Gabe Jennings's Journal

May 15, 2007 Entry (Posted May 16, 2007)
Olympic Training Center, Chula Vista, California

Stream of consciousness memoir (unedited):

The Olympic Training Center is picking up speed in a hurry. The energy is tangible; the talent is visible, while all realms of track and field meet together and play. I am definitely finding a passion for our sport that I have never felt before, especially in events that I have never been previously familiar with: i.e. shot put, discus, hammer, javelin, long jump, triple jump, high jump, pole vault, Paralympics sprints/jumps. There is so much to learn from these athletes in their specialty: power and grace from the throwers, acceleration and reaction from the jumpers; I learn specific drills and technique from many of the individual athletes that I hope will translate into my own running: as the 1500 meters is a combination of four energy systems: aerobic (VO2max and VVO2max), lactate, anaerobic and power; each system that I need to train for the 1500 meters is encompassed by some aspect of all the other 26 events.

Yesterday, Tora Harris and I went for a 50 mile jaunt on our motorcycles. I ride a Suzuki DL 650 Vstrom (twin engine), and Tora rides a Yamaha 650--don't know the exact make-- but they are both beautiful bikes; mine has a metal storage box off the back, mine is also big, bad and tall; so I am more of the mule out of the duo; while Tora's bike is lower to the ground, so he transfers his fine tuned and honed high jump skills onto the road: cornering like an agile cougar. We were riding up past Jamul towards Laguna mountain off the Otay Lakes reservoir, when we got seduced by our new high definition video cameras; so we cut the trip short and took a bunch of sweet footage for our upcoming documentary. Partly inspired by Fam's "Run like hell," I have begun two projects of my own. The first being, "The Olympic Militia," a select group of elite athletes from the OTC and TRUSA gunning for the dream of Olympic Glory and Olympic Gold: we are the Olympic Militia. I want to capture the training, the competition and out of competition: like motorcycling, sky diving, beach parties, surfing, etc. The other project is an autobiography of sorts on film, "The Yogi Runner," and will retrace my steps to Brazil, Kenya and my comeback here and now, with detailed journal interviews and racing excerpts. It is a fun process, and I believe it is helping me refine my skills in my event. I am embarrassed to admit that I am fully tuned into the popular technology culture!

The past two weeks I have had competitive 800-meter performances at Cardinal and Modesto respectively: 1:48.95, and 1:49.low respectively; both were second place finishes: one to Aussie Lachlan Renshaw, the other to Khadevis Robinson, 2006 US champ. Both times I was happy to be competitive and in it for the win. Things are boding well for the future.

This weekend is my debut 1500-meter outdoors at LA adidas. I am excited to race my best and rub shoulders with the big dogs. I hope to give them a run for their money! The week after will be the PAA meet, Road to Eugene--I like the symbolism, and I like my chances to turn some heads in front of track's favorite hometown fans! Two weeks later I will back in Eugene for PRE, another chance to really blast one and blow one out before US Nationals: June 22, 24; semis and finals.

For the past few weeks Sara, Ryan and I have been holding down the fort in our four bedroom pad in CV! We have been having a blast, hosting a Pool Party, Barbie this past Friday; and competitive ping pong matches between Ryan and I. He skunked me last meeting: 3 games to zip; so I am out for redemption tonight!!

However, we are all looking forward to the rest of our TRUSA colleagues joining up with us after the Home Depot meeting. It will be good to have Coach Terrence back on sight honing in the skills. Things are going to get exciting.

But until next time. . .

"GOTTA BOUNCE!" a tribute to China's Gao Shuying, Asian Pole Vault record holder 4.55m, better known as Sandy at the OTC.

Gabe Jennings, second place 800 meters, Modesto Relays, May 5, 2007. "You are only as good as your last race."

