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While the USATF Half Marathon championships at the Chevron Half Marathonis taking much of the excitement this weekend, the Chevron Houston Marathon could be a huge story! Read below!

Marathon hopefuls: Deriba Merga, Ethiopia, Steve Karpas, Chevron Houston Race Director and Teyba Erkesso, Ethiopia, photo courtesy of Photorun.net

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...

Well, Race Director Steve Karpas must be a happy guy! Two course records on the Chevron Houston Marathon, and in the Aramco Half Marathon, which hosted the
US Half marathon champs, Meb Keflizighi and Magdelena Lewy Boulet both set
personal bests as they won the half marathon!

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!

In a press release dated January 20, 2009, the ASICS America corporation announced that they have re signed their three top athletes, Ryan Hall, Deena Kastor and Lo Lo Jones through 2012.....

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!

Rob Myers is shown here winning the New Balance Games indoor mile, in 3:59.92. The New Balance Games and the NY Armory, which was underwritten by a gift from Jim Davis, new member of the IRRA Hall of Fame, President of New Balance, as a gift to the sport. The Armory, which is one hundred years old this year, has been championed by Dr. Norb Sander, an early winner of the NYC marathon, and his friends, some of the true characters in the sport. They do great things, like hosting over 60 indoor track meets each season with over 75,000 athletes of all ages getting a chance to compete and learn about our sport!

A special thanks to Jim Davis, New Balance, Dr. Norb Sander and his team for re-developing a true sports sanctuary, the NY Armory!

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!

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.)

The one hundred and second version of the MIllrose Games was a stunner! Steve Hooker cleared 6.01 m or 19-8.75, setting new Millrose, Oceania, Australian indoor records! His three attempts at 6.16m or 20-2, were nearly Bubkian! A great shot put competition, where Adam Nelson, healthy and happy, won on his last throw-the entire complexion of the shot changed on the last throw!

My analysis of the meet will come up this afternoon, but do not miss NBC coverage, from 1.30 to 2.30 pm Eastern on Saturday, January 31, 2009!

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).

Nutrilite announced its continued sponsorship of many of our elite track meets in the US. That, and their continued sponsorship of Jenn Stuczynski and Sanya Richards should be congratulated. In a time when many sponsors are crying, committed sponsors such as Nutrilite are seeing an appreciation for their support of our sport!

Jenn Stuczynski, sponsored by Nutrilite, is a crowd favorite at the Reebok Boston Indoor Games! Photo courtesy of Photorun.net.

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!

Payton Jordan, one of the most venerable faces in the sport of track & field, died Thursday, at his home, at the age of 91. The 1968 U.S. Olympic Track & Field coach for the team in Mexico City, Jordan was also the long time head coach at Stanford University, a top athlete as a young runner as well as a top masters athlete, known in his second track career as the Silver Streak.

Runblogrun will do a longer piece on Payton next week, but for a complete and thoughtful obituary, look no farther than the one and only Frank Litsky (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/l/frank_litsky/index.html?inline=nyt-per), who wrote an amazing piece this morning. Payton Jordan died after a long fight with cancer. Our thoughts are with him, his family and his friends.

For the crowd of 4,300 track fans who filled the Reggie Lewis Center last evening, they should not that they witnessed track history. Two American records, six world leaders, all at one meet! However, the two things that will stay in my mind, was that from the Masters mile on, the meet was about our sport's greatest positive: competition!

Consider this: Kara Goucher, who won the 3,000 meters in 8:46.58, was in Boston to check out the marathon course. In her press conference last Wednesday, Kara, Steve Hooker and Jenn Stuczynski were asked for their year's goals, Hooker said new heights and Berlin, Jenn said something similiar and Kara Goucher said, " Winning the Boston Marathon." Clear, concise, no bragging, just honesty.

Consider this: In the women's pole vault, and jumping her best in four years was current Indoor record holder Stacy Dragila, whose record was 4.81m or 15-9 1/4. Jenn Stuczynski, who came on the scene in 2005, won the silver medal in Beijing is one of two women EVER to clear sixteen feet, took the AR with her clearance o 4.82m, or 15-9 1/2.

Jenn Stuczynski clearing 4.82m, new American record, courtesy of PhotoRun.net

Jenn was one of the highlights of the evening. Watch for my comments on the major points of the meet!

The report was delivered to us about four minutes ago. It will be my in flight reading this week. But, suffice it to say, the Project 30 Task Force has given Doug Logan the mandate to make the changes he sees for the organization. Press conference in ten minutes, I will follow up with transcript and thoughts on that later this evening.

The positive is that problems at the High Performance programs level is being handled professionally. I have linked to the 69 page document so you can see for yourself. Again, with something so monumental, it takes time to digest. I undersand WSJ.com is covering it as well, so check there. More deep thoughts to come.

