en-us Copyright 2006-2009 Flocasts Inc Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:58:49 -0500 http://www.flotrack.org/assets/portal/simple30/images/logos/flotrack-logo.gif http://www.flotrack.org/videos/speaker/3174-brandon-bethke Possibly one of the most underrated guys heading into the NCAA meet this weekend, Brandon Bethke of Arizona State has really made his mark this year. Brandon finished 6th in a stacked race at PreNats, 2nd in arguably the toughest conference in the PAC-10, and also finished 7th at the regional. The road hasn't be the smoothest though as he transferred from Wisconsin in the summer of 2008 and was forced to sit out. Starting last spring, Bethke has been a force and is now a sub 13:30 guy thats going to be challenging for a top 10 spot, possibly a top 5 spot, at the NCAA Championships. Flotrack http://www.flotrack.org/videos/speaker/3174-brandon-bethke Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:08:00 -0500 http://www.flotrack.org/articles/view/1562-jeff-schirmer-kwik-e <!-- @page { size: 8.5in 11in; margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } --> Southern Illinois Saluki senior Jeff Schirmer is heading into his second NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships in Terre Haute, Indiana. Action kicks off on Monday, November 23, with races starting at 11:45 a.m. Schirmer was a qualifier in the 5,000 and 10,000-meter runs this past outdoor season and took 25th overall last year at the NCAA Cross Country Championships. He's got his eyes set on a top-10 finish after finishing second to Minnesota's Hassan Mead at the Regional Championships last weekend. Let's see how well he finishes! Photo courtesy of ShannonDigitalImaging.com You just got the official word about your team not making it to NCAAs. Yeah, unfortunately. They picked Auburn and Ohio State over us and Iowa. I would assume, based on what you guys had predicted, that we might have been the first team out. I'm not sure. I know we were real close. That always sucks. Sorry, man! Yeah, it's all right. You'll be going as an individual, though. Last year you took 25th overall, where are going to finish this year if things go according to plan? My personal goal is to be top-10. Last year, I was 25th and would like to be better or finish higher than that. The minimum, where I'd walk away and not be disappointed, would be top-10. I would really like to be top-five, but if I'm top-10, I won't be mad with my race and satisfied. If I'm anything lower than 10, depending on how much lower, I'm going to get more and more disappointed with my performace. How do you approach this next week of training before the big race? Are you the type of guy who's going to taper a good amount? I started running when I was a junior in high school. I was a late-start runner. I've never really done many miles, always in the 60s. I don't really really taper too much because I've never done many miles like some of my teammates who are up to 105-110. I don't taper much. What do we do? My coach will usually have us do some faster intervals and make them quicker and over shorter distances. What's a typical week like for you when your hitting the 60s? Any doubles? It's probably about two to three doubles a week. Two unless we do two workouts that week...then it's three. Why the late start to running? What were you doing before your junior year? From eighth grade to junior year, I played football. I never really thought much about running. In PE, you know you do that physical fitness thing? My sophomore year, it was the day we had to run the mile and most people are like, “oh, crap! We all have to run outside!” I ran 5:12 in Adidas Superstars. The track coach heard about that and asked me to come out for the team the next year. My junior year, I actually did football and cross country at the same time. I would just practice for football and on Saturday, I would just wake up and go to a cross country meet. We actually made it to States as a team and I ran like...15:54 at the State Meet. As a football player. As a football player. I never ran, I would just wake up on Saturday after a Friday night football game and run a race. Now that you are training as a serious runner—and it's hard to compare these things—but, are practices harder in pads as a football player or putting in mileage as a runner? It was just the high school level and I'm sure it gets harder through college and the professional league, but I would say running is a lot more challenging than football. In football, if you're in trouble, they make you run. They do that for a reason...it's because it's a lot more punishing. In football, there's a lot of standing around doing plays and stuff. What position did you play? Eighth grade and freshman year, I was a safety. And then sophomore and junior year, I was a reciever. Do you have wheels? Most of my teammates these days tell me that I'm pretty fast for a distance guy. I usually can close fairly well at the end of my races. I guess compared to all the teammates I've ever had, I've been faster. Do you think you could have pursued football a little further? No. I wasn't the best of receivers. We had a really great running back my junior year. So, the only thing our receivers really did all the time was block. I didn't have the best of hands, but I was quick. I was a pretty good blocker. I wasn't going to go anywhere with football. I'm really thankful for the opportunity that I was given to start running. Coming off of being a football player, were you aware of Illinois history with distance running? No, not really. Probably up until last year, my junior year, I just started learning people's names and knowing who people are. Now, I'm not by any means intelligent on knowing all those runners, but I know people a lot better than I did. I could tell you who German Fernandez is or Mead or some of those guys who I can think of off the top of my head because they're in my region. Before last year, I couldn't tell you who anyone was except maybe...Prefontaine. The only other runner I knew of in high school other than Prefontaine was Craig Virgin because he was from our area, he was from a half an hour from my house. He would talk to my high school coach and prep us up with speeches. He likes to talk a lot. I didn't know much about the running world up until a year or two ago. I started improving with my abilities. I ran 4:15 my senior year in track and gave up football and started training and all that. People would come up to me and say, “hey, Jeff, congratulations!” And I didn't know their names and I felt really bad. Over the last couple of years, I started to kind of educate myself in the world of running and know who some people are. You ran that 4:15 mile in Adidas Superstars, right? (Laughs) No, my senior year in track or starting in cross, I ran in Adidas Superstars. They're not running shoes at all and I remember having the worst shin splints. During PE, I would sit on the sidelines because I couldn't walk without my legs hurting. My very first pair of running shoes, I can remember, my high school coach game me a pair of his old ones and were Nike Pegasus. They made a world of difference. He gave me a used pair. It's kind of off subject, but I didn't have much money in high school. When I was 13, me and my siblings were put in foster care. Everything I had, I had to buy myself from working. That's why I didn't have running shoes or anything like that. How did it happen that you ended up in foster care? I have three siblings and we left my dad when I was two. I have a stepdad, but there was a bunch of stuff where my dad was always gone and my mom was always gone. My grandma lived with us and she was there off and on too. They were doing drugs and alcohol or whatever. When I was 13, the state got mad with all the stuff my mom and stepdad were doing and finally took us away. They split us all up and moved us all around. I was in two different foster homes and was in a boy's home in between those two. But, I was pretty lucky. I was in two foster homes and a boy's home, some of my siblings went through 10 different houses and that was pretty rough on them because they were so much younger. One thing I was lucky about was since I was 13, I was able to choose my last name. As bad as some of the things my mom did, I still love her and want to carry on my last name. I wanted to keep it and carry that on. Over the last few years, in everything I've accomplished, I've wanted to make a name for my family and be a good role model for my younger siblings and show them that they can do it. I'm the first kid in my family to graduate high school or go to college and I graduate this year with a degree in accounting. Are you in constant contact with your siblings now? I've talked to them throughout the whole system. I just turned 23 and I'm kind of older. We moved around so much when I was younger, always going from house to trailer...moving around with friends or whatever because we were really poor, that I missed a lot of school and