March 2007 Entry (Posted March 30, 2007)

The wild adventure continues here in the last frontier as I strike out for gold in Mammoth Lakes California to rejoin in person with TRUSA (Team Running USA). I spent the 90 days preceding March 1st in Chula Vista, California, at the OTC (ARCO US Olympic Training Center). The past 17 days have been intense marathon training focus at 8,500 feet. I have been doing 10-mile tempos, close to two hour long runs, and upwards of 10 - 15K worth of long intervals. I am confident that the strong foundation being built here in Mammoth will serve me well this spring. There is a lot of work to do yet, and it is a long road to Beijing, 2008.

Yet, my TRUSA teammates, Coach Mahon, and the atmosphere and stunning beauty of Mammoth make it all worth while! As always, the path brings a mixture of agony/pain.

My last race was Indoor Nationals in Boston for a Mile, February 25, against Webb, Meyers and Lukezik. The pace was slow over the first half, and I struck hard to take the lead with three laps to go (600 meters), but ended up getting passed easily by Webb and Meyers in the last turn, hanging on for third. The race was a relief. I was happy to finally have a good performance and make an aggressive move; but,in retrospect I should have won; no one should have gotten past me in the last turn; I need to fight harder! So, there should be plenty of opportunity to practice regaining my competitive edge. Beginning now with TRUSA ping-pong match-ups! Ha ha.

Upcoming races are Stanford Invite at the end of March (31st) for a 5K followed by a 5K/Mile double at Mt. Sac.

Run Mammoth. . .

Gabe

December 8, 2006 (Posted December 15, 2006)

Today I took the LSAT in Santa Rosa. It was hard. I guess I am not as smart as I thought I was. I think it will take another year of study to get up to par with the elite of the country—meaning a score of 165 plus. In the meantime I plan on putting my mental and physical capacity to the test on the track.

On Thanksgiving I returned from a two-month campaign in Mammoth Lakes California of rigorous high altitude training with Team Running USA. Mammoth was the ideal setting to recuperate from the long European circuit and regain the aerobic base necessary to have a solid core of winter workouts. Unfortunately, my fitness test on Thanksgiving Day at the San Jose Turkey Trot turned out to be a pretty weak indicator as I barely broke 15 minutes and finished in the back of the pack. This evidence means two things: 1. my performance relative to my potential sucked, and 2. I have a lot of work ahead.

In any event, I am optimistic that things are going to turn around quickly for me with renewed motivation and dedicated training. This year I have decided to focus on the 1500 meters and 800 meters; I believe my speed is fine, now I need to bring around the 5K threshold work to a higher level. Unlike last year, I am not going after any marathon glory, and consequently the super heavy miles and 10-mile tempos with Mr. Keflezighi are not so essential. Still, I can not kid myself that I need to improve my 1K interval work significantly if I want to compete against my colleagues: Mr. Webb in the 10K by running sub-27 or Mr. Lagat in the 5K by running a sub-13. Ha! I think I would rather go after my old rivals (Mr. Stember and Mr. Robinson) in the 800 meters and some of my new rivals (Lukezic, Rankin, and friends) in the 1500 meters, but that is just my personality. For training purposes, I better start sticking closer to my Team Running USA teammates heals right now and into the winter and spring. . . Mr. Hall and Mr. Dobson, hell!! Mrs. Kastor for that matter—I can use some more 4:40 miles in my life. But as for motivation, what pushes me through that pain barrier is primarily the idea of Mr. Stember even thinking about trying to beat me, Mr. Webb’s huge lungs, and Mr. Lagat’s worldly experience, and of course the big field of Mr. Europe. The major goal this year is to be a front-runner and a contender against international fields. I think there is a big group of Americans from 100 meters up to 100K that are ready to win honor for our country. My friends Allen Johnson, Kerron Clement, Wallace Spearmon and Andrew Rock proved that they are the best in the world in the sprints; Mr. Lagat and Mr. Robinson are proving that we will be the best in the world in the middle distances; and Mr. Tegenkamp and Mr. Hall are proving we will be the best in the distance runs. This is just the cream of the cream right now in international competition; the ranks of our US runners have never been so deep!! I intend on leading the pack of milers—or at least co-leading—there is a chance I could be third in the US and third in the world this year! No kidding! I want glory for our country, and the time is ripe for us to capitalize on the decades of hard work and organization that is finally coming to fruition.

