Always The Bridesmaid,Never The Bride

Just like my debut here at Barton Hall 10 years ago I had to settle for runner up,so my record in 7 races in 10 years reads like so:2nd,3rd,10th,3rd,4th,3rd,2nd..... not too shabby if I say so myself!

The old John Bingham quote"the miracle wasn't I made it to the finish line,the miracle was I made it to the starting line" seldom rang truer than it did this week,what was planned as a weekend getaway for Candice and I  got knocked sideways when the weather forecast began touting for a snow storm{for once their predictions were correct,last check Philly had 17'' of snow and it was still falling} that took a drive to Ithaca out of the equation,the prospect of a 14 hour round trip bus ride also didn't sit well w/ my nearest and dearest and frankly I couldn't blame her.....I didn't relish a 14 round trip bus ride either and I was running!!!!
My burning desire to add the prestigious Hartshorne Memorial Masters Mile crown to my resume was the one thing that kept "my head in the game" although that resolve was sorely tested yesterday on the bus ride/rides up........

Figuring that the 9.30am Megabus out of Philly would get me to Midtown Manhattan by 11.45am I'd have 45 mins to walk to the Port Authority bus station at 42nd & 8th Ave and be on the 12.30pm Ithaca bus and arrive in Ithaca by 5.30pm allowing me time to get settled into my room b4 going off for the pre race dinner at Antlers at 7pm.......ah the best laid plan of mice and men.........
Starter for ten the bus shows up late,ok no biggie we were on the road by 9.42am if I got to Midtown by 12pm I'd still make the 15 block walk to the Port Authority in time for the 12.30pm Ithaca bus....................
We're not on the road 10 minutes and just over the Ben Franklin bride when some chav yaks up his breakfast all over the seat..........
So now this bus is obviously out of commission and we have to wait for a new bus to pick us up,I knew I'd missed my connection in Manhattan and sure as shit we pull into 27th and 7th Ave at 12.15pm,I just didn't see the point busting a gut to get to the Port Authority.....I was tempted to turn around and head back to Philly and say feck it.....but "winners don't quit and quitters don't win".....

Sucked it up texted race organizer Tom Hartshorne to tell him I was still coming albeit two hours later than planned,were my burning desire to win this race not so great I may have given up and said to hell w/ it but if this was to be my final crack at Hartshorne then I owed it to myself to get up there no matter what had been thrown at me and throw it right back on the track at 12.15pm this afternoon.......NEVER underestimate the power of a pissed off paddy!!!!

Woke up this morning ready to throw down,showered then a lite breakfast b4 a little music via You Tube in my room b4 getting a ride over to Barton Hall at 11am.
Seeded 3rd behind 2014 champion Alan Wells and newly turned 50 Jim Derrick I knew who my competition was,unlike last year when by my own admission I "bottled it" and played safe to get on the podium w/ a bronze I stuck to my guns,irregardless of what Wells and Derrick did try and hold 36s thro 800m for a 2.24 then see what was left in the tank for the closing 800m......
From the gun Alan Wells was off like the proverbial prom dress behind the rabbit w/ Jim Derrick in hot pursuit, I eased into 4th behind Matt Guild.
35 seconds at 200m I moved by Matt in the hope of at least staying w/in striking distance of Alan and Jim
1.10 at 400m and 1.45 at 600m then down the back straight Alan Wells dropped out w/ a hamstring injury.

I don't recall my 800m,1,000m,1,200m or 1,400m splits all I focused on was the back of Jim's burgundy GVH vest in the hope it would get closer.....I almost got my wish!!!!
At the bell I was a ways behind Jim and w/ hindsight I wish I'd kicked at 200m to go like I did at The Armory last Thursday,instead I waited till down the back straight which w/ hindsight was too late,off the final turn I was closing but running out of track w/ only 50 meters left.....
Jim Derrick winner in 4.46.73 yours truly runner up in 4.47.27.....bridesmaid once again!!!!

Yes I'm pissed I didn't win but the fact I not only shaved 3 seconds off my 4.50.95 from last Thursday at The Armory but also clocked my quickest indoor mile since 2012 tells me I'm doing something right it took me until mid March last year to get to 4.50.64 at Indoor Nationals and here we are in late January and I,m already running 4.47.27.
Two races down,two to go a 1,000m at The Armory this Thursday as I aim to lower my pr and club record of 2.59.61. from 2014 followed by an 800m the following Thursday....and then the taper for Indoor Nationals in Albuquerque begins.
Will I come back to Ithaca and have one last crack at Hartshorne next year for it's 50th anniversary? too early to say right now,the bigger question is will I make it back home to Philly tomorrow w/ all the snow.....