Altis, Phoenix-Home of Champions: Ten Steps for Success, from SPIKES, powered by IAAF

Greg Rutherford, gold medal, World Championships, Long Jump, Beijing, photo by PhotoRun.net

John Godina was one of the greatest shot putter/discus throwers in our sports history. What many do not seem to appreciate is that besides a huge work ethic, and a superb coach (Art Venegas), John Godina is one of those guys who just will not give up.

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Godina has taken that drive and put it into Altis. When one speaks to John about his dream and the launch of that dream facility, it is obvious that this guy has the focus, drive and work ethic to make it happen.

Altis, as the article below states, from our fave SPIKES magazine (powered by IAAF.org), would have been a top ten country with its medal haul.

Had Altis, the elite training centre located in Phoenix, Arizona, entered the Beijing World Championships as a nation, it would have finished just outside the top ten in the medal table. Altis CEO, founder and four-time world shot put champion John Godina gives his ten-step guide to building one of the sport’s most successful training environments.

1. A vision of success

John Godina formed Altis (formerly known as the World Athletics Center) out of the World Throws Center six years ago after noticing a gap in the US system that was hindering athletes’ progression.

“The inspiration was to set up a support system for those athletes after collegiate level in the US,” he explains. “It is a difficult climb for many athletes here and we needed something to fill that void.”

Fabrice Lapierre, World Championships, Long Jump, Silver medal, photo by PhotoRun.net

2. Location, location, location

Having spent the final four years of his medal-laden career (three world outdoor titles, one world indoor, one Olympic silver and one bronze) in Phoenix, AZ, Godina knew the benefits of being based out of the city.

“The weather is very good,” he tells us. “Yet unlike cities such as San Diego or L.A., which also have great weather, living in Phoenix you not only have the weather but have the opportunity to live inexpensively.”

Aries Merritt, bronze medal, World Championships, 110m hurdles, photo by PhotoRun.net

To read the entire story, please go to: http://spikes.iaaf.org/post/altis-home-of-champions

Author

Larry Eder

Larry Eder has had a 52-year involvement in the sport of athletics. Larry has experienced the sport as an athlete, coach, magazine publisher, and now, journalist and blogger. His first article, on Don Bowden, America's first sub-4 minute miler, was published in RW in 1983. Larry has published several magazines on athletics, from American Athletics to the U.S. version of Spikes magazine. He currently manages the content and marketing development of the RunningNetwork, The Shoe Addicts, and RunBlogRun. Of RunBlogRun, his daily pilgrimage with the sport, Larry says: "I have to admit, I love traveling to far away meets, writing about the sport I love, and the athletes I respect, for my readers at runblogrun.com, the most of anything I have ever done, except, maybe running itself." Also does some updates for BBC Sports at key events, which he truly enjoys.

Theme song: Greg Allman, " I'm no Angel."

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