Coaches
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Coaches |
|
|
|||
|
|
Jesse O'Brien (San Pasqual) - State 800 Champ on that race! San Diego Section September, 2005 |
 |
||
|
Jesse O'Brien (San Pasqual) - San Diego Section September, 2005 By Doug Speck/Jesse O'Brien Champonship races many times do not go as planned, or are not set up as one would have assumed during the regular season. A state or section finals may be quite different than the race plan that a favorite or favorites have used during the year due to doubling, some change in tactics that an athlete and coach have set up during the year, or some other unforseen circumstances. The plan that a championship level athlete takes into such an affair cannot be totally inflexible unless they are just so much better than the field that it does not really matter. The past June State Meet 800 was an interesting race, one we personally can watch the video of time and time again to just see things develop. The athlete who won, Jesse O'Brien of San Pasqual in Escondido (SD Section) did not win the big gathering of the regular season at Arcadia for most of the State Finalists, and was even runner-up in his own section to finalist Randy Pensinger (El Camino-SD). Below Jesse takes us through his thoughts beforehand and how the race developed (we have added some downloads from the video of the race at different points), with the story of this upset winner an interesting one, and just one of we are sure dozens of fascinating strings that wind through a meet such as the State affair. Jesse also talks about what the race taught him (and should others), what prepared him best as an 800 runner, and a bit about his preparation for the cross-country season of his senior year. 1) What was your mind-set coming into June's State Meet in track after the season that you had? There were some very fast 800m runners, some of whom had run significantly faster than you during the year (Campbell-Primm-Bradford beat you at Arcadia at 1:51-52, etc. second in San Diego Section to Pensinger - etc)-- JO - My first thought as always was not to come in last!!! After that, my mind set was not to have another race like I did at SD CIF. I was very focused on making it into the finals and running with all the guys from Arcadia, hoping they would push me to a faster time. Both SD CIF’s 04& 05 I got beat in the last 50m. That is a tough lesson. 2) Describe your prelims race, where you nipped Colin Campbell 1:53.86-1:53.91 for the win and qualified for the finals? JO - I knew that if I was with Colin I would make it into the finals. Winning the heat was a bonus and made sure I got in. We were working on my race techniques, sitting the first 400 yet staying 3) What race plan did you have in mind for Finals, and how much flexibility did you have for that race plan as you headed to that Saturday evening? JO - We had 2 different plans going into the finals: 4) Did the race set up during the first lap as you thought it would--describe your thoughts and how you reacted to things along the way during that first lap (it appeared you were pretty well boxed in going around the second turn but were able to work your way out by the end of that lap)?
JO - No, the race set opposite of what I thought. I thought Travis would take the pace out real fast like he did at Arcadia, and the pack would follow. Instead we were going out slow, so I just tucked in and sat back. At the second turn I meant to sit back but I was too far back and got boxed in, not where I wanted to be. I like coming up on people rather that being out ahead . 5) Action became kind of interesting down the backstretch after the 56 second opening 400m, what was going through your mind at that time, and how did you feel?
JO - After to first 400 I felt fresh which I usually don’t, so that was kinda a new feeling. I was near the back and had to move to the outside to get clear, but I knew from that point I would have to make the first move and not wait for someone else to break. I knew that a lot of the other guys had strong kicks like mine 6) You had moved to the front and definitely accelerated with 200m to go--what were your thoughts at that time and how hard was that effort for you (did you make a moved you felt you could hold until the finish?)?
JO - I started to move to the front and to the inside and got tripped up a little, when I got clear I made my move around the turn I could tell no one was with me, that was a strange feeling. The sounds were all different, I didn’t hear any one too close. I tried to keep my form and pick my legs up and turn them over. The last 100 I tried to run like my 400's, picking up the pace every 10 meters. I felt really good and strong, I thought I lost my form a little near the end but it didn’t seem to matter. 7) What were your thoughts the final 50m in the lead?
JO - That last 50 I was thinking “Don’t let them catch you” and the rest of my feelings were all so brand new, I felt like I had the race but I wasn’t sure. Travis, Colin & Ryan made a charge at the end but I still couldn’t hear or feel them, it was unbelievable. 8) What did the State Finals race teach you about two-lap racing? JO - It taught me that anything can happen - You can come into a race with the fastest time all year and get beat by a guy no one saw as a threat. It made me realize that nothing is ever a sure thing 9) What one workout do you think prepared you best for the championship level of 800m racing? JO - This year I ran the open 400 for my team and have run a leg on the 4x400 for the last two years. I think that work on my foot speed really stands out as a confidence builder. I stopped running the 1600 and worked on my 400/800. 10) What kind of training did you do this summer for cross-country? (assume you are participating once again as you and your team state meet competitors last November)-- JO - This summer was light, I would do some long runs every other week, short ones in between. Nothing crazy like the summer before. STATE FINALS - 800 RESULTS April Arcadia Invite 800 Results Men 800 Meter Run Invitational San Diego Section Finals 800m |
For questions or comments about content, contact the editors: Rich Gonzalez and Doug Speck
�2002-2004 by DyeStat
is published by 