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Tirunesh Dibaba, who ran and won both the 5,000 and 10,000 meters in Beijing, will be running indoors in Bosotn on February 7, it was announced today. Dibaba, one of the most versatile middle distance runners of any age, was the first women to win the 5k/10k Olympic double in Beijing last summer. She is also the current indoor world record holder, at 3,000 and 5,000 meters.

Tirunesh Dibaba, and her patented kick in heat and humidity of Beijing, August 2008.

As Gebre gets ready for the Dubai marathon and Usain Bolt plans for his first 400 meters of the year, which will be February 14-part of his season build up to racing at 100 and 200 meters, (he will move up, possibly in 2010), there are two real stories today: Home Depot is pulling out as USOC sponsor and Oscar Pistorius is again challenging the world of sport to run in the World Champs and Olympics.

Running 2:56 a kilometer through the half marathon, Haile was twenty seconds ahead of his world record pace from Berlin 2008. The rains won this time, but Haile held on and ran a fine 2:05.29 to take the 2009 lead, and win $100,000 in the Dubai Marathon....

Joe Douglas built the Santa Monica Track Club into a power house around the star quality of Carl Lewis. Commanding much of the under the table promotion budgets in the late 70s, early eighties, Lewis was one the first athletes, along with his team, to deliver strong crowds to major stadiums in Europe.

Change does not happen overnight...

Josh Cox broke the American record by over four minutes on Sunday, for the 50 kilometer distance. Running 2:20.32 for the marathon distance, despite six episodes of stomach distress and two bathroom stops, Cox was ninth place at the marathon distance at PF Changs' RNR Arizona, when he headed to a local track for five more miles on the track. Finishing the last lap in 71 seconds, Cox broke a seven year old US record, set in Palo Alto,CA of 2:51.48 by Alex Tilson. Josh's time was 2:47:17.

PF Changs Arizona had 34,800 finishers in the half and full marathon distance, plus they had 3,300 kiddies in the one mile fun run! What a weekend!

The picture above (courtesy of adidas promotions), is a promotional picture from 2004, that was used to show Haile Gebrselassie, one of the most storied distance runners of all times, and tying him to the great symbolism and history of Athens, Greece.

It is this blogger's belief that lining up next to Mr. Wanijiru will be Mr. Gebrselassie, so stay tuned! That could make for some fantastic racing!

Lidia Simon has been one of the most prolific elite women marathon racers over the past decade. On her run on Sunday, a fourth win would tie her with Katrin Dorre as the only women to win four times and move her past New Zealand's Lorraine Moller, who won three times at Osaka...

Just how good is Christian Cantwell? One Olympic and World champ thrower has told me that if he had Cantwell's talent he could rule the shot put world. One day, Christian will believe that! Nice start to the Indoor season!

Yoko Shibui won the Osaka Ladies marathon, dashing Lidia Simon's hope of a fourth win at this top marathon. Shibui will make the Japanese team to Berlin 2009-she was last on a World Championship team to Edmonton in 2001, where she took fourth.

German Fernandez had a rough fall at the NCAA cross country. His first race indoors was a fast one! Running 3:56.50 for the mile, German broke the world and american junior bests for the indoor mile in Fayetteville, Arkansas!

With Yoko Shibui's victory at the Osaka Ladies Marathon, Shibui finally wins a major race. Here, K Ken. Nakamura, a great friend of the sport, and the reason why the world knows so much about Japanese athletics, writes about how the Osaka marathon developed....

Photo courtesy of
PhotoRun.net.

Blanka Vlasic cleared 2.03 meters, on her second attempt in her opening competition in Rijeka, Crotia this evening. It was her second attempt at the height that she cleared 2.03m. Thi is also her best ever opening indoors!

I have to admit, one of the best interviews of the Olympic Games was David Oliver. Poised, relaxed and with a self deprecating sense of humor, Oliver is a perfect interview. He is also becoming one heck of a hurdler.

David is coached by Brooks Johnson and it shows. Coach Johnson likes the details. And so do his athletes. Oliver hurdles well, and with the exception of last weekend, starts pretty darn well. What I really like about David Oliver is that he does not stop until he gets across the finsh line-and HE KNOWS how to lean! If I see one more American hurdler or sprinter loose a race because they do not lean at the finish line and run through, I am going to make myself watch 24 hours of Hannity and Colmes and that just is not healthy. So, dear hurdlers and sprinters, listen to your high school coaches, and run through the finish line, lean at the tape and know what line you are leaning at ( many wise athletes walk the track before to make sure that they know what to do when)--the devil is still in the details!

Anthony Famiglietti is an athlete who knows the artist within. His web site, http://www.runfam.com, is one of the best that I have ever seen for an athlete/artist.

( Fam is redoing his website, in the past, his paintings have been up. Quite talented painter as well. Check out his photo section, http://www.runfam.com/photos/, which was done by someone possessed with a painters' wiring.

Dear readers,

The weather in NY is better, so get on those winter coats and head to the Millrose Games, starting tomorrow night at 6 pm at Madison Square Gardens. The 103rd version of the meet will feature some of our sports greatest stars! I for one, can not wait to see Bernard Lagat try for number seven and Beijing gold medalist Steve Hooker in the pole vault!

I arrived in New York Thursday evening for the Millrose Games, which happens on Friday night, January 30. This is the 102nd version of the Games, and this is the fourth building that has housed them. The current Madison Square Gardens has housed the meet since 1969, according to meet director extraordinare (emeritus), Howard Schmertz. who has been coming to the meet since 1933, when he was seven and one half years old, on the hand of his father, Fred Schmertz, the meet director from 1934 to 1974!

(The late Wilma Rudolph won the 60 meters at the 1961 Millrose Games!
Photo courtesy of adidas.)

If a picture is worth a thousand words, this one is worth much, much more. From the left, Meet Director Mark Wetmore, Global Athletics & Marketing, center, Steve Hooker, Australia/Reebok, and Meet Director Emeritus (1974-2003). after Steve cleared a new Millrose, Australian, and Oceana records plus the highest jump in the world! (Photorun.net/Victah Sailer)

(Photo courtesy of Victah Sailer, Photorun.net)

You never, ever know in track & field, how an event is going to end, until a) the race is over, or b) in field events, until the last throw in the last round has been recorded, just ask Adam Nelson! Nelson wound himself up, as tight as he could. When he lunleashed a huge throw...

More on the global side of the sport.....

Asafa Powell ran 47.75 for 400 meters this past weekend as he opened his season in Jamaica. Jenny Barringer ran a fine 8:53.88 for 3,000 meters indoors at the UW invitational. Her time is a world leader.

Craig Mottram winning the World Cup in Athens, September 2006! courtesy of PhotoRun.net.

There are races in one's athletic career that standout. Craig Mottram, the giant of Australian distance running, has been fortunate enough to have several of those races. I had seen Mottram run cross country and track races, but his fabulous bronze medal in Helsinki in 2005 at 5,000 meters, put him in the focus point of many of the athletics media. Mottram watched the field from the first moment in that twelve and one half lap race, and as are most world championship races, the Helsinki 5,000 meters was a war of attrition. Watching Mottram's huge frame charging down the final two hundred meters on that cool day four years ago opened many athletics fan's eyes: this Mottram has some wheels!

The picture above is of Jordan Hasay, biding her time, in the second pack at the Foot Locker finals in 2008, before she blasted away to become only the second high school girl to win two Foot Locker nationals. Capping off her senior cross country season with her fourth Foot Locker XC West Regional titles, her fourth state title, Jordan Hasay was also picked as the Gatorade 2008-09 Cross Country Girl Athlete of the Year.