Sure we have dominated in the sprints and jumps but now we have the entire package. In 2008 we should get medals in every single running event from 100 meters to the marathon! I want to be on that podium with hardware around my neck to the beautiful tune of the Star Spangled Banner. I want the whole Olympic stadium to hear me screaming “The rockets red glare. . .” while tingles run down my spine and I am singing at the top of my lungs while the stars and stripes are being raised. We need to be proud of our sport, proud of our country and proud of ourselves! Enough of this drug scandal bullshit; we are the most righteous sport on the planet, and the mother of all sports. Self-respect! Self-respect! Sorry for the overt patriotism, and sorry for the sap and preaching, but that is how I feel.

To make the next leap into broad American dominance in all events at the Olympic level we need to lean more about the professional groups that are starting to develop real cohesion in this country.

New York Road Runners has given immense publicity, prestige and opportunity to our sport—let’s take advantage of it! The Baylor 400-meter crew continues to dominate; Santa Monica Track club! (I must admit I am not too familiar with the sprinting groups out there; though I wish I were more recruited for the 400 meters! My fantasy is to beat Andrew Rock in a 600-meter showdown on ESPN live primetime. Speaking of Andrew, who just moved to Madison Wisconsin, the Midwest is sitting pretty in the distances with Mr. Schumacher and Mr. Warhurst making waves on the college and professional scene. Boulder, Palo Alto, and Fayetteville as well are solidifying quite the crew of NCAA and above athletes on the track, cross-country, and roads. Eugene is regaining its Mecca status as host to Hayward field, The Trials, the Oregon Track Club—Mr. Lanana and Mr. Reilly—need I say more; TRUSA in Mammoth Lakes continues to lead the marathon: Mr. Keflezighi and Mrs. Kastor remain unrivaled as our sole distance medalists! But TR USA has picked up a bunch of younger talent adding crucial depth to the team. This is just a mention of a few of the professional groups developing in our country. Furthermore, the Olympic Training Center is starting to become a real factor in nurturing America’s best—as it should—and as is evident in the world’s greatest pole vault crew ever assembled, led by silver medalist Toby Stevenson.

I myself have decided to train in Chula Vista this winter to test out the site as a permanent training ground. I’ve always wanted to be a sprinter, so I like the idea of doing power and gymnastic work with the pole-vaulters, coordinated by onsite director Toni Campbell. High hurdles are my favorite event, so I figure I can pick up some explosive technique from Ms. Adams, as well as sailing lessons, maybe. Not to mention the coaching staff already assembled and assembling there: My own coach and manager Mr. Mahon will be between Mammoth and Chula Vista, Mr. Larson working primarily with Mr. Meb but also assisting TR USA will be nearby, Mr. Cruz is onsite and Mr. Scott is nearby? How can I resist?

With that said I am looking forward to the move to Southern California and hope to arrive Mid-December. Happy runs!

Gabriel

Introductory Entry about the European track circuit
(posted August 23, 2006)

Dear NYRR:

I am in Birmingham International Airport, UK, after a hectic, but promising trip from my training base at Stanford under the guidance of Coach Terrence and Deena. I seem to be quite loopy at the moment, sleep deprived from jet lag, race adrenaline, and team energy--excitement.

On August 8, I raced at the Eugene mid-circuit race. It went well; I ran 3:38.9 for fourth. Two days ago here in Birmingham I won the Emsly Carr Mile in the US vs. GB vs. China vs. Russia quad meet; I ran 4:10 the slowest time in meet history, but I was happy with the win, and with my savvy under-pressure kick! I won a glass shield for the effort and the honor of entering the famous "book" with the likes of Coe, Ovett, Cram, Steward, El G, and the like. Next week I am competing in Paris for the Decanations meet, 10 events with 10 different individuals—a 1500-meter race there. The culmination of my season will be in Athens, two years late, for the World Cup meet. I hope to win! I want to buy myself a sailboat.

Sincerely,
Gabriel