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Tue. Aug 24, 2004

The Most American Race

Oh, I’m not biased. Not at all. The fact that I ran this event in my youth (back when races were measured in yards, not meters, and T-Rex regularly ate our pole vaulters) isn’t why I say the 400 meters is “The Most American Race.” The results speak for themselves: A Golden (and Silver and Bronze) Day in the 400.

The 400 is what I call an “endurance sprint.” In the 100 and 200, it’s full throttle from start to finish, and in the 800, you have to pace yourself. In between is the 400, where you’re running 97-98% of full speed, for about a quarter mile. In that last 100 meters, your legs are on fire, a feeling I remember well.

At the age of 14, being the first on the team to break 60 seconds was a big deal to me. At the age of 15, I ran 55 seconds flat. At the age of 20, Jeremy Wariner ran a 44 flat, a time that only seven men have bested. In the women’s 100 meter race, the winner ran 100 meters in 7/100th’s a second shy of 11 seconds. Jeremy’s 44 flat represents the equivalent of four of those, back to back.

20 years old. That’s not his last gold medal. Before it’s over, he’ll have Michael Johnson’s world record. Even Johnson agrees: “‘I see a great athlete at 20 years old who has won the 400 at the Olympics,’ Johnson said. ‘I didn’t do that at 20.’”

In the final 50 meters, Jeremy looked so smooth as he blew by Otis Harris, who was clearly straining and striving to keep from getting passed. Jeremy is a force that will be around a long long time.

And I can’t wait for the 1600 meter relay.