With one season left at Mission Prep for Jordan, her senior track season, and the official window opening on Thursday for athletes to declare their colleges, Jordan Hasay announced her intentions today. But, which would it be?

(Photo courtesy of Photorun.net).

The elite season indoor season in the US is underway. Millrose (Jan. 30), Reebok Boston Indoor Games ( Feb. 7) and Tyson (Feb. 13) are three of the four key elite events. All three have the assistance or management of the Globa Athletics & Marketing team. One week after handling the gargantuan Millrose Games, GAM is home in Boston, putting on the meet that made them famous-Reebok Boston Indoor Games, which they founded in 1996.

For more on Reebok Boston, please check out http://www.BostonIndoorGames.com

The fourteenth annual Reebok Boston Indoor Games is going to happen this weekend! From 5:30 to 8:30, on Saturday, February 7, 2009, the Reggie Lewis center will be rocking to the sounds of elite athletes competing in the intimate indoor facility.

At the early afternoon press conference, here are some of their comments:

Ivan Ukhov woke a few folks up in Arnstadt today with his fine 2.36m!

Greg Nixon ran 20.65 for 200 meters, to take the global lead, in Eubonne, France on Friday night.

If you want to see something cool, get your hands on the Tyson Invitational program, to be held February 13 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. PUMA did a special ad for Usain that is just perfect!

I have not missed the Reebok Boston Indoor Games, if my memory serves me, since 1997. Each year, the team at Global Athletics & Marketing puts together almost three hours of the finest, most exciting and most competitive performances in our sport! 2009 will not be an exception! A few words on my predictions and also, a few honest words about a major footwear company and sponsoring major events...

The meet management has offered $25k prize for breaking the world mens's indoor record at the pole vault, the American or Wolrd Indoor women's record at the pole vault and the Women's American record at 5,000 meters! Jenn Stuczynski, shown above, is my pick to break the American indoor pole vault, and possibly the world indoor tonight!

A very happy Meseret Defar after her fine 3,000 meter run in Stuttgart. Her time of 8:26.99 leads the world ( Photo, courtesy of Bob Ramsak, Track Profile.com)

Dayron Robles will be opening his season in Lieven tomorrow. Details below!
(Photo courtesy of Photorun.net)

Bernard Lagat won both the 5,000 meters and 1,500 meters in 2007 in Osaka, Japan. In 2008, in Beijing, he did not advance to the final of the 1,500 meters and was out of contention in the 5,000 meter final. Why? Injuries, and just plain old bad luck!

Now, in 2009, Bernard is feeling great, won the Mile at Millrose and won the 3,000 meters at Stuttgart, Mr. Lagat is having some dreams of a double in Berlin...Bob Ramsak reports on this ambition of the double...

In a great duel with Thornblad, Vlasic hit two meters for the 40th meet in a row! Photo credit to Photo Run.net.

One more note, please note that I will be reviewing Running USA and Doug Logan's amazing speech at Running USA on Thursday's blog.

Dayron Robles was injured in his first hurdle race of the year!

Yelena Isinbayeva, the women athlete who, more than any other, has controlled her event with her extraordinary jumping, is a global star. adidas noticed her first, and promoted her as one of their icons. Now, Li Ning, the Chinese sports apparel company, has offered her, and she has reportedly accepted, a $7.5 million US deal that will go out to 2014. The Chinese sports companies are here!

Photo courtesy of Victah Sailer, Photo Run.net

From Dusseldorf to Fayetteville, indoor track & field has a busy weekend in front of us! Alfons Juck gives you a global view of the Feb.13-15, 2009 weekend!

Pole vaulters no height, hurdles hit hurdles. When one presses too hard, especially trying to get an American record, things happen. Lo Lo will have to dust herself off, take a big deep breath, and focus on her race, one hurdle at a time. Thank God, she was not injured!

At the Reebok Boston Indoor, Alberto Salazar mentioned several times that he was very excited about how fast Galen Rupp would run at 5,000 meters this year. Well, it did not take long for Salazar's view into the future became a reality.

Oh, and special congratulations to Shalonda Salomon for her blazing 36.45 for a new American record at 300 meters indoors at Tyson!

Controversial sprinter Dwain Chambers runs 6.51 twice today in Sheffield, Usain Bolt jogs a 46.36 opener for 400 meters in Jamaica and Nuria Fernandez cranks 4:01.77 for the world leader at Valencia, Spain permit meeting.

Special thanks to Alfons Juck, who does not seem to sleep much during indoor season-must be the espresso!

Ivan Ukhov cleared the high jump at 2.37m in Moscow. At the Husker Invite, German Fernandez ran 7:47.97. Matt Centrowitz ran 3:57.92 for the mile, Andrew Wheating ran 1:47.03 for 800 meters, Jenny Barringer ran 15:01.70 for 5,000 meters, and Lauren Centrowitz ran 4:37.07. In College Station, Gil Roberts, all of nineteen years, ran 46.17 for 400 meters at teh Texas A & M Invitational. A great weekend in track and field!

And, after a tough crash the other night, Lo Lo Jones dusted herself off and ran a fine 7.82 in Karlsruhe for 60m hurdles.

K. Ken Nakamura sent us this update on the Chiba Cross Country, one of the qualifying race for the World Cross Country Championships...

What a way to start a new season! At the Pole Vault Stars Meeting in Donetsk, Ukraine, Yelena Isinbayeva, broke the world record twice today, clearing 4.97m and 5.00m! Details from Bob Ramsak!

With the exception of the European Indoor in Torino, the surprises this season are the high level of racing going on indoors at the middle distances, hurdles and pole vault! In the end though, indoor is just the testing ground for the big leagues-elite outdoor, Golden League, and Berlin 2009. Pamela Jelimo was concerned with her fitness and made the right decision for her: get back into training mode.

How will Steve Hooker fare in his last indoor competition of 2009? Inquiring minds will be watching his performance in Stockholm on February 18, 2009. Photo by PhotoRun. com

Eleven days ago in Stuttgart, Meseret Defar gave the 3,000 meter world record a scare, tonight, with a closing 30.3 over the last lap, Defar broke the world record for 5,000 meters indoors by three seconds in Stockholm! Photo above, from the Beijing 5,000 meter final, courtesy of Photorun.net.

The picture located just north of these comments are from the ING Bay to Breakers. The ING B2B is one of the largest races in the world, and is one of the true rites of spring in the City by the Bay. As a former Bay area resident, I must admit to having run the Bay to Breakers a few times. I did participate in a centipede in 1980 with several of my young athletes from Bellarmine Prep in San Jose, Ca. I saw it as a very plausible part of their education-they had never seen anyone fun running, nor had they seen people in all stages of dress and undress celebrating over twelve kilometers of San Francisco's most beautiful neighborhoods. Did you know that the ING Bay to Breakers was the birthplace of the Centipede ( thanks Peanut Harms, the Aggies, plus the creative moment for giving the sport the Lenichi turn, and centipede racing!)?

Boston Marathon elite coordinator Pat Lynch is a man of few words. His actions do all of the talking. And his travels this past fall and winter, show the depths to which he has searched to make the 2009 Boston Marathon a tremendously competitive field on the elite level.

(Kara Goucher racing this winter, photo by PhotoRun.net)

Ryan Hall and Kara Goucher will have their hands full in Boston this coming April! It is one thing to load the field, but the 113th running of the Boston marathon will feature the likes of defending champions Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot of Kenya and Dire Tune of Ethiopia, but also, Evans Cheruiyot (Bof A Chicago), Deribe Merga (09 Chevron Houston), plus Lidia Grigoryeva and Galina Bogomolova.

