Tony Young on Portland mile race: Wanted to go sub-4:15
Tony Young responded to my quickie Q&A request about Saturday’s masters mile at the Portland Track Festival, which you can view online below. (Jim Sorensen should see my email when he gets home to San Leandro.) Tony was expecting a rabbit to help with pacing in Portland, but says the rabbit was a no-show. So he went out front himself. Tony also had hoped for a sub-4:15. But conditions and lack of pacesetter conspired against that as well. Still, Tony thinks he’s in shape to push his M45 world record down to near 4:10.  (It’s currently 4:16.09, which he ran at the same meet last year.)  Anyway, what an effort!  And thanks for being first to reply! (Gotta beat Jim at something!)
Jim passed Tony about 50 meters from the bell, then sprinted a 57.8-sec lap.
Masterstrack.com: I suspected Tony would go out hard and Jim storm back. What were your race plans, and did the mile go as expected?
Tony Young: Hoping for a rabbit. Dave said he had one but he no-showed. Plan B. Go to the front myself and make it an honest pace. I never run as fast as I want to this way, but whatever.
You’ve both been pointing for this race after running great early spring times. Can you peak again later in the summer?
Love this annual race. This year’s venue at Lewis & Clark was outstanding. I am not feeling good on the track right now, so I might just road race thru the summer?
Any chance you’ll race each other again this year?
Jim needs to be duking it out with the faster youngsters, not my sorry a–
Did your prize money cover your expenses for the Portland trip? Where’d you stay in Portland?
Broke even after buying breakfast for my sister-in-law family. Worth it!
How was the after-race party? What did you do, and where did you go? How did you get along with the other milers?
Always wish I had time to attend these. Love catching up with everyone. Went to my sister-in-law’s house, had two beers and went to sleep.Â
No real butterflies. Would have liked to finish better and get under 4:15, but not in the cards.
What are your chances of pushing your WR even lower?
Thought I could still get in around 4:10-12 this year, not sure if I will go for it or not. Gotta put something better out there or Jim will wipe it clean for sure in a few years!
One Response
Forgot to mention that Tony’s son, Mack, who just finished his junior year at Redmond High School, took 8th out of 9 in 4:17.71 in the superfast high school mile at Portland. Check out the video. (Mack is wearing all green).
http://www.runnerspace.com/eprofile.php?do=videos&event_id=139&video_id=13767&folder_id=-2
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