Justin Switzer KWIK-E

Dude that "guard" was Allen Iverson.

"I started racing until I was about a sopre in high school until I finally gave it up."

It should read sopre not sopre

I can't "Find out what's different" in post #9. Please tell me

I'm as much a running nerd as anyone I've ever met, but I find this guy refreshing and funny. Our sport needs some relief from the usual intensity and focus and training/stats geekiness. Gabe Jennings is another example of a character outside the typical.

Yes, even NASCAR dudes living in their parent's basement can fill in the blanks.

it appears that he has his legs shaved...in which case he's probably more into running than this interview portrays. regardless this guy is hilarious and you know each and every one of you reading the interview and this comment is jealous of him.

hi, my name is justin switzer and i'm so cool i don't even care about the sport that i'm good at. i'm so cool

Michigan Wolverine senior Justin Switzer is a two-time All-American. He's got personal bests of 1:48.48 in the 800-meters and 3:58 in the mile. He used to be a competitive mini-car racer when he was younger and still has that need for speed.


Are you happy with being a two-time All-American right now?
Yeah, I can't be disappointed with it, I guess. I would have liked to get something last year.
Well, you have this outdoor season to get another. Is that the goal?
It's definitely the goal. My goal coming into this year was to make Nationals indoors and outdoors as well. Those are the things I'm going to focus on.
Do you have any other goals? Time goals?
The way the season shapes up...I don't know. There aren't many big meets that we're going to get into. I definitely would like to run a sick time and run one in one of the relays at Penn. That's probably one of the biggest things. The DMR, the four by mile...just bust out something sick there. Other than that, I don't know how many opportunities I'll have to run really fast in a setup race. I guess I'll just to get my regional qualifier. Then hopefully pull something out at Nationals.
What would be considered a “sick time”?
I ran 3:58 indoors, so I'd like to go something faster than that. A "57" split. That would definitely be something I would be happy with.
You consider yourself a miler?
Yeah. I'd say a miler. I haven't really gone above that. I tried the 3K indoors this year at Washington and that kind of just fell apart. I had a really good 800 last year outdoors. I ran 1:48 something. It would be nice to improve on that and run 1:48 or 1:47 this year.
That's what I was going to say. With your 1:48.48, is it tempting to cut the distance in half and start doing more 800s?
We did that at an outdoor meet last year. I want to run a similar race this year, but that will probably be the only competitive 800 I'll do all year. It's a different race to try to go after. My focus will definitely be on the 15.
What about after you graduate? What are your plans?
I wish I could tell you that, man. I have no idea. I guess there are the US Championships or whatever. Hopefully I get the qualifying time for that and go out there. Besides that, I have no idea. I really haven't thought that far yet.
Just taking the days as they come?
(Laughs) Just one day at a time. I haven't applied for jobs or anything...just kind of taking it one day at a time and not looking too far ahead. I probably should be, but oh well.
What's your degree going to be in?
A degree in economics.
Economics?
Yeah, no f*cking clue.
You don't want to be doing anything with economics right now, do you? Especially when you could still be running.
Yeah. I have no idea. I'll just go home and be a bum in the parent's basement.
Don't let anyone tell you there's shame in that.
(Laughs) I'll just go home and hang around in Ann Arbor. Move up there for the next couple of years and not go to school or anything.
Growing up in Michigan, who were some of your favorite runners?
You know I've really been into being fans of other runners or really all that involved in the sport. I run and stuff, but I was more into basketball and auto racing as well.
Would you say that you're one of the more not-involved runners in the country that has seen a good amount of success?
It's not to say that I dislike running, it's just that I'm not a huge running junkie or anything like that. That's the easiest way to put it.
What is your relationship with the sport of basketball these days? You used to play a lot.
I try to play when I can. It's difficult to find time—well, it's not time...it's just that you're so sore the next day. That's the biggest bummer. I'll go on the court and play hard pick-up games and have trouble. During the season I try to cut it out. Actually last year, about one day a week I'd go to the gym and play pick up games...that was a pretty sweet option to have. I watch a lot of college basketball these days. I just sit back on the couch and watch college basketball...you can't beat it.
You're not opening up for a little while. What's it like to have a couple weeks in between seasons to be a regular college student?
It's just being home on the weekends. Traveling every weekend can take away from some of the fun nights around town. When I'm back in town, it's nice to hang out with everybody and go out and have some fun! It's just kind of sucked because we've been having morning runs and I've had to get up early. But besides that, just being able to hang is pretty fun.
Typically what kind of mileage do you run?
Right now it's between 70-80...with 80 definitely being on the high end. That's including three or four morning runs a week. It's really not anything crazy but I feel that it's a good mix. Anything over 80...well, I don't respond very well to that.
What are some other hobbies of yours?
Sundays are always filled with Nascar. I'm a huge Nascar fan. Nothing beats coming home from a run in the morning, sitting on the couch and watching some Nascar on a Sunday....falling asleep during it and waking back up the catch the end of the race. I grew up racing cars, so that's something that's definitely stayed with me.
Do you have a fast ride right now?
Well, when I was like age six, I raced "quarters", but they're mostly like go-karts. I traveled all over the country. Especially in the Midwest and East Coast...doing that when I was little. Then when I was in seventh grade, I moved up to Nascar-style body cars...they're ¾ the size. I started racing until I was about a sopre in high school until I finally gave it up.
So you have no hand in that anymore? One day it was just done?
It came to the point where I had to decide to continue doing high school sports or do racing. I was able to handle it for a little while doing both, but you're really traveling every weekend of the summer and in the winters you go down south to race. It came to the point where I had to make the decision. I made the decision to do high school sports instead. It's definitely something that I might get back into. It's something that still interests me.
That's what I'm thinking. You go after running sponsors for a month or so after college and if you don't get one, you go after racing sponsor and you can put a big Tide logo on the front of your car or something.
Oh yeah. That would be sick. A lot of kids my age are in the Nationwide Series of Nascar. It's cool to see those guys because I grew up racing them and they made it up that level. If an opportunity presented itself to get me back in a car...it definitely would be a sweet thing to do.
What's the fastest you've ever been in a vehicle?
I've probably been up to...130. When you're on a track, it doesn't feel that quick.
What's more exhilarating, crossing the line, going 3:58 for a mile, or going 130 miles per hour in a car?
Racing cars...by far. There's nothing like it. To feel that speed inside a car is a lot of fun. Like I said if the opportunity exists...I would definitely do it again.
It sounds like you've got a calling and you should probably give it another shot.
If the opportunity is there...I might go for it. I've got to get those sponsors though.
That's big and they might be hard to come by these days. Maybe Flotrack could be your first sponsor and you could put a big Flotrack sticker on the front of your car.
That would be perfect.
I'll reel this back into the sport of running, what's the hardest running workout you've ever done?
Every workout is hard. This year, I rarely made it through a workout. I don't know if I can give you an example because they all kicked my ass.
I didn't make it all the way through this one, but last year indoors we did a four-mile tempo on the indoor track and then after that we had to do 16 quarters. Think about how many laps that is on the indoor track. They counted them all up and I forget what it was, but it was something stupid. We just did 20 quarters on Monday and we were wondering, “how the hell did we do 16 after a four-mile tempo?” I probably only made it through eight or so that day. (Laughs) That's about my limit.

