Jim Spivey you were a very classy and gutsy runner!

apparently my friend of a friend knows him, and was SUPPOSED to give my info about a running club he runs. but no.

if you read this by any chance, care to tell me about it? :)

I was always a big Spivey fan too....great range and a great attitude. I enjoy his posts on here as well...the one about his training with Coe was excellent.

Jim what do you do nowadays? Do you still run and run road races? Take care!

I loved his hair and look. Seriously. Totally cool back in the day.

Jim lives in Wheaton, IL and is working for Asics. He does still have his running club and is coaching privately. His oldest son goes to Wheaton Academy in West Chicago but does not run. I saw him last fall at some high school cross country meets in the Chicago Suburbs. He was great to watch run! Certainly he should be among America’s greatest mid-distance runners ever.

Jim, on another thread you mentioned that you set your 1500m PR by 3 seconds after Seb Coe told you to "RELAX!" during the first part of the race. If you could, please elaborate on this, if you can remember. What parts of your body did you relax? I'm assuming you didn't do a "face plant" into the track, so you didn't relax everything. So did you get stronger in some areas and relax in others? Setting a PR by 3 seconds while at a world class level is really awesome and I'm eager to see what you can tell us about it.

Here's the famed Spivey thread from Track and Field News

This thread will continue from another thread, for those just picking it up.

Why does 3:54 sound so fast today? Does one think that Jason Lunn is not training to race faster? Yes, I can honestly say, that coach Gags has been one of my mentors. John McDonell and Al Carius (N. Central college, d3) I would also like to include in that title, of being humble and people that have taken me under their wing. I feel honored that Coach Gags has asked me to fly out to SFO and speak to the kids he is coaching in December. In some ways, I will speak what I want to hear, if I was there age. . . yet,not sure I would have listened. At age 25-30, you think you are going to make Olympic teams for the rest of your life.

Concerning the money issue, I always wanted to run not for the money, but for personal reasons. I found that while in a Grand Prix final, and if you pass one more person you win $2000 more, I could never be motivated for dollars. Don't feel bad for js - in 1988, between Nike, Olymipic USOC stipend ($1500/mo - based upon winning the bronze medal in 1987), a HMO sponsorship, and regualr race money, I was low 6-figure income. Nike did make the correct business decision in 1989, by offering me significantly less for a contract: I was 29, and injured. I believe that is why I switched to Asics for $0 - I wanted to prove to Nike that I was still viable, and could run 3:49 again. I was able to support my family from 1983-1997 on running income, and Asics played a huge part of that from 1991-1998.

In 1986, I knew I was in great shape, and had run 10x400 in 57-58 with 200m job between. I ran 1:48 solo 800 in practice a week before Oslo. I knew I was fit, and went over a week early to get adjusted to the time difference. All the big guns were running the dream mile, including the World record holder Cram and AR Scott.

We would race the dream mile at 1120pm Oslo time, so it could be shown on the ABC Wide world of sports live. Visualize, completely dark, except the stadium of 15,000, small by European standards. The track only has 6 lanes in the backstretch, with the bricked wall 3-4 feet high for spectators to sit behind. They had metal billboards placed on the brick walls, and kids would lay their chests on the brick walls, and beat out a "bang-bang-bang" in unision as you ran by. Each group would pick up the sound as you flew along the track. It was so loud, that I could not hear myself breathe.

My log book is at school, so I can't give you the splits, but it was fast through the 3/4 mile mark - something like 2:52.5(yards). Cram hammered the 3rd 440, and put a gap on the rest of the field. With a lap to go, I dug in and saw Cram starting to come back. This made me think more positive, and I pressed on the back stretch. I thought I could catch him with 200 to go, then Scotty flew by me like a train, and almost caught Cram. I tightened up, and I can remember to this day, the lactic acid the last 80 meters - my head was swimming. The line could not have come soon enough. I went through the line, and thought, I bet I ran under 3:50, because this is what it should feel like.

