Once again, Sarah Lorge-Butler and Runner’s World with a scoop that Gault and LRC should have, but could not get.
Again, why do we need to get this scoop? It's published and we link to it. There is next to know money in breaking news. But there is money in having people like yourself post free content on my messageboard. Love us or hate us, I don't care just keep talking about us. Thanks.
amen. i posted exactly the same thing before seeing your comment
I'm always amused at people's of basic geographical knowledge. Boulder is right up against the foothills of a geographic feature called the "Rocky Mountains". You can drive 10 - 15 minutes west of Boulder and be a 7000 feet training on beautiful trails. Or you could simply do your warm-up to get there.
There are many great altitude training locals in the US - but all the Colorado front-range cities (Denver, Boulder, Colorado Springs, and even Fort Collins) are 15 minutes from 7000 feet training
Except the best in the world live and train on the track at ~7700’, and regularly go up to run on Mount Entoto at ~10000’.
If Mammoth Lakes was as large as Addis Ababa, and located just a few degrees north of the equator with snow-free trail running year around, we wouldn't be talking about Mount Entoto or Flagstaff or Park City.
With a likely impending announcement re: Diljeet Taylor/BYU taking over as coach of a new Nike-sponsored pro women's team based in Provo or Park City, appears BTC/Jerry will remain in Eugene as the pro team fed primarily by future UO grads.
So, by next summer, Nike will have pro distance teams based in Portland, Boulder, Provo, and Flagstaff.
Lots of options for many more post-collegians looking to sign with Nike.
800 & milers may be more willing to sign on with (sea level) BTC as two or three altitude camps are all they need to maximize their performances.
Thus, will Raevyn Rogers move to Eugene? Will Sinclaire Johnson reunite with Jerry? Will Charles Hicks leave BTC for an altitude team?
BTC may very well become primarily a middle distance pro team with everyone one else choosing one of the other three options.
There is also the scenario of Nike funding a men's pro team in Park City, featuring Grant Fisher.
And then there's SOVA, based in Blacksburg headed by Ben Thomas, featuring Cole Hocker and Cooper Teare. Does Nike fund another pro team with the intention of attracting distance runners who prefer living on the East Coast?
Lots of dominoes yet to fall.
The only problem with this is that Jerry sucks at coaching true mid-d runners. They have always been the first to leave his group. Would love to see Ben Thomas be the designated Nike mid-d/sea level coach but unfortunately seems like they'll always favor Jerry over him.
Once again, Sarah Lorge-Butler and Runner’s World with a scoop that Gault and LRC should have, but could not get.
Again, why do we need to get this scoop? It's published and we link to it. There is next to know money in breaking news. But there is money in having people like yourself post free content on my messageboard. Love us or hate us, I don't care just keep talking about us. Thanks.
Rojo, agree with you on the scoop part.
However, you may be missing the bigger picture here.
It sure looks like Nike is targeting a big medal haul at the 2028 LA Olympics by pouring what appears to be millions of $$ into formalizing a updated professional training program to help foster more Grant Fishers and Cole Hockers.
BTC moving to Eugene now looks to be primarily a Phil Knight decision to help out his alma mater.
However, we now have two confirmed new altitude teams to be based in Flagstaff and Boulder with a likely-to-be-soon confirmed third site based in Provo. And, a distinct possibility of a fourth team based in Park City.
This is far bigger news than Project 99 which turns out to be just a training program devised by one coach for one athlete. "Nike Project Altitude" has far greater implications for so many current and upcoming distance runners, both for Nike, its competitors, and the coaches heading these teams who may also have college teams to look after.
Nobody does it better than Jon Gault when it comes to in-depth, long-format reporting on track distance running.
And, this is the topic we all would like to learn much more about.
All your talk about Grand Slam Track is pure speculation. This is real. It is happening now. Don't just accumulate links and let it all become past tense.
There are likely several full podcasts worth of information you guys could talk about regarding this story . . . if you make it a priority.
With a likely impending announcement re: Diljeet Taylor/BYU taking over as coach of a new Nike-sponsored pro women's team based in Provo or Park City, appears BTC/Jerry will remain in Eugene as the pro team fed primarily by future UO grads.
So, by next summer, Nike will have pro distance teams based in Portland, Boulder, Provo, and Flagstaff.
Lots of options for many more post-collegians looking to sign with Nike.
800 & milers may be more willing to sign on with (sea level) BTC as two or three altitude camps are all they need to maximize their performances.
Thus, will Raevyn Rogers move to Eugene? Will Sinclaire Johnson reunite with Jerry? Will Charles Hicks leave BTC for an altitude team?
