June 2011 Archives

I went to college at Santa Clara University, where I spent nearly six years of my life in the 70s and early eighties. I ran cross country in the fall, track club in the spring, and studied whenever I was not running.
My coach, Dan Durante, taught engineering and would discuss politics and philosophy with us on Sunday twenty-mile runs.  Santa Clara was not the kind of university one could take lightly, and athletes did not receive breaks.

I was fortunate to have had several excellent professors. As part of my History degree, I took a series of classes on Russian, German, European, Chinese and Japanese history & culture. One of my favorite professors was Dr. Istvan Mocsy, a man whose style and erudition proceeded his entrance into our lecture hall. Dr. Mocsy was an unforgettable character as well as a tremendous professor; one could always tell when his office was open as gray smoke from cigarettes came wafting over the top of his office door. 

Dr. Mocsy was fond of Russian writers, so we read Dostoyevsky, Turgenev, Gogol. The dear and glorious professor's modus operandi was to get the student to use contemporary sources, literature, art, news media, to appreciate the significance of the situation, through many views.
His thoughtful approach to the subject has helped me for the nearly thirty years that have passed since my graduation. The good doctor even wrote a letter to my son, when he found out I had given him Thomas Mann's Buddenbrooks to read.

Mocsy was the rule at my university: I was fortunate to have had men and women who loved learning and shared that enthusiasm with my classmates and myself. They changed my life.  I found out, over the years, that many were not so fortunate with their education and professors. The major lesson I learnt in university was that one must keep a clear mind in trying to discover the truth, and one may have to pull off many layers of detritus before one comes to the truth, or, someone's version of the so-called truth. 

I come to the world as an optimist. I choose that position daily, although, I must admit, some days are harder than others. Today is one of those days.

I am in receipt of a press release from Jill Geer of USA Track & Field noting that Mike McNees has been extended to interim CEO, it looks like, through London 2012. It also seems that the Board, all 15 of them, will be engaged in some aspect of monitoring the USA Track & Field staff and Mr. McNees.

My experiences with Mike McNees is that he tries to get things done. If he said he would do something, he actually did it. That, in itself, is refreshing. I like Mr. McNees. I like his sense of self-deprecating humor, which goes a long way in a world fraught with mine fields. Interim CEO is similar to the former Catholic notion of Limbo-not heaven, not hell (I believe Limbo is gone now, I will have to check).  

And Limbo is where Mr. McNees seems to be. I do believe, that McNees understands the daily challenges of his job, and this press release probably puts his world even more in the now. The release notes an extension on his job, which could last until London 2012, or it could not. Read on, gentle readers. 

A first read of the release below might lead one to believe that Mr. McNees will hold the position through London. Au contraire, mes amis. If one reads between the lines, the position could last one day or four hundred days, depending on if the Board of Directors finds a suitable candidate for the CEO position.

I fail to comprehend how,  with 100 possible candidates, a suitable candidate for the USATF CEO was not be found. Between those candidates, and the board, surely something should have arisen? Perhaps, it is that the position of CEO is so fraught with challenges that one person can not handle the job? Or, perhaps, that the limitations put on the CEO makes the position an impossible one to hold? 

I really admire the Board. Seriously. I do realize, that for many reasons, there are complications in what should be a clear-cut process. This journey to find a new CEO has not been as transparent as the Board would have hoped. Some of the blame goes on the board, and some of it goes on us.

If the goal is transparency, then we are idiots. Confidences are exchanged in such a process, and the best candidate may be holding a job, which would require time and some negotiation to get the desired results. If that is the case, then the board should just say that. 
 
Nothing is as simple as it looks. Running a four minute mile, or jumping 27 feet in the long jump has true beauty in its execution, however, it is the building of layers and layers of training, and callousing that makes both miler and long jumper.

From the outside, this whole search looks quite unappetizing. 

This process has been a mess. Intentional, or unintentional, the process has taken almost ten months. Is the process this complicated? If so, then, tell us.

Our sport has a world championship in less than two months and an Olympics in less than thirteen months. There are two ways the process might go. Either get the process done, now, or hold off until 2013, and let us recover from the situation recently resolved with Mr. Logan and focus on a world championships and Olympics. 

Or, the second option: The Board needs to get this process done, and select a new CEO who can lead us into the next two to three Olympiads. And the board needs to let the CEO do what he or she is to do, which in my mind is still the big three: represent the sport, encourage our sport to grow, and sell a hell of a lot of sponsorships. That rolodex (both hard copy and on phone) is key. A CEO is a closer. They smell the sale and thrive on the challenge. Oh, yes, they need to know to get along with various constituencies.  

Our sport is not the easiest sport to manage, it seems. Get me an A plus candidate, because they will be dealing with A level problems. If it takes more time, let us know. It it takes two people to run this sport, let us know. Drop this transparency obsession and tell it like it is. Either truly put off the search and focus on Daegu and London, or complete the process. But please, do something definitive.
 

A true night of athletics, the 2011 Athletissima in Lausanne, Switzerland will be remembered for some tremendous races, and great performances. Asafa Powell ran 9.78 and took over the world lead in the 100 meters.


Teddy Tamgho, one jump from disaster, hopped, skipped and jumped 17.91m for the new world leader and meet record! Phillips Idowu, who jumped 17.52m, was relegated to second.


Then, Andreas Thorkildsen set his spear on hyper space, and landed at 89.12m (289-3 3/4)-a huge throw and indicative of his recovery from earlier injuries. Morgan Uceny won a very tactical 1,500 meters-portends of Daegu? And a great women's steeplechase as Milcah Chemos continues to dominate. Some other great performances, but you will be able to decide for yourself, thanks to our friends at Universal NBC!

This weekend, it was Justin Gatlin. Justin, who has finished his ban, ran the 100 meters, and made the team for the 100 meters and the list for the 4 x 100 meters. In many meets in Europe, Justin will not be able to run due to his ban.

