Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Using My Olympic Trials Media Pass



Though I can play an extrovert for a little while, the truth is I'm a pretty introverted person. Parties tire me out after about a half-hour. I can come off as unfriendly or cold with new people, even if I like them a lot from the very beginning, because I'm not touchy-feely and I over-worry about my demeanor, which of course makes it even worse. And crowds? Not a fan.

So even though I'm shocked at my good luck scoring that media pass to the Olympic Marathon Trials in Houston a week from Saturday, I'm a little nervous about my ability to take full advantage of it. I spent the first decade of my post-college life as a reporter and editor--and this reserve of mine, this constant fear that I might be bothering someone, really got in the way of any kind of success at it. I love to write, but I'm a terrible talker. In contrast, many of the best reporters just have a knack for chatting people up and getting them to feel so comfortable that they'll spill (if there's dirt to be gotten) and gush (if they're nice and honest, like most of the runners you read about). I'm surprised my employers paid me as long as they did.

No one's paying me to interview people at the Trials, but I'd love to talk to some of the runners. But what should I ask them? If anyone from Boulder makes the team, I'll have some obvious questions to ask--real news (and a happy interviewee) always make interviewing easier. But that's not terribly likely.

I'm turning to you guys for help. There are probably a lot of personable friendly folks among you--maybe even some genuine extroverts! If you had this media credential, what would you ask the Trials runners? How would you approach them when they are probably going to be tired and sore and really wanting to put their feet up in private and drink some chocolate milk rather than talk to a humble blogger who just happened to sneak past the velvet rope?

24 comments:

  1. Oh, gosh. I'm going to just have to admit that I'd be exactly in the same boat as yours. I love to listen to people, but I often have NO idea what to ask. And then other people will come up with these GREAT questions and I'll think...oh...yeah, I do want to know about that!

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  2. That's where being a nurse practitioner works so well for me. It's easy to be the extrovert when you are the only expert in the room! It's funny, all the docs I work with are introverts - two different personalities professionally and socially. Put me in a crowd and I'm lost!! :)

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  3. Ugh, just wrote a very long and length comment and then I lost it. So here's the condensed version :) :

    Maybe you can ask them to start reading your blog and then ask if you can get their sponsors to also sponsor you, so you can be a full-time runner and get lots of free garb! :)

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  4. Just ask "Can I touch you?" ....kidding...
    But really, what an opportunity!

    I hope that you will be confident and relaxed. Maybe ask what they like to do when they aren't training. Anyhow, have fun for the rest of us!!

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  5. This is so stinking cool Ask them what they eat. And how much sleep they get. Or like Raina, said, ask what they do when they are not training. Have fun!

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  6. You can always ask who inspires them. Or what their training schedule is like. Or just stare from a distance, I'm sure that's what I would do! Have fun!

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  7. How cool! I know a girl running in it. Sarah Graves, from Ballantine MT

    I don't know her well, but I know she kicks my butt when she does races that I do!

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  8. Relax and have fun with it!!! I've found the more I work at being extroverted, the easier it gets. It's all about focusing on the other person and leaving yourself behind.

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  9. there's a reason I'm an engineer...sorry I don't have any ideas. I'm sure you'll do great!

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  10. Yeah, I am an introvert as well so I don't really have any questions. However, I do know that an odd question often breaks the ice and loosens the interviewee up a bit.

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  11. I'd like to know what it feels like to be so great at something. Does running feel easy for them or are their struggles as tough as yours, just at a faster speed, so in a way worse? Sort of like that famous Einstein quote: "Do not worry about your difficulties in Mathematics. I can assure you mine are still greater."

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  12. i would get terribly nervous and have a bad case of work vomit. it happens all the time and i just talk, talk, talk about nonsense. gosh, i have no idea about an opening question since you are interviewing them after the race (and they could be happy or upset!). maybe ask for 1 piece of advice they would give non-elites (i would add that you have a running blog and your readers would appreciate the advice)??

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  13. I'm a lot like you as well... there are some good suggestions above! I'm curious if this was a long time goal- how long they worked to get here, when they first became a 'runner'... so excited for you, it's such a great opportunity!

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  14. I don't have suggestions as I'm the same way. But it looks like you've gotten a lot of good ideas and I can hardly wait so see what you come back with.

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  15. We have the Hanson's Distance Project from Michigan competing, so you can ask any of them about their training method and how it helped them with a team sweep on the men and women races..... Have fun with it......

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  16. I'd ask them for training tips, especially recovery tips. Whenever I find someone who runs at an elite level, I love to hear how they treat their body to maintain performance at a high level.

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  17. I too am such an introvert but put in that situation you HAVE to make yourself ask them stuff. How did you score such a cool pass?
    Ask how they got started, what's coming up next, what their favorite race is. Can you take a video cam in? Can I work it for you? : D

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  18. Wow it seems like everyone is an introvert, which is funny because they all blog...but I am an introvert as well (except that nobody believes me). I would love to know how they deal with injury and set backs and how they balance such intense training with family life.

    What a cool experience to have! You will do great!

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  19. How fun to get to interview! I'd like to know what they eat/drink during the race and just before and what they think about during the race. Do they have to constantly remind themselves to stay on pace?

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  20. What a beautiful experience, you will do great.

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  21. I'd love to know how you scored a media credential! I'm filming my documentary at the Trials and NBC denied my credential. That won't stop me from interviewing athletes and filming; I just won't get to be at the press conferences or have a prime shooting location at the start and finish line. Sigh!

    - Wendy Shulik, Producer - "Miles & Trials"

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  22. p.s. Stop by our interview sessions on Friday outside the media center on the 3rd floor of the Convention Center. If you want, you can ask some of our women some questions :) You can message me on Facebook if you want more details.

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  23. I'm an extrovert, but not confident enough of my running skills to know what to ask - O know, big help, huh?

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  24. Hey, just found you through SUAR. I'm down in Denver, and always looking for new running buddies! Anyhow, my childhood friend, Meagan Nedlo(greenlightningrunning.blogspot.com), will be there on Saturday and if by any chance you get to chat with her take full advantage. Not only is she amazing, but her dad is 62 and just ran a half in 1:32! Wowza!

    As far as questions, I am always curious as to what people think about when they run, or think about when they need to push through the pain. Where they find motivation. What music they listen to. If they follow a certain diet, or have a favorite pre or post meal. What took them to great to elite, best sign they've ever seen during a race, what kind of shoes/socks/running gear they prefer, what they do when they have time off during tapering, how they deal with injuries, who their biggest supporter is, if they have any "rituals" before/after/during a race... I could go on for days!

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