Thursday, March 30, 2023

WMACI World Masters Championships, 200m round 1

Ran my first 200m race since I was injured on 12/18/21 racing an indoor 200m.   It went OK.  My time of 26.10 brings me to the #1 USA rank this season in the M60 indoor 200m, but it only ranks as 6th fastest qualifier here.  With 52 competitors representing 20 countries, it's quite a deep field.  I have a slim chance to make the final and if I do, I will likely be in lanes 1 or 2 which is death in an indoor 200m.  No medal chance. 

This is an exceptionally fast group of M60s this year.   It has been 9 years since anyone in this age group ran under 25 in an indoor 200m, and already this season, Jorgen from Sweden has done it, and get this....  astonishingly, John W. ran a 24.7 first 200m split in his 400m final!   And there's world champion Pat from France who ran 25.22 today.  I predict all 3 of these guys could go under 25.  In 2019 Worlds at this same track, 25.30 won and 26.34 made the final in M60.  (If I had the speed I had at my last World indoor in Daegu - 24.82/ 55.17, I'd win everything and smash the WR in the 400m... but that was 6 yrs ago, and that's why they have age groups). 

I'm not in a position to win my heat in the semis as I drew a heat with the world #1 Jorgen who ran an easy 25.41, but he's in 6 and I'm in lane 5, so I can chase him.  I also have Martin from Trinidad to my inside and he's no slouch either.  

As long there are no injuries, these World meets are quite fun.  Race, eat, sleep, repeat.  

I chatted with Phillipe, Bronze medalist in the 400m who I collided with, and I apologized for the incident.  My best thing to come out of that incident is that I didn't screw him up or anyone else with my fall.   He was fine with it.  Of course, seeing his medal stand photos kinda stings.  Phillipe seems to be a 400m specialist, as he didn't make it out of the first round of the 200m.  

Been having difficulty sleeping and tomorrow is my earliest race.  I finally fell asleep last night about 2:30 am and slept til 8am, my longest night of sleep since I've been here.  I fell asleep after dinner about 7pm and woke up at 8:30 pm and thought it was morning.  Well, I'm glad it wasn't.  

So, semis tomorrow local time at 11:20 am, finals if I make it at 8:55 pm.  

Video of my heat:  


https://youtu.be/gRTRUnI-EmA



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2 comments:

  1. DJMarch 31, 2023 at 7:53 AM

    Looked good. 2 points, easy for me to say but, could stay lower (and accelerate further) when coming out of the blocks - you popped up pretty quick. Relax a bit more off the final bend coming to the finish. Might give you a little more at the very start/end of the race.

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  2. JPMarch 31, 2023 at 11:03 AM

    Cool video. I imagine the camaraderie is appreciated after months of solo training. I like the still - high knee drive and great extension. Too bad it wasn’t higher resolution - looses definition with zoom. By now you probably finished the next round but good luck anyway…

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