I did not find out from the Athletic West's agent, Pete Petersons, until we were back in the hotel, what my time was. I remember him standing outside the hotel, and I asked him what my time was. He did not know, but had the results. He found the page, and I scanned down and all I saw was 3:4 . . .I did not even register the last digit. It did not matter. I went for a warm-down, and just so you know that all milers are not the stoic, no pain type, I remember warming down, and stopping, dropping to one knee, after 1am in the morning, and crying. I can remember thinking, why did I deserve to run so fast. Ok, it sounds a bit silly, but I did wonder this. Everyone trains. Everyone trains hard. I was only putting in 55-65 miles per week in the spring, and I am sure I was in the 40-50 range before the race. Maybe . . . my head was still swimming in the lactic!

Postline: In 1983, after finishing 2nd in 3:50.59, I received $300, and no appearance money.

I gave it back to Pete, and said that if this was all I was worth, please give it back to the meet director. He came back the next morning, and gave me the original 300 plus $200 kroners (Norway) "This was all he had Jim." 1986 - $1000 in appearance money, "No bonus money Jim."

I switched agents in 1987 to Kim McDonald, and my income that year tripled. Ok, I did run fast, but he was the best and what he did. I think Kim was only able to get $1000 or $1500 to show up in 1986, but I remember him telling me - "that't the last time. The meet director no realizes that he is no longer dealing with Pete." In 1988 - I had a stress fracture from a pair of defective air-bag Nike shoes, and missed 4.27-5.24 in training. I ran 3:56.7 at Pepsi after 2 weeks of training, and Mike said, "You will run 3:50 at Olso." I ran 3:59 at Lausanne to finish 3rd, not giving me any confidence for Oslo. But you do have to believe in our coach. 8th at Oslo I believe, 3:50.8 and $5000 to show.

Bonus money from Nike:

I found my 1988 Nike contract upstairs, dated 12.8.87. Here was the bonus structure:

sub 3:50.00 $500

sub 3:49.00 $1500

sub 3:48.00 $2000

sub 3:47.69 $2500

sub 3:47.30 $3000

sub 3:46.80 $5,000

js

Why can't Americans approach the times of Sydnee, Steve, Harbor, Byers and Lacy? How about even these 3:51 milers: Richie Harris, Chuck Aragon and my roommate Tuesday-Saturday for the NYC marathon, John Gregorek, the Brown U. men's xc coach? They all ran faster than anyone in the past 3 years.

How does Jason Lunn get faster?

The same thing I asked Dr. David Martin, who treadmill tested me through the Olympic Committee from 1989-1997. His reply: "Get a year older."

He also said, "realize that you are not a rat on a wheel, that just runs and eats pellets all day. You have a family, wall starring time, Asics commitments, and 10 other things going on in your life."

I thought one of the best things he told me two weeks ago, was asked of him when the U. of Colorado flew him out to speak to the XC teams. Question: How can we battle fatigue. Anyone who read mr. Lear's book knows what a loaded statement this is. His reply: "As runners, there are so many avenues that effect performance. Hydration - the body is 75% made up of water. Sleep. Academics. Love. The problem - as runners, we want predicibility. We want to be able to say, at 330pm on Wednesday, we will have a great workout. The problem is, that so many variable will effect that workout, and we feel like a loser if we do not meet expectations."

I think that, if you run 4:10 in high school, and you are the best in the state, you try to run 4:09. If you are 2nd in the state at 4:12, you try and run 4:10. If someone comes along and runs 4:02, then everyone shoots for a time 2 seconds slower. If we really think 13:25 is fast, then I will train to run 13:23. I can't believe that I can run 13:10. Adam Goucher ran :10 or :11 a few years ago - do you think that eats at him now, knowing he did it once? he knows, if he gets healthy, he can do it again. Mr. Torres knows his coach can coach people to 13:10. He just has to believe.