I will go out on the limb here and say that Hall and Goucher will bring more excitement to the 113th running than anyone in the past twenty-five years. Yes, it is because they are American athletes. An American winning at Boston, NYC, Chicago, London, Berlin is a huge thing, but especially Boston!

(Ryan Hall racing in London, 2008, photo by PhotoRun.net)

Deriba Merga, the 2009 Chevron Houston Marathon winner, took off like a man possessed-hitting 13:41 for 5k, 27;42 for 10k. Merga surged once again, pushing Patrick Makau further back, but Makau would have none of it. Deriba Merga hit the 15k in 41:29, (equaling the world record from 2001), but that was going to be the last song for Mr. Merga. Patrick Makau went by after 18k, as Merga began to slow.

With a four together at 15k, hit in 47:53, Dire Tune, Aselefech Mergia, Abebu Gelan and Phils Ongori were together. Running the last 5k in 15:49, Dire Tune cruised to a 1:07:18, her pb by four minutes! Abebu Gelan, finishing in fourth, set a new World Junior women's record for the half marathon with her 1:07:57!

Deribe Merga and Patrick Makau Makau racing along the RAK half marathon course this morning in the UAE, photos by Photorun.net.

I was just at the Millrose Games and the nice, healthy crowd of 11, 543 was seen by myself and others as a nice health report on our sport. Well, here is another: 12,000 fans will see Blanka Vlasic, the high jump rock star, and Croatia's biggest sports star, perform!

The AVIVA meetings in the UK have kept athletics fans in the UK entertained with competitive events, star power and world and British leading marks. As the time comes nearer for the European Indoors in Torino, Italy, British athletes performed well and showed that they must be considered in the medal predictions.

While there were two British records, and two world leaders, the AVIVA Grand Prix/Birmingham was the Mo Farah Show--and Mr. Farah entertained! Mo Farah, after training stints in Ethiopia and Kenya, and now, under the watchful eye of UK endurance manager Ian Stewart, has set three UK records in the past month at 3,000 meters. This evening performance was his race showed a level of racing maturity that Mr. Farah had not shown in the past. Running his 1,500 meter segments in 3:45 and 3:49, taking the lead with two laps to go, and extending his lead on Shadrick Korir, with Farah getting the win in 7:34.17, another PB, and another British record!

Well, Usain Bolt is rounding into shape. Coach Mills had Usain running 400 meter races, for strength now. I remember hearing about Carl Lewis monday workout, a 400 m in 46, then a 300 m, then a 200 m, then rolling 150s. The late Coach Bud Winter had Lee Evans doing a series of 350 meter runs that were just brutal. Bolt is obviously beginning his three year move to the 400 meters, but, as Coach Mills knows, the 100 meters record can be lowered this year, and with Berlin a long way away (six months), it is all about how good of shape the body is in.

Why did I not include the 200 meters as a record that Usain will break this year? Well, thoughtful reader, the 200 meter record, in my mind, is superior to the 100 meter record. If Bolt is challenged, if he can improve on that abysmal start, and if he runs through the finish, Usain Bolt, who is NOT a classic 100 meter runner, then we will see some just mind boggling running!

(Usain Bolt winning the Olympic 200 meters in Beijing, photo by PhotoRun.net)

My first appreciation of the fact that Jenn Stuczynski was a pole vault goddess when she cleared 4.88 meters ( that is sixteen feet) at the Reebok Grand Prix, New York in 2007. I first recognized that she was a champion, when after the nightmare in Osaka, where everything went wrong, in her first World Outdoor, Stuczynski regrouped, and ended up with the silver medal in Beijing, one year later. True champions rise from the memories of bad experiences, and Jenn Stuczynski, in her short career, has experienced both the highs and lows of being an elite athlete.

The pole vault is track & field's answer to five card stud. A successful vaulter must have huge physical talents: however, her mental talents must be just as dominating!

Yelena Isinbayeva is such an example. It is not only her dominating physicality that puts her ahead of all of the other women vaulters, it is her mental toughness and her ability to totally dominate tactically the event. Isinbayeva's new coaching relationship with Vitaly Petrov, the former coach of Sergei Bubka, took two years for her to reach her next level--she is confident, and she is looking for competition. I believe that competition will come from Jenn Stuczynski.

Stuczysnki can be that good, someday. And someday is not far off. Her absolute gamble for everything at the U.S. Olympic Trials showed that: on the last attempt, she either made it or was off the team. After she made, it, she upped her American record! I remember watching her gamble all on one jump, in conditions that were, chancy at best. That is what a champion athlete does, and does, and does.

In a recent conversation with an elite sports psychologist, I was told that in any Olympic final, there are three, perhaps five, athletes who might possess all of the skill sets to become an Olympic champion. That makes a lot of sense, on many levels.

In the pole vault, on the women's side, Isinbayeva and Stuczysnski are the two most dominant vaulters ( apologies to Svetlana Feofanova) in this time period. Look at Stacy Dragila, the Joan Benoit Samuelson of the women's pole vault, a women who trail blazed for the pole vault before many of the young women vaulting now knew the event existed. The class she shows, and the mental toughness that she shows, overcoming several surgeries, to continue to improve in 2009, is not only inspiring, it is an example of what elite athletes at all levels need to be dominating factors in their events.

Yelana Isinbayeva has one more indoor competition, in Praha, the Czech Republic on Thursday, February 26, 2009. As Isinbayeva is not going to Torino for the European Indoor Championships, but taking a break before the long outdoor season, she is planning her attempt to break her own world record of 5.00 m, with attempts at 5.01m and perhaps, 5.02m! Stay tuned! Photo by PhotoRun.net

Meseret Defar of Ethiopia wants the world two mile best, and she wants to run it tonight in Prague! Bob Ramsak, (Track Profile photo)

Yelena Isinbayava, with her new contract with Chinese sports company Li Ning, does not worry about rent, with $7.5 million (5.9 million Euros) over five years!

Photo courtesy of Bob Ramsak, TRACK PROFILE.

With a personal best of 2:13:54 for the marathon, and 2009 races over the half marathon in 63:35 and a fast ten miler in 47:49, Justin Young is in the fight for a berth on the World Championship team for Berlin in August 2009. His chance will be coming up at the Tokyo Marathon, where a strong field, flat course and cheering crowds could push him to a vastly improved time!
(Photo courtesy of Photorun.net)

Ivan Ukhov, a You Tube phenom, became the number four all time high jumper with his jump last night in Athens!

Bernard Lagat is the latest American star to bow out of the US Indoors, which happens this weekend in Boston. Bernard had hurt his ankle running the 1,500 meters in Aviva Birmingham last weekend.

At this time, Lo Lo Jones running the 60 meter hurdles and Jenn Stuczynski in the pole vault look to be two of the major events at the U.S. Indoor championships.

In a move that will shake up the professional level of the global sport of athletics, Alfons Juck provides us with information on a dynamic new series of events which will be presented to IAAF President Lamine Diack over the next two days...part of the program will guarantee the commitment of several of the global stars: Bolt, Robles, Isinbayeva, Bekele.

Global stars, like Yelena Isinbayeva would be required to compete in six of the twelve Diamond meetings! Photo by Photorun.net.

Usain Bolt, shown here winning the 200 meters in a world record last Summer in Beijing, (photo by Photorun.net), anchored a world leading 38,10. On the other side of the world, Asafa Powell ran 45.94 for fourth place, behind Sean Wroe, but also anchored an MVP relay in Sydney, Australia to 38.96.

Alfons Juck compiled information on some of the final teams for the 2009 Indoor European Championships in Torino, Italy, March 6-10, 2009....