did third grade twice. So, I'm a year older than most people in my grade. My mom had me when she was 13, had my other sibling at 15, one at 17 and one at 19. She had all four kids before she was 19. I told you that my mom was always gone. I always had to take care of my siblings. I made sure that they got ready for school, got something to eat. I was doing that since I was like eight. Like I said, I always wanted to be a good role model for them and keep in touch with them. I make sure they're doing the best they can do. I recently got my 21-year old sister to go back to school. She's going for something in nursing and I'm really happy about that. My brother graduates from high school this year and I'm happy about. He says he wants to go to college like me. Hopefully I can make some money with my degree and help him with that. Any runners in the bunch? No. There are no other runners in the family. Like I said about no one graduating high school before me, there are no real athletes in my family besides me. I don't really know how I got the running ability I did. Between running and your stellar grades, that's what got you to Southern Illinois? Before my late junior-senior year, I didn't think I was going to go to any university. I might have gone to Swic, which is a little community college next to my hometown...and that's if I was even able to afford it. When I ran 4:15 in the mile in high school, I started getting some college phone calls. Money was really important to me...because I didn't have any. I needed to try to get as much as possible. My coach, Sparks, offered me a full ride. I get a lot of financial aid money, but he told me he would cover all my other expenses if I came here and it was only two hours from my hometown. I said I would and I don't regret any of it. Sparks is a great coach and he's taken me from being 43rd my senior year in cross country to 25th in the nation last year. He's a great coach and he really knows what he's doing. With the talent that he's able to get...we're Southern Illinois and most people don't know about us. Even in your (Flotrack's) pre-ranking thing, of teams you thought would get in...someone on the video says, “we don't know much about Southern Illinois” and people ask me all the time what a Saluki is. Sparks isn't able to get the best athletes from high school, but I feel like the athletes he gets, if you see what they were compared to what they turn into...I would say he's one of the best coaches in the NCAA. There are no foreigners on our team. Mohamed Mohamed, some people think he's a foreigner, but he's been in America since he was six. I don't know if you knew but at Regionals the past two seasons, Mohamed has been in the top-14. He qualified for Nationals two years ago and redshirted last year. He was in the ER for six hours last week and had to drop out of the race. With him dropping out, we were still fifth. If you put him at 20th, just 20th with him being top-14 the past two seasons, we would have been third...in front of Iowa State and Minnesota and been in for sure. If was 36th, we would have been in front of Minnesota and probably have been in. That's with all kids who were really nobodies. It wasn't with kids from Stevens or Pope Joy or teams you would associate with running success. We're a bunch of small-town runners, who he's taken and really exploded our talented. He's a great coach and a great guy. I have all the respect in the world for the guy. It must be hard not to get down about the way the season ended for the team. Yeah. He's (Mohamed) a fifth-year senior, I'm a senior. His last year of cross, my last year of cross. We have two other seniors on the team and it's like, “we were this close!” We were all praying. We almost had given up after Regionals, happy with what we did even with him dropping out. We gave it the best we could. And then your (Flotrack's) pre-ranking had us in there and we got really excited. It was a really long day for us and none of us really slept that night. Even though I qualified as an individual, I was really hoping that the whole team could go and that's been our goal all season long. We're a really big underdog and nobody really knows about us and we wanted to change that. It kind of sucks that we were that close and everyone had a great race...but it was just fate that Mo was in the ER with infections and was on three different antibiotics. It sucks but we're going to try to make the best of it and come out in track and give it everything we've got. What are your goals for this coming track season? I really want to top what I did last year and stride to be All-American in track. Are you going to be able to head out to the West Coast to run some fast races early on? Yeah. We have Mt. SAC on our schedule again. Last year, it was just me and Sparks that flew out there. I was the only athlete on our team to go. This year, we plan on taking a bigger handful of runners, distance and sprinters. We plan on going to Mt. SAC and that's probably where I'll run the 10K again this year. If you could have any one meal, prepared by anyone, what would you have and who make it? Or just give me your go-to meal? I want to start off by saying that I'm not your typical runner-eater. My dinner tonight was an entire box of mac-n-cheese. I just got done eating it...and a soda (laughs). It was a Dr. Pepper and a box of macaroni and cheese. I really don't get into all that. I feel like running has a lot to do with your mentality and I just don't get bent out of shape over those little things. I know some runners who are really picky and they have to have this before every meal and have to carb load or whatever. The only time I really worry about what I eat is the morning of the race. I eat probably cereal. The morning before the Regional race, I went to McDonald's and got hot cakes. I could probably tell you what my favorite food is. I probably shouldn't have said that...because I don't really know (laughs). It will probably sound corny, but my favorite food that I eat most often would be a whole Tombstone Cheese Pizza and a Mountain Dew. I don't like paying attention to all those little details. The more things you try to perfect...if one of those little things go wrong, then your mentality is like, “oh, I forgot to drink three and a half cups of water the night before...” and you shut down. It's too much to worry about and I just run and stay focused. Can you give me a crazy running-related story? About the Running Warehouse: Last year we went camping as a team. We do a lot of activities like that. We live really close to a national park. There's a really big national park to the south of us...like 15-20 miles. We drove out there and set up camp and everything in the middle of the woods. It wasn't like a campground...we had to clear it and cut down some bushes and stuff and make room for our tent in the middle of the woods. We went on our run that night. It wound up that there were like four tornadoes within a 10-mile radius of where we were camping that night. It was just a really bad storm the entire night. As we were finishing our run this was all happening. The wind was blowing, trees were falling down. It was pretty crazy. Our coach was calling us, telling us we had to come home. We're telling him that we're men and we're going to tough it out. It was probably the worst night of my life for trying to fall asleep. Everything was soaked. It was pouring rain and haling. It was bad.   <!-- @page { size: 8.5in 11in; margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } --> About the Running Warehouse: My KWIK-Es are sponsored by runningwarehouse.com, located on the California coast in the small community of San Luis Obispo. The folks over there include one of the owners, Joe Rubio, a two hour, 18 minute marathoner and current head coach of the Asics Aggie RC. Jonathan Spiros oversees footwear buying and served many years as assistant coach at College Park High School helping Lindsay Allen. Erik Dube is in charge of accessories and helps with footwear buying. Erik has finished the Western States 100-Mile Race several times and was assistant coach at San Ramon Valley High School helping Scott Bauhs through high school. Erik’s wife, Tera, is in charge of customer service and is an ultra marathoner and former track star at Campolindo High School, where her brother Chuck Woolridge is currently head coach. Kara June handles web content. Kara was 6th at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials in the steeplechase. Kara was also third overall at Last Fall’s USATF Club Cross Country Championships. The entire online and phone customer service representative staff at the Running Warehouse, including the staff listed above, have spent considerable time working the retail floor. This, along with the coaching and personal athletic experience, enables the company to have a unique perspective of understanding the needs of every level of runner from beginner to All-American. Check them out when you get a chance!     