2008 I can sum up into one post for both indoor and outdoor. Indoor I skated pro all year getting some experience racing with those guys what I still have NSC to thank, but wish I would have just done so much sooner was believe what I could do. I always new I was fast enough to race anyone, and sometimes it was there but until I started NSC if Will or Steve were in front of me I simply didn't think to pass them because they were suppose to win, if I finished behind them it was still news.
Indoors we had a lot of wheel issues at nationals for what would end up as my last year with MPC. I was 100% dedicated and loyal through everything. Even when the wheel didn't perform like we expected it to I never switched wheels until they gave me a set of competitor wheels and told me to put them on. When I put on other wheels, I made sure to salvage the championships. Skating poorly due to equipment in the 1000m and 500m I switched in the 2000m and broke a 10yr record by eight seconds. I remember my last 5 of my 20 were all under 8.5 and I managed to get third overall, an accomplishment in itself.
Outdoor I viewed trials as a formality. I wanted to prove I would be going to worlds the top junior sprinter and I let the chip on my shoulder be known. I broke two records that year at trials. Won both TT and got ready for worlds. I practiced my sprint a lot leading into residency in worlds that year. I had just moved that year which forced me to drive much further to practices and instead of being able to skate to a practice location I was stuck searching for somewhere new to train alone.
When I got to worlds I couldn't figure the track out to save my life I felt like. I kept thinking I had it down and next thing I knew I was barking or slipping again because my line was poor. I think I proved it in the 300m. I qualified 8th overall for the 300m, and got 5th in the 300m final but I left a lot to be desired after barking in turns two and three. Fifth place was cool but still left me unsatisfied. The next day I didn't get to skate what I thought could have been my best race, the 1000m. The coach told me he didn't even consider me for the race because it's not a sprinters race. Which pissed me off a lot at the time, and maybe still does a little. 7 out of 8 finalist for the 1000m that year were in the top 12 for the 300m and through all of our training I never finished worse than 2nd for the 1000m all at fast speeds.
I remember I called Jeff on skype of course, and told him what happened. I remember he asked if I would be in the 500m the day after and I told him I should be and he said simply, show them what you can do.
The day of the 500m I was still bitter or angry. And at that stage I was still an ipod-on-in-the-zone-kind-of-guy. I remember the heat I came out at 100% and 50m into the race I already had 15m to spare on the field. Safe cruising from there. Fast-forward through the quarter(i won) to the semi. I had 4th overall in the 300m in my semi and one of the best jr sprinters from Australia in it. I came from behind in the semi and won that too. Afterward I realized my semi and quarter were the fastest two jr 500's thus far. In the final I knew a medal was within reach. I had beaten one of the skaters in the final in my quarter and semi but I was skating so well that day I wanted gold. I remember off the line I was in fourth where I wanted to be basically because the favorite was in front of me. Then I remember one skater tripping and out of reaction I grabbed his hips to hold him up then on his next cross his left foot came through and took my skates right out from under me.. My medal dreams were dashed. I remember getting up and wanting to get off the track, not finish, wanting to go hide out and shed a tear or two for myself.
But I had a relay final to skate, if the 500 did anything for me it was make me hungrier for the relay gold. I had a goal to get an individual medal but I could still win a relay medal along the way. I was in a pissed off and disappointed zone before the relay. I made the decision to push the pace in the relay before we ever warmed up. I wanted to be in the front and if we were going to lose it was going to be because someone was better then us. After my first time out we led every exchange until four laps to go. I was coming out for my exchange at which point I decided to go full 100% and see if I could open the race up a bit but before I ever got going a competitor cut into our relay line knocking me down, this video doesn't show much of the contact but you can tell someone falls.. that's me. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqeRkXUDFLc
I felt back after that, mostly because I think we had a very good chance at winning that relay, the few times anyone passed us we moved right back up to the front. Although I couldn't really control it I still feel like there's a medal Jake, Jonathan, and I left in Spain.
Falling twice in a span of an hour on your knee, shin, leg does quite the damage. That night I couldn't put weight on it. The next day for road practice I didn't skate. I remember telling Jeff I wasn't sure if I would be able to skate the 200m and he asked me if I was healthy would I be the best bet to skate it and I said yeah, so he told me to skate it so I did. I couldn't feel my left foot and I didn't make the 200m final, I got 13th with my leg still swollen there wasn't much I could do. I salvaged what I could out of the rest of worlds that year but the falls on the track didn't leave me in a good spot for road.