The IAAF has announced, for the 2010 season, a series of one day track meets, all over the world, to celebrate the one day track meet format and classic track & field! Reebok Grand Prix NY and Nike Prefontaine Classic will be the two meets in the US. We have included the official press release below.

Once we participate in the upcoming press conference, we will update on any new information!

Mark Adams, 45, a champion of innovative uses of various media platforms to reach key young audiences, has taken the Director of Communications position for the IOC. The key will be, how much control the IOC tries to put on Adams. His position starts May 1, and he will be challenged with communicating to the IOC bigwigs such things as how YouTube, Facebook, and other social media can help the Olympic movement, not hinder it.

The Olympic ideal, while tarnished in some circles, is still quite strong among the world's sports fans. We wish Mr. Adams the very best and look forward to his impramatur on Olympicspeak.

At the Melbourne Track Classic, Asafa Powell won the 100 meters in 10.23, Collis Birmingham of Australia, won the 5,000 meters in 13:16.26 over the 13.20.99 of Andrew Baddeley of Great Britain. Steve Hooker continues vaulting well, with a 5.80 win here. Sarah Jamieson won a close race, in 4:11.62. Tasmyn Lewis took the women's 400 meters in 51.86. All in all, a strong meeting with some great early season performances!

Steve Hooker, from his record breaking tour of North America, where he set the Australian indoor vault record of 6.03m this past February! Photo courtesy of PhotoRun.net.

Six hundred athletes have arrived in Turin, Italy for edition number 30 of the European Indoor Championships. Bob Ramsak is in Torino, and here is his first update....

(Picture of one of adidas's very first spikes, courtesy of adidas communications.)

Bob Ramsak keeps us updated on Day 1 of the 30th European Indoor Champs, in Turin, Italy....

Last weekend, Galen Rupp broke four minutes, on an oversized indoor track, with his 3:57.86. This has been a superb indoor season for Galen, running a 7:44 for 3,000 meters at the Reebok BIG, then the AR for 5,000 meters with his 13:18 at Tyson and now this. This coming week, Rupp will be running the NCAA Indoor Championships. Rupp is preparing for bigger and better things, such as Berlin 2009 and London 2012, but it seems that Mr. Rupp it taking one thing at a time. Allowed to be a normal college student at track mad Oregon, Rupp is maturing into one of our top distance runners. We wish him luck this weekend !

Rupp running 3,000 meters at Reebok Boston on February 7, 2009. Photo courtesy of PhotoRun.net.

Olympic shot put champion Tomasz Majewski with Fernando Botero's ‘Adam’, Casino Gardens, Monte Carlo, Monaco. Photo by Bob Ramsak

As part of our goal at runblogrun.com to leave no discus, shot, or hammer unused for too long.....

Well, the first day at Reggie Lewis showed that the Nike Indoor move to Boston was the right move! Ironically, Brad Hudson, one of the high school greats and a superb elite coach ( he has Dathan Ritzenhein in his group), still held the indoor 5,000 meter record until last night. In a period of several hours, first in NYC Armory, and then at the Reggie Lewis Center the record dropped first to 14:22, then to 14:18. Read Victor Sailer's chronicle of the amazing evening, which we have pasted below!

Lucas Verzbicas, winning the Nike Indoor 5,000 meters, breaking the HSR by five seconds and setting the new freshman high school record! photography by PhotoRun.net

Autobiographies are everywhere. To stand out in this genre, however, the juicier the stories, the more like reality TV ( a genre this writer can do without), the better the book will sell.

My guess is, the publisher of Dwain Chambers autobiography, which has been serialized in British media, is quite happy, as the controversy over the book has given it headlines in the UK. Chambers has harsh comments on several prominent athletes, managers and former athletes. There is the distinct possibility that the IAAF could ban him for causing damage to the image of the sport. However, I find it about 50/50. Such a ban would only give the book more airplay and popularity. Watch closely folks, as this could be a hot one!

Kara Goucher went out quite fast, but held on in the Lisbon Half marathon, winning by thirty seconds in 1:08:30. She is four weeks out from her race at the Boston Marathon. Jeremy Wariner, who we were able to interview in Santa Monica last week (watch for the interviews next week), opened this weekend in Waco in 20.77 for 200 meters! The first weekend in spring has happened! We hope that you enjoy the results!

All that is new in our world of sports plus info on upcoming meets and events....Usain Bolt is number two in Sky Sports magazine list of greatest sports stars--Tiger Woods was number one! Remember, Tiger Woods once said he would be a 200 meter runner if he was not playing golf!

Alfons Juck updates us on the World Cross Country in Amman, Jordan....note that German Fernandez had an injury the last two weeks before the World cross and is taking off the next month....

Micah Kogo, the Beijing 10,000 meter bronze medalist ran 27:01 for 10k at the Parelloop in the Netherlands today, bettering the seven year old record of one Haile Gebrselassie by one second!

Micah Kogo, from CIGNA Falmouth 2008, courtesy of Victah Sailer, PhotoRun.net.

The Chinese philosopher Lao-Tse was supposed to have said " a journey of one thousand miles begins with one step,". Well, watch the British distance ranks. Ian Stewart, new UK endurance mentor was very straight forward, as is his modus operandi, on the British cross country squad sent to Amman. His comment on the Amman course, " a fast 10,000 meter track race with one uphill," puts the 37th IAAF XC Champs in perspective.

Photo courtesy of PhotoRun.net.

In my formative years, the World Cross Country was the one, the only real distance running champs of the world. In 1975, when New Zealand won the team title and Ian Stewart won the individual, everyone, from the current world record holder for the mile to soon to be record holders for the marathon (American), were running. Stewart out kicked the likes of Bill Rodgers over the last lap in Morocco to take the title. On the Kiwi team, the likes of John Walker, Rod Dixon, Dick Quax, Euan Robertson ( a steepler). On the US team, Frank Shorter and Bill Rodgers, to name drop a bit.

Security is just a part of modern day sports. Remember, in 1973, Mariano Haro was pushed off the course in the Cross Country by a group of thugs. Photo courtesy of PhotoRun.net.

Usain Bolt dazzling 85,000 friends in the Birds' Nest, August 2008, by PhotoRun.net.

If I close my eyes, I can find myself in the Birds Nest, in Beijing, sitting with James O'Brien and Pat Butcher, as we witnessed the Usain Bolt Show. Each night of track and field, we climbed into the media area, set up our computers, placed our stat books and the People's Daily, on one side of the computer and a cold beverage on the other side.

However, as one who actually makes a living from this sport, and one who has had the privilege of putting on small meets and then observing the intricacies of major event management, the dream and the reality of putting on a meet are two very different concepts.

The Texas Relays always give a show. USATF CEO Doug Logan was among the crowd over the past few days. Andra Manson, World Indoor medalist showed his stuff with a fine jump of 2.35m for the high jump. This was Manson's second attempt at the height today. He tried 2.41m, a new US record, but was just not ready for the AR today. Soon though, Manson has the tools to clear 2.41m and then some!

In a copyrighted story on the influential Olympic news site, Inside the Games,
it was announced that the IAAF, on April 5, names Jose Maria Odriozola, the president of the Spanish Athletics Federation to the position of Technical delegate for athletics events for London 2012.

The Technical delegate is one of the most influential positions in the sport of athletics for a major event. He or she has influence on all equipment, schedules, events, and infrastructure that have anything to do with athletics during the Olympics. Mr. Odriozola has represented Spain as a technical delegate for athletics and rubgy in the past.