LaShawn Merritt went to a convenience store, and among the things he purchased were Extenze, a male sexual aid. In said aid, was a banned substance. LaShawn probably did not take it for athletic performance enhancement, but for more personal reasons. Those personal reasons were dashed when he tested positive. In light of the situation, Merritt was banned 21 plus months, just short of the two years.

In a time when drugs continue to muddy and bruise our sport, the European meet directors are trying to put a line in the sand. USA Track & Field is trying to put together its best team. And there is controversy.

This should be a teachable moment, but, right now, there is some acrimony.

Here is my beef: no athlete who gets caught admits it and says, "Yep, I am wrong." I have not recalled hearing an athlete say, "What I did was stupid, can you forgive me? "

I applaud USADA and WADA for the most part. I do not think Marijuana should not be on the list, that is silly, as all one wants to do after that is buy a pizza and watch the Simpsons. I do think that they should just stop spending money on chasing Mr. Tour de France and make sure that the problem areas that some of us see are monitored.

There will always be cheaters, sad, but a fact of life. We owe it to the young athletes, the seasoned athletes who have spent their entire careers running,  jumping and throwing without the use of banned substances, to clean up our sport.

Thanks to our friends at Universal Sports/NBC, we have some of the highlight videos of the four days of the USA Outdoor Champs, held June 24-27 at the University of Oregon's Hayward Field. Amazing performances, great meet, some new faces and some old faces.RBR will be will following up with Day 4 reviews and our highlight moments! We hope you enjoy!

Related articles

• 2011 USA Outdoor: Tyson Gay withdraws from 100 meters, by Larry Eder (runblogrun.com)
• Gay faces Daegu absence (mirror.co.uk)

A jubilant Harry Marra, coach of Ashton Eaton, and I chatted just before the 1500 meters of the decathlon. "This is Ashton's first decathlon in nearly a year, he got some rust out." noted Marra, the dean of American decathlon coaches.


Eaton impressed. His 110m hurdles is second in the world to only Frank Buseman of Germany from 1996 (13.47). Eaton has learnt to throw, and his final 1,500 meters, in 4:24.10, showed the promise of this young man.

As I noted on our RN broadcast, Ashton Eaton will be a star in 2012, 2016 and 2020. We have a decathlete legacy once again!

The first day of the USA Outdoor Championships showed, that, once again, the wealth of talent in American track & field continues to astound. From Ashton Eaton's first day of 4602 in the decathlon (he won two events), to two strong 10,000 meter races, to the fabulous women's shot put and men's hammer-the US team for Daegu, Korea is looking very, very good.


The men's 10,000 meters was won for the third time by none other than Galen Rupp. Sporting an allergy mask for the first 17 laps, Rupp stayed out of the fray, and then dropped off his mask and went to business. Rupp's business included a 1:52.6 last 800 meters with a 54.4 last lap to hold off Matt Tegenkamp (4th, Osaka, 5,000m) and Scott Bauhs, who showed the talent and kick (finally) that many have believed the Chico (State) Grad has possessed. Bobby Curtis, the US leader for the 10,000 meters, finished fourth in this very tactical race. Chris Solinsky, still dealing with a leg injury (but recovering well), did not start the 10,000 meters, preferring to focus on the 5,000 meters. Rupp told the Eugene-Register Guard's Ron Bellamy that he would probably double this weekend, returning Friday night for the 5,000 meters. Rupp ran 28:38.17 to Tegenkamps 28:38.97 to Bauh's 28:40.51.


Shalane Flanagan took off from the start and dominated the women's 10,000 meters. Showing her toughness, Flanagan ran her fourth sub 31:00 10,000m, with a fine 30:59.97, which she finished with a 57.93 last lap!

Pursued by Jenn Rhines and Kara Goucher the entire race, Goucher overcame Rhines for second, with Goucher running 31:16.65  and Rhines, in third, in 31:30.37. Huge Personal bests were scored by fourth placer Desi Davila (31:37.14) and fifth placer Magde Lewy Boulet, who ran 31:48.38!

The field events opened some eyes. Kibwe Johnson, the leading U.S. hammer thrower, let her rip and 80.31 meters, 263-06 later, he had the US leader, the best US throw in eleven years and a throw that puts him in top six contention for Daegu, Korea!

The first night of the 2011 USA Outdoor Champs was a great start to a tremendous weekend of track & field. The women's 10,000 meters was won by Shalane Flanagan in 30:59.73. The men's 10,000 meters, won by Galen Rupp, had Rupp running a 1:52 for the last 800 meters! And probably the most competitive event of the night was the women's shot put, where Michelle Carter defeated Jill Camerena 19.86m to 19.85m. The men's 1,500 meters has several Ducks in the final. Andrew Wheating lead AJ Acosta across the line and Matt Centrowitz, Jr won the last heat. Stefanie Trafton-Brown won the women's discus on her first throw of 63.35m. Aretha Thurmond nearly got her, with her throw of 62.87m. The photo gallery was shot by PhotoRun.net. The gallery was produced by RN's webmaster, Chuck Bartlett.

Shalane Flanagan, as the video from the shoe addicts notes, is 'middle distance running royalty." Both her parents were elite runners, her mother, a marathoner, and her father, a world class cross country runner. Flanagan showed her royalty with a superb win over 10,000 meters, running 30:59.97, with a final lap of 57.3! 

Flanagan was the bronze medalist in Beijing in 2008: only the second American women to EVER do that ( the other, yes, was Lynn Jennings back in 1992). Flanagan is a gutty runner. Yet, it has only been in this past year that Shalane Flanagan has truly come into her own.

In November 2010, Flanagan took second in a truly tactical marathon, the ING NYCM. A marathon known for its fast times, this years marathon was a world champs simulation, where Flanagan showed her stuff and took the battle to the finish line.

In March 2011, Shalane Flanagan took the bronze medal at the World Cross Country Championships! The U.S. team she was on took a bronze! That may be the most significant race that Flanagan had run, well up til tonight.

