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Charlene Lipsey Taking Big Step Forward in 2017

Published by
DyeStat.com   Mar 15th 2017, 8:03am
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Behind the Breakthrough: Charlene Lipsey's Journey To The Top

By Chris Lotsbom, @ChrisLotsbom for Dyestat

BOSTON -- When Charlene Lipsey ran 1 minute, 58.64 seconds to become the second-fastest American ever in the indoor 800 meters, it’s fair to say many track fans were stunned.

Yes, Lipsey was a strong runner at LSU and had run fast times before. But jumping from a personal-best 2:02.01 to the 1:58-range in one season and battling step for step with U.S. Olympian Ajee’ Wilson was unexpected. 

The time spoke for itself, world-class no matter how you looked at it. But to Lipsey, it was just another sign that she had made the right decision.

Taking on the challenge of uprooting from her beloved Baton Rouge in favor of Philadelphia to join Wilson and coach Derek Thompson was an internal struggle, one that weighed on her mind often. After a few indoor races and ultimately the fast race at the 110th NYRR Millrose Games, though, she knew it was completely worth it.

“I can’t stress how tough it is,” said Lipsey, speaking at the inaugural Boston Marathon Youth Running Jamboree. “Everybody sees me run that time and they’re like, ‘Wow, good job’ or they are very surprised. I’m OK with that. But it’s really, really, really tough, I can’t stress that enough. We smile, we have fun, but when it’s time to train, we’re training.”

No doubt, 2017 has been a breakthrough thus far for Lipsey. In addition to running a world No. 2 time in the 800, she won the U.S. Indoor 1,000 national title and improved her indoor personal bests at 800, 1,000, 1,500 and the mile.

Lipsey credits the surge in speed to a couple of things: first, Thompson’s grueling training in the bitter cold of Philadelphia, making her a tougher athlete. Second, the camaraderie she has with close friend and training partner Wilson, one of America’s top 800 runners since she was a teenager. And third, confidence gained from a mixture of the previous two aspects.

“Honestly, when I ran 1:58 I was excited, but I also knew the level of pressure that I’m going to be running under now. Every time I step on the line, they are never going to let me forget that,” Lipsey said. “I think it’s a whole different ball game because all my career I’ve been pretty much the underdog. I think people like being the underdog because what’s the worst case? You lose and big deal, nobody was really expecting you to do anything. Running 1:58 gives me confidence but you have to compete with a certain amount of pressure now.”

The biggest initial shock to transitioning to Thompson and Wilson’s group was the cold temperatures in Philadelphia. Training outside all winter long, Lipsey and Wilson together grinded through workouts improving little by little each day. Friends before the move, the pair grew even closer – basically becoming sisters, as Lipsey put it – by the time the indoor racing season began. 

Taking turns pushing each other in sessions, the pair were able to connect and test one another out. Wilson’s forte is faster, shorter reps, while Lipsey has a bit more extended range and can excel in longer intervals closer to the mile. Combined, they complement one another well and are able to test the limits of their abilities. 

“Having her at practice, just her work ethic is insane,” Wilson said. “She comes to practice ready every day. I may complain every now and then that my leg hurts, but every day her mindset is positive (to help get me through). After the workout she may say I wasn’t feeling too hot in the beginning, but she comes out ready to run consistently every day.”

Likewise, Lipsey appreciates the opportunity to train with a decorated athlete like Wilson, who won silver at last year’s IAAF World Indoor Championships and has claimed gold at both the World Youth and World Junior levels. 

“Training with Ajee’ has been a great experience for me because she’s really fast. I don’t think a lot of people really know how fast she really is,” Lipsey began. “I think her 400-meter time is only like 53, but I’m pretty sure she’s never run an all-out, in-shape 400. She’s really fast. When we have 400s or 600s, she’s always pushing me and when we do distance things, I push her. We have that good duo going on.”

Training fast is one thing, but vibing with teammates can make all the difference.

Before Lipsey joined the group, Wilson would often find herself wondering what her competitors were doing in workouts, and if they went through the same ups and downs in training as she did. With Lipsey by her side, those questions were answered. The pair often banter from warmup through cooldown, often checking in with each other to see how they feel. A “we’re in this together” mentality has been fostered, helping them persevere when the going gets tough.

“Her presence, just the way she carries herself, the way she gets to the line and still keeps it fun and playful. Having someone there going through it with you, it makes the world of a difference,” Wilson said. “What makes her a unique training partner is that we do the same event, and before I would wonder what my competitors are doing. Now I can see what my competitor is doing in that she’s right here. It’s just more motivation to keep grinding and keep working hard.”

Keeping up with Wilson has been a blessing for Lipsey, too, in that it’s led to a renewed confidence for Lipsey. When Wilson ran 1:58.27 to set the American 800 indoor record, then followed that up with a blistering 1:23.84 to win the USATF 600 indoor national title, Lipsey was ecstatic.

“I feel like Ajee’ has helped me out a lot with that,” Lipsey said. “She’s a well-known competitor. I know how close I am in workouts and I know how far I am in workouts. When you realize that and you watch your teammate running these incredible times, it gives me confidence every time I step on the line because I train with her and I know her well. She’s a good gauge of what kind of shape I am in, and she’s really good at performing under pressure. I see her running and I think , ‘If Ajee’ did it, I can do it too because we train together.’” 

Don’t be fooled. Even though both are very tight and complement each other well, Wilson and Lipsey are ultra-competitive. 

When asked to name one thing most people don’t know about Lipsey, Wilson noted that she’s fierce when it comes to competition, especially on the team’s weekly board game night.

Moments later, without knowing what Wilson had said, Lipsey nearly mimicked Wilson’s answer when asked to name a character trait in her training partner.

“She’s super competitive and I call her ‘The Savage.’ She told me I better not call her that [laughs]. She is ruthless, no matter if we’re playing games or whatever. She’ll try to win by any means necessary,” Lipsey said.

Both coming off the best indoor track seasons of their careers, Lipsey and Wilson are eager to see what the outdoor season brings. Both want to sport the Team USA uniform in London at the IAAF World Championships, and are ready to take the necessary steps to get there together. 

Lipsey hinted that her and Thompson have discussed running a number of 1,500 and mile races this season, as opposed to just sticking with the 800. The thought is exciting for Lipsey, who ran 4:30.13 indoors in February.

“I feel like this year is the first year I’ll really run the mile. With the potential coach has seen in me for the mile, we will give it a try,” she said. “I feel like I’m going to run way more miles this year, but I’m still going to run the 800.”

When pressed for an answer about what she’d likely focus on at the USATF Outdoor Championships in June, Lipsey said the 800, unless she attains vast success in the mile. Nothing, she emphasized, is out of the question.

Reflecting on the past few months, from training in the cold to the highs of running 1:58.64 and then the U.S. national title, Lipsey paused. Knowing that training for the outdoor season begins this week, she took a final moment to reflect on the year thus far. Asked to summarize the season in a sentence, she instead focused on a special moment.

“I remember going to Coach Thompson and saying ‘Thank you. Thank you very much for letting me be part of this group,’” she began. “He was like, ‘No, thank you. You were the best thing to happen to our group.’ The feeling of respect and that mutual feeling, we definitely help each other out.”



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