My coach, Mike Durkin, said that I never truly believed in his training. I would say otherwise, and have facts of success to back it up. What he meant was, that I might run 200's in 28.5 seconds in July, yet be in shape to run 3:33. Why need to run :25's in practice, just to prove I could do it? If I knew it anyway, why not run paces that will teach my body to run at the pace after the 800 metes.

I also think the Foreign athletes helped me become a better athlete when I was in college. Racing against Rono, Nyambui, Maree and Bile, many much older than me, led me to believe that I needed to train better to beat them. Running 13:40's as a sophomore in college at U. Texas, and being smoked by 4-6 Africans, laughing as they ran up front, makes one go home and either change events the next year (I did this too!) and/or train harder. If the NCAA's are won in 3:40 this year, why should I train harder or think I can run 3:35?

Finally, get into races that help you run fast. Peak in July and August. Pay your way over to Europe and race in the B meets in the summer. All of this is true, but how do you support yourself financially to be in this position? I trained from November through January, putting in general mileage. Then, raced indoors, only over 3000's, and tried to break 8:00. S. Coe said that if you could run under 8 one time to me, you knew you did a good job in your winter training. Then, I would train from March through June, putting in the volume intervals. Hard days (M-W-Sat) would consist of 11-13 miles, including a 3-4 mile morning run. But my easy days, I think even my team laughs at now. 30 m's am, and 35-40 m's in the pm. 60-70 mins total for the day, and at 7:00 pace, or on a good day, 6:50 pace. Great way to count Badger miles.

I would not start speed work until June, and sometimes, July. By speed, I have to admit I ran 500's going through the 400 in 53-54 in late May. But July might be 200's running the first 100 in 15 and the last in 12. That was all out for me. I always believed that my coach would peak me at the right time, and that was half the battle.

I met B. Kennedy in Chicago Midway airport the day after the Notre Dame invite. We were talking about age, and how it effected his and my performance. "I was 36 when I made the '96 Olympic team, and I know there were other people in that race who trained hard, less injuries, and were better than me. How come I finished 4th, and went on to run 13:24 in Stockholm at age 36?" I continued by saying to Bob, I think that knowing how to race and where you have to be helped me more than the training others were putting in.

My team now is trying to peak for one race: Regionals. Best the school has ever finished is 5th, both in 1992 and 2001, my first year coaching here. I met one-on-one with 3 of my freshmen today, saying, this is how I was coached, and this is how I judge myself as a coach: After the 11.15 race, will you be able to look me in the eye, and say you felt the best ever in your life today? If so, then I have coached great. Even if your place is great, but you did not feel good, I feel that I have the athlete down. Other coaches are saying, sure, he had the NCAA xc champ at Div. 3 (u. of Chicago), but that was d3 stuff. Can he do it at D1? Steve Scott's teams are ranked #1 and #2, but that is NAIA, not D1.

When training, one has to fully trust in your coach. I thought I did, but knew that Mike meant not the Olympic Trials, when I did fully trust. He meant Olympic games - when he told me to visualize winning the 92 1500m. I could not. I visualized running well, running fast. Going through in 2:50, and hanging on. But not winning. Seb Coe said to me in 1988 - If I can get the 8" between my eyes and the top of my head right, I can beat anyone in the world. THink of that statement. I could say that about my high school, college and USA career - but not European. He could. Does Alan Webb enter the starting line at Pre this past year, and say that? No. He says like I did to himself - how close can I get to Mr. El G. The main reason I ran 3:31.01 in Koblenz in August of 1988, is because I happened to go out with the rabbits, and after hearing the split, thought, feel good, let's keep going. I was the only one who went with Ken and Lewis. My wife was in the stands, and knew the uncharted waters I was going through. Afterwards, not an athlete, she asked: "Why can't you run that way all the time?" To be honest, when you run from the front, and put it all on the line . . what happens when you fail? What happens if I ran 1:51 then 3:42? My confidence would be shot. My season over. I would realize that I could not run that fast, this year. The only way, was to go back and start the training cycle all over again. It was better to hang back, kick like mad, run 3:51 and get 5th, than to go for the win and fail. Yes, the wrong way to race. A nice way to continue to make a living. I spent 6 years raising my two of my three sons (Sebastian and Sammy) at home, and would not have had that opportunity if I had a normal job. But I still think when I coach, that is an area that I would like to race over again, and teach those today about how to push through being average. You may be reading this and say, 3:50 is not average. But it is when Cram or Aouita is running 3:47.