On May 1, Shalane Flanagan and Sally Kipyego battled over 25 laps at the Payton Jordan Invitational's Kim McDonald 10,000m, with Kipyego just getting the victory. On June 4, Shalane Flanagan pressed hard in the 4th and 5th kilometers, only to miss the AR for 5,000 meters by a few seconds; she had faltered a bit over the last fifty meters, showing, that yes, Shalane is indeed human.

Tonight, Shalane Flanagan showed her stuff. Running from the front the entire race, Flanagan pursued her goal of a sub 31:00 with the the focus needed to medal in Daegu, Korea. Running a superb 57.3 last lap, Flanagan ran 30:59.97.

Surprising, the battle for the second through fifth was probably more fascinating of a story than Flanagan's win. The truth be told, Shalane Flanagan makes her wins look easy-and they are anything but not! This was her fourth sub 31:00 10,000 meter run-she now ranks equal third on the list with a few women you might know, one whose name is Paula Radcliffe.

The 10,000 meter race is as much a race of mental anguish as it is a physical challenge. Running 25 laps on a 400 meter track, running as close to one's maximum is no easy feat. Two time Olympic medalist Frank Shorter noted that running such a race was like cutting one self with a very sharp knife, the cut was deep and the pain was excruciating.

There was a time in the 10,000 meters, where Shalane Flanagan was just running all out, 73-74s, with twenty-five meters back, Jenn Rhines and Kara Goucher were battling for second place, with another fifty meters back, Magda Lewy Boulet and Desi Davila was trying to close the gap.

I was sitting about 100 meters from the finish line, as Alberto Salazar encouraged Kara and Amy Yoder Begley. Then, the brothers Hanson were cheerleading Desi Davila and Richie Boulet, himself a 3:52 miler (on Hayward's track) was encouraging his wife, Magda Lewy.

If one can go back to one's modest competitive days, one will remember a point in the 10,000 meters race-no man's land-about 7,000 meters into the race, where one is trying to fight the fatigue, the actual pain that comes from fast distance running, while trying to stay on pace.

There was a time, in this race, where Flanagan was flying around the track, with Jenn Rhines and Kara Goucher within steps of each other, and Desi Davila, slowly gaining on the pack in front of her, and Magda Lewy Boulet, obviously trying to concentrate, but also in pain.

Amy Begley, back from surgery, was running a gutty race, one that we have all done. Trying to get back into racing fitness requires racing-that simple. Begley battled herself and the track, for twenty five laps, showing herself to be tough and resilient. Begley finished sixth in 32:34.75.

Magda Lewy Boulet had battled with Desi Davila for sixteen laps, when Desi began to pull away. Magda is one tough athlete. Jack Daniels, her coach, told me at Boston this past April that Magda was one of his toughest athletes. This tough athlete finished fifth, running 31:48.58, her personal best.

Desi Davila, the second place runner at Boston this past April ran very close to making the US team. Davila ran 31:37.14, her personal best. She tried to run down Jenn Rhines for third place, but to no avail.

Jenn Rhines, the three time Olympian, continues to show her moxie with a gutty third place here. Rhines, who held off Kara Goucher for sixteen or so laps, finished third in 31:30.

Kara Goucher, less than one year from having a baby, best day ever, as she ran 31:16.65. Goucher pressed Rhines until lap 19, where she went by Rhines, moved into second and built a major lead. 

Shalane Flanagan showed that she is frightfully consistent. We saw her later, after the race, at Thrill on the Grill gathering, and Shalane said, " I feel great, a little tired, but that is about it!"
Nothing more can be said here!   


Oh, and if that is not enough, one of the true track geek of geeks, K. Ken Nakamura, notes the following on the 10,000 meter that was run tonight:

Well, the long, slow death roll that was l'affair Logan, has grinded to a close. Per a nicely written press release posted on Thursday afternoon, June 23, the former CEO agreed to terms noted as "private' between USA Track & Field and Mr. Logan.

As we are, in this society, prone to conjecture, most recent estimates note that the settlement offered was somewhere between $1.35 million and $1.5 million. But, hey, what is $150,000 between friends? It should be understood that Mr. Logan got probably less than what he thought he deserved and much, much more than what anyone else thought he deserved. As the late writer Kurt Vonnegut would say, " So, it goes."


Or, does it? In the end, it is the constituency of USA Track & Field that is, once again, injured. Besides the money, legal fees and lost time, the USATF board is in the midst of trying to decide if they a) keep the interim CEO they have, b) hire a new CEO from the search, and interviews that were apparently done, c) not hire a CEO, but run the interim CEO through the board or d) some combination of the above that I can not conceive.

With a sigh of relief, we thank the board of USA Track & Field and Mr. Logan for finding a common ground: money.

There is a joke attributed to the late George Bernard Shaw, the Nobel laureate for literature in 1925. Mr. Shaw was out to dinner with a very attractive socialite. As was his want, Mr. Shaw asked the women to sleep with him. She declined. He then offered her $1 million dollars (worth about $3.5 million in today's currency). She changed her mind. Then he took back the million and offered her $25. She, aghast, again declined and asked Mr. Shaw what kind of person that he thought she was. Mr. Shaw demurred, " My dear, we know what kind of person you are, we are just trying to determine a price."

It is this distasteful feeling that I am left with about this situation. However, that is modern business and modern life....sad, but true. 

This article originally appeared in the Spring 2011 issue of American Track & Field. That article was cut from the original 5,000 words to 3650 words. After a discussion with the writer, Mark Winitz, and editor, James Dunaway, I made the executive decision that the originally edited piece, of about 4,400 words, gave the reader a bit more insight into the people who are running your sport.

Mark Winitz is one of our longest enduring writers. The relationship between a publisher and his editor and his writers is an evolving one. Let's just say that, Mark has taught me much more than I have taught him. His obvious love of the sport is seen in all of his writing. But it more than that. Mark Winitz understands the relationship between writer and reader. It is, using my words, a sacred trust. You, the reader, in reading our publications, blogs, website, demand that our team of journalists do their very best to give you the complete story. The nuances, the subtrefuge, the complexity that makes us human can be revealed best, by someone who understands their subject and most of all observes their subject. 

