Although she ended up one place short of earning a spot on USA's IAAF World Indoor Championships team, Team USA Minnesota's Heather Dorniden returns from the USA Indoor Championships in a positive frame of mind.
Competing in her first USA championship as a professional, Dorniden finished third in the finals of the women's 800 meters at the USA Indoor meet in Albuquerque last weekend. Her finals time of 2:02.33, an indoor PR, was a just under a second short of second place and a spot on the team going to Doha, Qatar later this month.
Anna Pierce won the race in 2:00.84; Alysia Johnson was runner-up in 2:01.45.
Dorniden went to the front at the start of the race and brought the field through 400m in an strong 59.91, according to reports.
Competing in her first USA championship as a professional, Dorniden finished third in the finals of the women's 800 meters at the USA Indoor meet in Albuquerque last weekend. Her finals time of 2:02.33, an indoor PR, was a just under a second short of second place and a spot on the team going to Doha, Qatar later this month.
Anna Pierce won the race in 2:00.84; Alysia Johnson was runner-up in 2:01.45.
Dorniden went to the front at the start of the race and brought the field through 400m in an strong 59.91, according to reports.
"I have learned that the only way to leave a race with no regrets is to lay everything out on the track with the greatest of expectations for how your body will handle it," Dorniden said in a Team USA media release.
"As we were cutting to the inside lane, there was a window of opportunity for me to take control of the race and I went for it. I had been working out really well at 2:00 pace, so my plan was to get out there, make the race honest, and see how long I could keep it up. It is always a little bit disappointing to lead a race for three laps and get taken in the last, but I can honestly say I left everything on the track."
Dorniden made it to the final by winning her preliminary heat on Saturday, one of three heats held that day. She trained at altitude in Albuquerque during February to prepare for the meet.
"This past weekend was a great overall experience for me," the December 2009 University of Minnesota grad said. "I went in there with the mindset that I am a professional now, I am prepared to race well, and I belong on the World team in Qatar. Unfortunately, I was just under a second back from making that World team, but I am very happy with the way I raced and my new indoor PR time."
Dorniden's initial run at altitude was a challenge, she confided.
Dorniden's initial run at altitude was a challenge, she confided.
"My first run at altitude was interesting to say the least," she said. "My chest was tight, my back got tight and I felt like I was really struggling to breathe normally. After about a week though, I really felt like I was getting acclimated and I could get into a good rhythm earlier into my runs. Luckily, my faster workouts on the track were the days that felt the best. I don't think the altitude affected me as much when I was running at those paces."
Next up for Dorniden will be the outdoor track season.
"I feel that my race this weekend was such a great indicator that the training I've been doing with Team USA Minnesota is working well for me and is a great predictor of fast races to come in the outdoor season," she said.
Brown Makes NACAC Team ... Team USA Minnesota's Emily Brown has been selected as a member of the USA team that will compete at the North America, Central America and Caribbean Athletic Association Cross Country Championships on March 6.
The championships -- which include a senior women's 6K race, a senior men's 8K race and two junior races -- will be held in Tobago, the smaller of two main islands that make up the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, located in the Caribbean.
Brown was named to the team because of her seventh place finish at the USA Cross Country Championships last month.
"I feel that my race this weekend was such a great indicator that the training I've been doing with Team USA Minnesota is working well for me and is a great predictor of fast races to come in the outdoor season," she said.
Brown Makes NACAC Team ... Team USA Minnesota's Emily Brown has been selected as a member of the USA team that will compete at the North America, Central America and Caribbean Athletic Association Cross Country Championships on March 6.
The championships -- which include a senior women's 6K race, a senior men's 8K race and two junior races -- will be held in Tobago, the smaller of two main islands that make up the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, located in the Caribbean.
Brown was named to the team because of her seventh place finish at the USA Cross Country Championships last month.
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