js

In 1981, Tom Byers was the rabbit for the 1500 meters in Oslo, Norway. I was in Eugene, training there for 7 days, visting a former Sout Eugene HS athlete who still holds the 4xmile record, John Gustafason (he ran 3:40/4:03 at Indiana).

Byers was the rabbit, period. He was supposed to run through 1200m as fast as he could, then drop out. When he hit the 1200m mark, he put his head down, and started to jog. Not the moment of an athlete getting ready to rock the world. Ovett, et al, were all just reacing the finish line for the final lap. He had a 100m lead!

Byers jogged the backstretch, why? The rule was that the rabbit had to finish the race. I think it was changed around that time, that they could drop out, but Tom was probably not sure. He looked back with 250 to go, and no one was in sight.

With 300m to go, Ovett realized that the rabbit had continued to run, and was way ahead. Everyone started to run hard, Ovett included. With 150 to go, Tom found life in his legs, and started to race for the finish. The pack closed on him, but with 40 or so to go, Tom found the last gear and won, in 3:39. Ovett was 2nd, and I believe it was the first time he had been beaten over 1500m since the '80 Olmpics, and even longer in non-championship events.

Tom went from no one knowing him except a runner who ran 2:06 for a 1000yards to set the Big Ten record, the athlete who went out at 1:51 in the finals of the Olympic trials in 1976 after being reinstated from being tripped in the heats (and finishing last, as one of my coaches had the ability to win (Mike Durkin) but choose to be 3rd because he did not want the added pressure of being the American champion in Canada; and my other coach, Ken Popejoy (whose boys finished 7th and 17th in the Ill State meete today)bringing up the rear passing Tom to finish one place ahead of him.

On long runs with Ken in Chicago during the winter, with temps hovering in the teens, I would ask Ken to tell me stories about when he ran in college, and overseas. Pre stories - that make the videos look tame. Liquouri stories. And Byers? "His pace, and me going with him like a fool, cost me a chance to make the Olympic team."

Tom made the '83 World team with Steve and Sydnee, and before the semis, I remember sitting in his room with he and his favorite person, Anne his wife. He was so unsure of his fitness, showing me his training from Mr. Dellinger was having him do. One workout, I still remember I was in awe: 3x1200 in 2:59 or about (2:57-3:01) with a 400 jog. I think, he even came back that afternoon and ran 8x300 in 43-46 seconds. He killed himself in training, and could handle it. Then, before the semis, he says he is not sure of his shape. I remember, realize at age 23 you are unsure yourself, saying: Just sit in, and out kick them. You have great speed. He said ok, but took the lead from the start and went through the 800, and put his head down and was done.

My coach, Sam Bell while at Indiana, thought Tom was one of the most talented athletes he had ever seen run. I agree. He had speed that was unmatched.

js

=================

14 July London, England

I took my 14-year old son, Sebastian, to London the day the bombs went off. We fly back next week. We drove out to Warwick castle today, and I mentioned to him that the Oslo track meet was coming up, I thought this Saturday.

"The dream mile?" he said with a question.

Yes, the dream mile.

"Why do they call it the d-r-e-a-m mile ... isn't it just a mile? What was your best finish?"

How do you explain the dream mile. When I replied: It was what I trained for all year, he was quick to point out that wasn't the World championships or Olympic Games more important?

When I said it was live on TV, at 425pm (1125pm Olso time), live! I don't think he believed me. "A track meet, live!" No, just the mile.

Taking a run two days ago, to the parks on the North side of London, where I ran, brought back many memories. I came to these parks every year from 1986-1996. 11 years. I could remember zipping around after having a great race, and also going around, trying to bring everything back together after a poor one. That's the problem if you travel from race to race / hotel to hotel: Never time to regroup and regain your focus.

