Courtesy of ASICS

American running is getting some serious attention right now, thanks in no small part to Ryan Hall. Tall, blonde and with a surfer-guy inflection that belies his articulate, thoughtful and heartfelt reflections on life and running, Hall has attracted tons of media attention since he seared the competition with a sizzling 2:09:02 winning time at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. (He was the fastest qualifier in American history.) The New Yorker and Runner’s World both ran a lengthy profiles on him before the Beijing Games.

That constant buzz surrounding Hall will reach a deafening roar this week when he races for a win at the Boston Marathon on Monday 20. I met Hall at a press event before the NYC Marathon and I get the hype: He has an enchantingly down-to-Earth yet inspiring way of talking about his passion for running. It seems Boston-bound runners–including 236 of us from Chicago–are clicking around the web for anything and everything the speedy Californian has to say. And what the people want, the people get: We checked in with Hall to hear his thoughts on taper (the chill-out week where runners rest their legs in anticipation of the hard work–26.2 miles worth–ahead of them), Chicago and his first crack at running the legendary Beantown course.

Time Out Chicago: How are you feeling during the taper? Is this a challenging time, a fun time or what?
Ryan Hall: Tapering can be both challenging and fun. It is tough to not run as much because I love to train hard, but it is fun to feel all the extra energy. I often think to myself when I am tapering, “So this is what it feels like to be a normal person.” During marathon training I am so tired and drained.

Do you do anything special before a race to get psyched up? Listen to a particular song for instance?
It is different every time; before London and the Olympics I watched Passion of the Christ the night before the race. The way I am feeling right now I am thinking I am going to need something to get me not so psyched since I already feel so pumped for it. I always like to listen to worship music the morning of the race because it gets me in the right mind and heart.

What’s your go-to, night-before-the-race meal?
Pasta, olive oil and Cytomax Muscle Milk Protein Shake.

Any favorite restaurants and runs in Chicago?
I have been to Chicago a couple of times this past year. I was there for the Chicago Marathon this past fall. It is a beautiful city and the food is great. I love the pizza there. I can’t remember the name of the place I went but it was really good and different from any pizza I have had before. I must say that I would have to save the pizza for post race though. I have only run on the lakefront, which I really enjoyed. It is fun to run with so many people out training.

What’s your strategy for those Boston hills–and downhills?
My strategy for the hills in Boston are to run the same effort level whether I am going up, down or flat, which means I will obviously slow down going up the hills and fly down the back of them. I think that energy management is one of the keys to running a good marathon. The better I can keep it locked in at the right effort level, despite the terrain, the better I will run.

In a Runner’s World article last year, you mentioned a mantra that came from your dad–”Head down, butt up.” Do you use those words to keep motivated and focused during a race? Do you have a new mantra you’ve developed during training that you’ll use on April 20?
I don’t really think of the “Head down, butt up” mantra from my childhood too often. I do think about some of the things my dad ingrained in me growing up on the starting line, like “If it is not fun, then it is not worth doing.” I like this mantra because we all get nervous and intimidated at the start of a marathon but this helps me just relax and enjoy the journey. It is important to enjoy each step in the journey–even the tired ones–because as my dad says, “Happy feet make light feet.”

Do you have a favorite taper workout–something that gives you confidence and reminds you how speedy those legs can be while leaving something in the tank for Boston?
Yeah, I like to do mile repeats on Tuesday before the Monday race running four [mile repeats] starting slower than marathon pace and finishing faster than marathon pace with a couple minutes’ rest between. Then I do a hard 800 meters at 5k pace to get my legs fresh. My last workout will be in Boston on Friday before the race. I will run two miles at marathon pace then four 400-meter repeats at 5k pace.