Mark Winitz is a sports journalist. He has spent most of his adult life honing his craft, developing his skill. We are much the better for his devotion. 

Mark Winitz and I had several pointed discussions on this article. He felt that you the reader, should see the piece, unabridged, and in all of it's complexity. Mark was right. It took my taking some time to reread his piece in order to put it in front of you.

So, here is the approved version of Mark Winitz feature on the USATF board. Please pass it around, and remember, the board is meeting this weekend, June 25-26, in Eugene, Oregon to discuss many topics, among them, finding a new CEO.

I am only sorry I took so much time to republish this piece as Mark Winitz saw fit.  

On the eve of the 2011 USA Outdoor Champs, the search for a new CEO continues. Without boring you, this process got its start early last fall, when then CEO Doug Logan was released of his duties. A settlement between Mr. Logan and USATF was noted less than one month ago, however, we have no indications of whether Mr. Logan signed and took the money.

About the same time, mid- May, in two separate columns by Phil Hersh and Gene Cherry/Reuters noted a conversation with Steve Miller noting several options for USATF : a) keep Mr. McNees as acting CEO until London 2012, with support of several board members, b) name a board member CEO, if one of final ten interviewed candidates does not fit the bill, c) to hold off the CEO announcement and run USATF through the board.

Mr. Miller is one one prone to hyperbola. It did seem, to this reader, that Mr. Miller was, shall we say, offering some solutions to an issue that become more and more problematic.

As one footwear executive noted, " why do they need to name a CEO?, things seem to be working fine."

In the current note from Jill Geer, it notes that no board member was, is or has been been a candidate. I will take Ms. Geer at her word, although I find that hardly a realistic scenario.

Now, I am confused even more. Perhaps we should just put some names in a hat, pick one out and name them CEO? The process done in 2008 and the process now seem much less satisfying.

I am taken to the character of Phaedrus from Zen & the Art of Motorcyle Maintenance. The classic part of my brain wants transparency, however the stoic part mocks transparency-how can you pick the best candidate without giving them absolute anonymity? Perhaps as Phaedrus hinted, there is no answer that will satisfy all.  

I am okay with , as long as we get a CEO who a) knows the sport, b) can deal with the board, which is now the 800 lb gorilla, and c) can sell the heck out of the sport. 

This is getting a bit frustrating. Heck, Popes have been named in a shorter time.  If I have any suggestions to the board, it might include a way to expedite what has become for many observers,  to be an exercise in frustration.

During the scheduled board meetings on June 25 & 26, if the dear Board could, perhaps send out a whiff of white smoke (part of process used in named Pope in Roman Rite) if the vote is indecisive, and a plume of black smoke, as the votes are burnt to a crisp, and we have a new CEO. Eugene will not be Vatican city, but, the intrigue is sure building up like an episode of my new favorite showtime saga, The Borgias (about Lawrence Sixtus (Roderiga Borgia and his exemplar family). 

Perhaps, just perhaps, I will try a different tactic this time around. Perhaps, I will stand outside the board meeting place, adorned in sack cloth (old potato bags for the masses),  and ashes, hoping for a new CEO.

(Well, in between the javelin, hammer and 10,000 meters). I have not given up hope. 

Now in it's third year, the Bowerman Awards, recognizing the top collegians in track & field and cross country, has become a real winner! Developed by the USTFCCCA's Sam Seames, the Bowerman, named in honor of the iconic coach/inventor who graced the University of Oregon and founded Nike with one of his former athletes, Phil Knight.

This is list of the top male candidates-the women will be introduced tomorrow!

Updates from the European Team Champs.......

In a homage to Hansons Brooks athlete Desi Davila, this video celebrates her amazing performance at the 2011 Boston marathon, and her hard work over the past four years, from her 2:44 marathon debut to her 2:22.38 this past April.

The secret to the Hansons Brooks Distance Project? The Brothers Hanson would tell you, hard work over the long term, pays its dividends. That Desi was a five minute miler out of high school could not give any suggestion of the quality that she is running at now.

Davila has gone from pretty darn good to giant killer. Look at her face during the surges, her response, her reactions, her running the race tangents. Davila knows how to race, and she proved it in Boston. The video is by The Shoe Addicts. Like the music in David Oliver and Shalane Flanagan, the music was written and performed by up and coming musical acts of all music genres, courtesy of The Shoe Addicts.

Related articles

• 2011 BAA Boston Marathon: Desiree Davila Runs 2:22.38-Fastest Ever American women at Boston, by Larry Eder (runblogrun.com)
• 2011 Boston Marathon: Hansons Brooks runner takes 2nd in 115th Boston marathon, by Tiffany Herman/Brooks, note by Larry Eder (runblogrun.com)
• 115th Boston Fastest Marathon in history: Davila nearly steals win, by Jill Geer, USATF, note by Larry Eder (runblogrun.com)
• 2011 BAA Boston Marathon, Caroline Kilel Wins in 2:22.36, by Larry Eder (runblogrun.com)
• Congrats to Boston Marathon Winners! (fitsugar.com)
• Video: American Desiree Davila takes secod place in sprint finish at the Boston Marathon (everymantri.com)

Shalane Flanagan has had quite a year, from her second place debut in the 2010 INY NYC Marathon, to her mind boggling bronze medal at the World Cross Country Champs. Her fine race over 10,000 meters in Payton Jordan Invite on May 1, and her 5,000 meter race at the 2011 Nike Pre Classic showed us that she is building to something great. We are looking forward to her racing at the US Champs June 23-27!

Matt Rubel, who has spent the last six years as CEO and Chairman of the Board of Collective Brands, has resigned. As CEO of Collective Brands, Rubel oversaw brands such as,  Payless Shoe Source, and footwear brands Sperry and Saucony. Rubel's resignation was effective June 15, per a news release posted on the Collective Brands website. Michael J. Massey has been named the interim CEO for Collective Brands.