To read the complete story, please click on http://www.insidethegames.com/show-news.php?id=5400#

Kim Collins of St. Kitts, the 2003 World Champion at 100 meters, opens in Kingston on May 2. Churandy Marina opens May 1 in Guadelupe...(sorry for short updates, got flu over weekend).

Stephanie Brown Trafton, the Beijing champion, will be competing at both Reebok Grand Prix and Nike Pre Classic! Both events added the discus!

Throw goddess Stephanie Trafton on Spring 2009 AT&F cover. Design by Kristen Cerer, photography by Photorun.net.

Some of the top American distance runners plus runners from five other countries will be contesting the 5,000 meter and 10,000 meter distances at the new NYRR sponsored UC Distance Carnival, as part of the Brutus Hamilton Invitational, to be held April 24.

Fam has run 3:54 for the mile, 13;11 for 5,000 meters and 27:36 for 10,0000 meters, as well as 8:14 for the steeplechase. He is one of the most versatile of US male distance runners. Shannon Rowbury has run near 4:00 for 1,500 meters, in her first true season, in 2008, as an elite women distance runner. Her 15:41 on the Carlsbad coarse last weekend shows that she could be quite dangerous over the 12.5 laps on the track! Should be some solid races. Each event is set up with pacers to help the athletes reach qualifying marks for the World Championships and the USATF championships as well.

Fam running 13:28 at Carlsbad, April 5, 2009, photo by PhotoRun.net

David Oliver took the bronze in Beijing last year. I had watched him race for years, but finally got a few minutes with him the day after his race. Articulate, thoughtful, with a good sense of humor, Oliver epitomizes the type of athlete who competes on the professional circuit. Check out David's comments on Project 30: he makes some very good points.

Bob Ramsak is an athletic troubadour. Bob's main base is Slovenia, yet he was raised in Cleveland. If you have spent time on the excellent iaaf.org site, or read his Track Profile.com blogs, then you know. Bob provides us with a strong piece on Oliver plus an update on sprints and hurdles, must mean, you guessed it, Outdoor season is on!

Photo courtesy of Bob Ramsak, from Berlin Press conference, 2008.

Runblogrun applauds the race directors of ING New York and BAA Boston marathons for beginning discussions with USATF CEO Doug Logan on hosting the Marathon Trials, as both did in 2008. In my humble opinion, both marathons did great jobs to highlight the races and give an added stature to the best of America's best.

My only beefs with either event had nothing to do with NY or Boston, but the USOC. I hope that Mr. Logan, in his quest to give USATF more visibility and more media attention sees that the promotions of both of these events have amazing media power. The women's press conference after the Women's Trials was one of the most amazing conferences that I have ever seen. From Deenah Kastor to Magdelena Lewy Boulet to Blake Russell, what an amazing group of the sport's ambassadors!

Walter Dix ran 10.00 for 100 meters recently. Now, due to arbitration, Walter Dix, the bronze medalist at 100 and 200 meters from Beijing, is sitting on the bench, so to speak. He is not allowed to compete for appearance or prize money until the arbitration is heard. On April 21, he will meet with USATF CEO Doug Logan. Logan has offered to try and mediate the dispute between Dix and ICON Management.

Photo by Photorun.net.

Christian Cantwell was the silver medalist in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. He pulled out the medal in his last throw. Cantwell has started outdoor well with a nice throw of 21.53m, in Senegal, which put two meters between Cantwell and Reese Hoffa,,,, Photo by PhotoRun.net.

Darvis Patton ran 10.19 to open his season ( his personal best is 9.89 in Eugene, Oregon at the U.S. Olympic Trials ) at the Micheal Johnson Classic in Waco, Texas. Darvis is shown here, in a photo by this writer, in an interview at the adidas Track Classic from May 2008. This year's adidas Track Classic is Saturday, May 16 in Carson, California.

Usain Bolt after one of his Beijing victories, photo by Photorun.net.

For anyone in Boston, you can see the three time Olympic gold medalist, Usain Bolt, at the PUMA Street Meet, on Friday, April 26! Check out the info at http://www.pumastreetmeet.com. It is a fun concept and a great way for young athletes to meet the superstar!

The lobby of the Tower Hotel in London is full of athletes, agents, managers, and media. Right now, about 5 P.M. local time, the technical meeting is going on, as managers frantically try to find their athletes and their missing water bottles. Word is that two pacing groups tomorrow, one on 2:04, and one on 2:07.30. Wanjiru is obviously a big favorite, but if one speaks to the managers and elite observers, there are other names that come out. Gourmi fro Morocco could be one, I saw him in the lobby today and believe if he can make the big jump, he can be quite dangerous on this course. Less than twenty four hours to go, and it will surely be a superb race on both the men and women's side!

Photo by PhotoRun.net

The night his 10,000 meter collegiate record was being rewritten, Galen Rupp did his first foray of the season at 10,000 meters, looking more like a strong training run, and helping a buddy, Luke Puskedra debut at 28:34.17. Galen, just a month ago had three races, wins at 3k and 5k individually and a strong DMR performance, to help the Ducks to the NCAA Indoor champs. ( My prediction is that Galen will have the collegiate record back before the end of May.)

Jenny Barringer continues her winning ways with a nice 4:08.38 for the world leader at 1,500 meters. Give her a few races and four minutes is not that far off!

Galen running 3,000 meter collegiate record at Reebok Boston Indoor, January 2009.

Photo by Photorun.net

Shannon Rowbury in the 5,000 meters, which she won in 15:12.95.

The men's 10,000 meters, won in a new collegiate record of 27:28.48 by Sam Chelanga, and in second by Collis Birmingham, in 27:29.73, breaking the Australian record!

Photos by PhotoRun.net's Lisa Coniglio. Results follow:

847 samples were collected in Beijing, and recently retested. Seven athletes from that group of tests, have tested positive for CERA, a new version of the endurance-enhancing drug, EPO. Of those seven, per the IAAF sources, three of the positives were for track & field athletes. One of those athletes is now reported as Rashid Ramzi, the gold medalist at 1,500 meters from Bejing, and double winner in the 2005 World championships as well as silver medalist in Osaka at 1,500 meters. Ramzi's B sample will be tested on June 8 in Paris, per the Associated Press.

One of the most popular sections in American Track & Field magazine has been our Camera Athletica section, where we would focus on the athletes, the events, and the sites that make our sport unique. Today's focus is the New York Road Runners' Distance Carnvial, held last Friday night, as part of the Brutus Hamilton Invitational, at Cal Berkeley. The photos, from Photorun.net, were shot by Lisa Congilio:

Start of the Women's 10,000 meters.

Bobby Curtis, shown here, winning the 5,000 meters with six runners within .6 of a second!

The positive tests for CERA of six athletes from Beijing has been around the world and then some now. Lord Sebastian Coe, the 1980 and 1984 gold medalist at 1,500 meters, and 1980 and 1984 silver medalist at 800 meters, and the Chairman of the London 2012, made some thoughtful comments on the subject of Rashid Ramzi, who was among the athletes who tested positive...

World leaders at women's 100 meters (10.92), women's 400 meters ( 50.99) and a huge surprise world leader at 400m hurdles, mens (48.42) in KIngston, Jamaica...

Deena Kastor has best race since her April 2008 Olympic Trials win, with her strong win in BUPA Edinburgh Great Run. Photo by Photorun.net.

Tyson Gay ran 45.27 for 400 meters on Saturday, May 2, a week after his 46.34 personal best last weekend...

This photo is of Tyson Gay in the 2008 Olympic Trials 100 meters, photo by Photorun.net.

