Torn
Sunday morning is the Footlocker Finals, but it's also the Honolulu Marathon. I love watching the kids, but I have a friend running Honolulu.
I grew up in Colts Neck, NJ, where the school for whom both Craig Forys and Ashley Higginson run is located. Needless to say, I have some interest in the outcome of this race. Forys won both the NJ State Meet (aka Meet of Champions or officially the All-Group Meet), and the Footlocker Northeast Meet. Higginson is in an interesting position, as she's spent much of her running career in the shadows, behind Southern Regional's Danielle Tauro and sometimes behind schoolmate and child running star Briana Jackucewicz. The result has been that while she's a fine runner and multi-time state champ, Tauro has often kept her off the radar screens. This is likely a blessing AND a curse, as it means she's able to prepare for races without the interruptions of reporters and fans, but she also doesn't get the level of respect and recognition that she deserves. In the last few weeks, she's popped out of the shadows, finishing fourth at Footlocker NE, and finishing first at Nike Team Nationals.
Part of Higginson's popping out of the shadows is because at Footlocker Northeast, Tauro collapsed twice during the race, dropping from fourth to tenth in the final 60 meters. She and her coach decided to end her season after a diagnosis of rhabdomyolysis. (My speculation is that after some time off in the early season due to summer racing, Tauro rushed her preparation for the late season races and wasn't as muscularly strong as was needed. Her drive permitted her to keep racing, but at the NE race, the damage was severe enough that her body shut down.) When you look at some of the effects of this condition, things like kidney damage, no race is worth that, so I agree with their decision, even though it took away someone I love to root for.
Meanwhile, at the Honolulu Marathon, Dan Dillon, whom I count as a friend, will be running his first marathon since his eighth place finish at Boston in 1985. Having run with Dan a bit this summer, I'm confident he's ready. Dan is strong, he's fast, and his recent training leads me to believe he's again durable. Dillon's recent 26:07 at the Manchester Road Race won him the 50+ age-group, until Dan corrected race organizers that he's only 49! (AARP must wait!) So, I'll try to watch both as the morning progresses. Hawaii's 5:00AM start means that he'll finish sometime before 1:00PM my time (if my math was right and his plan holds together). Footlocker's starts are at 9:15 (girls) and 10:00 (boys). Results from both should come available at about the same time, thus, I'm torn by needing to try to watch for both more or less at once.
Edit: OOPS! Footlocker is Saturday! In the words of Emily Latella, "Never Mind!"
I grew up in Colts Neck, NJ, where the school for whom both Craig Forys and Ashley Higginson run is located. Needless to say, I have some interest in the outcome of this race. Forys won both the NJ State Meet (aka Meet of Champions or officially the All-Group Meet), and the Footlocker Northeast Meet. Higginson is in an interesting position, as she's spent much of her running career in the shadows, behind Southern Regional's Danielle Tauro and sometimes behind schoolmate and child running star Briana Jackucewicz. The result has been that while she's a fine runner and multi-time state champ, Tauro has often kept her off the radar screens. This is likely a blessing AND a curse, as it means she's able to prepare for races without the interruptions of reporters and fans, but she also doesn't get the level of respect and recognition that she deserves. In the last few weeks, she's popped out of the shadows, finishing fourth at Footlocker NE, and finishing first at Nike Team Nationals.
Part of Higginson's popping out of the shadows is because at Footlocker Northeast, Tauro collapsed twice during the race, dropping from fourth to tenth in the final 60 meters. She and her coach decided to end her season after a diagnosis of rhabdomyolysis. (My speculation is that after some time off in the early season due to summer racing, Tauro rushed her preparation for the late season races and wasn't as muscularly strong as was needed. Her drive permitted her to keep racing, but at the NE race, the damage was severe enough that her body shut down.) When you look at some of the effects of this condition, things like kidney damage, no race is worth that, so I agree with their decision, even though it took away someone I love to root for.
Meanwhile, at the Honolulu Marathon, Dan Dillon, whom I count as a friend, will be running his first marathon since his eighth place finish at Boston in 1985. Having run with Dan a bit this summer, I'm confident he's ready. Dan is strong, he's fast, and his recent training leads me to believe he's again durable. Dillon's recent 26:07 at the Manchester Road Race won him the 50+ age-group, until Dan corrected race organizers that he's only 49! (AARP must wait!) So, I'll try to watch both as the morning progresses. Hawaii's 5:00AM start means that he'll finish sometime before 1:00PM my time (if my math was right and his plan holds together). Footlocker's starts are at 9:15 (girls) and 10:00 (boys). Results from both should come available at about the same time, thus, I'm torn by needing to try to watch for both more or less at once.
Edit: OOPS! Footlocker is Saturday! In the words of Emily Latella, "Never Mind!"
posted by Scooter at 10:30 AM
1 Comments:
Torn? Neither one of these events is on TV as far as I know. The Iron Man in Hawaii is on Ch. 4. That Dick and Rick Hoyt story is the greatest story of sport and love.
I like to think I owe my existence to Pearl Harbor. I was born 9 months later. My father wanted to "make love, not war"! Too bad that credo isn't honored in all religions.
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