CARDIFF, Wales - Former Western State Colorado University Track & Field standout, Ieuan Thomas, will compete in the 2017 IAAF World Track & Field Championships set to begin this week in London, England. Thomas, a native of Wales, will represent Great Britain in the 3,000m Steeplechase.
 
The IAAF World Championships begin on Saturday, Aug. 5 and will run through Aug. 13. World Championships are conducted on a biennial basis in alternate years of the summer Olympics. The 2017 championship will be hosted at the Olympic Stadium from the 2012 summer games. Heats of the men's 3,000m Steeplechase will be contested on Sunday, Aug. 6 at 10:05 a.m. (3:05 a.m. MST). Current IAAF statistics show 43 entrants representing 28 countries in the men's steeplechase. As of this writing, heats for the event have not been posted.
 
With little more than a week remaining until the championship, Thomas was selected by Great Britain on July 27, 2017 to compete in the steeplechase after running 8:33 twice this season despite being just short of the IAAF standard of 8:32:00. Thomas is entered in the meet with an 8:33:59 personal best set May 27, 2017 in Oordegem, Belgium.
 
Thomas competed for Western during the 2012-2013 academic year in cross country, indoor, and outdoor track. As a Mountaineer, Thomas was an All-American in cross country finishing 16^th in the 2012 championship before storming on to the DII national scene with a runner-up finish in the 3,000m at the indoor championship. During the outdoor season, Thomas added his name to the rich steeplechase tradition at Western running 8:46.20 to become the third fastest steepler in Mountaineer history.
 
Following his short career at Western, Thomas moved back home to Cardiff, Wales to continue pursuing his athletics (as track & field is known internationally) dreams. With the World Championships on the horizon, Western Athletics caught up with Thomas about his time at Western, his transition to post-collegiate athletics, and recent success on the track.
 
Interview with Ieuan Thomas
 
Western: What was your initial response to finding out you were selected for team GB?
 
Thomas: My initial reaction was shock. At the end of the qualifying window I knew that I was sat at number 47 on the IAAF invitation list, and that they were expected to invite 45, so I needed a couple of people to lose out on selection or turn down their invitation. 3 days past the deadline and I still hadn't heard anything, so I accepted that I was going to miss out this time around. Then on day 4, the call came to say that I had an invite and they had accepted it. I was going to the World Championships. I was in work when I took the call…It's safe to say that the afternoon wasn't the most productive half day of work as my colleague Tom (training partner and work colleague Tom Marshall - 3.37 15000m runner) and I processed the news (after jumping around the office in excitement)! After the initial shock, it's just been pure excitement and determination. I love racing, and being able to do so on such a huge stage is an incredible honor, and one I intend to take with both hands.
 
 
Western: With such a monumental race coming in less than a week's time, can you speak to the opportunity to finish your preparation at home and Wales before racing in front of a 'home crowd'?
 
Thomas: Because of how late my selection came it was not reasonable to fly out to the main British Athletics holding camp in Paris, so I'll be heading into London later this week to meet up with the rest of the team and finalize my preparation. It's a blessing though. Firstly, I wouldn't have really been able to take that much time from work. As supportive as SPORTTAPE are there is a limit that I'm willing to ask of any employer, and I'll probably be asking a lot next March for the Commonwealths! Secondly, I have prepped for nearly every race this year at home in Cardiff. I know the area, I feel comfortable here. I can guarantee great sleep and great food, and I'm surrounded by people who want me to succeed. It takes the pressure off a little without letting me lose any of the focus. I've never been more motivated. I am also someone who appreciates the benefit of a crowd backing you. When I went sub-four for the mile in Cardiff earlier this year, the crowd carried me through that last lap. I heard the roar as I came off the final bend, took it in and converted it into the final one percent I needed to get me across the line. I can't even imagine how loud that London stadium is going to be, all I know is that there is something to be said for home field advantage and I intend to use it. It's a special feeling to know that I will be competing for Great Britain for the first time at a home World Championships, where nearly everyone in that stadium wants you to succeed. That's a pretty incredible feeling.
 
