Jenny Simpson: Looking back at 2011, by Elliott Denman, note by Larry Eder

Immediately post-Daegu, Simpson had been in a deep slump.

Six days later, in the Van Damme Memorial in Brussels, she slipped even
further back in the back – to 13th in 4:03.68 in a race won by USA
teammate Morgan Uceny in 4:00.06, 2011’s best time, over Selsouli
(4:00.77) and 2009 World champion  Maryam Yusuf Jamal of Bahrain
(4:01.40.)

A hectic travel schedule and, likely, a degree of post-Daegu letdown, had clearly taken their toll.

Left in the slipstream of Simpson – wearing the “Jenny” bib that gave
crowds lining the 20-block course plenty of personalized cheering
opportunities – were two other Daegu medalists, and many of the
occupants of top spots on the year lists.

  Relegated to spots further back were sixth-placer Morgan Uceny, the
world’s fastest at 1500 this year; seventh-placer Shannon Rowbury, the
2009 and 2010 Fifth Avenue champion, and 14th-placer Alysia Montano, USA
800-meter champion and fourth in the two-lap final at Daegu.

 But the Iowa-born, Florida-prepped (Oviedo, Fla. HS), Colorado-schooled
(U. of Coloarado ’09) 5-foot-5, 110-pound Simpson took the measure of
them all.

  “Everybody brings their own strengths to their racing,” said Simpson. “There were so many great, talented runners out there.

   “The season’s been long and it’s been tough on all of us. I was
really keyed in on the World Championships, to bounce back like this was
encouraging to me.

  “So this was a great way to come home and celebrate the season and to showcase my strength.

  “The thing about this race is that brings together some very talented
women from the 800 on up, to the 5K and even the 10K.  It’s a great
meeting in the middle, in the mile.

  “We moved out pretty fast right from the gun, but I felt comfortable and settled in.
Then we got to the hill (a slight rise around midway), and from the top
of the hill down to the (finish) line it was a real race from there.

  “With about 200 meters to go, I finally got into the lead, and just took it in.”

  Among the applauders at 60th Street: Sister Emily, an Army private
first class clad in fatigues and combat boots, taking a rare weekend
break from duty at Fort Rucker, Alabama.

   Simpson had no idea of her split times.  It was, in effect, a very long, straight and controlled sprint.

  Her great closing rush gives even more confidence heading into Olympic year.
As any World or Olympic final-goer must know, these races inevitably
boil down to jockeying for position and desperation, all-out sprints
around the final turn

   “Yes, yes, I know if I can finish like that, I’ll be hard to beat,” said Simpson. “I’ll be ready for anything.”

   With several major Big Apple water-main breaks, street floodings, and
subway stoppages in the days preceding the Fifth Avenue Mile, some
suggested that Simpson would have been right at home, too, running her
other event, the 3000-meter steeplechase.

   She’d certainly made her mark as a steeplechaser, winning three NCAA
titles for  Colorado, running ninth at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games
and placing fifth (in the American record time of 9:12.50) at the 2009
World Championships in Berlin.

  But a stress reaction at the head of her right femur spelled an early
end to her 2010 season and likely influenced her decision to stick to
flat/ barrier-free / water jump-less middle distance running heading
into 2011.

  It’s been a huge year from the very beginning.

  Her 4:28.60 victory at the New Balance Games at New York’s Armory
Track Center held up as the fastest mile in the world for the indoor
season.

  She followed by taking both the mile (4:34.96) and 3000-meter
(9:02.20) crowns at the USA Indoor Championships in Albuquerque.  A
second-place finish in the 1500 final at the USA Nationals at Hayward
Field proved her ticket to Daegu and she arrived in Korea fit and ready.

 Now the one big question: Will we ever see Jenny Simpson running another steeplechase?

  Sure it’s an option, sure it’s a possibility, sure it would be breakthrough opportunity for any American woman.

   But sure it’s getting a lot less likely with her every success on the flat.

    The London 1500 is certainly the far safer wager.

   No American woman has ever won – or even medaled – in an Olympic 1500.