Sat, Feb 07, 2009
Quotes and Comments from the 2009 Reebok Boston Indoor Games
BOSTON (Feb. 7) – The following are quotes from winners and other notable performers of selected races.
Men’s 200 Meters
Ivory Williams – 1st Place
I didn’t get out too good, but I stayed relaxed and turned it over and came away with the win. This was a practice meet for me. I just came out and tried to focus and do my best.
Women’s Pole Vault
Jenn Stuczynski, 1st Place – American Record
It was definitely harder to do than you say it is. I was trying to treat it like a normal meet, but like I was telling my coach before hand, if I had to say how I felt like I was going to do today it was a big question mark. I didn’t know if I was going to do well. I didn’t have a feeling about it going into this meet. It was a big question mark. I just didn’t know how I was going to perform.
I think it was a relief. It’s a mental game you play with yourself. I’ve tried this so many times and now I want to make it today. I tried to stay focused on it and go with the routine jumps.Â
Having the runway it brought a different outlook to the Boston Games. I’ve competed here before and then bringing the runway added a little bit of magic to it. It was nice to be up on that platform. It felt like the pole vault was highlighted. It looked so good with the runway, the signs and the flowers near the pad. It looked really good. It helped the pole vault for sure.Â
I kept trying to feel when I jumped 4.90 at the Adidas, because that one felt so smooth to me. I kept thinking, make it feel that smooth. I kept referring back to that and a place I knew I was comfortable. I was trying to put myself in a different kind of setting.
Women’s 800 Meters
Alice Schmidt – 1st Place
I'm really excited. It's the first race of the season. I'm really pleased to get out there. It's always a shock in the 800, it's painful. I wasn't able to get out with the rabbit, but I stuck with
it and it worked out in the end.
Men’s 60-Meter Hurdles
Terrence Trammell – 1st Place
I think the blocks were just a little different as far as my angle goes. I think it was a pretty good start, but based on the fact that these blocks were different from the ones in New York. They put me at a different angle. I’m ok with it. It’s not how you start, but how you finish. Things happen and you have to be able to make an adjustment.
I felt clobbered (in the race), number one. I’m just glad I kept going and that it didn’t kill my momentum too much. The one thing I wanted to do was make sure I could regroup as quickly as possible and take it through the tape.
Women’s 3,000 Meters
Kelly Kipyego – 2nd Place
Overall, it was a good effort and I thought it was perfect. The field was just really awesome. I couldn’t have asked for something better than that. I knew I was ready to run fast. I think this is the best crowd with the shouting and support. That support does a lot in a field like this. They (the crowd) did a good job.
Kara Goucher – 1st Place
My goal for this race was to actually do it marathon style and kind of be invisible, but they kept announcing I was in the race, so I wasn’t exactly invisible. Just be invisible for the first half and have a slow drive in the second half. That’s how I hope to run the marathon. This is a much shorter version, but executing the same race I hope to have in April.
I would have liked to run under 8:40. I knew in the end it probably wasn’t going to happen. My strength is really good right now. My speed isn’t super, super great. I knew I could run a negative split, but I thought 8:30 wasn’t going to happen. It would have been nice to say I’ve run sub 8:40 indoors, but it didn’t really matter. Â
Men’s 400 Meters
Renny Quow- 1st Place
I was confused about everything, where the finish was. I felt like the finish was too early. Indoors isn't my style, I've got to make the move when I want. I'm just doing this for fitness to see where I'm at. It was a good race. When I saw the tape, if I'd known we were going to finish there (on turn one) I'd have made my move earlier. It was a good race.
Women’s 60 Meters
Lisa Barber – 1st Place
This race was a lot better than last week. I just wanted to stay focused and drive out the first five to 10 meters. I just wanted to do what I do best and that's the indoor 60. I wanted to run 7.1 or win, so I did both and I'm happy with that.
I'm happy going into Tyson next week with the win. I've always loved indoors, I love coming to Boston. I ran here in high school and won the 200, so I love running here.
Women’s Mile
Lindsey Gallo - 1st Place
I told my agent, ‘I feel like I’m going to wake up from a nap and still have to race tonight or something.’ I’m in shock. In 2005 I won a Grand Prix in Helsinki, but I haven’t done anything since then. It feels really good. Coach told me to react and just to stay calm and make a move whenever anyone else did.
Men’s 60 Meters
Mike Rodgers – 1st Place
I felt alright. I'm disappointed with the time. The false starts are kind of rough out there. I'm happy with the win, I'll take that.
Boys’ Junior Mile
Mac Fleet – 1st Place
I thought I was in the under sub 4:10 shape. I’ve had some great base training in the last week and I was confident coming in. I made a couple race mistakes. I let those few guys go around me. I know the kind of kick I have. I have 47 quarter speed, so I’m pretty confident I can kick down almost any miler with 50 meters to go. I came around and started tightening up. The top two guys in the last 10 meters actually pulled up a little bit. That helped.
Men’s 3,000 Meters
Galen Rupp – 2nd Place
It went well. I would have liked to run a little faster, but I’m definitely not disappointed at all. A 3K feels funny to me funny after doing so much shorter stuff with the 800 and mile, so it was fun to run a distance that was a little longer. I’ll run a 5K next week, so I think that race will really set me above.
Women’s 200 Meters
Shalonda Solomon – 1st Place
It's a great start. I ran 23.5 two weeks ago in Florida, so to run 23.17 here tonight, I'm really pleased. I've been practicing really hard and working very hard. This is my first professional meet so I'm happy.
Men’s 1,000 Meters
Nick Symmonds – 1st Place
It went out nice and quick like I like. I was a little farther back in the first 200 than I wanted, but it turned out okay. When I saw 1:52, I knew I had no reason to hold back. Fortunately, it all came into play. I wanted to make my move not in the last 50 meters, there's not enough room indoors. Fortunately, it all worked out.
Women’s 5,000 Meters
Shalane Flanagan – 1st Place
I feel like I came out really strong, I feel really great. I thought I had it. I thought maybe they'd give the win to the "hometown girl," but I was so close. There were great ladies in the race, a great pace setter. If I'd been out there by myself, it would've been hard. To have someone right on me, it was a great motivator.  There's no better motivation than to run in front of the hometown crowd. It takes more than one person to set a record. I didn't think I was going to run that fast tonight.
I'm trying to have fun. I hope to be in this sport for another eight to ten years.
I've dreamed of these kinds of moments. I remember coming to this meet in high school. I've come a long way since then. It comes down to surrounding myself with good people who support my goals and dreams.
I couldn't even watch (the crowd) I was getting so emotional. It's like going out for a run with my dad. Having my parents here makes me calm and serene.
It's a risk leading like that. It's worth it though. I came really close (to the win).
Marla is a good friend of mine. At my first Olympics, she was my roommate. It's kind of an honor to run in the realm that she's has run.
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