March 2011 Archives

I worked with Terry Ward, the former coach and AD at Bellarmine College Prep in San Jose, California from 1978-1981. Terry was a superb coach, but, more than anything, he was a keen observer of his athletes, the sport and world around him. I do not remember any real parent problems while I worked with him. Terry knew how to calm a parents' fears, and let them know, that he was the coach, they were the parents, and both jobs were quite important.

I seem to recall a story told to me by a coach friend. The coach had a young miler, who, after a great frosh season, was just not running up to par in his sophomore year. After some investigation, the coach found out that a parent was getting the young man up in the morning to run an extra five miles.

The coach was incredulous. But, he recovered quickly. He asked the parent to come to workout. In short order, the coach suggested that the young man might do better using that time for sleep, as he did not seem to be recovering very well. The parent was not getting it. The time spent running with the son was a cherished time.

The coach went home and slept on it. The next day, the coach suggested a compromise. The parent could run five miles with the son on Sundays, but, during the season, morning runs were verbotten. The parent got their time with the son, and the son's racing, after a couple weeks of extra sleep, improved!

Roy Stevenson is a contemporary of Rod Dixon and John Walker, two of the great New Zealand distance runners of the 1970s and 80s. A journalist for the past three decades, Roy has joined the team of AT&F to help us provide coaches resources from which they can improve their coaching technique. As coaching is both scientific and anecdotal, this column is a bit of both. We hope you agree.

The 2011 Florida Relays will be held this coming weekend, April 2-5, spells the opening of the Track & Field Relay season! This month we will have the Texas Relays, Kansas Relays, Penn Relays and Drake Relays, to name the big ones! Also this weekend, is the Carlsbad 5,000 meters in Carlsbad, CA.

 

Related articles

• Tyson Gay, Jeremy Wariner to Team Up in Texas Relays 4x400 (bleacherreport.com)
• North Shore makes waves at 60th annual TSU relays (chron.com)
• College track & field weekend roundup (womentalksports.com)
• Tottenham's lawyers seek clarification over Olympic Stadium decision (guardian.co.uk)
• Spurs to challenge Olympic Stadium decision in court (guardian.co.uk)
• Tottenham challenge Olympic Stadium decision (soccernet.espn.go.com)

Most brands have sent us creative approaches to branding our sport, and this one is a new approach on an old reliable. The Running Shoe, or expo is a long time approach in our sport. Jack Rabbit, a sports marketing company, is doing a NYC running show the weekend of April 22 in New York City. They have offered free pairs (limited to 25) of new Saucony Hattori's to the first folks who show up with the coupon. Fascinated to see the response!

The 2011 Dick's Sporting Goods Pittsburg Marathon sold out today! Indicative of the popularity of big city marathons, the 2011 Dick's Sporting Goods Pittsburg Marathon announced that it's field had reached their goal of 22,000 in the five events over the weekend! Nice job Pittsburg! (And we love the logo!). It is also indicative of the success that large sportings goods chains are having with performance running footwear and the amazing amount of running footwear sold at Marathon & Race Expos.

Related articles

• Organizers unveil new Pittsburgh Marathon route (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Pittsburgh Marathon Goals (antosdoeslife.wordpress.com)

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• Martin Lel replaces injured Sammy Wanjiru for London Marathon (sports.espn.go.com)
• Olympic champ Wanjiru out of London Marathon (cbc.ca)
• Wanjiru to miss London Marathon (news.bbc.co.uk)
• Wanjiru out of London Marathon (mirror.co.uk)
• Olympic champion Sammy Wanjiru out of London Marathon, Martin Lel in (guardian.co.uk)
• Wanjiru to miss London Marathon (news.bbc.co.uk)
• Athletics: Wanjiru out (skysports.com)
• Rawlinson reunites with King (news.theage.com.au)

Coaches change lives.

My first high school coach was an Italian American Jesuit priest, named Father Ralph Passereli. A gentle man in his mid fifties, he was patient with a group of fifty unruly freshman cross country runners. Father Passereli earned our total respect, when he challenged us to a game of street basketball, and in his blacks outplayed some seriously shocked young athletes. We worshipped the guy.

