Craig Engels, “I like clean racing and seeing who the best racer is.”
By Jeff Benjamin
Craig Engels has been at the elite level since 2017 and is 31 years old. In 2019, she won the USATF indoor mile at Ocean Breeze and returns to compete in the 3,000.
1) How is your training going?
Craig Engels. “Training is going great. Really balances life with hard training. I recently moved to the flag carrier and started training with the Nike Swoosh team. The double threshold is new to me, but it was actually kind of fun.”
2. I would think that after the indoor season, this is the outdoor season for records and personal bests; do you agree?
Craig Engels. “Actually, I hate chasing records. Are you chasing something fleeting and temporary? I love pure racing and seeing who is the best racer.”
3. As a visitor here How do you like the Ocean Breeze facility?
Craig Engels. “This is my first time back to the US since winning my first title. I’m ready to go back.”
4. With all the changes in the sport after you’ve been competing for over a decade: super shoes, nutrition, bi-carbs, how do you still stay sharp and motivated?
Craig Engels. “I just make sports fun. I don’t make it my identity. I’m sure in another 10 years there will be a new training method of quadruple threshold every 6 hours and naps. Technology and information will continue to change, but at the end of the day I just love to race.”
Eugene, Oregon, USA
July 31 – August 3, 2025 Photo by Kevin Morris
