Coffee with Larry, July 15, 2024, 400 meter hurdles in Monaco, Brooks Johnson, Femke Bol Impresses, and thoughts on John Bennett, architect of VISA Decathlon Program

This is my daily chat with #RunBlogRun viewers and track fans on track & field!

This is Coffee with Larry for Monday, July 15, 2024.

Coffee with Larry, Episode 820, November 25, 2025, Deep thoughts on cross-country season

#CoffeewithLarry, Episode 819, November 24, 2025, it was a Cross-Country Weekend

Coffee with Larry, Episode 818, November 22, 2025, Cross-Country is everywhere!

Our topics:

1. Great to meet on Friday in Monaco!

2. Five Big Moments from Monaco, by Stuart Weir: https://www.runblogrun.com/2024/07/five-highlights-from-monaco.html

Jessica Hull, photo by Diamond League AG

3. Three Amigos battle it out over 400m hurdles! by
Stuart Weir, https://www.runblogrun.com/2024/07/the-mens-400-meter-hurdles-in-herculis-monaco-the-three-amigos-delivered-in-monaco.html

Rai Benjamin won a very important battle in Monaco over 400m hurdles, photo by Diamond League AG

4. RAK Half marathon announces 2025 date, February 1, 2025, plus Pre-registration offer! https://www.runblogrun.com/2024/07/the-2025-ras-al-khaimah-half-marathon-announced-for-february-1-2025.html

RAK Half Marathon, photo by RAK Half Marathon

5. We just received the sad news, John Bennett, RIP, 1932-2024.

One of the most important people in sports marketing and global Olympic marketing, John Bennett, former VISA Executive VP for Marketing, built the VISA Decathlon Program, 1990-2000, with Coaches Harry Marra and Fred Samara, has just died. He was 91. Watch for the story tomorrow of this fantastic man and marketing visionary. Keep him in your prayers, as well as his lovely wife of 65 years, Ann, and his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Truly a man among men.

Also watch for a tribute on our podcast tomorrow as well.

John Bennett, VISA Exec VP for Marketing, supported the VISA Decathlon program, 1990-2000, a true visionary in Olympic marketing! Photo courtesy of Harry Marra

John Bennett was a good man, and his support of VISA saved American Athletics magazine. Then, American Track & Field, with VISA’s ad support and the support of the VISA Decathlon program, brought medals back to the US if should always be a huge US athletic presence.

6. Femke Bol ran 50.95, a new European record at 400-meter hurdles this past weekend. Only the second woman to break 51 seconds in the 400m hurdles!

Femke Bol, Stockholm DL, photo by Diamond League AG

7. Some thoughts on Brooks Johnson.

Brooks Johnson is one of our sport’s most important coaches and champions of Women’s Track & Field.

Have a great day! See you tomorrow!

Thanks for watching Coffee with Larry!

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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