My sophomore coach, Jim Marheinecke, was a Jesuit brother at the time. We called him Bro Jim. Brother ran about seventy miles a week and was just a real coach. Jim ran with Paul Heck, our future state champion, and Chuck Korte, a DeSmet graduate who went on to run sub 29 minutes for 10,000 meters. We wanted Jim to respect us, so, we trained hard and raced hard. 

When I moved to California, my high school, Bellarmine, went through a series of coaches, from Father Rocket Ray Devlin, to Senior Ochoa and Lynn Muth to Steve Pensinger. Steve was my junior year track coach and he, like Jim Marheinecke, got me to train over the summer and see what I could do. Pensinger was a tremendous athlete, and he gave us respect and expected us to respect him and do the workouts.

Steve Polley was our senior year coach. Polley was a creative coach. He got that we were interested in girls and goofing off, yet he found a way to increase our training, tell us jokes and keep us focused on the prize-racing well.

My college coach, Dan Durante, was my coach and advisor or a dozen years. Under Dan, I improved all of my times, but most of all, I learnt how to train well, and develop my training programs. Dan was an engineer, and an athlete (he races 400 meters in senior competitions still). His training methods were always evolving, and that change really helped me develop. I ran 120-130 miles a week during my senior build up, and continued to improve as an athlete and a coach.

Coaches are educators, per the late Sam Adams, coach at UC Santa Barbara. Coaches change lives.

I have posted the following column by Roy Stevenson, one of the writers from American Track & Field.

2011 IAAF World Cross Country Championships - Jr Women The Junior Women's World Cross Country Championships was a strong race once again. Photos by PhotoRun, and the photo gallery courtesy of Chuck Bartlett, RN Web editor. You can see the the minutes of running, the hard charging around the course, and the long, never-ending battle for the that next finishing position....

NCAA Indoor 400m champ,  Demetrius Pinder ran 20.73, and Jeremy Wariner ran 21.02, in the 200 meters at the Arizona State in Tempe, Arizona. This was Jeremy's second race of a very long season. Jeremy typically runs a few 200 meters, to get himself into some racing shape, and then opens up at the 400 meters at the end of April.

2011 IAAF World Cross Country Championships - Jr Men The 2011 World Cross Country Championships Junior Men's race is a view into the sports' future. Photos by PhotoRun and the photo gallery managed by RN Web editor Chuck Bartlett. The junior race was dominated and has been dominated by Kenya and Ethiopia for the past decade. It was great to see the young American team competing and getting a chance to see what global cross country is all about.

2011 IAAF World Cross Country Championships - Women The battle over 8 kilometers for senior women never stopped. Shalane Flanagan, the top U.S. runner and first non-African to win a medal since 2002, fought hard the entire way, going from seventh to third in the final kilometer. Flanagan finished third with Molly Huddle in 18th, Magdelena Lewy in 19th and Blake Russell in 20th place. The U.S. women's team took third in the team race as well, with the best cross country team in many years! Thanks again to photos by PhotoRun.net and the production of the Gallery by Chuck Bartlett, RN Web master!

Pat Halloran took these shots of the 2011 Oregon Preview Classic. One of the first outdoor meets of the season, Halloran captured the action and drama of an early season track & field relays. The photo gallery was produced by RN web editor Chuck Bartlett. We hope you enjoy it! 

2011 IAAF World Cross Country Championships - Men The 2011 Senior Men's Cross Country race was a 12 kilometer battle of wills. Photo Run captured the action, kilometer after kilometer, surge after surge. Photos courtesy of our friends at PhotoRun.net and thanks to Chuck Bartlett for producing the photo galleries. We hope you enjoy!

Rome Marathon
 


The 2011 Acea Rome Marathon was held last Sunday, March 20, 2011. We have PhotoRun.net to thank for the photos and Chuck Bartlett, the RunningNetwork.com Webmaster, for producing the photo gallery. We hope you enjoy the gallery and we have linked below, to a story on the race, courtesy of the IAAF.org website.

http://www.iaaf.org/LRR11/news/newsid=59572.html

Updated March 24, 2011, 12:40 P.M.

This is the RBR interview of Mikal Peveto, the director of running for adidas America. adidas launched today, March 23, 2011, what they noted as one of their largest ad campaigns in recent memory. We reported on the new campaign earlier today, along with yesterday's announcement by adidas of the Golden Stripes T& F series.


