In these Q&A features, I strive to have genuine conversations as Track and Field hold some of the most accessible and open athletes in all sports. The people that make up this inclusive community have incredible stories and motivations for why they are competing.
In this interview, I had the privilege of talking with Hillary Bor. Originally from Kenya, Bor is a three-time National Champion in the men’s 3,000m steeplechase. The 32-year-old competed at Iowa State University and professionally represents the U.S. Army Club.
Highlights from the interview are below and in sections.
Bor’s Quotes are Bolded
Record-Setting USATF Performance
With a 28-second record-breaking performance on October 1st at the USATF 10-Mile Championship, this record was something that Bor did not envision for his 2022 season.
“I didn’t really expect that (outcome) because, after the World Championship, I was getting ready for the Diamond League,” he said as he was supposed to compete at Lausanne.
Unfortunately, he could not compete in any Wanda Diamond League events as a sickness canceled the rest of his track season in the middle of August. This illness led to him competing on the road after it cleared his schedule to help his friend, Shadrack Kipchirchir, train for his marathon debut at the New York City Marathon.
“I think it was the middle of August and I got sick,” said Bor. “And then from there, I was like so after one week off from the from the sickness I started showing up for practice with Shadrack Kipchirchir, who was training for New York.”
With a USATF 10-Mile title and record under his belt, Bor says that he will turn his attention to the USATF 5k on November 5th during the New York City Marathon Weekend.
“I have nothing going on,” he said. “So I’m going to get ready for the USATF 5k and we’ll see how it goes after that.”
Future Plans in Track and Road Racing
With recent success on the road racing circuit, Bor is still known for his work in the 3,000m steeplechase as he has made both World (17,19,22) and Olympic Teams (16,20) over the course of his career.
The success that Bor has had in the event has given him confidence whenever he competes on the track as he knows that he belongs with the best.
“I think it makes competing easier because especially when you run with the World or Olympic Team, you know you’re running with the best of the best,” he said about his confidence from past experiences.
From Bor’s perspective, he sees a path to medaling in the future Olympics.
“I think now Olympics step which is just, it’s really to say it’s really wide open you only have the top guys,” he said referring to Morocco’s Soufiane El Bakkali and Ethiopia’s Lamecha Girma. “And then after that we are all equal in time, fitness and racing-wise.
The veteran runner still has set up goals for himself for the next couple of months as he is recovered from his illness.
“(The) main plan right now is just do a little bit of road tracing this fall, focus on making the World team in cross country,” He said. “We realize like steeplechase is a stronger-paced event. So we plan to build as much strength as we can right now. That’s why I did the (USATF) 10-Miler.”
Despite winning U.S. titles in the steeplechase over the past couple of years, Bor sees an end to his track career.
“Right now, I’m looking at myself running two more track seasons,” he said about his future. “So my call is if I make the World Team next year and hopefully Paris in 2024, I will for sure be done with track.”
“I plan on moving to the roads after that because I feel like all my training has been geared towards running longer distance.”
With plans to switch over to the roads, he believes that training for steeplechase is no different than road running.
“For steeplechase, training wise is no different, because in steeple you need to train like its a 10k,” said Bor. “So if you’re training like a 10k you should be good for cross country and you should be good for road racing.”
“The good thing that will help me is that I don’t have to change anything in terms of training. Because the way I train for track is almost the same way I trained for cross country.”
Bor also used to incorporate weight training for the first part of his career but swapped it out with hill training.
“I used to do a lot of weight training,” he said. “Since then I supplement that with hill training…because once you go to the hills, you really don’t need to go to the gym.”
Influence of US Army
One thing that has stood out about Bor throughout his career is his connection to the U.S. Military and the role it has had in his life both personally and professionally.
Bor and his brothers, Emmanuel and Julius, received US Citizenship after enlisting in the Army. Hillary got out of the military last year where he served as a sergeant in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Even with the daunting task of being a sergeant and a pro runner, Bor was able to balance all of responsibilities as he worked his way up the ranks in the military and as an athlete.
“I only did 10 years and for me actually was not like it wasn’t that hard. Because without the US military. I don’t think my career could be where it is right now,” said Bor crediting the opportunity that the US Army gave him. “Because when I joined the Army in 2013, It wasn’t really like I was running that much.”
“I was just not running for competition, I was running just for fun. And then one day I joined the military, I didn’t join to the world-class athlete program directly.”
“So when I joined (the military), I joined through a program called M.A.V.N.I. (Military Accessions Vital to the National Interest),” said Bor. “I was lucky enough to be stationed here in Colorado Springs.”
“So from being stationed here in 2013 to 2016, I was doing my regular job like I could do my running at six, done by eight and then go to work from nine to five,” he said about his schedule. “When I made a team in 2016, I was not in the world-class athlete program. I was in a regional unit working full time, but training part-time.”