There has been some recent pressure from the investment community and investment media on Mr. Rubel, noting the recent challenges of the Payless chain. This was during a time that two of his prized brands, Sperry (Topsider) and Saucony were growing very well.

The resignation came as a shock to most of the employees of Collective Brands. The change by the Collective Brands board was swift and done with much discretion.( The release of the resignation was well organized as well, note that Mr. Rubel's wikipedia page was updated June 16.) 

The release was very supportive of Mr. Rubel, with a note from Mr. Rubel wishing nothing but the best and a statement from Robert C. Wheeler, Lead Director, praising Matt Rubel on his leadership and noting that they would hope to build on his successes.

The time between the complaining by Investment media and the resignation, obviously pushed by the Collective Brands board,  was quick. The bloodletting was small, but there must be come concern within CB employees as to what the next steps will be. Mr. Rubel was known for his gamesmanship, and desire to build the Collective Brands business, especially in sports and leisure.

Publicly traded companies have their own pressures, and CEOs and executives at those companies deal with unique pressures. The need for a scapegoat sometimes surpasses the need of an effective leader over the long term. If that is the case, that would be disappointing. 

We wish Mr. Rubel our best wishes. He has been a colorful and welcome addition to our sports business over the past four years! He realized, that for vertical brands, supporting human capital, focusing product on the market, and focusing marketing and sports marketing on the specific marketplace brings tremendous dividends.

For more on Matt Rubel: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Rubel

Updated June 16, 2011

adidas Golden Spikes HS Boys' Mile

This may go down as one of the true highlights of the meet. The pack hit 57.68 seconds for the 440, 2:01.71 for the 880 and 3:01.38 for the 1320-could Verzbicas make it? Doesn't everyone go under three minutes at 1320 so they can break four minutes?

Lukas Verzbicas is not an ordinary runner. His best part of his race is everyone else's worst-he can maintain a pace in even the most difficult of positions. Indoors, Verzbicas ran 4:03 for the mile, then 8:43 for two miles and then won the mile, two mile and 5,000m at the New Balance Indoor!

He also had Austin Mudd chasing him over the last lap! Mudd ran a 4:01., and twelve runners were under 4:10.1. One long time observer of the sport texted me and noted that this should be the best high school boys mile EVER! Well, we will let the statisticians figure that out, for now, this mile had everyone engaged in the stands!  

With just about 300 meters to go, Lukas Verzbicas made history, as only the second high school boy miler after Jim Ryun, to break four minutes in a high school only race. Lukas is the fifth U.S. high school boy to break four minutes for the mile (the last was Alan Webb, a decade ago!).

What superlatives does one give to Lukas Verzbicas? His two mile record, set last weekend at the Nike Pre Classic (8:29.43), was a tremendous performance, but this mile, with the cream of the crop of high school boy distance runners in the field, was tremendous!

In speaking to Lukas after the race, he told me no more racing this year, as he prepares to go to the University of Oregon for college.
 http://www.diamondleague-newyork.com/Live-StartlistsResults/Overview/High-School-Boys-Dream-Mile/

Related articles

• Verzbicas fifth HS runner to break 4-minute mile (sportsillustrated.cnn.com)

Welcome to the 2011 adidas Grand Prix NYC. This morning, 7,000 women ran the NYRR Mini 10k, celebrating its 40th year. Linet Masai won that race, hitting the mile in 5:31, then dropping a 4:51 bomb between two and three miles, hitting 5k in 16:04, and flying away from the field, hitting 8k in 25:22, six miles in 30:26 and a final time of 31:40! Jack Waitz, the husband of the late Grete Waitz, made history as he become the first official male finisher, running just above 47 minutes!  

Please remember that both the Mini this morning and the adidas Grand Prix NYC are dedicated to the memory and legacy of Grete Waitz, the Norwegian distance runner who influenced women's running and the development of women's marathoning, with her exceptional running, love of the sport and pure class. Consider her today while you are watching the event! Check back with us today to keep track of the various disciplines in our sport of track & field athletics!

The adidas Grand Prix was a fine athletics meeting that had to deal with the cards that it was given, namely, the weather, and in the ultimate race, the Men's 100 meters, three false starts altered what should have been a tremendously fast race. In the end, the battle between Tyson Gay and Steve Mullings will only add to the excitement of the meet!

The best race of the day was the high school Boys adidas Golden Spikes Mile, where Lukas Verzbicas, fresh off his two mile record last weekend, became only the second high school boy to break four minutes in a high school race, and only fifth high school boy miler to break four minutes. Meeting him after the race? None other than the ONLY other man to break four minutes in a high school only race: Jim Ryun! 

Watch for more on Sunday!

The idea of track geekdom, well, needs to be embraced. As a friend noted this evening, " Oh my God, we are all just....geeks." It was said with a touch of tenderness, and some pride.

So, with the help of Sara Hunninghake, the PR maven for the adidas Grand Prix NYC, here are helpful links that will make you seem oh so geeky to your friends, family, irritated spouses and significant others. RBR will be covering the MIni 10k live this coming am and also the adidas Grand Prix NYC! On twitter, as is my want, and then, dear readers, on runblogrun.com and www.runningnetwork.com sites!

Enjoy!

-- Doha: http://www.diamondleague-doha.com/Live-StartlistsResults/Overview1/

-- Shanghai: http://www.diamondleague-shanghai.com/en/Live-StartlistsResults/Overview/

-- Rome: http://www.diamondleague-rome.com/en/Live-StartlistsResults/Overview/

-- Prefontaine: http://www.diamondleague-eugene.com/en/Live-StartlistsResults/Overview/

-- Oslo: http://www.diamondleague-oslo.com/en/Live-StartlistsResults/Overview/

* For detailed statistical information on athletes, results of meets from around the world and other useful information, visit www.all-athletics.com

* To access current IAAF world lists or all-time lists, see http://www.iaaf.org/statistics/toplists/index.html

* For year-by-year lists of Track & Field News end-of-year athlete rankings, see http://trackandfieldnews.com/index.php/rankings

* World, American, All-Comers and adidas Grand Prix meet records for the events being contested today are listed in the Media Guide; they and other records (world junior, high school, etc.) are also available at http://trackandfieldnews.com/index.php/records

* For brief statistical information on athletes, search by athlete name and country at http://www.iaaf.org/athletes/biographies/index.html

* For lengthier biographies of USA athletes, see www.usatf.org

* Results from past years of the adidas Grand Prix begin on Page 71 of the Media Guide.

