Day 3 of Racing

I know the headers are getting old sorry.  Today had some interesting story line which only sports can give, the tension and the drama with no knowledge of how it will all unfold.  Much like a Lao meet schedule.  Tom was feeling much better today so we made the journey to the stadium together.  Everyone was very pleased to see him.  The meet was supposed to begin with the prelims of the 110 and 100 meter hurdles.  There were not enough competitors to need prelims so they canceled it.  Nice because my guys make finals.  The next scheduled event was the 400m which was not run second, instead a prelim of the men's 100m.  The first of the two heats went out without a hitch the second was not so lucky.  Sadly I had a guy in the second and due to a false start they called the race back after 20 meters 3 guys in the field must not have heard the second gun signaling the false start and ended up running about 70 meters hard.  One such runner was mine. After the restart he had a terrible race and I just assumed it was all over from there.  The judges convened and decided to put my guy through to the final a big relief but having run essentially two 100m already the expectations were low.  Next up was the 400m finals one heat of each.  We had no men in the field where the winner went 53 seconds.  We had one woman in the finals and she was the last qualifier.  She is the converted 800m runner and ran a decent race but I could tell her heart wasn't in it.  The 100m finals were up next with the men first followed by the women race.  My guy pulled up lame with 10 meters to go and I know if he would have ran hard all the way through he might have placed.  The girl we had in the finals had a good race but rolled her ankle on her last step which made my heart drop. She is also the lead leg for the 4x100m so very important.  We rushed over and helped her ice it which is normally frowned upon but we needed to stop any possibly swelling until after racing for the day was done.  Following the womens hundred was the 5k mens.  We had two guys and tried to convey the start slow and relaxed.  I thought they did a good job at the beginning and with about 4 laps to go something very strange happened.  Only in laos will an athlete stop at the finish line bow to the crowd then drop out of a race.  Truly a shocking site one at which in America he would have been shot.  Sadly this would not be the last time someone dropped out of the race.  With 1 lap to go our top guy, the one who got third in the 1500m, who was in 4th place drops out.  We try to get him to go back but he stops.  This kills me inside!!!!  There are a few things that the Lao do that drive me crazy and dropping out when you are tired, not hurt, really eats at me.  Our second guy finished the race in 7th a good showing on a hot day and atleast he finished.  The girls 3k had two of our runners.  Tom was at the start and I was at the finish and pre-race we conveyed the start slow and relaxed plan.  The girls executed this very well and with 2 laps to go they were half of the lead pack.  With one lap to go the group of four leaders was well ahead of the field and then the unthinkable happens.  One of the girls drops out (with one lap to go) in 3rd place.  She is tired again.  The other girl battles her way to a second place.  A great result and we are ecstatic.  She gets interviewed for Laos TV (I think) and is very happy.  Shortly there after is the 4x100m.  My guys had been riding high on their victory from yesterday but with my first leg having run multiple 100ms already and my anchor running on an injured ankle I was nervous.  They got off well and the first exchange went well.  We led into the 2nd exchange and although it went well you could see that this is where the power of the other teams was.  The third leg battled but lost some ground and the anchor ran hard but was beat out to get 4th.  The were inconsolable.  I felt terrible for them not ashamed in the slightest.  They tried hard and if everyone was healthy I think we could have pulled it out.  The girls were up next and having seen the guys falter I was pretty much terrified about the girls.  The anchor had not practices hand-offs before and the girls hadn't run a prelim to see how they did in a race situation.  Add all that to the fact my first leg was running on a rolled ankle we would need something special to win.  The first leg ran great the exchange on the other hand was basically terrible.  The second runner left early then stopped and ran again.  Even with that we still ran strong into the second exchange which was much better.  The third girl ran strong but other teams had started to pull away.  The 3rd exchange wasnt great but good enough and the anchor ran strong and got us third place an awesome result.  I was really excited for the girls but also felt worse for the guys who I think put way more into the race to fall one place short.  Celebrations all around as another day was finished.  Today the girls racked up a few more medals and narrowly the guys got shut out.  I was going to say that the theme of today was as my good friend Lindsay Whitford would say "Mental Midgetry".  But looking back some of these athletes really put it out there.  I just wanted them all to be rewarded.

 Tom and an athlete texting probably.

 The team watching a soccer match, not sure what No is doing with the shirt.

 Pre 5k race massage.

 The 3k silver medalist being showered with praise.

 The 4x100m girls (2nd, 4th, 1st and 3rd legs left to right) faking actually not hating me.


P.S. if another athlete quits with one lap to go I will be arrested for murder.