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It’s Olympic year. According to the calendar, the Australian domestic season has started. We’ve had three meetings – Brisbane, Newcastle and Adelaide, the latter the first of the ‘big four’ meetings making up the Australian Athletics Tour.

Thus far, if I’m counting correctly, three meetings have produced a measly two Olympic A-standard performances. And one of those was to Sally Pearson in the 100 metres in Brisbane, one she didn’t need (even if the season desperately did, and does), the other to Alana Boyd in the pole vault in Adelaide (Boyd likewise already had the standard).

Granted, Brisbane and Newcastle were never going to be stand-out meetings, the former with its strong focus on relays (and let’s gloss over the results there) and the latter robbed of some of its traditional middle-distance strength by being a week before the higher-priority Adelaide meeting.

To be fair, too, Adelaide was better than it looked. Heat, dust and swirling winds made conditions difficult, and the performances by Kelly Hetherington in the 800 metres, Georgie Clarke in the 5000 and Youcef Abdi, to name three, were far superior than the times indicate.

The fact remains, though, that we are four weeks away from the Olympic selection trials and three meetings have produced an average of 0.66 A-standards per meeting. Even adding all the B-standards to the list – two to Pearson in the Adelaide sprints and one to Dani Samuels in the discus – does little to brighten the overall picture.

Of course, a number of our best athletes have already earned Olympic nomination through their performances at last year’s world championships. Perhaps everyone else is waiting for the big Sydney (18 February) and Melbourne (2-3 March) meetings to stake their claims to places on the London team.

I hope so, but that might leave very few athletes to name after the selection trials. The only automatic selections for the team are trials winners who achieve the A-standard at the trials, achieved it in Daegu, or have achieved it on two other occasions within the qualifying period.

Recent experience suggests Australia will ultimately select every A-qualified athlete, but should current trends continue the domestic season is more likely to dumbfound than amaze us.

It’s all a far cry from the pre-Sydney 2000 domestic season. Things got under way a little earlier then, to accommodate the fact that the national championships were held at the end of February (though that is only a week earlier than this year’s trials). The championships were the first event conducted at Stadium Australia, too, which gave people extra motivation to be on their game early.

The 2000 season got under way in Canberra on 15 January with a meeting which produced no fewer than 21 A-standards from 20 athletes (Patrick Johnson got two).

Among the highlights, Lauren Hewitt defeated Melinda Gainsford-Taylor and Cathy Freeman over 200 metres, with all three bettering the A-standard; Tamsyn Lewis (now Manou) ran her personal best 1:59.21 in beating Georgie Clarke in the 800; Johnson ran 10.21 in his heat of the 100 then beat Matt Shirvington, 10.15 to 10.24, in the final; Patrick Dwyer ran 45.16 in the 400 and Kris McCarthy broke through with a 1:45.77 win in the 800; Peter Burge won the long jump with 8.09 metres.

The pre-Athens 2004 year opened on a lower key in Perth, where pole vaulters Dmitry Markov and Kym Howe got A-standards. In Brisbane a fortnight later, Markov (again), Paul Burgess, Casey Vincent (400) and Justin Anlezark all got A-standards and in Canberra, the third meeting that year, Vincent again got the 400 A and led Clinton Hill, John Steffensen and Dwyer under 46 seconds.

By 2008, and the lead in to the Beijing Olympics, the trend to fewer early-season A-qualifiers was starting to assert itself, but there were still more A and B-standards achieved in the first three meetings of the season than so far in 2012.

 So what’s happening here? It’s hard to say without an exhaustive study, but could it be that more athletes and coaches are relying on the fact that A-standards ultimately mean selection and that, when it comes down to it, they can be achieved in Japan, the USA or Europe as readily as Sydney, Melbourne, Perth or Adelaide.

I hope that is not the case, because if it is, our Australian season is being diminished. Let’s hope the remainder of the season, starting with Hobart this weekend, brings a surge in fierce competition, and Olympic qualifying performances.

Oh, and we can't let the week go by without 'welcoming' another athlete to the Australian Olympic marathon twilight zone. Lauren Shelley finished eighth in last Sunday's Osaka marathon in 2:35:57, another to fall in between what the IAAF regards as an A-standard (2:37:00) and the Australian 'A-standard' (2:32:00).

