He's not at altitude full time but he spends quite a bit of time at altitude. He's in Flagstaff a lot and was even in St. Moritz while his wife was about to give birth so I think Jakob would agree that spending as much time at altitude as possible is pretty important.
But going back to the point Tyrone was responding to, he doesn't live at altitude, which would refute the claim that you need to live at altitude to compete at those distances.
That's true. But it would be nice if and when you do go to altitude, your coach was there too. Not something that BTC can offer (and from what it sounds like, it may not have been what was going on even before Jerry took the Oregon job).
Does the reigning 3x global 5000m champ and 3000m/2mile WR holder train "full time at altitude"?
He's not at altitude full time but he spends quite a bit of time at altitude. He's in Flagstaff a lot and was even in St. Moritz while his wife was about to give birth so I think Jakob would agree that spending as much time at altitude as possible is pretty important.
I would bet that his wife and kid drove this decision more than money. I recall that Rachel talked in some interview about him being away all the time while baby was in progress.
remember in 2008… there was a college coach that ALSO had the best pros. It was a wild time. Then this dude starts a Nike group and LEAVES his college team taking the best with him.
then next ten years is awesome, medals, records, stacks of US titles.
Then a burrito changed everything. Flat circle
Mike already has his hands in the burrito meat. He willingly took on Galen and his athletes do what they have to do to compete.
Maybe leaving the college game will mean Rachel doesn’t have to single mom it as often now, as she momentarily posted about this summer.
I completely disagree of course Smith is the head coach, so his touches with the team are a little more profound but cornfield is very well respected both as a recruiter and coach. In fact, cornfield has tremendous personality and professionalism when dealing with recruits and athletes. He is very meticulous in the recruiting process to ensure the athlete is a good fit in the program. My opinion Cornfield will continue to improve on the house that NAU continues to build year after year. It's his time to shine!!!
don't forget, before Mike Smith took over NAU he shadowed Eric Heins there for a whole season, which is what Jarred Cornfeld now gets to do, and this doesn't include all the years he's already been there. Cornfeld will be fine and is a great recruiter. he's often the first guy potential athletes talk to before Smith. might be some bumps at first but he'll continue the culture and tradition.
This would be a very smart move on Smith's part. He's made it pretty clear he will live and die in Flagstaff, and has turned down huge offers elsewhere simply because he doesn't want to leave (and I certainly don't blame him, its a special place)
But he and every other smart coach in the country is starting to see the writing on the wall. The NCAA as we know it will not exist in 5 years, if not sooner. Collegiate athletics is being stretched, with the top funded programs dropping big money on transfers and outrageous foreign talent, while for the bottom funded programs the culling has already begun. The center cannot hold.
This deal gives Smith an out, presumably with a big raise, and he gets to stay in Flagstaff, all while working significantly fewer hours than as a head coach. Of course he misses out on cultivating young athletes, but that's a trade I would make any day.
He gets to tell pros to relax their eyelids, move oxygen the last 2k, and not be too insecure to run slower. This is incredible! It’s not like 7000 feet altitude, world class resources, inheriting a national champion team, or recruiting foreign athletes had anything to do with his success at NAU. It had all to do with getting his athletes to buy into his poetic psychiatry!
Nike is not done with this move. They are getting back in the game. A bigger presence in running specialty stores. They have reached out to existing training groups to find out when their contracts end. The game plan is to dominate by 2028 when the Olympics return to LA. I will bet that every potential US Olympic marathoner will be in Nike product by 2028.
He gets to tell pros to relax their eyelids, move oxygen the last 2k, and not be too insecure to run slower. This is incredible! It’s not like 7000 feet altitude, world class resources, inheriting a national champion team, or recruiting foreign athletes had anything to do with his success at NAU. It had all to do with getting his athletes to buy into his poetic psychiatry!
He would not have won a cross country title since 2020 without Nico Young. He’s the golden child and he signed with Adidas haha
If he leaves to start a pro group under Nike, will he continue to coach Nico who just signed a pro contract with Adidas? Hopefully, he's able to negotiate to still coach his non-Nike sponsored pros like Nico and Luis.
They have a full year to balance this stuff out. Assuming NAU stays Adidas, the conflicted athletes can just stay with Cornfeld.