Someone came up to me after track at worlds and told me if anyone deserved to win a gold medal it was me, that it was tough to watch my fall in the 500m and then again to see it all happen just an hour later in the relay. I had never spoken to this person before, nor had I ever met them. It didn't help me really, but it still felt good for someone to recognize me even without any accomplishment.
Friday, April 27, 2012
Saturday, April 14, 2012
2007 Outdoor
There's so much to write about my outdoor season in 2007. But first, in 2007 ODN was still in late may or early June that time frame. Well in the fall/winter of 2006-2007 I started skating a little bit of short track speed skating. Maybe three times a month I would practice for an hour on the ice. Well, on my birthday, April 16th 2007, we were skating really slow and the season was over (for ice) and like most clubs we didn't have pads around the entire track just on the turns to the blue line. We were doing a circle tech drill and I slipped and fell down going back first into the boards. I tried to shake it off but right away I knew something wasn't wrong, I had a stinger go straight down my left leg.
Two weeks later I still wasn't practicing but had already paid for a flight to the national team clinic, so I went and did what I could, which was much of nothing but luckily I still went because the the training room had me hooked up to stem and a few other things everyday which ended up helping me out alot. After the national team clinic I still couldn't skate much outdoor Straight away pushes were painful for me so I prepared for trials with little outdoor training in the last month and a half. I don't remember when the pain went away but I know I was fine at trials.
In the first race I had the mindset that I could win, the 300m TT I don't remember what happened but I ended up fourth I think.. the top five were all within .2 of a second. I was pretty disappointed with my 300m but I cam back pretty strong in the 1000m and ended up third. The points race was bad for me that year, and the elim was barely any better, I manged 7th or 8th in the elim which gave me some points but not much. The 500 was always a tough race and I remember coming out of the final turn I came underneath Colin Thomas and won out the hawk at the line for third place. In the 200m I ended up in 3rd, didn't do much of anything in either long race on road and then it was the 500m. I didn't mention it to anyone at the time but running through my head was flashbacks of 2006. In the final race I had not yet secured a spot on the world team, but I was still in the hunt for the last spot. Jeff had to leave ODN early that year for work, I remember calling him before the 500m I explained the points to him and I remember telling him, Jeff if I win I'm in.
I remembered him telling me in 2006 win and you're in. Those words stuck with me and I thought it was a fitting time to repeat it back to him.
My semi was very interesting, it was myself, Colin Thomas, Moe Hall, Greg Gorman. The thing was that Colin was already on the team, Moe, Greg, and I were all fighting to be the second sprinter on the team. The course had a slight down hill and a slight up hill. I remember Moe won the start and then Colin then me. Colin went to the front and I remember going inside of Moe in the turn after the downhill. The uphill straight I went by Colin and sprinted to the line. I won the semi and Colin made it behind me. We watched the other semi skate and once Chad Horne and Kimani Griffin advanced to the final I took a pause and then realized I just made the world team. Whether I won or lost the A final as long as I skated and finished I made the team. I remember shortly after that being called to the officials tent and I was super nervous, I didn't understand I skated a clean race and nothing was questionable I couldn't be disqualified. When I got the tent the announcer was announcing my name, apparently I had just broken the 500m road record for Jr. Men. I was pretty stoked. I remember calling Jeff and telling him the news I felt terrific, in the final I remember coming off the line pretty easy because I didn't want to risk anything and end up with a DQ.. I took 4th in the final and officially made the world team.
After I got back from trials I remember Jeff sat me down and told me it was time to take it to the next level. He told me we had trained hard the past two years to get to this point but if I was going to skate at the World Championships we would need to take it up a lot higher then we already were. I remember he told me I would have to do a lot of it on my own because he still would have to work so everyday I would have to skate without him there to coach me in the mornings but at night we always had a 1-2 more practices that he would be there for. I remember in the mornings a lot of times it would be me and the watch. Intervals, sprints, intervals, sprints I think that's all I did day after day, morning after morning. Then I would gear up and do whatever Jeff thought up for the evening practices. The training paid off, I won indoor nationals which was in my previous blog.
