My first Nationals race in college went exceptionally well, only I finished in way back in 84th place in a time of 17:55 on a very cold day, four seconds ahead of Cathy Schiro on a bad day for her. The shorter course at the time wasn't my forte, so I was actually rather pleased. Still, it doesn't sound very good if I look at place only, however, the gap between second and 84th was a little over a minute and a half.
Nov 14, 2022·edited Nov 14, 2022Liked by Kevin Beck
I really enjoyed this one. As a decent runner in the day, I was well aware of the essential ingredient of big talent that the truly elite possess. I didn't. Take Boston, 1980, the qualifying time for open men was 2:50. As I stood on the starting line and looked around nary a man boob or a hydration pack did I see, only hollow cheeked saints on a sacred mission to who knows where. As I passed 23 miles, in 143rd place I suddenly heard from behind me a growing roar from the crowd. Shit, I thought, must be the first woman and she is closing fast. That thought motivated me, I managed to pick it up, or at least maintain. I got my PR and finished just ahead of the woman-Rosie Ruiz.
As someone who always started off relatively slowly in races (not deliberately, my body wouldn't go faster in the early stages) I had plenty of practice at picking of people ahead of me one by one.
Someone I usually picked off at local races was 1996 Olympian at 10,000m Joan Nesbit (later Mabe) (1996 Olympian). It became a bit of a joke between us. At the start she would often say she was going to start behind me, but a hundred yards into the race she would already be way out ahead of me. Maybe I sound very distinctive when I run, but when I would come up behind her later in a race she would great me by name without turning around to see who it was catching her.
My first Nationals race in college went exceptionally well, only I finished in way back in 84th place in a time of 17:55 on a very cold day, four seconds ahead of Cathy Schiro on a bad day for her. The shorter course at the time wasn't my forte, so I was actually rather pleased. Still, it doesn't sound very good if I look at place only, however, the gap between second and 84th was a little over a minute and a half.
I really enjoyed this one. As a decent runner in the day, I was well aware of the essential ingredient of big talent that the truly elite possess. I didn't. Take Boston, 1980, the qualifying time for open men was 2:50. As I stood on the starting line and looked around nary a man boob or a hydration pack did I see, only hollow cheeked saints on a sacred mission to who knows where. As I passed 23 miles, in 143rd place I suddenly heard from behind me a growing roar from the crowd. Shit, I thought, must be the first woman and she is closing fast. That thought motivated me, I managed to pick it up, or at least maintain. I got my PR and finished just ahead of the woman-Rosie Ruiz.
As someone who always started off relatively slowly in races (not deliberately, my body wouldn't go faster in the early stages) I had plenty of practice at picking of people ahead of me one by one.
Someone I usually picked off at local races was 1996 Olympian at 10,000m Joan Nesbit (later Mabe) (1996 Olympian). It became a bit of a joke between us. At the start she would often say she was going to start behind me, but a hundred yards into the race she would already be way out ahead of me. Maybe I sound very distinctive when I run, but when I would come up behind her later in a race she would great me by name without turning around to see who it was catching her.
very interesting reading and good info.