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Australian Flame Ben St Lawrence (NSW) and Collis Birmingham (Vic) will battle it out across 5000m at the Briggs Athletics Classic this Saturday, February 4.

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Iten is a small farming village, perched 7,875ft on the western escarpment of the Great Rift Valley where there is no such thing as a flat road or path. It is here that the UK endurance athletes are preparing for London 2012. These stars include Mo Farah, Paula Radcliffe, Helen Clitheroe and Steph Twell. This is part of UK Athletics endurance initiative, supported by the London Marathon, which funds the athletes training at the High Altitude Training Centre set up by Lornah Kiplagat and her husband Pieter Langerhorst. An Olympic medal is the only honour that has eluded Lornah in her long career, something that she is hoping to put right in London.

Paula Radcliffe and Mo take time out of training in Iten, Kenya.

 

Some quick facts for you about Iten - The average annual wage is about £375 and the town only has a population of 4,000 – 5,000. About 1,000 of these are runners which makes the following statistic unreal: 75% of Kenya’s medals at last years World Championships came from runners born or living in Iten!

So why were the Virgin London Marathon in deep Kenya? With Kenya’s dominance in the World Marathon Majors last year (every male race was won by a Kenyan!) race director David Bedford felt it was right to hold the elite Men’s press conference on the edge of the Rift Valley.

Feat. Kipruto, Lel, Kipsang, Bedford, Keitany, Mutai, Edna K., Makau, Kirui

The world’s greatest marathon press conference setting was only bettered by the field announced. 10 male athletes have personal bests below 2:05:30 including the World Record holder Patrick Makau, last year’s London winner Emmanuel Mutai, two time World Champion Abel Kirui, the 2^nd fastest man in history Wilson Kipruto and 3-time London winner Martin Lel. Not bad 16 weeks before the Olympic Games which goes to show that it is harder to win the Virgin London Marathon than the 2012 London Olympics! There are only 3 Kenyans in the Olympics!

That was not the only reason why the London Marathon was in town. They have been working hard behind the scenes to help promote Iten tourism and an identity with the heritage that is producing the world’s greatest distance athletes.

 

Arch to Arch race with 200 local school children

The famous Iten Arch has been given a much needed facelift and now lets the world know that Iten it is truly the ‘Home of Champions’. In fact there are now two arches in Iten and the inaugural ‘Arch to Arch’ kids race saw 200 local children aged 7-15 race from the lower arch to the top arch (distance 2,000m). I have obviously seen many Kenyan adults run over the years but not young Kenyans. The running techniques were so natural and efficient I felt I was learning from them! It is said that Kenyan children will have ran 18,000 times before a western child has started to train. This may explain their speed and efficiency.

Winners of the kids Arch to Arch race with British athlete Steph Twell

There was a small personal touch added to both arches from the race director. Two cockerels stand firm at the top of the arch that used to symbolise a political party. Now it symbolises Dave Bedford’s favourite football team – Tottenham Hotspur!

The Home of Champions would not be complete without a good running store and Iten can now boast the ‘London Marathon Store’ owned by Willy Songok. We are still not sure how he managed to afford the celebrity fees but marathon world record holder Paula Radcliffe and current 5,000m World Champion Mo Farah were able to officially open the store. Stocks include much needed chocolate and performance enhancing giraffes!

Official opening of the Iten London Marathon Store - With Paula and Mo.

The weekend was wrapped up with the launch of the ‘Wall of Champions’ in Eldoret (a larger town 30 minutes from Iten) that celebrates every single Kenyan winner of the London Marathon in Eldoret. Douglas Wakiihuri starts the wall off as he was the first Kenyan to win the London Marathon in 1989. Since then 11 Kenyans have won the race with Emmanuel Mutai and Mary Keitany being 2011 champions.

Martin Lel and David Bedford open Eldorets Wall of Champions

The most successful athlete in London is Martin Lel who has won the race 3 times and was 2^nd last year despite suffering many injuries over the last 2 years.

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I'll be honest running can be dull at times. I myself, to my coaches disgust, will often venture ‘off track’ to keep it interesting. For my benefit being home on the coast for summer has allowed me to do this whilst also enabling me to get into the surf more often. 

(Photo 1: Session at Pt AddisForest)

 

As well as the ‘off track’ adventure, the athletes we train with week in week out also contribute to maintaining intrigue. I'm privileged to train in the great squad you see here who make running very entertaining!