These guys and girls all talk to each other daily. A year of notice is quite fair and professional.
Is Smith to Nike confirmed? A year out front on that seems too good to be true.
Some guy named Salazar eligible to coach again now. He may head to Atalanta.
Also curious how pro running coach compensation is structured, specifically for a group like this (not just a one-on-one thing). Is it base + extra base per athlete coached + performance bonuses? Does any of it come directly from the athletes, or is it all via the group's sponsor?
Any educated guesses for how much Smith will be pulling in per year?
Nike is not done with this move. They are getting back in the game. A bigger presence in running specialty stores. They have reached out to existing training groups to find out when their contracts end. The game plan is to dominate by 2028 when the Olympics return to LA. I will bet that every potential US Olympic marathoner will be in Nike product by 2028.
If you look at the top young distance Americans in ncaa, none are Nike guys. I could see them making a run at Blanks and Wolfe when they decide to turn pro.
But going back to the point Tyrone was responding to, he doesn't live at altitude, which would refute the claim that you need to live at altitude to compete at those distances.
That's true. But it would be nice if and when you do go to altitude, your coach was there too. Not something that BTC can offer (and from what it sounds like, it may not have been what was going on even before Jerry took the Oregon job).
One of the reasons Grant left BTC was to spend more time at altitude.
In one of his many interviews this year, Grant mentioned that all his top competitors live and train at altitude. So, he felt he needed to do the same to level up. And, so he did.
The Coffee Club boiz even touched on this subject in one of their podcasts several months ago.
At last year's Florence/Rome DL meeting in which Klecker, Ahmed and Fisher completed in the 5k (finishing 6th, 10th and 11th respectively), Joe mentioned to the boiz that Mo & Grant told him they were a little annoyed at not being at altitude more.
In the end, Mo stayed. Grant moved on.
Regarding Jakob not living full-time at altitude. Figured someone with myopic vision would point him out.
Jakob's current living/training situation does not undermine the argument for steeplechasers to marathoners living and training full-time at altitude to maximize their potential.
For right now, Jakob is in the middle distance phase of his running career, focusing on the 1500 & mile. A few long stints at altitude is fine for maximizing his potential in these events.
In a few years, when he shifts his focus to the longer distance, let's see what he does. Even if remains at low altitude, well, he's still Jakob. An apparent universe of one.
Back to Mike Smith & his new Nike pro training group starting next summer.
All brand-sponsored pro distance teams have assistants. We now know Jarred Cornfield will replace Mike as NAU's new coach. So, not him. Then who? Is this where the omnipresent Sean Brosnan steps in? Or, would Rachel Smith become Mike's assistant?
As to speculation regarding Nike shuttering the BTC pro team, believe that speculation is misdirected.
BTC pros were brought to Eugene in part as a recruiting tool for UO to attract new recruits who could matriculate right into BTC following their UO careers. While the pros would benefit from having Hayward Field's extensive training/therapy resources instead of going over to Jerry's garage to lift weights as they did when in Portland.
If any Nike team will be shuttered, it will be UAC in Portland. Frankly, today's (8/26) announcement of Mike leaving NAU next year to coach a yet-unnamed Flagstaff-based professional distance team sounds like the death knell of UAC. Seems reasonable to believe Nike has/soon will tell team members they have one more year together. Then, move to Flagstaff . . . or move on.
Bowerman should throw their budget at getting Wolfe and Blanks, I think I said this before but now with this new group forming they need to attract big names to stay relevant.
At this point they don't really have any American stars with Ahmed being the top guy and McGorty sort of on the fringe of that level while Jager winds down.
Bring in the top two talents now to make them the new face of the team. Wolfe is presumably following the same training that has translated well for Fisher and McGorty and Blanks seems like his training would line up with what Bowerman likes to do
The draw for them always seemed like it was that they had so many good guys and ladies as training partners and now with competition from a Smith group they need to lock in some people
What happened to what's his name, the guy who was at UCLA who would post here to self-promote? Wasn't he suppose to be the next Nike coach?
Mike Smith doesn’t start his group until next year 2025. They only did this announcement now because of Mike Smith wanted a proper transition for NAU athletes with Cornfield. Nike groups and other coaches will be involved with changes this fall. What I can say is except these announcements by January when all the contracts are getting renewed. Especially for new coaches involved.