Mikal Peveto is one of the rarefied folks who have made their life's calling to make the perfect running shoe for millions. Peveto is a man possessed by the anecdotal, creative and yes, the scientific method.  We were able to get fifteen minutes with Mikal on the phone, and his enthusiasm, as always, comes over Mr. Graham Bell's invention. Peveto loves the battle and he has been back at adidas America for the past year, getting adidas Running back on track.

At a later time, we will get some more time with Mikal Peveto to discuss Running Specialty. Today, our chat was on the adidas ClimaCool, and a bit on Running Specialty. You can see Peveto's enthusiasm and love of the sport and the business.

Here is what Peveto had to say:

2011 NYC Half Marathon Video Photo Gallery

These photos were all shot by PhotoRun.net. The video gallery, produced by Chuck Bartlett, RN Web editor, celebrates the 2011 NYC Half Marathon! We hope that you enjoy!

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• Final sprint lifts Mo Farah to NYC Half-Marathon win (sports.espn.go.com)
• A Runner's Diary: Running the NYC Half Marathon (blogcritics.org)
• Final Sprint Lifts Farah To NYC Half-Marathon Win (newyork.cbslocal.com)

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• Usain Bolt to race Asafa Powell at Golden Gala in Rome (sports.espn.go.com)
• Bolt to face Powell in Rome event (news.bbc.co.uk)
• Jeremy Wariner, Tyson Gay will run at adidas Grand Prix (sports.espn.go.com)
• Usain Bolt to compete at Golden Spike meet (sports.espn.go.com)
• Athletics: Ostrava for Bolt (skysports.com)

adidas America launched the adidas ClimaCool Ride today. adidas is offering this shoe in 26 different color waves. The adidas ClimaCool Ride is an example of just how hot the performance running category is, and also, how authentic performance product can be translated into product that can sell millions to folks who want to look good and run about once a year.

Running is hot right now. It is also at its' most competitive position in the past thirty years. We have embedded one of the adidas commercials, titled, "adidas is all in...". Well edited, superb video and photography, even Blanka Vlasic is in it! Katy Perry, Blanka Vlasic, David Beckham, all that is adidas is in this commercial.

Running has gone mainstream! Brands such as adidas can use their heritage, sports marketing assets and authenticity to sell a running shoe that is both a victory of form and function.

That is adidas' goal. Mikal Peveto, director of running for adidas America told RBR that he realizes that adidas has to show run specialty that adidas is serious about the channel. That is why, while adidas is selling some of the ClimaCool Ride product in run specialty, it is a product with a broader appeal, and that is the focus of the adidas ClimaCool Ride.

What is interesting to RBR is the investment put behind the product and after a long period of quiet, the brand adidas seems to be coming back. Watch for a short interview with Peveto later today.

At the end of the day, the adidas ClimaCool Ride will open many consumers' eyes to the adidas brand, and that is the hope of the adidas brand team.

What is fascinating is that the consumer will decide what brands make it and what don't. Only time will tell...

The folks at USADA and WADA sure have been busy lately. Agent Mark Block had a few things to say about the press release that USADA sent out regarding Mr. Block's ten year suspension.


Not sure what Baron Pierre de Coubertin would say about all of this BALCO stuff. de Coubertin was the founder of the modern Olympic movement. Seems that, the ancient Olympics were shut down due to cheating, and graft, among other things, by emperor Theodosius I in either 393 or 394 A.D. The ancient Olympics had lasted from about 776 B.C. to 394 A.D. A thousand years! Pretty long in anyone's book. Seems that the cheating, bribes and betting had besmirched the whole Olympic ideal to the point that the emperor abolished them. About 1,500 years later, Baron Pierre de Coubertin comes along and, with the support of many who wanted to see the Olympics come back, established a modern Olympics movement.

Man is a creature of habit. If there is money or prestige, there is someone who cheats. Problem is, the level that it has been magnified to, in our modern media age of 24/7 observation, that it is quite hard to discern what is real and what is, well, bull manure. My father always told me, that if it smells like manure, it probably is manure. 

There are always cheats and scumbags. This does not mean that we should not try and limit the number of cheats and such in our sport. My fear is that what it makes the folks chasing the bad guys--do they have to become as bad as the people that they are chasing? Just something to consider on your run or walk tonight.