 (Photo 2: The group, some of them at least)

 

This season however I have taken on a few different training partners. The first of few, Jaffa, an incredibly energetic red and tan kelpie. Having now accompanied me on many runs he is slowly learning, like we all did (or still are), not to go too hard too early. 

(Photo 3: Jaffa as per usual, run out of legs)

 

The other additions, my brothers, Ed and George. We have always competed with one another in various sports and my eldest brother Ed is usually unbeatable, in anything, and of that he will always remind me. To my pleasure though he is also incredibly supportive and during his holiday over Christmas and New Year he was a much appreciated training partner. However these days it is my younger brother, George, who is becoming a regular at the new Albert Park. Dedicated to making something of himself in football this year he is putting in a good pre-season on the track whilst also accompanying me, mostly unconsciously, to and from Melbourne for training (he has the unfortunate tendency to fall asleep in the car).

As well as the addition of these training partners, the season started a little differently for me with an eye opening November stint in Falls with Georgie Clarke and Susan Kuijken. The 10 days at 1700m was a nice holiday from Uni and Work not to mention an incredibly handy preparation into my first race at Zatopek. I was fortunate to be on the mountain with some very experienced athletes which gave me an insight into the dedication required to be a 'real' distance runner. Whilst there I was careful not to fall victim of 'overtraining' so I kept to my usual 70-80km’s a week training routine. Pretty soon though I was desperate to get back onto the rubber for some speed work before racing the 800m at Zatopek. This training in Falls Creek no doubt contributed to a 2:05.92 season opener at the event, my second fastest time ever. 

(Photo 4:  What you do at Falls Creek when your not running…  very little)

 

The lead up to Brisbane was a little different, and as my first interstate 'open' event it was definitely a learning experience. It was a good 'wake-up' call to adjustments that need to be made before returning to competition in Adelaide on the 28th. It is exciting to be a part of the action on the track this domestic season given the 'Olympic year' hype and hopefully everyone will able to produce their best. Many athletes having already recorded some great performances.

I thought I should mention since writing this blog my sister Charlotte has beaten Ed 'the unbeatable' in the Danger 1000, the local open water swim. This subject is proving to be very touchy with him! I'd like to congratulate her in creating his discomfort whilst leaving you (if you've bothered to read this far) with the 'cliché' lesson that anything is possible!

Best of luck with your endeavours, whatever they may be

Thanks for reading!

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 2012 Osaka International Women's Marathon
Osaka, 1/29/12
click here for complete results

1. Risa Shigetomo (Team Tenmaya) - 2:23:23 - PB
2. Tetiana Gamera-Shmyrko (Ukraine) - 2:24:46 - PB
3. Azusa Nojiri (Team Daiichi Seimei) - 2:24:57 - PB
4. Chika Horie (Team Univ. Ent.) - 2:28:35
5. Kiyoko Shimahara (Second Wind AC) - 2:29:51
6. Yumi Sato (Team Shiseido) - 2:32:49
7. Irene Mogaka (Kenya) - 2:35:36
8. Lauren Shelley (Australia) - 2:35:57
9. Kayoko Fukushi (Team Wacoal) - 2:37:35
10. Naoko Sakamoto (Team Tenmaya) - 2:39:27
11. Constantina Dita (Romania) - 2:40:08

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Over the past few horrible years it has been easy to forget that Benita Willis is a world-class athlete. She reminded us with her resounding run in the Houston marathon on 15 January.

The result put Willis just ahead of Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Lisa Weightman (2:29:23 in Frankfurt last October) on times. It is hard to see two more women achieving the Australian qualifying time (2:32:00), much less running faster than the two W’s.

Shawn Forrest, the other Australian running in Houston, left himself in the twilight zone, his 2:14:37 for fourth place putting him in the area between the IAAF’s version of what qualifies an athlete to run the Olympic marathon (2:15:00) and Athletics Australia’s version (2:12:00).

Forrest now joins Jeff Hunt and Martin Dent in being an Olympic A-qualifier as far as the international body is concerned but nobody in Australian selection terms. So let’s acknowledge him here and continue to acknowledge all those who achieve the marathon standard (and the IAAF B-standards across all events, which are likewise ignored by AA).

‘The Twilight Zone’, by the way, was a 1960s television drama series which began with the voiceover:

It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man's fears and the summit of his knowledge. This is the dimension of imagination. It is an area which we call the Twilight Zone.

