I had mixed emotions leaving the tarmac for India at Kingsford Smith Airport in Sydney. On the one hand I was really excited at the prospect of watching Ben St Lawrence from our squad race in the 5000m. On the other hand I was very disappointed at a genuine medal chance, Lara Tamsett, being left back in Sydney to train in Centennial Park.

 

The powerbrokers from AA had simply got the qualifying times for the Commonwealth Games wrong. The women's A standard for 5000m of 15.20 was way faster than the eventual winning time of over 15.50. A similar story in the 10000m with the Aussie A standard being 32.10 and the race being won in over 32.30- with only two runners sub 33.00. There were less than 10 girls in each of the races. In fact, only three girls in the entire Commonwealth who were entered in the 10000m had run the Aussie A standard within the qualifying period. Tamsett is a rare athlete who actually runs just as fast in heat and humidity. I also thought about the contingent of other strong Aussie females who would be watching the games back home. Nikki Chapple, Cassie Fien, Becky Lowe, Mel Vernon and Jess Trengrove, among others, are all up-and comers like Tamsett who have raced well in the last 12 months and any one of them could have proudly worn the green and gold alongside Eloise Wellings in the track events.

 

The distance races on the track were held in the early evening, a time in Delhi when it hasn't started to cool down much at all and temperatures still hover around the 30 degree mark. It actually cooled down to around 21 degrees but that didn't happen until around 6.00am each day (a very nice time to run had I bought my running gear!).

 

I had thought about whether it was possible for anyone to defeat the no.1 (Kipchoge) and no.3 (Kiptoo) runners on the planet over 5000m in 2010 in Delhi  in the men's edition of the race. It would take an awesome performance to beat the might of the Kenyans. Anyone who could handle the heat and humidity and who could run 13.30 pace in those tough conditions would have some kind of shot. If they could run a 4.00 final mile or a 53 second 400m off a slowish pace they could be in the medal mix. Could Ben do it? HIs City to Surf win, coupled with a fine 7.42 for 3000m weeks before Delhi, meant he had excellent endurance and speed and his great kick has never gone missing in action. But would "excellent" be good enough?

 

Delhi was very much like Mumbai and Pune had been when I was in India for the Commonwealth Youth Games two years ago. Hot, humid, incredibly crowded and dusty. I wasn't in the official Australian team but was lucky enough to be staying in quite a nice hotel in the market precinct of Karol Bagh, about 5km from the Delhi CBD. I hadn't packed my running gear due to government security warnings about terroists, etc. The media scare campaign in the final month leading up to the games would have been enough to put Rambo off packing his running gear. I knew I wouldn't be staying within the safety zone of the athlete's village and would have to fend for myself. Wandering the streets for my first meal in Delhi I realised that I probably should have taken my running gear. There was at least one soldier or policeman at grounmd level every hudered metres or so and they were often several stories up in surrounding buildings, overpasses and in trees. This was quite a way out of the main tourist hub in the city and also from the Games venues! If you were a terroist wanting to cause some damage you would have had Buckleys. Having said that,  I did jump high enough to win gold in the high jump when I heard a sharp bang whilst walking along a laneway one evening (well high enough to possibly win an u/9 Little As event anyway). When turning around a second later to check what it was, around 6 little Indian boys were laughing loudly- they had just let off a fire cracker.

 

I was lucky enough to get accreditation for access into the athlete's village and anywhere in the stadium/warm-up area for athletics. This place had to be more secure than Alcatraz. 3 security gate checks, all with full body searches, 7 metre high concrete walls with barbed wire on the top for the entire perimeter, plus soldiers on every corner. On visiting Ben in the village everything appeared to be in decent shape and working order. The Aussie runners were very relaxed and there was a harmonious vibe amongst them. They all came from different stables and most had different distances to cover but knew they were on a common mission- to race their best for Australia.

 

I still had to catch the Delhi Metro, riding on three trains, from the village to the stadium for the 5000m race. Being cramped like sardines in a little tin on the train closest to the CBD, one gentleman who was standing very close to me asked me,"what are you doing in Delhi?". I told him I was watching a guy I coach race in the 5000m in a few hours and he said he had no idea what 5000m involved. I explained that it was running 12 and half laps around the track. He said it sounded boring and too simple. I asked him if he liked cricket and he said he loved it. I said imagine Sachin Tendulkar running up and down the pitch around 200 times in 13 minutes- that's how fit and fast these guys are. He responded, " why would Sachin want to do that?"

 

It was hot and steamy on the warm up track an hour before the race as Collis, Ben, Dave and Adrian Blinco from NZ lazed around on the high jump mat. It was time to warm up around the time 15 or so Africans started running around the track in a pack- all in full track suits- something they always seem to do. The Aussies warmed up soon after then prceeded to put on their ice vests to try and cool down whilst they did their final stretches before going to the call room.

 

You would have all seen the race and know how it went. Fast lap (62), slow lap (70) and so it continued until 1200m to go when the Africans slotted into 60 sec pace. A sub 4 minute final mile including a 52 second last lap was just what it took for 24 year old Moses Kipsiro to knock off the powerhouses from Kenya and win gold. Bearing in mind that he also won the 10000m in an equally impressive performance, Kipsiro is one who will be hard to beat in major championships over the next few years. Collis, Ben and Dave were with the leaders until around 3 laps to go, with Collis being there right up until one lap to go- a very brave run. At the point when the push for home happened Adrian Blinco pretty much hit the wall. Ben and Dave were sitting on him at that point. By the time they realised what had happened it was game over- the lead pack established a 40 metre break and their tyre was punctured. They both fought on gamely and did well to come 7th and 8th, with Collis' gutsy effort earning him 6th in a field of 22. You had to be way better than "excellent" to win this race.

 

5 days later, the 10000m was a more even paced affair, although some surges including 64 second laps were still included in the first 5000m, covered in 14.03. This time Ben held on for longer than Collis and fought hard for another 7th place finish, doing well to outkick Chris Thompson, a 27.29 man from England, on the last lap.

 

Bearing in mind that the last time a Commonwealth Games was held in similar conditions- ie stinking hot; was in 1998 in KL. Mona came 3rd in the 10000m in a time over 29.00 and he didn't have to back up from a tough 5000m days earlier. Ben's double 7th place runs were something I reckon he should be very proud of. 28.49 is great work in shocking conditions. It was nothing the big newspapers, radio or TV stations would harp on about. The big stories were on the Sally 100m disqualificationand 400m relay leg agony dramas, plus of course her awesome win in the 100 hurdles. They were also on the copius amount of medals that our swimmers and cyclists won. Did I forget to mention the pages of articles written on Geoff Huegill losing his 40kg? A great job in anyone's books, although probably only as equally impressive as Ben St Lawrence's weight loss and subsequent ascendency to world class runner. A 25kg loss for a 85kg man is on a par with a 40kg loss for a 125kg man. Yes, I know where Ben has come from and where he has now reached and I for one am very impressed.