Oh, and saw that jury selection is going on for the Barry Bonds lawsuit. Now there is a gentleman who has besmirched his fine sport. A recent story, picked up on Track & Field News, noted that Mr. Bonds allegedly obscured the facts and may have impeded a federal investigation:http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/03/22/MNPF1IH3U1.DTL. Don't know about you, but I am shocked. 

(If you want to separate fact from fiction about the ancient Olympics, RBR suggests one spend some time at http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/Olympics/-this was a project done by Tufts University for the 1996 Olympics. Fascinating work. 

BLOCK DISAGREES

NEW YORK (USA): Agent Mark Block strongly disagrees with the arbitration panel's March 17th 2011 decision on USADA's charges that he violated the IAAF anti-doping rules. "The decision misstated the evidence," said Block, "and then USADA, in its press statement, compounded the error by overstating the decision. Many courts and arbitration panels have held that possession alone cannot constitute illegal trafficking," said Frankfurt Kurnit's Brian Maas, an attorney for Block. Here, there was no evidence that Block offered any athlete, including his wife, EPO or any like substance. "We believe the decision to extend the anti-trafficking rule to cover Mr. Block's case in this situation is reversible error," said Maas. The March 18th press release issued by USADA erroneously states that the panel decision "confirm[ed that] Block administered and supplied banned substances including 'the clear', 'the cream' and Modafanil." Maas said: "But there is no such finding in the panel's decision." Mr. Block has asked USADA to retract that portion of its press release and is preparing to appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport on these and other grounds. Writes the statement of Block´s lawyers.

 

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• Track coach/agent Mark Block to appeal 10-year doping-related suspension to CAS (sports.espn.go.com)
• Block's coach-husband to appeal 10-year ban (canada.com)
• U.S. athletics agent suspended for 10 years (reuters.com)
• USADA chief Travis Tygart blasts Spanish over Alberto Contador ban 'flip-flop' (sports.espn.go.com)
• Olympic medalist Hrysopiyi Devetzi banned two years for failing to submit to doping test (sports.espn.go.com)
• 
  
• Washington Post Highlights AP Story On USADA Research Of Athletes, Drugs, & Ethics (chicagonow.com)

2004 World Indoor Champs bronze medalist at 3,000 meters and 2005 World Champ participant at 1,500 meters, Markos Geneti has always had leg speed. But today, he showed that he has the endurance, and guts to risk it all. Today, Markus Geneti took the lead early from course record holder Wesley Korir and just kept running. Geneti passed the women, who had a lead of 17 minutes three seconds (part of the $100k gender challenge), just passed the 20 mile mark. His country person, Buzenesh Deba, took Geneti's move as inspiration, to move past Amy Hastings, a US marathoner, who was on a roll, leading most of the Honda LA Marathon. Hastings was not done, and fought back, never giving up. Deba went by Hastings at 22 miles and won the race, in her personal best (after nine marathons) of 2:26.34. Hastings held on to run a 2:27:03 for second place.

But it was Markos Geneti's day! Taking $100k for the Gender Challenge, $25k for the win, and a new Honda, Markos Geneti showed that speed sure helps, even when one is cross flooded streets in Brentwood!

Related articles

• Markos Geneti beats the odds, and record, to win L.A. Marathon (afroaddis.wordpress.com)
• Markos Geneti sets LA record, wins in marathon debut (sports.espn.go.com)
• L.A. Marathon goes off in the rain (laobserved.com)
• Rookie Wins LA Marathon, Sets Course Record (laist.com)
• Honda LA Marathon 2011: Watch It Live (huffingtonpost.com)

The 2011 Honda LA Marathon, presented by K-SWISS, is still in progress for most of the 26,000 starters, but the elite races have been decided!


Markus Geneti, running his debut marathon, ran a new course record of 2:06:35, the number six debut marathon of all time. Geneti, known for his fast 3,000m and 5,000m times, mostly indoors, used his 13:00 5,000 meter speed to just blast the course record into the present!

On the women's side, Amy Hastings, in her debut, lead over Buzenesh Deba, who lives in the Bronx, NY. Deba went by Hastings as Geneti went by the lead group of three women about 1:36 into the race, (just past 20 miles).

Geneti flew by and Deba followed, with Hastings and Deba breaking Dibaba, the third runner on the women's elite side. Hastings stayed with Deba until Deba busted away about 22 miles.