Times between 2:12:01 and 2:15:00 (2:32:01 and 2:37:00 for women), and B-standards in general, are certainly in “the dimension of imagination”. You imagine you are qualified to be selected for the Olympics, but you’re not.

Back to Benita Willis, though, whose performance may signify a revival in a career which seemed stuck on the downward slide.

Willis’s troubles are well-known and don’t need repeating here. For most of the past four years it has seemed like they were dragging her down, too much even for her famed resilience to overcome. Occasional good runs – 11th in the 2008 world cross-country, her win in the Australian selection trial and then 17th in the 2010 race – were out-numbered by mediocre ones.

Doggedly, though, Benita stuck to her own plan, looking for the stability in training and lifestyle which would enable her to have a decent crack at the London Games. It seems that she may at last have found it in Boulder and a new coach in Brad Hudson.

As I said at the top of this column, the struggle of the last few years has made it all too easy to forget what a class athlete Willis is. She is certainly one of Australia’s most versatile middle and long-distance runners ever.

Willis has an impressive set of times, holding the Australian records for 2000, 3000, 5000 and 10,000 metres and the marathon as well (the late Kerryn McCann still holds the half-marathon record).

Times, though, are not the whole story. In line with the three-fold criteria Track & Field News magazine uses for its authoritative annual rankings, honours won and competitive record also come into it.

Willis has a world cross-country gold medal – one of the few to challenge, and beat, the all-conquering Kenyans and Ethiopians in recent years – and a world half-marathon bronze medal. She set her Australian 10,000 metres record in finishing eighth in the 2003 world championships final and her 5000 metres mark in third place in the Berlin Golden League meeting.

The national marathon record came from another third place, this one in Chicago - so all three records in Olympic events came in big races against quality opposition.

Willis has also been able to string a series of wins together against class opponents, notably in 2005 when she won five out of six races in a cross-country tour of Europe, the one loss to Tirunesh Dibaba in a race in which both ran the same time.

The past few years should not overshadow what a great athlete Benita Willis is. It is to be hoped Houston 2012 indicates there is still more to come.

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Rewarded with a spot in the 2008 Beijing Olympic team, Youcef Abdi is by far the best pick for the 3000m Steeplechase. Finishing in 6th position in the Beijing Olympic final , Abdi was only 0.14sec off Shaun Creighton’s Australian national record of 8:16.22. In the 2011 season, Abdi managed to run just shy of his personal best with an 8:16.41, which had sealed him his ticket to the Daegu World Championships. Tasting the Australian record on his tongue, time will tell if this Olympic finalist will finally put his name in the Australian record books and claim the title of being the Australian 3000m Steeplechase record holder.

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Katherine Proudfoot (ACT) has tonight thrown a world-record in the F36 discus at the Hunter Track Classic, while Trudy Thompson (NSW) set a new meet record and personal best of1.87m in the high jump.

In front of a crowd of 2500, Proudfoot competed in a combined discus, alongside Dani Samuels (NSW), Benn Harradine (Vic) and Russ Winger (USA). The bronze medallist from the 2011 IPC World Championships was in good form prior to the meet, but she was still thrilled to throw her to-be-ratified world record of 26.81m.

She said: “I unofficially already broke the record so it’s nice to be able to throw the same sort of distance a second time.

“Training has been going good, it’s been good being at the AIS facilities in Canberra. We’ve moved from two years ago a standing throw to full rotational now. I’m essentially reaping the benefits from two years of training.

“For me it’s nice to have this record personally as it builds confidence. Hopefully it will also give other competitors something to think about in the lead up to the Olympics.

“For me being able to consistently throw that [distance] has more importance than having the record itself. It gives you the confidence to know that you can step into the circle and do that again.”

Former world champion Samuels threw 59.03m and while she admitted she had hoped for more after a good warm-up, she said she was more than happy with her opening throw of the season.

Samuels said: “I felt fantastic warming up but I was a disappointed with my end result because I felt great beforehand. This is my first comp of 2012, so at the same time it’s good to know that I can come out and throw something standard like that even when it didn’t feel like it was coming out of my hand well.

“There wasn’t a favorable wind, they were odd conditions which I know Benn and Russ were also finding a factor. Russ and Benn stalled at the same point as my throws did.

