Justin Chaston is a three-time Olympian and three-time British National Champion. The 36-year-old Brit moved to Colorado Springs two years ago after living in Houston, Texas for 12 years. His wife Stacey is also an accomplished runner. The couple has two children, Thomas, who is five, and Emily, who is three. Chaston works as a real estate agent.

What was it like running in Athens and what did it take to get there?
For Athens I was much more focused on the running than at my previous two Olympics where I was more involved in the Olympic atmosphere. I felt I was much fitter due to my training in Colorado and really expected to make the final. My preparation was really very simple. I built up a solid base in the fall, started training on the track in February and began racing in April. In all, I ran a total of five track races in 2004 (having not run any in 2003 or 2002): 1) Mt Sac relays, 2) The Cardinal Invitational at Stanford, 3) a league match in the U.K. a week before the trials, 4) The Olympic Trials, and 5) The Olympics. All were steeplechases!

One week before the Olympics, I ran a 2000 meter steeple time trial in 5:26 which hinted that I would run really quick in Athens. Unfortunately, my heat was the slowest of the three and I came in 5th, but not qualifying as a fastest loser. I ran 8:28 in Athens and it felt really hard. Earlier in the summer I had run 8:30 on my own under very windy conditions in the U.K. and felt great.

It's strange how no matter how well your preparation goes, sometimes it all comes down to how you feel on the day - and in Athens it wasn't my day. However, to give myself a little consolation, the slowest person who finished in front of me in Athens had a PR of 8:13 (and was probably 10 years younger than me!!!)

How is your training now?
I have not raced since Athens and intended to pick up my training in November. That slipped to December, and then on to January. I finally feel I am getting back into solid training.

Where do you like to train locally?
For track workouts, I run at Cheyenne Mountain High School. For long runs, I do the Garden of the Gods loop from Monument Valley each Sunday from Colorado College.

I use a loop from my house on Gold Camp Road, up High Drive and back down North Cheyenne Canyon for mid-week strength runs. This includes a really hard 20 minute hill that I believe builds great strength. I have also completed many runs with Matt Carpenter's Incline Club and that has opened my eyes to the beauty of where we live, as well as how high those mountains really are!

What is your favorite workout?
My favorite workout is long reps over hurdles (not the most fun, but the most effective for my event). Three to four times a week I run 20 minutes on the treadmill at six in the morning and I try to take only one day off every two weeks.

What roadblocks and injuries have you had to overcome during your career?
I've had very few injuries. I was out for about two months in 1992 with IT band syndrome and strained my hamstring last year six weeks before the Olympic Trials (this only kept me out for about 10 days though), but that's about it. The biggest obstacles I've had to overcome have tended to be career and family oriented.

When I was in Houston I worked for a number of corporations that ended up going bust (Arthur Andersen, a dot- com, Enron, Dynegy, Waste Management - the last two didn't go bust, but my project was cancelled) so I found myself scrambling for work rather than focusing on my running. This led to us moving from Houston to Colorado Springs where I am now a Realtor.

We also have two kids that require way more attention than any amount of training can command. I joke that making an Olympic team is way easier than raising two kids, but in all seriousness it is. You can take a day off running if you like! It also helps that my wife is a serious runner too; someone who understands how peculiar we are as runners and how important it is to get your run in every day. For this reason we are able to juggle our kids, work schedules and runs so that it pretty much all gets done.

Why do you run?
I run to stay healthy and to feel good! I am not sure why I race, but assume it's because the euphoria after the race is greater than apathy before! To me, running and racing are totally different sports.

Any advice to pass on to other local runners?
Consistency and hard work get you there in the end. I think it was Vidal Sassoon (yes, the hairdresser) who said "the only time success comes before work is in the dictionary" and I have to concur.

Anything I've forgotten to mention that you want to add?
Anyone looking to buy or sell a house?

Chaston's Personal Bests
3K steeplechase - 8:23
1500 meters - 3:46
3K - 7:59
5K - 13:51
Half marathon - 63:06

Train Like Chaston
Sunday: Long run (90 minutes to 2 hours easy)
Monday: 1 hour easy preceded by 15 minutes in the gym
Tuesday: Track (long reps with short recovery)
Wednesday: Same as Monday
Thursday: Track (shorter reps with longer recovery)
Friday: 45 to 60 minutes steady
Saturday: Hills (either 20 by 35 second reps or 6 by 4 minute reps)