no traction, no final, no smile

So I raced today in the 400m semi and it couldn't have gone worse (maybe some lightning would be worse). I arrived at the warm-up track at it was pouring with rain, I warmed up in the rain (very difficult to be both wet and warm) and felt like everything was par for the course considering how well I know I push in the rain.

As I had lane 1, I actually have about a meter where I'm not even in the corner yet and that lane assignment is basically for the person who qualified last in the previous heat. As we lined up and they announced us, we waited in the rain for a long time, only to be pulled off so a medal awards could take place. By this time, I was really wet, and really cold.

The gun went off and basicaly I didn't move forward until the third or fourth push. By that time most were 20 meters ahead. I started to accelerate and reel people in at the 250 meter mark and entered the final straight in much better shape that the begining of the race. Unfortunetly, with 50m to go I slipped a few more times and couldn't move up past 6th place. I fought, but not enough. To progress, I needed to come top 3 or have the the 7th or 8th fastest time. I missed the placing and had a time that was .10 seconds off that time.

I was really choked because this was the first day that my back and neck weren't hurting and the rain didn't seem to affect me during my warm-up.

I'd like to think better luck next time, but based on not making the final there won't be a next time. Tomorrow's a regrouping day and then a light training on the 11th to get ready for the 200m heats on the 12th.

C