“Having Stephanie Brown-Trafton (USA) inPerth will be great for me. I got so much confidence when she was here in 2009, and I’m expecting it to have the same affect this time. I’m glad I have a couple of comps beforehand though to build into that.

“Even tonight was great to compete against Russ and Benn because we have similar personal bests, and they were throwing similar to me as well.

“I’m feeling good though. I’ve been getting really strong and am looking forward to Adelaide next week.”

Joining Samuels in Adelaide next Saturday, for the opening meet of the Qantas Australian Athletics Tour, will also be Winger and Harradine, albeit in a traditional female and male discus competition.

Tonight Winger beat Commonwealth champion Harradine. While Harradine heaved the discus to 58.37m, Winger’s best of 60.21m was enough to triumph over the local favourite.

Thompson cleared 1.87m in the high jump, to set both a personal best and meet record at the Hunter Sports Centre. Kaitlin Morgan’s (Tas) 1.80m for second place was her sixth world junior championship qualifying mark.

Thompson said: “I haven’t been doing too much jumping in training at the moment because I don’t have a coach, so I’ve mainly been doing running and focusing on getting stronger. So who knows what I’ll be able to jump once I start jumping in training too.”

Elsewhere at the Hunter Track Classic:

 

-        Nicholas Hough (NSW) added a second world junior championship qualifying time to the one he achieved in Sydney last October, when he took out the U20 hurdles in 13.81 (-0.6). He was later pipped on the line in the 200m by Andrew McCabe (Qld), who won in 21.29 (-0.9). One lap specialists Kevin Moore (NSW) and Sean Wroe (Vic) finished third and fourth respectively in the 200m.

-        Jessica Knox (NSW) was the only athlete in the women’s 100m field to break the 12-second barrier, when she clocked 11.94 (-1.5). She finished ahead of Crystal Attenborough (Qld) and Laura Whaler (NSW).

-        Zoe Buckman (Vic) showed early season form in the 1500m, when she crossed the line in 4:09.26. Georgie Clarke (Vic) and Buckman sat behind the pacemaker for the first couple of laps before they broke, along with Melissa Duncan(Vic). But with 300m to go Buckman made her move on the back straight and kicked for home. Clarke clocked 4:11.33 and Duncan 4:13.34

-        There were strong performances in the 400m hurdles for both Brendan Cole (ACT) and Lauren Boden (ACT). Cole finished in 50.41 and Boden in 56.14.

-        Dale Stevenson (Vic) won the shot in 19.11m, with Russ Winger backing up his discus win with 18.62m to take third

-        Matt Lynch (NSW) stormed to a new personal best in the 400m, of 46.45

-        Tim Leathart (NSW) took the 100m win in 10.57 (-0.8)

-        The lone Victorian in the women’s 200m, Kendra Hubbard, triumphed in 24.44 with local favourite Whaler in 24.69 to finish second

-        Linda Allen (Vic) was the only athlete over 13 metres in the triple jump. She won in 13.55m (0.2)

-        In a thrilling 400m Tamsyn Manou (Vic) stormed to the line in 53.14, ahead of Pirrenee Steinert (NSW) and Caitlin Pincott (Qld)

-        Jordan Williamsz (Vic) ended the programme to win the 1500m in 3:39.74. Britain’s Nick McCormick claimed third in 3:40.80

 

To view and download entry lists, the timetable and other event information, please click here to visit the National Athletics Series website.

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With the Olympic trials in early March, time it ticking for athletes to record qualifying performances and impress the national selectors. The Hunter Track Classic will be vital in the preparation of many athlete with Olympic aspirations.

Mike Hazle, 32, a World Championship and Olympic Games javelin representative, will be challenged by a good domestic field, fresh from a quality competition in Brisbane last Saturday night. In the absence of World Championships finalist, Tasmanian Hamish Peacock and NSW’s Matt Outzen look in promising form following throws of 77.34m and 75.75m, ahead of Hazle’s season opening throw of 74.05m. Hazle, who has throw seven times over 81 metres and had a 2011 best of 81.09m should be capable of approaching those distances in Newcastle. The one to watch will be Brisbane’s Josh Robinson, on the comeback after a break. The 80 metre thrower opened his season with 72 metres in Brisbane will be looking to improve in Newcastle. Local interest  will surround former national champion, Ben Baker (Forster) who has a best of 77.13m.

