Lexington Sr. Dominique Clairmonte - Heart & Determination

2015 D2 1600 (photo Chris Greene)

Lexington Sr. Dominique Clairmonte is the most dominant girls distance runner in Ohio at this time.Her freshman year she gained experience. Her sophomore year she was out with an injury. Her Junior year she came back more determined and established herself as one of the best distance girls runners in Ohio. She was undefeated and unchallenged last year in Ohio in Cross Country. Indoors in 2015, she won the D2/3 OATCCC 1600 and 3200. She repeated the double outdoors, winning the OHSAA D2 1600 and 3200. She is and has been putting in the work to improve, has the heart to win and is more determined than ever to not only repeat her Junior year, but to establish herself this year as one of the all time great girl's distance runners in Ohio High School history.

PR's

1,600 Meter Run
- 2015 Outdoor4:53.08
- 2015 Indoor5:03.01
3,200 Meter Run
- 2015 Outdoor10:43.69
- 2015 Indoor11:01.74
5,000 Meter Run
- 2015 CC18:25.40
- 2014 CC17:29.90
800 Meter Run
- 2015 Outdoor2:16.05
One Mile Run
- 2015 Indoor5:06.57

MileSplit OH : Dom, first, congratulations! You have had an accomplished High School career so far, including fantastic 2014 Cross Country and 205 Track seasons. Since the start of the 2014 Cross Country season, you have won 12 out of the 14 races that you have run, including a D2 Girl's State Championship. You were undefeated in Ohio, with your two losses in 2014, being a 5th place finish at the Nike Cross Nationals Midwest Region with a time of 17:39.70 and a 35th place finish at the Nike Cross Nationals with a time of 18:26.00. You have started the 2015 Cross season with an easy, early run at the OHSAA Early Season Invitational. Your winning time of 18:25.40 was over one minute ahead of the 2nd place finisher.

OHSAA Early Season Invite Interview

On the track outdoors in 2014 and 2015, you ran the 1600 15 times with 13 wins. Your losses were a 5th in the OHSAA 2014 State D2 1600, in which you ran a 4:55.32 and a 2nd in the 2015 Lexington Invitational in which you ran a 5:06.52. You were the OATCCC Indoor D 2/3 Champion with a time of 5:03.01 and avenged your only 2015 1600m loss with a win at the 2015 OHSAA D2 race in a time of 4:53.08. You have run the 800 in 2014 and 2015 7 times with 6 wins. You have a PR of 2:16.05. You ran the 3200 in 2015 eight times. Your one loss was a 6th in the early indoor season. You were the OATCCC Indoor D2/3 State Champion with a time of 11:07.14 and the D2 OHSAA State Champion with a time of 10:50.09. As you look back at last year, did it live up to your expectations? Could you have asked more of yourself coming off of a 2013 in which you struggled with an injury?

2014 D2 State Champion at the finish line. (photo Shawn Conlon)

Dominique: I think I was very blessed to be able to come off of an injury and be significantly better than I could've ever imagined for myself. That success after my injury didn't just happen though, it took a lot of time and hard work to get back to where I was beforehand and then some. When you get an injury that prohibits you from doing something you love it can be absolutely terrifying because the first thing that comes to mind is that " it's over." But, what helped me get through it was my coach. She has been through all the same things I have and then some and she reassured me that everything would be alright. When I got my stress fracture, I realized that I was going to have to start doing something else to stay in shape for running and that was biking. All the cross-training I did is what I believe made me the runner that I am. My sophomore track season was the first time I saw a change in how fast I was running and going into my junior year I knew it was going to be different, but I honestly didn't expect to go undefeated in cross, qualify for nationals, and win 5 state titles in track and cross country in one year. I don't believe it was something I could've predicted for myself at that point because I really had no idea what I could do. So,it really was an honor to be able to accomplish so many things coming off an injury.

MileSplit OH : As a freshman in 2012, you ran Cross Country and finished the season with a 33rd place (19:22.44) run in the D2 race at state. It was your PR that year. What were your expectations your freshman year in XC? How would you describe your freshman year in XC?

