coaching athletics- fall 08

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4 Coaching Athletics Quarterly - Fall 2008

contentsCOACHINGCOACHINGCOACHINGAT H L E T I C S qua

rterly

6 Publisher’s Note

8 Superbug

by Mary Helen Sprecher

11 In His Own Words: Olympian Christian Cantwell

Interview provided by Tom Lewis, University of Missouri

Media Relations Associate, Volleyball/Track & Field SID

14 Some Things I Have Learned in

33 Years of Javelin Throwing

by Roald Bradstock

20 Psychological Performance Skills

by Dr. Keith Henschen

24 The Art of Coaching:

by Dave Nielsen

28 Cross Country Shoe Review

by Cregg Weinmann

30 Winner: John McDonnell

by James Dunaway

Volume 3, Number 3Fall 2008

Group Publisher: Larry Eder, [email protected],920-563-5551, ext. 112

Group Editor: Christine Johnson,[email protected]

Advertising: Larry Eder, [email protected], 608-239-3785

Writers/Contributors: Roald Bradstock, JamesDunaway, Dr. Keith Henschen, Tom Lewis, DaveNielsen, Mary Helen Sprecher, Cregg Weinmann

Photographers: Lisa Coniglio/PhotoRun, Victah Sailer/PhotoRun

Layout/Design: Kristen Cerer

Managing Editor: Sue Wells Hall,[email protected]

Pre-Press/Printer: W. D. Hoard & Sons Company, Fort Atkinson, WI

Publisher’s Reps: Peter Koch Weser, 310-600-9929,[email protected]

Special Projects: Adam Johnson-Eder, 608-957-2159,[email protected]

Special Thanks To: Kristen Cerer, Sue Hall, Alex Larsen, Penny Mepham, Tim Garant, Tom Mack,Mary Ward and Julie Wells

Dedicated to: Fr. Ralph Passerelli, S.J., Jim Marheinecke,Steve Pensinger, Dan Durante and Terry Ward, a.m.d.g.

phone 608-239-3785; fax 920-563-7298

Coaching Athletics Quarterly is produced, published

and owned by Shooting Star Media, Inc., PO Box 67, Ft.

Atkinson, Wisconsin 53538-0067, Christine Johnson,

President, Larry Eder, Vice President. Copyright 2008

by Shooting Star Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Publisher assumes no liability for matter printed, and

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issues, you consult with your physician before

instituting any changes in your fitness program.

COACHINGCOACHINGCOACHINGAT H L E T I C S qua

rterly


6 Coaching Athletics Quarterly - Spring 2008

The men’s shotput was supposed to be a USA sweep. It was supposed to start the ball

rolling, so to speak, for the U.S. Well, the other shot putters sure were not told that.

Andrei Miknevich of Belarus took the lead in round two with a throw of 21.09 meters. In

the third round, Tomasz Majewski of Poland hit 21.21 meters, his personal best, and took

the lead. In round four, Majewski, this tall, muscular Pole with a headband and long hair,

threw his third personal best of the competition and hit 21.51 meters. His Herculean

efforts were rewarded with a Gold medal for Poland.

The U.S. shot putters were not having a very good day. Reese Hoffa could not

connect and finished seventh. Two-time Silver medalist Adam Nelson, being injured the

previous week, could not get a mark. Watching him try to throw, with the obvious pain,

nearly brought me to tears. I like these guys and see them several times a year. I was so

impressed with the Trials’ performances that I was one of the guys calling for the U.S.

sweep.

With Majewski in first, Miknevich in second, Christian Cantwell was in sixth with one

throw to go. Christian is one of our favorite throwers. He went to the ring, in the warm

and humid conditions, and in the Olympic ring, with 91,000 Chinese fans cheering,

Christian Cantwell blasted a fine 21.09 meters, which moved him from sixth to Silver

medal.

It would take four days of track & field in Beijing before an American won gold. It was

Stephanie Brown Trafton, who, in her first throw, hurled a 64.74 meter throw, giving the

U.S. its first medal in the discus for women since 1984, and its first Gold medal in the

women’s discus since 1932! By August 24, the U.S. would win 23 Olympic track and field

medals, one of its best performances.

However, many of the medals were in events not really expected to garner them. In

the sprints, Jamaica took seven medals, and the U.S. took four. In the 4x100 meter relays

for men and women, the U.S. dropped the batons in rainy weather.

Face it. The world is getting better. 194 countries had track athletes in Beijing. Over

60 countries had athletes placing in the top six and/or winning medals. The U.S. needs

to focus on technique and training, and it has to make some very hard decisions. Good

coaches are hard to find. We at Coaching Athletics, want to help you with technique,

training, and making sound decisions that will “garner the Gold.”

Larry Eder, Publisher

publisher’snoteCOACHINGCOACHINGCOACHING

AT H L E T I C S quarterly

Photo by: Victah, PhotoRun.NET


STEPHANIE BROWN TRAFTON

Stephanie Brown Trafton won the Olympic gold medal on her first throw in Beijing. That throw, 212 feet, 3/4inches held up for the next six rounds and gave the US its first gold medal in the women’s discus since 1932,and first women’s discus medal since 1984!



Athletic programs promote health on a large

scale: cardiovascular conditioning, muscle

development, weight loss. Then, there is the

competitive aspect—the school’s bragging rights

and overall standings—plus, of course, the

individual athlete’s chances of being noticed by

college, corporate or professional scouts.

Maybe that combination of factors is why it is

so easy to overlook an infection that seems minor.

After all, something that resembles a spider bite or

boil simply does not have the clout of a broken bone

or a torn ACL, but doctors are cautioning coaches,

athletic directors and trainers about Methicillin-

resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA), a skin

infection that starts small and can have serious

consequences.

As its name suggests, MRSA is one of those so-

called “superbugs,” a bacteria that is resistant to

the broad-spectrum antibiotics typically used

against such infections. For years, staph infections

in general and MRSA in particular have been

problems for healthcare professionals, as they

posed a serious risk to patients, such as those in

hospitals and hospices, whose immune systems

were already compromised. However, the infection

is now being reported among otherwise healthy

patients, including athletes who come in contact

with it while using locker rooms, saunas, and other

facilities common to athletes.

Healthcare professionals have established a

term for this type of infection Community-

Associated MRSA (CA-MRSA). Because in its early

stages, the infection can look minor (like a pimple,

for example), athletes may overlook it and/or

merely try self-treatment.

Not a good idea, say medical professionals. The

infection can worsen and spread, leading to

complications, including serious skin and soft

tissue infections.

While cases of CA-MRSA have been reported

among athletes, such as football players and

wrestlers who have physical contact, the bacteria

does not require that level of interaction to spread.

