Lagat ready to run for eighth Wanamker title

NEW YORK -- When Bernard Lagat first came to the Millrose Games almost a decade ago, he had little idea of what he was getting himself into, let alone what he was about to be become a part of.

"In 2001, that was my first trip to New York and I was getting overwhelmed by the city itself," Lagat recalled during a press conference in Manhattan. "I came into the race not knowing anything about it. It wasn't until we were running that I realized, ‘This track seems too small.' That was a realization after the race. I don't know if somebody mentioned it but it didn't click.

"But with the short track and the banks, I didn't feel it. I was in there running and having a good time. The thing is, when I came back in 2003, I knew it was a tough track to run in and I barely broke four. That's when I knew that in order to run well, I needed to prepare for it. Coach (James) Li told me, ‘This is a tough track, man. It's different.'"