Anthony Watson
by Amy Duquette
Sometimes passion cannot be put into words, but is best conveyed through one’s actions. As I
reviewed my notes from my interview with Anthony Watson, the sheer bulk of his accomplishments
as a runner awed me. The amount of first place awards, the Olympic trials, the professionally
sponsored elite racing invitations, the records set and amount of time and dedication spent
training and coaching others spoke volumes about his passion for the sport.
The fire of this passion was started at a very young age. Born in England, but raised in Jamaica,
Anthony began running at age eight. By age 12, he was running eight to ten miles in the early
morning, followed by sprints and weight training once at school. Sadly, this strong start came
to an abrupt and tragic halt when Anthony fell from the top of a coconut tree that he had climbed.
He suffered a broken leg, was in a coma for three months and then in bed for seven more while
wrapped in a full ‘mummy’ cast. He was out of school for two years and endured memory loss as a
result of his injuries.
Tragedies sometimes prompt people to incredible feats, and this was the case with Anthony. After
his cast was removed he could barely walk without falling. Anthony’s surgeon suggested to his
family that they find a safe yet effective exercise that would help him rebuild his muscles.
Anthony began Savate, a French martial art, to aid his recovery. It only took three months in
Savate school for Anthony to be promoted to yellow belt and then seven more to get his green belt.
Despite his rapid mastery, he never truly liked the sport and moved onto Tae Kwon Do. After five
years of training, Anthony became a black belt at championship level. The sport showed him the
importance of commitment, focus and mental preparation. Tae Kwon Do helped create the inner
"warrior" Anthony would later utilize as a runner.
Anthony’s martial arts training served as a very solid foundation to a well-built house. He
began building on that foundation when he ran his first competitive 10K race at age 17, crossing
the finish line in 34 minutes. Maturing as a runner, Anthony set his PR in the 1500m in 1980 with
a time of 3:52. He established his five-mile PR later, in 1995 while in Brooklyn at the Shore Road
Classic. He came in first overall with a time of 26:16. Anthony went on to set his PR in the one
mile with a time of 4:32 in 1998, placing first in his age group in the Metropolitan Men’s Mile.
Before becoming a New York runner, Anthony moved to Florida, bringing with him the heart of
"the warrior". He participated in the Northeast Track and Field Classic three-day competition
held in Miami in 1992. He finished the first event, the five mile, in 26:52. After taking notice
of his skill, his competition teamed up to work against him in the second event, the 800m. Four
men boxed him in, not letting him pass or change position. Luckily, Anthony is driven by competition.
As soon as the lead man weakened, offering a window of opportunity, he pulled into the lead to win
the race in 2:03. He went on to finish the 1500m in 4:02. He ran this three day event for the next
three consecutive years, setting records that to this day have not been broken.
In 2004, Saucony approached Anthony to represent them in the NYC Marathon. He agreed, fully
immersing himself in the training process that included running twice a day with an 18 mile
run every Sunday for five months. Knowing his motto is "if you train fast, you’ll race fast"
these must have been intense training runs. One week before the marathon, when he felt he was at
his athletic peak, he was hit with incredible hip flexor pain. He entered the race, hoping that
the pain would hold off. While amidst the elite pack of runners pushing the pace, the pain came
on within the first mile "before I was even off the bridge." At mile 10, he was faced with the
decision to either jog home or keep going. "But I am a warrior," he said. He gave credit to the
crowd on First Ave for pushing him to finish, which he did in 3:28. His time bested the rest of
the Saucony runners, but left him feeling disappointed.
After excelling as a runner, Anthony made the decision to use his talents to help others by becoming
a coach. His commitment and drive as a runner carried on to his new passion. "There are coaches who
coach from the side and there are running coaches. I am a running coach." He has never given a
program that he has not personally run himself. It may have been this mentality that sent three of
his Miami students on to compete in the Olympic games, one becoming a third pace world champion in
the 400m. This experience gave him a rush. "It’s was a proud feeling and a big boost for me," he says.
After relocating from Florida to New York, Anthony began running for the Central Park Track Club.
After some time he left though and remained unattached to a team until about five years ago when he
joined PPTC. The club not only gained an incredibly competitive runner, but an exceptional coach as
well. He began conducting weekly running classes in Prospect Park and he continues to run every workout
before he asks the team to do it. He runs right along side the team as they train and he shows up at
the races to give last minute tips and encouragement. He sends out personal emails to help individualize
the programs he suggests. He enjoys seeing the athletes adjust to his program and has watched many,
including myself, accomplish PR’s and place high in their age categories. The PPTC has benefited greatly
from his very genuine, efficient, compassionate, quiet yet firm coaching style.
Anthony has held many titles in his life, but since he was a child, he has always been a runner first
and foremost. He is currently thinking of returning to the track, where he started his running career,
and taking a break from the road races. He also plans to continue his position as the PPTC coach. He
still practices Tae Kwon Do and is currently a fourth degree black belt. Anthony is man of few words,
but of much action. He’ll tell you, if a competitor is next to him in the last stretch of any race,
he is so confident in his stamina and his foundation as a warrior that he knows will undoubtedly pull
ahead in the end. But he hopes the challenges continue, because he "loves and is driven by the
competition".