BREAKING: Kate Grace joining BOWERMAN TC -- to by coached by Jerry Schumacher

Crystal ball sack wrote:

BTC has not had any major championship qualifiers in the distances of 800/1500 that Grace runs. This could be because the program is geared towards distance events. It could also be that they formerly chose only athletes that are better suited for distance events, but that's kind of saying the same thing. A third option is that the coaches are just bad at preparing athletes to compete in championship level mid distance events, but I don't think that is the argument that's being made. Regardless, we can point to the fact that their athletes choose not to compete in either the 800/1500 at outdoor US nationals.

BTC has had not one 200 or even 400 meter runner for that matter make a championships final. Whaddya make of that

She's just mde a chnge of envirmnent to re-invigiorate hersef thts all. Elites like her dont ned a cach, jst a cheerleader, little brther hlper. Sacrm is too hot. Her home back in LA is too hectic, no privcy, cnstnt mdda badgring.

Just curious: What's the lowest weekly mileage that any pro coached by Jerry would do? I recall Webb's logs showing pretty high mileage during his time with Bowerman TC.

SlowFatMaster wrote:

Just curious: What's the lowest weekly mileage that any pro coached by Jerry would do? I recall Webb's logs showing pretty high mileage during his time with Bowerman TC.

I think her boyfriend is her main coach. Hanging out at BTC is just a free perk given to her by her sponsor in Shenzen, China.

Any confirmation on this?

Grace could very likely be going to NOP.

Or even Marcus

olyrun wrote:

Why she just don't move to Iten Kenya and train I don't know. Americans are too soft. To race with the best you have to train with the best.

Yeah, Remember how Emma Coburn moved to Kenya?

I wonder why people wouldn't want to move to Iten to train. You decide:

Who is she..? Was she on the team this summer..?

Should have joined Alberto! Would have seen better results. We'll see if she can handle being in a group full of self importance (premadonna's). Jager is the only star!

And yes, he is amazing!

Centro IS THE MAN wrote:

Should have joined Alberto! Would have seen better results. We'll see if she can handle being in a group full of self importance (premadonna's). Jager is the only star!

And yes, he is amazing!

Do you mean before the Material Girl?

She'll move up to the 5km

Nutter Butter wrote:

Crystal ball sack wrote:

BTC has not had any major championship qualifiers in the distances of 800/1500 that Grace runs. This could be because the program is geared towards distance events. It could also be that they formerly chose only athletes that are better suited for distance events, but that's kind of saying the same thing. A third option is that the coaches are just bad at preparing athletes to compete in championship level mid distance events, but I don't think that is the argument that's being made. Regardless, we can point to the fact that their athletes choose not to compete in either the 800/1500 at outdoor US nationals.

BTC has had not one 200 or even 400 meter runner for that matter make a championships final. Whaddya make of that

I think you missed your ride on the short bus.

Why would anyone go to and High Performance West? Zero results on the international stage. That's where former Nike runners go to die.

SlowFatMaster wrote:

Just curious: What's the lowest weekly mileage that any pro coached by Jerry would do? I recall Webb's logs showing pretty high mileage during his time with Bowerman TC.

Webb ran for NOP not Bowerman.

He did not look relaxed wrote:

SlowFatMaster wrote:

Just curious: What's the lowest weekly mileage that any pro coached by Jerry would do? I recall Webb's logs showing pretty high mileage during his time with Bowerman TC.

Webb ran for NOP not Bowerman.

Both, actually.

Larry Dickman wrote:

olyrun wrote:

Why she just don't move to Iten Kenya and train I don't know. Americans are too soft. To race with the best you have to train with the best.

Yeah, Remember how Emma Coburn moved to Kenya?

I wonder why people wouldn't want to move to Iten to train. You decide:

http://www.wash-capacity.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/SDC10565.jpg

That's just a market in Iten. You've obviously not been outside of the United States (your trip to Paris with your inlaws or Cancun with your frat boys doesn't count). If that picture is repulsive to you, then I'd recommend getting out of your bubble.

Why has this "news" got people excited?

NorCal Distance Project posted an announcement regarding Grace's move on August 28.

Drew Wattenberg is gracious in wishing her well on the website.

The move to Nike (Jan. 1) from Oiselle was the catalyst for the change and her move to Portland from Sacramento.

Has anyone contacted her to find out her plans?

Les wrote:It could work out fine for Grace. I hope so. Then you have the case of Alan Webb, who in the latter stages of his career tried Salazar, Vigilante and Schumacher, none of whom could resurrect his career. He might have been better off staying with his high school coach. Patience was never his strong suit, though.

"Perfectly reasonable" move, sure, although clearly dictated by Nike. Riskless, not at all. There's no doubt that choosing an incompatible coach, even if they've had good results with other athletes, can hurt or not help an athlete's career. The three coaches above with Webb, all of whom have good track records. Simpson early in her career with Henner. Roesler has basically wasted three crucial years of her career with Monday or whoever's coaching her now.

Alan Webb was already in trouble, trying to figure out how to get his mojo back. Switching coaches wasn't his issue. Simpson was a world-freaking-champion under Henner. I guess Roesler hasn't been great, but it was never clear that she was going to be.

In any event, I don't think anyone is saying that making a change is "riskless." That's absurd. But there are risks worth worrying about, and risks not worth worrying about. We can obviously find athletes who have made decisions that didn't pan out. But almost every athlete makes a couple of major chagnes in their career, whether it's about who coaches them, where they live, what event they run, etc. Even making a couple of "wrong" decisions doesn't magically turn a world class runner into a pumpkin.

The bottom line is that good training isn't all that complicated. Moreover, when established athletes switch coaches, the new coaches don't immediately revolutionize things. They typically made gradual adjustments to training to see how the athlete responds.

As for Nike dictating a move, I suppose it's possible, but it seems like a slightly paranoid theory. I have a hard time imagining Nike cares where Grace trains. Nobody outside of Letsrun has any idea what NOP or BTC are.

The Mandarins Rule now, happy? wrote:

I think her boyfriend is her main coach.

Shot caller?

surprised nobody has posted this (perhaps my memory is poor but...), as I seem to recall JS coaching an NCAA champ in the 1500M at Wisconsin...does Josh Spiker ring a bell? (perhaps I'm just old but I seem to recall him winning a slow NC's one year, and pretty sure JS was still coaching there (also think Michigan had a "one-and-done" miler on their squad that year))