“Everyone has bacteria on their skin,” says

Katie Passaretti, M.D., assistant professor of

infectious diseases at Johns Hopkins Bayview

Medical Center in Baltimore, MD. Staph bacteria,

she notes, including those causing MRSA, can be

present on otherwise healthy individuals. When

that bacteria comes into contact with an open

wound, it can enter the body and cause an

infection.

The means of transmission can be completely

innocent. For example, athletes in the locker room

might use (even accidentally) another person’s

towel or razor. They might use weight or strength

training equipment right after another person who

left perspiration on it. If the person who used the

Superbug by Mary Helen Sprecher

Educating Athletes

Post signs in locker rooms listing anti-MRSA precautions, including:

• Washing hands frequently, showering after exercise, laundering athletic clothing after wear

• Not sharing items including towels, clothing, razors or soap

• Keeping injuries covered

• Wearing flip-flops in showers

• Sitting on clean towels in saunas; wiping off exercise equipment

• Seeking medical attention for skin conditions or problems



item previously was colonized with the bacteria

(that is, the bacteria was present but not causing an

infection), he or she might have left some of that

bacteria on the towel, razor or equipment. If the

next person has an open cut or sore and is not

wearing a bandage over it, the bacteria can enter.

MRSA is a stubborn infection, but can be

treated successfully by a doctor, particularly when

seen promptly. More good news? It’s easy to

prevent.

“People can do simple things like washing their

hands frequently,” says Passaretti, who advocates

educating athletes. Posting a notice in the locker

room (see box on page 8) encourages precautions.

Often athletes think that because they are healthy

and do not practice high-risk behavior, they will not

catch serious infections. However, CA-MRSA is a

threat and can be passed from person to person

without the infected individual ever knowing they

have it.

Have plenty of hand sanitizer stations and take

containers of sanitizer to practices and

competitions. Teach athletes not to share uniforms,

T-shirts, etc., and to see a doctor if a wound does

not heal or gets worse. A number of skin infections

and conditions can be passed from person to

person, and only a medical professional should

diagnose and treat them.

What is not necessary? Going overboard. You

cannot create sterile conditions everywhere athletes

go, although a variety of commercial products have

proliferated, all claiming to prevent CA-MRSA.

“Everyone’s trying to cash in on MRSA,” notes

Passaretti. “It gets a lot of focus, but really, staph

infections have been for around a long time. It’s just

now very much more in people’s eyes than it was.”

Note: For information on CA-MRSA, go to the

National Institutes of Health’s educational website

at http://health.nih.gov/ and type MRSA into the

search box on the left side of the page.

Note: The American Sports Builders Association

(ASBA) is a nonprofit association helping designers,

builders, owners, operators and users understand

quality sports facility construction. The ASBA

sponsors informative meetings and publishes

newsletters, books and technical construction

guidelines for athletic facilities, including running

tracks. Available at no charge is a listing of all

publications offered by the Association, as well as

the ASBA’s Membership Directory. Info: 866-501-

ASBA (2722) or www.sportsbuilders.org.


On his high school experience atEldon High School: “In [my] high school, [track & field] was more of aforced thing to do. When you start out in middleschool, you start doing sports in the seventh grade,and you have football, basketball, and track, andtypically, the same guy coaches them all, at least hedid where I was. I did football and I did basketball ,and when it came track season, he [the coach] said,“Okay, you’re coming out for track.” It really wasn’tan option. That’s how I did it until my senior year inhigh school, and it sounds funny, but I didn’t try allthat much. I did it more for the social aspect andbecause he [the coach] told me to.

Then I started to get a little bit better and madethe state meet. I think I got third that year andthought it was pretty cool, and if I put some moreeffort and time into it, maybe this would gosomewhere. The beginning of my junior year, that’swhen I hurt my knee playing football, so I wasn’tsure during my senior year of high school if I shouldtry to go play football in college or even try anothersport.”

On when he knew that he could be an elite shot putter:“I remember the moment. It was my first indoormeet my junior year [in college] and I threw a hugePR [personal record]. When I did that, I thought,“Yeah, I can do this. This is something I’m good at.I think I can be the best at this.” From that point,there wasn’t even an “if”. At that point, it was just awhen scenario.”

On his favorite conditions in which to compete:“I’d say—evening, late evening, sun starting to godown, 95 degrees, 93 degrees, probably, lowhumidity. That’s enough to get you loosened up, youknow. For me, the heat’s good. It keeps the bodylimber. I like those type of conditions, andironically, it’s probably what it’s going to feel like inBeijing.”

On a short meet warm-up approach: “For the last two years, I would take, like, 30minutes to get warmed up—jogging, stretching,things like that. Then [in] the indoor season, I had a

11Coaching Athletics Quarterly - Fall 2008

In His Own Words:Olympian Christian CantwellInterview provided by Tom Lewis, University of MissouriMedia Relations Associate, Volleyball/Track & Field SID

Photo by:Victah, PhotoRun.NET



meet in which I was actually late. I was driving downto go to this little meet [UCM Invitational inWarrensburg, MO] before the national cham-pionships, and I was running late, so I just put onmy shoes and threw my indoor PR of 22.18 [72 feet,9 inches].”

So, then, I went to the indoor national meet andsaid, “You know what, I’m not going to warm uphere either.” So, I didn’t warm up there either. Andnow, that’s basically my routine … just kind of walkaround … I think I was wasting my energy earlier. Ikind of like this, warming up with my throws niceand slow. That’s how I do it now. I think I like it forthe time being.

I did it at World Indoors, too, and threw prettywell. So, we’ll see. It’s good to conserve energy at ameet like that. If you warm up too early, you couldbe sitting in a call room for 90 minutes, and 30minutes out in the circle is just way too long. You’vegot to pace yourself, especially a guy my size. Youhave a finite amount of energy. You have to save asmuch as possible.”

On larger national attention brought to ReeseHoffa and Adam Nelson:“I don’t really pay much attention to that type ofstuff. That’s great for them—I’m happy for them.But, I’m not going to watch them [jokingly]. I’m notgoing to [the Olympics] to be a spectator. Mywinning record against both of them … I think I’vedoubled up on them. I think they should be the onesworried.”

On a possible medal sweep byAmerican shot putters: “Yeah, everyone wants to talk about a possiblesweep, and it sounds great and all, but as long as I domy best and give my best … you know, track is anindividual sport, and it’s you versus the tapemeasure. People like to get into medal counts andstuff like that, but I mean … I hope those guys do well,but what are you going to do? If they do well, that’sgreat. But I have some goals in mind that I want toaccomplish [before I worry about the three of us].”

On the last four years:“So, I didn’t make [the Olympic team] in ‘04. And Ithought when I made the team that I would havesome sort of awe-moment. Yeah, that didn’thappen. I mean, after I made it, it was like anotherday. I was just mad I got second [at the OlympicTrials]. So, just move onto the next one.”

