half-mile. We understood that the past few years, the race was won on the last 125 meters in a classic kick. Not being fresh, I wanted to push the pace from the start and if anyone was going to beat me, it was going to be on pure fitness, not a strong kick.

TR: You graduated with impressive PRs and school records in the 800-meter (1:52.7) and 1 mile (4:14.27), but rarely raced at 3200m. Given your success at cross-country, why was this?

AC: Honestly, I couldn’t stand running around a track more than 4 times! I ran the 2 miles once at a low key meet at my high school, and I hated it. I never liked it.

TR: What other schools did you consider before you decided to commit to Colorado?

AC: I was serious about Mississippi State and Alabama. I visited with these two schools, in addition to NC State and Colorado State, but I fell in love with Boulder when I visited.

TR: As an 800-1600 type rather than a 1600-3200 type, I'm guessing you were a relatively low mileage guy in high school?

AC: That’s correct. I ran, on average, 40 miles a week, but incorporated a lot of homegrown track sessions with 'guerilla' type workouts. I would usually be on the track 3 or 4 times a week and do crazy hill workouts on highways out east that were being constructed for the new parkway. My father and I would drive out to this location on weekend, when no one was working, and measure out 400 meters on a hill slope of highway.

TR: So why go to a program that is renowned for high mileage and rarely produces national class 800/1500 runners?

AC: It was more of a decision on where I wanted to spend the next four years of my life, rather than where I could go to be the fastest runner possible. There is more to life than running, and there is not a more beautiful school than CU in Boulder. I love Colorado, and all it has to offer. Growing up in the suburbs of Memphis, the west was a new world to me.

TR: You took a redshirt during the 2003 X-C season and the 2004 track season. Were you injured, or just struggling to adapt to the demands of Colorado's distance program?

AC: I did not compete in cross-country in the fall, and just trained. I got a stress fracture in my tibia during the winter. It was the result of a new coaching style and training regimen that I was not yet adapted to, and something had to give. It ended up being my shin. It gave me time to soak up the atmosphere of the new coaching styles and I think, in hindsight, it turned out to be a positive experience.

In the spring, I ran one outdoor 1500 at Colorado State University (elev. 5400 ft), clocking around 3:52, coming off a 3 or 4 month lay-off.

TR: As a sophomore on the track, in 2005, you clocked a PR of 1:52.04 at the Husky Classic 800 indoors and lowered your outdoor 1500 PR to 3:47.91 at Stanford. Big steps in the right direction. Do you think you had finally adapted to the rigors of collegiate training as well as living in a new town, and college life in general, as a sophomore?

AC: I was getting there. I ran the 1000 at Big 12 indoors and placed 5th [in 2:26.82], and I made it to NCAA Regions outdoors held at Kansas State. [Chiulli clocked 3:51.60 in the prelims].

TR: In the fall of 2005 you competed in three cross-country races, including the Pre-Nationals Invitational open race and the Big 12 Championships, finishing 28th and 30th respectively. And the previous fall, you also ran in just three races. Was the plan always for you to just use cross-country for conditioning for track, or did it just shake out that way?

AC: Not really; it took its own form. The intention was never to use cross as conditioning, but that always seemed to be the end result. As you know, making the top 7 on our cross-country team is no easy feat, and they have 3 national cross country titles [in the last 6 years] to back it up. I had a great junior year in cross, only to end up being the 8th man, first alternate. I enjoy putting in the miles and racing cross, but know that I can help my team more on the track.

TR: Your 2006 indoor track season went well. You mostly ran 1,000m and 1 mile, clocking 4:03.16 in the mile at the Alex Wilson Invite, and you placed 2nd in the 1000m run at the Big 12 Championships in a PR of 2:22.14 (the 4th fastest indoor 1000m in the nation in 2006). Were you happy with the way that season ended?

AC: I was content. It was the next logical step in my career, and a turning point of sorts. My junior year was the first year that Wetmore really took me under his wing and looked out for me [assistant coach Jay Johnson looks after the day to day training of the Buffs' second tier runners]. Wetmore's wisdom and experience are second to none and he was a huge factor in me taking my running to the next level.

TR: Outdoors, though, you mainly concentrated on the 1,500m, topping out with a 3:42.54 PR in placing 3rd at the Big 12 meet in Waco,TX. How did that race unfold?

AC: It was a hot and humid evening in Waco, and I found myself running behind my teammate Stephen Pifer and David Rotich from Iowa State. Pifer took us out and made the pace honest, which set us up for a fast time and a stretched race. I believe David and I traded places for 2nd a few times, before he edged me out on the home stretch. However, I was thrilled with placing third in the conference, and running the time I did.

TR: You clocked a big PR of 1:49.98 in one of your few outings over 2 laps. Why did you opt to concentrate on the 1500?

AC: The 1500 is just the race I prefer. I have only raced the 'half' a few times in my college career, but always enjoy it. The 1:49.98 actually came at a low-key, local meet here in Boulder, that most of us were pretty relaxed for. I ended up running a regional qualifying time in my own backyard. At 5400 feet, its not everyday that you hit qualifying marks on the track in Boulder!

TR: You placed 7th at the Mid West regionals meet (3:46.31) and earned a trip to the National Championship, but had a rough time of it at NCAAs, finishing 12th in your qualifying heat in 3:52.49. What happened?

