Week 6

Friday, October 26

Return of the Native

After 15 years of world-topping excellence, America’s marathon fortunes began a steady decline following Joan Samuelson’s American record 2:21:21 win at the 1985 Chicago Marathon. Though there were individual moments of glory, like Steve Spence’s IAAF World Championships Marathon bronze medal in Tokyo in 1991, and Mark Plaatjes’s World Championships gold in Stuttgart in 1993, the overall tenor of American marathoning was decidedly down, culminating with the inability to qualify a full three-man team for the 2000 Sydney Olympic Marathon.

Meanwhile, African distance running was in the ascendancy. “In 1995, when the Africans started really training hard, it affected everyone,” explains Team USA California coach Bob Larsen. “Look at Australia, England, the U.S., Germany, France, and New Zealand. Spain hung on, and Portugal, but the rest of the world got overwhelmed.” [More]

Thursday, October 25

The Coaches

Click To Play.

Music:
"Here Come the Comets" by Away With the Fairys
"About to Break" by Andrew Ryan
"Runaway" by Adam Woodall Band

Wednesday, October 24

Picking up Speed

In 1989, American 10,000-meter record holder Mark Nenow ran his debut marathon in New York City. He came away in 2:14 and later joked, “I never used to have any respect for a 2:14 marathoner; now I am one.” It was a funny line, but no one thought a man of 27:20, 10,000-meter prowess would have been a mere 2:14 marathoner.

Throughout the 1980s, American running stars Nenow, Ed Eyestone, Todd Williams, and Bruce Bickford, the crème of American 10,000-meter men, tended to wait until late in their careers before moving up to the marathon. Accordingly, their PRs at the marathon never approached their sub-28 minute 10K bests. 

“In those days 27:20, 27:30 still won the major 10,000 meter races,” says Team Running USA coach Terrence Mahon. “That’s right around what those guys were running. Today the world record is 26:17. So even if sub-27:00 is possible [by Americans], if the ultimate goal is an Olympic medal, it won’t come on the track.” [More]

Tuesday, October 23

USA vs. the World

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Music:
"The Process" by Balance

Monday, October 22

Rise and Fall

As the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Men’s Marathon in New York City draws closer, hopes are high that whoever makes this team will contend for medals in Beijing next summer. Not since the 1970s, when Frank Shorter, Kenny Moore, and Jack Bacheler finished first, fourth, and ninth at the 1972 Munich Olympics; and when Shorter and Don Kardong placed second and fourth at the 1976 Montreal Olympics, can we remember a similar possibility.

Throughout the 1990s, true fans searched the horizon for signs of a wind that would sweep the U.S. back into world competition. Today, that new breeze is upon us, as the stars and stripes have been lifted by zephyrs coming out of Mammoth Lakes, CA; Rochester Hills, MI; Madison, WI; Boulder, CO; and elsewhere.  [More]