Melbourne Central Catholic senior Amanda Beach is the the state leader so far this season, so naturally she is one of the favorites to win the Race of Champions at Flrunners.com Invitational 17. She has already broken 18 minutes this season and looks to continue her stellar senior campaign with another win tomorrow. We caught up with Amanda and her coach to talk about this season and the big race.
I knew this race would be a great opportunity to race some really talented girls, and since this is my senior season, I figured there is always another day to take the SAT.
I think the race is going to be incredible regardless of place. With this kind of competition, you can almost guarantee fast times, which is always fun! In terms of training and preparing, I haven't strayed from my original training plan. I have been (and will be) working hard all season
Coach Melissa Vanderbilt on her star runner:
Is there anything about Amanda people might not know or do you have any good Amanda stories?
Unbeknownst to us, anemia humbled Amanda in her sophomore season. We could not figure out why she was regressing. She was putting in 100% effort at every practice and every race yet she continued to get slower. After a lot of prayer, she decided to let it go; to just run because she loved to run. It was humbling. Shortly after that, her doctor diagnosed the problem. The change in her energy and ability was almost instant. I believe that has ultimately made her a stronger person and it has certainly made her appreciate her talent and her success so much more, Last February she ran a 1:26 half marathon.
What has her training been like leading up to FLR17?
We have been fairly conservative, trying to avoid burnout as the season progresses. She does one long day, a speed day, a power/speed day, plenty of recovery, and then she uses race day to work speed and pace. We also do some basic bodyweight training as well. Additionally, she has made a concerted effort to change her nutrition and focus on eating healthy, fresh, whole foods. She has found a new love of cooking.
How would you describe her senior season and what do you attribute the success?
Like most runners, Amanda is incredibly dedicated and focused. She continues to mature in the sport finding a balance between technical running and emotional running. The success she had in outdoor track her junior season motivated her to train harder this summer. It boosted her confidence and made her realize that she could run at a new level.
Is it fair to say this will be one of her biggest meets so far? What is the game plan coming in and what do you say to her before the race?
This is definitely her biggest race and she is looking forward to racing with such a talented group of runners. She is humbled and excited to be in the company of the girls she has admired for many years. Coming in to the race, I remind her to run her race no matter whom she steps to the line with. Rather than focusing on the outcome, I remind her to focus on the execution of each race.
What are the goals for Saturday?
With Amanda, her main goal is to improve her time. She wants to get better; she wants to run as fast as she can. We have learned that a specific time goal only sets limits, so we take it as it comes.