I have met with Jack Wickens, a name I am sure you will hear more of in 2005-06. Craig Masback flew to Nashville to see him, and I and another were lucky to be invited. LDR chair Glen Latimer also asked if I would be willing to help USATF two weeks ago, and we will meet at the end of July.

I read in the above posts where we must have been committed. Ready to struggle to gain fitness. Finance difficult. Facts: I averaged 43.5 miles a week from January through the Los Angels Olympic Games in 1984. After changing coaches to Mike Durkin (76,80 Olympian) and Ken Popejoy (9th world 75), it had a range of 60-75. Rarely, if maybe 10 times over that amount from 1987-97. Finances were very difficult after running 3:31.01 in 1988. After receiving my largest running contract from N in my career after winning the bronze in 1987, 1988 was a successful year. With the Olympics over, and placing 4th in the Trials not making the team, I made $16,000 for 1989 - total. I said to N if that was all they could offer me after running 3:31, then I would rather run for free for ASICS. Looking back at the time, that was a pretty poor decision .... $12,000 from N is better than none. I thought I could prove to N in 1989, that they had made a mistake, so trained harder. Injuries for 2 years had me only running 3:36 and 3:34. Not until 1991 did things come back together.

How do we help the up and coming runners, and in turn, run 3:49?

Steve Scott said consistent training over a period of time.

I would add, believe in your own training. Don't always believe that your competitior ran a great 800m time trial last week, or that their training is better than yours.

Contentment is the crux. You finish a race, running very, very well, and everyone is so excited. "You just ran a 3 second pr!" That could be said to Rob Myers this summer, if he runs 3:50. 3:50 .... I know before I ran it in 1983, I never would have dreamed I could get even close. Then I was 2nd to Scott in the Dream mile in 1983, at age 23. 14.0 last 109 mters (3:36.6)for one of the fastest kicks ever. Even saw this week in an old Running magazine for 1984 in England, that "Spivey can kick like a mule," as it analyzed Coe's, Ovetts and Crams chances. It also said "I would bet the mortgage on Coe."

This all goes to your head. You say you want more money from your shoe company, from races. Appearance require more time, so more finances.

One needs humality. Injuries will do more good for an athlete in this department.

As Marcus O'Sullivan said, "You had a cracker of a workout, come flying home in the car, and your wife says: "Yea, yea, another good workout ... here, take out the garbage."

I would hope that we can help new distance runners with options after college. I may have had a contract right out of college for $12,000/year, but had run 3:55. After running 3:50 that summer, Glenn from N calling me up and saying they were increasing my contract to $18,000. We need options, so that when in college, they can start the process.

How do you explain, even to your son, that you put your head in the race, look at the guys neck in front of you, and float. At 56-57 second pace for the first 800. You stick your finger in your ear as you pass the 800 ... what's the point of hearing 1:53 or 1:54? You knew it was going to be fast even before the gun went off. Hearing makes disbelievers of all of us. Run for a feeling. Greg LaMond, Tour de France winner in 1989, told his coaches: "no splits." Seb Coe wrote a book, Running Free. Any thoughts of what this means? Run for the race, not times. Get pulled along for the fast time. Then, be hungry for more.

Dave Moorcroft, 13:00 in 1981, World Record, I heard say, "I had 8 races in my life where everything went perfect. I could make any move, surge, respond. Run a pr. I trained the rest of my life for the 9th one."

If I could go back, I wish MIke or KEn, although I bet both said it, would have said,

"Run like the shape you are in ... your in great shape." How can one run 1:53, jog 5 mins., the 1:37 700m (1:51 pace) in 90 degree heat, and not go home and say, Ok! it's time to race. Yet, that's what I did in 1988. It took me 4 races to beleive that I was ready. We doubt ourselves so much, and say, "just one more great workout, and I will be ready."

