Night at the Races: 800 meter style

On Thursday, January 25th, I left work at 4:45 to head to The Armory for my first 800 of the year, my first in a year! The meet started at 7:00. I arrived at just before 6:00. Having paid online, the  registration was easy. I saw a long list of people registered for the 800, probably about 75 or so names! I was top 20 or so on the list, which started with sub-2:00 runners, including aspirational figures Mark Williams and Peter Brady.  My focus was on Sherman Lau of Central Park Track Club. He and I had faced off a few times in the 4x400, 600, and 400, and I thought I had a step on him. Given how well he's run in the mile, 1000, and 600 this season, I knew I'd be taking a back seat to him. I just didn't expect the seat would be that far back!

When it was check-in time, I learned I was in heat 2 (of 6), lane 10 (of 13). The times in my heat ranged from 2:00 to 2:10. I was seeded at 2:08. I was in Sherman's heat.

At the start, four of us were placed "up;" the rest of us were on the back line.  My plan was to run 30.5, 31.5 (62), 32.5, and 33.5 (66) for a 2:08.  The gun went off, and I got out well. On the backstretch, I found myself in lane 2 trying to make up ground and cut into lane 1.  I did! I was in fifth place, with Sherman right in front of me. The time at the 200 was 30/31.  I got passed. I was trying to stay patient and run my race as I hit 62/63 at the 400 meter mark. I told myself that I was still on pace to hit 2:08.  That's when I got stuck.  I wanted to say out loud "MOVE."  I started losing ground to everyone, who seemed to be maintaining their pace as I moved in the wrong direction: backwards. I saw 1:35/1:36 at the 600 meter mark.  I needed a 32/33 last 200.  A repeat of the third lap and then some, the last lap sucked.   And there it was 2:11.11, on account of a 35-second last lap. That'll never do!  Yuck! I got 20th overall out of 80 competitors.

Dinkins, Delvin              Unattached             2:11.11   2 
        30.866 (30.866)  1:02.649 (31.783)  1:35.776 (33.127)  2:11.104 (35.329)