Voice of Guyana International

1. “nothing to lose, have fun with it, do what you can” are all empty phrases. Useless clichés in the world of track & field.
2. you absolutely have to go into a race with your own race plan.

There are a few injured athletes, mostly recovering that aren’t 100% for this championships. A few people in their last year of sponsorship who may not be resigned. This creates a mixture of “must do’s” and can’t do’s”.

Most of them have maintained a positive attitude and won’t be defeated in spirit. At least not until after the meet. There are a few who already have. In the last three days, I’ve heard more quotes, re-quotes, and clichés to put a bumper sticker on every car in New York.

The phrase nothing to lose has always baffled me. I understand what it means, but I’m a stickler for English. I get into hose moods where I take things literally. How come you have nothing to lose? Is your pride that cheap? All that hard work and training for nothing? If you have nothing to lose, why try? I guess I’m more a fan of positive re-enforcement. And I can’t have fun with it. It’s only fun if you win, or do well. When was the last time you heard someone who ran their worse race ever say they just went out there and had fun with it? I was talking to my sister some time ago. I was about to make a major decision and needed her help. I knew there was a good chance that the repercussions could be damaging. All she said was “do what needs to be done.” Since then, it’s replaced “I can only do my best”.

In track, not much can be left to chance. It takes meticulous preparation, both physically and mentally. You have to go into every race with a plan. And you can’t base your plan on someone else’s. My fellow countrywoman, Marian J. Burnett ran the 800m rounds today. She was in the third of five heats. She had the world leader in her heat, a heat that had all the makings to be the fastest of the day. Marian’s foot has been bothering her lately. I think her plan was to sit behind the leader and kick. She has an excellent kick and can out sprint many of her competitors in the last 100m. But the leader went out in 64 seconds. That meant that no one spent any energy on the first lap. Fourth place in that heat was over 2 minutes, 7 seconds. On any given day, Marian can run that backwards.