“When I didn’t make it, I was in pretty badshape with injuries and stuff. Had I made that team,I think I would have done alright [in the Olympics].The results for that meet were pretty low. It took21.16 to win, and my average that year was like21.70-something, two foot past what it took to win. Ihad a great year, that year. I don’t know if I wouldhave changed much. If you take that year as anoutdoor season, of anybody, it may be the best ever,minus a major championship. I look back on that

year and think, “What was I doing there?” It seemedso easy at the time, but now looking back, I realizewhat I did was pretty sick.

On his ten days before competition in China: “I’m going to get acclimated and get into a routine,because there is going to be a lot of distractions, sopart [of my time] will be to get used to that and geta few practices in, sharpen up, and by the time thathappens, 10 days will go by a lot quicker than itsounds like. Blink your eyes and be ready to go. “

On former Mizzou wrestler Ben Askren’s predictionof Gold in his event [74kg freestyle wrestling]:“[Laughs] Ben will probably get Gold actually. Imean, I’m not like Ben. I’m not going to say [whatpredictions I have] … because I’ve done that in thepast, and it didn’t work. I’m just going to give it helland see what happens. The Olympics, if you lookback, it’s always weird results; it usually doesn’ttake as much as you’d think to win. It’s people whohandle that stuff the best that do well. I think I’m ata point now that I know how big meets work. It’sgoing to be pretty tough [to do what you think youshould do].”

On making the team this year: “In my mind, there wasn’t any doubt that I was goingto make the team. I had felt great, being mostly injuryfree. There was no way I wasn’t going to make it. But,I got to that fifth round and put myself in the lead afterbeing [fourth], but I was never worried—I just knew itwas going to happen. And, I stuck to that and neverreally doubted. I was just angry it didn’t end up howI wanted it to. I really had it planned a little bitdifferently, but I had to alter that plan.”

I planned on throwing a decent one for the first,but it slipped off my neck, and when it does that …something just throws me off just a hair.”

On what has changed personallyin the last four years: “I’ve gotten a few more gray hairs, and my stomachhurts a little more now. Other than that, I’m prettymuch the same. I don’t really feel different. I don’tfeel any different making the team either, which isprobably not what people expect. I don’t get in thethinking of being better now or then. I feel like I’m atthe point of my career where I can start over andthink of everything from this point on.

[Being a professional thrower] is more like a jobnow. Before, I was just having a good time. I didn’tmake that team, and it really sunk in that a lot ofyour life revolves around making these teams.That’s where your sponsorships and all that stuffcomes into play. They don’t pay you to sit on thesidelines.”

On his first child, Jackson Daniel, born nine weeks ago:“[My wife, Teri] does a great job with Jackson. Shegets up with him every night.”



On feeding off the performances of other shot putters:“Shot putting seems to be a very reactionary sport. You’d like to be proactive and putone out there far and be done with it, but at this level, that chance doesn’t happen toooften. I mean, if you put one out there 75 or 76 feet, you can take your shoes off and gohome. But, even at 73 feet, you are at that line where two or three of us in the U.S. cantouch it. That’s just how good we are right now.”

On the opening ceremonies: “No, I’m not going to the opening ceremonies. It’s too much walking and waiting andenergy used to do that. I mean, I heard the opening ceremonies are four to five hours ofjust standing and waiting and the heat and all that. It doesn’t really sound like a good timeto me. I’ll go out and practice during that time… should be a good time to [practice].”

On representing the University of Missouri and others:“I love Columbia. I love the University of Missouri. Anything I can do to make themproud and make them feel like we accomplished something, that would be pretty cool.That’s something I take pride in—where I’m from. Every time I can bring some sort ofpositive light towards that—the more, the better.”

On jet lag and conditions in Beijing:“Last time I went to China, I did fine. I’m really weird. I’m one of those guys who can flyin and do it. When I won the World Indoor Championships, I flew in [on the] day of andwon … traveled 18, 19 hours, got in, and did it. I pride myself in not having to be perfect.I say, as long as I’m 85, 90 percent, that’s good, that’s enough to be like everyone else.Some guys have to get over there and have everything right – perfect sleep and all thatstuff. I think it’s a crutch. It’s actually something that throws a lot of people off. I don’tdo that. Reese [Hoffa], before the World Indoors this year, he went over seven daysbefore. I got in the day of, and I beat him. So, we do things a little different. I thinksometimes having the chaos gets your mind off worrying about competition. It takes thestress off a little bit. I don’t think it will hurt me too much.

The weather will be great, I think. I don’t think the pollution will be a big deal. I likethe idea of it being nice and hot.”

On possibly wearing a mask to curb pollution concerns in China:“No, God, no. I’m not going to wear any masks. Nah, I’m looking forward to thepollution [laughs]. It will be good. I’ve got a mask on anyways (stroking his beard andgoatee).”

Missouri Associate Head Coach Brett HalterOn Cantwell’s new warm-up techniques:“What he was alluding to earlier was the process of the championship. If you are payingattention to the morning and p.m. qualifying, you’ll note that it’s the only event in majorathletics championships to do everything in one day. I have no idea why the biggesthuman beings on the planet get the least rest. Most people get a day off, and they comeback for the final.

So, these guys are going to get up at probably six in the morning, or 5:30, makesure they get some breakfast and proceed to the stadium and out of the village to thewarm-up area. The warm-up area precedes—substantially—the call room, maybe up toan hour, and then you are in the call room where you sit and wait, and then you’re takento the track where you have one to two warm-up throws, then you compete. That’squalifying. By the time you proceed out of the stadium, back to the village, you barelyhave enough time to take a nap, change your clothes, and maybe get something to eat,and you are back doing it again for the p.m. [finals] session.

So, in terms of what Christian is talking about, the ability to know that you don’tneed a 30–45 minute warm-up routine to be prepared to walk in the circle—he’spreparing himself to deal with the unexpected. You walk out of the call room—you don’tknow what the officials are going to do or TV. To have the ability just to walk in the ringmentally prepared with zero warm-up and deliver a huge throw, that’s an advantage.As long as we are protecting our health in post-workout therapy and do good rehab, I’mcompletely fine with [his amount of warm-up].


(This interview was done before Christian competed in Beijing, where he took the Silver medal on his

sixth and final throw.)



For a javelin thrower, I have always been too short (5-10, 1.80m) and too slow, yet I havecompeted in two Olympics and have been a World Record holder and world ranked since

1979. In 1981, as a junior athlete, I threw 83.20m. Then in 1985, as an elite athlete, I threw

91.40m (old rule) and in 1987 I threw 83.84m (new rule). Last year, at age 42, I threw74.28m, as a Master, and finished 10th in the USA Olympic Trials. I am still throwing.

Over the years, I discovered that to become one of the best in the world, I really hadto learn the event.

