Well after sitting by and listening to Katy do her interview (and trying to hold my tongue and not jump in with some answers) I finally got my turn to talk with Lance. Had a lot of fun with where the conversation steered itself. I thought mostly we'd cover more recent events leading up to this big break-though, which we did talk about, but Lance was able to squeeze out some of the more foundational building blocks taught to me by coaches, teammates, and mentors along the way that helped me make the transition from a sub-par college athlete to a somewhat respectable professional. Hope there's some tid-bits in there that may help out any other journeyman runners out there with passion for the sport, who hasn't quite yet figured out how to get the performances to match.
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Mile posts: Q&A on U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier, former Iowa State runner Tyler Jermann
Lance Bergeson, bergeson@dmreg.com Published 11:58 p.m. CT Jan. 27, 2019 | Updated 8:25 a.m. CT Jan. 28, 2019
Tyler Jermann returned to a spot that has been good to him – Houston – to complete an elusive goal.
The former Iowa State University runner put together the complete marathon a week ago, running 2 hours, 13 minutes and 29 seconds at the Chevron Houston Marathon. Jermann improved on his previous best for the distance by 3:10 while finally breaking 2:16, a target that had eluded him in 12 career marathons. Jermann also was the top American and earned the ‘A’ standard of under 2:15 for the 2020 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in Atlanta. It came on the same day his wife, former Cyclone great Katy (Moen) Jermann, also earned the women’s ‘A’ standard with a 2:33 marathon.
The 2:13:29 breakthrough came in Jermann’s fifth attempt to gain the ‘A’ standard. It included a 2:19:07 at Grandma’s Marathon in 2017, a DNF at California International Marathon that December, his 2:16:39 at Houston a year ago and a disappointing 2:19:39 at the Twin Cities Marathon in October.
It was after the Twin Cities Marathon that Jermann and his coach, Team USA Minnesota’s Chris Lundstrom, made some alterations to the training plan. Jermann said those tweaks made all the difference in giving him confidence going into Houston.
I interviewed Tyler and Katy Jermann last Wednesday (Katy Jermann interview here: https://tinyurl.com/yao2uy7n). In a Q and A with Tyler here, the Illinois native talks about the impact of Iowa State director of track/cross country Martin Smith, the reaction from his family and training partners after his first career marathon and his opinion about training at altitude.
LB: Congratulations on the three-minute PR. This has to feel great to make that big drop from running 2:16 marathons.
TJ: It’s really amazing. I feel like I have been in this shape for a couple marathons, but something has gone wrong. I haven’t been able to showcase my fitness. It’s rare when you get that good weather, fitness, everything goes smoothly.
LB: How many times have you tried to break 2:16?
TJ: Five times. Grandma’s (Marathon) was hot two years ago. CIM, I had a muscle pull and had to drop out. Grandma’s (in 2018) was good, just had stomach problems. Twin Cities was the last one before Houston. I thought I was fit and ready to go (at Twin Cities). I sat down with coach and tweaked a couple things. Almost the best thing coach is good at is analyzing what went right and wrong and tailoring my needs for the next race. That really showed up for this one.
LB: What were some of the changes Lundo (Lundstrom) made this time?
TJ: In the past, we did a lot marathon pace for 10-15 miles. But this time, the cool thing Lundo added was the pace change workout. You would pick it up over the second half. This time, we would run 3 miles at marathon pace, one mile faster, 3 miles at marathon pace, one mile faster. It was a valuable thing to have in a racing environment. Katie and I really closed hard in our last eight miles.
LB: Tell me about your race.
TJ: I went out a little bit quicker. The pacers were to take us through the half in 67. I think I was at 67:15. We got to mile 18 and we took a turn and into the finish it was a tailwind coming in. I made a little bit of a move. Eight miles out I wasn’t too sure. I ran a 4:55 mile. I almost panicked for a second. I am digging myself a hole. Another sub-5 came. At that point it was mile 20. I said, “You know, just go for it.” I was rolling along at that pace. I knew I was capable of sub-2:15. I didn’t know I could sustain it with such hard miles in my legs.
LB: When did you know you had the ‘A’ standard?
TJ: I kind of knew the whole time. I had my checkpoints and splits. I wanted 51:10 for 10 miles and we were at 51:20. We were a little slow at the half. By the time I got to mile 20, I was under 2:14 pace at that point. I was confident I could run 5:05 pace and break 2:14. I knew at that point. The feelings of accomplishment had already set in. I had a smile on my face.
LB: How many marathons have you done?
TJ: So I graduated in 2015 and ran Chicago in the fall. I’ve done 12 since then, including CIM last year which was a disaster. My calf bothered me during the week. Three miles into the race the roads were slippery. I felt a pop. Every step from then on it wouldn’t fire. I limped my way to 19 (miles) that day.
LB: Which race did you get the Trials qualifier?
TJ: I finally hit the Trials qualifier at Houston in 2016. I was the last guy in. In retrospect, it wasn’t the smartest move running in the Trials four weeks later. Lundo has pulled me back a little bit. That’s the other thing about Lundo is taking the long-term approach. Build us slowly. I really noticed it in this buildup. In everything I’ve done he has prepared me. One hundred and thirty miles a week isn’t a reach. He has this way of knowing where your limits are, where you’re not overreaching.
I feel like I can recover quick. No matter what I take two full weeks full. The other cool part (about Houston training) is it all felt so manageable. I can maintain this training as long as I want.
LB: I asked this of Katy, but how do you train for a marathon during a Minnesota winter?