Tony Casey http://www.flotrack.org/articles/view/1562-jeff-schirmer-kwik-e Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:30:00 -0500 http://www.flotrack.org/blogs/blogger/Justin Kopunek/9387-2009-ncaa-cross-country-championships-preview The most exciting single race of the season for runners is only days away and there looks to be some awesome performances and battles you will not want to miss. Below I look at many of the top contenders for Monday with four titles up for grabs. I did not make any concrete rankings, or predictions as to not influence anyone who still may not have posted their picks for the Saucony NCAA Prediction Contest. Women's Team Race - 2008 Champions: Washington On the Podium: Oregon, Florida State, West Virginia This decade has been all about the repeat champions and the back-to-back wins for the women's team title at NCAAs. Since 2000, BYU won twice (in a row), Colorado won twice, Stanford won four times in 5 years, and Washington won last year. Based on this season's results so far, the Huskies look ready to close out the decade with another repeat team win. They return their 1-4 from last year's winning team and that is always a good sign that a back-to-back win is in the cards. They are undefeated this year and have 5 girls capable of placing in the top 25. Speaking of repeats, the Oregon women were runners-up the past two years and certainly do not want to play second fiddle for the third consecutive year. They have 3 potential top-10 girls (realistically, probably only 2 would end up there) and at Pac-10s they were the closest any team has gotten to Washington in the past 2 seasons; seven points back. The Ducks have not won a major meet yet this year and if nationals is their first team victory of the season, it will certainly be considered an upset for the ages. The team that seems most capable of dethroning Washington is Villanova. They are the only other undefeated team in the country. They crushed Oregon early at their home and destroyed one of the most competitive conferences and regions for women this year. At the Mid-Atlantic Regional, the Wildcats put 4 in front of Princeton’s #1. This is notable because Princeton is ranked #3 nationally, went 1-5 at the Heptagonal Championships, and their #1 runner was 15th at NCAAs last fall. To be that dominant over a team that has podium potential, like Princeton does, certainly sends a message that they will not concede the title in Terre Haute to the defending champs. Princeton has been close to the podium in recent years and that is certainly the objective for the Tigers this weekend. At regionals they beat a very good West Virginia team, which grabbed the last podium spot last year over Princeton. The Florida Gators beat Princeton at Pre-Nationals and Florida State at regionals. Florida State ran without their top runner at regionals, but this should not take away from the Gators’ win, as FSU would have lost even with her. The Colorado women surprised everyone when they easily beat Florida State at Pre-Nats. They faltered at the Big 12 Championships and lost to a very strong Texas Tech squad, but reversed the results at the Mountain Regional. The Buffaloes are certainly a team that has surprised people at nationals in years past and this team has some very low scorers among them. That is a key component to getting on the podium and winning a national title. Stanford also has a very solid team on paper, but injuries have set them back all season. They would need all their girls healthy and fit on the line Monday for a chance to do some real damage. <HR> Women's Individual Race - 2008 Champion: Sally Kipyego, Texas Tech Top Returners: Susan Kuijken, Florida St (2nd), Angela Bizzarri, Illinois (6th), Christine Babcock, Washington (7th), Alex Kosinski, Oregon (8th), Nicole Blood, Oregon (10th), Jenny Barringer, Colorado (2nd ’06 & ’07) It is like déjà vu. Again a Big 12/Mountain Region runner is as much of a lock for the title as one can be in cross country and Florida State’s Susan Kuijken is the only one people are considering will have a chance to stick near her. Colorado’s Jenny Barringer of Colorado has been runner-up twice in this race (2006 and 2007) and she is running this fall as a Buffalo for one purpose; to win an NCAA Cross Country title to go with her 4 NCAA track titles and many NCAA records. It is the only accolade missing from her resume that will put her atop the list of greatest female distance runners in NCAA history. Kuijken has unfortunate timing as the only thing keeping her from multiple NCAA XC titles are 2 of the NCAA’s best in history (Sally Kipyego and Barringer). Do not get me wrong, Kuijken has 2 NCAA track titles, was 27th in cross as a frosh, 3rd the next year and 2nd last year. If she were to place second this Monday, she would easily have one of the most impressive NCAA Cross Country records that one could have, regardless of the fact that the women she lost to were so good. The only person other than Barringer that is undefeated this year is Villanova’s Sheila Reid. She is certainly a dark horse in this race and could turn some heads. Any of the Washington women’s top-5 is a top-10 threat. Christine Babcock was 7th last year and Kendra Schaaf has been their top runner most of the year. Schaaf likes to run in the front and push from the gun. Sometimes this works to her advantage, sometimes it does not. At Pac-10’s Oregon’s Nicole Blood ran her down and Angela Bizzarri of Illinois did the same at Pre-Nats. Blood has been top 10 in this race the past two years and her teammate Alex Kosinski joined her there last year. Even with that, neither may be the first Duck across the line as freshman phenom Jordan Hasay has been Oregon’s most consistent runner this season. Hasay looks to be the top true-frosh in the NCAA, but will get some competition form Colorado’s Allie McLaughlin who was 2nd in the Big 12 and 3rd in the Mountain Region. Bizzarri is also a returning top-10 finisher and has been having a good season so far. She did, however, lose the Big Ten crown to World Team member Bridget Franek of Penn State. Franek was back in fourth at the Mid-Atlantic Regional behind Reid and Amanda Marino of Villanova and Emily Infeld of Georgetown. Needless to say, there has been a lot of flip-flopping all season which means that there are a large number of girls capable of being in the top-10, but it will come down to who has it on Monday. Also in the running for a top spot based on their consistently good performances this fall are Megan Duwell of Minnesota, Catherine White of Virginia, Cecily Lemmon of BYU, Rebecca Lowe and Charlotte Browning of Florida, Risper Kimaiyo of UTEP, Lillian Badaru or Texas Tech, Emily MacLeod of Michigan State, Lisa Koll of Iowa State, and Janet Jesang of Western Kentucky. <HR> Men's Team Race - 2008 Champions: Oregon On the Podium: Iona, Stanford, Wisconsin The men’s race is definitely more wide open than the women’s race. The defending champions Oregon have lost a lot off the top and are very heavy with 1,500m runners this time around. Come track season, they will probably have killer relays, but on Monday the 10,000m distance will likely keep them from a ‘three-peat’. There are two teams, who have yet to race at the same meet, that look like the clear favorites to duke it out for that title. Stanford has been ranked #1 for most of the season and for good reason. This team has shown up to three of the most competitive races in the country (Pre-Nationals, Pac-10s, West Regional) and made it look like they were racing in dual meets. 28 points at Pac-10s! 27 points at the West Regional! In fact, if you scored the West Regional out like a dual meet of Stanford v. The Rest of the West, Stanford wins 29-30. That is ridiculous! This team has low scorers and depth, everything that makes up a national championship team. How will this not be a blow out for the Cardinal you may wonder? Well, Oklahoma State also has low scorers and depth. This team was supposed to make a run at Oregon last fall, but many feel they under-performed (a DNF did not help). This fall, with a magical 6th year for an All-American veteran and the arrival of an All-American sophomore transfer, they appear stronger than last year. The Cowboys have kept their cards close to their chest. While Stanford can not avoid heavy competition in their conference and region, OSU has gone the rout of pack running in its races this season. This has made it difficult to see just where their fitness is at. We can not tell who was close to maximum effort in these races and who was tempoing. They won their conference and region relatively easily and are certainly the team with the most unknowns going in to Monday. Beyond the top two, Oregon is still a very strong team with podium potential. They beat NCAA #3 ranked Alabama when they won their Pre-Nats race, but lost to Portland last weekend at regionals. Taking down the defending champs was definitely a confidence boost for the Pilots who got a help this season from two solid true freshmen. Alabama