ROB COSLICK
Melia: I’m sitting down here with Rob Coslick and you are getting ready for the Kendall Run on Saturday. So you did the Flagstaff Extreme 54K race back in June and placed 3rd.
Rob: Yeah, Big Pine. I have a tendency to go out quick and it was fun until that last loop.
M: You have done a lot of 50K and 50 milers and now you are doing this Sky Race, what prompted that?
R: There is a romance to the trail stuff. I’m just jumping right in. I am still very much a newbie. So I think I’m going into the scene looking at people like Jamil and Schlarb and a lot of those guys out there running it’s inspiring. Definitely getting out there and getting a little bit of it.
M: Are you in the area (Ouray, CO) for a while? I know you live in Phoenix, right?
R: Yeah, I actually live up against the South Mountains. I normally run out there but there is a 100 miler coming in August up here. So I’m camping in Ouray trying to get some altitude and get use to the climbing.
M: When you are out there racing is there a specific mantra you use or something that keeps you moving when it gets a little hard?
R: So I have a tendency. I put myself in the pain cave a lot in the end. I go out hard so right now I’m working on slowing it down. I really need to better manage my fuel and better manage my energy. So I have been doing a lot of heart rate kind of training trying to keep it really…minimize the effort. So the focus right now is to slow it down. Once I can slow it down and finish stronger I’ll work on something else.
M: Is that kind of your strategy going into Kendall (Mountain Runs), take it easy and see what you have at the end?
R: I do want to find out what that strong consistent effort looks like, without killing myself. It’s only 6 miles but I was looking at the grade yesterday and it looks like it’s going to be tough. Especially up there around 13 (13,000 feet). But I’m going to definitely take it easy the first couple of miles and see how my legs feel. I have been doing a lot of climbing this week. I’ll take it easy tomorrow and then hopefully roll in on Saturday and do well.
M: Have you been to Silverton before?
R: I did some cross-country skiing and skinning. A buddy of mine lives in Durango. I’ll come up every now and again in the winters and we will do some cross-county skiing and stuff.
M: Do you have a favorite shop or restaurant you normally go to when you visit Silverton?
R: There actually is a coffee shop. I can’t remember the name of it. I know the lady well because she always has these awesome oatmeal cookies. She makes them. There’s a coffee shop right there in the middle of the strip so I always like to stop in there.
M: That could be a good celebration food after your race.
R: Absolutely, I can’t go there without stopping in. No I’m looking forward to it; Silverton is an awesome town. It will be a whole day that I spend there.
M: Well, good luck on Saturday.
R: Thank you, I appreciate it.