David Krummenacker's Journal III:
Some Early-Season Losses, Then A Near-Disaster at Nationals

(July 13)

As my preparations were getting underway for the outdoor season and with my first few races only days away, I sat and thought about the months ahead. The two feelings that steered the mental jog were staying healthy and getting back to the medal stand at World Championships. There is a saying that being healthy is 90% of the game. I can tell you now, there may never have been a greater understatement.

Brazil GP

My first competition of outdoor 2003 was in Brazil. The plan was to race a 1500. I arrived in Brazil and was awed by the Amazon region. I was also awed by my coach. He told me when I arrived at the hotel that the meet director was lobbying hard to have me race the 800 instead of the 1500. A handful of athletes were having problems getting visas to enter Brazil, and as a result some of the events' Grand Prix status was in jeopardy.

In other words, 800 it was!

We lined up at high noon on a sweltering Sunday. "It begins here," I thought to myself as the gun went off. I was a little alarmed by how quickly everyone else seemed to be getting out. I reminded myself to relax and get in a rhythm. As we came through 400 I was in about 6th-place and had some serious work to do. Up the back stretch Mutua from Kenya was starting to gap the rest of us and I knew it was time to go. With 150 to go I had made my way to 3rd and was just waiting for the home stretch to put in a final surge. Waiting might not have been the best thing. I caught one guy but Mutua's lead proved to be insurmountable the last 20m and I placed 2nd. I felt like it was a good opener and joked with Mutua about getting him back later in Europe this summer.

Portland GP

I headed back to Tucson the next day and had two weeks to prepare for another 800 at the adidas Oregon meet. I had three track sessions during that time and I felt like my body was getting into good form.

I arrived in Portland and joked with the guys about there being any last-minute changes to my racing itinerary this time around. Fortunately there weren't.

As we lined up to race I focused on getting out good the first 150m. (I didn't want to be in 6th-place again with a lap to go) I got a faster start this time and settled in to position. Fidele, one of my training partners in Tucson was pacing for us and I knew the race was going to be a good one.

I felt really good through 400 and as we made our way up the backstretch I realized the tightly bunched group was poised for a serious kick the last 200m. I was on the inside with 150 to go and new I'd have to be sneaky. Looking for daylight to pass in lane 1 off the last curve is usually a lost cause. Just as I was thinking I'd have to hit the brakes and swing wide, two runners in front of me began to drift off the rail. I took the chance and sped through the gap they opened. I'd moved ahead just enough to hold on for the win.

Home Depot

Back in Tucson once again I prepared for the next two weeks for a 1500 race in LA. I had a few longer interval sessions on the track and bumped my two long runs for those weeks to 50 minutes.

My first 1500 of the season and I was excited to be taking part in the inaugural competition at the new sports complex there in LA.

The first lap of the race I noted what a difference there was between 800m race-pace and 1500m race-pace. I thought to myself, "If only the first 400m of a 1:43 race felt this easy." I maintained good position and kept a comfortable rhythm as the next two laps flew by. The last 300m I told myself to make one move and decided to wait until the last 100m. I looked over my shoulder at the top of the final stretch and moved to the lead. I thought I'd put enough of a surge on to be clear of any late kickers but as all coaches will tell you, never underestimate your opponents. One runner sped past me the last 20m leaving me in 2nd and I thought to myself, "That was well timed."

Stanford GP

The following week I was off to Palo Alto to race a 1000m. I have always liked racing this distance because it sits in a perfect neutral zone between the 800 and 1500. I made the decision to follow the rabbit for this race. I ended up getting stung pretty nicely for that choice. The rabbit sped me through the first 400 in 51-flat and I new I was in for a ringer. With about 300m left in the race my legs were beginning to feel the effects of the hot early pace. I held the lead until 100 to go and was passed by one runner. Surprisingly I held on for 2nd.

I learned one lesson that day. Pacemakers should be followed with caution.

USATF Championships

The next two weeks were used to do some light tuning for U.S. Champs. Our championships (and U.S. team qualifications) are unique because you have to be fit (and healthy) enough to make the team on the particular weekend where they fall, but not so fit that you'll be sliding down from an early peak two months later when the World Championships or Olympics arrive.

I had a few speed sessions just before I was to leave for Palo Alto and as fortune would have it one of them resulted in a serious strain to my hamstring. It was three days before the first round of the 800m. I was in utter disbelief. I had dreamt of getting U.S. middle distance back to the medal stands at an outdoor World Champs. I remembered clearly the pride I'd felt when Rich Kenah had accomplished the feat in '97.

I talked with my coach and manager at length. U.S. Champs appeared to be out of the question.

There was a glimmer of hope the morning I was supposed to have flown out of Tucson. I received an e-mail from one of my friends and former teammates at Georgia Tech. He brought a few things to light and reminded me there was a chance I could possibly go to Worlds if I entered the 1500m. I was the only American with the standard in the distance, and if the U.S. couldn't assemble a team of three I'd be able to represent us.

I was entered in the race and boarded a plane that afternoon. We contacted a specialist and friend of John Godina named Dr. Santos who does Active Release Therapy. He had treated me the previous year at U.S. Champs and had truly worked wonders. He was going to be at the meet again and had agreed to work on me.

To say this man is capable of working miracles would not be enough. I saw the instructor who had trained Dr. Nelson Santos (and who'd come up with Active Release Therapy). He treated me once and I felt my leg was responding very positively. I lived in and out f the ice bath the rest of the day. Dr. Santos arrived the following morning and worked on me tirelessly for the next two days.

I prayed a loooooooooooooooooooooooooot, and hesitantly decided to race the 800. Having to miss the 800 at Worlds felt gut-wrenching. I had to give it a shot. Nelson felt the worst that could happen was my hamstring would cramp and I'd have to stop and rest it for a couple of weeks.

Amazingly I was able to manage through the first two rounds. I felt my hamstring here and there but I saw Dr. Santos before and after each race and again in the morning before the next round.

In the final I knew I would have to start slowly and work my way up without any quick changes in the pace. I said a short prayer for my health and everyone else's as I went to the line. After the first 400 I knew there'd be some work to do. The youngster from Texas Tech was running very strongly and had a 15m lead on the rest of us. We slowly drew nearer to him, and I thought to myself, "If my hamstring can just make it around this last turn I'd be in business." Coming down the homestretch I thanked God silently for keeping me in one piece and I crossed the line with the victory.

I thought about one of my training partners, and his favorite saying: "There's no better!"

Thanks for reading,

David Krummenacker

>>David's Journal Main Page