It’s so strange to me. Four years ago, I had NO IDEA who was running what in the Olympics. I didn’t know the difference between a 100M a 400M or a marathon. I didn’t understand what pacers were, had no idea why people would wear those strange knee socks (fashion choice??) and certainly couldn’t have told you the major players.
But not today!! Track and field starts in earnest and I am pumped, pumped, pumped. I like watching because A. they seem super human and I know the kind of work they put in and how hard they push their bodes and B. because some small piece of me goes, “ya know, I’ll never be THAT. But I could work just a little harder to be the best me.” So here’s who I love (in no particular order)
Ryan Hall – Need I say more? He’s absolutely adorable, he loves Jesus and his wife, he plays by his own rules and actually says that God is his coach. Yes, please!
Kara Goucher– New mom, happy wife, has her priorities straight. Amazingly hard worker and my friend, Laura, took the picture below at the Olympic trials in Houston the moment she realized she’d made the team. To me this says “this girl gets it and doesn’t take anything for granted”. Gracious, humble and wickedly talented, she’s my favorite for the marathon.
(click to get the image bigger – it really is a great picture – thank you Laura! Would have loved to have been there in person but you captured it perfectly!!)
Shalane Flanagan – Well, she’s Irish and so am I so that part alone makes her amazing;). She’s also proof that looks can be deceiving – she looks like a tiny little timid thing but watch out. Love this quote from Runner’s World “Don’t let the innocent look fool you. Shalane Flanagan is an assassin in compression socks with an Olympic Marathon in her sights.” I’m pretty sure if she knew me, we’d be best friends.
So who you watching?? What’s your favorite event? Alot of you read this but nobody talks back to me so I’d love a conversation – because I have to do something while I’m waiting through all the NBC commentary for the actual running to begin!!!!! Oh, and in case you haven’t set your DVR, the women’s marathon will be on August 5th and the men’s on August 12th. For all the other races, check your local listings;).
I really love ALL the running events, so I’m gonna wear out my DVR as well. My favorite events include the marathon, 5k, 10k, and 100m. I watch with a mixture of awe and humility. As a runner, I can appreciate how fast these runners really are in a way that I can’t appreciate the rowers, soccer players, or other athletes in sports I don’t play or fully understand. Favorite runners include Kara, Desi, Carmelita, Allyson, Tyson, Usain, and the Kenyan marathoners as a group. Amazing. I’m always blown away by the female runners’ unbelievable abs.
The speed as you see it is deceiving on TV, too, don’t you think, Andy? I’ve been lapped (well, passed as they were coming BACK) in a half marathon by the winner before. Even from far away you think “they’re not going that fast” than they pass you and it almost seems super human!! Absolutely crazy. The human body is a mystery and a miracle. Love it!!
I had the same thought watching them in the middle and long distances plus the triathlons. They make it look so easy and smooth, and then you hear they’re doing 55 second laps on the track or 5:20/mile pace on the road. Absolutely amazing.
I’ve been studying their cadence a bit with my iPhone cadence meter. The 5K and 10K runners were averaging 90-100 (180-200 steps per minute), just like some of the experts recommend for distance runners. I try to run at 90 with guidance from my iPhone. So the main reason they are faster than me is stride length – theirs is huge, mine is not. =)
I listened to Kara Goucher speak at an expo in September. She could not have been more encouraging to everyone – no matter how fast or slow they are. She did a meet & greet after and she had something nice and encouraging to say to every single person in line. She gets us. And I love her for that. And I went out the next day and PR’d my half. 🙂
I love this, Deb! She was magnificent this morning. And so inspiring! Yeah, we will never see a 2:23 marathon (well, I won’t;) but she helps me be a better runner by being amazing!!
I love this, Deb! She was magnificent this morning. And so inspiring! Yeah, we will never see a 2:23 marathon (well, I won’t;) but she helps me be a better runner by being amazing!!