is also very good, but they will be hurt if some of the other teams get 2, 3, or even 4 in before their #1. The top four Mountain Region teams have been one giant jumble all year. It seems they have all beaten each other and been beaten by each other. BYU came out on top at regionals, but Colorado was only 1 point back and did not run one of their top runners. NAU is a great team on paper, but has had inconsistent performances from its scorers throughout the season, making it hard pinpoint just how high up they can place. New Mexico took down BYU at their conference meet, but may lack the low-scorers to end up the top Mountain Region team in Terre Haute. William & Mary and Syracuse are both strong pack teams that will not have guys in the top 15, but can stick five in the thick of the race with a very small spread. They will need that to be around the All-American cutoff to have a shot at the podium. The Tribe looked very good at the Southeast Regional and could be a threat come Monday. Iona and Wisconsin were podium teams last year, but have not been quite as good this season. Iona is rebuilding after the graduation on three All-Americans, however, they always peak well for NCAAs. Wisconsin has been steadily improving throughout the year and should place higher than their #10 ranking suggests they would. Both of these teams have been podium mainstays these past few years and know what they need to do to get the job done Monday. <HR> Men's Individual Race - 2008 Champion: Galen Rupp, Oregon Top Returners: Sam Chelanga, Liberty (2nd), Luke Puskedra, Oregon (5th), Chris Derrick, Stanford (7th), John Kosgei, Oklahoma St (8th), Andrew Bumbalough, Georgetown (13th), Jordan Kyle, Colorado (14th) Like last year, Liberty’s Sam Chelanga is one of the favorites to win individually, but his main competition is different this year. Only a sophomore, Stanford’s Chris Derrick is riding high on an undefeated season. One of his wins, at Pre-Nationals, came as he ran down Chelanga in the home stretch. Many feel if Chelanga runs with smarter race tactics, he would certainly come home with the title. History, however, has shown us that he loves to open a gap early and push. Derrick was patient at Pre-Nats and when he saw Chelanga coming back to him, made a strong move. When he passed by, Chelanga had nothing left to respond with. I do not know if Derrick has shown us an all out effort yet this season. If Chelanga, the NCAA 10,000m record holder, tries to run away from the field early, he may experience some déjà vu in the final half mile. Stanford also has a great supporting cast behind Derrick. From Pre-Nats on, Elliot Heath has only lost to Derrick, Chelanga, and Brandon Bethke of ASU. Bethke is a 13:27 5k runner who certainly has top-10 potential. This mean with Heath, Stanford looks to put 2 in the top-10. The Cardinal also have Jake Riley and Justin Marpole-Bird who are having breakout seasons. Oregon’s Luke Puskedra is a top returner and looked great winning his race at Pre-Nationals, but has looked flat since. Do not count him out, however. He is a talented runner who performs well at Terre Haute. Any of Oklahoma State’s scorers look like they could be in the mix up front. John Kosgei was 8th last year, Ryan Vail has been in the top 21 the past 2 years, Colby Lowe is having an outstanding season, and NCAA 1,500m Champ German Fernandez’s fitness is improving rapidly after a slow start. NAU’s David McNeill was 10th in 2007 and 15th in 2008 and is coming off a win in the Mountain region where he topped the solid trio of Miles Batty (BYU), Jacob Kirwa (New Mexico), and Jordan Kyle (Colorado). When McNeill struggled at Pre-Nats, NAU was buoyed by strong races from Jordan Chipangama and Diego Estrada. Estrada did not run at regionals, however, and Chipangama was off his game. Another top returner is Georgetown’s Andrew Bumbalough who has been battling much of the post season with Villanova’s new edition Mathew Mildenhall. They are both very strong contenders, but were taken down by Louisville’s Cory Thorne at Big East. Barnabas Kirui of Ole Miss did not compete last fall, but he won the NCAA steeplechase title as a freshman and is always a threat. He was beaten at regionals by the very good Felix Kibioywo of Auburn. Iona’s Ryan Sheridan won the NE Region and was the 6th fastest at Pre-Nats. He jokingly commented that his goal for this race is to beat Andy Baker, who has beaten him in close races in the past. Butler’s Baker is twice an All-American in XC and was the 5th fastest at Pre-Nats, although his regional performance was not his best. Minnesota’s Hassan Mead is a regional champion and has been at top form all season. Dorian Ulrey of Arkansas is also a regional champ. A World Team Member at 1,500m, he is a dark horse in this 10,000m race. Also very good this fall and should be looking for a top spot are Ben Cheruiyot of Auburn, Tyson David of Alabama, Jeff See of Ohio State, Wesley Rutton of Eastern Kentucky, Lee Carey and David McCarthy of Providence, Ryan Hill of NC State, Kenyon Neuman of Colorado, Jeff Schirmer of Southern Illinois, Landon Peacock of Wisconsin, Alfred Kipchumba of Portland, Dan Chenoweth of Harvard, Scott Smith of UC Santa Barbara, John Beattie of Tulsa, and Jon Grey of William & Mary. Justin Kopunek http://www.flotrack.org/blogs/blogger/Justin Kopunek/9387-2009-ncaa-cross-country-championships-preview Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:09:00 -0500 http://www.flotrack.org/videos/speaker/16-louie-quintana Its been a big turn around for the ASU men this year. After finishing last in the PAC-10 Championships a year ago, Louie Quintana has led the Sun Devils to 3rd and 5th place finishes at the conference and regional championships, respectively. On the women's side, ASU just qualified 3rd out of a tough West Region and look to have some momentum going into the NCAA Championships. Louie talks about the two squads heading into championship weekend. Flotrack http://www.flotrack.org/videos/speaker/16-louie-quintana Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:06:00 -0500 http://www.flotrack.org/videos/play/212644 See some of Australia's top women athletes battle it out for the crown of NSW 3000m track champion. Tune: "Altamont Super Highway Revisited" by Apollo 44. Flotrack http://www.flotrack.org/videos/play/212644 Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:19:19 -0500 http://www.flotrack.org/videos/play/212643 See some of Australia's top male athletes battle it out for the crown of NSW 3000m Champion. Tune: "High Voltage" by AC DC. Flotrack http://www.flotrack.org/videos/play/212643 Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:17:28 -0500 http://www.flotrack.org/videos/play/212636 By Senior Vincent Kot Flotrack http://www.flotrack.org/videos/play/212636 Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:57:21 -0500 http://www.flotrack.org/videos/play/212606 Flotrack http://www.flotrack.org/videos/play/212606 Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:26:28 -0500 http://www.flotrack.org/articles/view/1568-gay-richards-win-2009-jesse-owens-awards INDIANAPOLIS - Tyson Gay and Sanya Richards on Thursday were named winners of the 2009 Jesse Owens Awards by USA Track & Field. This marks the second time in their careers that Gay and Richards have earned this prestigious distinction. Gay initially won the award in 2007, and Richards was the recipient in 2006. Established in 1981, the Jesse Owens Award is USA Track & Field's highest accolade, presented annually to the outstanding U.S. male and female track and field performers. This year's awards will be presented on Saturday, December 5 at the Jesse Owens Awards and Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Indianapolis, Ind. The event is held in conjunction with USA Track & Field's 2009 Annual Meeting. Jesse Owens became one of the most iconic figures in sports history when he won four gold medals at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, Germany, while conducting himself at all times with grace and dignity. Owens, who with his remarkable performances forever destroyed Adolf Hitler's notions of Aryan supremacy, was remembered fondly at the 2009 World Athletics Championships in Berlin at the Olympic Stadium where he became an international star. All Team USA athletes who competed in the championships proudly wore the letters "JO" on their competition singlets to pay homage to Owens, and they also wore 1936-inspired throwback apparel provided by Nike.  