Hope the 14th of July had you running in ASICS, and getting in a run. I did, got lost in London, but had a great run.

js

=========

Running 3:49.83 in 1991 in Oslo is fast, but at the time, just one of many (3rd in the race).

Running 3:50.59 in 1983 to finish 2nd in Oslo, put me 5th in the Track & Field USA rankings at the end of the season, behind Scott, Maree, Harbor and Byers. I was on $12,000 per year, and Nike raised my stipend with Athletics West to $18,000 in the fall of '83. Also clocked 13:19.24, just ahead of Jim Hill of the Sport Hill fame.

In 1991, I was on contract for $5,000/year. 3:33 in Stockholm, 3:49 in Oslo, 3:50 in Lausanne and 3:52 in New York (108 head index) before injuring my right hip.

How to run it? You have to prepare to be tired after the 800, not prepare for the first 800. Anyone can run 1:55 and sit in and look good. Can you run 57 for the third 400 and then wake up and compete over the last lap? The training must be made up more of pace work, and training while you are tired, then to do 3 x 400 in 52. So often, it is not opening laps that get you home fast. I remember reading El G's workouts of 10x400 in 55. NO faster. He said, I am trying to run 55-150-245 and then home for a WR. 57 was my objective.

One workout in 1988/July, in 85 degree heat at 8pm, was 2x800 (5 mins recovery) in 1:53 and 1:51. A bit faster than 57 pace. Yet, in Koblenz, the rabbits were through in 54.5-1:51.0, and slowed then next 200 (29, or 2:20 at 1k). I yelled at Lewis Johnson (now of TV fame for sports) and Ken Washington to go faster! I had felt it slow. Rabbits dropped a few steps later, and I was on my own, 500m from the finish. I thought, when I hear the bell, I going to dig deep. But I heard a voice from the infield, and it said: "Jim, just relax." It was Seb Coe's voice, who had already run the 800 in 1:43. I relaxed instead of tightening, and ran 56 for my last 400 (2:49.0 at 1200m) for 3:31.01, my pr.

If either of my coaches (1987-1997, Mike Durkin USA Olympian 1976-1980) or Ken Popejoy (2 sons running 14:40's for 3 miles, senior and sophomore this year) would have yelled it, I would not have listened. I thought, "Seb has run this fast before, he must know."

Punchline: Nike's bonus structure was:

Under 3:34.0 - $500

Under 3:33.0 - $1000

Under 3:32.0 - $1500

Under 3:31.0 - $2000

American Record - $2500

Not sure what I spent the $1500 on. Probably bills in 1989. Although, from a purly business point of view, when Nike did not renew my contract at the 1988 value, or even 70% of that contract that was offered, it was a smart business decision: I was 28, missed the Olympic team - old and washed up. I think that is why I switched to Asics in 1989 for no money - only equipment. Think of it today though - 3:31 runner signs for $0. I look back and wonder myself today . . . but then, I am still on contact today with Asics. More of a family environment. I will be working the Asics New York City Marathon put on the NYCRR club Wednesday-Saturday this week.

Stop by and say hello!

js

The 'relax' call from Seb came at the bell, not during the first part of the race. I'm guessing that he focused on keeping his shoulders relaxed and concentrated on running over the track at a pace he had repeated 100's of times in workouts during the year (JS talks a lot about running at a goal pace). It also may have meant, just trust in yourself and go. Jim Ryun once talked about not being worried if you hit a certain split too fast during a race and just run (from memory this was in regards to his 880WR 1:44.9)...have faith in your training. I've cut and pasted every JS post into a word document, they make for great reading (maybe that's just me).

Where as Joe Rubio got to..his posts were also great.

He was the last American to get a medal a the World Championships. Maybe Webb will be the next.

Sorry for taking so long to respond. I have worked for ASICS since January of 2006, and this is my busy time of the year through 9.30. I work with college, high school and club teams, helping them purchase ASICS product through a retailer of the coach's choice. John Gregorek (formerly of Brown) came on board in January, and my old assistant coach at U Chicago, Dan McGinn, in October. Great feeling in helping schools - truly, it is like running a workout, getting great prices for the school or getting an order placed in 4 mintues after receving it, and having the coach e-mail back: "Wow! that was fast!" You may laugh, but their is that runner's high of knowing that you helped someone.

