Hi, this is my blog in TFS’s Elite Athlete Blog Series. Bookmark kateoneill.thefinalsprint.com and check back every other Monday for my latest entry as I strive for the 2008 Summer Olympics!
For the first time in my life, I dropped out of a race yesterday. I had been eagerly anticipating the Women’s Olympic Marathon Trials since October 8th. That was the day after the Chicago Marathon. For the first 24 hours after the race, I was too exhausted to even contemplate running another marathon, but once I had had a full day to recover, I began dreaming of the possibilities and felt eager to test myself over the 26.2 mile distance again. The thought of racing at the Trials in my hometown in front of my family and friends made me even more excited. I struggled for the first few months of training after Chicago, but by Christmas time training was on an upswing and I could see improvements every week.
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Of the 124 women who finished the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials Women’s Marathon, only 4 had negative splits. The most notable one, of course, was Deena Kastor who ran the second half of her race 2.28% faster than the first half. The other three were Megan Hepp (-0.48%), Casey Smith (-0.24%) and third place finisher Blake Russell (-0.22%). Since two of the three women who made the Olympic team had negative splits, this would seem to be the wisest strategy to have had going into the race. Another twenty women, including the now-famous trail blazer Magdalena Lewy Boulet (+0.70%), ran “even” splits, meaning the 2nd half was no more than 1% slower than the first half. The incomparable Joan Samuelson ran her 2nd half just 0.63% slower than her first half.
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I’m a new contributor to The Final Sprint. Most of my writing has been at my blog under the moniker of “The Track & Field Superfan”, and that’s the perspective I’ll bring to TFS Media Network. So here are my thoughts on this morning’s Trials race…
#1. Put It On (Live) TV
I’m part of a relatively narrow age group that always saw marathons on TV. Not just the races in the Olympics and the Olympic Trials, but also ABC’s annual live coverage of the New York City race. I’d have to say it had a great influence on who I became; seeing thousands of people run through the streets of New York made distance running seem right at home in the gritty urban environment where I grew up. And for years, whenever it was a cool rainy day and I was running in the local city park, I imagined I was Rod Dixon chasing down Greg Meyer. In fact, I have to admit I still do that.
There are thousands of young American girls who could have been inspired by today’s race, and likewise pretended to be Deena Kastor chasing down an imaginary Magdalena Lewy-Boulet…if only they had seen it on television.
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Keeping her cool after Magdalena Lewy-Boulet had built up a one minute and 56 second lead through the 14th mile, Olympic bronze medalist Deena Kastor zipped through the second half to win today’s USA Olympic Team Trials - Women’s Marathon in 2:29:35. For Kastor it was her third Olympic team berth and her second as a marthoner.
“It was a tough race,” Kastor told NBC Sports’ Ed Eyestone after the race. “I was panicking out there.”
Kastor’s panic was caused by Lewy-Boulet’s brave front run which began right from the Boyleston Street starting line in Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood. Although Lewy-Boulet was not running particularly fast, around a 2:30 marathon finish time, the pack did not chase her. By the 14th mile, her lead had fattened to nearly two minutes.
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With less than 6 miles to go in the 2008 USA Women’s Olympic Marathon Trials, Magdalena Lewy-Boulet couldn’t have any way of knowing this, but Deena Kastor was trying to reel her in. She was now only 70 seconds back. This certainly wasn’t her plan going into the race, but Lewy-Boulet hadn’t left her any options. She had taken the race from the gun and had opened up a gap of almost 2-minutes. Lewy-Boulet had just run a 5:57 mile and was laboring a little. Blake Russell’s form looked a little forced back in third place. She still had several seconds on Desiree Davila. Kastor was 55 seconds ahead of Russell in 2nd place.
At 21 miles, Kastor was only 1:03 behind Lewy-Boulet. Had Lewy-Boulet done enough work to hold off Kastor for the last 5 miles? The lead was now down to 40 seconds. Blake Russell had kept Davila at bay and had now opened her gap on Davila. Lewy-Boulet’s last mile was 5:54. With 3 1/2 miles to go, she was now in danger of being caught by Kastor.