Buzunesh Deba ran 2:26.34 for the victory. Afterwards, she told the assembled media: "My husband wanted me to run a 2:24, but I don't like running in the rain."


Amy Hastings was rewarded by running a 2:27:03, in her debut, making her a real prospect for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials. Amy had planned to run the Houston Marathon, but had an achilles problem, so ran the half there, hitting a 1:14, which disappointed her. Honda LA was a whole different matter for Hastings, who hit the halfway in 1:14.06, and ran a negative split on a rolling, challenging course! Great job by Amy Hastings !


More details to come. To follow the race, please check out www.lamarathon.com, and www, KTLA.com!

 

Related articles

• L.A. Marathon: Markos Geneti Wins Los Angeles Marathon, Breaks Course Record (bleacherreport.com)
• 25,000 runners hit soggy streets for LA Marathon (abclocal.go.com)
• Honda LA Marathon 2011: Watch It Live (huffingtonpost.com)

In articles published in Athletics Weekly on Friday, USADA suspended agent & coach Mark Block, for his involvement with the BALCO drug scandal. USADA is suspending Block from January 1, 2009 to January 1, 2019. Per the article in AW,  cited Block for supplying drugs to his wife, 2001 Edmonton 100 meter champion Zhanna Block and trying to hide his actions from USADA.

BALCO founder, Victor Conte, the former bass player for Tower of Power, and a part time nutritionist, and a tax cheat as well as a drug cheat, named Zhanna Block as one of the athletes he supplied "the cream" and "the clear". Conte has assisted USADA and WADA, after being backed against the wall, and now seems to be a source on anything drug related. (Sometimes, I think that Mr. Conte sure likes seeing himself on the TV or quoted in various media).

 Mr. Block is the twenty-fourth person indited by USADA over the BALCO affair. For more on the story, please read: http://www.athleticsweekly.com/news/mark-block-given-10-year-ban/

What continues to confound this writer is how USADA continues to use means that may be as pernicious as the drug cheats and drug suppliers. Hear-say, accusations from people who have everything to gain from accusing someone of drug use, evidence that may not hold up in any court around the world, and peer reviews on illicit drugs that would not pass a true peer review, those things all concern me. Do not get me wrong, I want USADA and WADA to succeed, I just want them to up their game.

Just the hint of drug use taints our sport. Someone jumps, throws or runs well, and someone thinks it has to be drugs.

 

Related articles

• Agent suspended 10 years for BALCO involvement (denverpost.com)
• USADA chief Travis Tygart blasts Spanish over Alberto Contador ban 'flip-flop' (sports.espn.go.com)
• Americans say drug use is top problem in sports: poll (reuters.com)
• Americans say drug use is top problem in sports: poll (reuters.com)

Gentle readers, it has come to our attention that Texas Relays is moved back one week! As a public service to 40,000 fans who will be worshiping the sport the second weekend of April, we have provided a handy schedule!

One of my favorite titles is Coaching Athletics Quarterly. With the addition of Toby Cook as editor, we are finally getting it to where it should be. Several strong pieces, I particularly enjoy the piece by Coach Dave Frank. Enjoy!

There are times, and situations that rock our very perceptions of life, and challenge us to remember, what is very important in our lives.

Such an event happened on Friday, March 11, when an 8.9 magnitude earthquake, centered in north central Japan, shook most the island nation. While the earthquake, the most severe in the last 160 years in Japan, was severe, and there was immediate loss of life, the devastation wrought by the tsunami which followed, is still being determined. As of today, over 2,900 people have died and 7,800 are officially missing, per CNN. Financial Times newspaper has suggested that the final death toll could be much, much  higher.

RBR sent text messages to our friends at ASICS and Mizuno. ASICS is headquartered in Kobe, Japan and Mizuno is headquartered in Osaka. Both were farther from the earthquake center and the tsunmami, and we were told that first indications that both staffs were shaken, but alive.

This is the digital version of the American Track & Field, Winter 2010/11. Some strong articles here and a salute to David Oliver, Allyson Felix, Queen Harrison and Ashton Eaton! We hope that you enjoy it!