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!

Doug Logan is an eloquent writer. While his five minute interview at the Millrose Games was good for the sport, I did not feel that it gave the viewer a chance to see Logan as many of us in the sport are coming to see him-someone who is trying to change the sport, one speech at a time....

Walt Murphy, one of our most important observers of the sport, wrote a fine update on the 5,000 meter race at Tyson Invitational. My guess is that Walt was at all three of the races over 5,000 meters that he writes about. In anycase, checking out the videos from 1981 and 1982 after watching the coverage from ESPN today will be a lot of fun! Enjoy!

In two weeks, Galen Rupp has set Collegiate records at 3k, and now AR, Collegiate and American Collegiate at 5,000 meters with his Tyson race on Friday! Photo from his 3k race at BIG, courtesy of PhotoRun.net.

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

Without much fanfare, the new board of directors for USA Track & Field has been announced. Over the past 90 days, new by-laws have been approved, the board was dramatically cut in size, CEO Doug Logan has been noted and quoted, from his comments on the supplement industry to his speech at Running USA last week.

The board will meet, for the first time, on March 7, in Orlando, to elect its own officers. That will be the next indication of how the board will advise our sport.

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.

Kamila Skolimowska, the 200 Olympic champion at the women's hammer throw, is dead, at the age of 26. Complaining of fatigue early in the day, Skolimowska collapsed, regained consciousness, but fainted again. After an hour of not regaining consciousness, according to reports, she was unable to be revived at a local Portugese hospital. Kamila Skolimowska was training in Portugal and collapsed during her training session. Our thoughts and prayers are with her,her family and friends..

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)

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.

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.

Since July, Doug Logan has been on the bully pulpit and speaking, blogging and videoing his heart out on how our sport should change. The Dec 2008 Convention showed that no one had the power to challenge his plan, and the audio press conference on February 10 showed that no one was prepared to challenge the Project 30.

Changing USATF into a functional organization, from its dysfunctional and schizophrenic past is key. All thoughtful observers of the sport understand that, appreciate that and realize that our organization needs to become an umbrella organization, much like the PGA, with various voices championing their causes, but as someone much brighter than me said, " staying in their own lanes " ( I think that has been attributed to Lionel Leech).

In the constant battle to get eyeballs, especially of the younger consumer, track & field has, through the likes of dyestat, flotrack, iaaf, runningnetwork, tried different approaches. Last summers' adidasroadstobeijing, produced by adidas and Global Athletics, was very good.

Congrats to USATF on this new snippet on Kiwan Lawson, a young and articulate triple jumper: http://www.usatf.org/news/multimedia/. Nicely done!

The video was done by Katie Landry, the new USATF web person. Again, video is not new, but the ability to access athletes, provide an intimate look into their lives, and showcase and control that view, is critical if track & field wants to be taken seriously in this Gutenberg galaxy (read the book, it's by Marshal McLuhan, the prophet of modern media).

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.

The first day of the USA Indoor had one of the best crowds at a US Indoor in many years, but it still was not the crowd of the recent professional meeting, Reebok Boston Indoor Games, held the in early February.

However, there was enough star fire power, and some exciting young athletes to beg the question-why don't we put this meet into two three hour sessions, promote it right and remember that track & field is the ultimate sports entertainment!

I have loved our sport of athletics for some thirty-five years. I ran my first race in 1972 as a freshman for De Smet Jesuit High School in Creve Coeur, Missouri and as an athlete, coach, and magazine publisher, and now, blogger, I have never found anything in sports that compares with the excitement of head to head competition.

What has disheartened me is how, in most human endeavors, the ability to look at the bigger picture is lost, and infighting destroys many a great idea or project. The theme of the Diamond League is that, despite the normal difficulties of disparate meetings, agents, meet directors and such, the real story is that, the Diamond League shows that difficulties can be overcome....

In the end, our sport is all about the competition!

Since July 2008, when Doug Logan was unanimously selected as the new CEO of USA Track & Field, he has shown that he is a) a brilliant writer, b) deftly uses media to the sport and his benefit, c) has used his personal charisma to keep the infighting to a minimum and d) gives his staff a wide reign in their day to day activities and, most importantly, e) understands our sports' current zeitgeist: track & field is about one thing-head to head competition, and finally f) realizes that getting the sport in the news is half of the game: Andy Warhol spoke of everyone's fifteen minutes of fame-Doug Logan wants to get track & field to have a daily couple minutes of our mindshare-and with this proposal, he did just that.

Logan has proposed a USA-Jamaica dual meet series, how does that become more than a proposal? photo courtesy of PhotoRun.net.

