by Larry Eder
This is the second week of RunBlogRun’s Summer Mileage Program, day 1, and our focus is Donavan Brazier.
I was in the stadium in Doha, Qatar, when Donavan Brazier won the World Athletics Outdoor Championships at 800 meters.
It was a brilliant race, where Donavan Brazier used those long legs and sped away from the field, pushing the last 300 meters like he had not done in some time. Donavan and his coach, Pete Julian, had discussed and discussed the final. But, in the end, does the athlete have the guts to overcome the anxiety and pressure of a world class 800m field in a world championship final?
How did he get there?
Donavan Brazier was a track and cross country champion in high school at Michigan. He won both the New Balance Nationals and Brooks PR Invite. At the Brooks PR Invite in June 2015, Donavan ran 1:47.55, then, the number 4 all time high school.
He went to college for one year, As a frosh he had failed to make the Indoor NCAA final. In his frosh year, Donavan won the 800m in NCAA in 1: 43.55, his pb (he had run 1:45.07 in the semi-finals). His time of 1:43.55 broke the fifty year old collegiate record of 1:44.3/1:44.9y that was set on June 10, fifty years before! Donavan did not make the 2016 Olympic team, his first event as a pro.
In 2017, Donavan Brazier made the World Champs team in London but did not make the final. In 2019, Donavan Brazier ran 1:42.70 (coached by Peter Julian) in the Diamond League, then, made the US team for Doha, and set a WC 800m champs record with his win.
In 2021, Donavan Brazier set the then AR for indoor 800m of 1:44.21.
It was after this that Donavan began a series of injuries which were terribly tough and many in the sport wondered if he could come back.
On June 7, 2025, after 4 years of challenges, changing training regimens, Donavan won again, in 1:44.70 at the TOAD Fest in Nashville, Tennessee. A week plus later, Donavan came back and ran 1:43.81 on June 16, 2025, at the renowned Portland Track Festival.
What makes a champion? I believe that Donavan has come back from tough injuries, some that would have convinced many to retire. Not Donavan Brazer, as the poet Robert Frost said, ” miles to go before I sleep.”
Watch Donavan Brazier race the 800m at the famed London Diamond League this coming weekend, July 19!
And remember, Donavan Brazier loves cross country!
The road to 2025 Cross country is just beginning
Time to build some mileage for fall cross country!
Today is July 14 , 2025
Week Two, Day One, Summer Mileage.
Monday, warm-up, 45-65 minutes of moderate running, vary the surfaces, cool-down.
Hydrate and stretch. Always hydrate.
Some thoughts on summer mileage program.
Have you considered cross country?
Cross Country is offered in over 16,500 high schools and many junior high schools. It normally goes from mid-August to November for most. To prepare for cross country, we at RunBlogRun encourage you and your 550,000 closest friends who like the 400m to 5,000m, consider cross country!
It is a great way to stay in shape and it builds your fitness so that you are ready for the challenges of cross country.
What motivated Steve Prefontaine in the summer between his sophomore and junior year?
Was it the knowledge that he had not done his very best in track and field? Perhaps, he had not taken his commitment as serious as he thought he should?
When you have not achieved what you expected, how do you respond? Are you being called to put in some more effort? Many of us have had those challenges, and Summer mileage is a great program to get one self focused.
Think about five things you can do better for fall cross country, write them on a post card, and tape it to a place in your room where you will see it at least once a day!
Remember to drink 8 glasses of water, 12 ounces each a day!
When Pre was in high school, after he failed to make his State track meet as a sophomore, he became obsessed with daily training. These were not just easy runs, they were bone-churning, gut-wrenching efforts focused to make him unbeatable. In his junior year of cross country, Pre saw that his summer of running made a huge difference.
Do you want to be a better cross country runner than you were in the past? Focus and follow our training. It is all about the consistency.
Other book suggestions include Self Made Olympian by Ron Daws, A Clean Pair of Heels by Murray Halberg, and Pre! by Tom Jordan.
The Nike Pegasus PLUS is a great entry shoe for high school cross country. You should consider it, and learn more about it at nike.com. It is light, cushioned, a good summer mileage shoe. If you need a little more cushioning, try the Vomero 18. The Vomero 18 has more cushioning that the Pegasus PLUS. If you like NIKE, I would suggest high schoolers use the NIKE Pegasus PLUS for Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. I would suggest the Vomero 18 for Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I always suggest two pairs of training shoes. Why on Vomero 18? It is a cushioned shoe that feels great and is good on the roads and trails.
