Q and A w/ Greg Hammett The (Semi)Elites I had talked to him a few times prior, but I really got to know Greg Hammett (Keene, NH) when we cooled down together after the 2010 Rhody 5K. As we talked, I found his outlook on life, including all things running, to be inspirational. It was one of the easiest cooldowns I have ever done. Check out how Hammett answers the following questions and you might just learn a thing or two. You don’t even have to run a 5K first. Q: I hear that you began running in your senior year of high school. How’d you get started? A: That’s true. I was a soccer player my whole life. In high school, I played on the soccer team and wrestled. My senior year I started out playing soccer, but I was frustrated with a lack of playing time so I quit. I wanted to stay fit for wrestling in the winter, so I asked the XC coach if I could run. I ended up being pretty good, finishing first for my team in every race, placing 19 th at the RI State Meet, and going to New England’s. I was hooked! I decided to run track in the spring and have been running ever since. Q: Most runners have been influenced by a friend, coach, or family member. Who has been your biggest influence? A: My high school cross country and track coach, Bill Haberek, was a tremendous influence in my first few years of running. Now, I am influenced by my training partners, friends, family, and other runners in New England. Q: Before we get too far along, congrats on you recent marriage to Jen Fice. So tell us, as a newlywed have you found any benefits (or detriments) to your training as a now married runner? A: Getting married to Jen has been great for my running. She’s a runner and understands the lifestyle and quirks of a runner. She is very supportive of my running and encourages me to run races and do training runs with my friends. She is an outstanding cook and loves to prepare healthy meals that keep me strong and well nourished. Finally, she is an athletic trainer and can tend to all my aches and pains. I’m a lucky runner! Q: An ongoing <strong>Level</strong> <strong>Renner</strong> debate is whether or not one should run doubles. Brett Ely and Bob Wiles do them. Ben Nephew doesn’t. What’s your take on running twice a day? A: I think there are great physiological benefits to doing doubles. I think if we all wanted to train optimally, then we would do doubles. I believe from a psychological stand point, however, doubles can be too tough. Running twice a day can make running feel like a full-time job. I do doubles in the summer and sporadically the rest of the year. When I’m teach- It feels great to really dig down and be pushed by outstanding competition. I love that feeling. ing and coaching and have a full schedule, I really look forward to that single run in the afternoon. I think people need to experiment and find what works for them while still keeping running enjoyable. Q: Back in the September issue, you wrote a letter to The <strong>Level</strong> advocating that dogs are man’s best friend (as opposed to renner’s worst enemy). Can you share some of the experiences you’ve had with “the Girls?” A: “The Girls” are Griffin, Lena, Ellie, and Bailey. Griffin is my dog, Lena and Ellie belong to Josh Ferenc, and Bailey is Justin Fyffe’s dog. I do the majority of my runs on trails with Griffin and the other girls join me quite a bit. Griffin is always up for a run, never complains, and doesn’t mind stopping to take a swim or enjoy the good smells. She always lets me pick the pace and route and if I’m not feeling well she is more than happy to shut it down and walk home. Griffin is by far the best running partner I’ve ever had. A couple of winters ago, I did a 2 hour snowshoe run at night in Pisgah State Park with a couple friends: Dave Sontag, Bryan Johnston, and Griffin. We kept getting off trail because it was dark and there was deep snow. Griffin knew to stay on the trail and we just ended up following her rather than looking for trail markers. She lead the way and would wait for us to make sure she didn’t get too far ahead. She seemed to know that we couldn’t see the trail and she lead us with her nose. She kept us on track and we had quite an adventure, finishing our run around midnight in 10 degree temps in 18 inches of snow. I’m not saying we couldn’t have done it without her, but she was a big help in navigating the trail and she added to the adventure. Q: Over the last 2 years, you have been the points leader in the Central Mass Striders’ internal team GPS. That’s no small feat given CMS has a healthy handful of top tier runners. To what do you attribute your combination of racing speed and consistency? A: I make the Grand Prix races a priority. Occasionally I’ll train through one, but I always show up. That’s a huge part of it. I’ve been an iron runner the last 2 years. I also make staying healthy the number one goal of my training. I run on soft trails most of the time, stretch after I run, lift weights, and listen to my body and take a day off when I need it. I think staying healthy and showing up to all the races are the keys to doing well in a long series. Q: The Keene Wednesday afternoon training group has become legendary here in New England. Describe the typical atmosphere and competitiveness of running with the Keeneyans? A: We have a great thing going on. We get together for workouts every Wednesday of the year. We have a consistent core of about 5 guys, but occasionally we’ll get 20 people to show up. Some days everyone is on 18
Greg Hammett at the 2010 Bay State <strong>Mar</strong>athon Photo by Krissy Kozlosky 19
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