Over the years my coach Ken Green and I had toyed with the idea of running a 5k on the track.  Or more to the point I had managed to avoid the distance each season by running 800 metres to work on speed for my 1500 metres instead.  I have come to the realisation I am not quick enough to mix it up in an 800m and I never enjoyed them much anyway.   It was not until the end of last track season I finally gave in to the constant jokes and banter about my 5k personal best that I decided to eventually attempt the 12.5 laps of the track.  No road race or cross country over the same distance is as accurate as the track in my mind so using my Noosa Bolt time as my defence in arguments was flawed.

Normally I prefer to have had some solid months of training under my belt before trying to race longer distances but time was of the essence.   It all seemed to have come around so quickly following Commonwealth Games but in reality October was very late for a major championship thus it was more the start of the season for me rather than the end.

Once the decision was made I was 100% committed.  Perhaps it may have been wiser to trial the distance in the New Year after a hard training block but I had committed to running the VIC 5000m championships a few weeks earlier.   

Luckily the NSW 3000m Championships were held about ten days prior to my 5000m debut which allowed me to get in a solid hit out against my training partner James Nipperess who is in good shape at the moment.  He proved that when he left me for dead in the last 600m.  However Ken suggested I would be better for it ten days later of which I agreed.

The day I dreaded had finally arrived along with typical Melbourne weather.  Overcast skies combined with wind and rain did not do much for my motivation.  I spent the morning on the train out to Mt Waverley for treatment from Darren Fulton (Miritis Massage).  Once back in the city I headed out into the rain for a light run around the streets of Melbourne with Chinny (Russel Dessaix-Chin).

The rest of the afternoon was easy going as I took a nap before catching a kebab (cab) out to Olympic Park in peak hour traffic.  I probably would have been better to walk as we crawled along at a snail’s pace.  As the evening unfolded the wind began to drop which made for still conditions though the track was still wet.  This did not deter me at all as I focused on warming up and getting ready to race.

It did not dawn on me until I lined up on the start line that I was actually going to be running more than just a 3000m.  I tried to block the negative thoughts out of my mind as well as the old lap counter at the finish which read 12 laps to go.  Thankfully I had help from Ed Gunby, Chinny and Jason Woolhouse along the way.  Although the split at 3k (8.26) was a bit off what I had wanted I was happy to still be feeling comfortable.  At this point it was Jason and I taking lap for lap.  It was by no means planned but unfolded nicely as we shared the workload.  I felt I needed to pick up the tempo rather than leave it for a last lap all out assault.  With 800m to go I gradually increased the pace and managed to pull away for a win which is very rare for me but I hope to one day change the tag of being a bridesmaid.  It was a good tussle between Jason and I which I really enjoyed and I wish him well for Zatopek 10k.  I don’t envy anyone racing 10k on the track; it would be a tough gig, no doubt.

On reflection of the race I had hoped for a faster time than 13.56.77 but did not play out the way I had expected.  Nonetheless it was sub 14mins which now gives me something to build on as I look to get in some solid training over the next few months.  This will include a stint at the infamous Falls Creek from Christmas into the New Year.  I am really looking forward to this trip as I do every year, especially with so many people from the athletics community getting together to do the one thing we all love….Running!

Many thanks go out to Athletics Victoria for helping the trip to Melbourne go so smoothly and I look forward to running on Melbourne Olympic Park for the last time in April at Nationals.

What were your experiences of Delhi and The Games like? Any memorable stories?

The Delhi experience was certainly interesting, the conditions and environment for distance running were very unpleasant and a challenge for everybody. That said the T & F team, staff & coaches did very well and despite the environment delivered an outstanding team result. There are no stories I can tell that are suitable for this site. What happens on tour must stay on tour.    

What did you think of Roffy in the 1500m?

