Here’s my quickie Q&A with Tony, conducted via e-mail yesterday:

Masterstrack.com: When did you learn that Birger wouldn’t run? How did this affect your race plans?

Tony Young: About an hour before at check in. Not in the slightest. I wanted to get the pace going from the start. I was mentally prepared to just be at the front and get quicker as we went. No slight on Birger though. It would have been a good opportunity for someone fit enough to just get a steady “free” ride and then go for the kick. That would have been fun!

How much did Kevin and Chris help in the race? Did anyone share pace-setting chores?

Big advantage at Boston is having that large video screen to look at and check the competition. I could see and feel the pack the first 600m, and that is when I thought/planned to just inch it up a bit on each 200m. Even though I couldn’t see them after a 1000m, anything can happen to a Master runners body (me blowing-up), so I just kept my focus on form and breathing to the end.

Did anyone get your splits? What were they?

 I just saw the clock and got a :64, 2:08 or :09, 3:12. Come to think of it, I didn’t pick it up until the last 300-400 meters. Finished feeling really good though.

Did you have any problems with the tighter turns?

I focus on keeping a forward lean off of every turn for a few strides and that keeps me rolling along and not too tall or bouncy. When I run behind someone, I just naturally do a better job of forward leaning.

Were you focusing on a specific time, or just going sub-WR?

Wanted to get under 4:00, anywhere. But it is a race, first and foremost, so if you just execute the race plan (whatever that is?), a faster time can just happen. Although 3:52 or so is what I thought possible and wouldn’t have been freaked out by those splits along the way, it just wasn’t in the cards this race.

Did the crowd help? What reaction did the announced time get?

Small, but vocal crowd. I could hear the announcer at one point announce to the crowd the WR time to beat and anyone paying attention to the splits could see that would be close.

Did you talk to any of the elites, like Webb, about miling in your late 40s?

No Webb conversations. Did see him and others though. They are racing for the win especially on these Championship meets. I was too, but you know people want to see you get at it too with a quicker pace. I just stay out of everyone’s way at these events. We are a side show to what they are doing and I understand how unique it is to partake in any of these events with the Elite youngsters.

When will you go after the outdoor M45 world records in the 1500 and mile? (You’re obviously in better shape than the 4:16 you ran last year.)

I will be shooting for a sub-4:10 sometime Outdoor. My coach Tom Cotner and I think that the workouts are about there now. And then in a few years, Jim Sorensen can take that one away too!!!

What special memories will you carry from your Boston experience?

The race was fun. The post race with the fellas at Doyles was fun. My two-hour run around Boston in the deep snow sightseeing was a blast!