Posted: December 23, 2004

Athletics: Catching Up With Tim Broe

Tim Broe:

Mile: 3:58.81
3000m Steeplechase: 8:14.82
3000m: 7:39.23
5000m: 13:18.61

Career Highlights

11th, 2004 Olympic Games, 5000m
2004 Olympic Trials Champion, 5000m
2004 USA 5K Champion
2003 USA Champion, 5000m
American Indoor Record-holder, 3000m
2-time USA Indoor Champion, 3000m (2001, 2002)
2-time USA Cross Country Champion 4K (2001, 2002)
2000 NCAA Steeplechase Champion

More Results

In many respects, Tim Broe is a pretty straightforward guy, the type who likes to hunt and fish, loves his mom and speaks his mind. But when it comes to running, the 27-year-old, seven-time national champion has taken some surprising turns.

For instance, the boy from East Peoria, Ill., hadn’t even planned to go to college until the University of Alabama – where he became the 2000 NCAA steeplechase champion – offered him a full ride. Then, having no plans to run after graduation, he more or less drifted into the 2000 Olympic Trials with no expectations whatsoever only to miss the US steeple team for Sydney by just 0.09 seconds. Seeing that race as a “huge wake-up call,” Broe quickly earned the distinction of completing a remarkable “triple” in 2001, competing in the World Indoor Championships, World Cross Country Championships and World Outdoor Championships in the same year.

One of the toughest and most versatile runners in America, Broe won the biggest race of his life last summer when he came back from the double whammy of a broken foot and broken back to earn a trip to Athens, where he made the final in his Olympic debut and saw his status as a hometown celebrity take on new meaning. Over Thanksgiving weekend alone, Broe was grand marshal of two Christmas parades, and his limo received a police escort en route to the world premiere – in Peoria’s Apollo Theater! – of a documentary, “Five Thousand Meters,” in which he has a major role. We caught up with him recently to check in on life after the Olympics, and what the future might hold.

Global Athletics & Marketing: Had you seen “Five Thousand Meters” before its official premiere?

Tim Broe: No. Chris Lear (a production adviser) would tell me things about it but I didn’t want to know. I think it turned out well; they did a great job. Everyone is going to have their complaints, but it wasn’t meant to be a stunning masterpiece. They’re not trying to make money out of it. They’re just trying to promote the sport they love.

GA&M: What did you think when you saw yourself in it?

TB: That I just sound like an idiot, basically.

GA&M: You mean just in the film?

TB: No, always.

GA&M: Did you learn anything else from it?

TB: That I’ve got to quit cursing. I think I shocked my grandmother. I made an early New Year’s resolution to quit, but today I did 18 miles and by the end I said the f-word like nine times. I’m working on it.

GA&M: How does it feel to be such a celeb, the parades and all?

TB: It’s kind of cool to be acknowledged, to have people recognize what you do. I’m really lucky to have a community that’s so supportive because not every runner does, that’s for sure. It isn’t like I won a medal or anything, but everywhere I’ve been people come up to me. I was in the bank the other day and some guy was like, you’re that dude. In our little world in Peoria people think I’m bigtime and I’m not going to tell them any different.

GA&M: Didn’t the town help send your mother and brother to Athens?

TB: Yeah, that was really cool. I didn’t know I made the team until two weeks before the Games (after earning the “A” standard at a meet on July 30), and we couldn’t afford to buy tickets and everything and then have me not make it. The Illinois Valley Striders called and said they wanted to do this fund-raiser because there were so many people who wanted to help. I guess it’s their way of going to the Olympics. At first my mom didn’t want to do it; she’s proud. But they said there were already like 200 people who’d donated money so you’re going like it or not. It was their first time out of the country.

GA&M: Did you march in the Opening Ceremonies?

TB: Everyone said you have to do it your first time but don’t ever do it again. It’s so tiring, all that standing around and waiting, but I’m glad I did it. Robert Gary told me, just wait, 90.000 people standing and chanting “USA!” That’s when it hits you that you’re there, when you walk in wearing that USA gear. You just walk around with a big smile on your face. I never would have believed I could get so emotional about running in a choked-up way, but I did when I walked through that tunnel. Believe it or not, I was speechless.

GA&M: Were you surprised to make the 5000 final?

TB: No. I was a long shot to most people, but I expected to get myself there. So after the semi, my only thought was OK, now how can I be Top 8 in the final?

GA&M: Weren’t you planning to run Brussels after the Olympics?

TB: I was supposed to but I was just so tired, not just from the Games but from getting there. I was emotionally worn out. I was supposed to go for a 3K PR but I just had no ambition to go out and chase another time (after several attempts to get the Olympic “A” standard, for which he needed a 5000 PR).

GA&M: How’s the foot, now that you’ve gotten some time off?

TB: It’s like 10 times better. After the Games, it was just killing me.

GA&M: So what are your plans for 2005?

TB: If my foot feels good doing Boston, I’ll do the 12K at US cross country, then maybe US indoors. I’d like to do some longer stuff. Mostly I just want to be ready for outdoors and be 100 percent prepared, which I haven’t been my whole career (because of injuries). Maybe I’ll do a 10K on the track. I’m not looking forward to it but Ron (Warhurst, his coach) thinks it’s a good idea. If the foot feels good, I’d like to steeplechase once or twice this year. That record. If I got that American record I could just walk away.

GA&M: What have you been doing since Athens other than leading parades?

TB: It’s been a fantastic existence. I only got to fish twice all last spring and summer, isn’t that horrible? You put all that time and effort into getting to the Olympics; it was well worth it but now I’m making up for lost time. I get up and go to my (deer-hunting) stand every morning.

GA&M: Have you gotten a deer yet?

TB: Next question?