2012 State D2 Race (photo Mark Stonecipher)

Dominique: As a freshman, you go into cross country with a mindset of wanting to be the best and that is what I have always wanted, but you really don't realize how much work goes into getting there. For me, my freshman year of cross country was all about getting used to that concept. Overall, I was really happy with my freshman year of cross country because I was on varsity and was able to compete with the best girls on the team. Seeing their determination showed me what I needed to strive for. The highlight of my freshman cross country season would be getting our school's freshman record because it was a confidence booster and showed me what hard work can do.

MileSplit OH : In 2013, on the track as a freshman, you ran the 1600 with a 6:11.10 PR, the 3200 with a 12:22.21 indoors and a 2:27.46 800. What were your expectations for the track season? How would you describe that freshman season? At that time, what were your thoughts about which event you thought you would be best at? Which event did you like the most?

Dominique: My freshman year, I absolutely hated track which is kind of funny because I really love it now. But, because of my negativity towards track I don't think I was able to do the best I could've. The idea of running 8 laps around a track really bored me! This phobia of doing so many laps around the track is probably why I would say that the 800 was my best event my freshman year in track because it is only two laps. Also, I really liked competing on the 4x800 meter relay with my team because it gave me a sense of accomplishment that I wasn't getting in my individual events. I think as a freshman, I wanted to see myself doing the 3200 because that's the longest distance we have for track and seeing the older girls race it and do so well definitely made me jealous that they were so much faster than me. My 2-mile time was terrible for me because I didn't really have the endurance at that time to be able to race it well and that is why I think my best was the 800 as a freshman. Also, I had some leg speed and the 800 doesn't take as much endurance as the 3200. I basically stuck to the shorter distance events my freshman year.

MileSplit OH : Prior to your freshman year, what did you run? When and why did you first start running?

Dominique: I began running when I was around 8 years old. My father was a runner when he was younger and did a lot of it with his training for the military, so he is the one that got me interested. For me, running started out as something that I did for fun. When my dad got home from work we would go out and run a couple of miles together and just enjoy the run for what it was. Eventually, I started running 5ks down in Columbus and my first 5k is what got me interested in the competitive side of running. I had won my age group and got twelfth overall men and women, so that was a huge confidence booster as an 8 year old. After a while, I took a break from running until my 7th grade year due to the reasoning that we didn't want to kill my body before it was developed. In Jr. High, I wasn't very good which might be surprising, but to be honest I was kind of chunky. I think my 2-mile PR was 13:15, if I remember correctly, so I was a pretty average runner in junior high. I think there is a misconception with middle school running because if you are great in junior high doesn't mean it will be the same in high school and I guess I could be an example of that because I didn't become a "good" runner until my sophomore track season. I mean high school running is a whole other level of training and those who hang on are going to be really good because it is about focus and determination.

MileSplit OH : What happened your sophomore year? What was the extent of your injury? How frustrating for you was being injured?

Dominique: My sophomore year I got a stress fracture in the third metatarsal of my right foot. My injury put me out for my entire sophomore cross country season, which was devastating for me. It was devastating because I had to watch everyone else compete and do the thing that I wanted to do the most, which was run. I love running and when the I lost it, it was literally like loosing a piece if me and it made me depressed. Eventually, I moved pass the depression of not being able to run and became super focused on my cross training because when I do something I give it everything. I would go to our local YMCA and bike every day for over an hour. I guess you could say at the time it gave me a purpose because I biked so much that I felt obliged to go every day and do it. To this day, I will still go and bike sometimes, but not as much, because I think I got kind of sick of it. I mean, I used to do it all the time and I guess I kind of associate stationary biking with my injury which isn't a good thing but it was all I did when I had my stress fracture.

MileSplit OH : Injuries are a part of running. I am not aware of any elite runners who have not had an injury in their careers. It's how one comes off of an injury that sometimes can determine their career moving forward.

Dominique: Yes, I think a lot of elite runners or athletes are more prone to injury because we make our sport our lives and everything we do revolves around it. For me, running is a huge part of my life, so I do all I can to become better and because of that I would ignore pain because pain typically prohibits training. With my stress fracture, I ignored the pain because I didn't want to lose time running and I think a lot of athletes can relate to the idea of not wanting to sit out, but at the end of the day I probably could've avoided my stress fracture if I talked about the pain I was having at the time with my coach. I don't really regret anything revolving around the idea of my stress fracture because I think it molded me into the runner that I am today. The stress fracture made me see how much I needed running in my life.

