Following Thursday mornings 800m final it was back to the track Friday for the 1,500m.
In a lot of respects it's not unlike the old Masters Nationals schedule,800m final Saturday,1,500m final Sunday I guess I got spoilt last year having a couple of days rest inbetween the 800m final on Thursday and the 1,500m final Sunday.
My biggest fear was getting the race in,Florida being florida in the summer heavy rain and thunder and lightning were on the forecast Friday evening and if Thursday was anything to go by where they were forced to reschedule the 5,000m to the following morning then I'd be up shits creek given I had a 9.20am flight..........
W/ a 7pm start time listed my plan was 15 min jog/warm up at 6.15pm followed by 15 mis of stretching till 6.45pm b4 picking up my hip and chest # and heading to the top of the back straight to the starting line......oh the "best laid plans of mice & men"!!!
Just as I wrapped up my warm up the heavens opened follwed by a free firework show of thunder & lightning..........
USATF protocoll is a half hour delay after the first crack of lightning so now we were in a "holding pattern" waiting to see if the weather would improve and if we could continue.......
Clutching my stuffed Eyore my pre race good luck charm in my spike bag I hoped for the best,rain and a quote unquote "blustery day" I could work w/.....God "moving the furniture around upstairs" ie thunder & lightning.....that would be an issue.......
Eventually we were given the all clear to run and little by little the races b4 me were called to the starting line and gotten underway,come 8.20pm the M50 1,500m was due to go off.
15 of us a decent number of runners for the "metric mile" stood around the starting line and after a brief recall we were back in the set position waiting for the gun to go off.....
From the gun former UNF{University North Florida} alum Dan Monteau took up the pace followed by myself and seasons leading M50 1,500m time Doug Murdoch,I'm sure there were other runners behind me but to be 100% honest my focus was what was going on infront and next to me not behind me!
While Doug was the "X Factor" I respected his 4.27. time period...muchless it was 3 seconds faster than the 4.30.64 I'd ran back in May but I knew all about Dan Monteau.
Dan had kept me off the podium in the 1,500m in Lisle 2012 his 4.18.08 won him the bronze where as my 4.18.62 was the first time Outdoors I'd failed to make the podium plus Dan was the 2014 Indoor Mile champion from Boston so it wasn't like I didn't know what I was up against!
Sadly the running clock at the finishline was off when we came through 300m....not that I think it would've made any difference the "dye had been well and truly cast" Dan was going to make it quick and I was happy to run along w/ him as we splashed our way around the track.
At 700m I took the lead,remembering a comment about the 1,500m being a race of two halves the opening 700m and the closing 800m.....so much for waiting till 200m to go to take the lead.....not that it lased long after 100m Dan reclaimed the lead and the inside of lane 1 w/ me perfectly positioned on his shoulder.
3.12 at the bell there wasn't time to do the "mental math" as to pace but you figure we'd go through 1,200m in 3.30 that'd be 70 seconds per lap pace which is brisk enough but fitting for a National Championship final.....and good prep for upcoming Worlds.
Down the back straight Doug went by me and I foolishly glanced over my shoulder to see where 4th was,as in yesterdays 800m I had a 5 second cushion over 4th and maybe on both occassions I figured I'd done enough to get on the podium rather than dig deep to try and claim silver or gold......not that I'm sure I could've caught Dan or Doug{and I'm not just saying this cos we're Facebook friends and they'll probably read this!!!}the truth was coming in w/ low expectation levels to begin w/ and only a 4.30.64 time for the season bronze w/ 250m to go seemed pretty fuckin' awesome right about now!
Gold for Dan in 4.22.28,silver for Doug in 4.23.12, bronze for yours truly in 4.24.95.
A mix of emotions after crossing the line,elation at getting on the podium,disappointment at maybe running Dans race and not my own,kicking myself for "settling for bronze" two days in a row but relife at being able to handle a fast pace high tempo race the like of which I fully expect myself and Doug to have to run in prelims in Lyon in 19 days time if we're to reach the August 14th final.
My 1,500m medal haul at Nationals now reads as follows:
Orono 07-Silver
Spokane 08-Gold
Sacramento 10-Silver
Winstom Salem 14- Gold
Jacksonville 15- Bronze
God willing next summer in Grand Rapids Michigan I can add to the tally and contiue to build my legacy
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