Flanagan moves on

When Shalane Flanagan competed in the Boston Indoor Games three years ago, she was pleasantly surprised by the reception.

"My high school team was there and it was great to see them," Flanagan said yesterday. "I almost started crying because there was so much support. And it was good to know that I could be a role model for them, to let them know they could aspire to whatever they want to do, whether it's running or anything else."

Back then, Flanagan was competing for the University of North Carolina. She has since graduated into the international running realm, competing in the 2004 Olympics, then coming back from surgery to remove a bone from her foot, relieving the pain she had endured for most of her career. She hopes to kick-start her quest for a return to the Olympics when she competes in the 5,000 meters in tomorrow's meet at the Reggie Lewis Track & Athletic Center.

"Realistically, it would be nice to be in the top four," said Flanagan, who grew up in Marblehead. "If everything goes well, the way I have been training is indicative of a personal best [15 minutes 5 seconds]. What I want more than anything is to get back out there and be competitive. There is a lot of intimacy running indoors, and my family is here. It's great to have the spectators behind you, motivating you.

"This is a great community for runners. [Wednesday night] I went for a run along the river and I was wondering if it was safe to run at 8 o'clock at night. But there were probably more than 100 runners out there, and it goes to show what the community is like and the support there is.

"I grew up with my parents as role models and past Massachusetts [runners] to look up to. For the most part, it was a daily routine to go for a run. It was just second nature. We were living in Boulder [Colo.] when I was 5 and 6 years old, and when they would go for runs, I would run around the block, basically."

Flanagan's parents were competitive distance runners, and her mother, Cheryl, is a former marathon world record-holder. Flanagan is also following the trail blazed by former Olympian Lynn Jennings.

"I ran on a lot of the same tracks as Lynn," Flanagan said. "And when I was a second or two off her course record, I knew I was headed in the right direction."

But Flanagan's progress began stalling soon after the '04 Olympics, and by the next year, the pain in her foot was intolerable.

"I was born with an extra bone in my foot and it was tearing on the tendon," she said. "It took a year before it was diagnosed and another long year to get back. It was tricky because it didn't show up and there was nothing broken. The doctors couldn't find anything wrong and they recommended I keep running. I went to a variety of doctors, but I was not confident in them slicing up my foot.

"I never considered giving up; I was too young. This was my first injury and it was very frustrating, but I realized that in the end, it was up to me to figure out what was wrong. I was used to having the support system of the university, but I had to do this myself. Instead of rushing into surgery, it was crucial I get the right doctor. My coach thought maybe I was not a high-mileage runner, but I was not going to accomplish what I wanted by doing less training."

Flanagan then went to Dr. Amol Saxena for surgery.

"He was going to repair the tendon, but then he saw [the extra bone]," Flanagan said. "Literally, as I was going under, he made me aware of what he was going to do. So I have a bionic left foot and maybe the same problem in my right foot, but it's not bothering me."

Flanagan's first competition since the operation was a victory in the Manchester (Conn.) Road Race in November. And she has recovered in time to prepare for the world championships in Mombasa, Kenya, in two weeks and a possible return to the Olympics in '08.

"In '04, I was naive and didn't train like an elite athlete," said Flanagan, who finished 22d in the 5,000 in Athens. "I had no idea what was going on and I was like a little kid in a candy shop. It was great, but now I have more purpose, and this time I am not going to be just happy to be there."

Reebok Boston Indoor Games
What: Visa Championship Series
When: Tomorrow, 5:30 p.m.
Where: Reggie Lewis Track Center, Boston
Frank Dell'Apa can be reached at f_dellapa@globe.com.