T&Fn Interview
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T&FN INTERVIEW Ashton Eaton by Jon Hendershott “The best mental approach that I’ve found so far is to tell yourself to really try as hard as you can to win, or set a PR, or jump or throw far… then expect that you won’t” in or lose, Ashton Eaton loves the and mentally. who wanted to do things. decathlon. His respect for his fellow Mentally it’s more an unknown territory, T&FN: Do you try to keep on blinders during W10-eventers knows no bounds. And the in the sense that I’ve never been an Olympic a competition, or do you take note of what others 28-year-old Oregon native is the unquestioned defender before this. I’m not really sure what do? Or do you just concentrate on what you and highest scorer that the all-around test has ever seen. that looks like, or sounds like, or feels like. Harry want you to do and nothing else matters? Twice a World Record setter; the ’12 Olympic So, I think it’s good. It’s something new. Of Eaton: I would say I do notice what others champion; Worlds victor in ’13 and ’15; last year’s course, I can go to Worlds and it’s the feeling do, because at the heart of all this, I’m a AOY. Not to forget two World Indoor heptathlon that “I’ve been here before and handled it.” competitor. What I do is that I’m really good titles and three 7-event WRs. Eaton has done it all. And I’ve handled it well. at responding to other people’s performances. Yet each season brings something new. He and But the Olympics are different. People tend If we’re all just kind of steady-as-she-goes, coach Harry Marra begin the Olympic campaign to think that something big is going to happen. doing the things we have all done before as far in a place that’s new for them both: as the defender. Or athletes will make their breakthrough, as marks go, I think that’s what I do. It’s what That’s where we began our conversation: trying to time it for the Games. So I think the we all do. But when somebody does something Olympics just keeps you a little on edge because unexpected or has a great PR, then everybody T&FN: You are vastly more experienced at this you never know what’s going to happen. gets fired up. Like, “We need to wake up and point than you were at the start of the ’12 Olympic But physically, nothing has changed for start doing that ourselves.” season. So have your and Harry’s preparations been me. And mentally, it’s just, “Stick to your That’s why competition with the multis that much different this year, or are they pretty guns; don’t do anything crazy. Prepare in case athletes is great: those things do fire us up. much what you always have done? somebody else does something crazy.” I think They fire me up to respond. It’s like, “OK, now Eaton: I would say that physically, it’s I have to be a little more on the “defensive- we’ve got something going here.” pretty much what we always have done. But thought” front. T&FN: You set your two World Records in very mentally it’s been different. And those are the I have to prepare myself for things to important meets: 9039 to win the ’12 Trials and very two aspects of the sport that are the most happen. Where in ’12, it was more an offensive- then 9045 last year to defend your world title. Do important: you have to be ready both physically thought frame of mind, in that I was the one those highly-important competitive settings have 14 — April 2016 Track & Field News ROGER SEDRES /IMAGE OF SPORT any special effect on you, or do you just favorite parts about the event. Having done try to get the very best out of yourself An Impressive Set Of PRs so many other sports growing up, and single in all 10 events? events in track, that feeling just has been one Ashton Eaton’s lifetime bests in each of the decath- Eaton: I think it’s a combination. of the best parts of it. lon events add up to a whopping score of 9549, I try to do the best I can anyway, but he still trails Dan O’Brien’s 9572 by 23 points You always finish the competition— but I find that competitiveness as the year begins. whether you or anybody else did good or brings out my best. Harry is really bad—feeling good. You have participated in Eaton’s bests, as they play out in deca event- good at physically preparing us, so order: 100—10.19w, LJ—27-0 (8.23), SP—50-6¼ battle with those guys. Just to finish is cause I’m prepared to do something like (15.40), HJ—6-11 (2.11), 400—45.00, 110H—13.34w, for celebration, especially at a big one like the 9000 points. In ’12, it was just the DT—155-4 (47.36), PV—17-8½ (5.40), JT—218-8 Worlds or Olympics. competitiveness of wanting to be an (66.64) 218-8 (66.64), 1500—4:14.48. You can go home and reflect later, “Yeah, Olympian. That’s really all I wanted. 6 of those marks were made in multi-event competi- I stunk up that competition. I did bad.” But I didn’t necessarily care about tion. His deca-PRs in the other 4: SP—49-3½ (15.02), you can’t really ruin that moment of having winning the Trials; I just thought, 110H—13.52, PV—17-4½ (5.30), JT—212-8 (64.83). completed the thing; doing a victory lap and “I’m going to compete and give knowing that those times and experiences are myself the best chance possible to numbered. be an Olympian.” That ended up wanted to set a PR score again. Like Trey and me going 1-2 in London as the record. T&FN: What factors do you think help a was awesome. For us to be on the podium T&FN: Is there ever an “ideal” decathlete compile his highest score possible over in London, and Trey having come back from decathlon? the two days? Is it the combination of that mental his elbow injury the year before, just made Eaton: No, I don’t think so. I just approach plus having nothing physically bad London so great. think that’s the way life is: something happen, like Trey’s leg injury in Beijing? T&FN: Did that sense of brotherhood with the is always going to go wrong and not Eaton: I would say that the biggest factors other decathletes grow in you as you matured? be the way you want. Yet that’s what are being healthy—if you can be 100% healthy, Eaton: That’s a good question. I do think keeps me coming back. The next that’s the best. Then the best mental approach I always felt it, but maybe in my first few time, try to make it better than the that I’ve found so far is to tell yourself to really decathlons I didn’t know why it was important. one before. I think that’s how you try as hard as you can to win, or set a PR, or My first decathlon was very small, with deal with it. jump or throw far… then expect that you won’t. miserable weather. Nobody took a victory lap— T&FN: In both your records, you What I think that does is put you in a because nobody was there watching [laughs]. knew what you had to run in the 1500. mental state of, first, doing the very best you But I did learn there is a lot of time to sit Do you recall any thoughts you had as can, which is all anyone can ask for. But you around and chat with the other guys, or when you lined up for those races? also don’t set expectations that make you get you’re warming up for an event. My next one Eaton: Actually, I feel more down on yourself. That’s probably one of the was the [’07] Pac-10 at Stanford and I remember nervous now just thinking about it! worst things you can do. the coaches always were friendly. Some coaches Oh my gosh [groans]. The options So you have to tell yourself, “I’m going would ask another for help: “Hey, can you catch are that you’re a person who does to try as hard as I can to jump 8-meters [26- my guy’s mark?” “Yeah, no problem.” That it… or you’re one who doesn’t. And 3]—but the reality is, I probably won’t.” So if all was different from the things I had done. if you’re trying hard enough, it’s you don’t, you don’t sulk; you just move on So I don’t think I ever had to “grow into it,” always going to be close at the end to the next event. Yet you still try to do your as far as being accepted. But to understand it of a decathlon [laughs]. very best. That’s all you can do. You just try to more, I just had to learn about it.