When I got to residency I didn't know how good or bad I would be. I remember everyone expected me to be purely sprints but after a few days they realized I could do the distance drills, too. I ended up splitting my time between sprints and distance. Every 300m we did Chad, Kevin Quandt, and I were all basically within a couple of tenths.. every single time. Residency could basically be a wash between most of us, we were all strong that year.
Worlds was different.. as soon as we got to Cali I peaked or something.. Everything started to fall in place. On the second night a bunch of sprinters were at the track to work on opening 100's.. I remember I ran my first full 100 and everyone told me how good it was and they told me it was 9.6 and I said what does that mean, Joey was the only one that beat me that night for an opener.
I remember being so nervous the day of the 300m.. the first race at worlds and my first worlds. I didn't really know what to expect. I remember qualifying for the final which was cool and then I got 8th which I was proud of I guess. In the 1000m semi at worlds we thought it would be fast from the gun and it wasn't we crawled the first lap so knowing it went by time except the winner and that we had the 300m champion in our semi I took off with 4 to go. Coming out of the last turn Colin passed me and then him, me, and the 300m champion hawked at the line. Colin made the 1000m final.. he was the only one in our semi to make it.
The relay on track is probably the most interesting part. We made it out of the heat easily. In the final we had decided to make our tags low so we had inside position heading into the turn. To that point I had never ran that hard in my life, the track was huge and parabolic so sprinting through the turn was an option. We led from the gun every exchange the whole time. On the last cycle I remember Italy coming along side of us before the tag then we had a poor exchange that left me twisted down the straightaway but I/we recovered and maintained position finishing with second place and a medal at my first world championships.
Funny story, after my 300m heat a US parent/coach came up to me and told me I never belonged on that world team. I was offended, I still think I might be. I didn't really understand, I went to trials and beat out everyone else and earned my spot fair and square, and I had an injury going into trials but I didn't use it as an excuse. Needless to say, they stood in front of me and said I didn't believe you deserved a spot on this team. I thought you were the 6th and final person and that you wouldn't be on the same level anyway. They paused and then continued to say that I 'proved them wrong' and they weren't sure how I did it but I was very good here at the world championships. I didn't know how to respond and I if it happened today I still don't know what I would say.
If the 2007 World Championships did anything for me it showed me how close I was and it made me want it more than ever.
Two weeks later I still wasn't practicing but had already paid for a flight to the national team clinic, so I went and did what I could, which was much of nothing but luckily I still went because the the training room had me hooked up to stem and a few other things everyday which ended up helping me out alot. After the national team clinic I still couldn't skate much outdoor Straight away pushes were painful for me so I prepared for trials with little outdoor training in the last month and a half. I don't remember when the pain went away but I know I was fine at trials.
In the first race I had the mindset that I could win, the 300m TT I don't remember what happened but I ended up fourth I think.. the top five were all within .2 of a second. I was pretty disappointed with my 300m but I cam back pretty strong in the 1000m and ended up third. The points race was bad for me that year, and the elim was barely any better, I manged 7th or 8th in the elim which gave me some points but not much. The 500 was always a tough race and I remember coming out of the final turn I came underneath Colin Thomas and won out the hawk at the line for third place. In the 200m I ended up in 3rd, didn't do much of anything in either long race on road and then it was the 500m. I didn't mention it to anyone at the time but running through my head was flashbacks of 2006. In the final race I had not yet secured a spot on the world team, but I was still in the hunt for the last spot. Jeff had to leave ODN early that year for work, I remember calling him before the 500m I explained the points to him and I remember telling him, Jeff if I win I'm in.
I remembered him telling me in 2006 win and you're in. Those words stuck with me and I thought it was a fitting time to repeat it back to him.
My semi was very interesting, it was myself, Colin Thomas, Moe Hall, Greg Gorman. The thing was that Colin was already on the team, Moe, Greg, and I were all fighting to be the second sprinter on the team. The course had a slight down hill and a slight up hill. I remember Moe won the start and then Colin then me. Colin went to the front and I remember going inside of Moe in the turn after the downhill. The uphill straight I went by Colin and sprinted to the line. I won the semi and Colin made it behind me. We watched the other semi skate and once Chad Horne and Kimani Griffin advanced to the final I took a pause and then realized I just made the world team. Whether I won or lost the A final as long as I skated and finished I made the team. I remember shortly after that being called to the officials tent and I was super nervous, I didn't understand I skated a clean race and nothing was questionable I couldn't be disqualified. When I got the tent the announcer was announcing my name, apparently I had just broken the 500m road record for Jr. Men. I was pretty stoked. I remember calling Jeff and telling him the news I felt terrific, in the final I remember coming off the line pretty easy because I didn't want to risk anything and end up with a DQ.. I took 4th in the final and officially made the world team.
