Shalane Flanagan Parts Ways With Coach John Cook

I think you need to go back and read what you wrote.

I don't know what to think of this. I guess if you don't get along then there is not sense in staying together, even if he did get you 3 AR's and a bronze.

If she would like to "enhance" her performances Alsal is the man!

prima donna

Shalane obviously is a very talented and determined athlete. She should do well under just about any coaching situation.

Cook obviously is a very talented coach. His track record with the three women he coached last year speaks for itself.

Rowbury is smart to stay with Cook. They have achieved great things together and obviously they are committed to each other.

Any word on Donohue? Will she follow Shalane to a new coach?

Gosh, no matter what happened, her comments seem harsh, and what's even the point of telling the public that they didn't see eye to eye "personally?"

Thats pretty crazy. You can read rowburys blog and they were all just at a training camp in mexico together like a week ago...i wonder what happened?

Not sure how it would work out with Flanagan and AlSal. I get the impression that there is a rivalry between Flanagan and Goucher and I'm not sure either of them would want to train together.

I thought that Shalane made an excellent move when she dropped Flynn as an agent. She doesn't need him and it is stupid to give 10-15% for nothing. I mean people are begging to have Shalane in their Meet or Race so Ray doesn't open up any doors for her.

But dropping Cook seems foolish. Who cares if you see eye to eye on things. IT IS WORKING.

Wow, this sort of came out of nowhere. And she does sound pretty harsh in spots-the not seeing eye to eye personally or professionally part in particular.

Also...she says she wants to have fun this year and that "Last year was pretty strict."

Hopefully she can stay focused and dedicated in the interim...being coached by your spouse has got to be strange.

Flangan has a great 2008 and dumps coach.

Webb has a lousy 2008 and retains his coach.

Weird.

Perhaps money was the issue. Fired her agent AND her coach. Now her spouse Is filling both roles. Hopefully this isn't a case of penny wise and pound foolish.

Donohue is gone too.

Kind of sucks for Rowbury to lose two of her training partners. I repspect Flanagan's and Cook's privacy, and both seem classy enough to not to be immature about whatever went down, but a part of me hopes more details emerge about happened. It just seems so sudden and drastic.

Money talks wrote:

Perhaps money was the issue. Fired her agent AND her coach. Now her spouse Is filling both roles. Hopefully this isn't a case of penny wise and pound foolish.

Agent was a money issue and a smart one on her part. Coach doesn't cost that much so I doubt that was it.

It's better timing than what Wariner had. This gives her time to figure things out before the next olympic cycle.

Surely the olympic bronze medalist isn't scraping under her bed for spare change...but then again I guess Wariner wasn't either.

Didn't work out so well for him...

2 words, 4 syllables: wrote:

prima donna

Cook does seem to be the professional one here, apparently having not much idea of what happened. He's a great coach, continues to do his job well, nothing more can be asked or expected of him.

I have to say that Shalane's husband will not fill the gap.

And fine, if you don't want training to be strict then don't expect to be a professional runner.

Does this mean Cook is going to take on a few new athletes? What a great opportunity for anyone who is included on his team