Russ Winger (USA) will be ideal competition for Australia’s rising shot put star Dale Stevenson (Vic), who is the country’s third best ever with a personal best of 20.05m. Winger, who has 10 career putts over 20.50m, reacj 20.94m last season. Sydney-based Samoan, Emanuele Fuamatu, is in caree best form following a putt of 19.40m last month. Paralympic hopeful, Guy Henley will be aiming to raise his best of 11.75m. 

However in the discus, Russ Winger, may have a tougher battle to defeat World Championships finalist, Benn Harradine. Winger’s has a best of 66.04m, while Harradine set a national record of 66.45m in 2010. World champion, Dani Samuels, a 65 metre thrower, will also lineup in the quality field and will ensure a close three-way battle.

The men’s 1500 metres field has been boosted by the inclusion of Great Britian’s Commonwealth games 1500m finalist, Nick McCormick, 30, who has a personal best of 3:35.74 and last season competed at the European Indoor Championships. The main interest will be how James Kaan opens his 2012 domestic season. The national 800 metre champion looks to be chasing Olympic selection in the longer 1500m. Jeremy Roff, who finished a few places behind McCormick at the 2006 Commonwealth Games, will be looking for a good start to the season. Others of interest include: half-mile specialist Lachlan Renshaw, a rejuvenated James Nipperess thanks to the new challenge of the steeplechase. Teenage Victorian Jordan Williamsz, with a personal best of 3:40.96, will be competitive. The biggest improver this season has been the former Australian junior 1500m/5000m champion Cameron Page. The Central Coast athlete, Page has slashed his personal bests this season including a stunning solo 13:54.41 5000m.



The women’s 400m is a tremendous field with half the field owning personal bests faster than 53.4 and the remainder of the filed under 54.3. Fastest is Tamsyn Manou (nee Lewis), who always runs well in the hometown of her mother Carol, a national high jump champion. But she will face the challenge of Pirrenee Steinert, the home town favourite, who after missing most of the 2010/11 season due to injury, has run herself if to top form, last month clocking 200m personal best and her third fastest 400m time. Two Queensland Caitlin’s, at the opposite ends of their career, also provide quality competition. Teenager Caitlin Sargent, won silver in the 2011 nationals, while Caitlin Pincott, 29, is looking to add Olympic selection to her tremendous career which has seen her run at two World Championships, the World Cup and win a Commonwealth Games gold.

NSW’s powerful sprint stocks will be out in force at Hunter. In the men’s 100m, Tim Leathart, who has twice run 10.48 this season, will be challenged by Isaac Ntimoah a two-time World Championships representative. But great interest will surround the return to his home, by Josh Ross. Australia’s third fastest 100m runner ever at 10.08, Ross, now based in Melbourne, will return to the area he was raised and developed into one of Australia’s finest ever sprinters.

Central Coast Commonwealth Games 400m gold medallist, Kevin Moore, faces quality competition in the men’s 200m. The charge will be led by the fastest in Australian this season, Qld’s Andrew McCabe and NSW’s best, Nick Hough, 18, who last season was the first Aussie to cross the line in the Sydney Track Classic 200m.

Other leading events and stars include:

800m: can anyone challenge James Gurr after his great early season win in Brisbane in 1:47.31.

1500m: Last season, at just 21, ACT’s Zoe Buckman clocked 4:05.06, the third fastest 1500m in Australia history. Can she clock an Olympic A standard of 4:06.00 in Newcastle.

400m hurdles men and women: World Championships training partners have nearly identical tasks to qualify for the London Olympics. Brendan Cole and Lauren Boden both have personal bests exactly 0.15 under the Olympic standards of 49.50 and 55.40 respectively. They will also try and impress selectors with their 400m speed to earn relay selection. 

High jump women: Three World Junior team aspirants, Tasmania’s Katilin Morgan and NSW pair Amy Prjkovic and Emily Crutcher will be battling just two team places this season.  

High Jump men: A legend of the sport and local athlete, Nick Moroney will aim to continue his amazing longevity here. Moroney has leapt 2.10m for the last 22 season, since 1990, and in Newcastle will be looking for that height for his 23rd consecutive season.

Other feature of the meet are:

There will be a prize money pool of $10000 offer to athletes.

A Little athletics under-14 teams competitions will again be held at the meet.

The day after the meet, a junior coaching clinic will be conducted.