Of course I am biased – Jeremy was terrific he executed a race plan that reflected an athlete who tried to win the race. His 7^th place does not do justice to his endeavour. In my view he was one of only a couple of non-Kenyans in the field who actually took on the Kenyans and genuinely tried to win. He got picked-off by 2 or 3, in the home straight, who never really had a go. It is a little frustrating but that is middle-distance racing. Jeremy’s lead-in preparation had been interrupted by injury which didn’t allow him to get-in a couple of tough European races on reflection this made a difference. But I think we viewed a more confident racer in Jeremy than four years ago in Melbourne. Even with a 3.34 to his record we have yet to see the best of Jeremy - the timing of London 2012 might be fortuitous.     

And what did you think of Jeff in the marathon?

I felt for Jeff it was not a good day. Very unfortunate as his past 18 months had been fantastic. But we have to learn from this, respect the event, and move on. Jeff’s preparation didn’t differ too much from Micheal or Martin, or from the Walks team. But I’ll talk with Dick Telford and Craig Hilliard over the next few weeks about what they did re: heat acclimatisation and see what insights we might gain. We have to review and get ready for the World Championships in Daegu which is likely to also be hot.     

As the coach of several distance runners on the team, what are your thoughts on Eric Hollingswoth's mention that our distance runners are lacking in the last lap?

Prima facie it is hard to disagree. I’ve got to know Eric over the past 18 months and I think what he is trying to do is challenge us to have a look at things and review how we go about racing. I don’t believe he is being particularly critical as I know he understands how hard it is to deal with the East Africans. One thing we have to do is take on the last laps - it is no value running a 1500 or 5k sitting mid field, being 4^th– 8^th at the bell and think you are going to run over the Africans in the home straight. Obviously easy to say and bloody hard to do but if you accept the best Kenyans/Ethiopians will run 52/53 over the last 400m and if you are behind them you have to run 52/51 to get around them and that is if they don’t block your space.        

 

What did you think of Roffy's tactics in the 1500m?

Jeremy’s tactic (and I agreed) was to try and win – take the lead down the back straight. Unfortunately he spent a lot of energy from the 300m mark to 150m mark in the last lap. With Willis behind and on the inside and no one else having a real go the Kenyans only had to deal with Jeremy down the back straight in that last lap and they clearly (3 Kenyans) blocked his run. We needed others trying to mix it up, with Willis on the inside and going nowhere the leading Kenyans didn’t have too much else to worry about. Bottom line 7^th is 7^th and we wanted and expected more.  

Aside from your own athletes, what were your picks for the best performances you saw?

Clearly marathon runners Michael and Lisa. Great runs and congratulations to Dick Telford. The walks team also performed very well in trying conditions.

For your athletes - where to from here? What's the next step?

Next step for Jeff is becoming a husband. He gets married 31 October. After his wedding and honeymoon he will start training and build towards 2011. Probably spend 5-6 weeks at Falls Creek from late December. Ideally his 3rd marathon will be the World Championships in August next year but we will see. Dealing with the commercial considerations of a City Marathon can complicate race selection, but Jeff is a championship focused individual. We will script out a plan over the next few weeks. He is injury free and pretty robust so he can get back into a heavy workload sooner than later.

 

The decision process for Jeremy is all about London 2012, and on the way Daegu 2011. Providing his adductor/groin problem doesn’t flare up he’ll commence training next week. He too will spend perhaps 4 weeks at Fall Creek in January, and look to a domestic season from mid February. We will do everything we have to do to make the 2011 World Championship team and be in the final.

Others like James Nipperess have enjoyed a good winter and are looking forward to the summer. James is perhaps our next candidate to break through at 1500m. Bridey Delaney has had a 3 month break with illness. She has recently started training again which is great. Both these athletes are young and have shown promise and as they approach their early 20s and mature I am sure they will make an impression. Emma Rilen has had her first full winter’s training after 3 years of problems and is getting back in shape and hopefully will surpass her 15.40 5k pb set in 2006.    

by Chris Wainwright

 Well it's the end of another year of track and field and there were certainly some fantastic performances from our junior athletes. With major championships such as the Commonwealth Games and World Juniors set to take place in 2010, there will again be the opportunity for our athletes to shine on the biggest stage.

My reviews commence with the Australian junior women, with the highlights coming from athletes such as Amy Pejkovic and Emily Brichacek. So who did I rank as my top-5 performers of 2009? Well click below for my top-5 as well as a comprehensive review of the 2009 track and field season.