Lewy-Boulet was willing herself on, but she was obviously hurting. Kastor was powering along, looking smooth, steadily eating away at Lewy-Boulet’s lead. She was closing the gap at faster than 20 seconds per mile. It was now just a matter of time before Kastor passed her.
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In the 2008 USA Women’s Olympic Marathon Trials, the race was now for third place. Magdalena Lewy-Boulet had a 1:47 lead over Deena Kastor, who had closed the gap a bit. Blake Russell, who finished a heartbreaking 4th at the 2004 trials, was neck and neck with Mary Akor. Suddenly, Russell began to pull away from Akor and soon opened up a gap of 50 yards.
Kastor had a 7-second lead on Russell. Up front, Lewy-Boulet reeled off another mile in 5:38 and her form was still looking good. The Olympic team seemed to have chosen itself at this point. Lewy-Boulet had taken the lead from the gun and was way up front, 1:43 ahead of Kastor. Kastor had a 10-second lead on Russell. Desiree Davila passed Akor for 4th. Akor seemed to be done.
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Ten miles into the 2008 USA Women’s Olympic Marathon Trials in Boston, the temperature was now 51°F. Magdalena Lewy-Boulet had just passed the hairpin turn again, so she was able get a good look at the trail pack. She looked down at her watch to check her time, maybe in disbelief that she had a minute and a half on Deena Kastor and was in first place, on pace for a 2:29:38 marathon.
Through 11 miles, which was passed in 1:02:46 (2:29:36 marathon pace) Lewy-Boulet had increased her gap to 1:40. She was on her way to a $50,000 pay day, which is the prize for the winner of the 2008 USA Women’s Olympic Marathon Trials. In addition, she would get a $10,000 stipend from the USOC to travel to Beijing. That, of course, was her primary goal and she was well on her way and having the race of her life. She has run her last mile in 5:32, on pace to a 2:29:14 marathon.
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Magdalena Lewy-Boulet was running a 2:30:24 marathon pace through mile 6. The Polish-born immigrant who became an American citizen on 9/11/01, was running this race in honor of the thousands of her compatriots who died that day. She had a 1:18 lead on the chase pack. Coming up on mile 7, one who have expected Kastor to have made a move by now. She had indicated before the race that her primary goal was to make the team, but that she wanted to win, too. The pack was on a 2:34 pace while Lewy-Boulet’s was around 2:30. The trail pack was down to about 12 women at this point. Included in that pack were Elva Dryer, Blake Russell and, or course, Kastor.
At mile 8, which was passed in 45:38, Lewy-Boulet had a 70-second lead on the trail pack. She was running slightly faster than her personal best of 2:30:50. By the time the chase pack reached what would be the finish line on this 4 loop course, Lewy-Boulet had an 81-second lead.
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The 2008 USA Women’s Olympic Marathon Trials began with good conditions:
48°F
Mostly Cloudy
Humidity: 80%
Wind: From E at 8 mph
Accompanied by her bicycle escort, Polish immigrant Magdalena Lewy-Boulet opened up a gap almost from the start. By mile 1, she had a 17-second separation from the trail pack, which included American record holder Deena Kastor, who was wearing the number 1 bib.
Through two miles, which was passed in 12:25, a 2:43 marathon pace, the main pack was keying off of Kastor, who didn’t appear in any hurry to chase after Lewy-Boulet.
At three miles, which Lewy-Boulet passed in 17:29, she had a lead of 43 seconds. This was a 2:32 marathon pace.
Lewy-Boulet ran mile 4 in 5:26, a 2:22 marathon pace for that mile. One minute and 5 seconds behind Lewy-Boulet, Michelle Gallagher was making her own move, trying to break free from the main pack. At about 28 minutes, Lewy-Boulet reached the hairpin turn and got a good look at the rest of the field. Wearing a white cap, blue singlet, black shorts and gloves, Kastor was running comfortably at the side of the chase pack, staying out of trouble.
Our friends at MarathonGuide.com have created a robust annotated start list for tomorrow’s USA Olympic Team Trials - Women’s Marathon in Boston.
You can see it at this abbreviated link: http://tinyurl.com/4mc8hy
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