There's just something about the baton

Sun, 1/13/13--Well, I did it anyway: I went ahead and ran in today's meet despite my multi-symptoms illness.  I arrived at Glen Mills shortly after the doors had opened.  I paid my fee, waiting in line for an unusual amount of time.  I registered for the 55m, the 400m, and the 4x200 relay, for which Chuck had recruited me less than a day earlier.  I figured I'd use the 55 as warm-up.

I felt dizzy and thirsty as I warmed up.  I broke out into a pretty intense sweat after an 8:20 mile.  I stretched haphazardly, for whatever reason not following my normal routine.  I did a couple of starts on the backstretch during the running of the 55m hurdles.  My legs felt pretty good.  When we were called to the starting area for heat and lane assignments, I realized I had recorded a time more suitable for the 60m than the 55m: 7.75.  As the clerk made her way through the names and lanes for the first heat, I made a decision to interrupt her: "Excuse me, mam.  I wrote down the wrong seed time for this event.  I gave you a time that was for the 60, not the 55m.  I think I might end up in the wrong heat.  I think it should be closer to 7.0"  She decided to place me in the first heat.  Then, for good measure, she asked what time she should give.  Having looked over her shoulder at the times that appeared on the cards of runners in the first heat, I knew that all of the times were sub-7.0.  I told her, "It doesn't matter. 6.89."  I lied!  It did matter and I cannot run a 6.89 55m.  And I proved it on in lane 6 when the gun went off.  I got out reasonably well, but I lost ground fairly quickly; my foot speed was no match.  Besides, I haven't been doing straight sprinting...and probably never will.  So, I dropped a 7.44.  In the second heat, that time would have placed 3rd, I believe, not 6th.  Oh well.

I hung around for quite bit afterwards.  Eventually, the 4x200 would arrive, but not before 3--did you hear me?--3 heats of the 3000.  We were ready to go after the first one and were surprised to learn there was a second one.  Then we readied ourselves again, only to see another cohort hop on the track.  I get, I get.  Three heats were appropriate for the range of times, but perhaps two could have done the trick, too.  Then again, some people may have been lapped several times as a result.  We do want to be fair and equitable.  We all paid, right?

At any rate, earlier--but not after a bit of hemming and hawing--we decided the teams and the order.  I'd volunteer to lead off the 'B' team, a new guy whose name I cannot recall would go second, John Vu would go third, and Jeff (age: 50+) would anchor.  Parrish would lead off the 'A' team, followed by Ceyhun, Lamar, and another new guy whose name I haven't committed to memory. 

The start.  Community College of Phila was in lane, Greater Phila B in lane 3, and Greater Phila A in lane 4.  And off we went.  I stayed low at the start and felt fluid coming out of the drive phase.  On the backstretch I lifted a bit and felt myself making up the stagger on Parrish going into the turn.  Coming out of it I had pulled even and felt like I had momentum to overtake him.  He held steady, while the kid in lane 3 came on strong and exerted a slight lead over us both.  I dug in and ran through the zone; the handoff was even with all running in the 25-second range.  However, our more fluid, non-pacticed handoff gave Greater Phila B the lead going into the turn.  We would hold that lead, as we pressed around the turns and up the straightaway (24+).  John, leg three, would hold his own against a charging Lamar, who passed a guy from CCP and came within a few feet of John (25+).  A good handoff would give the B team the advantage; a clumsy handoff would set the A team back.  The anchor from the A team tore across the first 75 meters, but then reached for his hamstring, not once but three times, writhing in pain.  He continued to fight, almost overtaking our anchor (27+).  Screams of "shop, stop, stop" echoed the field house.  He ignored them, wanting the glory in the win.  Instead, he got ice and, from what he said, a much-needed massage from his girlfriend.  He struggled up the straightaway, finally heeding our advice.  CCP would win, the B team would get a close second, and the A team would get third.

I had fun!  I love relays!  There's just something about the baton, or as the British say, the bat-ton.