Does this guy even enjoy running?

Great interview. I loved the clip from Allen Iverson. Made me laugh, thanks Justin.

way to go Justin! Keep us Wolverines Proud. GO BLUE!

Robert, the Guy your thinking of is Allen Iverson.

"Economics?
Yeah, no f*cking clue." Haha, I love it. Switzer is awesome.

Wow what a baller.

There is something about this sport, where ocasionally, you do read these sort of things from the good runners.
You don't know whether or not they are serious.
Has anybody ever read an interview with a great basketball or football or baseball player where that person said that they weren't really a big fan of the sport? (just an honest question)
I do remember that guard in basketball with all the tatoos who made the comments "it's just practice"! "practice"....can't remember his name though.
I remember that quote from an interview with Shalane Flanagan back when she was in college, where she said she would never read the inspirational running stories that her coach passed out to her...that stuck with me.
Everyone is different and this fellow is a good runner non the less and that is all that counts.
I think I remember MALMO once saying that it wasn't all that important to be a rabid fan of the sport to be good at it...it was on that message board that wen tout of business years ago and I can't recall the name of it.

Haha! Tide logo, you kill me, Tony Casey! Flotrack better be paying you the big bucks because these interviews keep getting better and better... and NACSAR is going to be knocking on your to start working for them!

I feel the need, the need for speed.

doesnt sounds like the most focussed athlete in the world....