Top Ten Races 2014

W/ 27 races to choose from over the course of the year I had options at my disposal to form a Top Ten for the year,here in reverse order are the ten races that I feel best represnt the season that was....


#10
Indoor 1,000m The Armory Jan 9th
2.59.6
Not only the season opener but also my first competitive race in 18 months,my first coming off the 2013 achilles injury and oh yeah my first race as a newly minted 50 year old.....so no pressure.....!!!!!
Knowing all I had to do was cross the finishline to get a PR and Club Record I at least wanted both to be semi respectable timewise,I set myself a modest but reachable goal of 3.00 and clocked 2.59.6.
All journeys start somewhere here felt as good a place as any for mine.

#9
Indoor 1,500m The Armory Mar 21st
4.32.5
Rounding out a mediocre Indoor season I brought the curtain down on my  six race season w/ a semi respectable 4.32.5 1,500m
Given my two indoor miles had only produced 4.57.1 and 5.02.4 times you can see where a 4.32.5 1,500m/4.50 mile would sit well w/ me,it was I hoped something to build on heading into the he hoped great outdoors....

#8
Outdoor 1,500m Icahn Stadium June 5th
4.30.3
After a less than impressive season opener the week b4 I rebounded nicely w/a far more structured race,a two second improvement on my Indoor 1,500m......from little acorns big trees grow.....

#7
Outdoor Mile Germantown Academy July 8th
4.46.8
Final race b4 heading to Winston Salem for Outdoor Nationals, a second quicker than the week b4 I hoped my 4.46 mile would equate to a 4.28 1,500m,my mantra all season had been a 4.24....... which in my heart of hearts I believed would get me on the podium at Nationals

#6
Outdoor 800m Icahn Stadium June 10th
2.12.8
Off the back of disappointing 2.16/2.14 for indoor 800s I was hoping for a 2.12 in the hope I could continue to take 2 seconds off each race as I needed a seed time for Nationals.
Hitting the front in Seb Coe fashion from the gun I came through the bell in 65 seconds,I had hoped to go 66/66=2.12 and while I tied up a little down the back straight I managed a respectable 67 second closing 400m to clock 2.12.8,w/ another 800m on tap I hoped to continue the 2 second  improvement per race patern to give  me a 2.10 and possibly a seeded heat at Nationals........

#5
5K XC Van Cortlandt Park Nov 29th
19.19
Remarkably at the grand old age of 51 this ranked in my all time top ten 5K XC times,still life in the old dog yet eh?
14th overall and second in the Masters division this was a timely boost w/ XC Club Nationals two weeks away.

#4
Outdoor 800m Germantown Academy Aug 10th
2.12.8
If you're asking how does a 2.12.8 800m time rank #4 for the year?let me put it in context for you,this was  my 800m at the end of 5 events at the Greater Philadelphia Track Penthalon and the fact I could clock my third fastest 800m time of the year off the back of a 3,000m,200m1,500m,100m makes it top 5 worthy.

#3
5th Avenue Mile,New York City Sept 13th
4.41
Looking to not only reclaim a title I last won outright in 2008 when coinsidently I was coming off a 1,500m National Championship victory I threw everything including the kitchen sink at this one ans maybe another year it would've been enough.....Gerry O Hara had other ideas and  went by me somewher between 200m to go and the 1,500m mark.
Live by the sword,die by the sword I've won races going "gun to tape" and I've also paid for my bravardo this sadly for me was a day I paid for it but after two years away from the Fall Classic it was good to be back.

#2
Outdoor 800m National Championships Winston Salem July 17th
2.09.8
The new system at Outdoor Nationals was to do away w/ heats and a final for 800m as had been the case from 06-12 in my previous Outdoor Nationals and go w/ timed finals
The upshot was w/ 18 runners declared "the powers that be" opted to split the field at 9/9,2.12.00 being the 9th and final time in the seeded final.......yours truly had a seed time of 2.12.11 and thus found himself in the unseeded heat!!!!!!!
I made up my mind I would do my best Meatloaf impression and be a "Bat Out Of Hell" in that opening heat,seeded #1 I drew the inside lane and proceeded to reel off a 62 second opening 400m b4 closing in 67 seconds for a 2.09.81 a seasons best,was it enough to get me on the podium???
W/ Canadien world champions Michael Sherar and Paul Osland pulling the field through Mcduffrie Allen went 2.05.61 David Bailey went 2.08.85 b4 Dave Bynoe crossed the line in 2.10.86......
A hard fought bronze but  the least I deserved for being honest about my seed time.2.09.81 should  earn me a place in the timed final in Jacksonville next summer.

#1
Outdoor 1,500m National Championships Winston Salem July20th
4.21.4
B4 I even began my 2014 Outdoor season I told my brother in April there and then if the Running Gods offered me a pair of bronzes at Julys Outdoor Nationals I'd have taken that deal,w/ an 800m bronze already in the bag I now faced the 1,500m three days later,would I settle for bronze....would I fuck!!!
Turning back the clock I produced one of my finest races ever muchless over 1,500m to reel off splits of 51-71-69-70 for a 4.21.4 winning time....so much for my summer mantra of  54-70-70-70 for 4.24.
My 4th National Championship,my 2nd at 1,500m,who saw that way back on Jan 25th when I ran a 4.57.1 mile at Cornell????