AC: I was burned out, and knew it. We didn’t plan out my training to carry me all the way to June and although I made it to NCAA’s, I knew I was going to have a very rough time. My legs were just gone by that point, so I just tried to make an honest effort. This year, we are setting up my training to be healthy and strong for June

TR: You participated in three cross-country races in the fall of 2006, taking 33rd at the Rocky Mountain Shootut (27:09 at 5500 feet), and you earned your best finish of the season with a 2nd place finish at the Air Force Invite (26:32 at 6400 feet). Did you feel that this was your best fall to date?

AC: No. My best fall to date, racing-wise, was my junior year. This past season I failed to make our varsity team once again so I ran some local races around town. I have a very hard timer racing at these elevations, not being from altitude, but I use every opportunity to race hard. I try to use the fall to gain a solid base for track.

TR: Looking ahead to the outdoor season, the CU school record for 1500m is 3:39.77 set by Alan Culpepper in 1996 (Chiulli is the 9th fastest Buff of all-time). Is that a record on which you have your sights set?

AC: It has been in the back of my mind. It would be an honor to own a school record at such a reputable distance school such as Colorado, but I think it is in range. We will see what happens.

TR: You'll have to stay ahead of teammate Stephen Pifer (3:40.51 PR last year) though, right?

AC: Definitely. Pifer is a good friend and by far the most versatile and smooth runner I have ever seen. It is huge to have him as a training partner on the track, and we both benefit by each other's presence. Pifer will more than likely break the 1500 meter record, as he already owns the indoor mile record. He is going to be a big threat at NCAA’s indoor and out this year.

TR: What about the school 800m record of 1:47.52 set by Mike Macinko in 1989. Given your natural speed, doesn't that record seem just as attainable, maybe even more so?

AC: Again, it seems in range. However, I haven’t focused on the 800 while at CU, and I'll probably continue to focus on the mile and 1500. You don’t run at a school, or choose events, based on the likelihood of breaking school records. It just happens, or not.

TR: Coach Wetmore has been criticized by many followers of the sport as adopting a 'throw the eggs against the wall' approach, in which casualties abound but the truly strong thrive. What are your thoughts on this?

AC: Many people talk negatively about him, but all one has to do is look at his resume as a head coach at CU, and how he continues to win national championships and produce Olympians and professional runners. Time and time again. He is the smartest and best coach around.

TR: What are some of your staple workouts at this time of year? And how many miles a week do you typically log?

AC: On average during season, I am putting in around 55-65 miles a week, depending on how the week shapes up. I wish I had the aerobic efficiency, as well as the desire, to run 90 miles a week. But we've found it better to work more on my strength: my natural speed.

Typical workouts include repeat 200’s, 400’s and ladder workouts. A typical week usually consists of an easy run on Monday, a race specific hard track workout on Tuesday, some kind of aerobic threshold workout, like 8 x 1000 @ 3:20 pace on Wednesday, an easy run on Thursday, another high quality track session on Friday, and a long run of up to 1:50 at the weekend. Tomorrow's workout is a fast one: 6 x 300 in 40 seconds, with an easy 300 jog between.

TR: Do you do most of your training with Stephen Pifer?

AC: The majority. During cross-country he [Pifer was #3 man on CU's cross-country team] is in a world of his own, but we meet up on the track and work out together. We have a solid 3 or 4 guys who usually run the same workouts, tailored for each individual, and Pifer and I are paired together normally.

TR: Your mile PR is 4:03.16 indoors, but your outdoor 1500m PR equates to a 4:00.00 mile. Surely, cracking 4 minutes cannot be very far from your mind. Are there any plans pencilled in yet for a sub-4 attempt outdoors?

AC: Not at the moment. I had my chance at Notre Dame (at last week's Alex Wilson Invite) and it slipped away. I wasn’t happy with the end result, or how the race shaped out, but such is life. The only other opp. On our schedule to run a true mile is at Oregon for the Prefontaine Meet I believe.

TR: What about coming back home, to Tennessee, for a sub-4 attempt? I'm sure I could rustle up some Memphis folk to cheer for you at the Music City Distance Carnival on June 2nd.

AC: Well, hopefully, I'll be taking it easy that week and getting ready for Nationals the following week. We'll see.

TR: After this season, you are still eligible to run indoor and outdoor track for CU in 2008? is that something you plan on, or will you graduate before then?

AC: No, I need to graduate and start making some money!

TR: What will your degree be in?

AC: Business Management, with a focus on small businesses and entrepreneurship.[Chiulli carries a better than 3.0 GPA and has been named to the Commissioner’s Honor Roll on several occasions.]

TR: What do you do when you're not running, studying, working, or sleeping?

AC: Try to stay out of trouble!

TR: Last summer you worked as an intern for the Crocs/AVP Volleyball tour. How was that?

AC: It was a lot of fun, and I hope to be working for Crocs, who are based here in Boulder, after I graduate.

TR: Will you continue training, with a view to the 2008 Olympic Trials?

AC: .

TR: If you could be an Olympian in anything other than distance running, what would it be?

AC: Cycling, I guess.

TR: Which 5 items could you not be without if you were stuck on a desert island with no power/internet connection?

AC: A big cooler full of cold beer, an iPod, sunglasses, a lighter, and a knife.

TR: If you could go out for a few beers with anyone in the world (living or dead), who would it be?

AC: Definitely James Brown. He was the hardest working man in show business, after all!