I would also like to take this opportunity to wish all readers of runnerstribe.com a Merry Christmas and a fantastic New Year!

By LEN JOHNSON

You see plenty of shoeboxes around a track and field championships as shoe companies hand out sponsor product like confetti at a wedding.

You don't expect to see the men's 1500 raced in a shoebox, however, yet that's pretty much what happened in a compelling, if slightly bizarre, final tonight.

 

For almost all of a race which went out at the sort of pace you would associate more with a 1950s sub-four minute mile attempt than a 21st century championship, the field of 12 ran as if they were inside a box. A strange box it was, too, with many athletes who might have done something to set the race alight trapped inside by others with no intention of doing anything but wait for the finishing kick.

Gus Choge led initially, but without any noticeable ambition. Among those trapped on the inside were defending champion Bernard Lagat and pre-race favourite Asbel Kiprop. This tight formation held up even when world indoor champion Deresse Mekonnen of Ethiopia took the lead coming up to the bell. The third 400 was actually run in 57 seconds (after 59.5, 60.5), but all the quickening came on the first bend of the final lap.

From there, it was a desperate sprint. The imprisoned had no hope. Lagat almost got out with 200 to go, but was cut off by Belal Mansoor Ali and Mehdi Baala to his outside. Kiprop, deep in the field but not so deep as to be able to drop out and come around, literally had nowhere to go.

Such tight formation running is more typical of an 800, so it was hardly a surprise that an 800 man _ 1:42.79 runner Yusuf Saad Kamel _ came with one of the few clear runs of the race to claim Mekonnen in the shadows of the post and win in 3:35.93. Mekonnen, Lagat and Kiprop followed within 0.54 seconds.

Kamel's 800 pedigree is impeccable. His father is Billy Konchellah, who won successive world championships 800s in 1987 and 1991. He finished 5th in last year's Olympic final.

 

Lagat finally found some air to come through the middle of the pack and claim the bronze medal. Kiprop did not get out until it was too late, and came charging home to grab Choge on the line for fourth, but could not push his way into the medals. How he must have rued passing up a half-chance to drop out of the back of the box in the back-straight of the third lap.

Later, Lagat told of how he had been in his hotel room during the afternoon thinking just one thing _ "don't get boxed: stay out of trouble". So, what happened? He went out and found some trouble, a box with nowhere to go until it was too late.

Coincidentally, while this was proceeding so too was a men's discus competition that in its own way also stayed inside a box, Germany's Robert Harting and Piotr Malachowski of Poland marching lock-step in search of the gold medal.

The third outdoor meeting between these great rivals was supposed to be in the 1500 final at the 1976 Olympics. They raced twice indoors in the US in the interim, each time over a mile. Bayi won both narrowly, but we were deprived of the climactic Olympic meeting by the African boycott, ironically, in protest against New Zealand's rugby ties with South Africa. Walker won the gold medal, turning the race into a long, sustained sprint over the final 300 metres.

 

Malachowski opened with a 68.77 metres throw; Harting replied with 68.25. The Pole threw 68.05, his German opponent 67.04. Round three went 67.00 to 67.80 and both fouled in round four.

By now Harting was throwing before Malachowski and he again reached 67.80 in the fifth round. The Pole looked to have landed the knock-out blow with a 69.15. To a massive build-up for his last throw, Harting produced a stunning 69.45. The crowd erupted, but Malachowski had one more throw. Out it flew, again beyond 65 metres, but only as far as 67.33.

The previous night Steffi Nerius had won Germany's first gold medal when her first-round throw stood up throughout the women's javelin. Now Harting did it in the last round. The fans didn't care how he did it, only that he had.

 

Len Johnson was The Melbourne Age athletics writer for over 20 years, covering five Olympics, 10 world championships and five Commonwealth Games. He is the author of The Landy Era, From Nowhere to the Top of the World, and a former national class distance runner (2.19.32 marathon) who trained with Chris Wardlaw and Robert de Castella.