This indoor season, it looked like Matt Centrowitz was the best non-Kenyan miler in the world. He won the Millrose mile in a world-leading 3:50 in February, and he won the world indoor championship in the 1500m in March. Then he fell off the map for three months, with news surfacing in May that he had a stress reaction. 

His first meet after world indoors was the Portland Track Festival in June, and it wasn't pretty. He started with an 800m in 1:47, losing to Anthony Romaniw, Joseph White, Goaner Deng, and Chris Low.



Then he doubled back in the 1500m, running 3:41 and losing to Clayton Murphy, Jordan McNamara, Dorian Ulrey, Ben Saarel, Hassan Mead, Graham Crawford, Matthew Maton, and Cristian Soratos.



Just two months later, Centrowitz led every step of the Olympic final. Racing back into shape is a very real thing.