Holman
trying to exorcise demons of '96
Bert Rosenthal (AP)
12 July 2000 – Sacramento, California - For years, the United States has been looking for a 1500 metre runner who could make an impact internationally. Steve Holman, the 1992 NCAA college champion from Georgetown, was supposed to be the man.
It hasn't worked out.
Although Holman was a 1992 Olympian and has performed well in fast, rabbit-paced races in Europe, he has not lived up to expectations in tactical championship races.
The perfect example was the 1996 U.S. Olympic trials.
In third place beginning the final lap, Holman appeared perfectly positioned to win the race or at least earn one of the three spots on the 1 500m team.
Instead, he faded dismally and finished 13th in the 14-man field.
"That was a devastating experience," Holman said as he prepared for this year's trials, which begin Friday at Sacramento State. "I never want to go through that again, but it toughened me up. I took stock of myself. I benefited from it. I grew. I matured.
"I was so full of anxiety going into that race. It's embarrassing to admit it, but it was the most humiliating day of my life. I am where I am today because of it."
That race came one year after another disappointing effort, when he failed to make the U.S. team for the 1995 World Championships, finishing fifth in the qualifying race at Sacramento.
"I try not to dwell on that race,'' Holman said. "There were numerous things that went wrong. I didn't feel good and I had poor race tactics. That was definitely an aberration. Even with all those things, I should have been able to win that race.''
Not winning those races for a talented athlete like Holman, who has career-bests of 3 minutes, 31.52 seconds for 1500m and 3:50.60 for the mile, made him realise that perhaps his problem was mental.
So early in 1996, he decided to see a sports psychologist, Dr. Wayne Hurr at Georgetown.
"There's a stigma to it,'' Holman said, "but people say running is 90 percent mental.
"Since then, I've worked on my weaknesses and overcome them. I struggled for a while.''
His breakthrough came last year at the USA Championships at Eugene, Oregon, where Holman held firm throughout and won the 1500m title for the first time.
"People don't how frustrated and embarrassed and humiliated I've been the last few years,'' he said. "It was very critical for the continuation of my career that I get over this, whatever you want to call it, problem.''
Now, Holman has another problem, this one physical.
On May 12, he was diagnosed with a stress fracture of the left shin, jeopardizing his chances of running in the trials.
"I didn't think I would be able to get ready,'' he said. "I said then, there was no way.''
The dogged Holman found a way. By the second week of June, he was back training.
"When I got back running, I didn't feel I had lost anything,'' he said. "I had stayed in great cardiovascular shape. I was motivated for the trials, so I was able to maintain my focus.''
Holman, 30, has not run competitively since a 5K race in late March at Raleigh, N.C., but he is not overly concerned.
"No one thinks I have a chance. I've learned to tune out all the naysayers. I have to ignore them. I wish I had a dollar for every time people say you have silenced your critics. That has no impact on what I do anymore. It doesn't affect my preparation.''