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Rock knows those precious fractions won’t come easily. They must be earned by hours and days and months of disciplined practice.
Beijing in 2008? As real to him now as Shangri-La.
What’s real is Mitchell Hall’s worn four-lane track on a chilly January afternoon. One weekday it’s 10 200-meter dashes; another it’s three 600s. Always there’s weightlifting, stretching, careful eating and fluids, fluids, fluids.
This is the so-called offseason for Andrew Rock, who sprinted from perennial UW-La Crosse All-American to 2004 Athens Summer Games gold medalist and is now entering his second full season as a professional track and field athlete.
Rock’s daily routine in La Crosse doesn’t carry the glamour of the World Championships or the Olympics — that much was clear one day recently when he shared the indoor track with a pair of middle-aged women walking laps — but it’s where he’ll find those tenths of a second.
“If I really thought about it, in a way it’s depressing,” said Rock, ranked seventh in the world in the 400. “To work thousands of hours for three-tenths of a second. But in track terms, it’s an eternity ... all the hard work pays off. In Finland, (winning a silver medal at the 2004 World Outdoor Championships) made it all worthwhile.”
Rock, who turns 24 on Monday, will open his 2006 season with a 600-meter race at Boston Indoor Games on Saturday. He also plans on competing in the Texas Relays, Drake Relays, adidas Track Classic, New York City Grand Prix and the USA Track & Field Championships this season, plus some races in a European circuit.
“There are so many meets between now and Beijing,” Rock said. “I have a lot I want to accomplish this year.”
To help him reach those goals, Rock decided to remain in La Crosse, instead of moving to a warmer place like Southern California or Texas, for his offseason training.
After all, there’s no place like home.
Rock, a Stratford, Wis., native, first lit up the track at Veterans Memorial Stadium as a high school senior in 2000. On one memorable WIAA state championship weekend, he won the Division 3 300 hurdles, 110 hurdles, 200 and triple jump.
Even then, Rock sensed that La Crosse held big things for him.
“I’ve been recruited by La Crosse and am leaning heavily toward going there,” Rock said after the 2000 state meet. “I’m still considering my options. ... Stevens Point and maybe Wisconsin, but right now I’m leaning toward La Crosse. I’m not going to decide until after the meet.
“I have to admit, I do like the track.”
As a freshman, Rock asked Eagles coach Mark Guthrie to switch from hurdles to the 400. Guthrie, an expert in turning solid prep athletes into Division III college stars, obliged, and Rock blossomed into a 17-time All-American.
Then came his sixth-place finish at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials in Sacramento, Calif., and, of course, Athens gold later that summer.
Rock’s success on the world stage earned a contract from adidas; he’s signed through 2011.
Rock capped 2005, his first professional season with silver (400) and gold (1,600 relay) at the World Outdoor Championships in Helsinki. His open 400 time of 44.35 seconds was a personal best and earned him a No. 3 world ranking.
Now, Rock has come full-circle back to La Crosse. Back to Mitchell Hall and Veterans Memorial Stadium. Back to the tutelage of Guthrie. Looking for the edge that will get him down to 44.20 and make him the fastest of the fast.
“I’ve improved every year I’ve been here,” Rock said. “It’s where I’ve been for the last five years. It’s where I’m happy at.
“It’s also good because training here makes you tough. If you can run in this climate, you can run in anything.”
Guthrie, who also is working with former University of Minnesota 400 runner and 2003 Pan-American Games gold medalist Mitch Potter, said he’s glad Rock is back home.
“I think comfort is the key word,” Guthrie said. “Obviously, the main thing now is he’s got to get faster. That starts with staying injury-free and maintaining his body weight. We have a plan for the year and we’ll focus on that and hope things keep going well.”
Guthrie said Rock is one of the most disciplined athletes he’s coached and rarely has trouble focusing on his daily task, whether it’s a tedious workout or a championship meet.
But Guthrie knows there’s also a part of Rock that likes to dream.
“I walked into my office one day and on my computer screen background was a drawing of the Beijing Olympic Stadium,” Guthrie said. “Guess who put that there?”
Joel Badzinski can be reached at (608) 791-8402 or joel.badzinski@lee.net