The Payton Jordan is one of the best meets for distance performances. From 800 meters to 1,500 meters to 5,000 meters to 10,000 meters, the crowd at the Cardinal Invitational is treated to a night of tremendous performances! Alistair Cregg and Matt Tegenkamp battled in the 5,000 meters, Anna Willard too the world lead in 1,500 meters at 4:06.90, and Matt Centrowitz, Jr., led nine men under 3:40 with his fine 3:36.92! A new US junior 5,000 meter record from the battle between Chris Derrick and German Fernandez in the 'B' 5,000 meters. Finally, congrats to Tim Nelson who ran a super 27:36.99 to take the 10,000 meters.

Matt Tegenkamp in Beijing 5,000 meters semi finals. At Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational, finished second to Alistair Cregg in the 5,000 meters. Photo by Photorun.net.

This is the first of several interviews you will be able to read over the next week, courtesy of adidas. In the middle of March, I had the luck to spend several days in Santa Monica, with the adidas team, checking out new product, and speaking to adidas' Icon athletes.

Spring 2009 gives us a bit more contemplative Jeremy Wariner. He knows he has to train hard, improve his race and run his own race. In that way, perhaps the defeats in 2008 were good for Jeremy in the long run....

Blanka Vlasic will be one of the featured stars in Doha tomorrow, Friday, May 8...(photo by Photorun.net)

Jeremy Wariner told RBR and the assembled press in Santa Monica that he liked the Osaka GP track and would be running there, and ran he did, a nice 44.69 meters for the win over Yuzo Kanemora (45.16) of Japan and Sean Wroe of Australia (45.32). No big distance races, but a good opening meet as the global sports picks up this weekend!

Jeremy Wariner, shown here at 2008 Brussels, photo by Photorun.net.

Kara Goucher announced earlier this week to our friends at TFN, that she will be running the Berlin World Championships at the marathon distance. As Kara's first year in the marathon has garnered her thirds in the ING New York and BAA Boston, she has captured the interest of the American running media. (Watch for some interviews with Kara in Seventeen.com, Shape and many other non-running publications).

Alfons Juck reports that Kara Goucher is running both the 5,000 meters and 10,000 meters at the US Championships in late June in Eugene, Oregon, per agency reports. No word that her focus on the Berlin WC marathon...

Photo by Photorun.net

Stefanie Brown Trafton, Beijing 2008 Olympic discus champion, has had her second throw over 61 meters this season. Photo by Photorun.net.

Photo by Photorun.net.

Allyson Felix has been a fixture in our sport since her freshman year of high school. She has appeared on the covers of California Track & Running News, Athletes Only and American Track & Field. She has also graced many a cover of Track & Field News as well.

Allyson Felix will be joining many of the world's top athletes in competing this coming Saturday, May 16, in Carson at the adidas Track Classic

Haile Gebreselassie is ready to roll! On Sunday, May 17, he will be running a 10k in Manchester, UK. Then, on June 1, at the FBK Games in Hengelo, Haile will attempt to break his own world record for the hour run, one of the most grueling of all track events.

Photo by Photorun.net.

Global Weekend Catch-up, Track, Road,

Haile is showing that he is in great shape. Charging through the 5k in 13:30, Haile ran a strong 27:39 to win in Manchester. Ali El Zayedi was second in 28:13, and Sergiy Lebid was third in 28:36. Vivian Cheruiyot won the women's race in 32:01.

In the City Games, Usain Bolt ran 14.54 for 150 meters-not bad for a guy who had stitches taken out of his left foot two weeks ago.

Photo by Photorun.net.

Dathan Ritzenhein, two time Olympian, and Brad Hudson, his coach and former prep phenom are no longer working together. We wish them both best wishes and realize that as coach and athlete relationships are part art and science, things change.

Carolina Kluft, the Swedish athletic superstar, is the Jackie Joyner-Kersee of her generation. Her wins in Paris, Helsinki and Osaka were commanding. Her win in Athens was also part of the argument on where Kluft sits in the heptathlon firmament. Kluft has spent the last couple of years searching for new challenges. In an interview with her in 2007, after her win in the stiffling heat and humidty of Osaka, Japan, Kluft reminded us of two things: " No one is unbeatable," and " I want to focus on having fun."

An athletic superstar, with two feet in the real world, Kluft is a tremendous competitor. On May 30, at the Icahn Stadium, Carolina Kluft, one of the best athletes of her generation, will be competing for the first time at the Reebok Grand Prix, NYC!

A 1:44 over 800 meters by Fabiano Penhana of Brazil, a 2.33m high jump by Jesse Williams and a 20.25m shot put by Valeri Vili, highlight this meet......

Dwain Chambers hoped to be in Berlin, but ISATF Berlin has decided not to allow him to compete, so he goes to Montreuil, France on June 14, per http://www.insidethegames.com.

Virgilijus Alekna is large of stature. One can see that when he lines up with his competitors. Alekna and Kanter had an epic battle in Turnov. I did get to meet him a few years ago, I believe at the Nike Pre. He reminded me of the picture I had in my head of Goliath. Tall, with long arms-the perfect discus thrower! The Turnov meet, the Ludvik Danek Memorial, would have been a competition to see!

The Reebok Grand Prix has just completed it's fifth year. And this year, from any viewpoint, was, simply, the best RGP ever. The level of competition was amazing! The crowd of 10,900 made this the best EVER RGP and the second largest elite meet in North America. And more than anything, a major track meet had become a success in New York, the media capital of the world.

Tyson Gay's first 200 meters in nearly a year was a site to behold! Photo by Lisa Coniglio/PhotoRun.net.

Chris Lukesic and Leonel Manzano can be seen here, early on in the men's 1,500 meters, with Manzano running a world leader in 3:34.14! Women's events reviewed
On Monday, we will post a review of all the Rbk GP women's events!

Photo by Photorun.net.

A few tidbits from over the weekend:

*Meseret Defar ran 31:07 in warm, windy weather-she hit the halfway in 15:43, and ran 15:24 over the last 5k, which means she could run close to 30:00 in normal race conditions!

*Anna Willards' 800 meters at Reebok GP shows what former coach John Chaplin said to Jim Hiserman two decades ago in American Track & Field: 800 meter runners should be steeplechasers! Willard has run well over the road mile, track 1,500 and 800 meters and the steeplechase. Willard has the talent, brains and focus to medal in Berlin-congrats to her and new coach, Terrance Mahon.

*Tyson Gay's 200 meters was spellbounding! His 19.58 for 200 meters dusted the rest of the field and the guys were all running quite fast!

Photos by Photorun.net.

In the early 1990s, while I was still living in California, I was able to get Ron Hill sports to sponsor a prep track meet at Los Gatos high school's all weather track. So, at the K-Bell Classic, this British apparel company puts out a table and shows off its team kit.

In that light, please consider the excitement of the fans in Hengelo seeing their first sub ten second 100 meter run!

Some fast times from Hengelo: Churandy Martina, one of the real revelations from Beijing, ran 9.97 in the 100 meters-the first sub 10 second 100 meters in the Netherlands! Akubaker Kaki, from Sudan, lead three under 1.44 and seven under 1:46, with his 1:43.10, just behind his world leader. Asbel Kipruto Kiprop ran 3:34.45, winning form Deresse Mekonnen, the 2008 World Indoor Champ, with ten under 3:39. The deepest event was the 5,000 meters, as Ethiopia's Ali Abdosh (12:59.56) held off Augustine Choge (13:00.79), Eliud Kipchoge (13:00.91) and Edwin Cheruiyot Soi (13:01.69), all of Kenya, with twelfth place at 13:12.02!

A quick thanks to all of our readers who continue to tell friends and colleagues to sign up for runblogrun or twitter.com/runblogrun. Our numbers grew by over 30 percent last month! As Sally Fields once said, " You love us, you really love us!"