Here are the 10 most important things I have learned:

1. Build a foundation of overall conditioning, strength, and fitness. An athlete throws a

javelin with his entire body, literally from the toes to the fingertips. The farther one

throws, the more force one exerts and the more strain one puts on the body.

All sports require a good base from which to grow, and spear chucking is no different.

A good fitness foundation is essential to build one’s performance. A thrower can

reach a higher level of performance if he or she is truly fit, if harder workouts are

engaged with shorter recovery and, as a result, he or she has fewer and less severe

injuries.

What to do: Spend half an hour every day doing basic fitness exercises. Throughout

the entire year have throwers run, bike and swim—half an hour a day, 6 days per

week, in addition to anything else they are doing. During the conditioning phase, the

half an hour can be increased in its intensity; have the athlete run more (3 run / 2 bike

/ 1 swim ). In the heavy lifting phase, do more of the stationary bike and swim (1 run /

3 bike / 2 swim ). During the season, really focus on the swimming (1 run / 1 bike / 4

swim ). After the season, during the summer months, keep active and add other fun

activities: hiking, rollerblading, rock climbing, surfing.

2. Warm up thoroughly before working out. Cool down and stretch afterwards. One

cannot throw well or train well unless he/she is warmed up well. Whether one is

going to throw, lift weights or stretch, one must prepare the body for the workout.

What to do: Before every workout or competition, take an easy 10-minute jog or bike

(stationary), followed by 10 minutes of flexibility exercises. Stretch the calf muscles,

hamstrings, adductors, hip flexors, lower back, chest and shoulders. Hold each

position for at least 30 seconds to the point where one feels a ‘good stretch’ — and

never, never bounce! Afterward, cool down with a five-minute jog and stretches for the

lower back, hamstring and calf muscles, and on days the thrower lifts weights, add

tricep and lower abdominal stretches.

Some Things I HaveLearned in 33 Years ofJavelin Throwing by Roald Bradstock

All sports require a

good base from which

to grow, and spear

chucking is no

different. A good

fitness foundation is

essential to build

one’s performance.


3. Work on flexibility to improve range of motion. Flexibility is the most overlooked

component of a thrower’s training. I have seen many very fit, very strong athletes

with fast arms and explosive legs not fulfill their potential as they could have if they

had been more flexible. Lack of flexibility leads to a smaller range of motion; in turn,

the smaller range of motion leads to shorter throws that paradoxically put the athlete

under greater physical strain, resulting in more severe injuries and with more

frequency. The most common areas for injury are the throwing elbow and shoulder,

the lower back, and the lower abdominals, adductors and left knee (for right-handed

throwers).

What to do: (1) Improve the thrower’s flexibility. Get the throwers to work very hard. I

believe this is where the coach can make all the difference, but it will not be easy.

Unlike weights, running, throwing and jumping, which are all very easy to measure

and to see and feel results, improvements in flexibility are usually quite slow and

hard to measure. When the athlete does improve — say hamstring flexibility

improves 10 degrees – the reaction is often, “So what? How does that translate?” All

I can say is, "It does - trust me". Obviously, each athlete is different, but a more

flexible athlete will have a far greater chance of reaching his or her full potential and

have a longer athletic career with fewer injuries. Here are some guidelines:

Target areas: Shoulder, chest, triceps, lats, obliques, lower abdominals, lower

back, adductors, hip flexors, hamstrings and quads.

Frequency: 2 to 3 days per week.

Intensity: Hard.

Warm up well. Put heat lotion/balm on specific target areas, especially lower

back, hamstrings and shoulders, and keep enough clothing on to stay warm even

in the summer time. Each stretch should be held for at least a minute to 90

seconds, if not more. Push the stretch to discomfort, not pain, hold and breathe,

and try to relax into the stretch. As the muscle relaxes and the discomfort

subsides, increase the stretch even more. The only time of the year not to really

overdo the intense stretching is during the heavy lifting phase. The rest of the

year, push throwers to become incredible, flexible throwing machines.

(2) At the same time the flexibility is being improved, an increase in the throwing

range of motion must occur. Working on technique when throwing a javelin,

weighted balls and medicine balls aid in this goal. Focus on trying to have as long a

pull as possible: reach back as far as one can, forward—as one throws—as far as one

can, and chase after the implement as one releases.

Improving flexibility and increasing the throwing range of motion will greatly improve

the athletes’ ability to exert greater force on the implement, especially as their

strength improves.

4. Use the appropriate lifts to build strength. Many javelin throwers focus their training

in the wrong areas, such as slow-moving strength exercises, which, coupled with

little or no stretching and minimal plyometric work, result in frustrating distances

and injuries. Olympic lifts (power cleans, power snatch, split jerks), lat pulls and

pullovers should predominate in a javelin thrower’s lifting routine, but avoid dead

lifts, heavy lunges and bicep curls. Upper-body pressing exercises are fine if not

overdone and balanced with plenty of stretching and medicine ball throwing.




What to do: (The repetitions and sets for the exercises do not include warm-up or

cool-down sets).

Weight Exercises:

Pullovers (straight and bent arm) 6 to 15 reps / 3 to 5 sets / 2 x per week

Lat pull-downs or pull-ups* (wide grip) 10 to 20/25 reps / 3 sets / 2 x per week

Incline bench press 3 to 12 reps / 3 to 5 sets / 1 x per week

Flat bench press 3 to 12 reps / 3 to 5 sets / 1 x per week

Power cleans* (from the floor) 3 to 8 reps / 5 to 6 sets/ 2 x per week

Power snatch* (from the floor) 3 to 8 reps / 5 to 6 sets / 2 x per week

Split jerk (take off the rack) / 3 to 5 reps / 3 sets / 2 x per week

Squats (back and front) 3 to 10 reps / 3 to 5 sets / 2 x per week (1 back, 1 front)

Plyometrics: (Bounding 2 times per week, ball throwing 2 to 4 times per week)

Stadium: Running, hopping and two-footed bounding

Track: Jumping into sand pit: standing long jumps, standing triple jumps, 3 to 5

single-leg hops, 3 to 5 two- footed bounds.

Hurdles: 6 to10 hurdles: single leg hops, two-legged bounds

Sandpit: One- and two-legged bounding in the sand

Gym: Box jumping. Jumping and hopping on, off and over boxes of different

heights

Shot (4kg/7.25kg): Overhead and underarm throwing of shot puts.

Medicine ball (1kg to 3 kg - no heavier): Two-handed overhead throws forward,

backward and sideways.

* Always use lifting straps. It will allow the athlete to do more weight and

complete more repetitions. Also, it will help keep the forearms from becoming

overdeveloped (from gripping). The forearm is one body part a javelin thrower

does not want to build up, as it will tighten up the throwing arm up, which will

lead to elbow problems.

