Erison Hurtault’s day is built around running fast. The Matawan High School grad is now a professional runner and all he is focused on is the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Ore. (June 27-July 6) with the goal of reaching the Beijing Olympics in China.
The 2007 Columbia University graduate has no classes or term papers to worry about now. It’s all track and field.
“I’m making it happen,” said Hurtault. “I’m glad I’m giving myself an opportunity.
“This is the Olympic year, I want to give track my all,” he remarked.
A typical day will find the former Matawan great in the weight room by 10 a.m.After a light lunch, it’s on to the track for his running workout.
Hurtault is a year removed from Columbia University where he enjoyed a brilliant, record-breaking career. He is the only Ivy League track and field athlete to win the same event four consecutive years. He did at the 400 meters in both indoors and outdoors.
It was at last year’s NCAA indoor and outdoor championships that Hurtault’s career began to take off. He was sixth indoors earning All-America for the first time. He was even better outdoors, joining the elite ranks with a third place in a personal best 45.40. That gave him his second All-American certificate and a national ranking. It led to his decision to turn pro.
At theUSAOutdoorNationals,Hurtault hooked up with Ken Harnden, the men’s sprint coach at Florida State University. Harnden became his coach and Hurtault moved to Tallahassee, Fla., to train under the Seminole coach.Harndenwas able to get Hurtault into some races in Europe last summer, giving himfirst-hand experience on the famed track circuit.
“It was interesting, I learned a lot,” he said of his European experience. “Being on the pro circuit, I got to see what its like. It was fun, but, it’s not a vacation. You’re completely on your own. It’s hard to adjust.”
Hurtault recalled being in a little town in Italy that, unknown to him, shut down at 5 p.m. He went grocery shopping at 7. Lesson learned.
“The training is not completely different,” Hurtault said. “He (Harnden) wants me to be more aggressive, really attack.
“I have to run hard more often and not depend on coming back (in a race),” he added.
One of the advantages of training at FSU is that he his training partners such as NCAA champion Ricardo Chambers to work out with. It makes a difference when you train with runners who can push you.
“It’s a good chance to get out there and run against the other top runners,” he said.
The hardest part of the training for the Olympic year, the build up, is now behind the Columbia All-American.
“Fall training is long and hard,” he said. “You run the stadium (steps) and hills. Everyone was hurting.
“Now, it’s more quality over quantity,” he added.
The move to FSU has worked for Hurtault. He began his season on April 12 at the Seminole Relays, running a 45.73. He was nowhere near that mark at this time last year. He has races scheduled in Brazil, Jamaica and the Netherlands before returning to the States for the Trials.
With the U.S. being the 400-meter Capital of theWorld, led by current world champion and 2004 Olympic champion Jeremy Wariner, Hurtault knows he has a tall task in front of him. Realistically, if he gets to the finals at Eugene, he’d be in line tomake the 4×400-meter relay team for Beijing.
With his parents being from the Dominican Republic, Hurtault can always opt to go to the Olympics as a member of the Dominican team. It’s a nice fallback position to have. But his goal is to make the Olympics at the U.S. Trials.