We will update on this tomorrow.

Tyson Gay, from US Trials, July 2008, courtesy of PhotoRun.net.

At Runblogrun, and with American Track & Field, we have championed increased opportunities for women athletes, from the pole vault to the steeplechase. In our archives, we have a note from a coach chastising us in 1991 for putting Carla Boravicka on the cover, running the steeplechase. The letter ended with, " the next thing I know, you will be putting women pole vaulters on the cover!" Be careful what you wish for!

We understand that several elite athletes have chosen not to compete at the Berlin ISTAF meet due to the cut backs by the meet in appearance money. While we understand the economic issues that may have challenged a meet director, the current model in the Golden League includes appearance money. Berlin ISATF is a member of the Golden League. It will not, at this time, be part of the Diamond League in 2010. We applaud the athletes and managers who are involved in this quiet protest, which is their right and personal choice. Those athletes and their management believe, that by showing up at ISTAF Berlin, they endanger future revenue from appearance at other meetings. We wish that ISTAF Berlin could find a way to reach an rapprochment with athletes and their management-as that would be best for the sport. Runblogrun will keep it's readers updated on this unfortunate situation.

Hrysopyi Devetzi cleared a windy 14.67m as a guest in the Ukranian championships, her top legal mark was 14.18. It is a good indication that her health is back...Wilfred Bungei of Kenya is still suffering from an ankle injury....

( We will provide a complete event by event analysis after my walk this evening, right now, just salient points and overall themes...).

The first is that competition among traditionally strong events for the U.S. has continued to increase, with the men's 200 meters ( shown in the 300 meters) now approaching the men's 110 meter hurdles and women's 100m hurdles, two of the toughest events to make on the U.S. team.

An athlete needing to make up for a tough 2008 is a continuing theme. Note the case of Dwight Phillips, who was the 2004 Olympic, 2005 world champion and 2007 brone medalist at the long jump. He did not make the team in 2008, but has come out in 2009 as a man on a mission. He first ran a 10.06 for 100 meters at a small meet at Georgia-that was his personal best. Competing against Irving Saldino, 2007 gold medalist in Osaka and the 2008 Beijing champion, Dwight Phillips completed an act of redemption: his aggressive running style, his follow through on his long jump, his tremendous focus, accolades, for the longest long jump since 1991--with a jump of 28-8 1/4-- or 8.74m . That is the farthest legal jump since 1991 and put him in the top ten performers of all times. Irving Saldino did not give up easily, jumping 8.55 and 8.63m-his personal best in the competition!

The depth of US women's distance talent. In the women's 1,500 meters, Jenny Barringer was the star of the day, becoming the third US performer of all times, with her superb 3:59.89, just missing Geleta Burka's winning 3;59.98! Barringer told the media that she was thinking 4:04! In fourth place, Anna Willard ran 4:01.4! In fifth place, Christin Wurth-Thomas ran her personal best of 4:01.72, and in sixth place, Shannon Rowbury, two races shy of racing fit, who put it all on the line for the first 1200 meters, ran a fine 4:03.92 opener.

And Absel Kipruto Kiprop, who we interviewed after the meet, who told us that his 3:48.50 was his first mile ever! " I thought we were running 3:52 pace, or I would have run through the finish." Kiprop, the showman of the Kenyan middle distance crowd, missed the Bowerman mile record by two tenths.

Photo by Photorun.net.

Every picture tells a story, as Rod Stewart told us, well this picture tells the story of the Nike Pre Classic-all about the competition!

Photo by PhotoRun.net.

If you want to stay on top of the NCAA Division 1 championships, which started Wednesday and go through Saturday, use these links, courtesy of Walt Murphy, our friend and the publisher of Eastern Track and XC XPress:

Live streaming video is available at:
http://all-access.cbssports.com/player.html?code=ncaa&media=129516

"Real Time" Results:
http://www.flashresults.com/2009_Meets/outdoor/NCAA/

COMPLETE SCHEDULE
http://www.flashresults.com/2009_Meets/outdoor/NCAA/

To learn more about our sport, we encourage our readers to go to the
following places:

http://www.iaaf.org to learn about our global sport.

http://www.usatf.org to learn about the sport in the U.S.

http://www.runningnetwork.com to find a local running community, running store, running event, or to get involved in the grass roots culture of our sport.

To reach Runblogrun.com, please email runblogrun@gmail.com

Usain Bolt was hurt in an auto accident in early April. He then rehabbed and ran the Bupa City Run in 14.53 for 150 meters in the rain! The anticipation for Toronto was even higher, but the rain and head wind, slowed Bolt down a bit. Remember, we have a very long season this year.....

Yelena Isinbayeva opens for outdoor 2009 with a new major sponsor, as she dropped adidas for the Chinese brand Li Ning. Isinbayeva is at the top of her game, and she does not see any true competition. While it is understandable, as Ms. Isinbayeva just won the Laureus World Sportswomen of the year and she is defending World Champion and Olympic champion as well as holder of twenty-two world record holders, Yelena should be cautious. As all athletes know, on any given day, there are always surprises. Track & Field is not WWF, we are in a sport, and in truth, no one in athletics is exempt from the refrain, "We are only as good as our last race."

Photo by PhotoRun.net.

Victah's surprise fiftieth was June 13, 2009. Photo courtesy of Lisa Coniglio/PhotoRun.net.

Sanya Richards entertained the 63,000 fans with her 49.57 win in the 400 meters-a new world leader. Augustine Choge ran a world leading 3:29.47 for 1,500 meters. Kenenisa Bekele ran a winning 13:00.76, so the sore thigh must be better with Abraham Chebii ( remember him dropping a 26 second last 200 meters in a 5,000 m last year?) and Rbk GP 5k winner Micah Kogo as two of the guys following Mr. Bekele. Dexter Faulk ran a fine 13.18. Ariane Freidrich over Croatian high jump goddess Blanka Vlasic, 2.06m to 2.03m (five attempts at world record 2.09m). Yelena Isinbayeva of Russia wins the pole vault in 4.83m, with Monika Pyrek of Poland at 4.78m for second.....

Photo courtesy of PhotoRun.net

If sports fans consider a coach in basketball or football important, then consider for a moment the coaches of Texas A & M and the University of Oregon. Texas A & M is coached by Pat Henry, former coach at LSU. In 1990, Pat Henry won both men and women's NCAA titles at LSU. Vinn Lannana coached Stanford before Oregon and did quite well there.

Congrats to Coach Henry and his team, Texas A & M on their victories!

The Portland Mile festival had some awesome performances for prep milers this past weekend. YouthRunner magazine, our partners in the Running Network, sent us this link with pictures, video and a great story on the second year of this fine meet: http://news.youthrunner.com/news/story/portland-track-festival-the-story.

To learn more about youthrunner, check out http://www.youthrunner.com

To learn more about the other 23 partners in the RunningNetwork, check out
http://www.runningnetwork.com

To reach RBR, email runblogrun@gmail.com

The simple fact is that if our sport is to gain relevance, it must be on the major networks. NBC sports and WNBC will provide both national and regional coverage for the ING New York City marathon, giving the five boroughs race the distinction of the most national TV coverage of any marathon outside of the Olympic marathon.

Congrats again to NYRR and Mary Wittenberg. Nice news for the sport!

2008 ING NYCM, Paula Radcliffe and Kara Goucher, photo by Photorun.net.

The Diamond League will arrive in 2010. Fourteen events, around the globe and track fans able to plan on TV, digital coverage, world class competition and a consistent season should be pleased... the DL will be fourteen sites in 2010...

