Deena Drossin at the 2003 USA Champs (© Getty Images)
World Cross Country long course silver medallist Deena Drossin of the USA has scheduled a condensed racing programme prior to next year’s USA Olympic Marathon Trials on 3 April in St. Louis, which will mark the most important stage in her bid to win the Olympic Marathon title in Athens on Sunday 22 August 2004.
Drossin, 30, the only non-African individual medallist at the 2003 World Cross in March, when she finished in second place behind Ethiopia’s Werknesh Kidane over the 8km (7920m) course in Lausanne, has included the 32nd IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Brussels (21/21 March) in her build up to Athens.
Not having run competitively since her 31:17.86 twelfth place in the World Championships 10,000m in Paris on 23 August, with the exception of a pacing effort in the New York Marathon on 2 November, Drossin has been occupied this autumn with her marriage to Andrew Kastor which took place mid-September in front of more than 200 guests in Mammoth Lakes, California.
Drossin’s pacing effort in New York was intended to aid four women - Debbie Arzola, San Antonio, TX (finished 34th in 2:55:30) Christy Nielsen-Crotts, Council Bluffs, IA (DNF) Kim Pawelek, Jacksonville, FL (21st, 2:45:20; qualified for OLY trials), and Kelly Flathers, Huntington Beach, CA (24th, 2:48:07) - in clocking the 2:40 qualifying time so they could run in the USA Marathon Trials too.
“I concluded my 2003 season at the ING New York City Marthon by helping four US marathoners gain our Trials qualifying standard of 2:39.9,” confirmed Drossin.
“I brought them through the 15 mile mark right on pace, but unfortunately none of them could hang on to that pace once I dropped out. However, two of the girls Kim and Kelly gained the "B" standard which allows them entry into the trials without getting their accommodation and airfare paid for.”
The next competition on the horizon for Drossin is the USA Cross Country Trials on 7 February in Indianapolis, participation at which is a prerequisite for Drossin to run in the Brussels World Cross, where she will no doubt wish to provide the same inspired performance which led the USA to the team bronze in the long race in Lausanne.
In 2004 “I am forgoing many of the road races that I enjoy competing in nationally such as Gate River 15K, Carlbad 5000 and Boulder Bolder 10K,” said Drossin.
“Next year, my main focus is the Olympic Games. I will however run the cross country nationals and World Cross. I am running cross country because it remains my greatest passion in the sport of running, but I will be competing only off of Marathon base training.”
Following on swiftly from the World Cross are the USA Marathon trials on 3 April, and remembering that in her spring Marathon last year Drossin ran a 2:21:16 Area Best performance (3rd London, 13 April 2002), she will be hoping the same training ingredients mix well in St. Louis too, so ensuring her selection for the Olympics.
“Two weeks after the World Cross Country Championships is the US Marathon Trials in St. Louis, Missouri. If I get in the top three, I am assured a spot on our Olympic team. Although the Marathon will be my focus in the Games, I am going to run our Olympic Track & Field Trials (10,000m and 5000m) in Sacramento (also off my marathon training).”
”In preparation for Athens, I plan to train at my altitude home (8000ft elevation) until two weeks prior to the Games. Then, I will do some last minute preparations over in Greece where I can adapt to the conditions,” concluded Drossin.
IAAF
