Ah, sometimes I grow so tired,But I know I’ve got one thing I got to do,Ramble on

My two introductory blogs went up on Flocast last week.   The site looks good and Mark from Flocasts continues to push the visibility of track and field in North America.  

Seems as though my non-inclusion at worlds is still stirring a little discussion on TnFNorth. I guess its frustrating because I was just so close.  Apparently there are 16 athletes who have some sort of IAAF standard.  I know in the distance events, at least, Aimee Teteris, Andrew Ellerton, Ryan McKenzie, Paul Morrison, Megan Metcalfe, Steve Osadiuk and Matt McInnes all have a B standard. 

One reason why the COC doesn’t want to send all the athletes who have achieved minimum standards is that they want to have high percentages of people making finals.  So if they would of sent me to Worlds and I didn’t make the final then their “total athletes to athletes in a final ratio” is weaker.   I just don’t see the value in a percentage compared to the value in total numbers. I would think at the end of the day the more athletes you have in the final the better.  And, where better to get experience in the rounds to make the major finals as the Worlds and Olympic rounds themselves?  Where am I ever going to get into a race at this stage of my career where I get the chance to run a race that will have similar tactics to Worlds or Olympic heats? 

Here’s an interesting fact:  I’ve only run in three races in my whole life where I’ve had heats and final. 

1) 1998 OFSAA 2000m s/c – qualified for final – 3rd in final
2) 2002 National Track and Field 1500 – qualified for final – 4th in final
3) 2005 World Track and Field 5000m – 14th in heat, did not qualify for final

So to say I lack experience in heats is an understatement, especially at 5000m.  And that is where distance events differ a lot from other events.  Making a final usually takes getting through tactical races that you don’t get in normal open competitions.  Much different from the jumping, throwing and sprinting events where there isn’t as much influence form the rest of the field. 

But that’s all done now.  My energy and focus will be going into running faster and gunning for the Olympic team next year… and maybe a little campaigning to get AC/COC to lengthen the qualifying period.  It would absolutely suck if an athlete would be ready to perform at the Olympics but is not even on the team because Canada needs some extra time for administrative purposes.