After I got back from trials I remember Jeff sat me down and told me it was time to take it to the next level. He told me we had trained hard the past two years to get to this point but if I was going to skate at the World Championships we would need to take it up a lot higher then we already were. I remember he told me I would have to do a lot of it on my own because he still would have to work so everyday I would have to skate without him there to coach me in the mornings but at night we always had a 1-2 more practices that he would be there for. I remember in the mornings a lot of times it would be me and the watch. Intervals, sprints, intervals, sprints I think that's all I did day after day, morning after morning. Then I would gear up and do whatever Jeff thought up for the evening practices. The training paid off, I won indoor nationals which was in my previous blog.
When I got to residency I didn't know how good or bad I would be. I remember everyone expected me to be purely sprints but after a few days they realized I could do the distance drills, too. I ended up splitting my time between sprints and distance. Every 300m we did Chad, Kevin Quandt, and I were all basically within a couple of tenths.. every single time. Residency could basically be a wash between most of us, we were all strong that year.
Worlds was different.. as soon as we got to Cali I peaked or something.. Everything started to fall in place. On the second night a bunch of sprinters were at the track to work on opening 100's.. I remember I ran my first full 100 and everyone told me how good it was and they told me it was 9.6 and I said what does that mean, Joey was the only one that beat me that night for an opener.
I remember being so nervous the day of the 300m.. the first race at worlds and my first worlds. I didn't really know what to expect. I remember qualifying for the final which was cool and then I got 8th which I was proud of I guess. In the 1000m semi at worlds we thought it would be fast from the gun and it wasn't we crawled the first lap so knowing it went by time except the winner and that we had the 300m champion in our semi I took off with 4 to go. Coming out of the last turn Colin passed me and then him, me, and the 300m champion hawked at the line. Colin made the 1000m final.. he was the only one in our semi to make it.
The relay on track is probably the most interesting part. We made it out of the heat easily. In the final we had decided to make our tags low so we had inside position heading into the turn. To that point I had never ran that hard in my life, the track was huge and parabolic so sprinting through the turn was an option. We led from the gun every exchange the whole time. On the last cycle I remember Italy coming along side of us before the tag then we had a poor exchange that left me twisted down the straightaway but I/we recovered and maintained position finishing with second place and a medal at my first world championships.
Funny story, after my 300m heat a US parent/coach came up to me and told me I never belonged on that world team. I was offended, I still think I might be. I didn't really understand, I went to trials and beat out everyone else and earned my spot fair and square, and I had an injury going into trials but I didn't use it as an excuse. Needless to say, they stood in front of me and said I didn't believe you deserved a spot on this team. I thought you were the 6th and final person and that you wouldn't be on the same level anyway. They paused and then continued to say that I 'proved them wrong' and they weren't sure how I did it but I was very good here at the world championships. I didn't know how to respond and I if it happened today I still don't know what I would say.
If the 2007 World Championships did anything for me it showed me how close I was and it made me want it more than ever.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
2007 - Indoor - Defense
You always here how much of a 'target' will be on your back after you win something big. I guess that's how 2007 started for me. Before the first race of the season I had someone I would end up racing that year telling me how much better they were than me, how they would win that year, break my record, and prove how bad I really was. I've always said that I never needed motivation, that I'm a self-motivated person.. but I've always accepted it when someone wants to pour some on.
My National Title defense didn't quite start the way I wanted it to. In September of 2006 I broke my collarbone at an outdoor race, it was the first time I ever had to take any amount of time off from skating. At first I tried to show up to every practice but I had to stop going, I couldn't sit and watch without being able to skate. Little did I know that wouldn't be the only time I missed that season.