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• Sports Briefing | Track and Field: Eaton Breaks Heptathlon World Record by 69 Points (nytimes.com)
• Jenn Suhr, Jillian Camarena-Williams set U.S. records | Track and field (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Track and Field 2011: On The Road To World Championships, 2012 London Olympics (bleacherreport.com)
• MAC Champions: Women's Indoor Track and Field (easterneagles.wordpress.com)
• Have track and field performances peaked? (marginalrevolution.com)

Here is the digital version of the Athletes Only Winter 2010/11 issue. Strong cross country coverage, All-American T&F teams, plus 2010 FootLocker XC and 2010 NXN coverage.It is one of our favorite covers, please tell us what you think, runblogrun@gmail.com.

The 2011 New Balance Nationals Indoor was, let's face it, a huge success. New Balance , with the Nationals Indoor & Outdoor, have a platform to reach the high school athlete for years to come. High school records at the 5,000m distance, pentathlon, and an amazing three races by Lukas Verzbicas. Hats off to the National Scholastic Sports Foundation, who has supported high school and junior track & field in this country when many found it a passing phase! On a selfish front, it is great to see several footwear brands supporting various major events in our sport. High School track & field continues to thrive! Special thanks to PhotoRun.net for their great photos, Chuck Bartlett, the RN webmaster, for his production talents and the athletes, officials and sponsors who made this event such a great success!

The second day was even better in College Station, at the NCAA Indoor Champs. We hope that you enjoy the thoughts and words of James Dunaway, editor of American Track & Field and correspondent extraordinaire for the IAAF:

This is a tremendous piece, courtesy of the IAAF, regarding Yelena Isinbayeva, who is moving back to her former coach, Evgeniy Trofimov.  Isinbayeva, the world record holder, indoor and out in the pole vault, has had two very difficult years. The piece gives a good view into where Isinbayeva is at this time....special thanks to the IAAF and also to Nickolai Dolgoplov.

A tremendous weekend of track & field around the US, with the NCAA Indoor Champs in Texas, and the New Balance Indoor high school champs in New York. On my walk into the office this morning, I called a keen observer of the sport, and while we hailed Lukas Verzbicas for his tremendous triple, this keen observer reminded me about Jordan Hasay: " Jordan has been doing some speedwork. That she could win the mile and the 3,000 meters, in such tough competition, shows that Hasay has gone from a top high schooler to being able to battle with the best collegiate athletes..."

I could not have said it better....

Brianne Theisen set a collegiate record for the pentathlon at College Station on Saturday. Here is AT&F editor James Dunaway, writing for the IAAF, describing day 1 of the NCAAs (note that Dunaway has been to over 50 NCAA Champs).

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Sally Meyerhoff, a graduate of Duke University and promising national class marathoner (and dabbling triathlete), was killed on March 9 while training on her bike in Arizona. She apparently did not yield to a truck and was killed instantly while on a training ride. Please keep her family, friends and Sally in your thoughts and prayers.

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The Brooks PR Invitational was held February 27, 2011 at the Dempsey Fieldhouse at the University of Washington at Seattle. The sponsor, Brooks Running, invited the top ten high school boys and girls to compete over the distances of 60 meters, 60 meter hurdles, 400 meters, 800 meters, one mile and two miles. The response was very impressive for a first year, or any year, for that matter. There were seven number one times and seven number two times in the country for 2011 set at the meet. Probably the most impressive was the girls' two mile, which had the top ten performances at the distance for 2011.

What I liked about the event was that Brooks has committed to supporting high school track & field, which is a key development. Congrats to Jesse Williams and his team at Brooks, and to Dave Larsen, VP of Marketing & Light Hauling, and Jim Weber, President of Brooks, for supporting the plan! It takes a lot of people to make an event like this work.

Kudos to the marketing team at Brooks, the chaperons, the officials and the athletes, for making it a memorable event. We hope that you enjoy the photo gallery, which was supplied by Brooks, and special thanks to Chuck Bartlett for producing the photo gallery!

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• Brooks PR Invitational track meet coming Sunday (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
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In this update, Alfons Juck, our man about the world, updates us on all things geek regarding the 2011 European Indoor Athletics Championships. The Indoor was, simply, one of the most enjoyable and exciting events that I have ever witnessed. The crowd was great, the facility was perfect, and Paris, well, where else would you want to be in late February-early March? I spent all day Monday traveling back, starting with a walk at 6 am, around Paris, then a taxi out to Charles de Gaulle airport. I miss it already....