It is four in the morning in New York City, and I am catching a cold. So, the yogurt, green machine Boosted smoothie, decaf coffee and garlic are called into action. Saturday should be a tremendous day of athletics in the Big Apple.

In the morning, at 8 am precisely, the NY Road Runners 10k Mini will go off. Dedicated to the memory of Grete Waitz, seven thousand plus women will be starting the race, in honor of the late Grete Waitz, the women that former RW Publisher George Hirsch (and current NYRR Chairman) noted, " legitimized marathoning for women."


In a touching memorial service for Grete Waitz, attended by one of her brothers and her husband, Jack, many paid their respects to the women who, put the marathon on the map in 1978 when when, having not ever run longer than 20k, Grete Waitz ran the marathon and set a new world record. That day, she also took off her shoes, threw them on the ground and told her husband Jack that she would never run a marathon again. Thankfully, she did not keep that promise. From Mary Wittenberg, to George Hirsch, to Barbara Paddock, to Allan Steinfeld, to Anne Audain to Spencer Nel, the speakers gave us a part of Grete Waitz that many of us never would have known.

Spencer Nel, representing adidas, spoke of Grete's relationship with the adidas brand, dating back to 1977, and her legacy. Elite athletes in both the MIni this morning and the adidas Grand Prix NYC will be wearing special kit from the adidas line, co developed by Grete Waitz, to promote the need for Cancer research. All profits from this line will be donated to the foundation that Grete developed.

It is fitting to memorialize Grete with a 10k on the roads and a day of track & field. Grete Waitz, from the age of 14, lived in both worlds. Her World Cross Country golds were preceded and followed by European medals, World Champs gold (marathon). In fact, in 1978, with her mile of 4:26, her World Cross Country gold that year, and her first ING NYCM victory, Grete was a true renaissance runner. With Jack Waitz at her side nearly her entire career, Grete Waitz ran and competed with dignity and honor. In her six years battling cancer, she spent time with her loves; children, her sport, and Jack. It is fitting that Jack Waitz will be the first man to officially run the NYRR Women's Mini-Marathon this morning.

Grete Waitz, in my eyes, would be very pleased....

So, on your run, or walk this morning, consider the life of Grete Waitz, and how she affected women's running, in particular, and our sport in general.
Then, watch the adidas GP NYC on Television, and enjoy a great day of sports!

Related articles

• Celebrating Grete, by Toni Reavis, note by Larry Eder (runblogrun.com)
• Grete Waitz, pioneer of women's distance running, has died, IAAF tribute, note by Larry Eder (runblogrun.com)
• Remembering Waitz, a Champion and Companion (nytimes.com)
• Grete Waitz to be honored at NYC race in June (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Marathon great Waitz to be honored at Mini 10K (sports.espn.go.com)
• Grete Waitz running with Fred Lebow: 1992 NYC Marathon (chennairavi.wordpress.com)
• Grete Waitz, RIP, by Alfons Juck, note by Larry Eder (runblogrun.com)

Related articles

• 2011 adidas Grand Prix: Tyson Gay, "75 percent fit" ran 9.79 WL in test race last Saturday, visits Omega showroom, by Alfons Juck, note by Larry Eder (runblogrun.com)
• 2011 Nike Pre Classic: 9 world leaders, by Alfons Juck, deep thoughts by Larry Eder (runblogrun.com)
• 2011 Texas Relays: World Class Relays Expected, by Alfons Juck, note by Larry Eder (runblogrun.com)
• 2011 adidas Grand Prix: Nickel Ashmeade to run 100 meters at adidas grand prix, release, note by Larry Eder (runblogrun.com)
• 2011 Compeed Rome Golden Gala: For Bolt, race is "stepping stone", by Alfons Juck, note by Larry Eder (runblogrun.com)
• Tyson Gay unlikely to run 200m at U.S. world trials (reuters.com)

In the world of high stakes sports media, the battle over Olympic TV sponsorship is one of the true pitched battles. Fox, ESPN/Disney and Comcast-NBC Universal presented to the IOC yesterday.

At the presentation, was Jaques Rogge, President of the IOC and Richard Carrion, CEO of Popular, Inc. a financial investment company.

The previous record was $3.5 billion paid by NBC/Universal for the 2001-2008 Olympic Games. That win was championed by Dick Ebersol, who had won the last 8 bids for TV Olympic rights. Ebersol resigned from Comcast-NBC Universal less than a month ago. For the Comcast-NBC Universal team, Mark Lazurus was brought in, a long time TBS executive. Lazurus headed up the presentation by Comcast-NBC Universal, and has been given high marks.

This is the world series of sports bidding. Brush your shoes, pick the power tie, floss your teeth twice, as nothing can be left to chance.

First presentation was Fox, then ESPN Disney, then, Comcast-NBC Universal.

Carefully orchestrated by Mr. Rogge, a man who has righted a listing ship over his tenure as the el popa of global sports, the presentations were both tedious and symbolic.

As the teams left the presentations, they presented their bids in sealed envelopes.

In the end, Comcast-NBC/Universal won, with a tremendous bid of $4.38 billion for the Olympic events through 2020. Rumored to be a cost cutter, Comcast obviously wanted this prize of prizes in the global sports foodchain, and Mr. Rogge and Mr. Carrian wanted to set a record for TV rights, knowing that the living entity that is the Olympic movement, needs beaucoup d'argent to feed the beast.

