Once again Bob Babbit has a first-class interview, this time with Desiree Davila.
Bob Babbit Interviews Desiree Davila
In a sense her improvement, from so-so to OT favorite (and runner-up), is amazing. Good stuff. One idea suggested is the difference between, say, Boston and the OT. In the latter, first, second, third don’t matter. In the former, it sure does. Watching the OT race and knowing about it beforehand everyone knew that Davila had a very good shot of making the team (I had it as Davila, Flanagan, and Kastor and thought that only the third person (not necessarily the third spot) was in play).
But we saw how tough she is from Boston 2011, with her typically Hanson strong, even tempo. Unlike the recent Babbit-Ryan Hall interview, however, we got no hint of her Olympic strategy. (Hall, you’ll recall, makes it clear that he’s going out with the pack because there’s no way that all of the guys who are in it will fall away and be subject to picking off.) There’s plenty of time to talk about the strategy for that race. Davila does volunteer when asked about the London course that she takes the courses as they come and tries to make them work for her.
Apropos of nothing, here’s a video my wife took of our George accompanying Andrea Bocelli.
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February 9, 2012 at 8:13 am
Mark U.
I was lucky to meet Desiree three years ago at a Brooks-sponsored event in Chicago, shortly before one of her marathons there. She impressed me then with her quiet confidence, her obvious intelligence, and her sincerity in describing her *enjoyment* of racing. Her eyes lit-up when she told me about her (and the Hanson brothers’) strategy of an even pace until the final 5K, then switching to pure “racing mode” of ignoring pace and solely focusing on picking-off the next runner in front. In the subsequent three years it was jaw-dropping to see her inexorable improvement and huge successes, so needless to say, I’m rooting for Desi at the Olympics!
February 11, 2012 at 11:53 am
JoeGarland
She impresses in the interview. Quiet and systematic about doing things. And loads of confidence from her improvement and from her Boston run.
February 10, 2012 at 1:27 am
Ewen
Interesting about Hall’s tactic. I presume he means cover the majority of the pack and only follow breakaways from that pack if it’s a group of 4 or 5 runners. I’m betting Desi’s tactic is to do the same. The chances of coming from behind in women’s championship races these days and placing is nil.
Nice whistling from George, but if you had a sulfur-crested cockatoo he’d be singing the words from the Star Spangled Banner.
February 11, 2012 at 11:52 am
JoeGarland
If a cockatoo can sing “The Star-Spangled Banner” correctly, it’d be doing better than many Americans. Twice in 2011 the rendition before NYRR races had “for the land of the free” instead of “o’er the free”.
As to Hall, I think he doubts anyone will let anyone go off the front so it’ll be all or nothing.
February 14, 2012 at 5:36 am
Ewen
I didn’t know that! Most Australians only know the first verse of Advance Australia Fair, but we didn’t have to sing it daily in school.
February 11, 2012 at 7:26 am
Flo
Thanks for the link! Great interview.