First Koko, now Jessica Hull leaves UAC

Australia or Portland Oregon

Australia or Portland Oregon

Pretty easy decision.

UAC really fell off

I mean they signed David Ribich who's out there running 8 minute 3ks and 9 minute steeples

The part of Pete Julian building UAC from the ground up made me laugh.

When will Nike pull the plug on UAC?

I'm sure that the non-running marketing guys there are asking themselves what the UAC is contributing to Nike.

Crikey. Just when she starts to show signs of a big breakthrough. Who's next? Sinclaire to NB Boston?

recently married so probably a family decision.

UAC imploding. Gonna end up with just dorky dork D Ribich there

So Nike is paying this Hull who won exactly nothing apart from two NCAA titles that no one cares about.

The same time Nike doesn't want to sponsor Koko, the best female non-African half-marathoner in the world (better than US bests lamers by more than a minute), 5000m bronze medalist from the 2019 Worlds, EU 5000m champion, 3-time EU indoor silver medalist, many times EU cross medalist.

Nike obviously earns too much and needs some boycott to find its corrected place in line...

This is a laughably terrible comment. Jess Hull is easily the best and most popular mid/distance runner in Australia. She owns all our national records basically. She's more liked than Stewy McSweyn, Ollie Hoare and the rest put together.

This mixed with the fact that Jess is attractive, marketable and a great ambassador for the sport, if you can't see why Nike would continue to throw money at her then you need your eyes checked.

and that is all there is to this story. She is healthy and running well. Wants to be with her husband.

It's been great having her compete more at home this year. So what group's she gonna train with?

Yes, and maybe she is but you have to understand, even if I like kangaroos and koalas and Herbert sisters, that the country is "small" and even if relatively rich doesn't matter internationally and in running.

She is 27 this year and won nothing up to that point. She was even after Poland's Sofia Ennaoui in Oregon who is nothing special but looks like very good now in comparison. Then she had her chance at Commonwealths to finish disappointing (even frustrating) 8th, even after without-form Reekie.

If Jess had won at least Commonwealth medal like Peter Bol or
Ollie Hoare then it would have been another story, but she didn't. She lost also to Ciara Mageean who is super star then, and to compatriots Abbey Caldwell and Linden Hall. So what star Jessica is?

He just put in a bunch of great performances (the best leg at World XC relay, 1500m win at Maurie Plant, 3000m NR 8:31 and a 1500m/5k double at nationals), all of which were televised in Australia for the first time in ages.

This means she's incredibly marketable in Australia.

Always liked her. She was a great student athlete. Had the classroom part down. She also seems genuine.

Let her be happy! Not every transition is the result of a fallout or something bad.

Signing David Ribich turns out to be good for UAC - he's there to train and help feel good in America for Noah Kibet.

Tough breaks for UAC/Julian. Two of their athletes are running their absolute best, and one apparently doesn't get offered a contract (Koko), and the other makes a life decision unrelated to her training (Hull). All while Nike is reigning in costs it seems, so I'm not sure if they could add a Lauren Gregory or someone like that.

I just think it makes it that much harder for recruiting upper distance athletes. Koko was 5k-HM and Hull 1500m-5k. His group is largely mid-D now.

Don't forget Engels left, Brazier hurt, Hasay is done, etc.

If you look at each case individually its "ah tough break" but you add them all up and the bigger picture looks a little differently.

People underestimate how much of coaching is personality and dealing with people. That is all I will say on that....

Julian's personality is less than zero, to judge by his attitude in one of those Engels workout videos. Why anyone would stick with that, I have no idea. It is not as if he has produced results. The program has just gone downhill and the team has had constant injuries, yet he started with a team with top talent.