The record buy of U.S. TV rights is a tribute to the vision of Mr. Rogge, who has worked, both in front and behind the scenes to clean up some of the unseemly issues that have dirtied the Olympic movement in the past. His major issue is still drugs in sports, but there has been some progress made in that arena.

 Rogge understands what he has: the Olympic movement, especially the Summer Olympics, is the cathedral from which nearly five billion people around the world worship sports every four years for 18 days. Nothing comes near it, and if Rogge has his way, nothing ever will.

For more on the Olympic movement, we heartily suggest that you subscribe to insidethegames.biz, as we do!

 

Related articles

• NBC wins TV rights for Olympic Games until 2020 (canada.com)
• Keeping Olympics was priority for NBC (latimesblogs.latimes.com)
• NBC keeps Olympic TV rights in $4.4 billion deal (sportsillustrated.cnn.com)
• IOC, USOC make progress on revenue sharing (sports.espn.go.com)
• NBC retains Olympic rights in four-Games deal (sports.espn.go.com)
• NBC Finally 'Gets It,' Will Kill the Olympic Tape Delay (gigaom.com)
• NBC Gets the Olympics, But Is It Fool's Gold? (thebiglead.com)

Related articles

• 2011 EXXON Bislet Games News: Bolt is there! by Alfons Juck,note by Larry Eder (runblogrun.com)
• 2011 Compeed Golden Gala, Roma: Bolt Wins, Seven World Leads, by Alfons Juck, note by Larry Eder (runblogrun.com)
• 2011 Compeed Rome Golden Gala: For Bolt, race is "stepping stone", by Alfons Juck, note by Larry Eder (runblogrun.com)
• 2011 Daegu: Carmelita Jeter Runs 11.09, by Alfons Juck, note by Larry Eder (runblogrun.com)
• Usain Bolt, " I am fit & ready." by Alfons Juck, note by Larry Eder (runblogrun.com)
• 2011 Compeed Rome Golden Gala: Bolt says, " I am ready for business", interview courtesy of Compeed Golden Gala, note by Larry Eder (runblogrun.com)
• 2011 Compeed Rome Golden Gala: Bolt Thrills 47,772 fans! release, note by Larry Eder (runblogrun.com)
• Usain Bolt wins Rome Diamond League 100m despite awful start (sportingo.com)
• Usain Bolt nervous ahead of season debut in Rome (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• VIDEO: Usain Bolt indebted to PE teacher (news.bbc.co.uk)
• Jessica Ennis, Usain Bolt and Paula Radcliffe and their mixed comebacks | Anna Kessel (guardian.co.uk)
• Usain Bolt Still World's Fastest Man (VIDEO) (blippitt.com)
• 2011 Nike Pre Classic: Some real showdowns, by Alfons Juck, note by Larry Eder (runblogrun.com)
• Dwain Chambers runs 10.01, Lee 10.06, elsewhere, Lemaitre runs 10.08, Tamgho jumps 17.59m, by Alfons Juck, note by Larry Eder (runblogrun.com)
• Like Bolt, Powell nervous ahead of Golden Gala (sports.espn.go.com)
• Powell doesn't know what to expect vs Bolt (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Asafa Powell and Christophe Lemaitre want doping reject Dwain Chambers brought in from the cold (telegraph.co.uk)
• Usain Bolt narrowly wins 1st race in 9 months (seattletimes.nwsource.com)

Yohan Blake took a few good sprinters down, running 9.95 in Montreuil, France, in the first ProAthlet meeting of 2011. Christophe LeMaitre ran a smart 9.96, for a new French NR, as Teddy Tamgho (now coming to adidas grand prix NYC) jumped 17.67m, and Renaud Lavillenie cleared 5.83m.

Related articles

• 2011 Compeed Golden Gala, Roma: Bolt Wins, Seven World Leads, by Alfons Juck, note by Larry Eder (runblogrun.com)
• Lavillenie sets sites high, by Alfons Juck, note by Larry Eder (runblogrun.com)
• Dwain Chambers runs 10.01, Lee 10.06, elsewhere, Lemaitre runs 10.08, Tamgho jumps 17.59m, by Alfons Juck, note by Larry Eder (runblogrun.com)
• Tamgho & Di Martino are February 2011 Euro Athletes of Month, by Alfons Juck, note by Larry Eder (runblogrun.com)
• Pedroso Dreams of WR for Tamgho, by Alfons Juck, note by Larry Eder (runblogrun.com)

Related articles

• Tyson Gay runs year’s fastest 100 metres (theglobeandmail.com)
• Tyson Gay Remarkable in Rain & Cold: 14.51 for 150m! by Alfons Juck, note by Larry Eder (runblogrun.com)
• Watch Tyson Gay Become The Fastest Person In The World [Track And Or Field] (deadspin.com)
• Tyson Gay aiming for Usain Bolt's record in Manchester (mirror.co.uk)
• 2011 Nike Pre Classic: 9 world leaders, by Alfons Juck, deep thoughts by Larry Eder (runblogrun.com)

Related articles

• 2011 adidas Grand Prix: Nickel Ashmeade to run 100 meters at adidas grand prix, release, note by Larry Eder (runblogrun.com)
• 2011 adidas Grand Prix: Fast Women's 200m field, Lagat, LoLo & more! release, note by Larry Eder (runblogrun.com)
• adidas Golden Stripes Track & Field Series: So, Who's the Fastest? release, note by Larry Eder (runblogrun.com)
• 2011 adidas Grand Prix and New York Road Runners Salute Grete Waitz on June 11, release, note by Larry Eder (runblogrun.com)
• Fraser-Pryce, Felix set for adidas Grand Prix (sports.espn.go.com)
• Jeremy Wariner, Tyson Gay will run at adidas Grand Prix (sports.espn.go.com)
• Northwest School's Maddie Meyers to defend 'Dream Mile' title (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• 2011 adidas Grand Prix: Six more preps added to adidas Grand Prix Dream field, release, note by Larry Eder (runblogrun.com)

The 2011 Nike Pre Classic and the 2011 adidas Grand Prix NY are the two major elite outdoor meetings in North America. That is a fact. Less than two weeks later, the USA Outdoor Champs will determine who makes the US team to Daegu, Korea for the World Outdoor Champs (August 27-Sept 5).

