Clayton Murphy

Clayton Murphy, a rising Junior at The University of Akron, emerged as one of the country’s newest  young talents in 2015. After finishing 3rd in the NCAA 800m final indoors in a new PR of 1:47.06, Murphy backed up the mark with a 3rd place finish outdoors in Eugene. After showing flashes of a big kick and potential to drop time, he decided to stretch his season at USAs. It was here that the magic really started to happen: in consecutive rounds Murphy ran PRs of 1:46.35, 1:45.78 and 1:45.59 for 4th place in the nation. But he wasn’t finished. At the age of just 20 years old, Clayton ran a perfectly executed 800m final at the Pan American Games in Toronto and won a gold medal for the USA. As Clayton seeks a second straight gold at the NACAC Championships in Costa Rica, he was gracious enough to talk to our own Jarrett Felix about his meteoric rise.

Jarrett Felix: “So let’s start at the beginning, how did you get your start running?”

Clayton Murphy: “[I] started running cross country in 7th grade. I went to a very small high school in Ohio and picked up running as something fun to do with friends.

JF: “Would you say you noticed you had a talent for it right away? Or did success come with time?”

CM: “I really didn’t notice talent until maybe freshman year and [even] still thought of running as more of a fun time to hang out with friends. After sophomore year track, I really decided that I could pursue running more serious.

JF: “How did you end up deciding on Akron? Were you recruited heavily at all? You are from Ohio originally so did that play a big role [being closer to home]?

CM: “I was recruited somewhat heavy after the state meet my junior year where I ran 4:16 in the 1600m. I visited Akron, Memphis, and Miami (OH) and talked with Kentucky and Georgia Tech. Coming out of high school, I really wanted to pursue a career in engineering, so that played a role in my selection. Akron has a great engineering program. I melded well with Coach Labadie and the team and thought I could really grow at Akron.”

JF: “One of the big things I noticed just looking through times is the fact that you have absurdly strong range [from the 4x4 up through the 10k in XC].”

CM: “Yeah I have split 45.9 on the 4x4 and ran 14:15 in a 5k a week after indoor nationals (800).”

JF: “What in your training allows you to do that?”

CM: “I think keeping a very varied training plan. I really didn’t focus on speed a lot in outdoor until 2 weeks before NCAAs and a little more before USAs. Recently between Pan Ams and NACAC I have increased mileage and done less speed. Coach and I have really been able to find a good mixture of strength and speed.”

JF: “So it seems, [looking at your career], you were a mile/1500 guy since high school basically. But this year you became an 800m guy (which worked out alright). What went into the decision to focus on this event?

CM: “I still consider myself more of a miler/1500 guy than 800. I still consider [myself as] training for the mile [more so] than the 800. I really wanted to develop a good 800 and be comfortable at that distance. If I want to make championship teams, I will need to be able to run well in championship races which a lot of times become 600-800 meter races inside of the 1500. So being [able] to develop a strong open 800 gives me a lot of confidence when I decide to move up in the future.”

JF: “It’s similar to Robby Andrews development. He was an 800m guy but really always knew his future was in the 15. After his sophomore year, he went after the 15 at the 2012 Olympic Trials. I saw a letsrun interview where you said the plan was to move up next year. Is that still the plan?”

CM: “Yes, the plan as of right now is to move up. I’m not dead set currently, still a long way before I need to really decide, but the plan is to move up.”

JF: “So going from 1:50 to 1:45 (a lot of that jump coming in one meet), what’s the #1 reason you were able to make the jump? And when did you start thinking of yourself as one of the best in the nation? Both collegiate and professionally?”

CM: “The jump came over the course of a season. My first 800 indoor was an even split 1:50.0. I knew I had the ability to run fast. I just wanted to be patient [and] be in the right races. I wanted to learn how to race the 800 and try not to force anything. USAs is where I really felt the most comfortable racing. Not worrying as much about how to run, more focused on beating the competition and making it to the next round. The times just came with it.”

JF: “Talk about the USA final briefly. With 200m to go you looked spent and then just found another gear and almost made the team outright. What are your thoughts on that race?”

CM: “I went out okay. Not comfortable but wasn’t uncomfortable through 400. Once we hit the back stretch I felt tired. I initially thought I wasn’t going to be able to finish better than 8th. But I just found something in the last 150 and went. I am still kicking myself for not finding that extra gear 10 meters earlier.”

JF: “You already had a long season after NCAAs and USAs, so what made you decide to run the Pan Am games and the NACAC Championships? What was your experience like being a part of a USA team?

CM: “It’s hard to turn down the opportunities I was presented with this summer. I talked with my coach before deciding and we thought I had plenty left from the season and was able to continue into the summer.”

JF: “Talk about your race at Pan Ams. You ran that race very poised and tactically sound, but went right down to the wire. Would you say it was the culmination of all your experiences and training over the season?

CM: “Between USAs and Pan Ams it really like like my season came together. Both very different races and I was able to execute both times as I had planned. To bring a season to the end like that really gave me motivation going into next.”

JF: “How/when did you hear about the Nick Symmonds controversy and what were your initial thoughts, if any? I read somewhere that you had never left the country before Pan Ams, how would you feel about traveling to China?

CM: “I don’t really want to go to much into it other than I would be honored if the spot opened up for me to go to China but I think and hope Nick works things out with USATF so he can go as he earned and deserves the right to go.”

JF: “Last two part question: favorite race you have ever run and favorite runner?”

CM: “Favorite race I have ever run … I would say Pan Ams being my first international experience and to be able to come out on top. Representing the USA was a great feeling! As for favorite runners, I really look at guys like Andrew Wheating and Robby Andrews. Both had similar starts to [their] careers as me. Both also race and handle themselves very well and I have a lot of respect for those two guys.”

Clayton Murphy will be competing in the 800m final of the North America Central America Caribbean Championships this Sunday at 6:45 ET, looking to bring home another gold for the USA. He also may be competing for Team USA in Beijing this summer at the 2015 IAAF World Championships in the 800m.

We wish Clayton luck and thank him for taking time out of his busy schedule to talk to us!