Can Sorensen make the Trials? Take our poll!

If there’s anything harder than running a sub-4 mile at age 40, it’s doing it at age 41. But Jim Sorensen will give it a shot, he tells me. A world-record setter in his first M40 year, Jim fell short of 4 by 5 seconds. He’s mainly focused on the Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon. He turns 41 the month before the June meet. He says of making that meet’s “B” qualifying standard in the 1500: “I think it’s possible, my fitness is good and I am looking forward to putting in the work. It would be awesome to line up for one of the 1500 heats in Eugene.” In 1996, Jim was a surprise runner-up at the Olympic Trials but couldn’t get the Olympic qualifying time. This time, Beijing isn’t the issue. It’s showing what a 41-year-old middle-school P.E. coach can do. I interviewed him by email, and Jim was typically frank about his goals.

Here’s my interview with Jim Sorensen of San Leandro, California:

Masterstrack.com: After your amazing 2007 season, one of the best for an M40 miler in history, how do you get yourself revved up for 2008?
Sorensen: Well, I am still motivated to qualify for the Olympic Trials and for the mile mark: the 4:02.53 (world M40) outdoor mark by (Dave) Moorcroft, and then the sub-4 barrier. If things go well, I may try for a 3K or 5K. Those are big goals that I may not reach, but it’s fun training and see what happens.
What’s the state of your fitness compared with a year ago?
My fitness is great. I ran some cross country and a road race without doing much in the way of intervals and I ran fairly well. I either ran tired or didnt run all out. I skipped XC nationals so I could finally start a cycle of interval training and things were going great. I was at mid 40 (miles a week) through November and recently moved up to mid 50s for my mileage. That’s where I was at most of last year.
Unfortunately, on Christmas eve my foot flared up and it’s periostitis, a precursor to a stress fracture. I will miss some time. But through this I discovered a great training tool. It’s a special treadmill called the Alter G. I can run at any percentage of my body weight that I choose.
Right now I am running at 70-75% body weight. I can go any speed and run inclines up to 15%. It’s the closest thing to real running I can do. It has been a great find.
Now that you’ve become more well-known in masters (and elite) circles, might you compete in big open meets more often, like Pre Classic?
There are many meets to choose from and everything is considered, but my coach and I kind of go with the flow. Opportunities that we haven’t considered may come up, or we may skip a meet to get more training in. I have a general idea what meets I might do, but I don’t think about it too much until the season gets closer.
Right now, my indoor schedule is up in the air until a return to full health. This is a bummer, because I was looking forward to running the mile indoors and perhaps a 3K.
Do you have any specific goals for the 800, 1500 or mile this coming season?
Since things went so well last year, I guess seeking outrageous goals are next. Break 1:50, qualify for the Olympic Trials, and run under four minutes (for the mile).
The “B” qualifying standards for the 1500 at the Olympic Trials is 3:43.00. You ran 3:44.06 for an M40 world record last year. Can you take another second off?
Thats the goal. Even if I run 3:43.50, and fall short, at least I would have lowered the WR. But I think it’s possible, my fitness is good and I am looking forward to putting in the work. It would be awesome to line up for one of the 1500 heats in Eugene.
If you’re not Beijing-bound, might you enter masters nationals this year — or even the masters world indoor meet in France?
Indoors is up in the air right now, but I would consider the U.S. masters nationals more seroiusly this time around. My season was over by the time Orono came around (in 2007).
What’s your long-term goal in track? How many years of running do you have left?
One year at a time, baby, just one year at a time. I continue to enjoy the pursuit and love to train, so I am considering 2009. Maybe I will move up to the 5K sometime. I love cross country. I may decide to hit the roads as well. But I will take it one year at a time. I know there’s life after running, but right now I feel alive when I can run.