MileSplit OH : How did your summer training go? Did you take any time off after Track? What was a typical week for you training wise over the summer?

Dominique: I took about a week off of track and I mean coming off such a great track season drove me to go right into cross country training. My summer training went really well! It's always exciting moving to the next season because you know that big things are on the horizon. Over the summer, I did a lot of running with our boys varsity team. I have grown to really enjoy their company because they push me to run faster and doing runs with them is always a good time because they are hilarious! Most of my summer training is just building mileage from track and getting back into the swing of cross country. I mean track and cross country are completely different and it takes some time to transition between the two.

MileSplit OH : As we move into the Cross season what type of workouts are you doing? What is a typical week of practice for you Monday through Friday with a race on a Saturday?

2014 State D2 Race with 400m to go. (photo Chris Greene)

Dominique: Moving into the cross country season workouts start off pretty easy because we have a lot of new runners, but as time goes on they get more difficult. At the beginning of the season, we start off with a lot of hill workouts mixed with some tempo stuff, such as tempo 800s or something like that. A lot of people on the team think I love hill workouts and some of the alumni would joke that I am a "mountain goat" just because it is one of my better workouts, but in all honesty, I am just as afraid as the rest of them are. Typically, we have workouts two days a week and race on Saturdays. Mondays and Wednesdays are usually workout days in season and Tuesdays and Thursdays are recovery runs. Fridays, for the most part, are pre meet and we usually just go out and run three miles with some strides at the end to prepare for the meet the next day. Sundays, typically end up being long runs which help with lactic acid from the race on Saturday. Also, during a typical week, we lift and do core after our runs because running involves more than just legs. It's important to do core because it is your base and prevents slouching while running.

2015 OHSAA Early Season Invitational (photo Mark Stonecipher)

MileSplit OH : Last year and in the first meet of this early season you ran most of your races out front with little competition. How important is pace for you? What type of pace work are you doing? What are the typical times you are looking for at the Mile and two Mile?

Dominique: For me, pace is a huge part of running because when you lose the competition side you are literally racing against the clock. In track, I would race the mile and the 800 a lot so I think some of that leg speed translates in how I start some of my races. I usually end up going out too fast in the first mile of the 5k which is always frustrating, but overtime I think I will learn to control myself. I think people believe that running without competition would be a great thing but without competition you lose the ability to be pushed. I've struggled with this concept because I know I could run faster if I had people to race against like my other teammates, but at the same time the loss of competition has made me realize that I am at a different level and I've learned to push myself in other ways mostly relating to my time. My main focus right now is my times because it shows improvement as a runner.

2015 State D2 1600 finish. Clairmonte won in a time of 4:53.08 just nipping another Jr. Abby Nichols of Alter. Nichols ran 4:53.29 (photo Chris Greene)

MileSplit OH :. How would you describe yourself as a runner?

Dominique: I would say that I am a determined runner. I've put my entire heart into running and I put in the work to improve. If I hadn't been determined to stay in shape when I got my stress fracture, I wouldn't be the runner that I am. Determination is a huge part of running because you have to want to be the best that you can be. It shouldn't come easily. There are so many things that can make someone a better athlete and I would say that I try my best to encompass all those little things such as sleeping and making sure my iron isn't low because those little thing can have a huge effect on my running. My determination is reflected by my racing because I have to be determined to go out and race against myself and my times show all the little improvements that my coach and I have made over time. It's a gradual process to get better but I think my determination is a huge stepping stone in that process.

MileSplit OH :. What motivates you?

Dominique: My motivation is the idea of getting better. I want to be the best I can and that idea is the motivation that drives my running. It really shouldn't take anything else to motivate someone. I love running and my love for running motivates me to want to be the best. It's honestly that simple.

MileSplit OH :. Your Lexington team is ranked #1 in the PreSeason polls. You return all seven girls from last year's team that placed 2nd to Granville by one point (86-87). As a senior, the #1 runner and leader of the team, how would you describe your role?

