Typically when I think of Canada I think of the slow ooze of maple syrup and missing teeth (like Rob Lowe from Youngblood); Cameron Levins not only has all of his teeth, but also proved to be a little bit quicker than maple syrup.  Now I’m just not sure what to think of our neighbors to the North.

After the NCAA indoor season wrapped up in Boise, Idaho this year there were some clear favorites for the outdoor season.  Derrick and Lalang both ran exceptionally well and left no doubt that they would be the favorites come June.  Then Levins ran 13:18 to beat Lalang at Mt. Sac and 27:27 to beat Derrick at the Payton Jordan Cardinal Invite, setting the world (but mostly Canada) on fire.  The fact that Levins wasn’t right up with Derrick and Lalang in Boise didn’t mean that he wasn’t running well.  He finished the season having run 3:57, 7:45, and 13:38, but he just didn’t seem to be on the same level as the other two.  Funny how things change.  In June in Des Moines, Iowa, Levins became Southern Utah’s first ever track and field national champion, and he did it twice.  His kicks even prompted numerous reporters to ask him why he wasn’t running the 100 meter dash as well.  Those silly reporters... Whether he eventually humors those reporters and enters in the 100 at some race or not, he will be lining up in London for the 5k and 10k wearing the maple leaf with pride. 

The NCAA championships in June left no question about who was the best in the NCAA, but the Olympics are a different beast altogether.  When asked whether he felt up for the task at hand, Levins answered that he feels like he’s even faster than he was during the NCAA season.  Given how long the NCAA year can be for distance runners with cross country in the fall, followed by indoor and outdoor track, I wouldn’t have been surprised to hear that he was pretty tired and just looking to enjoy the experience.  Unfortunately for the other athletes, Levins cited that he’s rested and working out better than ever.  A small injury briefly sidelined him after NCAAs and allowed him the rest that he needed to continue on.  It was “a blessing in disguise,” as Levins put it. 

Before heading to London on August 1^st, Levins even spent some time in Kamen, Germany with Mo Farah at a training camp and he feels it was a good finishing touch for his Olympic preparation.  Levins was excited to train with Farah because it gave him an opportunity to see somebody who was already running on that next level.  That kind of experience can go a long way, not only for this Olympiad, but also 4 years from now in Rio. 

Levins is known for him incredibly high volume and there are plenty of critics who think he may be nearing his ceiling; Levins, not being a Negative Nancy himself, sees plenty of room for continued improvement well past London and into Rio.  So long as everything goes well and he can stay injury free he even believes that a medal could be within his grasp.  While Levins is without a doubt focused on the next 10 days, he already has some post-Olympic plans drawn up and is excited to get after it.  When asked whether he has any plans for the marathon, Levins said “I think it will be a clear move at some point in my career, but I see no need to rush to it; I figure I still have a lot of room for improvement on the track as well.”  That should be exciting news for track fans everywhere. 

It should be nothing short of exciting to see how Levins handles the jump in competition in London, and even more exciting to see what the future brings for him.  Taking into consideration some athletes in the past who have changed citizenship to run for the good ol’ U S of A, I couldn’t help but inquire, just for fun, whether Levins would ever consider taking his talents and leaving the world’s largest maple syrup producer to run for the United States; after all, we do have a lot more to offer than Utah.  Despite this tempting offer, Levins was quick to answer that he was plenty proud to say “Eh,” rather than “y’all” and continue running for Canada. 

It’s been a while since Canada has had any medalists in the distance running department, so maybe it is best that we just drop the issue and let Canada have this one.  Levins should be one to watch in the coming years, but let’s start with the 10k in London. 

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