5. Work on improvement through specific drills. The run-up and throw can be

broken down into a number of elements, and one can improve on each element

by repetitive drills, which allow mastery of each element. When put together,

one’s overall throwing will improve. Javelin throwing requires doing a lot of drills.

The plain fact is that javelin throwing by itself is too destructive to the body to

allow an endless amount of throws. The solution is…drills. They will allow the

athlete and the coach to focus on all the different elements of the throw from the

run-up, to the withdrawal, to the throw without the full strain of hundreds of

throws.

What to do: (the drills are done over 40 to 60 meters):

Running (accelerating run) with javelin held horizontal; focus on speed, staying

relaxed and keeping javelin absolutely still.

Approach and withdrawal (repeat 3 to 5 times per run); focus on rhythm, control

and acceleration; keep looking forward.

Crossover, repeats; focus on driving up off the left leg, pushing and reaching

forward with the right leg; keep the chest closed and shoulders turned sideways,

with eyes looking forward over the left shoulder.


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6. Throw year-round. To be consistent, it is essential to throw year-round; taking even a

month off is a big mistake. An athlete does not have to throw hard year-round, but

one should be throwing all the time. Vary the intensity of the throwing workouts,

depending on where in the training cycle the athlete is and what the weather

conditions are, but throw continuously and consistently.

What to do: Never take more than two weeks off from throwing. In the off-season,

throw lighter javelins, throw at targets, work on drills at varying intensities, et cetera.

Make it fun, but keep throwing. Never stop.

7. Accelerate into the throw. Many American throwers do not really seem to understand

the javelin throw. Instead of accelerating into the throw, some throwers actually do

the exact opposite: they slow down or even stop and then throw. Accelerate,

accelerate, accelerate!

The javelin throw is an elastic, dynamic, explosive throw at the end of an

accelerating, horizontal approach. An athlete cannot think of –or execute—the run-

up and the throw separately. The entire process should be one continuous build-up.

The speed of the run-up will affect the speed the athlete can move through the

throwing position, which, in turn, will affect the release speed of the javelin which is

ultimately what determines distance.

It is one thing to hit great throwing positions at slow speeds, but it is entirely another

to hit those same positions at greater speed. There are very few throwers (Nemeth,

Petranoff, Zelezney, Backley) that I have seen over the last 30 years that get better

positions the more they accelerate. To me, all of them start the throw at the

beginning of the approach, not just at the end. Breaux Greer is the latest athlete I

would add to this elite list up until he tore his ACL. The positions he had been hitting

last summer have quite frankly been awful, which makes his achievements all the

more remarkable. With his leg fixed and his skill for really accelerating into the throw

combined with being able to get into and hold the power position throughout the

throw, he will be unstoppable.

8. Manage the wind. The javelin is an aerodynamic implement, and its flight is

governed by aerodynamics. The strength and direction of the wind can greatly affect

the distance of the throw. Here are some considerations to help master the wind, no

matter its direction.

• The approach run: A strong headwind or tailwind will change the normal approach

by as much as 3 or 4 feet—a meter or more. Use the practice sessions to learn to

adjust the length of the run with different strengths of headwind and tailwind.

Then, when competing, the athlete can make his/her adjustment easily and throw

with confidence.

If a tailwind or headwind is coming at an angle, one may be able to improve the

throw by changing the direction of the approach by 10-15 degrees by running

toward the right or left sector line to get a more favorable angle for the wind. For

example, if the wind is coming from behind and from the left, one should start at

the left edge of the runway and run toward the right end of the arc. It may not

seem like much, but every inch counts.

Side winds are tricky. When experiencing a side wind during the workout,

experiment and watch what the wind does to the throw. Again, if one is familiar

with the wind in all its variations, one will be more confident than one’s

opponents.




• The release angle (angle of attack): For a strong headwind, one should throw

flat or even have a negative angle of attack. For a strong tailwind, throw with a

steeper-than-usual angle of attack.

• Release height. The stronger the headwind, the lower one should throw the

spear. The stronger the tailwind coming from behind, the higher the spear

needs to be thrown.

• Javelin selection. Javelins with thick points are designed to be thrown with tail

winds. Javelins with a sharper, narrower point fly better into a head wind.

Always be conscious of the wind when practicing. Make the wind a friend, and it

will help one throw farther than the throwers who do not know how to handle it.

9.Sequence the throw. To maximize the power one places on a spear, it is crucial

to sequence the body through the throw in the correct order—from the ground up.

The stronger but slower muscles come into play early before the faster, but

relatively weaker, upper body muscles are activated. Unfortunately, many

throwers bring the upper body in far too soon, which limits the force produced

and increases the stress on the shoulder and elbow. To be a javelin thrower, one

needs a good throwing arm; to become a great javelin thrower, one needs to use

the entire body. To throw really far, athletes need to become fitter, more flexible

and increase their event-specific strength through the entire throwing range of

motion. As athletes develop and get stronger, they will be able to get into and

out of more advanced technical positions with greater ease and with greater

speed, bringing each body part into action at the optimum time.

10. Visualize. Visualization is so important, and it is not just for the elite athlete. It

works for athletes of all levels. Do not underestimate its power. Get the athlete to

imagine launching a huge throw, picture the javelin sailing to other end of the

track, and imagine the excitement with which other people react. That kind of

visualization with lots of hard and smart training will take athletes a long, long

way.




Most athletes in track and field think that hoursand hours of conditioning, strength training

and practice are necessary for optimal performance.Only when the body is honed to a peakphysiological condition do they feel ready forcompetition.

Physical preparation is only part of the story.Performance is 95% physical and 5% mental; butthe 5% rules the 95%.

Consider this fact: All performers follow almostidentical training regimens, yet during a track meet,there is but one winner in each event. Whatseparates one athlete from another?

In many cases, perhaps even most cases,mental preparation is the deciding factor.

To be a good athlete, psychological training isessential, and compared with physicalconditioning, psychological preparation is generallyeasier and more enjoyable.

Athletes need psychological conditioning(mental skills) to attain their optimal performance.Mind and body need to work together. Excesstension, distractions and misdirected focus arenegative factors that mental skills can help controland, thus, allow athletes to perform at their best.However, if these factors are not controlled andwork against the athletes, these psychologicalfactors are so powerful they can easily negatethousands of hours of physical training.

The psychological skills necessary to performwell are fairly straightforward: relaxation,concentration, imagery, self-talk and a pre-competition mental routine.

RelaxationLearning to compete with the right amount ofrelaxation sounds easy, but it is really fairly difficultto achieve. Being too relaxed or not relaxed enoughleads to a less-than-effective performance. Mosttrack athletes, especially runners, need to reach acomfortable rhythm as soon into their events aspossible. This rhythm is characterized by smoothand efficient effort and an overall relaxed, easyfeeling, which allow athletes to exert more intensityduring various times in the performance withouttensing up.