Additionally, a USA Track & Field initiative brought Owens' granddaughter Marlene Dortch and family members of 1936 German Olympic long jump silver medalist Luz Long together to present the medals to the men's long jumpers in Berlin, an event won by American Dwight Phillips. "All of us at USA Track & Field congratulate Tyson and Sanya on winning the Jesse Owens Award, particularly in a year when the legacy of Jesse Owens was at the forefront of all our minds," said USATF CEO Doug Logan. "Like this award's namesake, Sanya and Tyson in 2009 conducted themselves like champions in both victory and defeat. Although still young, they already rank among this country's all-time great track athletes, and we look forward to watching them for years to come." Gay never better than in 2009 Although he suffered from a nagging groin injury that hampered him during the majority of the 2009 outdoor season, Tyson Gay put on an amazing display of sprinting that will not soon be forgotten. A triple gold medalist at the 2007 World Outdoor Championships in Osaka, Japan, Gay suffered a hamstring injury at the 2008 Olympic Trials that kept him from performing at his best at the Olympic Games in Beijing. Gay leaped back on to the world stage in a major way in 2009 by posting the then third-fastest time ever in the men's 200 meters with his win at the May 30 Reebok Invitational in New York in 19.58 seconds. Also last summer, Gay equaled or improved upon his American 100-meter record a remarkable three times within a three-month time frame. Gay equaled his American record of 9.77 seconds with his July 10 win at the Golden Gala in Rome, running the identical time he first posted at the 2008 Olympic Trials in Eugene, Ore. In capturing the silver medal at the World Athletics Championships in Berlin, Gay lowered his AR to 9.71 seconds before lowering it again to 9.69 seconds with his commanding win in Shanghai on September 20. In 2009, Gay posted the second, third and fourth-fastest 100m times in the world that season, and he is currently tied with Jamaica's Usain Bolt for the second-fastest time ever recorded in the men's 100 meters of 9.69 seconds. He also owns the third-fastest 100m time ever of 9.71. Gay's 200m time of 19.58 from the 2009 Reebok Grand Prix ranks as the fifth-fastest in history."After competing in Berlin's Olympic Stadium, I better understand what Jesse Owens accomplished and where and how he did it," said Gay. "I learned that he is not only a hero for Americans like me, but he is a guy that is still respected by people around the world for the way he acted on and off the track. This is why I am honored that the media and track fans chose me for this award and look forward to accepting it in Indianapolis next month." Richards wins world title 2005 World Outdoor Championships silver medalist Sanya Richards entered the 2009 campaign as the #1 world ranked women's 400m runner by Track & Field News over the last four years. Recognized worldwide as the dominant force in her event, Richards had yet to capture the elusive individual Olympic or World Outdoor Championships title needed to fill a nagging hole in her glittering resume. The 2008 Olympic Games bronze medalist, Richards was even with Russia's Antonina Krivoshapka with 200 meters to go in 400m final at the 2009 World Athletics Championships in Berlin. After leaving Krivoshapka behind, Richards still had to hold off a strong challenge from Jamaica's Shericka Williams down the final stretch. Richards broke away from Williams with 70 meters to go and ran by her lonesome the rest of the way to victory, crossing the finish line in the third-fastest time in the world this season of 49.00 seconds. With her victory, Richards joined Jearl Miles (2003, Stuttgart) as the only Americans ever to win the women's 400 meters at a World Outdoor Championships. Richards, who ran the anchor leg on Team USA's gold medal winning 4x400m relay team (3:17.83, World leader), finished the season with the four fastest women's 400m times in the world this year, and her world-leading time of 48.83 seconds from her win in Brussels, Belgium, earned her a share of the IAAF Golden League Jackpot for the third time in her career. Richards' performance in Brussels equaled the second-best time ever by an American first posted by National Track & Field Hall of Famer Valerie Brisco-Hooks in winning the gold medal at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. "To be named the recipient of the Jesse Owens Award, having earned my first world title in the very same stadium where he became a legend, is an honor," said Richards. "His history-making accomplishments inspire me to continue to work hard at making my mark on the sport of track and field." About the Jesse Owens Award 2009 Jesse Owens Award winners were selected in balloting of members of the U.S. track and field media, and for the first time ever a fan vote was held on the USATF website that comprised 10% of the total vote. Other finalists for the men's Jesse Owens Award were Christian Cantwell, Kerron Clement, Trey Hardee, Bernard Lagat, LaShawn Merritt and Dwight Phillips. Women's finalists included Jenny Barringer, Allyson Felix, Carmelita Jeter and Brittney Reese. The permanent commemorative Jesse Owens Award is maintained at USATF National Headquarters, and a replica is provided to each of the winners. Previous winners are Edwin Moses (1981), Carl Lewis (1982 and 1991), Mary Decker (1983), Joan Benoit (1984), Willie Banks (1985), Jackie Joyner-Kersee (1986 and 1987), Florence Griffith Joyner (1988), Roger Kingdom (1989), Lynn Jennings (1990), Kevin Young (1992), Gail Devers (1993, 1996), Michael Johnson (1994, 1995, 1996), Allen Johnson (1997), Marion Jones (1997, 1998), John Godina (1998, 2001), Inger Miller (1999), Maurice Greene (1999), Stacy Dragila (2000 and 2001), Angelo Taylor (2000), Khalid Khannouchi (2002), Deena Kastor (2003), Tom Pappas (2003), Justin Gatlin (2004 and 2005), Joanna Hayes (2004), Allyson Felix (2005 and 2007); Sanya Richards (2006, 2009), Jeremy Wariner (2006), Tyson Gay (2007, 2009), Bryan Clay (2008) and Stephanie Brown Trafton (2008). For full biographies of Tyson Gay and Sanya Richards, visit the Athlete Bios section of www.usatf.org. USATF Press http://www.flotrack.org/articles/view/1568-gay-richards-win-2009-jesse-owens-awards Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:35:00 -0500 http://www.flotrack.org/videos/speaker/1749-kari-hardt Jerry Drever sits down with Arizona State's Kari Hardt before the NCAA Championships. Kari talks about PAC-10s, Regionals, and coming back from her injuries. Flotrack http://www.flotrack.org/videos/speaker/1749-kari-hardt Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:51:00 -0500 http://www.flotrack.org/videos/play/212463 Race was ran at Mae Simmons Park in Lubbock Texas. You have to look real close but you can see that Liberty Hill's runner, Susie Kemper lost her shoe in the first 200 meters. she went on to get 3rd. Tem Results: Varsity Girls 3A Two Mile Run Team Scores from Region 1 1 Clint 2 4 6 14 16 18 77 Total Time: 1:01:51.00 Average: 12:22.20 2 Decatur 1 7 12 24 36 61 101 Total Time: 1:03:02.80 Average: 12:36.56 3 Rouse 11 13 28 32 41 55 70 Total Time: 1:04:48.20 Average: 12:57.64 4 Vandegrift 9 17 26 30 58 62 119 Total Time: 1:05:02.20 Average: 13:00.44 5 Liberty Hill 3 22 57 59 60 82 121 Total Time: 1:05:50.60 Average: 13:10.12 6 Iowa Park 5 29 38 40 105 141 Total Time: 1:06:42.90 Average: 13:20.58 7 Burkburnett 21 34 42 43 90 91 103 Total Time: 1:07:08.40 Average: 13:25.68 8 Levelland 10 27 51 67 79 89 123 Total Time: 1:06:46.10 Average: 13:21.22 9 Perryton 8 45 47 83 86 118 130 Total Time: 1:07:17.60 Average: 13:27.52 10 Monahans 15 39 56 66 106 111 135 Total Time: 1:08:04.80 Average: 13:36.96 Flotrack http://www.flotrack.org/videos/play/212463 Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:04:27 -0500 http://www.flotrack.org/videos/speaker/38-jack-daniels In the final episode of the Fourth Season, Jack Daniels talks about the effects of altitude and looks at why East Africians are so good. Flotrack http://www.flotrack.org/videos/speaker/38-jack-daniels Thu, 19 Nov 2009 04:00:00 -0500 http://www.flotrack.org/photos/album_assoc/230732 Flotrack http://www.flotrack.org/photos/album_assoc/230732 Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:34:04 -0500 http://www.flotrack.org/articles/view/1566-derrick-named-athlete-of-the-week INDIANAPOLIS - Stanford's Chris Derrick has been named USA Track & Field's Athlete of the Week after winning the NCAA West Regional Cross Country Championship on Saturday in Eugene, Ore.The American junior record holder over 5,000m, Derrick won the men's title in 30 minutes 38.84 seconds to remain undefeated on the season. Derrick's win led the Stanford men's sweep of the top three places and helped his team to win the West Regional team title.Now in its eighth year, USATF's Athlete of the Week program is designed to recognize outstanding performers at all levels of the sport. USATF names a new honoree each week and features the athlete on the USATF website. Selections are based on top performances and results from the previous week.  