I have journeyed to the Compeed Rome Golden Gala and FBK Hengelo in the past two weeks. Add onto that, the 2011 Payton Jordan Invite, and I have been lucky enough to see most of the major elite athletes open their seasons so far, and should see the remainder at the 2011 adidas Grand Prix this coming weekend.

Here is what I want to see in our sport: Road races and track meets co promoting. Track & Field and Road running coming up with a solid program to encourage activity to reverse the trends to obesity in young people. Besides T&F and Road racing encouraging physical activity, I would love to see some elite athletes support a read a book a month club. We have so much talent and creativity in the members of this sport, yet, we have not harnessed it.

I love what Runnerspace & Flotrack, as well as others are doing in promoting our sport. From the tweets on how frustrating the NBC broadcast was to watch, I would say that our TV model needs to be shaken up. I like it that Ato Boldon tweets and stirs it up. The best broadcast of track for the year, in my mind, in the US, was the New Balance Indoor GP in Boston.

Athletics has many disciplines. We are a bit complicated, but, we shoot ourselves in the foot when athletes do not show up to a promoted event, when athletes avoid racing other athletes, and most importantly, when we do not appreciate that we are part of this bigger force, the global sport of athletics.


How we answer these challenges will determine if the elite part of our sport grows, is recognized for the good it engenders, or sits behind professional walleye fishing on the sports marketing money food chain. In sports marketing, perception is reality.

We need more highlights in our sport in North America than Nike Pre, adidas NY and USA Outdoor.  

Great Sprints, amazing distance races, great field events, how do you capture the 2011 Nike Pre Classic?


Much to say about the Nike Pre Classic this year, as there were some amazing performances. My only real disappointment was seeing Galen Rupp not line up in the 10,000 meters (per email from Alberto Salazar, to USATF, Rupp withdrew due to allergies), and seeing Chris Solinsky drop out just after 2400 meters (first heard hip flexors, but Pasqual Dobert, one of his trainers and Jerry Schumacher, his coach, said it was an injury he did not want to push, and that Chris should be fine for the USA outdoor).

Mo Farah's victory over 10,000 meters showed that, with planning, hard training and guts, runners like Solinsky, Tegenkamp can compete with the top Kenyan and Ethiopian runners. Great to see Mike Rodgers run 9.85 and Carmelita Jeter running 10.70 was amazing. Hayward Field is known for great distance running, field events, but not really for sprints! The conditions on Friday and Saturday night were just about perfect!

Lukas Verzbicas, breaking the two mile record, 2011 Nike Pre, photo by PhotoRun.net

I have to say, the cheering for Lukas Verzbicas as he charged down the final straight, intent on breaking German Fernandez high school record was, well, a great moment at the meet. It was also nice to see Bernard Lagat turn around to greet Lukas as he came across the finish line! 

More deep thoughts to come!

Welcome, fellow track geeks! Track geekdom heaven is here! Get in your run, jump or throw, open a cold beverage and read, gentle readers!

Yours truly is a bit slow this morning, kind of early for my night owl personae, but I am here, caffeinated and will be posting race updates LIVE here, and then reprising them in a column tomorrow or later this pm.

The 37th incarnation of the Nike Prefontaine Classic may be the best version yet. The men's 10,000 meters and women's 5,000 meters, both held on Friday night to have better conditions and institute the Distance Gala, should be two of the most exciting races in Pre history. I believe that you can confidently look at an AR over 5,000 meters from Shalane Flanagan and, in the 10,000 meters, serious attempts at the 10,000m AR by Chris Solinsky and Galen Rupp and a new British record threat by Mo Farah. Conditions should be perfect! I am predicting ten runners under 27 minutes in the men's 10,000 meters.


The Nike Pre Classic, to be held on Saturday, should be superb three hours of track & field geek time! The men's shot field is supreme, as should the women's 100 meters, men's sprints, and especially the men's two mile and Bowerman mile.

Related articles

• 2011 Nike Pre Classic: Solinsky is running 10,000m with Rupp on Friday night, release, note by Larry Eder (runblogrun.com)
• 2011 Nike Pre Classic: Mo Farah added to 10,000m field for Friday night Distance racing under stars!, release, note by Larry Eder (runblogrun.com)
• 2011 Nike Prefontaine Classic: Two Mile Field is HOT, HOT, did I say HOT? release, geek notes by Larry Eder (runblogrun.com)
• 2011 Nike Pre Classic: Some real showdowns, by Alfons Juck, note by Larry Eder (runblogrun.com)
• Vinn Lannana Serving his sport,"doing exactly what I am doing," by Alfons Juck, note by Larry Eder (runblogrun.com)
• 2011 Rome Compeed Golden Gala: Felix running 200/400 as test for Daegu/London, by Alfons Juck, note by Larry Eder (runblogrun.com)
• 2011 FBK Hengelo: Two World Leads, by Alfons Juck, note by Larry Eder (runblogrun.com)

Chris Solinsky is running the 10,000 meters on Friday night, June 3, instead of the two mile on June 4. Joining Galen Rupp and an amazing field, there is the definite chance of a new American record! Friday night is a Distance Gala night, with men's 10,000m, women's 5,000m, world record attempts at 25k/30k for men--a true night of distance running under the stars!

Solinsky has run sparingly this spring, however, qualifying for the 5,000 meters for Daegu, running a 1,500 meter pb and also a mile pb (mile pb indoors).

Rupp raced alot this winter, 5,000m in Dusseldorf, then a 5,000m AR in Birmingham indoors, then second in the 3,000m in Albuquerque in the USA indoor, a strong half marathon debut in March soon followed.


Looking forward to that race, and RBR will keep you updated on the Distance night in Eugene, starting at 6.40pm Friday night, with a world record attempt at 25k and 30k on the track as well. Distance geek o mania!