First event starts at 4.30pm. 

Ticket prices are General Admission - $10, Child (U/16) - $5 and Gold Reserve Seating - $15

More information is available on the meet website: http://huntertrackclassic.com.au/

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A couple of months ago I travelled about 45 miles for a coffee and a chat with American coach Brad Hudson; a man who is rather unfortunately most well known as the architect of Dathan Ritzenhein’s fitness prior to his run of extraordinary success in 2009 under the then very brief supervision of Alberto Salazar. However, far from mentioning Messer’s Ritzenhein and Salazar, our discussion revolved around his recent move back to the city of Boulder, his new group and coaching venture, as well as his influences and passion for the sport. With his athletes almost entirely dedicated to the US Olympic Marathon Trials, I decided to await the outcome before commenting on his new group and their results.

After only a short stint of conversation, it became clear to me that Brad Hudson is a coach for one reason: he loves the sport of running. It is his life as well as the source of his living. A true intellectual of the sport, he is unashamedly public about his methods and influences – speaking enthusiastically about the dialogue he maintains with other elite coaches both domestically and abroad, most notably his former roommate Terrance Mahon, as well as Australia’s Nic Bideau. The theme is simple – ‘old school’ a throwback to the established training methods from the 1960’s and 70’s. “This is an aerobic sport, even the 1500m is 50/50 in terms of anaerobic/aerobic function. That’s the approach I take”. While many (although it can be argued, none that are truly successful) still believe one can avoid the hours of running necessary to become truly elite, Hudson is quick to mention the marathon Peter Snell ran six weeks before recording 1:43 for 800m on a grass track in New Zealand in 1962 as a response to any claims that running a lot will make an athlete ‘slow’. There are no secret workouts, no cloud of secrecy, “running is a simple sport”.

 

Hudson professes that he desires to make a difference as a coach. He loves the sport, and his athletes reflect that - none more so than the young Tyler McCandless, who at 25 was one of the youngest qualifiers for the 2012 Marathon Trials. Although finishing a disappointing 50^th place, his quality and potential as a marathoner is not in dispute. “Tyler loves what he is doing, and he has an incredible work ethic and ability to absorb large amounts of training. In five years he is probably going to be a 2:11 guy”.

 

In a financially top-heavy sport, where only two of his athletes command wage-earning contracts, Hudson recognises the importance of establishing a group that is financially sustainable. The model for Hudson’s group reflects both in theory and practice Greg McMillan’s squad in Flagstaff, Arizona - the chief principle being an online coaching service open to the public that utilises the expertise of elite athletes, while concurrently enabling them to pursue their own athletic careers. At a time when marathons and ‘Fun-Runs’ across the globe are receiving massive participation and attention, this Running Renaissance could quite well be a lifeline for many ‘elites’ to continue with the sport. Like Greg McMillan before him, Hudson is creating a system of runners helping runners. With Hudson Training Systems, a runner of any level can be coached and encouraged by athletes truly at the top of their sport – a situation unique to the world of running and a sustainable model of development at a time when only a minority can earn anything that resembles a living solely off of the sport of athletics.

As for Hudon’s charges, it is not difficult to make the case that Benita Willis is one of the greatest distance runners in recent history. With that being said, imagine approaching your first marathon or road-race under the guidance of her. As a result of Hudson’s public coaching venture, this is very much a reality, and akin to free-throw practice with Steve Nash.

Hudson is upfront about the fact he cannot ‘buy in’ training partners or athletes for his group, and while he thrives on working with ‘dark horse’ runners such as McCandless, he makes no secrets about his desire to coach the absolute best of the best. “I want to help guys that just need a few years to be stars, but I also want to coach the stars – I want to coach German Fernandez, athletes like that”. Hudson may not quite have German Fernandez or Alan Webb just yet, but what he does have is 3 athletes in the top 13 at the men’s US Marathon Trials, a multiple representative at the World Championships over the marathon in Tera Moody, and at least one athlete who has already qualified for London 2012 – Benita Willis of Australia.

 

In the often nauseating atmosphere of the Boulder running community, where gossip and conflict are rife, Brad Hudson appears to represent what the sport is all about: passion, hard-work, and camaraderie. He has his detractors, but the results from the weekend of January 14^th and 15^th are enough to assume that putting money on a Hudson athlete is a safe bet for the future.