There’s a good chance you might catch Lake Orion runner Clint Verran in the next Olympic games.
Verran, 28, is preparing to run his second marathon of the year in Paris, France, Aug. 22-30. The marathon is one of the events at the World Championship Track and Field contest.
“It’s the world’s biggest track and field meet,” said Verran. “The marathon is 26 miles, 385 yards.”
Verran began his running career at Lake Orion High School, graduating in 1993. In the fall of that year, he was the state champion in cross country.
“I got a scholarship from Eastern Michigan University (for running) and I was there through 1998,” he said. “Then I started running professionally in graduate school.”
Verran earned his Master’s Degree in physical therapy from Wayne State University, and currently works as a PT at HealthQuest Physical Therapy and Wellness Center in Lake Orion. He lives in Rochester Hills, while his parents Jay and Ruth Verran still reside in Lake Orion.
Verran said since he began running professionally, the marathon has been his best event.
“I do about two marathons a year, and shorter races in between,” he said. “They’re kind of a tune up for the next marathon.”
In February, Verran ran in the U.S. Marathon Championship in Birmingham, Alabama, and finished high enough to earn a spot on the U.S team with four other Americans to compete in the World Championship in Paris.
“I was third there, and they take the top three from that race,” said Verran. “They also take two other people from there based on their times.”
To train for marathons, Verran runs twice a day, covering about 20 miles per day, and up to 140 per week.
“I also do some work outs and I run intervals…shorter distances with a break in between,” he explained. “On Sundays, I only do one run, but it’s 20 miles long.”
On July 19, Verran ran in a 10K race in Grand Rapids and plans to run in another in Kalamazoo on Aug. 16 to help prepare for the Paris marathon.
“My best (performance) was in October of 2002 in the Chicago Marathon…My time was two hours and 14 minutes,” he said.
Verran said he doesn’t have that many runners in his family, except for an uncle on his mother’s side, who was a “decent” runner.
“I tried a lot of sports in high school, and it turned out distance running was what I was best at,” he said. “The most important thing for me is to try and be in the top 20 (in Paris)…The top 20 automatically obtain ‘Olympic A Standard.’
“If I can get that, it increases my chances of making the Olympic team for next year,” Verran said.
His ultimate goal is to make the 2004 Olympic team and compete in Athens, Greece.
“My goal for 2008 is to be in the top three at the Olympic games,” he said.
In his limited free time, Verran also pens a monthly column for Runner’s World Magazine, something he just recently started doing.
“I have a contract for about a year and a half of these columns,” he said. “My advice to young runners is to persevere and not give up, even when you have a bad race or season.
“The hard work you do will pay off,” Verran said. “Running is a unique sport in that it’s the only one where you can guarantee you’ll get better the harder you work. With running there’s a direct correlation.”