This is the second session of the second day of the 2011 European Indoor Champs. I will finish up the reporting on three wonderful finals, but thought, before my battery went out, that you might enjoy this amazing evening of track & field.

Here is a picture of Carolin Nytra, the new 2011 Euro Champ at the 60 meter hurdles, who ran 7.80 last night for a European leader!

One of the wonderful moments of coming to the European Athletics Indoor Champs for 2011 is seeing many of my friends and colleagues. One of my favorites is Alfons Juck, the meet director of the Ostrava Golden Spike and the man behind our global daily updates. Alfons is an agent, raconteur, meet director, but most importantly, he is a man who loves our sport, and I am honored to have him as a friend.

Saturday at Paris-Bercy Palais des sports was one of the most memorable days of my sporting life. Watching the French crowd enjoy Renaud LaVillenie break both the meet record (at 5.91m), but then, the 6.03m World leader, European leader and French National record. And Jermoe Clavier took second in the pole vault.That same night, Leslie Djhones won the 400 meters and Goomis Kafetien of France took the silver, with Teddy Tamgho just .05 out of the silver and .02 out of the bronze in the long jump! Truly an evening of pride for the French sports fan!

And let me tell you, if Christophe Lemaitre wins the 60 meters tomorrow, well, the Palais des Sports will set a record for boisterous cheering!

In a moment straight out of Hollywood, with French fans screaming, no one know who won the heptathlon! Running a brilliant 2:18.99 for the final event, the 800 meters, Antoinette nana Djimou Ida of France won the heptathlon by a scant 17 points! Her score was 4723!

In second, Austra Skujyte of Lithuania, scored 4706, her 2:26.54 not enough to hold off Djimou! And in third, Remona Fransen of the Netherlands, who had two personal bests in the first three events, ran 2;16.24, to nail down the bronze, with her 4,665, just 58 points behind the silver.

Paris will be celebrating tonight, as they already have two medals, just one behind Germany in the 2011 European Indoor Athletic Championships.

Updated Sunday, March 6, 2011

 

Surprising even himself, Czech hurdler Petr Svoboda ran a scintillating 60 meter hurdle final, running 7.49 to take the European Indoor Championships. Garfield Darien of France gave France its second medal of the day, running a pb of 7.56. In third, Adrien Deghelt of Belgium hurdled a pb of 7.57.

Felipe Vivancos of Spain was fourth in 7.59 and in fifth, Konstantin Shavanov of Russia hurdled his pb of 7.61.

The night was Svoboda's, who pulled his shirt off and pointed and smiled to the crowd, who enjoyed the pure joy of winning a gold medal for one's country!

Updated March 6, 2011

In  a race that,  again, lived up to the hype, Carolin Nytra of Germany barely nipped Tiffany Ofili of Great Britain at the tape, both running 7.80 for the 60 meter hurdles! Christina Vukicevic of Norway held on for third in 7.83, a National record and Derval O'Rourke of Ireland, was fourth, in 7.96, her seasonal best.

Carolin Nytra ran the European leader with her 7.80 and Tiffnay Ofili of Great Britian set her second national record of the day, having run 7.89 in the semi-final!

This was a dead heat! Per our friend in IAAF Communications, Bob Ramsak, there has not been a dead heat in Euro Indoor hurdles in 37 years! Truly a memorable race, and what a battle for first place! 

Ralf Bartels of Germany told the press in the mixed zone that he knew he was ready for a throw of 21 plus meters. In his first round, he threw 19.74m, then 20.80m, to take the lead, then, in round 4, he threw 21.16 meters! He fouled in round five and in round six threw 21.09m, but the fourth round gave him the gold!

In second, David Storl of Germany used his third attempt to hit 20.75m for the silver medal. In third, Maksim Sidorov hit 20.55m in his third attempt, and did not improve on that. Nezdad Mulabegovic of Croatia threw 20.45 in round five, for a National record, and Marco Schmidt of Germay gave the Germans three in the top five, with his throw of 20.29m.

At the end of the day, though, it was Ralf Bartels, the grand man of the German shot put, who added another medal to his already glowing medal collection!

Welcome to RBR's coverage of the 2011 European Athletics Indoor Championships, held at the Palias de Omnisport, in Paris-Bercy! The event is three days, from Friday through Sunday and features athletes from 49 of the 50 European countries!

