2026 USATF Indoors, Day 1: The Art of Competition, A great first day!

So, competition is the name of the game in track and field, dear readers.

At the Ocean Breeze Athletics Complex, I spent Friday observing the athletes, speaking with coaches, and interviewing athletes and coaches, as well as taking in the wisdom from the community.

The late, great Clyde Hart, coach of Sanya Richards-Ross and Jeremy Wariner, among others told me several times that coaches needed to be open to learning new approaches each and every day! One of Clyde’s friends, JIm Bush, told me the same thing. Coach John Smith, back in the early 2000s, sat with me, Said Aoutia, and the late Paul Banta, organizer of the adidas Oregon Track Classic and shared two hours of training advice on 400 meters and then, middle distances. It was one of those nights, I wish I had a tape recorder on.

In observing the Friday training day and Saturday, racing day, I have these observations!

1. The art of racing is not about running fast times, it is about learning how to compete in various environments. If all the athlete is doing is racing fast times, with pacers and pace lights, that is NOT championship racing. Your athletes need as many different racing environments as they can experience. They need to get knocked down, knocked around and recover and race. They need to stumble and know that they can handle it. I fear the rather antiseptic approach to racing, the desire for fast times, while it has its place, does not prepare runners in North America on how to race through rounds and finals.
2. Racers and record setters. Two of our finest racers are Cole Hocker and NIkki HIltz. Cole just won the 3,000 meters on Saturday, in a race with an honest pace, and three of our finest racers in North America: Cole, Nico Young and Yared Nuguse. The pace was honest and that last 1000 meters was so exciting. Replay the race, watch how Cole Hokcer moved up, on the outside, watch how Yared Nuguse used a variation of what he did to win a medal in Paris! Nico Young will learn from that race, and be better prepared for the upcoming global battles.

   

3. Let’s talk about Nikki Hiltz. Nikki is at the top of their game. The stress of a world-class athlete is one thing. The vitriol and hate that Nikki has sometimes experienced is just wrong. And when so called Christians tell me about what violates the Bible, I remind them that Jesus surrounded himself with people of all manners of occupations. The message of all religions is love and acceptance, not judgement and the sending of terrible social notes. Nikki is a role model. Nikki is also one of the finest racers in North America . Nikki Hiltz is looking to me like a global medal prospect. Their focus on the 1,500 meters, a decision made by Nikki and their coach, Juli Benson, makes tremendous sense for Nikki. Looking forward to seeing Nikki Hiltz race on Sunday. (Nikki was coached in high school, by my old training partner, Dan Gruber, at Aptos High).

   

4. I love Chase Jackson. I have intereviewed her so many times and she is eminently quotable, combining the funny and the profane. Chase has a bit of competition on Saturday, and pulled out a big throw, 20.44 meters, and she is ready to throw in Poland. Chase also reminded me how much the women throwers all get along, encourage each other and have a great time competiting. Watch the shot put, Chase Jackson is looking for that Indoor gold medal in Poland, the ONLY one that she does not have!

   

5. Speaking of fun and quotable athletes, let’s talk about Trey Cunningham. Trey Cunningham took second in the 60 meter hurdles, second to Dylan Beard, who scored a PB to take the win. When I asked Trey what he had learned about the hurdles from that race, Trey said, ” Well, 7.40 is pretty fast!” At the presser, we had spoken about what was happening this season that made him race so well. Trey described it as presence. He is present in the moment, he focused on the start, and then, if that goes well, the rest comes into play.

   

6. Cooper Lutkenhaus. Cooper is sixteen. He is the World U20 800 meter record holder and he ran the heats in the 800 meters like a pro. Cooper did an interview with me for our NIKE newsletter, and he was fantastic. Watch for Cooper to be around, if he wants to, for fifteen more years! Cooper wants racing experience, and he and his team are focused on getting him those experiences.

   

7. Jasmine Moore takes the long jump. Jasmine Moore has won medals, Olympic medals mind you at the long jump and triple jump. She is a unique talent, competing in the sports most technical (triple jump) and the sports most straight forward event (long-Jump). Jasmine was so happy in the interview, please with her competition.

   

8. A big win for Emily Mackay. Emily won the 3000 meters, in a battle with Elle St. Pierre. Emily and Elle brok the thirty-six year old meet record of 8:44 by Lynn Jennings and Vicki Huber, from 1990! Emly ran 8:30.01 and 8:31.07 for Elle. Watch Elle in the 1,500 meters on Sunday. She is very competitive. Her two boys are sick at home with their father and family and Elle is determined to race well. Elle is the 2024 Glasgow champion at the 3000 meter indoors.

   

9. Khaleb McRae is the new world record holder indoors at the 400 meters. He looked superb in the heats, and he is focused on the big prize. Khaleb has run 43.91 outdoors and trains with Jereem Richards, World silver medlaist athe 400 meters, under the thoughtful eyes of Lance Braumann. Watch Khaleb, he has WR look in his eyes.

   

10. The six meter club. Zach Bradford won the US pole vault title, but perhaps as important, he cleared 6.01 meters, his sixth time over 5.90 meters or above this year. Zach has vaulted since he was five, as his brother and Dad vaulted. A quiet athlete who speaks with words that are well-considered, Zach lets his vaulting do the talking. Please watch Zach, he will take a medal or two in the global vault wars.

    

11. Check out our interviews on IG, twitter and FB. Jeff Benjamin, senior writer and myself are in the mixed zone, doing interviews. Watch Deji Ogeyingbo, post som social media observations.
12. We will be writing about the meet all week long.