Easter Sunday Conversation

After the threat of rain caused the meet to be canceled, we thought we would raise every one's spirits on this Easter Sunday. So, Sunday Conversation is back with Coach Garwitz.

AP: Tell me about what you do on a day to day basis through your job
RG: My job is to take care of the "Big Rivers" in Ohio, Michigan, and Kentucky region (and Pittsburgh too). That is, my accounts are all running specialty stores. As a Nike tech rep, my job requires making sure running stores in my area are up to speed on Nike product and that they pull out a Nike box more than the competition when fitting a runner for shoes.

How do I make this happen? By offering staff clinics on the technical aspects of footwear, apparel, and accessories such as the new Nike + GPS watch (I have it on my wrist as we speak). Or by teaming up and supporting running stores with grassroots events such as high school track/xc meets, spike nights, ladies nights and group runs among many others. Another big part of my job is to provide feedback to the big-wig Nike product team about what the trends in the industry are. So for example, if Brian Scherping were to tell me that Pink is the new color for guys and 20 of you agreed and so did 1000 other high schools around the nation, I would send that information to the powers that be in Oregon and they would make Pink spikes (no, seriously).

AP: How is it different than Big River?
RG: Well for one, Nike is a much larger company obviously, so there are big differences there. And now I am on the other side of things, the brand, as opposed to a store that carries many brands. The two jobs are more similar than most would think. I still talk to runners every day. I still talk about running shoes. In fact, there are days when I will visit one of my accounts and simply work the floor and sell shoes like the old days. But, this job does require a lot more travel than Big River which is actually pretty fun.

AP: What is the coolest thing you have gotten to do through your job?
RG: Travel and meet new people. Among the places I have been since I started in February: Portland, Eugene (University of Oregon), Memphis, Chicago, Louisville, Lexington (UK), Cleveland, Cincy, Boston, Ann Arbor (U of M) and Pittsburgh.



During my job training in Oregon, we would wake up every morning and run on a wood chip trail that circles the Nike campus. There is also a 400 meter track that is in the middle of the woods. And for you football fans, Clay Matthews gave the entire Nike team a pump up speech (his hair dazzles in person as it does on TV)!

AP: Who is the coolest person you have met through your job?
RG: Unfortunately Clay Matthews talked to a big crowd so I didn't personally meet him. So...I would have to say Tobie Hatfield who is the creator of the Nike Free. Though not job related, I also bumped into former World Champion Boston Celtic Dee Brown at the airport.


AP: How is high school running similar and different between St. Louis and Columbus?
RG: You know it is hard to say. There are far less private schools here, so the teams tend to be a bit bigger. The obvious difference is they are not as cool as St. Louis schools. I guess I can't answer that question yet.

AP: Tell the people about the whole Boston experience. Leading up, race, and immediately after.
RG: Wow where do I start? Everyone who has been there says Boston is the World Series of Running. The whole experience far exceeded my expectations. I hardly slept the night before and itched with anticipation. Even though the gun goes off at 10 a.m., I was up before sunrise hopping on a bus that drives you 26 miles outside of town. Then you sit on a high school soccer field just waiting for roughly three hours. An odd scene for such a big race.

Luckily, the weather was gorgeous and the crowd support was beyond words. There is never a quiet moment from the moment you line up in your corral a half hour before the start. Picture running past Fenway Park in downtown Boston, the crowd lining both sides of the street shoulder to shoulder cheering so loud you can hardly hear yourself think. It was as if I was a relief pitcher in Game 7 of the World Series with one strike left. At this point, I am 25 miles deep and my quads are about to give out on me. My foot was bleeding and my lungs were searing. The intensity of the crowd cheers are your wings over those last few miles. It literally gave me goosebumps and made for a surreal experience.

Afterwards, your body hurts like it has never hurt before. And that goes for any marathon. The walk back to the hotel may have been harder than the run itself. As I sit here typing this four days since the race, my quads are still sore. In one word, Boston was AWESOME!

AP: What do you miss about the Lou?
RG: Being close to those I care about. My family, friends and of course my DeSmet family. My favorite running loops too (Forest Park, Castlewood, Graeser, Moseley etc..)

AP:What do you miss about coaching?
The good times. I miss the excitement every day brought. Watching you guys fart around while stretching. Or wearing polos to practice. Or convincing Scherping that I owned and created Big River. You guys always kept me laughing and wishing I was still in your shoes. Not that the "real world" isn't great, but you guys are in the prime of your life. Soak it up and make it count because it is gone in a blink of an eye. Someday, some of you will realize that running for a school like DeSmet and for a coach like Traughber is a once in a lifetime experience. Why do you think I came back to coach?

Have a good Easter everybody. Say a prayer for Coach Williams. His house was damaged pretty badly by the weather this week.