I tried this out once before and shockingly somehow, despite zero comments on the post, etrain Poster Moments has the most page views of any single post on the blog all time, racking up almost 1500 views to the next closest competitor which is down closer to 500 or so. So naturally the only logical thing to do would be to try and bring back the success of etrain Poster Moments, with a second etrain Poster Moment. I'll even give it to you in the same style as I did way back in the day in 2010 when I announced the race as both etrain and Jarrett Felix my two alter egos.
The moment this time around will be a little blast from the past:
The 2008 PIAA AAA Outdoor State Championships 1600m
The race was sure to be one for the history books before it had even started. Vince McNally, the defending state champion, toed the line with ambition to prove his doubters wrong after an up and down Senior year. His District 3 rival Greg Kareis moved down from 3200m the previous Spring to drop some quick 1600s and earn the title of favorite for the race. TJ Hobart, the stud Junior from Baldwin, also had a lot of support for the title, especially after his team failed to qualify for the 4x800m finals. Lastly, there was the District One Champion, Nick Crits from Wissahickon who had kicked his way to victories in the 800 and 1600 the previous week, but missed qualifying for the finals in the 800 leaving the 16 as his only final and last chance to get a state gold after his silver indoors.
etrain's stance: "Ultimately I'm really afraid to pick McNally 4th, but I can't imagine things not coming down to a kick, and in that kind of race it's Crits, Kareis, Hobart, then McNally in my opinion."
Race Commentary from etrain11 and Jarrett Felix
Jarrett: "Well friends it's time now for the much anticipated 1600m championship! Crits, McNally, Kareis and Hobart will all toe the line for the race healthy and on their first race of the day!"
etrain: "It should be interesting to see how the strategies play out here, Crits is definitely a kicker and if indoor states is any indication, McNally is going to have to do the work out front again."
Jarrett: "Unless, of course, one of the relative unknowns is ready to burst out onto the stage and try and steal this thing. And the gun is up, and the race is off! Kareis and Adley getting out to the front early here on the inside, McNally, Crits and Hobart from the up stagger are back a ways."
etrain: "Well they are quickly packing up here on this back straightaway, out of traffic for the first 100m, no falls, and now Kareis decides he doesn't want to make this thing fast."
Jarrett: "Everyone is packed back together now as Moyer and Bodary get tangled a little bit, but fortunately no fall. Very tight knit back as they approach 400m here."
etrain: "Well for these guys, this is walking. McNally has run 2 miles at the pace they are at right now just about. He can't afford to keep it this slow and wait to make a move on the last lap."
Jarrett: "It's Kareis out front followed closely by McNally and Hobart here and that's about a 65-66 second 400m. No where near the pace of McNally's 4:07 PR and the state meet record of 4:09 by Craig Miller. And now Kareis will make a small move to string out the group ever so slightly as Dave Adley from Baldwin is in second followed by McNally and Hobart."
etrain: "But it's not really a significant move here, nobody is getting dropped on this back stretch and it's still a 12 man race for the win and perhaps more important the 8 medal spots."
Jarrett: "And as they round the 700m mark, McNally looks to be itching to take over the lead spot from Kareis."
etrain: "Well McNally closed in something like a 2:01 800m last year I believe, really breaking the field over that third lap, this might be his strategy yet again this year. The pace is certainly just as slow."
Jarrett: "Well here he goes into the lead as they hit 800m, and you can see from the jockying in the back of this pack that everyone is sensing a pace shift here and a real change in the race strategy."
etrain: "Yeah and at 2:12 or so at the 800m mark, they should feel that way. Something has gotta start to happen here or they are all going to run in the high 4 teens with furious last 200m's."
Jarrett: "D1 favorite Nick Crits is back in 5th right now, as McNally, Kareis, Hobart, Bodary and Adley are all sitting in front of him. He doesn't look too strong in the back. Crits is from my conference and he has a nasty kick, but from this far away he isn't going to be able to do much."
etrain: "Well here comes Adley now making a move down the back stretch, Crits seems to have sparked him. It should be a great race for him and Bodary if they hold on for this last 600m or so."
Jarrett: "And the Baldwin boys take over 1-2, Hobart and Adley moving ahead of McNally and things are really starting to get going now."
etrain: "They have been pulling back the sling shot for so long now, that the fingers are getting tired and they are just going to have to let it go."
Jarrett: "The pack really stringing out now, just 6 men hanging tough out front with a chase pack not too far behind. As we come to the bell lap, 3:14 or so is on the clock and all these guys are starting to put in the kicks. Crits is getting left in the dust as McNally, Karies, Hobart and the surprise of the day Dave Adley start to gap the rest of the field."
etrain: "Well with 3:14 on the clock you can basically throw a lot of times out the window. I'd be stunned to see anyone break 4:12, these guys would have to close in around 57 seconds."
Jarrett: "Well Hobart is certainly making a charge for it, Kareis in hot pursuit as Adley begins to fade. McNally moves up into third, and Crits still back in fifth. Hobart's long stride and quick turn over make him look very sharp out front as the Junior makes the move around the turn. But here comes Kareis! A big surge at 300m to go and now he has charged into the lead. He has put a bit of a gap on Hobart and McNally now as the he looks to steal this race and the state championship."
etrain: "Crits is still very far back on this back stretch and he looks bankrupt, its going to come down to the three guys out front, and will really be a question of if Kareis made his move too early."
Jarrett: "They round with 200m to go, it's Kareis out front, Hobart and McNally giving chase, Crits now up into fourth but still very far off the pace out front. About 150m to go now and Hobart's head is tilted back, his hair flowing in the wind, as he makes one final push for first. Kareis trying to hold him off as both men start to tie up on their way to the final straightaway."
etrain: "McNally's catching back up a little bit too, but wait! Here comes Crits off the back of the group, he's caught back up and he has a lot of momentum going into the final straightaway!"
Jarrett: "The crowd is roaring as Hobart and Kareis are battling each other front for the lead, a two man race out front for first, but Crits continues to come hard! He's right on top of them now, closing hard, about 50m or so from the finish line!"
etrain: "Kareis and Hobart have no idea that Crits is right on them and they won't have time for a response."
Jarrett: "And it's Crits who breaks into the front just as Hobart edges away from Kareis and it's Crits who stuns for the gold! Unbelievable finish by the three out front! McNally comes home for a very hard fought fourth, and Adley and impressive fifth."
etrain: "For Crits he ran his last 400m in about 56 seconds, and I'm betting somewhere in the 12 second range for the final 100m. A sensational kick. 4:11.69 the official time. Hobart and Kareis had to have 57 second closes or so, but Crits came from no where to make those efforts seem obsolete."
Jarrett: "This is why we love track and field!"
Here's a link to the race video. If you have never seen it, I suggest you do. It will change your life.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iihSczlwZfY
twas a great race to watch
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