Learning to relax properly is not only feeling“non-tense” it is also having the control to respondto directions from the mind. How many times have

you said to yourself “Relax,” only to find yourselfmore tense than ever? The body hears the message,but unless trained with relaxation skills, it reallydoes not know how to respond. In effect, learningto relax allows one to communicate more effectivelywith one’s body. Relaxation techniques available totrack and field athletes include progressiverelaxation, breathing exercises, autogenic trainingand meditation.

ConcentrationThe single most frequent cause of mistakes during aperformance is to be in the wrong attentional state,thus resulting in inappropriate concentration.When athletes learn how to control their attentionalstyles, they make fewer errors and become moreconfident in their ability to perform. Schools do notteach students how to concentrate appropriately, sostudents must find a way to accomplish this taskthemselves. A good sport psychology consultantcan also teach athletes concentration skills. Theskills of concentration are probably the mostimportant of all the psychological skills to affectactual performance. Concentration, arousal, anxietyand self-confidence are intricately related with eachof these variables, greatly influencing the others. Noone can give a person appropriate concentrationskills; each person must learn those skills forhim/herself.

ImageryImagery is a great practice technique, because it canhelp prepare the athletes for situations that mightoccur during their events. Athletes can use imagery torehearse their events from start to finish. When donecorrectly, imagery is perfect practice (in the mind). Touse imagery correctly, one first needs to determinewhat type of imager one really is—visual orkinesthetic (feeler). Strangely enough, most athletesare feelers; their best method of imagery is feelinghow to perform instead of seeing it in their minds.

Self-TalkEveryone talks to himself or herself, and trackathletes are no exception. The way we talk toourselves either enhances or hurts ourperformance. Positive self-talk provides moreenergy to an athlete than negative self-talk. Most ofus are conditioned by our culture to be negative

PsychologicalPerformance SkillsBy Dr. Keith Henschen


with ourselves. We have been taught that this is the proper way to motivateourselves, which, of course, is nonsense.

If a person learns to change his/her inner dialog to be positive, a better chance toperform well results. Negative thoughts tell the body that something is wrong. Inresponse, the body goes into a defensive mode and performance suffers.

Establish a Pre-Competition RoutineAfter learning all these psychological skills, the real challenge is to use them. A pre-competition mental routine, developed between the coach and the athletes, helpsthe athletes get their mind in the proper place to perform well. The following is asample guideline for a pre-competition mental routine:

1. Limit the routine to 3–5 minutes.

2. Do the routine after the physical warm-up and immediately prior to the

beginning of the event.

3. Go through the relaxation commands.

4. Imagine or feel through the more difficult parts of the event.

5. Go through mental strategies for the event.

6. Repeat positive affirmations (self-talk) a number of times.

7. Concentrate on achieving the ideal arousal level that allows feeling good about

the upcoming performance.

Summing UpAll athletes, in order to perform well, must supplement their physical training withmental conditioning. I am talking about psychological skills, and they are skills—relaxation, concentration, imagery and positive self-talk. These skills should beincorporated into a pre-competition routine which will help athletes mentallyprepare and compete in their events. Remember, psychological skills can—andmust—be practiced the same as any physical skill.




REESE HOFFA , OLYMPIC SHOT PUTTER



This series of shots was taken by Victah Sailer on June 8, 2008, at the Nike Prefontaine Classic. Reese Hoffa is the 2008 WorldIndoor Silver medalist and 2007 World Outdoor champion. His personal best in the shot is 22.43 meters, or 73 feet, 7.25inches, set in 2007. Reese Hoffa won the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials. He finished seventh in Beijing, having an off day.



Coaching is both a science and an art, as itrequires the ability to assess and assist in the

acquisition of skills paramount to success. Scienceprovides insight and direction in regard tomechanics, physiology, psychology, and learning.Art involves the effective application of this wealthof knowledge to individual athletes and/or theteam. Communication is the bridge between coachand athlete. Not surprisingly, the art ofcommunication is a key distinguishingcharacteristic great coaches share.

I am fascinated when I have the opportunity toobserve my colleagues implementing a variety ofeffective coaching techniques. Coaches maketechnical corrections, provide support, deliverpsychological motivation, and direct tacticalstrategies. Knowledge, skill, and the ability to helpthe athletes make corrections are required to helpmold athletes for success. A little “tweaking” maybe all that is required in taking an athlete from anon-qualifier to a medallist. In this regard, I havebeen intrigued by the use of cues, clues, andadjustments, as tools coaches can use to alter anathlete’s behavior, action, or position. The followingare my definitions, observations, and suggestionsin this aspect of coaching.

A cue is a direct instruction for a certain action,i.e., a specific directive. A cue is a focused directiveaimed at a specific response or sequence within theimmediate grasp of the athlete, and may range fromsimple to complex. A cue can manifest itself in aphysical action, a sensory reaction, an auditorystimulus, or a visual directive.

Here are some examples:Physical: The coach wants the athlete to extend hisright arm up very high overhead and cues theathlete to “make your right shoulder touch yourear.”

Sensory: The coach wants the athlete to generate amore powerful and elastic response when doing along swing from a pole or bar. The instruction mightbe to “feel the pressure in your chest beforeswinging your feet and hips upward.”

Auditory: An athlete is running hurdles and, eventhough he has no problem getting from hurdle tohurdle, is slow and plodding. The coach might usean auditory cue of “BOOM—ta—taah—taa—BOOM”(hurdle step, three steps between, hurdle step, andso on), so the athlete can replicate a better hurdlingrhythm.

Visual: A dancer struggles to do a series of turns ina straight line across the stage. As a result, he iscoached to spot a common reference point on eachturn.

On the other hand, a clue—in a broad sense—is ametaphor or simile that is used to convey what is tobe done using another recognizable descriptor. Theclue can be physical or mental, though it is usuallya combination of the two. Drills are usuallydesigned to imitate physical movement patterns ofa particular activity or event and, therefore, can beconsidered a clue or a piece of the activity puzzle. Asprinter may spend a whole training session doingdrills with a focus (cue) of keeping the foot cocked(dorsal flexed) in order to better activate themuscles of the calf, hamstrings, and hip. The drillsthemselves are not sprinting but physical modelingclues to enhance sprint performance. The athletemay be very good at doing drills but must still makethe connection to actual sprinting. Hopefully, thedrill simply becomes an automatic motor response.

One paramount principle in the trainingprocess is to focus on a single cue at a time.Multiple cues in training are seldom effective,because the athlete over-saturates, and confusionsets in. The value of a good cue is its ability to createa focus on a single aspect of a movement sequence.Because of the sequential nature of movement, thebeginning of the movement is critical and shouldgarner the priority as the cuing target. Further,because of the focused nature, a good cue can beused effectively in competition.

In another example, a pole vault coach may tryto get an athlete to capture the feeling of turningupside down while keeping pressure on her hands.The athlete may be cued to drop her shoulders. Ifthe cue is unclear, the athlete will likely fail.