I skated a little race over Halloween that year a week or two after being cleared to skate, everything was going good and the last lap of the last relay of the meet I fell on my shoulder of course. I thought I re-broke my collarbone but although I couldn't move it the Dr said that it looked great on the X-rays. The first invitational for me was always Greensboro, NC. I went in expecting not to do great since I only managed a few weeks of skating before the race but somehow I won both distances.. the 1500m by a lot which was new for me. That year was also my first with MPC so I went to a lot of races and tested 100's of different wheel combinations.
I went to west palm that year as well. It was the first time I would race the competitor that told me how much better he was then me. In the very first race of the meet I lapped him, it was only 10laps.. and a heat. I skated well enough at that meet that I fell down in both finals and still got 2nd.
West Palm was the first time I started learning what I really could do. Sure, I always had a good start and I could sprint with the best of them but I learned the rest of it. I learned quick that I developed an ability to go out harder in most races and make it hard for people. I started every 1500 and 1000m way faster than anyone wanted and usually I made it hard for everyone. I got to the point that I didn't care if I blew people away or if they finished right behind me, I wanted them to know I was stronger then them. I spent a lot of that season winning a lot of races.
I wanted to win Nationals for a lot of reasons that year, obviously I wanted to defend my title. I also realized at that point no one had won back to back sophomore men's titles on inlines.. ever so I wanted to do that. Next, everyone told me how impossible it would be to win on MPC wheels, and I wanted to prove they were wrong.
When I got to nationals that year I had a huge chip on my shoulder. I only lost one race that Nationals, it happened to be the first final, the 1000m. Someone fell early and for some reason it froze me.. I stopped doing what I had all year and it cost me a win in the first distance. From that point on, for the rest of division I led every lap of every race I skated. In the 1500m final I was still fighting for the overall title. I started the race out pretty fast, every time someone tried to pass me I passed them right back the very next straightaway. I got in the habit of picking the pace up even more with 7 laps to go because I knew no one wanted it to be sped up that soon. I never had to reach a full sprint because the race was fast throughout tiring everyone out enough. Coming out of the last turn I knew that the race, the title, and the defense were all mine, the three things I cared about. After the race I was told that I just broke the record which was cool because it sealed the title for me. That year we were in Omaha and after something like 60 records were broken in 2006 only 19 or something got broken in 2007, plus now I had the 500m (2006) and the 1500m.
That year the officials at Nationals tried to get my medal stripped from me after the award ceremony. I wore my MPC uniform on the podium, something I had seen athletes do before that did not skate pro. The was no rule that said you had to wear your club suit on the podium, just during races. Now, there is a rule that allows non-pro skaters to wear there sponsor uniforms on the podium.
My National Title defense didn't quite start the way I wanted it to. In September of 2006 I broke my collarbone at an outdoor race, it was the first time I ever had to take any amount of time off from skating. At first I tried to show up to every practice but I had to stop going, I couldn't sit and watch without being able to skate. Little did I know that wouldn't be the only time I missed that season.
I skated a little race over Halloween that year a week or two after being cleared to skate, everything was going good and the last lap of the last relay of the meet I fell on my shoulder of course. I thought I re-broke my collarbone but although I couldn't move it the Dr said that it looked great on the X-rays. The first invitational for me was always Greensboro, NC. I went in expecting not to do great since I only managed a few weeks of skating before the race but somehow I won both distances.. the 1500m by a lot which was new for me. That year was also my first with MPC so I went to a lot of races and tested 100's of different wheel combinations.
I went to west palm that year as well. It was the first time I would race the competitor that told me how much better he was then me. In the very first race of the meet I lapped him, it was only 10laps.. and a heat. I skated well enough at that meet that I fell down in both finals and still got 2nd.
West Palm was the first time I started learning what I really could do. Sure, I always had a good start and I could sprint with the best of them but I learned the rest of it. I learned quick that I developed an ability to go out harder in most races and make it hard for people. I started every 1500 and 1000m way faster than anyone wanted and usually I made it hard for everyone. I got to the point that I didn't care if I blew people away or if they finished right behind me, I wanted them to know I was stronger then them. I spent a lot of that season winning a lot of races.
I wanted to win Nationals for a lot of reasons that year, obviously I wanted to defend my title. I also realized at that point no one had won back to back sophomore men's titles on inlines.. ever so I wanted to do that. Next, everyone told me how impossible it would be to win on MPC wheels, and I wanted to prove they were wrong.
