Allyson Felix of the US celebrates winning the 200m final (© Getty Images)
Santa Clarita, California, USAIt will be a rigorous road for Allyson Felix to navigate to defend her 200m title at the IAAF World Championships in Osaka in August.
The 21-year-old spends almost three hours daily and drives 160km on the congested Los Angeles freeway system while juggling workouts with commuting to two colleges for classes in an effort to expedite completion of her degree in Elementary Education by December.
“I just have to deal with it,” Felix said about the traffic. “That’s when I call people back on the phone when I am not going anywhere.’’
Felix arises at 5am to make the 1 ½ hour drive from her Santa Clarita home for classes all day at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. Then, it’s crosstown to UCLA for workouts or a rush-hour commute to attend a two-hour night class at a local community college in Valencia near her home.
Earning a college degree is a priority that was instilled by her parents. Her father Paul is an ordained minister who teaches New Testament Greek at a Seminary College. Her mother, Marlean, is an elementary school teacher.
The sacrifice will hopefully pay dividends in 2008 to allow her to concentrate solely on athletics for the Beijing Olympics.
“It’s really challenging to be focused,” Felix said. “I don’t feel like I can give 100 percent to track and field until after school is done. I have the mentality to get (school) done to have a better training for the Olympics.’’
Short Indoor Season
Felix will run her only indoor meet of the season in the 300m in the Tyson Invitational on Friday, 9 February. The competition has been billed as an attempt to break the 14-year-old World record of 35.45 set by Russia's Irina Privalova.
For Felix, though, her first effort at the distance is a time trial to break up the monotony of her workouts. The world’s top-ranked 200m runner of 2007 is in the midst of base training and hasn’t done any interval shorter than 200m in conditioning.
“It was an opportunity that arose to do something different than running workouts every day,” Felix said of the Tyson Invitational. “I really don’t know what to expect.”
High Expectations for 2007
Felix certainly has expectations for the 2007 season. She doesn’t hesitate to mention defense of her World 200m title and to break 22 seconds. Felix also plans to test her abilities in the 100m and 400m.
Felix ended the 2006 season with a meet-record and career-best 22.11 in the IAAF World Athletics Final last September. It was a joyous finish to a season in which Felix was plagued by injury and illness.
She was hampered early in the season by a left hamstring injury and lost nearly 4kg during a bout of strep throat.
Felix almost came close to calling it a season when the hamstring condition forced her to scratch from the USA Track & Field 200m final.
“I was really determined to run through the rounds but I wasn’t myself,” Felix said. “My focus at that time was to getting better and feeling good again. To bring myself back and accomplish what I did last year has gotten me extra motivated for this year.’’
Sub-22 on the Horizon?
A sub-22 mark will be one of Felix’s top priorities this season. Felix believed that the barrier was within her reach last year if she had not been stricken by injuries and illness.
There was elation and disappointment when she saw 22.11 flash on the clock after crossing the finish line of World Athletics Final.
“I could not believe it,” Felix said. “It seems like I’ve been stuck around those times for so long. I’m excited and feel like I am ready for improvement.’’.
Felix is optimistic the time will come soon with improving her mechanics on the curve, her strongest segment. If Felix is successful, she would become the first sprinter since compatriot Inger Miller in the 1999 World Championships to run under 22.
“I feel like I am right there,” Felix said. “To end up running my PR with all that I had been through is encouraging. Things should happen.’’
Felix has been chasing 22.00 since her senior year of high school senior in 2003. At age 17, Felix ran 22.11 in the altitude of Mexico City. She garnered headlines before the 2003 World Championships when relinquished her college eligibility to turn professional out of high school.
“Overall and I am pleased with what I have accomplished. That’s the reason that I turned pro,” said Felix, who won the 2004 Olympic silver medal at age 18. “There are those moments when I miss college life but there are no regrets.’’
World-Class Training Partners
Felix is also satisfied with her decision of two years to train with coach Bobby Kersee. Felix is part of a star-studded group that includes Joanna Hayes, Michelle Perry, Tianna Madison, Eunice Barber and Muna Lee.
“I and training with the best in the World,” Felix said. “I like the high level of competition. I am going to face it so I guess it’s something to get used to.’’
Kirby Lee for the IAAF