The Art of Coaching–Making Corrections:Cues, Clues and AdjustmentsBy Dave Nielsen


However, imagine the athlete has a gymnasticsbackground. The clue might be that the action ofdropping the shoulders is similar to doing a “clearback hip circle to handstand” on the high bar oruneven bars. In this example, the athlete hasperformed a like skill (physical) and is now clued tomake a connection (mental), bridging the gap forapplication when pole vaulting.

An example of a purely mental clue is a footballcoach telling his fumbling receiver to imagine thathis hands and the ball are magnetic. He is to allowthat magnetic attraction and go with it every timethe ball is near. As the clue is internalized, thefunction of the clue may change from a teachingdevice to a warm-up tool. At this stage, a clue mayassist in the preparation of the athlete, physicallyand/or mentally, immediately prior to the onset of aprimary training activity or competition.

Clues, by their nature, are hazy and subject tointerpretation in execution. They are presented todevelop or adjust motor patterns or to map aninternal feeling for what is to occur. As a result,clues frequently need time to be “digested” and,like a fine wine, age with time. Although a great cluemay pop up at any time, the best place for clues isaway from competition.

Beyond cues and clues, an adjustment is asimple alteration of position or tactic. For example,a gymnastics coach may change the order ofcompetition, the color of the uniform, or thedifficulty of the routine. An athlete may beparticipating in an event that requires running upand jumping from a particular mark. If the athleterepeatedly misses the mark by taking off short, thenit is likely that he will be told to start the run upfurther forward than previously.

Although adjustments involve little thought,they may carry with them psychologicalconsequences that could have a negative impact onan athlete’s performance. For example, the pole-vaulter’s coach may instruct him to change to astiffer pole, but the athlete may be reluctantbecause of a bad experience on the pole. The resultmay be a failed attempt. In this situation, a simpleadjustment could create a psychological quagmire!All aspects considered, adjustments are thesimplest of tools for the athletes to receive and,therefore, the tool for the coach to consider first.

Each tool is better suited for a certain task. Atool may commonly be used successfully incombination or in a non-standard fashion. Cues,clues and adjustments are, therefore, best suitedfor certain jobs. Training is the primary place to useboth cues and clues in order to address technicalchanges. In this setting, specific movement goalsare addressed so the athlete can go from a focusedeffort to an automatic response. At competitiontime, the athlete is most likely to perform at a peaklevel when not encumbered by concepts ordirectives that require thought-generating

movement. Hopefully, by that time, the performanceis automatic. If the athlete needs help duringcompetition, the “adjustments drawer” of thetoolbox is the best choice, as this tool requires littleprolonged thought.

I observe practical applications of cues, clues,and adjustments all the time in the pole vault. Theuses of these tools range from incredibly insightfuland effective to “off the wall” and even topotentially perilous. That said, some uses, thoughinsightful, are ineffective, while some of the “off thewall” uses are incredibly effective. Additionally, acue that works great for one athlete may not work foranother. As a practical example, I started using thecue, “hit your top hand in,” which told the polevaulter to use the top hand to make the pole hit theback of the box hard in the pole plant process. Thiscue took on a life of its own, parented by variouspersons, among them Dr. Peter McGinnis. Hereported that elite vaulters tend to keep a more firmtop arm and that the cue of running over the toe ofthe takeoff foot had worked well. This “hit your tophand in” cue seemed to reinforce that by nature.The cue focuses on the top arm instead of thebottom arm and reinforces the notion of keeping thehands moving through the jump.

The result from my athletes has been that abouthalf of them pick up the cue and find it effectivewithin a practice. Twenty-five percent found it usefulat a later time but not when initially introduced. Forthe rest of those given the cue, it did not makesense. In this situation, it is likely best to forgetabout it – for a while at least. It is not likely that onecue will be a panacea. In regard to this cuespecifically, for some it was effective in a givensituation, but it had a short shelf life of usefulness,whereas others still use it as a focal base in difficultsituations, such as changing poles, turning upsidedown, etc. Therefore, the practical application ofthese tools is a skill to be honed by both coachesand athletes.

All people use tools. The screwdriver, hammer,pliers, and duct tape may be instrumental in fixingmany things. However, few would disagree thatsometimes another tool is needed to fix a problem.The questions to be asked involve the size of theinventory, the choice of the right tool for the job,and the knowledge of its proper use. The tablebelow is presented as an example of a systematic“tool” inventory system in regard to the pole vault.This may serve as a template for a coach and athleteto fill in with tools relative to their philosophies andbackground. Regardless, striving to become thebest requires a collective effort, with eachindividual, whether coach or athlete, contributinghis or her tools to the toolbox. As a result, thetoolbox will hold a limitless wealth of knowledgeeasily accessible to those who choose to utilize itscontents.




ADAM NELSON, OLYMPIC SHOT PUTTERAdam Nelson was photographed by Victah Sailer on June 8, 2008 at the Nike Prefontaine Classic.



Adam is the 2000 and 2004 Olympic Silver medalist, 2005 World Champion, 2001, 2003 and 2007 World ChampionshipSilver medalist and 2000 and 2004 Olympic Trials champion at the shot put. HIs personal best, from 2002, is 22.51m or 73feet, 10.25 inches. Adam was injured the week before Beijing and did not complete a throw. He will be back.


REVIEWSREVIEWS

The 2008 cross country season is looming, complete with a new batch of shoes designed for traction and lightness. This season’sofferings are familiar, each with a little something for all aficionados of the hill and dale sport. As always, the versatility of crosscountry racing shoes is their adaptable traction on varying terrain and their protective cushioning, despite their low-profile design.

Each has a subtly different fit to allow runners to find a racing shoe for their individual feet. Cross country spiked and spikeless modelsnearly mirror each other in styling and weight, with spikes providing a marginally better grip on muddy or soggy ground. Cross countryspikes are designed to perform best on all-natural courses, while the spikeless versions, which have integral outersole nubs of somesort, generally handle all surfaces, including indoor or outdoor tracks. If you’re looking to make a purchase that will transition fromcross country season to track season, consider the one of the spikeless options here.

adidas adiZero BelligerenceThe Belligerence is the first adiZero cross

country shoe and, thanks to adidas’

experience, it’s right on tar-

get. Available in a spiked

version only, it features a

flexible, rubbery spikeplate

that’s covered with dozens of

multi-directional lugs surrounding the

6 spike wells. A thin layer of CM-EVA midsole provides a bit of pro-

tection with its very low-profile and responsive ride. The upper uses

minimal synthetic overlays with the HF-welded bands from the eye-

stay to the bottom of the shoe doing the heavy lifting. The tongue is

secured in the interior all along the medial side to shore up the foot

and provide additional support. On the lateral side, it’s held in place

by an elastic band that flexes with the foot while keeping the tongue

in place. The mesh used in the upper allows a bit of stretch that im-

proves the fit, but is strategically reinforced to provide a balance be-

tween freedom and structure.