Winners: January 6, Mason Finley; January 13, Amber Campbell; January 20, Josh Cox; January 27, German Fernandez; February 3, Ashton Eaton; February 10, Shalane Flanagan; February 17, Galen Rupp; February 24, Dexter Faulk; March 3, Terrence Trammell; March 10, Diana Pickler; March 17, Galen Rupp; March 24, Sumi Onodera-Leonard; March 31, German Fernandez; April 7, Cyrus Hostetler; April 14, Curtis Beach; April 21, Kara Goucher; April 28, Mason Finley; May 5, Chris Derrick; May 12, Natalie Willer; May 19, Will Claye; May 26, Nadine O'Connor; June 2, Tyson Gay; June 9, Dwight Phillips; June 16, Galen Rupp; June 23, Kami Semick; June 30, Dawn Harper; July 7, Raevyn Rogers; July 14, Ryan Crouser; July 28, Anton Krupicka; August 11, Rita Hanscom; August 19, Christian Cantwell; August 26, Trey Hardee; September 1, Dathan Ritzenhein; September 9, Sanya Richards; September 15, Carmelita Jeter; September 23, Tyson Gay; Jamie Donaldson; October 7, Meb Keflezighi; October 14, Dathan Ritzenhein; October 21, Amy Palmiero-Winters; October 27, Sean Quigley; November 3 Meb Keflezighi; November 11, Max King; November 18, Chris Derrick. About USA Track & Field USA Track & Field (USATF) is the National Governing Body for track and field, long-distance running and race walking in the United States. USATF encompasses the world's oldest organized sports, some of the most-watched events of Olympic broadcasts, the #1 high school and junior high school participatory sport and more than 30 million adult runners in the United States.  For more information on USATF, visit www.usatf.org USATF Press http://www.flotrack.org/articles/view/1566-derrick-named-athlete-of-the-week Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:19:00 -0500 http://www.flotrack.org/articles/view/1563-runners-tribe-joins-flonetwork The FloNetwork just got a little more international flavor. Runner's Tribe, based in Perth, Australia, is now capturing the best in Aussie Running. Headed up by a couple of running die hards, Ross and Sam, Runners Tribe has been the biggest running site in Australia for a number of years. The mission of their site is pretty awesome too:  "The Runner's Tribe believes, quite simply, that running is the most pure form of physical endeavor known to humans. Being the first and foremost true world sport, the basic process of running occurs daily the world over wherever there are people." Runner’s Tribe FloNetwork Pat Hitchins http://www.flotrack.org/articles/view/1563-runners-tribe-joins-flonetwork Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:16:00 -0500 http://www.flotrack.org/blogs/blogger/Nick Arciniaga/9363-ing-nyc-marathon-in-my-mind November 1st, 2009 – New York City 10:56am – All I can hear is my steady breathing and Pat Tarpy’s footsteps. Its quiet up here, almost eerie. *beep* I hit the split on my watch at the 15 mile mark; 5:11, slow, but not bad considering we’re heading up the Queensboro Bridge. I can feel a strong crosswind pushing us from right to left. I’m not looking forward to this inevitable headwind heading up 1st Ave. into the Bronx. Doubt starts to creep in. My legs start to feel sluggish. I need to regroup. I look up ahead I can see Pete Gilmore just cresting the top of the bridge. –New Goal– Catch Gilmore as soon as possible. 11:06am – Now I can hardly hear myself think. People are everywhere. Gilmore and Tarpy are right with me. The crowds on each side of 1st Ave. are at least 3 people deep as far as I can see. Up ahead I can see little dots of red, orange, and blue. Those have to be the leaders. What place am I in right now? How many more am I going to be able to catch? *beep* 17 mile split, 5:00, going to have to pick it up if I want to get away from these guys. Maybe its too windy, I’ll just tuck in behind Tarpy and Gilmore for a minute, let them take a little bit of the wind. 11:16am – I’m all alone now, I can’t hear or feel anyone near me anymore it about time to start grinding it out to the finish. *beep* 5:06 for the 19th mile. I smile at myself. Just like in practice every time I take a fluid bottle I accelerate and pull away from Brian. Now I did the same thing, pulled away from those guys and passing Bolota at the same time. Bolota didn’t look too good. He started walking right at the fluid station. I’m glad I didn’t collide with him or anything. Time to get going. 11:36am – Pain. Excruciating pain. Why does this 23rd mile have so much uphill? Each block seems like forever. Focus on orange. Focus on Lehmkuhle’s Jersey. Bring him back to you. *beep* Mile 23, 5:04, still the toughest 3 miles to run. Just get into the park and you will be home free. I can hear Kevin. What is he saying? It sounds like German, I’ll try to decipher it later. It was something about 10 and 11. Is that what place I’m in? Or is that what the guys I can see about a minute ahead of me are? Almost to the top. Focus, Focus, Focus. 11:58am – Here it is! Finally, The Finish! I just passed Abdi, and I feel kinda bad snaking him with only a 1/4 mile to go. Was that Torres that just finished? I forgot that he was still up there. Doesn’t matter now, look at the clock! 2:13:40….41…42…43! Whoo! Finally I’m going to get out of the 2:16s! 2:13:46. And I’m done! Stumble a little ways past the finish line. A cloud has come over me and I am in a dream. Mary Wittenburg comes over to congratulate me. I see Jorge and Ryan with flag draped around them. I don’t get a flag….does that mean I’m 4th? Sam Grotewald says something to me and I throw my hands up! Whooo! What did he say? Something about a pr. That’s right. Now I hear that Meb won! All this information is just blowing my mind. I’m Ecstatic! We should do that again! Nick Arciniaga http://www.flotrack.org/blogs/blogger/Nick Arciniaga/9363-ing-nyc-marathon-in-my-mind Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:11:00 -0500 http://www.flotrack.org/videos/speaker/4589-jet-horns Over the past 5 years, the Duke women have finish in the top 10 at the NCAA Championships three times with the highest finish at 2nd (2004). This past weekend the Blue Devils women the Southeast Region by a comfortable 43 points while moving up to #14 in the national rankings. This week they'll head to Terre Haute with a young squad that could surprise some people. Look out for these ladies to crack that top 5 again over the next few years. See more with Coach Kevin Jermyn Workout: 800 (net downhill) 3x1500 800 (net uphill) 2x200 3-4 min recovery Music: Jet Horns "I Was Once A Glass Of Tang" Flotrack http://www.flotrack.org/videos/speaker/4589-jet-horns Wed, 18 Nov 2009 08:02:00 -0500 http://www.flotrack.org/articles/view/1561-usatf-announces-2009-hall-of-fame-inductees INDIANAPOLIS - Some of the greatest athletes of their generations, including track & field legends Joetta Clark Diggs, Andre Phillips, Randy Williams and Willie Steele, are joined by coach Dr. Ken Foreman as the 2009 inductees into the National Track & Field Hall of Fame. The Class of 2009 was announced Tuesday by USA Track & Field.  The Class of 2009 will be inducted Saturday evening, December 5, at the Jesse Owens Awards and Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, held in conjunction with USATF's 2009 Annual Meeting in Indianapolis, Ind. "All of us at USA Track & Field congratulate these five talented individuals on their election to the National Track & Field Hall of Fame," said USATF Chairman and President Stephanie Hightower. "Their contributions have added tremendously to the legacy of USA Track & Field, and we all look forward to their induction ceremony next month in Indianapolis." A seven-time winner of the women's 800 meters at the Millrose Games, Joetta Clark Diggs won numerous individual national championships and is a four-time Olympian. Andre Phillips did his part in adding to the amazing legacy of U.S. men's 400m hurdles greats by winning gold at the 1988 Olympic Games and ending his career with nine top ten world rankings. During his career as one of the world's elite athletes, Willie Steele won an Olympic gold medal and was ranked as the world's finest men's long jumper on four occasions. Randy Williams was elected to the Hall of Fame in his first year for consideration in the  Veteran Athlete category. Williams was a two-time Olympic medalist in the long jump and was ranked #1 in the world in 1972. Noted especially for his contribution to women's track and field, coach inductee Dr. Ken Foreman founded and coached the Falcon Track Club, served three stints as the head coach at Seattle Pacific University and was the head coach for a U.S. Olympic Team, World Outdoor Championships team and a U.S. World Cross Country Team. About the National Track & Field Hall of Fame There are four categories in which individuals may be voted into the Hall of Fame. Those categories are: Modern athletes, retired less than 25 years; Veteran athletes, retired more than 25 years; Coaches; and Contributors. Each category has its own selection committee that chooses the finalists from the list of nominations. Members of the selectioncommittees examine the nominations and evaluate their merit based on objective criteria. Elections for Modern and Veteran athletes are held each year. Beginning in 2005, elections for Coaches are held in odd numbered years, with Contributors elections in even numbered years. Hall of Fame inductees, members of the National Track & Field Hall of Fame Board and Committees and members of the media comprise the electorate