Given runs to new heights
The marathon portion of the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials featured a local runner in the lead pack for the majority of the race.
Wilkerson Given, a 2009 Mountain Brook High School graduate, competed in a field of 108 of the best marathon runners in the United States at the trials in Los Angeles on Feb. 13.
“It was a good race,” Given said. “My goal going in was to make the Olympic team and get in the top three, but it was good just to be with that top pack and put myself out there.”
Given was right in the mix of it, running with the lead pack for the first 20 miles of the race. In a hyper-competitive event, only the top three finishers qualify for the Olympic squad.
Around mile 20, Given endured cramping issues that forced him to stop and get stretched out. After that setback, it was too late to make any headway, but he still finished in the top half of the field with a 26-mile time of 2:27:50.
“I didn’t end up finishing as high as I wanted to, but I don’t regret it. I went out with the leaders and gave it my best shot,” he said.
One limiting factor was the weather conditions. A 60-degree day is perfect for most outdoor activities, but for long-distance running, it spells trouble. The temperature in Los Angeles soared to 75 degrees that day, prompting a warning of red flag conditions.
“There were a lot of people suffering,” Given said. “Almost a third of the field dropped out of the race, including a lot of the top guys.”
In order to qualify for the Olympic trials, Given had to run the 2015 Houston half-marathon in 65 minutes or less. At the urging of his college track coach, he took part in the race, and ran a time of 63 minutes, 33 seconds.
Given received a scholarship from Furman University to run cross-country and track upon graduating from Mountain Brook. He ran all four years for the Paladins and accumulated a set of accolades that includes first team All Southern Conference Cross Country, All Southeast Region Cross Country, All Southern Conference Indoor Track (Mile), All Southern Conference Outdoor Track (Steeplechase), and All East Region Outdoor Track (Steeplechase).
He also set a then-school record for the 3,000 meters in his senior season.
Given joined a professional running group, Furman Elite Olympic Development Group, after receiving his degree from Furman. He worked with this group during his marathon build-up, which started the moment after he qualified last year in Houston.
“Marathon build-up is a good chunk of time,” he said. “The most intense build-up was about three or four months out. I really started increasing my mileage.”
One of the top ways Given increased his endurance was by beginning to run at higher altitude levels with the running group.
“That’s a big training boost. You produce more red blood cells so you gain a fitness benefit from that,” he said.
Given takes a great deal of pride in the chance to compete for his country, but he will now step back from running and look for a job in performance nutrition.
Most companies in the field are located in large metropolitan areas in California or in the Northeast.
But don’t count out his legs just yet. They make take him somewhere else in the future.
“I’ll always run. I’ll probably have to take a step back from intensity since I won’t be doing it full time. But there is definitely not a closed door on a running career,” he said.