2014 Tiffin Carnival. The Lexington girls were 3rd. (photo Mark Stonecipher)

Dominique: I first want to say that it's really exciting to be ranked #1 as a team and as an individual because the team is what keeps me motivated to do better and I can't say that I would be as good as I am without their support. I don't see myself as any better than the rest of the girls on my team because we all have the same goal and everyone plays a crucial role to the team's success. We are known as Lexington Cross Country and if we had a bunch of individual runners we couldn't call ourselves that because when we put on our jerseys we are a team. Trust me, Individual glory is great but having success as a team makes the individual glory even better!

MileSplit OH :. What are your goals for this Cross Country Season? What are your expectations?

Dominique: My expectations involve going undefeated for a second time because I did it last year and feel that I should be able to do it again, considering I'm determined to do so. I also expect to win State with my team and win individually because we are ranked #1 as a team and I am ranked #1 as an individual. If the State expects us to win, then I think we should be able to. My goals are kind of difficult because I don't know really what I can do this season and I won't know until the end. My coach and I have been talking a lot about where my times could be and things are looking really well so as long as I stay healthy, good things should happen! I guess you could say my ultimate goal is to repeat last year and then some, which means faster times and better national rankings. It is my senior year and I want to make sure I leave everything on the course!

MileSplit OH :. Do you prefer Cross Country or running on the Track?

Dominique: I really like both a lot! My favorite used to be cross country but as the years have gone by I have grown to love track for different reasons. I love cross country because of the endurance and getting to strategize pace since it is a longer race, but I love track because of the competition I get in the 1600 and the fact that I am able to use my leg speed with the quicker races such as the mile, 800, 4x800 relay, and our 4x400 relay. I think both cross country and track monopolize my different strengths which is always neat to see!

MileSplit OH :. What are your goals and expectations for the Track Season? Will you concentrate more on one event or continue to double in the 1600 and 3200? Which do you believe is your better event?

2015 D2 State 3200 Finish. (photo Chris Greene)

Dominique: My goal for track is the same as my goal for cross country and that is simply to do the best that I am able to do. I know that sounds kind of cliché, but I want to feel like I accomplished all that I could! I think I still plan to double in the 1600 and the 3200 for State because I want to try to repeat my State titles. Although, I think it would be cool to see what I could run in the 3200 at State, considering I usually have to race it after the mile, but if it was my only event, I'm sure my time would be a lot faster. I like doubling because it's good for team points and it's nice to double when it's cold outside because the 1600 usually warms me up before the 3200.

MileSplit OH :. One final question with two parts in regards to the 1600. First, you were 5th in the 2014 D2 1600 with a PR at that time of 4:55.32. That race was one of the fastest and most competitive 1600's in State history for any division. Was that race disappointing for you? What were your thoughts after that race? Was it motivation for your 2015 D2 1600 State win in a time of 4:53.08?

2014 State D2 1600 finish. Clairmonte was 5th in 4:55.32. The winner was Jr. Sammy Bockoven of CVCa in a time of 4:49.53. Jr. Taylor Vernot of Wauseon (7) was 2nd (4:53.34), Jr. Sarah Kanney (14) of Coldwater 3rd (4:53.66) and So. Andra Lehotay of Sandy Valley 4th (4:55.14). (photo Mark Stonecipher)

Dominique: Honestly, that race wasn't disappointing at all for me because I loved the competitiveness of it. That race was so exhilarating! My sophomore year was my first year racing an individual event at state and coming off a stress fracture made running a sub 5 minute mile even better. My goal for that race was to go sub 5 and place in the top 3. I reached my goal of running sub 5 and even though I didn't place in the top 3 for the 1600, I placed in the top 5 which I think was pretty good for someone who never had any experience as an individual at the State meet before. That race made me want to come back the next year and win it because I knew that I was going to get faster with the knowledge and coaching from my coach. Luckily, I ended up coming back the following year and winning, but I think that first 1600 at state gave me the experience I needed to win it this year.

MileSplit OH : Dom, thank you so much for your time. We are looking forward to watching you run this Fall, Indoors and Outdoors and as you say, it is going to be interesting to see what you can really do and we all won't know until the end.

Dominque Clairmonte Profile