When I got to nationals that year I had a huge chip on my shoulder. I only lost one race that Nationals, it happened to be the first final, the 1000m. Someone fell early and for some reason it froze me.. I stopped doing what I had all year and it cost me a win in the first distance. From that point on, for the rest of division I led every lap of every race I skated. In the 1500m final I was still fighting for the overall title. I started the race out pretty fast, every time someone tried to pass me I passed them right back the very next straightaway. I got in the habit of picking the pace up even more with 7 laps to go because I knew no one wanted it to be sped up that soon. I never had to reach a full sprint because the race was fast throughout tiring everyone out enough. Coming out of the last turn I knew that the race, the title, and the defense were all mine, the three things I cared about. After the race I was told that I just broke the record which was cool because it sealed the title for me. That year we were in Omaha and after something like 60 records were broken in 2006 only 19 or something got broken in 2007, plus now I had the 500m (2006) and the 1500m.
That year the officials at Nationals tried to get my medal stripped from me after the award ceremony. I wore my MPC uniform on the podium, something I had seen athletes do before that did not skate pro. The was no rule that said you had to wear your club suit on the podium, just during races. Now, there is a rule that allows non-pro skaters to wear there sponsor uniforms on the podium.
Monday, April 2, 2012
2006 - Indoor
I think I've written about this a million times. If you can ever pick a defining moment this has to be it for me.
My last blog covered the outdoor part of 2006 and now I'm going to jump into the indoor part. A few blogs ago i wrote about 2004 where I had a lot of trouble falling.. That would not compare to 2006 in any way, shape, or form. The first race of the season was always in Greensboro, NC during thanksgiving for me. Let me give you a little idea of the season. 500m semi I was sitting in a poor, 4th place. Waiting for my opening knowing I was fast enough to move up, just skating behind someone a little awkward.. I fall down with 1 lap to go. Too bad. 1500m I don't remember if it was a semi or the final. I was in the lead four laps in and I fall down.. Get up quickly.. catch all the way back up to the pack work my way to second place.. and fall down with 2 laps to go. 2 races.. three falls. This was my season in 2006. Falling.. falling and more falling. Not at practice too much, just racing.
We worked watched video and tried to figure out what was happening. Not sure, we made the decision that I was going to stop pushing in the straights. The reason was because I took long steps in the straight trying to get as much out of it as possible and because I did that my left straight would end just barely before the turn so I would go from moving slightly right to jumping on my left edges and the quick position change was just too much. Even after making this change I was still falling a lot but we kept at it hoping it would just take a little time. The other thing was in 2006 I grew to the height I am now, which I thought would work to my advantage being a little bigger.. little did I know everyone else got bigger too.
Around President's Day, The Philly Challenge my luck slowly started turning. I got 2nd at the biggest meet of the year without falling down. I think I won regionals that year too also without falling down. Then Outdoor Nationals happened. After that I just kept hearing about how much fun everyone was going to have at worlds and how hard they were training for residency and worlds. Hearing that made me want to win indoor nationals more than anything.
One Wednesday night I remember we had just finished practice it was late. Everyone was gone I'm sure my brother and mother/father were lingering around. It's probably 10:30 and it's just Jeff and I, I don't remember how the conversation started but I remember him telling me that I might have to settle for 2nd or 3rd in a race because if I fall trying to get to the front then I get nothing. I don't even know that I let him finish talking before I said I don't want second or third, I want to win. I remember he said I want you to win too, but there are three races. I feel like I could end the story there, that moment sticks out to me more than the races that followed.
The first race at indoor nationals is the middle distance, which was the 1000m for me. In the final I won the start and was in the front but not going that fast. I remember the whole pack almost passed me in the same straightaway. Then I was in last place with four laps to go just looking for somewhere to go. In two and a half laps I found myself in second place, having passed one person each straightaway. At this point Jake Powers was out in front a little ways but I gave chase. We finished 1, 2.
Next was the 500, naturally I thought I could take the overall lead after the 5. I broke Will Bowen's Sophomore 500m record in the semi but barely. In the final I took second off the line, waited to really set my pass up and went to the front after one lap. After another lap second and third fell giving Jake a clear path to chase me. The finish was much like the 1000m but swapped and I lowered the record again.
