June 11th, Sunday
I love it when a plan comes together. ?
Today I woke still basking in the light of the surprising accomplishments of yesterday’s 800-meter finals. I was remarkably calm and my legs were remarkably sound given that I had run basically all out days in a row. My two nagging injuries were moaning softly as I stepped out of bed. A little pain in my left foot from plantar fasciitis issues and a little pain in my right Achilles tendon. I determined that neither of those was going to stop me from making an all out effort in the 1500m later in the day. I was up early enough and determined to have a substantial breakfast given the fact that I was convinced that my race was not going to go off on schedule at 11:20 but that I would be running somewhere around 1 p.m. This is a constant theme of senior games events, that they get behind schedule. At about 9:15 I set out for the track facility armed with my Super- Duper- Stay- Cool Plan ready to be enacted. Yesterday’s experience in the Alabama sun had made quite an impression. On the way through the campus I decided on my Stay- Cool spot in the Student Union building. I determined it was a 12-minute walk from the check in area which would convert to about a 8 minute jog when I was ready to return. I arrived at the early check-in area and was officially checked in and told I should return at 11:07 for an 11:22 start. I accepted that news with a grain of salt, clearly. The temperature at the track facility at that time was about 88 degrees and very humid. I walked back to the Student Union building which was beautifully air-conditioned to about 68 degrees and found a soft cushioned couch where I raised my legs as I lay on the floor for the next hour. During that time Arlene kept me posted about the event results as they were being added to the NSGA site on the internet. It was clear that the meet was way behind schedule. I began to warm up by jogging and stretching in the comfortable hallways of this totally empty building. Eventually I jogged over to the check-in area just in time to find the clerks calling my event. I feel that I had a distinct advantage over the fellows who were standing in and warming up in close to 90 degrees heat with probably 95% humidity for the last hour and a half. I approached the line with a great deal of confidence.
Before I describe the details as the race unfolded let me relay a conversation I had with my son, Rob, as I was lying on the floor in the Student Center. I consider him a knowledgeable student of the game and a trusted advisor when it comes to race strategy. We discussed the best way to race against an odds-on favorite in an event where the real race was a crowded battle for the second and third places. Gary Patton had set a new Senior Games record in the 800 meters yesterday of 2:21 . Rob’s advice was to have some fun with it, shake up the race and try to make Gary Patton feel a little uncomfortable for at least a portion of the run. Generally speaking Patton breaks to the front and is clear within the first 100 meters, and no one sees him for the rest of the race. I wasn’t sure about the wisdom of such a strategy given the lack of confidence I had in my current Fitness level. Was it worth it to take a chance and start out that quickly? Even as I stood on the starting line I had no idea how I was going to react when the gun went off.
The race started true to form. Patton had about a 10-yard lead after the first 70 yards and I sat in third place comfortably behind the number two seed. I was pleasantly surprised at how light my legs felt at this moment. So I decided upon a bold move. I passed the number two seed and made a surge to make up the 10 meters and actually wound up running on the shoulder of Gary Patton for the first 300m. This was unprecedented at the senior games and everyone including me was astounded. Now, I knew I could not sustain this pace for very long and found myself at the 400-meter mark in pretty serious oxygen debt. I remember vividly having a flash of the picture of me stumbling down the final straightaway as everyone in the race passed me and the crowd gave that very embarrassing, pity applause for the old guy who was making a fool of himself. But I was in second place, in nowhere land, on the second lap, and I did some belly breathing and short quick striding. Patton was now fading into the distance as I tried to regroup. When I passed the Finish Line with two laps to go I was still in second and there was no sign of anyone trying to challenge that position. With only two laps to go I did a full body analysis and concluded that I was still in pretty good shape, no leg issues no serious breathing issues. So I decided to make two surges on lap 3, one on each straight away, and I did that, and still was in second at the end of lap three to my total surprise. At that point number two seed was breathing heavily behind me and I was pretty sure he was ready to make a move on me as we entered the final lap. (He was a legit 2 seed with a qualifying time of 5:36. He had also won the 10K on Saturday afternoon and was planning to run the 5K on Monday.) He challenged me on the first turn and I decided not to respond immediately. My plan was to use my three stage finishing kick starting at the 300-meter to go point. By that time he was about five yards ahead of me. On the back straightaway I surged to stay with him and managed to do so to the 200-meter mark at which point I did my next surge, but he was still pulling away. But no one else was challenging me yet. When I hit the 100-meter mark I decided it was time to enter Monsta Mode for the second time in 2 days. ( In the 800m finals yesterday the Monsta held off the challenger by .1 seconds.) I ran as hard as I have run in the last 50 years to the finish line. With arms pumping and legs driving, and belly breathing to my best extent, and trying to maintain proper form, I heard someone say, “He’s coming on.” I think the Monsta found another gear in the last 40 yards and held off the challenger, this time by .5 seconds. I distinctly remember passing the Finish Line, stopping and with my head hanging saying out loud, “Holy shit, I think I got third!
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After the race I learned some interesting things talking to the other competitors, many of whom entered the event with better seeds than me. The effect of my questionable move in the first 300 meters was to separate me significantly from the group. They told me they actually lost sight of me for two laps. So when they found me again they had to make up 20 to 25 yards while they were at their most fatigued. And I have to say I believe I gained that 25 to 30 yard advantage in the first 300m while running on very springy legs. So my attempt to add a little excitement to the race had the effect of creating a psychological gap while I was having a little fun. It all turned out pretty well with a 9 second PR of 6:12 and another third place medal. All in all it was a pretty exciting, entertaining, sometimes anxious, confidence-building and productive weekend in Dixie.
