Photo courtesy of www.tinmanelite.com / Joe Hale
Sam Parsons is one of the top distance runners in the country. Hailing from Wilmington, Delaware, Parsons attended North Carolina State University, where he competed at the NCAA Cross Country Championships all four years, before turning professional in 2017. He trains with the Tinman Elite group, based in Boulder, Colorado. Parsons competed in the 5000m at the 2019 World Championships, representing his mother’s native Germany. He has achieved personal bests of 3:59 in the mile, and 13:22 in the 5000m.
Parsons planned to make his first Olympic team last year, but his 2021 season was derailed by a foot injury. As 2022 begins, Parsons has his eyes on his second World Championship appearance, but not before he opens his season in the Dr. Sander Men’s Invitational 3000m at the Millrose Games. Part of Parsons’ buildup and comeback from injury has been monitored by his WHOOP, a tool that helps him and members of Tinman Elite keep track of their body’s recovery.
“WHOOP is a tool that gives you that extra one percent and lets you dial into all the little things,” said Parsons. “Most days you feel pretty bad coming back from injury, and it gives me the confidence boost that I’m actually okay and I’m allowed to run hard that day. And if I’m feeling under the weather or something is going south even a little bit, WHOOP is going to tell me that beforehand.”
WHOOP is a wearable fitness tracker that keeps tabs on key biometric information, including resting heart rate, respiratory rate, blood oxygen levels, skin temperature, and sleep. The all-new WHOOP 4.0 is smaller and smarter than ever before, providing constant data collection while ensuring that nothing gets in the way of a snatch, swing, or stride.
“When I first wake up, WHOOP instantly tells me if I’m in the right range for sleep or not,” said Parsons. “As I prepare for Millrose, I’m constantly checking to make sure that I’m within the right range for all the key metrics. I wear WHOOP to make sure that I’m okay.”
Not only does the device give Parsons the reassurance he needs that his training is on the right track, but it also helps guide the training program for the Tinman Elite team. Head coach Joan Hunter uses WHOOP to ensure that all of her athletes are getting the most out of their workouts.
“WHOOP is accountability on our wrists if any of us are doing anything stupid,” explained Parsons. “Coach Hunter checks our WHOOPs every morning, and if someone’s in the red because they had too many beers or stayed up too late, she’ll be able to know that and make sure that you’re doing your job properly. There are also instances where she might pull you back for a rep or two during a workout if you’re in the red, or just give you an extra day of rest in general.”
WHOOP recently became the title sponsor for the historic Wanamaker Miles, which traditionally close out the Millrose Games. For the first time, the WHOOP Wanamaker Miles will feature live heart rate data throughout the race, something that has never been done before in track & field. Parsons is excited to watch how this new race dynamic unfolds.
“I think it’ll be really interesting to watch,” said Parsons. “The Wanamaker Mile has such a history to it. I was watching some old Bernard Lagat races with [teammate Drew Hunter], and I would’ve loved to see what his heart rate was looking like when he was lining up against Asbel Kiprop in 2010. Thanks to WHOOP, we’re going to have that little piece to look back at throughout history. Even though on TV it might seem like we’re flying and we’re untouchable, we’re still human and we get really nervous for these big races. To compete at a meet as prestigious as the Millrose Games at The Armory is something that we all have our calendars marked for, and I think that it’ll be something that’s really fun to watch. I wish I could see my live heart rate in the 3000m!”
Sam Parsons will take on a stacked field of Olympians and NCAA champions in the Dr. Sander Men’s Invitational 3000m, scheduled for 3:29 PM on Saturday, January 29th at the New Balance Track & Field Center at The Armory. Join WHOOP now and receive the WHOOP 4.0, your personal digital health and fitness coach, available online.
