Being undefeated in a track event is a hard thing to do over the course of two years. It's even harder when the state you run in is the always strong distance state of Illinois. Well, Mat Smoody (Palatine, IL) (pictured left by Paul Kwak) accomplished just that two weeks ago, wrapping up his Illinois season with his second consecutive state 800m title. The Wisconsin-bound senior came into the season ranked ninth among returnees nationally, but with some major accomplishments this season and a stronger base, Smoody is looking towards Greensboro, North Carolina and winning a national title. See what Smoody has to say on a variety of topics, including his tactical state race, how he got into running and what exactly his shoulder tattoo is of.
An Interview with Illinois' Mat Smoody
MileSplit (MS): Congratulations on a great season thus far. You finished up an undefeated Illinois season at 800m. Take us through the state meet a bit if you could and how it played out?
Mat Smoody (Smoody): I believe that the state meet couldn't have gone any better. It was scary at parts, but it played out perfectly. The first 100m is always strong and for some reason I thought I was in the clear from the three alleys on the outside of me, but we hit the break and I was wrong. 3-5 guys came down on me and I had no time to react. Therefore I got boxed in at 110m into the race.
Running the 800 so much, I am very confident running, so I was able to keep my cool and not make any silly moves. At the 400m mark I heard 52-53 was the split, so I knew Jeff (Stapleton) was running the pace we needed so that was okay. I tried moving out at that point as well, but nothing.
At the 500m mark I tried making yet another move and Sean (Wiggan) closed off my opening and I wasn't able to make it out. I saw a slight opening on the rail on the back stretch and took it. At the 200m to go mark, it was Jeff, Sean and myself, one by one. Jeff started to pull away and I could see him making his last move and at that point I went for it. I start my kick about 140m left and just kicked. Sean dropped a little and it was just Jeff and myself. Jeff put up a little fight, but in the last 70m I took the lead and had it from there. I felt very good about the race. Not breaking 1:50 stinks, but I still have two more race to go for it.
MS: You're undefeated for the past two years in the event. What was it like having to repeat everything you did the year before but taking it another step up?
Smoody: I love the 800. It's my race and winning last year's state meet gave me a lot of confidence, but also a lot of new and bigger goals. Last year's race seemed a little easier than this year because this year there were a lot of guys that had some stand out seasons like Jeff Stapleton, Sean Wiggan and Graham Farnsworth, and that gave me a great push. I hadn't expected all these guys, some that I hadn't heard of until this season, to be up with me. It's definitely a big burden to repeat all these races again.
MS: Up ahead you have the Midwest Distance Gala this weekend. What event are you running and what's your race plan?
Smoody: At the Midwest Distance Gala I will be running the 800 and have a few easy race plans. Go out with the leaders/pacer, and sit right on the shoulder of the leader until I will be able to make a move for the win hopefully. I am excited to finally run against some sub-1:50 guys.
MS: We've heard that you made the fast heat of the 800m race at Nike Outdoor Nationals. Winning a national championship has to be on your mind right?
Smoody: Ever since I talked about going to nationals with my coach Chris Quick, winning was the only thing on my mind. How cool would that be! Words can't even explain it. Then, once I got word that I made the fast heat...OH MAN! That is it! I made it! It was take some hard work but I am going for it.
MS: After such a successful junior season, you continued to improve this year quite a bit. What do you attribute your consistent improvement to?
Smoody: Obviously what I did junior year worked, so this year we didn't change much. We stuck with a lot of the old workouts and race a lot of the same races. The only change was nationals. We were thinking long term this season and held a lot of speed work until the middle of the season instead of doing it early on, but really no big changes at all. Doing all the little things like stretching and core helps so much as well. We had a new and improved core routine this year and I think it helped a lot.
MS: What type of workouts do you do to tap into your speed?
Smoody: I've done a lot of short interval workouts. Like divided 500's or 600's, 200m. We also did a lot of 150's and 50m flys at the end of practice just to get that speed back.
MS: After this season you'll be taking your talents to the University of Wisconsin. Why did you choose Wisconsin?
Smoody: Wisconsin was the first school I visited and was the last. My mom, dad and I visited the campus over the summer with the coach (Jerry Schumacher) and he gave us a little tour of what Wisconsin had. After that, I just fell in love. The car ride hom I just knew that the school was the right one for me. I honestly had no desire to visit anywhere else and it was sort of risky, but I felt that Wisconsin was it! Then, I went for my recruiting visit and I felt very comfortable with the team and that was big. I can see myself running with the guys every day. That visit just topped it off and I made my decision.
MS: Thinking long term, do you believe you'll stick with the 800, or move into an 800/miler type?
Smoody: I think I would like to become an 800/1500/miler. Those races are sick these days. Lagat is my hero! He is such a baller and I would love to be running what he's running in the 1500, but then again, I would love to run the 800 because it was been my event for so long. Plus, I have the speed/endurance mixture and I strongly think that's what it takes to be an 800/1500 runner.
MS: How did you first get into running?
Smoody: I was always the quick, fast kid in the neighborhood. If the game involved running I was picked first; if it involved a ball I was picked towards the end (laughs). But my family was all about getting involved, so during kindergarten I got signed up for the summer track camp run by the high school's track coach John Nalley. I just enjoyed it. It was summer and it was track. From then on out, every summer I ran in this track camp. As for cross country, I wasn't a big fan of the long distances. I was going to play soccer freshman year, but my best friend from junior high Tim Anderson kind of convinced me to do cross. So I did and I guess I made the right choice. Thanks Tim!
MS: You've had quite a high school career. With all your accomplishments is there one moment in your high school running career that really stands out for you?
Smoody: What gave me goose bumps was being able to stand on the podium at state, for the second time in a row, having the #1 under my feet. It was just an amazing feeling. I had topped off my whole high school career.
Quick Six
MS: Favorite racing spike?
Smoody: Nike Maxcat
MS: Favorite athlete?
Smoody: Dathan Ritzenhein
MS: Any pre-race rituals?
Smoody: I'm not very superstitious, but before every race I take a really deep breath to try and get my lungs ready.
MS: You have a tattoo. What's it of?
Smoody: It's a track shoe with wing, with a quote in a banner around it. The quote is, "I called upon the Lord in distress, the Lord answered me and set me free."
MS: Favorite band?
Smoody: Dispatch
MS: Dream job?
Smoody: Businessman in California
MS: Thank you Mat and best of luck the rest of the season!
-----