BTC may very well become primarily a middle distance pro team with everyone one else choosing one of the other three options.
There is also the scenario of Nike funding a men's pro team in Park City, featuring Grant Fisher.
And then there's SOVA, based in Blacksburg headed by Ben Thomas, featuring Cole Hocker and Cooper Teare. Does Nike fund another pro team with the intention of attracting distance runners who prefer living on the East Coast?
Lots of dominoes yet to fall.
I'm guessing Nike will use the Eugene based BTC as a feeder into the two teams at altitude. The progression will be 1. U of O, 2. BTC, 3. One of the two altitude teams based on event.
You can drive 10 - 15 minutes west of Boulder and be a 7000 feet training on beautiful trails.
That's true, but a big reason runners go to altitude (as opposed to, say, doing their training runs in an altitude chamber) is because of the benefits of cumulative round-the-clock exposure. That's actually one of the big challenges of using altitude tents: spending 10 hours in the tent every night doesn't seem to be enough to max out the red blood cell benefits.
I'm always amused at people's of basic geographical knowledge. Boulder is right up against the foothills of a geographic feature called the "Rocky Mountains". You can drive 10 - 15 minutes west of Boulder and be a 7000 feet training on beautiful trails. Or you could simply do your warm-up to get there.
There are many great altitude training locals in the US - but all the Colorado front-range cities (Denver, Boulder, Colorado Springs, and even Fort Collins) are 15 minutes from 7000 feet training
Runner's World is a real publication. This is not. It's an amusement park of opinions, with some entertainment value.
Except this site also contains information you won't find anywhere else from posters like Renato Canova, Malmo, Craig Virgin, etc. Free speech means you have to wade through the mud to get to the diamonds but the diamonds are here and not on Runner's World et al.
Once again, Sarah Lorge-Butler and Runner’s World with a scoop that Gault and LRC should have, but could not get.
Again, why do we need to get this scoop? It's published and we link to it. There is next to know money in breaking news. But there is money in having people like yourself post free content on my messageboard. Love us or hate us, I don't care just keep talking about us. Thanks.
Again, why do we need to get this scoop? It's published and we link to it. There is next to know money in breaking news. But there is money in having people like yourself post free content on my messageboard. Love us or hate us, I don't care just keep talking about us. Thanks.
MattHatter, I like your work on this board . . . but have to chime in here for a moment.
The parts about Nike and Jarred Cornfield are correct . . . but the rest is wrong.
(Note: I know it looks corny, but his name is spelled Cornfield. With two "r"s in the first name.)
After Elise grew weary of BTC, then tried again and failed with Team Boss, it finally sank in that the pro team environment was no longer for her, even one based nearby where she lives.
By all accounts, Elise is now very happy with Jarred, a long-time friend who has reduced her mileage and intensity by focusing on limited threshold workouts to avoid another fall down the RED-S rabbit hole.
Only way she leaves Jarred is (a) he either cuts her loose to focus entirely on his new head coaching duties at NAU next year, or (b) Nike insists Elise train with the relocated UAC if she continues to live In the Boulder area. Doubt any of those options are realistic.
And, like Jess Hull, Elise does have track session training partners; male training partners named Tai Dinger/ex-Stanford and Charles Sweeney/ex-CU. One or both were even up at St. Moritz to help her out during the two weeks prior to the Olympics.
UAC moving to Boulder will have no impact on Elise other than she would have ex-Stanford teammate Ella Donaghu to accompany her on easy and long runs -- presuming Ella does not bolt to BTC or Mike Smith or choose some other option.
I stand corrected. and I never thought she'd leave Jarred Cornfield with two R's. I just meant having a Nike outpost in Boulder would help her as far as training partners and having a support staff nearby (if she wanted them) though it sounds like she's got that covered.
The last thing Elise needs is any Julian influence. Hoping she stays very, very far away from that guy. Dude is a career killer.
I'm always amused at people's of basic geographical knowledge. Boulder is right up against the foothills of a geographic feature called the "Rocky Mountains". You can drive 10 - 15 minutes west of Boulder and be a 7000 feet training on beautiful trails. Or you could simply do your warm-up to get there.
There are many great altitude training locals in the US - but all the Colorado front-range cities (Denver, Boulder, Colorado Springs, and even Fort Collins) are 15 minutes from 7000 feet training
Boulder bro
No Boulder would be better, bro. We're full. Actually, I guess a few more runners is cool, I assume they don't join their half a milllion closest friends in Vail every weekend