Reebok Boston Indoor Games athlete quotes

Men's 200 Meters, Ivory Williams - 1^st Place

I didn't get out too good, but I stayed relaxed and turned it over and came away with the win. This was a practice meet for me. I just came out and tried to focus and do my best.

Women's Pole Vault, Jenn Stuczynski, 1^st Place - American Record

It was definitely harder to do than you say it is. I was trying to treat it like a normal meet, but like I was telling my coach before hand, if I had to say how I felt like I was going to do today it was a big question mark. I didn't know if I was going to do well. I didn't have a feeling about it going into this meet. It was a big question mark. I just didn't know how I was going to perform.

I think it was a relief. It's a mental game you play with yourself. I've tried this so many times and now I want to make it today. I tried to stay focused on it and go with the routine jumps.

Having the runway it brought a different outlook to the Boston Games. I've competed here before and then bringing the runway added a little bit of magic to it. It was nice to be up on that platform. It felt like the pole vault was highlighted. It looked so good with the runway, the signs and the flowers near the pad. It looked really good. It helped the pole vault for sure.

I kept trying to feel when I jumped 4.90 at the Adidas, because that one felt so smooth to me. I kept thinking, make it feel that smooth. I kept referring back to that and a place I knew I was comfortable. I was trying to put myself in a different kind of setting.

Women's 800 Meters, Alice Schmidt - 1^st Place

I'm really excited. It's the first race of the season. I'm reallypleased to get out there. It's always a shock in the 800, it'spainful. I wasn't able to get out with the rabbit, but I stuck withit and it worked out in the end.

Men's 60-Meter Hurdles, Terrence Trammell - 1^st Place

I think the blocks were just a little different as far as my angle goes. I think it was a pretty good start, but based on the fact that these blocks were different from the ones in New York. They put me at a different angle. I'm ok with it. It's not how you start, but how you finish. Things happen and you have to be able to make an adjustment.

I felt clobbered (in the race), number one. I'm just glad I kept going and that it didn't kill my momentum too much. The one thing I wanted to do was make sure I could regroup as quickly as possible and take it through the tape.

Women's 3,000 Meters, Kara Goucher - 1^st Place

My goal for this race was to actually do it marathon style and kind of be invisible, but they kept announcing I was in the race, so I wasn't exactly invisible. Just be invisible for the first half and have a slow drive in the second half. That's how I hope to run the marathon. This is a much shorter version, but executing the same race I hope to have in April.

I would have liked to run under 8:40. I knew in the end it probably wasn't going to happen. My strength is really good right now. My speed isn't super, super great. I knew I could run a negative split, but I thought 8:30 wasn't going to happen. It would have been nice to say I've run sub 8:40 indoors, but it didn't really matter.

Kelly Kipyego - 2^nd Place

Overall, it was a good effort and I thought it was perfect. The field was just really awesome. I couldn't have asked for something better than that. I knew I was ready to run fast. I think this is the best crowd with the shouting and support. That support does a lot in a field like this. They (the crowd) did a good job.

Men's 400 Meters, Renny Quow- 1^st Place

I was confused about everything, where the finish was. I felt likethe finish was too early. Indoors isn't my style, I've got to makethe move when I want. I'm just doing this for fitness to see whereI'm at. It was a good race. When I saw the tape, if I'd known wewere going to finish there (on turn 1) I'd have made my move earlier. It was a good race.

Women's 60 Meters, Lisa Barber - 1^st Place

This race was a lot better than last week. I just wanted to stay focused and drive out the first five to 10 meters. I just wanted to dowhat I do best and that's the indoor 60. I wanted to run 7.1 or win,so I did both and I'm happy with that.I'm happy going into Tyson next week with the win. I've always lovedindoors, I love coming to Boston. I ran here in high school and wonthe 200, so I love running here.

Women's Mile, Lindsey Gallo - 1^st Place

I told my agent, 'I feel like I'm going to wake up from a nap and still have to race tonight or something.' I'm in shock. In 2005 I won a Grand Prix in Helsinki, but I haven't done anything since then. It feels really good. Coach told me to react and just to stay calm and make a move whenever anyone else did.

