Lisa Galaviz came into the 2008 Olympic Trials as the American Record holder in the 3000m Steeplechase. In the final, she placed 5th-out of the Team spots-as winner Anna Willard took down her record. Frustrated, Galaviz decided she needed a change. She is now working with Wynn Gmitroski and doing some altitude training for the first time. Here, she discusses how and why she made her decision to change her training and coaching situation, and how things have been working out so far. She also gives her opinion on the new IAAF Diamond League and the WADA one-hour rule and explains how she balances training and a day job.

Interview by Ann Gaffigan
Conducted on March 16, 2009
Posted on March 17, 2009

Can you tell us why you decided to change coaches and how you found a new coach? This is not something that is easy to do--find a new person you can trust that (hopefully) is located near you. Describe the process, from deciding to switch coaches to finding the one you're working with now.

After the Olympic Trials, I decided that I needed a change. I think it's very hard for colleges coaches to give the attention needed to professional athletes (Lisa had previously been working with Louie Quintana, coach at Arizona State). The two main things I was looking for in a new coach was someone who coached only a few athletes and someone who had success on the world level. I was in Belgium this past summer racing, stressed about finding a new coach. I went on a morning shake-out run and ran into a friend, Gary Reed who I had met a couple years earlier and hadn't talked to since. We were just catching up, and he mentioned that he trained in Scottsdale, Arizona over the winter (at this point, he didn't even know I lived in Arizona). Two hours later he introduced me to his coach, Wynn Gmitroski and we talked for a good hour. I really liked Wynn and fortunately he was interested in coaching me. So, everything just kind of just fell into place and I found someone who'd had success at the world level, coaches a handful of athletes, and lived part-time in Arizona.

Describe how the depth in the steeple in the US has changed since you were first steepling in college. Are the types of athletes doing it different? Is it easier to find competitive races? Are more athletes doing it now or just better athletes?

The steeplechase is much more competitive now and I think more women are doing it because it's a World Championship and Olympic event. I don't know if I'd say it's easier to find competitive races, since the Grand Prix meets in the US still don't have women's steeplechase, but hopefully this will change with the IAAF Diamond League...

Have you heard about the IAAF Diamond League, to start in 2010? Finally, they are structuring it so that events get equal opportunity: 16 events each for men and women (32 total) will be featured equally throughout the Diamond League Series, and the competitors will be awarded the same prize structure for each event, as opposed to valuing some events higher than others. The Prefontaine Classic and Reebok Grand Prix are part of this new League, meaning it is likely at least one of them will include the women's steeple, which has not been the case thus far. How does this affect the women's steeple in the United States and worldwide? How will it affect planning your season?

I think the IAAF Diamond League is a great idea! It should increase the popularity of the sport by forcing more head-to-head competitions among top athletes. Featuring the events equally among the series will give women steepler's more opportunities to race than before. Hopefully the Prefontaine Classic or Reebok Grand Prix will have the women's steeple and this will create more interest in the event in the U.S. I lost count of how many people at my work ask me if I ride horses!

What do you think about the new WADA regulations (the one-hour window rule)? How different is it than what they required before?

I like the new WADA one-hour rule. I find it much easier to give one hour every day that I'll be home, rather than trying to designate where I am all the time. Although, in the past, USADA used to call our emergency contact when weren't home to find out where we were. This is no longer allowed as it gave athletes a 'heads-up' that they were going to be tested.

You're in Flagstaff right now, training at altitude, correct? Have you ever done altitude training before? What do you think about it?

I was in Flagstaff for two weeks training at altitude, but I'm home now. We're going back for another three weeks at the end of April. This was my first time training at altitude and I really enjoyed it. The purpose of every day was running, and there were no distractions. It was very intense and focused. There is a large distance running community in Flagstaff. I'm not sure if you've heard, but NAU shut down their High Altitude Training Center. Right now, there's a bit of chaos as to what is going to happen with it. I hope this doesn't hurt all the athletes training up there, during the interim.

Tell us a little bit about your non-running day job? What do you do? How much are you working? Are they flexible when you need to leave to compete or train at altitude? Do you sometimes work from those locations when you're gone?

I work as a computer engineer at General Dynamics 20 hours a week. They are very flexible and I'm able to work remotely from anywhere as long as I have an internet connection. While training in Flagstaff, I was able to work my full 20 hours per week.