The VISA Indoor Series, which consisted of the Millrose Games (Jan.30), Reebok Boston Indoor Games ( Feb.7), Tyson Invitational ( Feb. 13), and the VISA USATF Indoor Champs ( Feb. 28-March 1) had a nice improvement in TV Ratings.

Jenn Stuczynski broke the AR twice during the VISA Indoor Series! Photo by Photorun.net.

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

Robbie Andrews, the young prep who won the Millrose prep mile so convincingly, ran a fine 1:49.21 at the NYC Armory this past weekend at the NSSF Meet. Between the NSSF and the Nike Indoor this past weekend, new prep records abound!

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 is in the middle of her training for the Boston Marathon, which she hopes to win, in April 2009. After a great fall marathon, a good indoor season, and some strong training this winter, Kara and her coach, Alberto Salazar, are in Lisbon for the half marathon tomorrow. Salazar has been quoted as noting that Kara Goucher is in fine shape, and should be able to run in the 1:06 range. Do not be suprised is Goucher runs 1:05 and change, she is that fit. (My pick is 1:05:30).

For the first time in many years, the US has top prospects on the men and women's side at Boston. While Lisbon is important in Kara Goucher's training, the focus is on Patriots' Day in Boston, in less than one month, when Kara Goucher lines up with a formidable field, to race, and with luck, to win at the 103rd version of the BAA Boston Marathon.

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.

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 battle for the 2016 Olympic site is down to the stretch. A thirteen person IOC evaluation committee lead by 1984 Olympic gold medalist at 400 meter intermediate hurdles, Nawal Nawal El Moutawakel, visited the proposed sites for Chicago 2016, were treated to a special message from Michael Jordan, who could not be at the Olympic event due to a prior engagement. Jordan noted in the video that the Olympics were one his most important memories in sport. While the media was kept a distance from the Evaluation committee, the committee were met by a group of famous Olympic athletes, from Nadia Comenica to Pablo Morales. The brisk Spring weather ( read, very, very cold) of Chicago did not stop the evaluation committee who witnessed a gymnastic competition at McCormick Center, as well as a presentation by Native Americans and a Chinese dragon that followed them around McCormick Center. As they ventured outside to Washington Park, they were greeted by a group of young Chicagoans carrying all 205 flags of IOC member countries.

For more on the visit, please click on http://www.insidethegames.com/show-news.php?id=5402.

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

No, this is not a diorama from someone kept in fifth grade for twenty-five straight years. This is the digital shrine to running as developed by Carl & Karl Underwood, running's number one superfans! As a favor to the Brooks company
( and with tremendous help from the creative agency, Great Society), Randy and Jason Sklar, hosts of ESPN's Cheap Seats, portray their alter egos, Carl & Karl Underwood in this digital universe dedicated to keeping running fun. Done with total tongue in cheek, and ripping to shreds every part of our running culture, the Sklar brothers make us laugh until we cry. Nothing is sacred, and that, ( to use the phrase used by a formerly incarcerated domestic goddess), is a 'good thing." (If you look real close at the little TV screen, you can see one of the Carl & Karl Underwood brothers' faces.)

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.

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!

Asafa Powell, from 2007, with his world record. The difference between the finely tuned machine that is an elite sprinter, and a mere shadow of the former self, is a sore ankle, hamstring, back, etc. In this case, Asafa Powell experienced a sore ankle, which was exasperated at his relay run at Penn last weekend.

Photo courtesy of PhotoRun.net.

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.

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.

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

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.

adidas does not waste much time. They recently extended their Boston Marathon sponsorship and have just extended their UK Athletics sponsorship after the London Olympics, to be held in 2012. The contract now goes through 2013.

Brand development over the long term, even in these challenging times, makes a huge amount of sense. A long term sponsor, who shares the goals of long time branding and goodwill, plus helping development a program that wants to improve is a dream relationship. A tip of the hat to adidas and UK Athletics.

Christine Ohuruogu, the defending World Champion, the defending Olympic champion at the women's 400 meters, is shown in the new adidas UK Athletics kit. Courtesy of adidas communications.

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.

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.

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! )

Gentle readers, dear friends and malcontents,

" Ich bin ein Eugener."

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!

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

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.

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.

Consider now, the story of Dwight Phillips. Dwight won the 2004 Olympic long jump, the 2005 World Champs Long jump, and in 2007, in Osaka, took the bronze. At the press conference afterwards, with Panama's Irving Saldino and Italy's Andrew Howe, one could see that Dwight Phillips was not happy, but he presented his game face. In 2008, Dwight's nightmare continued-he did not make the US team-on the last round he was pushed to fourth.

In 2009, considering giving it all up, Dwight Phillips started training with Loren Seagrave, one of the technical gurus in our sport. If someone can break up your jump and figure out what you are doing wrong, it is Loren Seagrave.....

Photo 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.

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.