Heading into the final for the 1500m Jake and I were tied for the lead and we were taking 1,2 overall no matter what. Obviously we joked about how we each won one race again this year, only this time we weren't getting worse than second overall. The 1500m record that year got slaughtered by us. I think we broke it in like 3 heats, 1 semi, and then the final too. In the final I pretty much just wanted to stay out of trouble and beat Jake, so I could win overall. I remember being in the front and then with maybe 7 laps to go Kimani Griffin passed me and picked up the pace. With four to go I noticed we were alone.. really alone like a straightaways length ahead of third. At that point I knew I just had to settle in and as long as the pace didn't die down I would win overall.
And that was my first overall indoor title for division. I think it brought closure for me after barely missing the 2006 Jr. World Team.
My last blog covered the outdoor part of 2006 and now I'm going to jump into the indoor part. A few blogs ago i wrote about 2004 where I had a lot of trouble falling.. That would not compare to 2006 in any way, shape, or form. The first race of the season was always in Greensboro, NC during thanksgiving for me. Let me give you a little idea of the season. 500m semi I was sitting in a poor, 4th place. Waiting for my opening knowing I was fast enough to move up, just skating behind someone a little awkward.. I fall down with 1 lap to go. Too bad. 1500m I don't remember if it was a semi or the final. I was in the lead four laps in and I fall down.. Get up quickly.. catch all the way back up to the pack work my way to second place.. and fall down with 2 laps to go. 2 races.. three falls. This was my season in 2006. Falling.. falling and more falling. Not at practice too much, just racing.
We worked watched video and tried to figure out what was happening. Not sure, we made the decision that I was going to stop pushing in the straights. The reason was because I took long steps in the straight trying to get as much out of it as possible and because I did that my left straight would end just barely before the turn so I would go from moving slightly right to jumping on my left edges and the quick position change was just too much. Even after making this change I was still falling a lot but we kept at it hoping it would just take a little time. The other thing was in 2006 I grew to the height I am now, which I thought would work to my advantage being a little bigger.. little did I know everyone else got bigger too.
Around President's Day, The Philly Challenge my luck slowly started turning. I got 2nd at the biggest meet of the year without falling down. I think I won regionals that year too also without falling down. Then Outdoor Nationals happened. After that I just kept hearing about how much fun everyone was going to have at worlds and how hard they were training for residency and worlds. Hearing that made me want to win indoor nationals more than anything.
One Wednesday night I remember we had just finished practice it was late. Everyone was gone I'm sure my brother and mother/father were lingering around. It's probably 10:30 and it's just Jeff and I, I don't remember how the conversation started but I remember him telling me that I might have to settle for 2nd or 3rd in a race because if I fall trying to get to the front then I get nothing. I don't even know that I let him finish talking before I said I don't want second or third, I want to win. I remember he said I want you to win too, but there are three races. I feel like I could end the story there, that moment sticks out to me more than the races that followed.
The first race at indoor nationals is the middle distance, which was the 1000m for me. In the final I won the start and was in the front but not going that fast. I remember the whole pack almost passed me in the same straightaway. Then I was in last place with four laps to go just looking for somewhere to go. In two and a half laps I found myself in second place, having passed one person each straightaway. At this point Jake Powers was out in front a little ways but I gave chase. We finished 1, 2.
Next was the 500, naturally I thought I could take the overall lead after the 5. I broke Will Bowen's Sophomore 500m record in the semi but barely. In the final I took second off the line, waited to really set my pass up and went to the front after one lap. After another lap second and third fell giving Jake a clear path to chase me. The finish was much like the 1000m but swapped and I lowered the record again.
Heading into the final for the 1500m Jake and I were tied for the lead and we were taking 1,2 overall no matter what. Obviously we joked about how we each won one race again this year, only this time we weren't getting worse than second overall. The 1500m record that year got slaughtered by us. I think we broke it in like 3 heats, 1 semi, and then the final too. In the final I pretty much just wanted to stay out of trouble and beat Jake, so I could win overall. I remember being in the front and then with maybe 7 laps to go Kimani Griffin passed me and picked up the pace. With four to go I noticed we were alone.. really alone like a straightaways length ahead of third. At that point I knew I just had to settle in and as long as the pace didn't die down I would win overall.
And that was my first overall indoor title for division. I think it brought closure for me after barely missing the 2006 Jr. World Team.
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