American Record-Breaking 3k is a Beautiful Drama
On Thursday, February 27, 2020, three women set out to test the human limit of speed and endurance running during an indoor 3k race. All three women, some of Bowerman Track Club’s best, Karissa Schweizer, Shelby Houlihan, and Colleen Quigley, broke the previous American 3k record (8:33:25) set in 2007 by prior teammate, now assistant coach, Shalane Flanagan. The race took place at BU’s Last Chance Invitational, and was an all-out Bowerman team effort, as opposed to a race against athletes from other teams. America watched the uplifting beauty of the athlete’s struggle to continue against a mounting desire to stop as the speedy endurance race progressed like a drama.
Paced by teammate Kate Grace, who lead the record breakers for the first 2 kilometers, the women ran single file, white spikes flying over the red indoor track in Boston, MA. The wide-eyed audience looked on as they raced around the first 800 meters in 2:14, which was on pace for a 8:22 3k. But then, suspense built as a gap opened up between Grace and Houlihan. Houlihan was making sure that herself and the teammates behind her (Schweizer and Quigley) were not running too fast at the beginning of the race, however the audience was most likely unaware of her action plan and grimaced.
Breaking a record requires athletes to be smart. They need to be in tune with their bodies, and they need to feel how fast they must pace themselves for their desired outcome. Thus, the tension that developed in the audience when the gap opened is almost humorous to the athletes because for a moment, the audience loses trust in their heroes’ ability. But, the athletes are able to smile at them because they know they will be successful even if at the moment they don’t appear to be. The situation created is like a reverse dramatic irony because the character, the athlete, knows what is really going on while the audience does not. In these intense races, the athletes must know that for the audience, it’s a drama. Will these ladies be able to do it? Are they running fast enough?
They are, of course. They always are. Once coach Jerry Schumacher motioned to Grace to relax, the gap decreased again. The audience’s nerves are put to rest, at least for a few moments. On the track, however, the athletes’ nerves increased because at this point they were on their way to breaking the record. They can’t mess it up. They won’t mess it up.
Nearing the 1600m mark, the ever so motivating “I’m Shipping Up to Boston” song built in the background like the background music of an action montage in a film. The race was in motion. The women pumped their arms and held on to one another through their belief that they would break the record. The audience felt the synergy of the women working together. They appreciated the synergy and clapped their hands together louder, urging them forward. They witnessed the beauty of lowly humans working together to do something remarkable. Hitting the mile at 4:31, the women had less than a mile to go.
Grace led them another lap before slowing and running off the track. Finishing out the 2k, she set her teammates up perfectly for greatness; perfectly for testing how fast a human can go in a 3k. The audience leaned forwards in their seats as the drama intensified.
Houlihan, on pace to run 8:30, led her teammates after Grace completed her pacing efforts. Houlihan and Schweizer opened up a gap on Quigley, but their coach windmilled his arms to signal to her to stay up there. Sometimes, the limits are reached, but the athlete can not stop; their goal is too important to them. The audience was scared. Maybe one will be unlucky, they thought. They hoped not.
Three laps to go. Schweizer charged to the lead and challenged Houlihan. A subplot to the record breaking drama emerged: who will be the fastest? Schweizer or Houlihan?
Houlihan and Schweizer were neck and neck with one lap to go, the bell lap. The end was near, and the limits of human speed and endurance were being stretched to almost the max. Houlihan ran ahead of Schweizer. She was going all out on the back stretch, but Schweizer remained on her shoulder! The audience thought Houlihan was going to win.
With 100 meters remaining to test the human limit in the 3k race, Schweizer swung past Houlihan in the outside lane. The audience was baffled. There was going to be an upset in the outcome of this drama because Houlihan was predicted to win.
Schweizer crossed the line in 8:25:70, winning the race and breaking the American record. Houlihan followed in 8:26:66, and Quigley in 8:28.71, both also breaking the record. The audience cheered. It was a great day for America. The audience had the chance to view the major accomplishment of three American women, American heroes, with tears of joy. Oh how beautiful; the ending to the drama couldn’t have been better.
