It Was A Good Day For Bruce

I've no idea if Bruce Rash is Australian and since I don't have a photo of Bruce I went w/ the above picture and title it's a little play on words and just a bit of pithy fun,if you don't like it you can always....pith off!!!

Coming into the second annual Greater Philadelphia Track Club Track Pentathlon as the defending champion I wasn't sure if I could defend my "Ironman" title,last year I was in much better shape but just like Worlds and Nationals b4 I owed it to myself to see what I could do.
Last year the format was:3,000m,800m,200m,1,500m,400m this year it switched to:3,000m,200m,1,500m,100m,800m or 400m.
Another change of format was the order last year we went fastest to slowest which put me in the first heat of each distance,this year I was in the last or second to last heat.

3,000m,My best distance and the race that set me up for victory last year,after a 77 second opening lap in second place I hit the front and never looked back,1st in 9.48.0. a far cry from the 9.07.1. I ran last year,this year I earnt 83.53 on the age graded scoring where as last year I earnt 89.07 and instead of leading I was second.

200m,After seeing my teammate Nick Berra pull a hamstring in the 200m last year I was hellbent on not going the same way,drawn in lane three in heat seven I finished 6th in 29.68. to score 73.89 a far cry from 27.35 and 79.63 last year,after 2 events last year I was 7 points ahead now I was 6 points out of first in third.

1,500m,I knew the only way to claw back the points deficit was to go out hard in my final 2 distance events so I opened the 1,500m in 70 seconds but couldn't shake Dana who laid in wait behind me till 250m to go b4 launching his kick to best me by 4 seconds,what the hell I was "spotting him" almost 20 years!
2nd in 4.37.9. and 84.36 points,compared to my 1st place in 4.19.0 and 89.67 last year,I was 8 points behind leader Lorraine Jasper but had reclaimed 2nd just ahead of Bruce 241.78-241.16

100m,The one distance I had no experience in,I can always dial up a hard final 200m on my repeats over 400m,600m,800m,1,000m,mile,2 miles but 100m?????Usain Bolt I am NOT!!!
6th again in 14.82 and w/ it any hopes of holding onto my title,I was now 11 points adrift of Lorraine and Bruce w/ only 72.60 to show for my effort.

800m, As a former and I hope again 800m runner I had to opt for the 800m over the 400m,once again Dana got the better of me taking it out hard from the gun, I heard 68 seconds at 400m and had another "young buck" Nick Geigle overtake me at 250m to go,but I sat in behind him till coming off the final turn b4 reclaiming 2nd in 2.18.9.
Last year I finished the 800m albeit the second event in 2.07.1. to earn 88.31points today I got 81.51.

When the final points were added up I was third in 395.90 just ahead of Larry Rechtin w/ 392.20,for the second year Lorraine Jasper was runner up 9 points ahead of me but 4 points behind the new champion Bruce Rash who won in 410.95
Props to Bruce he only completed three events last year but has been an active member of the GPTC this season and I'm pleased for him.....but don't get too cozy there Bruce,I'm coming for you next year!!!!

It'd be remiss of me not to thank all those involved w/ the event,the 44 runners who showed up to compete,some running distances they were not comfortable w/(sidebar Bruce's win proved a sprinter can win this event)the considerable efforts of Kyle Mecklenborg who has been the driving force behind this unique event the past two years,all the volunteers who gave their time to make sure the event ran smoothly,see you all next year!