We have provided a complete schedule of events for your viewing pleasure. Note that 28 countries will be showing 150 hours of the Euro Indoors (enterprising North Americans should
be able to find viewing options-and feel free to pass them along to RBR as we will post).

RBR will update events via twitter each session, plus a review on RBR!

For more geek information, please use the following links:

Official website for the competition: www.paris-2011.com

Official website for European Athletics: www.european-athletics.org

Official website for the FFA: www.athle.org

In a highly anticipated opener, Bernard Lagat led five under the World Champs A standard of 13:20, with his fine 13:08.43 opening 5,000 meters. Running nearly perfect pace: 2:39 for 1k, 5:22 for 2k, 7:58 for 3k and 10:40.8 for 4k. With one lap to go, hit in 12:11, Lagat, Solinsky and Australia's Colin Birmingham, who took over second place and look poised to take the win, however, Bernard Lagat put a stop to that. Birmingham ran a pb of 13:10.02 by fifteen seconds in taking second place. Solinsky held on for third in 13:10.28! Matt Tegenkemp ran 13:16.27, holding off Andy Bumbalough, who ran out of his mind, in 13:16.77-a fifteen second pb!  Craig Mottram ran 13:25.15, his best in three years, and Tim Nelson, another member of the Wisconsin running mafia (Solinsky, Tegenkamp, Jager-wll kindof, Nelson, Simon Barui) ran 13:28.09!


David Rudisha opened 2011 with a fine 1:43.88! And not far behind Mr. Rudisha is the owner of sun tan salons in Eugene, Oregon, none other than Nick Symmonds! Nick ran 1:45.09.

                   Nick Symmonds wins 2010 USA Outdoor 800m, photo by PhotoRun.net

In his best opener ever, Alan Webb took third in the 1,500m in 3:37.82, with Nick Willis, the 2008 Olympic silver medalist right behind. Will Leer, one of RBR's new favorite runners, ran 3:41.12. RBR spent some time with Mr. Leer in Boston after the NB Indoor Grand Prix, and besides the current Ted Nugent (Amboy Dukes era) mustache, finds his racing and training inspiring.

Aussie Sally Pierson won the 100m (11.52 to 11.61) and 200 m (23.36 to 23.64) over the US's Mikele Barber. Great Britain's Jemma Simpson won the 1,500m in 4:08.49.


Reese Hoffa, one of our favorite shot putters, hit 21.10m to add .02 to his world leading throw. Valeria Adams won the women's shot in 20.13m, and 2009 WC in discus, Dani Samuels, won the discus in 61.00m. All in all, a great opening to the 2011 Outdoor global athletics season!

Well, Greetings from Paris. Actually, I am in Bercy at the Palais Omnispors de Paris-Bercy! My ten hours of flying went well, watched the King Speech (fine movie, moving performances by Colin Firth and Goeffrey Rush), edited a few articles, then some sleep. The three hours from Charles de Gaulle to Bercy were a rush, but still traffic outside of Paris is, well, LA with smaller cars and French accents. God, I love Paris! Perhaps, some union will strike and my stay will be complete!

So, here is the news so far today:

                   Galen Rupp, 2010 Rbk Boston 5,000m, photo by PhotoRun.net

The European Indoor Championships open Friday, March 5 in Paris, France. 49 of 50 eligible countries are entering athletes in the bi-annual event. On Sunday, road racing takes center stage in Paris as 30,000 runners will be traversing the streets of Paris for the Paris "semi" marathon. Watch for coverage of both events by RBR this coming weekend!

The confluence of indoor track and field and road racing in Paris is a perfect example of the global opportunities in our sport. At this time, athletics at grass roots (track & field and road running) is booming. The disconnect seems to be at the professional level and that is due, in my humble opinion in the territory issue. Dogs are not the only creatures who mark their territory. For our sport to get out of the minor-major sport mode and re- emerge as the major sport that athletics once was and should be, we need to look at our sport with a different eye. What is truly innovative? Well, perhaps being on time would be a start. Promoting the meet more than the week before would be a good thing. Perhaps we have to start with the assumption, that while sports fans might be receptive, we have to start with our strengths: competitive events are fun and emotional.  Keep the schedule simple and organized.

Tell us what you think, email me at runblogrun@gmail.com.