Western: Did you learn anything during your time as an athlete at Western that has helped you perform at the elite level?
 
Thomas: Western was really where I became a steeplechaser. The history of the Western steeple program was one of the main reasons I wanted to go there. I was very raw in terms of steeple knowledge and was just fortunate to have a relatively efficient technique. Western was the first time that I'd ever done a workout with hurdles. I spent more time than ever doing hurdle drills, practicing water barriers and training with other steeplers. It was massive for me. That technical feedback and specific training is what allowed me to drop 14 seconds from my steeple PR in the matter of one year at Western, and go from a good steeplechaser to someone who had the potential to challenge for major championship spots. Without my time at Western, I don't believe I would be the same runner today.
 
Western: What factors do you think have most contributed to your success this season?
 
Thomas: Consistency has been the key this year. Injuries have plagued me constantly over the past few years, which in turn has prevented me from getting strong, consistent blocks of training in. Ever since returning from my quad tear (after hitting a barrier) in June last year I have been able to train with no issues, and finally put my body in a place to run the times I know I was always capable of, and being able to do it with such an incredibly strong group of training partners has brought me on another level again. The great block of winter training I had allowed me to lower my 10k PR to sub 30 for the first time, and then going sub-four for the mile indoors gave me such a confidence boost that has carried me through the whole of 2017. I also can't play down the role of the Welsh Athletics physio team and my S&C coach Matt are Sport Wales. We've worked massively on specific steeplechase strength and tendon elasticity that is so important in steeple-chasing. I've spent more time than ever in the gym, ensuring my body can handle the volume of training I am asking of it, and the physios have ensured that any niggles throughout the year have been seen to and fixed before they can turn into anything more severe, which in turn creates the consistency mentioned above. Then finally, the altitude trip I took to Gunnison back in March before starting my season down at Stanford. The whole trip focused me completely on the season and set me up perfectly for my opening race at Stanford. Running such a big PR and Commonwealth Qualifying time in that first race gave me the confidence that the World Championships were within reach and gave me an incredible base to build on for the rest of the season.
 
Western: Like many athletes here stateside, you've had some highs and lows in recent years. Can you comment on making everything balance (work, family/social life, and training) at such a high-level?
 
Thomas: Post-college running is always a tough game. Unless you're one of the very lucky few that are world beaters during your college years and deemed worthy of a lucrative sponsorship deal, then you are going to be mostly fending for yourself. You accumulate costs that you wouldn't have before (kit, shoes, physic etc.) and new variables such as employment, new training venues and other social commitments start to enter your life too. It can be pretty overwhelming, so organization is key. I'm incredibly fortunate to be in job right now that I love for a company that I believe in (Marketing Manager for SPORTTAPE), who also appreciates me as a runner and the value that it brings. For a few years post-college, I worked in retail (as many post-college runners do) as that is where my background was and I loved the idea of working with runners and running products. However, the main problem with retail is that you are spending most of the day standing, and hours are often irregular, which makes planning sessions and even races, if you have to work weekends, even harder. My current job offers regular hours in a (mostly) set office. Meaning that it is much easier to create routine with my training. I work 9 a.m.–to-5 p.m. Monday through Friday, meaning I always have weekends free to race whenever I need. I know that I can always make group sessions on weekday evenings and, if needed, can put my first run of the day in before work. Then in terms of social life, I usually work backwards each week. I look at which days I have my main evening sessions, which days I am doubling, and then plan in other activities accordingly. It often doesn't leave me with much free time, but that's the lifestyle I signed up for trying to have two full time jobs. I'm incredibly lucky to have a girlfriend and family who are massively supportive of me trying to achieve my running dreams, and understand that training takes up a huge amount of my time. The main message is that it can be done. Post-college dropout in our sport is so high, but it's very rare that you peak as an athlete during college. I certainly didn't. All my PR's had been run in the past year! You need just to know what your priority is, try and standardize as much as you possibly can, and then be willing to be flexible with the rest of your time.