2016 World Indoor Championships Day 2 (and not much running)

Not quite as eventful as yesterday. Thank goodness.

My personal workout wasn't much more involved than an Epsom salt bath this morning. Legs are pretty sore from yesterday's flogging.

It's all good.

While at my post trackside, I hear a voice calling for me. I turn around, but no one in the stands is looking my way. And there is no one standing on the track nearby.

It's an audio/visual guy literally under the track, and I can't see him because there is some kind of opaque black cloth to hide the track's structure.

The track: 3/4" plywood, a foam layer, then the green track coating itself.

Here's my perch overlooking Turn 2:

 

Yes, my chair fell off that box. Twice. I was sitting in the chair both times. Gotta entertain the crowd, you understand.

 

Here's my secret cubby under the stands:

 

This hideout serves two purposes:

1) a place to stash my chair when I have to move around. Chairs at track meets tend to disappear.

2) A place for me to sneak an energy bar or drink. We're not supposed to consume on the track, but off the track is ok.

 

And it's only 10 feet or so from my chair. Hey, I told you it was a slow day.

 

Vernon Norwood, late of LSU and the current national champion in the 400m, steps on a lane line and gets thrown out of the race. No hometown discount for Americans.

In the 3000k prelims, Ryan Hill coasts to an automatic qualifying place in final. Seriously, he was COASTING. I'm sure he stayed aerobic the whole way. He truly looked bored.

800m heats: Wais Khairendesh from Afghanistan makes a good showing, though he doesn't advance. His hometown was overrun by the Taliban, and his father literally pushed his family onto the last train before being captured. The family made it to Tuscon, where Wais finished high school. He's now pursuing a graduate degree in Chicago! Props to ya....last year, he raised the funds to compete for his country in the Beijing outdoor world championships, and found himself running on the shoulder of world record holder David Rudisha. I hope Wais got plenty of pictures from that meet.

Someone false starts in the 60m sprint and is DQ'd. I hate that rule...in what other sport does one mistake jeopardize your ability to make a living? Most of these athletes get no appearance fees, and they depend on winnings. I've said it before: if someone false starts, penalize them a certain time, and let them compete. They are suitably but not overly punished, and their fans still get to watch them.

Heat 7 of the men's 60: Adams, Conde, Bracy, Harris, and Himasha Eashan Waththakankanamg. For some strange reason, the announcer only said the guy's first two names. How come Sri Lanka gets no respect? That's chickens*** in my book.

Did I tell you about the amazing corned beef sandwich I had last Sunday in Portland after Nationals was done? Kenny and Zuke's is a shrine...or should be.

First time EVER that I've seen a shotputter actually RUN a victory lap. Oh...he stopped after 100m. Never mind.

In the women's pentathlon...Brianne Theissen-Eaton is 150 points down on the leader and 36 points behind 2nd place with one event to go. The two in front are Ukrainians, built solid like their specialties are the strength events, while Bri is fairly slender. The last event is the 800 meters.

Hmmmm...she has a chance to slip into 2nd, but 150 points for the win is a huge jump. Then I remember watching a video of her and hubby Ashton doing hill reps in Eugene's Hendricks Park. Beastly workout. Hmmmmm....

At the gun, the Ukrainians are at the back, and Bri is pushing the pace. As they pass the high jump pit, Ashton is twisting arms of his own competitors to get them to cheer. Bri goes nuclear in the last two laps, coming around the leader in the final turn for a huge win. The Ukrainians stumble across the line 10 seconds later.

Ashton holds his head and slouches across one of the timing clocks. He's in agony....

YES!!!!! Not just a jump past the 2nd place athlete, but Bri leaps all the way to the top spot on the world championship podium. She earned that win on the hills of Hendricks Park.

By the way, Ashton was jumping around the infield like fire ants had invaded his shorts. Yeah, he was excited, all right. Very cool.

Long jumper Brittany Reese is fast. Like, insanely fast. No accident that she's an Olympic champion.

Last event is the final of the men's 60m dash. Jamaica's Asafa Powell has been running lights out, and I'm thinking he'll take this.

You know who didn't share the same opinion? American Trayvon Bromwell, who took his rocket start and 'ran' away with the race.

Boo, hiss: bad pun. But great win!