Kara Goucher Apologizes to Fans, Photographers After Poor Lisbon Performance
Kara Goucher apologized Wendesday for her sub-par photographs at this past weekend's Lisbon half-marathon. (Photorun.net)
Kara Goucher, winner of the Lisbon half-marathon, held a surprise press conference Wednesday apologizing for what she called a poor overall race day performance last weekend.
Sitting adjacent to the Prefontaine statue with Coach Alberto Salazar on her right and husband Adam mowing Nike campus fields in the background, Goucher said, “I want to issue a sincere apology to my worldwide collection of fans. You and I both know I am capable of big things when I toe the starting line and Sunday I let you all down.”
When asked to specify how she let anyone down in defeating a world-class field, Kara shook her head and said, “I wasn’t talking about the running – that went pretty well. I was talking about the photos of me from the race.”
Goucher had come into the event in tip top condition in both fitness and looks. And although she still emerged victorious, both coach and athlete believe there is far more in the tank for future competitions. Salazar rated her performance a “C+”, saying, “track photographers around the globe have come to expect a certain level of beauty in every one of Kara’s photos – I’d say it’s somewhere above Shalane Flanagan circa 2007 and slightly below present day Nick Symmonds. What she produced Sunday looked more like my newest athlete Ari Lambie’s career – lots of potential but with something markedly off.”
Saying she wasn’t simply wasting her breath when she said she was ready for a new world best, Goucher continued, “With blue skies on the horizon, the breeze blowing through my luscious brown hair and my phenomenally toned body squeaking into a perfectly fitted Nike two-piece, I knew the potential was there to challenge my epically hot 2007 World Championships photo spread. Before the race, I even told Victah Sailer: ‘Have those lenses ready for something tasty.’ He said he’d be at mile 12 waiting. I was all prepped for my close-up, but one thing I didn’t prepare for were the Spanish flies in the air. Just before I passed him I swallowed a huge one and suffered a massive sneezing attack.”
Many elite runners, including American Record Holder Ryan Hall, don’t believe shorter distances are wholly predictive of marathon success. Goucher concurs. “Let’s face it, I did not look my best at Lisbon this weekend. But we are still a long way off from the Boston Marathon.”
Fans needn’t be worried, because if one thing’s for certain about Mrs. Goucher it’s that she knows she will have to perform better as the spring season moves into summer. “There are far faster and far better looking opponents than the repulsive Kenyans I beat up on Sunday, but it’s a long season. You have to pick your spots. Nike Inc., Alberto and I are all aiming to maintain this perfect physique for months ahead, including my top goal of Fourth of July weekend, where I will almost certainly be wearing a bikini all day at the Goucher family barbeque.”