TJ: There were times where we had to be creative. If we could find some clear ground, we would run. Me and Katy can’t stand the treadmill. As long as there’s no ice, we’re running outside.
LB: After this experience, do you think in your next marathons you will be more aggressive in the early miles?
TJ: I hope so. It’s kind of interesting. I was at 2:16 at Houston last year and in seventh place. This year I run 2:13 and I’m ninth. It is getting into the territory and getting into the top pack. That’s going to be the most fun as I progress. Go out with the front pack and hang. That’s what I’m excited about. Getting to where I’m at now is years and years of consistent work, putting that work in day after day. Keep that ball rolling and see where it takes me.
LB: Tell me about your Iowa State experience. You’ve improved a bunch since leaving there.
TJ: I never ran anything worth a D1 (Division I) spot. There were several factors. Overtraining, getting injured constantly. (Coach) Martin Smith came in my last year at Iowa State. The key was getting me to train and be consistent and building on the things he taught me. He showed a lot of belief in me, believed in me after the marathon. Failure is the best teacher.
My fifth year, I had just run cross country season. It was a bit of a disappointment. That winter I was in his office for what seemed like four hours. He told me I should skip track season and run a marathon. He would give me my workouts. Him training me for a marathon doesn’t benefit him at all. It was just like his side passion project for me. That was the spring of 2015.
It’s funny because I ran one indoor race that winter. It was a 3k, me and (Drake University’s) Reed Fischer duking it out, and we ran 8:40 (laughing). It’s cool to see how we’ve progressed as well.
LB: It was probably in the ‘C’ race too.
TJ: Yeah, it was the first one (meet), the Iowa State open. That’s exactly what it was.
Even that winter, he (Smith) would set up times for me on the indoor track and stay to watch me. I’d run workouts like 10-by-mile. It was cool to go out of his way to do that. I really appreciate everything he’s done for me. I ended up injured that spring. It was enough to pull the plug on the Grandma’s (Marathon) thing.
LB: What happened next?
TJ: Right when I was recovering from that injury I made the move to go to Flagstaff (Run Flagstaff Pro team). It’s so easy to train out there. There are a million training groups out there. Just trying to get better. It was a really cool environment out there with all these amazing runners out there. I left that October to go to Chicago (for the marathon). I ran 2:22. All of my friends and family were like, “That’s so cool.” I get back to Flagstaff and they say, “What happened?”
LB: Many people move to Flagstaff for the altitude. Diane Nukuri’s been there for several years.
TJ: That’s right, she’s a great runner. But altitude honestly is overrated. (In Flagstaff) You have 30 guys running 20 miles at sub-6 pace. It’s the atmosphere. People are really willing to share their knowledge. (Team Run Flagstaff Pro teammate) Nick Arciniaga really taught me a lot of things. I have been lucky and had so many mentors who’ve taught me a lot.
LB: I’ve heard Katy’s side of the story on how you got together. Anything you want to add?
TJ: We stayed in touch after college. We were getting closer until where we are now. Like she said, January of 2017 we officially started dating. We were doing a long distance thing. We didn’t go more than 2-3 weeks without seeing each other. I decided I would make the move. It was quick. It was a tough move. I have a lot of close friends I stay in touch with it. Since leaving I’ve realized it’s not the altitude. It’s the community and support and camaraderie and teammates. We have the same things here in Minnesota. Our team is so blessed with support here in Minnesota. There are really strong ties to the running community.
LB: You are part of a really good training team.
TJ: Yeah, Danny Docherty and Kevin Lewis ran well in the (Houston) half marathon and obviously do a lot of the workouts together. It helps to have differing types of runners in this same group. Joel’s (Reichow) like the speed demon. I take advantage of the long runs to get my payback with him.
LB: Do you work part-time like Katy?
TJ: I have a full-time position. I am a computer programmer. It’s a flexible position. It’s a software development startup out of Montreal. Back-end development. I was a math major, but I picked up programming on the side. I actually recently started a master’s program in computer science at Georgia Tech. I don’t think I’ve got a background in computers. This fill in the gaps.
I’m at home all day, but juggling a lot of work. I don’t think it works well for me just to be a runner. I need to stimulate my mind.
LB: What does your race schedule look like the rest of the year?
TJ: All of the same races as Katy’s except Freihofer’s since that’s a women’s race. This will feel like a speed cycle. Ten miles and halfs (races).
LB: Build in speed to get faster in the marathon, right?
TJ: That’s the logic. To make the next breakthrough in the marathon have some more speed under me.
LB: Back to Houston. What is it about the race that you run well?
TJ: I was the top American in 2016 there and second American last year. It’s my course. First (Trials) qualifier there. I’ve done well every time there. The nice thing about Sunday’s race, there was a 25-degree wind chill at the start. I was used to training in 10 degrees or 5 degrees. Our bodies handled that well. There is an advantage to Minnesota winters. And Iowa for that matter.
LB: Do you try to target races that simulate your training weather?
TJ: It’s hard to predict that kind of thing with the weather. Boston (Marathon in 2018) would have been perfect for me. I have more muscle on me, insulation. I could handle the cold weather better.
LB: Are you thinking Twin Cities (Marathon) this fall?
TJ: I’m not so sure. I want to do a fall marathon. It’s hard to figure out what will be more valuable for me. I’d really have to talk to my coach to figure that out. The other thing is the (IAA) World Championships (marathon in October) in Doha. My time puts me at eighth so far. The window ends after Boston (Marathon). I could have an outside shot of being on that team.
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