For the "just relax" story - all true. Seb helped me with a lap to go, to focus on relaxing, rather than becoming tight. Floating is an art - ask Ray Flynn (Ireland, 3:49 miler). It is about looking at the guy's back in front of you, letting them do the work, and not concerned about time. Detaching yourself from the race, and just running for a feeling. I know - it sounds too simple. But, it is focusing on the person in front, and down the track, rather than how you feel at the moment. It is like looking at the tree, or the next turn in a cross-country race, and not how you are feeling where you are at.

Maybe the way to explain it, is when you drive somewhere, or start a paper, you have an end in sight. You know what the paper will look like when you finish, or you know where you will be when you get there. By focusing on the outcome, rather than the present, you can relax and do what you need to do. Ray called it being in the Hoover vacuum. Pulled along. Running in Oslo, with 26,000 on top of lane 6 in the back stretch, yelling, pounding on the adverts of metal on the sides of the stands, clapping - you cannot hear yourself breathe. All you can do is see the track, and the people in front of you at 57.0 pace. If you slow down, you get out of the vacuum, and then you realize how hard you are breathing. Effortless floating. I think that is why Coe's first book was entitled "Running Free."

js

Jim Spivey wrote: Great feeling in helping schools - truly, it is like running a workout, getting great prices for the school or getting an order placed in 4 mintues after receving it, and having the coach e-mail back: "Wow! that was fast!" You may laugh, but their is that runner's high of knowing that you helped someone.

Just great.

Hi Mr Spivery, I was wondering if I could join the camp I have heard about through friends that you run. I may not be able to attend at all times, but I will pay the fee in full if only for the workouts you could prescribe. I'm going to be a sophomore, and I really need some winter workouts to prep for track season. Do you think we can get in touch some how?

Jim, if I order for my school, what chance is there that you could fill it in 3:4...;)

malmo wrote:

Jim Spivey wrote: Great feeling in helping schools - truly, it is like running a workout, getting great prices for the school or getting an order placed in 4 mintues after receving it, and having the coach e-mail back: "Wow! that was fast!" You may laugh, but their is that runner's high of knowing that you helped someone.

Just great.

Dan and I were laughing last week, as he helped bring on board the track program at Brescia, Kentucky, and was fired up. He might say he was doing a Tiger Woods pumping the fist, and remind me that "Tiger also went to Stanford."

js

Malmo -

Ask Johnny G the next time you see him, how he feels about helping schools. He will echo my thoughts.

js

We are meeting at Blackwell Forest Preserve this Saturday at 8am, the South Entrance to the park, off of Butterfield road (July 21). There will be HS kids from the club there, my adult club, and a coach and three athletes from the North Shore area are driving down. Come for free, and bring your friends. There are athletes from 5 different high schools represented. Also, we have 3 sophomores that ran between 4:41 and 4:54, so you will be in good company.

Here is the workout:

13 m's wu (minutes warm-up, my code)

18-28 m's tempo run, at DMP pace (Dave Martin pace)

5 m's slow to the hill

2-4 hills, but guessing 3x as it is Mt. Hoy (865' high - you can see the Sear's Tower 28 miles away)

5 m's jog back to the trails

3x1 m's f(1) fartlek back to where the cars are parked

a few m's warm-down.

Goal: Stay healthy and have fun.

js

Jim, I have a few questions I'd like to ask you relative to your coaching, but I'd prefer to do it off the board. We've met and corresponded before. I'd appreciate it if you could post your email addy (I think you have before), but if you'd rather not and indicate as such on this thread, I will post mine. Thanks.

This is an unbelievable hill. If you think you're in shape, then run it.... and even if you are, it'll humble you. It's the toughest hill I've ever run.

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