John Lester - Focus on 800m Olympic Trials

John Lester, a rising senior at Amador Valley HS (NC), in a wide-ranging interview, discusses, among the topics:

  • His long-range goal of qualifying for the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials in the 800 meters
  • Plan to reach the 1:46.00 Olympic Trails qualifying standard
  • Perseverance through the coronavirus pandemic-forced shutdown of the 2020 CIF outdoor season to run mile and 800m personal records while scrambling to find competition
  • Process toward the goal of breaking Michael Granville's nation record in the 800m (1:46.45)
  • Schedule challenges of the revised State CIF 2020-21 athletic calendar
  • Importance of visualization in training and race preparation
  • Influence of his coach, Jason Oswalt. 

In the interview, John pinpoints his heat in the 2019 Dublin Distance Fiesta as a watershed race in his development in the 800m. Link to that race.

Also, as a sophomore, John made the 800m final at the 2019 CIF-State Meet. Here's the link to watch that race.

Check out this article: Training John Lester with Amador Valley coach Jason Oswalt

Other race links: