Posted: January 31, 2006

Athletics: Me'Lisa Barber USATF press lunch transcript

Me'Lisa Barber, the 2005 USA outdoor women's 100-meter champion, on Monday spoke to the Track Writers of New York weekly lunch. A native of Montclair, N.J., Barber will compete Friday in the Visa women's 60 meters at the 99th Millrose Games. Barber enters Millrose atop the Visa Championship Series standings, her winning time of 7.09 seconds at the Reebok Boston Indoor Games on January 28 earning her 1,203 points on the IAAF Scoring Tables of Athletes. (For more information on the Visa Championship Series, visit www.visachampionshipseries.com.

Below are excerpts from Monday's conversation.

Q: Tell us about how you're doing.

A: Currently I'm training in Raleigh, North Carolina, with [coach] Trevor Graham. I've been there for a year, and my life has changed within the year. In the winter, I was training in Jamaica, so we got some good warm-weather training. I was pleased with the event [at Boston] - that was my goal, to run 7.09. I love the Millrose Games, I've been watching Millrose since high school. I've always wanted to come run here. I was here two years ago, and I was the last lane. I ddin't do too well, I hurt my hamstring. But this year, I plan to win. It's a great field.

Q: How has your life changed in the past year?

A: Last year, after college, it was kind of shaky. I did well in the 4x4 - I ran it in Paris [2003 World Outdoor Championships] and won a gold medal. I've always been a sprinter but people know me as a 400-meter runner. I wasn't doing that well. I wasn't happy in the 400. I think my passion was the sprints. Last year I call my make-it-or-break-it year. I was getting older. I thought if I don't do well this year, I'll have to use my degree and get a job.

Me and my sister [twin sister Me'Lisa] moved to Raleigh. My sister had gotten surgery on her ankle. To see her go through that - one minute she can't move. It made me realize you have to take advantage of every minute. I became the U.S. champion in the 100 meters. My life pretty much changed from there. I was suffering from tendonitis in both knees, so it was hard for me to train after the U.S. championships. I was fifth at the world championships.

Q: Your start in Boston seemed almost perfect.

A: The 60 is a short race, so it's better to get out while you can. I focus on my start, and that's what got me through.

Q: After being away from the sprints, doing the 400, can you describe how much farther along you are compared to this point last year?

A: I'm a lot further along this year. I'm stronger. I'm mentally stronger as well. That's one of the main things that's changed. I'm older, I'm wiser, I've learned a lot from my mistakes. I have more confidence in myself. Before, since I didn't really know what I wanted to do, I wasn't real confident in my race. I ran the 400 my senior year [at the University of South Carolina] so I wouldn't get hurt in the sprints. I was still training for the 100, but my coach put me in the 400. I was just kind of average before then, in everything.

Q: Lauryn Williams recently said she preferred the 60 to the 100. What do you think?

A: I like the 60 as well. It's short, it's very short, so you have to be very technically sound and have a good start. I like the 60, the 100, the 200 and also the 400.

Q: Is your training different now, under Graham, than when you were in college?

A: Yes, it's very different. Trevor specializes in a lot of technical work. He wants everything o be perfect, from your hands to your fingers to your toes. We lift five days a week and train six days per week.

Q: Who is in your training group? Do you train with Justin Gatlin and Shawn Crawford?

A: This year, he [Graham] split up the men and women. I train with Moushaumi Robinson, Chandra Sturrup, Erica Whipple and Demetria Washington. The group is bigger, so I can see why he split it up this year.

Q: If you were average in college, why keep running?

A: I knew there was something more. I knew I wasn't giving it 100 percent, or even 90 percent. If it didn't work last year, I knew that would be it. I just felt that there was more of me.

Q: Was there any point during the season last year when you said, 'so far it's not working'?

A: Not really. Every day I saw progress and got stronger.

Q: How tough has it been with Miki hurt, on the sidelines?

A: It's been pretty tough, because out of the two, Miki is the one who people thought would be where I am now. She was focused early on. It took me a while.

Q: Do you live with her?

A: I share a townhouse with her in Raleigh.

Q: Who do you view as your main competition?

A: I look at everyone as a key figure, because you never know. Just like last year, nobody though I would be a key figure. Every week is a new week.

Q: What are your goals in 2006, when there is not a World Outdoor Championships or Olympic Games?

A: It's still a big season. My goal is to hopefully break 11 seconds in the 100, win the 100 at the U.S. championships, and move my ranking up, stay fit and stay healthy.

Q: What about indoors?

A: World Championships Indoors is my gold, and I'm off to a great start. Hopefully, each race, I can drop my time and hopefully go for the world record (6.92). 7.09 in my first race, I saw the mistakes I made and hopefully I can come close to that [world record].

Q: What mistakes did you make?

A: My right arm was swinging out, and at the end of the race, my technique wasn't that good towards the end.

Q: In Boston, did you feel Lauryn Williams closing on you?

A: In the 60, it feels like everyone's coming, especially Lauryn, because she was right next to me.

Q: You enter Millrose leading the Visa Championship Series. How do you feel about the chance to win the overall title?

A: That would be great. I think the Visa Championship Series is wonderful. It gives us a chance to win more money, and spectators a chance to who they think might want to win. Hopefully I can win that.

Q: What would you like to do after your track career?

A: Since I was young, I've always wanted to open up my own hair salon and spa. It's going to be called Misa B's - a combination of my sister's name and my name.

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