for the National Track & Field Hall of Fame. Class of 2009 biographies Biographies for the "Class of 2009" for the National Track & Field Hall of Fame follow: MODERN ATHLETES JOETTA CLARK DIGGS: During an amazing career that lasted nearly 25 years, Clark Diggs was recognized for being one of the greatest, and most consistent, women's 800m runners in U.S. history. A four-time Olympian ('88, '92, '96, '00), who competed in five Olympic Trials, Clark Diggs was a six-time U.S. Indoor champion ('88, '89, '90, '96, '97, '98); five-time U.S. Outdoor champion ('88, '89, '92, '93, '94); a four-time NCAA champion; and a two-time bronze medalist at the World Indoor Championships ('93, '97). She was the 1986 Olympic Festival champion, the gold medalist at the 1980 Pan American Games and the 1980 USA Junior Champion. She is also well known for her success at the Millrose Games at Madison Square Garden in New York, where she won seven times. ANDRE PHILLIPS: In winning the gold medal in the men's 400m hurdles at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, Andre Phillips picked the best possible time to notch his only career win over his idol and fellow National Track & Field Hall of Famer Edwin Moses. Phillips, who won the 1985 World Cup, the 1985 USA Outdoor title and was the 1981 NCAA 400m hurdles champion, was nine times ranked  top ten in the world by Track & Field News, and ranked #1 globally in 1985, 1986 and 1988. He was world ranked #3 in the 110m hurdles in 1985. VETERAN ATHLETES WILLIE STEELE: Recognized as the world's finest men's long jumper of the late 1940s, Willie Steele was the favorite to win at the 1948 Olympic Games. Despite a sore ankle that allowed him only two attempts, both of Steele's jumps were good enough to win the gold over the world's best. A two-time USA Outdoor champion, Steele was the 1948 Olympic Trials champion, a two-time NCAA long jump champion, was considered the world's best long jumper in 1942 and 1946, and was world ranked #1 by Track & Field News in 1947 and 1948. He died on September 19, 1989. RANDY WILLIAMS: The Olympic Games men's long jump gold medalist in 1972 and silver medalist in 1976, Randy Williams qualified for the 1980 Olympic Team, but did not compete because of the U.S. boycott. Williams won numerous national titles during his career including the USA Outdoor crown in 1973, he was USA Indoor champion in 1973, the NCAA Outdoor champion in 1972 and the NCAA Indoor champion in 1973. Williams was world ranked four times by Track & Field News, and was ranked #1 in the world following the 1972 season. COACH DR. KEN FOREMAN: The head coach at Seattle Pacific University from1950-1957, 1965-1978, 1985-1999, Foreman founded the Falcon Track Club in 1955 and served as the squad's coach in 1977. Foreman also founded the SportsWest T.C., which he directed 1977-1998. Foreman's Falcon TC squad captured the AAU cross country title in 1972, and he is well known for coaching National Track & Field Hall of Famer Doris Brown Heritage (5-time World Cross Country women's champion 1967-1971). Olympians he coached included Kelly Blair-LaBounty, Lorna Griffin, Pam Spencer and Sherron Walker. Foreman-coached athletes won 14 AAU titles (outdoor, indoor, cross country) by two athletes and one AIAW title. Foreman was named the U.S. women's head coach for the 1980 Olympic Games, and served as the Team USA head coach at the 1983 World Outdoor Championships. He was the U.S. World Cross Country Team coach in 1967, 1970 and 1973, served as the AAU Women's LDR Chair from 1968-1974, and was the recipient of the AAU/USATF Joseph Robichaux Women's T&F Award 1978. For more information on the National Track & Field Hall of Fame, visit: www.usatf.org. USATF Press http://www.flotrack.org/articles/view/1561-usatf-announces-2009-hall-of-fame-inductees Tue, 17 Nov 2009 20:39:00 -0500 http://www.flotrack.org/blogs/blogger/Sage Canaday/9353-places-to-train-near-rochester-hills-mi-stoney-creek-metropark In his work Walden Henry David Thoreau writes about his experience living in natural seclusion: “…I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived….” He goes on to emphasize the importance of maintaining simplicity in life, and how individuals have become caught up in details and distractions from technology and the rest of society. In this day and age running has become an outlet for one to practice some of Thoreau’s philosophy by finding harmony within nature and for embracing the beauty of simplicity. Fortunately for me and the rest of the Hansons-Brooks team, the Rochester Hills area has a plethora of running trails that snake through scenic wooded forests, creeks, and lakes. Nearly every run we take can meander onto forest trails or dirt roads. In this blog I am going to write about just one of those venues: the trail system at Stoney Creek Metro Park. Stoney Creek Metropark is a part of the Huron-Clinton Metropark regional park system which is present in five counties throughout the state of Michigan. Funding for this 13 park system began in 1942 with local property taxes and park admission fees derived from activities such as golf, boat launching, and bike rentals to name a few. Nestled in Shelby Township, MI, Stoney Creek has 4461 acres of recreational moraine land including wooded areas, open fields and a man-made lake. In terms of providing an area to train, Stoney Creek is ideal in that it has a paved, slightly rolling 6 mile loop going around the lake. Starting near the boat launch area, this path is marked every quarter mile, and provides an excellent venue for tempo run workouts, progression runs, and any workout where distance and pace must be monitored closely. Dirt trails branching off the paved sections of the park wind throughout the varied landscape providing many interesting routes full of wildlife. When running through these trails one can often find many white-tailed deer, wild turkeys and other various creatures. In fact, there is a nature center near the back end of the park that is a good educational resource. Here, wooded trails (some with bridges to cross swampy areas) provide access to areas for bird watching. Finally, on another side of the park is the shelten estate trail system which includes over 14 miles of paths ideal for running, hiking, and mountain biking on. This area of land used to belong to Allan and Elizabeth Warren Shelten (1894-1982) who had an estate built on the 850 acres of land that they owned there. The Shelten family eventually donated their land to the metro park. Evidence of the estate (taken down in 1981) can still be seen in the remaining house foundations, an old tennis court area, and stone stairwells. The surrounding area contains many wooded areas with mountain biking trails and rolling hills. The trail system at Stoney Creek Metro Park provides thousands of acres to explore, run, and bike. It is a relatively large park that offers one the opportunity to experience several naturalistic settings, and enjoy the beauty from their surroundings. These types of areas are essential for populations to have as they offer not only recreational activities, but they also serve as destinations for relaxation and escape from the complexities in life. The restorative qualities of nature, as hinted by Thoreau and later proven through scientific studies, can improve your sense of well-being and overall health. So next time you find yourself stressed out and caught-up with obligations from work, be sure to schedule some time for yourself to run and relax (or meditate) in a scenic, natural environment. You’ll find that this opportunity to unwind is well worthwhile in the other long run known as “life.” ? ? sources to check out for additional info: ? http://www.metroparks.com/parks/pk_stony_creek.php http://shelden-estate.blogspot.com/ model runner in photos: Nick Arciniaga Sage Canaday http://www.flotrack.org/blogs/blogger/Sage Canaday/9353-places-to-train-near-rochester-hills-mi-stoney-creek-metropark Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:19:00 -0500 http://www.flotrack.org/photos/album_assoc/230525 Photos from... Flotrack http://www.flotrack.org/photos/album_assoc/230525 Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:47:28 -0500 http://www.flotrack.org/photos/album_assoc/230524 Photos from...Flotrack coverage of the 2009 Canadian Cross Country Championships in Guelp, Ontario. Flotrack http://www.flotrack.org/photos/album_assoc/230524 Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:06:26 -0500 http://www.flotrack.org/videos/coverage/view/235952-2009-nationals-milk-mile   Flotrack http://www.flotrack.org/videos/coverage/view/235952-2009-nationals-milk-mile Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:49:16 -0500 http://www.flotrack.org/videos/coverage/view/235951-2009-canadian-cross-country-championships 2008 Canadian XC Coverage 2007 Canadian XC Coverage   Meet Website Course Tour Flotrack http://www.flotrack.org/videos/coverage/view/235951-2009-canadian-cross-country-championships Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:47:45 -0500 http://www.flotrack.org/photos/album_assoc/230479 From Pat Holleran/Shannon Digital Imaging Flotrack http://www.flotrack.org/photos/album_assoc/230479 Tue, 17 Nov 2009 02:30:20 -0500 http://www.flotrack.org/photos/album_assoc/230410 Rock and Roll!!! Flotrack http://www.flotrack.org/photos/album_assoc/230410 Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:52:22 -0500 http://www.flotrack.org/blogs/blogger/Allen Wagner/9293-the-ing-nyc-marathon There are only two events where runners of all abilities get together to test their true grit. One is cross-country and the other is the marathon. The most talented, fastest, and toughest runners can be brought to their knees in these two great events. Yes cross-country is amazing and yes the US Champ in Cross is also the US Marathon Champ but the marathon is what I know so this is what my blog is about. The greatest public stage for runners to display their talent is the marathon. This stage, this grand example of the struggle of man's willingness to push himself farther, faster and higher is shared by the last person who takes six hours to finish 26 miles and the prodigy who takes just over two hours. Why is the marathon the greatest test of a runner, because never has a human been able to confront his own weakness at his greatest moment of pain and realize that he must still go 10 more kilometers. Then and only then is the deepest most primal emotions evoked, flight or fight! That is 15,000 years of hunting animals for survival. As my venerable Coach Jay Birmingham would say you are the product of many generations of success you the reader are a miracle of your ancestors. Just the possibility that you the reader exist is because of the success of your ancestors surviving all of the hardships that besought them. When do you lose your innocence when do you lose your child like optimism of the world? How does modern man protected by its first world society test itself? it is the bone grinding, stomach wrenching reality of bringing your body to the brink of failure after twenty-two miles of self-flagellation. Then and only then you realize there is no help there is no haven there is only your self resolve to grind on towards the finish. Right before you reach the end the purification process of your suffering is complete and a singular thought is born into your consciousness and this thought is the only thing that kept you going. What is more crazy is at the beginning of your 26.2 mile journey you the runner have no idea that this little thought worked its way through the most primal regions of your mind, through the cortex, and through the limbic region to flash like lightening into your frontal lobe before your final foot strikes and then sweet body collapsing elation! You cross the finish line and overwhelmed you realize what kept you going the whole time. You the human the flesh and blood success of your ancestors confronted failure looked it right in its damned eyes and prevailed you made it you crossed the line. Self-realization achieved and a flood of emotions breaks down the front door of your mind and you realize that you made it, all your struggles all your doubts every negative thought laid to rest. You have made good on the hopes and dreams that came to rest upon you at your birth. You became a miracle you are a success. This is how I felt at NYC Marathon and I just want to express my thoughts on the whole process. This may well be just the rambling of a man under the influence of high mileage. Many blessings to all you runners out there in the ether!       Allen Wagner http://www.flotrack.org/blogs/blogger/Allen Wagner/9293-the-ing-nyc-marathon Sat, 14 Nov 2009 18:19:00 -0500 http://www.flotrack.org/videos/coverage/view/235932-2009-ncaa-d1-regional-coverage NCAA Regional Central Flotrack http://www.flotrack.org/videos/coverage/view/235932-2009-ncaa-d1-regional-coverage Sat, 14 Nov 2009 14:59:50 -0500 http://www.flotrack.org/blogs/blogger/Shannon Rowbury/9245-what-it-felt-like-to-win-a-bronze-medal-at-the-world-championships-in-track Hey guys, this is a blog I wrote for The Huffington Post and thought it would be cool to share with you. Standing on the awards podium, I look out over the Berlin Olympic Stadium. I am on a promontory that juts out over the stands, the same space where Hitler spoke during the 1936 Olympic Games and where Jesse Owens' received his four gold medals, each of which shot a hole in the myth of Aryan supremacy. The power of this spot is palpable and, with only the blue track below me and the blue sky above, I feel as if I am floating on air. In the distance three flags are being raised, one of which is American, and in that moment it sinks in that that flag is for me. The moment I just described, where I received my bronze medal for the women's 1500m at the IAAF World Championships, was be the pinnacle of my athletic career thus so far. In fact, in terms of best life moments, it ties with marching into the Beijing National Stadium with my fellow countrymen for the Olympic Opening Ceremonies. Yet it's funny, because although I have fantasized my entire life about what it would feel like to own a medal, not much has changed now that I have one. As soon as the awards ceremony was over, I had to rush to do my cool-down and to go to drug testing. Less than a week after that, I was racing again in Zurich. Now that I'm home, my medal sits on my dresser in the tin case it came in and I'm back to base training in preparation for the 2010 track season. In this way, I have come to realize that it's not about the medal at all. Instead, what matters most is the sense of pride in accomplishing a goal I had worked so long towards and the joy of sharing that success with the people that helped me to achieve it. It would be impossible to pinpoint the moment when I started working for a medal. I think experiences in life create dreams, which then become goals, and all along the way everything you do affects your journey towards them. If you are lucky, you have friends and family who encourage you, mentors who show you the right path, and doctors and trainers who make it possible for you to follow that path to completion. Had I not broken my leg in kindergarten, my Grandma might not have started me in Irish dancing, which developed my leg strength and speed, and which in turn helped me become a successful runner. Then again, maybe I would have, because there are so many paths that can lead to the same place. When I look back at how things turned out this past summer, it is amazing for me to think that I actually am a bronze medalist. I am not particularly superstitious, but I was beginning to think that the world had it out for me. My month started with a surprise breakup, which left me feeling emotionally wrecked. When I reached Berlin, my bed had bed bugs and I found myself covered with red bumps from head to toe. The medical staff cringed when they saw me and everyone else probably thought I suffered from some form of pox. When the racing finally started things were not much better. I was tripped in the quarterfinal and moved on to the next round only through appeals. In the final, another girl was knocked down. I had to leap over her, which meant I ran out of gas the last 50m, and crossed the line in 4th. But, since the winner had caused the fall and then stepped on the inside of the track, she was disqualified and I am now a bronze medalist. For me, it was a very rocky road to bronze, but I wouldn't change a moment of it. I learned so much about myself through those hardships. I have always believed that the most challenging situations are the most educational. While I do not enjoy going through hard times, it is from those experiences that I have seen what I am truly made of and what matters most, and in the end, success feels that much sweeter. While my resume now says "World Bronze Medalist," I think it is important to realize that for every success a person has, there is always a story behind it. Whether that person is an international figure or an average Joe, their achievements were preceded by some combination of self-determination, struggles, and a lot of support. The common factor, however, is persistence in their pursuit, and that is something that everyone is capable of. www.twitter.com/ShannonRowbury Shannon Rowbury http://www.flotrack.org/blogs/blogger/Shannon Rowbury/9245-what-it-felt-like-to-win-a-bronze-medal-at-the-world-championships-in-track Fri, 13 Nov 2009 23:01:00 -0500 http://www.flotrack.org/videos/coverage/view/235927-2009-new-england-high-school-cross-country-championships 2009 Boys Results 2009 Girls Results Flotrack http://www.flotrack.org/videos/coverage/view/235927-2009-new-england-high-school-cross-country-championships Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:35:02 -0500 http://www.flotrack.org/videos/coverage/view/235926-iuaa-road-relays Flotrack http://www.flotrack.org/videos/coverage/view/235926-iuaa-road-relays Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:10:01 -0500