by Larry Eder
True and Willis dueling, adidas GP, photo by PhotoRun.net
Ben True won the 5,000 meters at the adidas GP in June 2015. He became the first American male to win a Diamond League 5000 meters. After his fine Beijing performance, Track & Field News, the bible of the sport, gave Ben True the top ranking in American distance runners over 5000 meters.
During this pivotal season and before that, Ben True was working with Tim Broe, the 2004 Olympian at 5000 meters, and a fine steeplechaser as well. Broe has training savvy and racing savvy.
That Saucony picked Tim Broe to head up their elite development program shows that they understand the need for a coach, and a program of support for developing American athletes. It is also what brands that support running do: give back to the running community.
I like the tweaking of their approach: finding athletes around the country, allowing them to continue in those environs, and adding support and the addition of Tim Broe’s suggestions to their training and racing!
Nice job, Saucony.
SAUCONY ® ANNOUNCES OLYMPIAN TIM BROE AS HEAD OF BRAND’S NEW
ELITE ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT TEAM
Long-Term Partnership With Broe Expands Brand’s Commitment to Athlete Development and Sport of Running
LEXINGTON, MA (January 26, 2016) – Saucony announced today it will deepen its commitment to elite athlete development with the signing of 2004 Olympian Tim Broe as program director of the newly-created Saucony Elite Athlete Development Team. The long-term partnership with Broe, a 10-time USA National Champion and recipient of the 2015 Boston Globe Cross Country Coach of the Year, will allow Saucony to expand its support of up-and-coming runners and identify post collegiate athletes who are interested in further developing their talent. Broe is the current coach of Saucony athlete and 2015 American 5K road record holder Ben True.
Broe will oversee the new Saucony Elite Athlete Development Team of 10-15 athletes who are located throughout the United States. Saucony will support the team with living expenses and travel per diem to races, performance-based race bonus payments, and footwear and apparel. Athletes will also be able to take advantage of Saucony’s Human Performance and Innovation Lab, a state-of-the-art facility that helps athletes perform at their highest level.
“At Saucony, our mission is to empower the human spirit through running,” said Mark Bossardet, vice president of sports marketing for Saucony. “Tim does that and more. It was critical to identify a person who could lead, inspire and understand the athlete’s journey. Tim’s own competitive background combined with his coaching expertise will empower our team of rising stars, helping them to further identify and achieve their goals. Tim has a strategic vision to help build this team and successfully expand our support of competitive athletes of all levels.”
“We look forward to providing these young, talented runners total access to our staff and facility,” said Spencer White, head of the Saucony Human Performance and Innovation Lab. “We understand the challenges faced by elite runners including injury prevention and recovery strategies. Our approach is to help each individual team member achieve their personal goals through athletic performance evaluation and research-based training strategies.”
“I’m very excited to be on board with Saucony and appreciate this incredible opportunity to be part of a brand that values runners of every level,” said Broe. “I’m looking forward to identifying and working with athletes who have the potential and desire to take their careers to the next level, turning their dreams into reality.”
Broe, presently the boys’ track and cross country coach at Wellesley High School in Wellesley, MA, is a 2004 Olympian in the 5,000m as well as winner of the 2004 Olympic Trials 5,000m. He is a three-time USA National Outdoor 5,000m Champion, three-time USA National Cross Country Champion; former American record holder in 3,000m; and 12-time NCAA All-American at University of Alabama.
About Saucony: Saucony, a division of Wolverine Worldwide, is a leading global running lifestyle brand that fuses performance, innovation and style to create compelling footwear and apparel with its widely recognized brands Saucony and Saucony Originals. Founded in 1898, Saucony continues to inspire runners everywhere with its award winning innovations, including EVERUNâ„¢, ISOFITâ„¢, Geometry of Strongâ„¢, PWRGRID+â„¢, and the Total Run Systemâ„¢ apparel line. At Saucony, a good day is when we get to run. A great day is when we inspire someone else to run. For more information, go to www.saucony.com.
