I got lectured !

Hello SB Runners,

Nothing new to report on the running front, but I have been back to see my surgeon. He is very pleased with my progress (as am I) but he did lecture me for doing too much too soon. I had been feeling so good, but he reminded me that I am not 21 anymore and I need to give my tendon time to repair itself. So I backed off and will go back in a couple of weeks. It is my sincere hope that I can begin running again in early January.

I am still getting the awkward nods and smiles when I tell people that I am going to begin training again. It is difficult to explain, so I typically don’t try to explain my reasoning. Breaking the 4:00 mile for the first time was an incredible experience and I’d do just about anything to feel that rush again. My first sub 4:00 mile came in 2000 in Eugene. I was just coming off a 90 mile week and I felt awful when I landed in Oregon. As I warmed up, I distinctly remember thinking that I should not have wasted the money on a plane ticket.

Once the race started, the Eugene crowd got me fired up and I went through the first 800 meters in about 1:58 flat and felt like I was walking. The only guy in the race that I was really paying attention to was Dan Browne (Yes, the 10K/Marathoner). At that point in his career, he was still racing in 5Ks and miles as tune ups for his longer races. Dan and I go way back and actually have a bit of history. He went to West Linn high school and I went to Milwaukie high so we raced a few times, most in the 4 X 400 relay. We had a couple of battles that we both still remember to this day.

Dan and I were waiting patiently behind a couple of other guys until we hit the bell lap. At that point I knew that I had a great chance to break 4:00. With 300 meters to go, I was going to bounce outside and pass the two people in front of me. I took a look over my shoulder and saw that there was only a very small space for me to cut in front of Dan. I decided to point and tell him, “I am cutting out, watch your step.” Just as I finished saying that, Dan surged up to box me in (There was money for the top three and nobody raced for money better than Dan Browne).

I was trapped with nowhere to go and the pace was slowing. So being the impatient person that I am, I slowed way down to let the pack go by me and then I bounced out to lane three and took off. I immediately passed a couple of people and caught back up to the three guys I was chasing initially. With about 80 meters to go, the 90 mile week jumped on my back and I STRUGGLED to the line. My heart felt like it would burst and my legs felt like stumps (sound familiar?). As I crossed the line, I saw 3:58.xx for the winner on the massive scoreboard and then there was a pause. 3:59.xx for second, the Hayward Field crowd erupts…after another pause the scoreboard shows 3:59 high for Dan and the crowd goes wild. I was fourth and after I saw Dan’s time, I hung my head thinking that I had missed that magical barrier once again. Then I heard another eruption from the crowd and I looked up to see my time…3:59.86. I had just squeaked it out.

I was hurting so bad after the race that I didn’t enjoy breaking 4:00 until I finally started my cool down. I still remember it like it was yesterday. I was running down a dimly lit road and it finally hit me. I would be a part of history for the rest of my life. To this day, fewer than 300 Americans can make the claim that they are sub 4:00 milers. That feeling that I had as I ran into the Eugene, Oregon night is why I want to do this again.

For those of you that are wondering, Dan Browne taught me a valuable lesson that night. I never again told another runner what my next move was going to be!

Again, thank you all for your nice comments and encouragement. Enjoy the holiday season and I hope to see you on a run in the VERY near future.