Andrew Bumbalough Answers Questions In Advance of U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Marathon

By Adam Kopet

Andrew Bumbalough, a member of the Bowerman Track Club, experienced a breakthrough in the marathon at the 2019 Chicago Marathon, where he finished 12th in 2:10:56. He took the time to answer a few questions last week via email as he began his final preparations for Saturday's race in Atlanta.

Adam Kopet: Starting off, you finished 12th at the Chicago Marathon last fall, running a personal-best 2:10:56 as the fourth American. What does that race mean to you as you continue to develop in the marathon?

Andrew Bumbalough: Chicago was a major step forward for me in my marathon career. When I made the decision to run Chicago earlier in the spring, World Athletics had set an Olympic standard of 2:11:30. My goal from the onset was to run under that time to secure the ability to make the Olympic team at the trials. Later in the summer, the U.S. marathon trials was granted Gold Status so the time qualifier was no longer needed. The desire to run under the standard remained and that became my goal. I was happy to achieve it and put myself in the mix of athletes who have a shot to finish top 3 in Atlanta.

AK: You have been training in and near Colorado Springs this winter, along with Chris Derrick. How has your training been recently as you prepare for the Trials?

AB: Training has gone really well. I got off to a slower start in the fall than I wanted after Chicago but have had no major disruptions since mid-December with my training. I strung together some of my biggest weeks of volume ever and workouts have been going well. It can be hard to know just how fit you are in the lead up to a marathon, since you aren't racing a couple times of months like in track, but I think I'm in the best position I've ever been going into a marathon. 

AK: Earlier this month you ran 1:04:10 at the New Orleans Rock n Roll Half Marathon. What were your goals in that race and what does your performance tell you about your fitness heading into the Trials?

AB: The goal was to run 4:55-5:00 pace for the half. We averaged 4:53 after closing out the last 3 miles under 4:50. The key was to have good control over the effort and then after the race we finish out a full long run of 22 miles. New Orleans was an opportunity to run hard at sea level after spending the previous 6 weeks at altitude in Colorado.

AK: It is about a four-hour drive from Brentwood, Tenn., where you grew up, to Atlanta. Will you have many friends and family supporting you out on the course?

AB: Atlanta is just down the road from Nashville so it will make it easy for family and friends to travel to see the race. I don't know exactly how many people will be making the trip down but I do think it will be a significant group. That in itself is a reminder of just how lucky I am. From middle school through my 10-year professional career I have had a massive support network. 

AK: What do you believe you will need to do to finish top three at the Trials?

AB: I think it will take patience for the first 20 miles. A marathon is a long distance and you can't get too up or too down early. You have to maintain a level of calm efficiency for the first 90-plus minutes of the race. The goal is to get to the last 10k without being too beat up and then be able to find something special over the last couple of miles. It's a very competitive field with 2-3 athletes who have elevated themselves to be favorites based on past performances and another 10-12 who could absolutely be in the mix on the right day. A lot can happen over the course of a marathon. All you can do is prepare the best you can and hope you can find something extra over those last few miles.

AK: A non-running question. Since you are based in Portland, what is your favorite place to eat in Portland?

AB: I have established the reputation as being the Bowerman Track Club's "yelp" for Portland area restaurants. (Maybe it was the word document I made for Amy Cragg when she moved to Portland that has been passed around the team). In my opinion, Portland has one of the best dining scenes in the country. There are so many places to get eclectic, quality food that compared to other cities is inexpensive. It's hard to pick a favorite place due to the variety in cuisine types but a few favorites are: Tasty N Alder, Danwei Canting, Mediterranean Exploration Co, Paa Dee, and Piazza Italia. 

Watch Bumbalough race Saturday, February 29 at 12pm ET in Atlanta, as he attempts to qualify for the 2020 Olympic Games. View the race live on NBC and NBC Sports Gold.