Mosqueda Sets Blistering Pace Whenever She Finishes a Race

It’s not too difficult to predict what Sylvia Mosqueda’s race strategy will be.

Predicting the outcome of one of Mosqueda’s races, however, is a bit more difficult. It’s something like trying to guess the life expectancy of a battery in a car with its headlights left on.

Will she finish or burn out beforehand?

On those occasions when Mosqueda, 24, who will compete tonight in the 10,000-meter run at the Goodwill Games in Seattle, hasn’t self-destructed, the results have been impressive:

* While competing for Cal State Los Angeles at the 1988 NCAA track and field championships, Mosqueda led from start to finish in the 10,000 meters and set a collegiate record of 32 minutes 28.57 seconds.

* At the Philadelphia half-marathon in 1989, Mosqueda passed through the 10,000-meter mark of the 13.1-mile race in 32:20 and won by more than two minutes in 1:10.47--the second-fastest time recorded by an American.

But there have been occasions when the Alhambra resident has suffered the consequences of her blistering pace.

In the 1988 Olympic Trials marathon, the 5-foot-5, 103-pound Mosqueda led for nearly 18 miles, leading at one point by almost two minutes, then dropped out less than a half mile later.

In the 1987 L.A. Marathon, Mosqueda led for 23 miles before faltering and finishing more than two minutes behind winner Nancy Ditz.

The previous year, running as an unregistered entrant, Mosqueda, who said she was on a “training run,” led for 19 miles before dropping out.

At this year’s L.A. Marathon, she again raced to an early lead, passing through 10 miles at near-world-record pace. But Mosqueda, suffering from tonsillitis, was overtaken two miles later and eventually dropped out after 18 miles.

“She’s talented and unique,” said Mark Covert, the track and cross-country coach at Antelope Valley Junior College. Covert trained Mosqueda for three months prior to this year’s L.A. Marathon.

“But when she runs, no matter what you tell her, she’s going to do what she wants.”

Three weeks before the marathon, Mosqueda beat eventual winner Julie Isphording by more than two minutes in a 15-kilometer race at the Gasparilla Distance Classic in Florida .

“I thought that I was going to pull the pants off people in L.A. Instead they pulled them off me,” Mosqueda said. “I was ready. I was strong and doing long runs. I did a 22-mile run six days before the race, but I don’t know what happened. I felt horrible and tired by Mile One and there were still 25 more to go.”

Mosqueda, who placed third at The Athletics Congress national championships in 32:41.02 at Cerritos College in June to qualify for the Goodwill Games, is approaching the race with a conservative outlook.

“This is only my third race on the track this season,” said Mosqueda, who won the Invitational 10,000 at the Mt. San Antonio College Relays in April in her other appearance. “I haven’t been doing speed work. I’m just going to try my best and see what happens.”

But Mosqueda, the Southern Section 3-A cross-country champion as a San Gabriel High senior, has made it a priority to complete all future races.

“I’ve made it my goal. I don’t care how slow I run, but I’m going to finish,” said Mosqueda, who tuned up for tonight’s race with victories in the Fiesta 5,000 in San Clemente on Sunday and the Bastille Day 8-K in Newport Beach the previous weekend.

“I have a reputation for DNFs (did not finish), but I haven’t dropped out of a race since (the L.A. Marathon). I’ve got to gain respect.”

The past year has been a difficult one for Mosqueda.

In July of 1989, after returning from the European track circuit, Mosqueda and Greg Ryan, her coach at Cal State L.A. and East L.A. College, agreed that it would be in their best interests to go their separate ways. They had been together five years.

“This year I didn’t have a focus,” said Mosqueda, who has failed to improve upon her times. “I’ve been coaching myself and haven’t been doing the type of training that I should be. I’ve been able to maintain myself doing garbage workouts. It’s hard because nobody is there to make you do the intervals.”

Said Ryan: “That last year was real frustrating. There were too many interruptions. She was traveling to races about half the time and just doing workouts without any sequence. There was no continuity. She wasn’t making any progress and it became harder and harder to control her.”

While at East L.A. College, Mosqueda won the 1985 state junior college cross-country title in the fall and in the spring, set national junior college records in the 1,500 and 5,000 meters and won the 800, 1,500 and 5,000 at the state championship meet during track season.

Improvement continued for Mosqueda at Cal State L.A. She who won the 1987 NCAA Division II cross-country championship and qualified for the 1988 Olympic Trials in every event from 800 meters to the marathon.

“Somebody at Sylvia’s level of ability requires more attention,” Ryan said. “She needs to be the center of attraction and deserves to be. I really think she is a good a talent as we have in the U.S.

“In terms of going up to the Olympic level, you have to do different things. You need someone who will travel with you and be a full-time coach. We agreed that was what Sylvia needed to find.

“That was the original plan.”

One that Covert didn’t fit into.

Mosqueda began working out with Antelope Valley’s Covert in late November, but by February, citing commuting problems and differences in philosophy, decided to go her own way.

“I believe in more distance and strength training over speed and it was hard for her to adjust to that,” said Covert, the 1970 NCAA Division II cross-country champion while at Cal State Fullerton.

“I’m not going to flex my program. I had success with it. She didn’t really give it a chance. But whether it’s with Ryan or whoever, she needs a program she can have confidence in.”

Mosqueda believes she needs coaching to reach her potential and could be running faster with Ryan’s training.

Ryan said Mosqueda is welcome to work out with the cross-country team at Cal State L.A., but is hesitant to make any further commitments.

“I don’t mind timing her workouts once in a while,” Ryan said. “But I don’t think that would solve the problem. She needs more than that. In terms of a long-term approach, I don’t know if I have the time and energy to coach her any more.”

After returning from the Goodwill Games, Mosqueda, plans to discuss the possibility of setting up a coaching arrangement with Ryan.

“We left on good terms and I’m just going to have to go back and talk to him as an adult,” Mosqueda said. “If he says OK, that’ll be great. If he says no, I’m going to have to find somebody somewhere.

“But I don’t want to worry about it now, I want to concentrate on the Goodwill Games first.”