Millrose Games Wanamaker Mile

Age Knows No Limits
Age Knows No Limits

Bernard Lagat, 35, won his eighth Millrose Games Wanamaker mile last night, in Madison Square Garden.

The Millrose Games is the oldest Indoor Track & Field meet in the world, at 103 years.

Bernard Lagat is 35 years old.  Age, accomplishments, and  barriers continue to be broken.

It’s fun to see it happen before your eyes.

Motivation is like a fire.  You have to continue to add fuel to it.

But will you.  Today, I mean?  Will you?

Can I Ask You Another?

Hayward Field, Oregon 2009
Hayward Field, Oregon 2009
World Championships, Finland 2009
World Championships, Finland 2009

What is Lane 8?

Lane 8 is the worst lane in Track & Field.  Fast runners are put in the middle lanes and slower runners are assigned the outer lanes.  The slowest competitor is always assigned Lane 8.

And in the 400 meters, which I compete in, you stay in your lane the entire race.  The way the starting lines are staggered, makes it look like Lane 8 is way out in front, when in fact, it’s the exact same distance as the others.

So many consider lane 8 the worst lane because you cannot see any of the other competitors, until they pass you.

My goal is to be in Lane 8, the worst lane.  And I also don’t care if I come in last.  Seriously.

Our son (9) says, “Dad, you want the worst lane and you don’t care if you come in last?”

(Pause for effect, and read each of the next three sentences with decent pauses in between)

“That’s right, son, Lane 8.  In the finals.  At the World Championships.”

I continued the answer for our son, “You can come in last and still be the eighth best in the entire world.”

I then shared the moral of the story with our son:

“You can go through life and set the bar low, reach it, but then live with the regret of wondering what you could have done if you tried harder.  Or, you can set the bar ridiculously high, fail, and yet live with peace because you know in your heart you did your very best.”

Ya with me?

World Record 400 Meters Video Story

Here is the video story of the fastest 400 meters ever run.

It was done at the 1999 World Track & Field Championships, in Seville, by Michael Johnson.

By the way, Michael Johnson currently holds the world records in both the 200 & 400.

While none of us will ever break a world record, we might ask ourselves, “Have I given it my all?  Have I done my very best.  Do I have any regrets?

Carpe diem, jeff noel  🙂

Masters Track and Lane 8?

Yesterday, I had such a busy morning, I couldn’t find time to run, before taking our son to school on the way to the airport.

After my arrival at Hartford, Connecticut, I had the chance to do an easy 35 minute run.

Some left heel pain right away, so I jogged backwards for a couple minutes and that helped.  It usually does.  Not much pain while running.  Afterwards, during the evening, my foot was sore.

And so it goes.

Hope this doesn’t sound like complaining, because complaining is the opposite of my intent.

It’s meant to be a reality check, to the difficulties in this microcosm of life.

I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately.  Primarily because I need to purchase the plane ticket soon.

Using the creative approaches to challenges, I quickly thought of a “PLAN B”.

Enter the 1,500 meters.

Once I’m warmed up, I can run a very decent mile pace.  Which is why the 1,500 would be a good back up.

It is still unknown if I can get up on my toes, and shift into overdrive for some serious acceleration (for a 50-year old).  🙂

I emailed, and then spoke to, the USATF representative and had the 1,500 added to my 2009 Master’s World Championships profile.

I’ve run a near All-American standard of excellence time, and by August, should be an unlikely long shot to do well for Team USA.

It’s amazing the confidence and reassurance one can gain with a Plan B.

Plan B or not, hope you have a GREAT and Healthy day.  Carpe diem, jeff noel 🙂

National Championships

The 2009 Master’s National Championships are being held in Wisconsin this July.

Here’s a link to the site – 2009 Master’s National Championships

It occurs the same time as a previously scheduled commitment.  Most likely, I’ll be absent.  

If you could only pick one, the National Championships or the World Championships, which would you pick?

The National Championships are less expensive in money and time.  Plus, the odds of a higher finishing place our much greater.

The World Championships are way more expensive in time and money.  And, the odds of a high finish are dramatically reduced.

Seriously, which is the obvious choice?

The correct answer is completely subjective, so there is no wrong or right.    Carpe diem, jeff  🙂