Men's Pole Vault, Steve Hooker - 1^st Place

It was the second highest jump ever. There's now no one between me and the world record. That's the aim.

I was just figuring out the pole I was on today, doing the fine tuning. I've got a couple of more meets indoors so hopefully I'll get it. It a different pole than I've worked with before. I got it from Gill between Millrose and this week. My attempts on the world record were on the pole. The first attempt I ran through, the second attempt I didn't clear. On the third attempt, I cleared it with my hips, but came down with my chest and arms. You have to get everything over unfortunately.

I want to keep jumping PBs. I'm most happy that I was able to come out and perform well again. Up until tonight I wasn't the record holder for my country. To break the national record was my main gold. I'm going out on big poles and making big jumps. There's only going to take so many attempts until it works out.

Men's 60 Meters, Mike Rodgers - 1^st Place

I felt alright. I'm disappointed with the time. The false starts arekind of rough out there. I'm happy with the win, I'll take that.

Boys' Junior Mile, Mac Fleet - 1^st Place

I thought I was in the under sub 4:10 shape. I've had some great base training in the last week and I was confident coming in. I made a couple race mistakes. I let those few guys go around me. I know the kind of kick I have. I have 47 quarter speed, so I'm pretty confident I can kick down almost any miler with 50 meters to go. I came around and started tightening up. The top two guys in the last 10 meters actually pulled up a little bit. That helped.

Men's 3,000 Meters, Galen Rupp - 2^nd Place

It went well. I would have liked to run a little faster, but I'm definitely not disappointed at all. A 3K feels funny to me funny after doing so much shorter stuff with the 800 and mile, so it was fun to run a distance that was a little longer. I'll run a 5K next week, so I think that race will really set me above.

Women's 200 Meters, Shalonda Solomon - 1^st Place

It's a great start. I ran 23.5 two weeks ago in Florida, so to run23.17 here tonight, I'm really pleased. I've been practicing reallyhard and working very hard. This is my first professional meet so I'mhappy.

Men's 1,000 Meters, Nick Symmonds - 1^st Place

It went out nice and quick like I like. I was a little farther back in the first 200 than I wanted, but it turned out okay. When I saw1:52, I knew I had no reason to hold back. Fortunately, it all cameinto play. I wanted to make my move not in the last 50 meters,there's not enough room indoors. Fortunately, it all worked out.

Women's 5,000 Meters, Shalane Flanagan - 2^nd place

I feel like I came out really strong, Ifeel really great. I thoughtI had it. I thought maybe they'd give the win to the "hometown girl,"but I was so close. There were great ladies in the race, a great pacesetter. If I'd been out there by myself, it would've been hard. Tohave someone right on me, it was a great motivator. There's nobetter motivation than to run in front of the hometown crowd. Ittakes more than one person to set a record. I didn't think I wasgoing to run that fast tonight.I'm trying to have fun. I hope to be in this sport for another eightto ten years.I've dreamed of these kinds of moments. I remember coming to this meetin high school. I've come a long way since then. It comes down tosurrounding myself with good people who support my goals and dreams.I couldn't even watch (the crowd) I was getting so emotional. It'slike going out for a run with my dad. Having my parents here makes mecalm and serene.It's a risk leading like that. It's worth it though. I came reallyclose (to the win).Marla is a good friend of mine. At my first Olympics, she was myroommate. It's kind of an honor to run in the realm that she's has run.

Men's Mile, Nick Willis - 1^st Place

It was a good pace and I thought we'd have a chance at the stadium record. I felt really controlled. I decided winning was the most important and not time. It's really fun.

The world championships are very important. I obviously want to continue to progress from the bronze I got in Beijing. Winning races whenever I step on the line and developing that mentality. I think that will get me ready for London more than just preparing for the championship. The more times I can get out there and be competitive is important. I'm going to do the Fayetteville meet next week for that reason. It's about executing and practicing different strategies that we have.