– Sprint coach Stephen Francis talking about Usain Bolt. A few days ago, Francis revealed he turned down the chance to coach Bolt when Bolt was younger: “It is not in me for the easy pass. I like the hardship and challenges. I delight in taking the guy who was fourth, fifth or sixth and try and beat the guy who won.”
Next week, the USATF Board has the opportunity to do the right thing and honor the wishes of 85% of USATF delegates and nominate Bob Hersh to the IAAF Council. The track and field community that the Board is supposed to serve could not have made it more clear - Bob Hersh, not Stephanie Hightower, should be the USA nominee to the IAAF Council.
Nate Houle had it all: a beautiful wife, wonderful son, and his dream job coaching track at his alma mater Southern Utah University (Cam Levins' school, Nate was Cam's teammate). Then, in the span of five months, he lost his job, and was diagnosed with a rare cancer. Rather than make Nate bitter, the cancer has given Nate a new appreciation for life and God's plan for him. That makes him our Runner of the Month.
Emma Coburn, Read This: Milcah Chemos’ Hamstring “Snapped” At CGs, But After Surgery In October, She’s Ready To Begin Training And Hopes To Defend Her World Title
LRCWhy Was Drug Cheat Hamza Driouch Training (With Mo Farah) In Ethiopia? Who Supplied The 17-Year-Old Doper? Social media photos of Mo Farah training with now drug cheat Hamza Driouch of Qatar have the British press asking, “What is Farah doing training with a drug cheat in Ethiopia?” Our more immediate focus is, “What the hell is drug cheat Driouch doing training period?”
*MB: Mo Farah training with Driouch after his suspension started (but before it was announced)
Update: British Athletics Responds: Say They Relied On Jama Aden To “Facilitate” Farah’s Trip Aden provided Driouch as an athlete to train with Farah. Aden says he didn’t know about his ban.
*Mo Farah In Twitter Pic With Gamze Bulut And Taoufik Makhloufi
LRC Remembering LRCer Van TownsendThe running world lost one of its bright lights this week with the death of Van Townsend.
*MB: RIP Van Townsend: Share Your Respects Here
Friday Mid-D/D Results: MB Lee Emanuel Makes 2015 European Indoor 3000 Final – Kate Avery does not Aníta Hinriksdóttir set a European Jr. record of 2:01.56 in the 800.
Europe, We Love You: LRC A Fan’s Guide To The 2015 European Indoor Championships 2014 world outdoor and 2015 world indoor 1,500 leader Sifan Hassan is going for the double but the event of the meet is the women’s 800. Lots of Iona Gaels in action – one who is skipping NCAAs (Kate Avery) and one who isn’t (Rosie Clarke)
*More Previews: *Athletics Weekly Preview *M Track *M Field*W Track*W Field
San Diego Union Tribune: “NFL Combine’s 40-Yard Dash Makes No Sense” Writer Nick Canepa calls the NFL’s 40-yard times “lies,” saying they’re unrealistically fast.
Day 5: LRC Coe On The 2-Hour Marathon: “It’s a tall order but it’s certainly within the scope of a man.”
*Day 4: LRCCoe On Marketing The Sport: One Size Doesn’t Fit All Coe advocates moving money from Monaco to the member federations who will know what works best locally. “We have to put the member federations in the best possible position to deliver the sport in the way they know there is a local interest. …We’ve got to find the key drivers of growth for the sport and we’ve got to be able deliver that sport in a much more flexible way.”
*Day 3: LRC Seb Coe’s Growth Plans: “We’ve got a sport, I think we’ve got to create a movement.”
*Day 2: LRCSeb Coe On Trust/Doping
*Day 1: LRCIntro And Summary “I take great exception to people from outside our sport trying to redesign our sport because they don’t fundamentally understand the nature, the history and the philosophy of it.”
WTW Hyping Montaño, Rowbury And Andrews; Tapping The Brakes On Loxsom’s AR; Don’t Ever Leave Lane 1; Plus A Collegiate Record For Emily Sisson And The Oregon Ducks Are Insanely Good (Corrected) Cas Loxsom and Emily Sisson had the performances of the weekend. We break them down and take another look at all the USA winners. We ponder if Alysia Montaño and Shannon Rowbury may soon be on the 2012 Olympic podium, and tell you how incredibly good the Oregon Ducks distance men are. Plus 300 Olympic Trials qualifiers from Japan. Note: Our stagger info was incorrect.
LRC The Story Behind The Alaskan Flip-Off: The 2013 LRC Photo Of The Year
LRC What’s Your 2014 Running Photo Of The Year? Have you taken a photo or seen a photo that could be the running photo of the year (2014 until now)*. Submit or tweet your entries to us. Winner and/or person who tells us of winner wins $100.
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