It’s the eve of the NYRR Fifth Avenue Mile, and I’m running late for my scheduled lunch with one of the events top projected finishers, Violah Lagat. ‘Better me running slow then my companion’, I think as I barrel into the meet headquarters hotel, arriving completely out of breath. My guest is waiting patiently and is all smiles. It’s almost 3:00pm and you could hardly consider this lunch, but I’m excited to hear what this future star of track & field has to tell me about her second year as a professional runner.

Violah Lagat is the sibling of American distance phenom Bernard Lagat. That’s old news. Violah is a competitor who possesses true grit; an athlete who is leading the charge to be among the next wave of great middle-distance runners. Although she’s raced few times this past year, she’s looking to make a statement tomorrow in her last competition of the season, the 34th running of the NYRR Fifth Avenue Mile. The feature event is the Professional Athlete section scheduled to go off at 1:00pm. Featuring a vast array of top talent, Violah will be up against American Jenny Simpson, British middle-distance star Hannah England to mention a few from a loaded field. At times shy, Violah spoke candidly to me in a busy Midtown restaurant as she opened up about her training highs and lows, her famous brother, and her post-season celebration plans.

AY: Summarize your transitional experience from college to pro, and how it feels to have another year under your belt as professional athlete:

Violah: Transitioning into pro was really well because I have a great coach (Julie Benson) that knows what I need and had communicated well with my college coach (Karen Harvey). First year running professionally for me was easy, and it felt that everything was in place. This second season has had its share of ups and downs. I expected more from myself performance wise. I know what I need to change going forward, and what I need to tackle for next year.

AY: What’s your plan going forward for this fall and winter?

Violah: I’m going to take a month off after this race and head to Kenya. With winter coming soon in Colorado, I plan on heading back home to complete a solid season of base training. There is a group of Kenyan girls that are really good athletes that I’m excited to train with. Some of my goals are to do core everyday, and closer to the end of my base training start incorporating more weights.

AY: What are your professional goals for next year?

Violah: Making the Kenyan team for the World Championships. Right now there is about four or five women running as low as 4:05 (in the 1500m). It will be competitive, but I have to be secure in my training to compete and succeed at the Kenyan Trials.

AY: Let’s talk race strategy for tomorrow:

Violah: I’m looking forward to running the fastest time and beating some really fast women and running that PB. It’s a downhill race where you can see the finish line. Last year I kicked too early, so this year my strategy is to stay out of trouble and to race smart.

AY: Are you sick of people asking about your big brother Kip yet?

Violah: *Giggles* I don’t mind them asking me; I just don’t like the pressure that comes along with it. My brother has done really well, and is continuing to do really well. I am not my brother, I am me. Kip loves to talk, I’m pretty shy. He is a great brother, and I confide in him with my running. Since he started out in middle distance, I look to my brother to get racing advice. For example - If I’m going into a race field of over 12 girls I’ll call him up and ask him‘How do you get out of trouble’ ‘What do you do if you get blocked in ’ etc. When I’m racing and happen to be in those different scenarios, I think back to the words that Kip told me and I don’t panic.

AY: What is the first thing you are going to do to celebrate the season being over?

Violah: Tomorrow I’m going to eat chocolate, find a good burger spot (unfortunately they don’t have my favorite In-N-Out Burgers in NYC), and enjoy a nice glass of wine.