Former Marblehead High track great Shalane Flanagan appears to have impeccable timing.
With the Olympic Games in Beijing, China coming up this summer, Flanagan blew away the American record in her 10,000-meter debut Sunday night at the Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational in Palo Alto, Calif.
Pressed by Kim Smith of New Zealand during the last half of the race, Flanagan had a winning time of 30:34.49, oblitering the American record by 17 seconds.
Flanagan's performance was so great that it sets up a significant decision for her in the next few weeks. Should she try to make the U.S. Olympic Team in the 5,000 meters, where she has considerable expertise and experience, or the 10,000 meters?
The former University of North Carolina superstar wasn't tipping her hand yesterday, probably because she's still trying to figure it out for herself.
"The plan now is to run fast; run for a medal," Flanagan said in a teleconference yesterday. "I don't know what event it will be, but those are the general goals."
She's already running fast, no question about it. The previous American record in the 10,000 meters was 30:52.32, set by Deena Kastor on the same Stanford University track in 2002.
"The idea for a 10K started last fall," said Flanagan. "I was just trying to think of the best preparation for the (Olympic) Trials and the Olympics. Last year my timing was maybe a little bit off. I was coming off an injury, so I felt the need to get out there and race. I tried to hold my peak. So this year I thought instead of just training, a nice 10K effort would prolong my season and keep it in a strength-oriented phase but at the same time break it up and see if we're headed in the right direction."
The presence of the talented New Zealander, Smith, was just what Flanagan needed to shatter the American record. Flanagan made her move in the final 200 meters and beat Smith by one second.
In addition to the American record, Flanagan's 10,000 meter time is the fastest in the world this year and also the quickest time ever by a woman on North American soil.
"I didn't know how sharp anybody else would be, so I was delighted when I saw Kim Smith was in (the race)," said the 26-year-old Flanagan. "Typically, Kim and I tend to run very well with each other.We don't ever pre-plan to help each other but it just seems to work out that once we get on the track, we have a mutual understanding and respect.
"I thought that (Sunday) night, it felt more like a workout and we were working together to help each other achieve our big goal of running fast. It wasn't until the last lap that I reminded myself that it was a race and I should make an effort to win. I didn't feel a need to beat Kim. I just wanted to beat the clock and run fast later in the year."
When the leaders reached the midpoint of the race, the 5K time was a fast 15:17.4. Inexperienced in the 10,000, Flanagan wasn't sure how it would play out the rest of the way. She didn't want to push it too much, yet she felt great.
"The plan was to go out conservative, to run anywhere from 15:25 to 15:30 (for the opening half of the race) and then cut down," said Flanagan. "I felt good, but I'd also been warned that all of a sudden the monkey's going to jump on your back and it's going to be a death march. But I felt controlled the entire way. The last (kilometer), I felt like I was getting tight — not fatigued, but a sign that my body was ready to have the race over with."
Flanagan will keep her options open for the Olympic Trials, which will take place in Eugene, Oregon in 51 days.
"I really enjoy the 5K," said Flanagan. "We'll have to sit down and look at where my best chances to medal are. They're very different races (referring to 5K and 10K). For me and my speed-oriented training, it felt really nice until the last few laps when it was really uncomfortable. I just don't know right now. I don't know where I stack up against other people.Wherever I stand the best chance of medaling and representing my country (is where I want to go)."
Flanagan said it meant a great deal to her to have family support in Palo Alto.
"My mother (Cheryl) was there and so was my dad (Steve)," said Flanagan, who now makes her home in North Carolina. "I really had a great support crew out there. It's kind of a lonely sport if you don't have family and friends at some of these races. I always feel I perform my best when I have people who care out there. I think it's really essential for my success."
