University of Georgia Athletics
LaRon Bennett's Journal
May 22, 2007 | Track & Field
LaRon "Bud" Bennett, who finished his Georgia track career in 2005, is now traveling around the world to compete in professional races. The Brunswick, Ga., native registered his first win in the professional ranks last summer at the International Consulate Meeting of Martinique in Fort de France, Martinique, where he finished the 400-meter hurdles in 49.43. After taking time to rest and train for the outdoor season, Bennett made his 2007 outdoor debut at the Yellow Jacket Invitational in Atlanta on March 30-31. During his latest race at the adidas Track Classic on May 20th, Bennett clocked a season-best time of 49.35 to take sixth.
Bennett finished in 49.46 during his an earlier race this season (Meeting International d'Athletisme de la Ville de Dakar) in Dakar, Senegal, on April 28th. Bennett, who owns the Georgia record in the 400 hurdles at 48.74, was the second American to finish the race and crossed the finish line fifth overall.
While wearing red and black, Bennett set the school record in the 400 hurdles at the 2005 NCAA Outdoor Championships for a fifth-place finish. Bennett, who was a three-time outdoor All-American, was also the runner-up in the 2005 SEC Outdoor Championships with a 48.76. Bennett will be providing georgiadogs.com with journal entries about his experiences on the road over the next several months. His fourth entry of the season is below:
"Well, it is about 2:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 19th and I just arrived at my hotel (in Carson, Calif.). I’ve been flying since 7:00 p.m. (on Friday, May 18th). I don’t run until Sunday afternoon (at the adidas Track Classic), so I can get my legs back under me. I head to bed, because I will have to get up in a few hours to go do a pre-meet shakeout.
"The time is now 11:00 a.m. and I missed the bus to the track. So now I have to find a ride to the track. I finally do, so I head over there. When I get to the track, I’m familiar with the surface because I’ve run on it a few times. My workout goes pretty good and I’m feeling good. My plan for this weekend is to be patient. Often, when I am passed early in my races, I tend to go into 'kick-mode.' Tomorrow I will focus on my training and hold my steps until it is time to kick. I head back to the hotel to get settled in.
"When I get back to the hotel, I go and find the heat sheets. Wow, lane 9 again. I can’t believe they put me out there for the second year in a row. I’m a good guy, I don’t mess with anybody, I respect my elders and I got a good smile. Hah hah, it’s fine - I guess it’s better than lane 1. Behind me, I have a world-class field: Kenneth Ferguson (lane 8), Danny McFarlin (lane 7), James Carter (lane 6), Derrick Williams (lane 5) and Mike Tinsley (lane 3). I finally head to bed because tomorrow will be an interesting day.
"It’s Sunday (May 20th) - battle day. I head out to do a jog round the block. When I finally get back to the hotel after getting lost, I go eat breakfast and prepare for my race. I read my Bible and I decide to use my same scripture from last week: Isaiah 30:15: 'In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength.' I’m using this one because I feel like I will have to be very confident in this race and trust my training.
"I finally head over to the track for competition. After sitting for a while, I begin my warm-up and I feel ready. Finally, we are called to the holding tent and then out to set our blocks. I set my blocks and rehearse my race plan: run 14 steps through seven hurdles and finish strong. Run my race. I read my scripture on my left arm and wait for the commands.
"Now the commands: 'Runners take your mark... set...bang.' I get a good push and I clear my first hurdle perfectly. As I clear the second hurdle, I see Ferguson fly past me. I prepare go into 'kick-mode,' but I don’t. I have to stick to my plan. As I approach the seventh hurdle, I start to see the rest of the field. I clear the seventh hurdle. Now, it's time to go, but I’m in last place; I can’t be running that slowly. I finish sixth and run 49.35. Not bad for sixth place and I finally got my steps right. I’m not too concerned about getting beaten. I’m still on pace to drop a new personal best. My next stop is the Reebok Classic in New York. It will be in two weeks, so I’m curious to see what my time will be there."
Bennett finished in 49.46 during his an earlier race this season (Meeting International d'Athletisme de la Ville de Dakar) in Dakar, Senegal, on April 28th. Bennett, who owns the Georgia record in the 400 hurdles at 48.74, was the second American to finish the race and crossed the finish line fifth overall.
While wearing red and black, Bennett set the school record in the 400 hurdles at the 2005 NCAA Outdoor Championships for a fifth-place finish. Bennett, who was a three-time outdoor All-American, was also the runner-up in the 2005 SEC Outdoor Championships with a 48.76. Bennett will be providing georgiadogs.com with journal entries about his experiences on the road over the next several months. His fourth entry of the season is below:
"Well, it is about 2:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 19th and I just arrived at my hotel (in Carson, Calif.). I’ve been flying since 7:00 p.m. (on Friday, May 18th). I don’t run until Sunday afternoon (at the adidas Track Classic), so I can get my legs back under me. I head to bed, because I will have to get up in a few hours to go do a pre-meet shakeout.
"The time is now 11:00 a.m. and I missed the bus to the track. So now I have to find a ride to the track. I finally do, so I head over there. When I get to the track, I’m familiar with the surface because I’ve run on it a few times. My workout goes pretty good and I’m feeling good. My plan for this weekend is to be patient. Often, when I am passed early in my races, I tend to go into 'kick-mode.' Tomorrow I will focus on my training and hold my steps until it is time to kick. I head back to the hotel to get settled in.
"When I get back to the hotel, I go and find the heat sheets. Wow, lane 9 again. I can’t believe they put me out there for the second year in a row. I’m a good guy, I don’t mess with anybody, I respect my elders and I got a good smile. Hah hah, it’s fine - I guess it’s better than lane 1. Behind me, I have a world-class field: Kenneth Ferguson (lane 8), Danny McFarlin (lane 7), James Carter (lane 6), Derrick Williams (lane 5) and Mike Tinsley (lane 3). I finally head to bed because tomorrow will be an interesting day.
"It’s Sunday (May 20th) - battle day. I head out to do a jog round the block. When I finally get back to the hotel after getting lost, I go eat breakfast and prepare for my race. I read my Bible and I decide to use my same scripture from last week: Isaiah 30:15: 'In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength.' I’m using this one because I feel like I will have to be very confident in this race and trust my training.
"I finally head over to the track for competition. After sitting for a while, I begin my warm-up and I feel ready. Finally, we are called to the holding tent and then out to set our blocks. I set my blocks and rehearse my race plan: run 14 steps through seven hurdles and finish strong. Run my race. I read my scripture on my left arm and wait for the commands.
"Now the commands: 'Runners take your mark... set...bang.' I get a good push and I clear my first hurdle perfectly. As I clear the second hurdle, I see Ferguson fly past me. I prepare go into 'kick-mode,' but I don’t. I have to stick to my plan. As I approach the seventh hurdle, I start to see the rest of the field. I clear the seventh hurdle. Now, it's time to go, but I’m in last place; I can’t be running that slowly. I finish sixth and run 49.35. Not bad for sixth place and I finally got my steps right. I’m not too concerned about getting beaten. I’m still on pace to drop a new personal best. My next stop is the Reebok Classic in New York. It will be in two weeks, so I’m curious to see what my time will be there."
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