Deena Kastor, 2004 Olympic bronze medalist in the marathon, former US record holder at 10,000 meters, current Women's US marathon holder, has announced that her comeback marathon will be on October 11, 2009 at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon!

Photo courtesy of ASICS America.

In one of the most exciting (and well done tv broadcasts) NCAA outdoor track championships in years, CBS focused their coverage on a very close team event. On the men's side, it was determined in the last event, the 4 x 400m and the difference between Texas A & M and Oregon was two points. On the women's side it was seven points that separated Texas A & M and Oregon. Coach Pat Henry's teams won the double, not done since 1990, over Coach Vinn Lannana. Each team had its heroes and heroines.

And in that herculean battle for team supremacy, Galen Rupp, who did it for his team, stood out, because he did it for his team. A class act and another reminder of why we love our sport of track & field!

Photo by PhotoRun.net.

The 48th version of the Golden Spike, held in Ostrava on June 17, gave us world leaders, and a view into the crystal ball for the World Championships. Usain Bolt, ran a wind aided 9.77, admitting to his second worst start ever, which is saying something. Meselech Melkamu, the lesser known of the Ethiopian track goddesses, ran a 29:53 on Sunday and came back with a world leading 14:34 tonight! Dayron Robles, our Cuban superstar, ran a world leading 13.04 and was not happy with his race. Blanka Vlasic had a win, but at a low height. From Bob Ramsak's story, the 20,000 fans were quite happy with the event. ( FYI, the meet is managed by our friend and EME news correspondent Alfons Juck, who has been quite engaged the past few days putting on this fine meet in Central Europe! )

The Nike Outdoor Championships, the dream child of the NSSF, is a true fixture on the elite junior circuit. The dream child of the NSSF lifers, namely guys like Jim Spier, Mike Byrnes and friends, brings together most of the top preps each year for a final prep slugout of the year. We salute the NSSF, Nike, and the other sponsors and friends of the sport for doing such a selfless job on the event!

Emily Sisson, shown here, leading the 5,000 meter field on way to her victory at the Nike Outdoor 2009 5,000 meters, held Thursday night, June 18, 2009. All Photos by Photorun.net.

Tyson Gay was interviewed by adidas on several subjects, from their new technical apparel to his philosophy on racing and training. Watch the video closely, as Tyson Gay gives, I believe, the astute viewer and track fan, a few hints on what we will see this season. So, here is my interpretation:

What a difference 19.58 seconds make. Tyson Gay is playing his cards very close to his vest, as Lance Braumann, his coach, brings Gay into shape for the sprint battle in Berlin! Gay is fit, and so is Usain Bolt--should mean some great matchups this next couple of months!

Maurice Smith, the 07 silver medalist defeated World record holder Roman Sebrle, and 2004 gold medalist, 8157 to 8058, with Dmitri Karpov in third in 8029, at the second edition of the TNT-Fortuna Combined Events meeting!

Lots of global action, so do not miss a word of the Word of geek track....

Bryan Clay is out of the decathlon with a hamstring injury in his left leg, meaning that the 2008 Olympic champion will not be in Berlin. Andrew Wheating did not start his 800 meter heat this evening either.....

In a surprise announcement, Doug Logan, CEO of USATF, announced an extension on the sponsorship by Nike through 2013, with an option to renew through 2017. If Chicago wins the Olympic bid for 2016, the renewal price goes up, per Logan, 'substantially."

Mike Rodgers and Darvis Patton screamed down the track, running 9.91-9.92, as
Rodgers got the nod.

Photo by PhotoRun.net

Early Sunday morning, RBR confirmed, after speaking to Ray Flynn, manager of Alan Webb, that Mr. Webb has withdrawn from the finals of the 1,500 meters, scheduled for today, Sunday, June 28, 2009.

Alan Webb is the high school record holder for the mile, and the American record holder for the mile, and has been considered one of the U.S. great mile hopes for most of the past decade. Webb did not make the US Olympic team in 2008, and had a tough time in Osaka, at the 2007 world champs, the summer that he broke Steve Scotts' long standing mile record.

For more on the sport, please click on http://www.american-trackandfield.com

Usain Bolt runs 9.86 in his Jamaican Championships, with a legal wind. But Usain's best performance was to speak about how challenging it will be for Usain to break the world record at 100 meters for Tyson Gay.

Now, while this is pretty mild for trash talking, the posturing is about to begin. Tyson Gay ran his 9.75w time was run in his FIRST 100 meters of the year, his first 200 meters of the year was his FIRST.

Two great sprinters running the 100 meters and 200 meters in Berlin-I can not wait!

Photos by Photorun.net.

Tim Seaman is shown, taking the win in the men's 20,000 meter walk. This is his 37th national championship!

Photo by Photorun.net.

Brad Walker won the US championships in a very tactical game of competition.....

Photo by Photorun.net.

Sheena Tosta and LaShinda Demus race around the Hayward Field track....

Photo by Photorun.net

Kara Patterson knows how to make her competition sweat. Wait until your fourth throw, with the local hero winning, and then, just crank that arm back, release and watch the mighty javelin float, higher and higher, reach its apex, then just float down, fifteen feet farther than the leading throw! The throw was 63.95m, or 209-10, and it won the competition.

Rachel Yurkovich lead from round two, the Duck getting the crowd to go insane, with her 59.07m, then a 56.32m, then, in reaction to Patterson's huge throw, a 59.31m, or 194-07 for the second place position.

The javelin is one the oldest events in our sport, the world's oldest sport. Not much has changed with the javelin in three thousand years, and the beauty of this event is in its simplicity. One has to relax to throw farther, the javelin is a tough master. Push it and the javelin will master you. It is a reminder of how, nearly three thousand years ago, men in Greece would suspend local feuds to worship their gods and celebrate sport. It is still the dream...

Photos by Photorun.net.

Yelena Isinbayeva is one of the nine winners from Berlin who will compete at the Golden League's second event on Friday, July 2, in Oslo, Norway. The Exxon Bislett Games has over 40 world record performances on its intimate track setting. Wonderful summer weather in Scandanavia (or cold in other parts of the world), and stands very close to the track, give the athletes the feeling of an indoor facility, except that it is outdoors! Kenenisa Bekele is expected as well as Meseret Defar and Tirunesh Dibaba, which could be a true clash of the titans.

Tirunesh Dibaba, on her website www.tiruneshdibaba.net., announced a small injury, so no 5k matchup with Defar.

Okay sports fans, Larry is flying all night to get home, so do not expect any 3 am updates, perhaps seven am, but no three am.

Photo of the men/s 5,000 meter final, US Champs 09, by PhotoRun.net.

Sanya Richards is one of the most determined athletes I have ever met. She emotes positivism. Combine that with complete confidence that she has in her coach, her health in control, Sanya went through the rounds here with no issues.

Photo from finals, US 400 meter finals, 2009, by Photorun.net.

La Shawn Merritt is the Olympic champion. His run in Beijing was perfect for him, as he raced down the final straightaway and completed one of the greatest upsets in our sport. Now, facing off in Berlin, will be the Olympic 2008 champion, the Olympic 2004 champion, defending his 2007 World championships. La Shawn Merritt versus Jeremy Wariner-another of the great match ups slated for Berlin!

In Eugene, Jeremy Wariner focused on the 200 meters and LaShawn on the 400 meters. Here is LaShawn's story:

Shannon Rowbury is one of the most underrated athletes in our sport. She is also, one of the most dangerous women middle distance runners in the US, capable of racing world class not only at 1,500 meters, but also 800 and yes, although she is not real excited about it, for now, the 5,000 meters.