Catching up with KD!
6/9/10
Khadevis Robinson (aka KD)
Event: 800m
PR: 1:43.68
8-time U.S.A champion/Olympian
We recently caught up with 8-time USA 800m champion, Khadevis Robinson. He is without a doubt, considered to be one of the most successful U.S. 800m runners over the last decade. Luckily, we were able to catch up with him and see what he is up to.
RunnerStream: This past weekend you opened up your 2010 Outdoor Track season at the Jim Bush Invitational with a time of 1:46.52! How did you feel about your performance?
Khadevis Robinson: I felt good about my performance. I have been dealing with some issues so I just wanted to see where I was in terms of fitness and training.
RS: How does your time compare to your 2009 Outdoor season opener?
KD: It's totally different as my goals this year are totally different than my goals last year. Last year I was focused on running well at the USA Championships and making the World Championship team, so I needed to be very well prepared early. I had to be certain of what type of fitness I was in. This year I am focusing on running a fast time. It really does not matter when and where I do it.
RS: I see you're in the start list for the Adidas GP in New York this Saturday. What are your goals for the race?
KD: My goals for this race are to run at my full potential. This is always my main goal.
RS: Moving forward, who do you consider to be your major competition at the USA championships this year?
KD: Everyone is always my major competition. I never take anyone for granted. I always prepare at well as possible. I have no control what anyone else is doing, so I always expect them to be ready.
RS: Will you be heading to race in Europe after USA's?
KD: I am not sure of my schedule. It all depends on what races I get into.
RS: After suffering an injury during indoors, what are doing to ensure that you will remain consistent in 2010?
KD: I am continuing to put the proper training and I am taking care of myself. This is very important at this stage in my career. I am using this year as a year to build for next year. I am certain I still can run just as fast the next two years as I have run before, yet, I must really be systematic and proactive about it.
RS: Over the past decade, what have you learned about yourself as a runner?
KD: Well, I have learned that I actually run to test myself and I run to inspire, motivate, and help others. This was important because I have so many different interests and goals in life that I would of gotten tired of running if I did not know this about myself.
RS: Lets change gears a bit and talk about your training. What do you consider to be the toughest workout of your career?
KD: My toughest workout was either doing 1X600 in 1:16 then jogging a lap, then 2X150, then jogging 2 laps. Then another 1X600 in 1:16, then jogging 1lap, and then 2x150, THEN JOGGING 2 LAPS, THEN a 1X400 in 46! Or a workout where I did 9X400, it was broken up in sets of 3 with only 200-meter jog in between each. Let's just say my slowest was 53 and my fastest was faster than 50. Yet, I have had many workouts that are just as difficult as these. The longer strength stuff is tough for me, whenever I run 5ks or I when I do 10 mile runs broken up in repeat 800's or mile's.
RS: How has your training changed since your first season as a professional?
KD: I still train just as fast, but not as hard, it is just smarter. My workouts have always been very hard, long, and intense. I still put in a good amount of strength work and train extremely hard, it's just now I work more on my recovery and my mental aspect. I have always been one that would just kill myself in training, yet now, I am starting to do it in a more planned out way.
RS: Lastly, can you tell us a little about your running club, Track West?
I have been coaching for many years. I have my 501c3 non-profit youth club (YTRC), and I have had this for a while. Now, I have started to coach Track West. This is the club Skip Stolley started many years ago. It has been amazing. All of the athletes I have been coaching have run personal bests. The club consists of Youth, Semi-elite, Elite, Open, and Masters runners. It is a great club. Everyone is positive and the energy is great. It is like a family atmosphere and a team atmosphere. You would be amazed at some of the people who run with us and have their regular jobs too. We are in the process of making this a major team; so if you know of anyone that wants to join a track team here, tell them to contact us. Our goal is to help them "Unleash their Olympian Within". It's an amazing group of positive people.
RS: How does the club help your running?
The club helps me because we are like a family. Everyone is so positive and it's as if we are an adult college team. People from all walks of life and from all talent levels. This makes it fun! Whether I win, Lose, or Draw I get to be around good people and enjoy the process. Since I am a Motivational Speaker, the team allows me to really work on what's really important and that is more important than being a world-class athlete, which is being a World Class Human Being.