Johnson and Trotter: racing toward a common goal

Serghino René

Work hard, run hard, think hard, win. Professional young bloods Jonathan Johnson and De’Hashia “Dee Dee” Trotter are ready to do just that on Saturday at the 11th annual Reebok Boston Indoor Games, which will be held at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center.

Johnson, a mid-distance runner, and Trotter, a sprinter, are up and coming athletes who have experienced continuous success throughout their young running careers.

Trotter wears her motivation to win over her shoulders. You may have seen it before. Her t-shirt reads “motivation” up front and on the back says, “They say I can’t get any faster.”

There is no room for doubt in the competitive world of track & field and having that mental discipline is necessary to survive.

“There comes a point where I have to show that I am the best and I’ll prove that to you,” says Trotter. “I’m motivated by the people who don’t believe in me because I know I will get faster and I’ll do what ever it takes to reach my goal.”

For rookie Johnson, winning comes from being able to step up, being on top of your game and being willing to confront a challenge at anytime.

“This is the big time,” says Johnson. “Unlike the collegiate level, running the 800 meters in 1:47 isn’t enough to get by when you have a number of competitors that are just as fast, if not faster, running low 1:40’s. You need to have the right mind set in such a competitive environment. There is no room for fear.  You just need to do it.”

It is both coincidental and ironic that these track greats have flourished in a sport that began as a mere second thought for them. Neither Trotter nor Johnson initially felt track was more than just something else to do. Trotter did some running as a student at Cedar Grove High School in Georgia, but she focused her attention on basketball and cheerleading. Despite that, Trotter clarified saying, “I’ve always known I was fast. God gave me a gift and I thought I would use it.”

Trotter, an eight time All-American, recently graduated as a Criminal Justice major and competed for the University of Tennessee. She began her college running career as a 100-200 meter runner and didn’t fully commit herself to the 400 meters until her 2003 outdoor season. She participated in the 2003 Pan American Games, 2003 & 2005 World Championships, and was a gold medallist in the 2004 Olympic Games as a member of the U.S. 4x400 meter relay team. After the Olympics she gave up her final year of NCAA eligibility and became a professional, signing a promotion deal with Adidas. Her success continued in 2005 as she became the U.S. Indoor Champion for the 400 meters.

In comparison, Johnson’s debut in competitive sports began as a running back for the Abilene High School football team. To keep in shape between football seasons, Johnson decided to take up track. Johnson quickly realized that he had the ability to take track to another level.

“Senior year of high school I knew I could make the Olympic team,” says Johnson. “When I got involved with the professional aspect, I knew there was a spot for me in the future. High school helped me understand what I could have if I continued to run. I love track & field – its competitive edge, the traveling, and seeing the effects of my hard work. I wouldn’t give it up for the world.”

Although he was a 400 meter runner throughout high school, he learned to master the 800 meters at Texas Tech. The allure of a lucrative professional track & field career inspired Johnson to train in hope of earning a spot on the U.S. Olympic team. His goals weren’t unachievable considering that Johnson was a semifinalist in the 800 meters at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens as Texas Tech’s first male Olympian. He ended his collegiate career with nine All-American honors, four consecutive Big 12 titles and 16 All-Conference honors.

“I’ve always started from the bottom and worked my way up. That’s how it was in high school, college, and I anticipate that now in my professional career,” says Johnson.

In recent years, track & field has taken a back seat and fallen in between the cracks of mainstream sports such as baseball, basketball, and football. Running is different when compared to other sports considering that the only person playing is the individual. Johnson thought the only time runners ever competed was during the Olympic Games.

“I think it has to do with lack of knowledge,” says Johnson. “I never knew that continued beyond the Olympics until I started running and getting into it.”

Trotter agreed that track & field gets lost among other mainstream sports.

“Track & field definitely gets lost in the crowd,” says Trotter. “It is possibly the most, physically demanding sport in the world. Back in the 70’s and 80’s we had huge track & field stars such as Flo Joe and Jackie Joyner-Kersee who received constant media attention not only to themselves, but to the sport. Today the attention has shifted to top players in other sports, like Lebron James and Kobe Bryant, hence the shift away from track & field.”

However, both athletes agree that track is steadily on the rise again as new runners such as Justin Gatlin and Maurice Green continue to dominate the scene and garner increased media attention.

As Saturday slowly approaches, these young runners already have their game faces on. Both Trotter and Johnson are looking forward to running in Boston and plan on running well in their designated events.

“I’m looking to run well even though I’m in the middle of training for the outdoor season,” says Trotter. “I’m going to give my 100 percent and let the chips fall where they may.”

For Johnson, this is his first meet indoors and he views Saturday as an opportunity to prove his strength to the world.

“I want my rookie season to be consistent and I want live up to what people expect of me,” says Johnson. “The United States isn’t known for having the greatest mid distance runners, but I want to help change that with my performances.”

Johnson will be running the 600 meters while Trotter is gearing up for the 200 meters.

“There’s nothing better than coming to a full house,” says Trotter. “When I came to Boston last year I was really impressed with the crowd’s level of excitement. It was intense. This year, if I hear the crowd cheering ‘Dee Dee, Dee, Dee Dee!!!’ that would make me happy and I’d be good to go. It’s almost better than receiving a gold medal.”

The 11th annual Reebok Boston Indoor Games will be held on Saturday at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.  It will be broadcast on Sunday, Jan. 29 on ESPN2 from 3 p.m. - 5 p.m. Tickets and information are available on-line at www.BostonIndoorGames.com or by calling 1-866-GO-BIG06.