“Very pleased with the great fit. The traction was the best feature, like an exten-sion of my foot, no, more like part of it, the way it flexed and moved with it.”

Price: $90 Spiked Weight: 7.4 oz. (men’s 11) with 6 spikes Fit: snug heel, glove-like toe box

Cross Country by Cregg Weinmann

adidas RLH CrossAfter a lengthy run on store shelves, the Nep-

tune has been replaced by the RLH, in

both spiked and spikeless versions.

RLH (an abbreviation for “Run

Like He!!”) takes a cue from the

adiZero line and features a

more streamlined design than

did recent editions of the Neptune.

The upper is well tailored with a minimalist approach, but has just

enough Lightstrike foam for comfort in the ankle collar and heel.

The low-profile midsole offers enough protection without extra

weight, and its thin enough that it doesn’t hinder flexibility. Well-

placed Traxion lugs in both the heel and forefoot provide an effec-

tive grip, with enough give to provide a little cushioning on hard

surfaces. Both spiked and spikeless versions provide the extra trac-

tion needed for sloppy conditions.

“Fit hugs foot without unpleasant pressure anywhere, ideal for racing flat. Nofeeling of being out of control racing downhill, traction is just right.”

Price: $60 Spiked/Spikeless Weight: 7.9 oz. (men’s 11) Spikeless/8.2 oz. (men’s 11) with 6

spikes Fit: snug heel, glove-like toe box

ASICS Hyper XC2/XCS2 Hyper Rocketgirl XC2/XCS2

The Hyper cross country series, for men and

women, has undergone an update

which offers improvement at sev-

eral turns. The value-oriented price

holds steady despite increases

throughout the industry. The CM-

SpEVA midsole, lugged outersole, and rubber Trusstic element con-

tinue to provide effective support, cushioning, and traction. The

unisex sizing remains with the Hyper XC2/XCS2, as does the

women’s last for the Hyper Rocketgirl XC2/XCS2. The upper retains

the water-shedding, closed mesh though the rand but the overlays

have been pared down, helping to shave almost 3 grams of weight.

That’s not much of drop, but as long as support and durability aren’t

compromised, lighter is always better. The spikeless version is effec-

tive for all surfaces and indoor and outdoor competitions, making it

a good choice if you’re also looking forward to track season.

“This shoe has a great fit to it, even the heel area has a nice snug feel. Thecushioning is low-profile with a minimalistic feel, just enough cushion and gripfor racing with nothing more.”

Price: $55 Spiked/$50 Spikeless Weight: 8.4 oz. (men’s 11) Spikeless/9.1 oz. (men’s 11)

with 6 spikes Fit: snug heel, close-fitting toe box

Mizuno Wave Kaze 4For more than 5 years, the Wave Kaze has

been consistent thanks to the dialed-in

Wave Plate, midsole, and outersole

combination. This year, the Kaze

continues with what has worked

best, and still managed to

lighten the shoe by redesigning

the upper, thinning out the mesh with

a sandwich of Airmesh over closed mesh. Excess material in the

overlays has been trimmed, accounting for more than half an ounce

coming out of the shoe. The last and sizing continue unchanged with

unisex sizes fitting the bulk of the runners, and the women’s shoe

taking care of the smaller and narrower feet.

“Fit [is] snug all around, and they work amazingly well on hills. Good tractionfrom the little nubbin-y things on the bottom. Feel light and fast.”

Price: $75 Spiked/Spikeless Weight: 8.2 oz. (men’s 11) Spikeless/8.8 oz. (men’s 11) with 6

spikes; 5.7 oz. (women’s 8) Spikeless/6.3 oz. with 6 spikes Fit: snug heel, glove-like toe box




REVIEWSREVIEWS

Nike Zoom Waffle Racer VI& Zoom Waffle XC VII

The Nike 2008 cross country seasonamounts to a back-to-the-drawing

board for the Nike Waffleofferings. The upper’s tai-loring is familiarly snug,reflecting the spike thatit is. The midsole and

spikeplate/outersole haverecognizable aspects—the aggres-

sive chevron-shaped “Waffle” rubber and the CM-EVA midsole—butthe switch to a thin layer of thermoplastic in the midfoot has taken sig-nificant weight out of the shoe, a whopping 2 ounces. The upper alsocontributed to the weight loss, with gauze-y mesh and open mesh sand-wiched together, with a soft, synthetic suede arch band for fit and com-fort.

“These shoes feel good; they are light, offer good traction, and just enough pro-tection for cross country racing.”

Price: $50 Spikeless/$60 Spiked Weight: 6.4 oz. (men’s 11) Spikeless/6.8 oz. (men’s 11)

with 4 spikes Fit: snug heel, glove-like toe box

Nike Jana Star Waffle III & Jana Star XC III

The Jana Star series benefits from thechanges to its sibling the Waffle

Racer, the men’s half of thispair. Significantly, it hasdropped over an ouncein weight—directly attrib-

utable to changes in themidsole. The midfoot now

sports a thin, thermoplastic layer of support in place of the much heav-ier rubber from before, without sacrificing protection from the cushion-ing and the thermoplastic layer that protects from rocky surfaces. Theupper has been reworked to internalize the structural overlays of the pre-vious version, again at a weight savings. One of the ways that the Janadiffers from the men’s versions is the open mesh over the toe with a dif-ferent sandwich of meshes from the midfoot through the heel. Suededlining in the heel and just in front of the arch offer comfort where the shoefits the snuggest.

“I really like the shoes overall. Love the color, and they feel fast! Lacing feels se-cure and strong, won‘t let me down. Maybe best of all, the fit is comfortablysnug, but soft against my foot.”

Price: $50 Spikeless/$60 Spiked Weight: 4.9 oz. (women’s 8) Spikeless/5.1 oz. (women’s 8)


Reebok Velocity Waffle II& Velocity XC II

The updated Velocity retains the effectiveparts of the shoe, while introduc-

ing some improvements.The proven mid-sole/outersole, with its de-pendable traction and

cushioning for harder sur-faces, does equally well on the soft

surfaces. The upper contributes to the lighterweight with a new, closed mesh and a bit of water-resistant, rubberyoverlays combined with good support from its Vector stripes. The nar-row, sueded overlays on the edging add protection and a little structure.Overall, the supportive, glove-like fit has been maintained to continueto provide Reebok’s version of low-profile design.

“Reebok has steadily provided a shoe that works great for my cross country rac-ing. They fit me, the traction is reliable, and the low profile gives me a feel forthe course.”



Saucony Shay XCThe Shay XC becomes Saucony’s new cross coun-

try option to the Kilkenny. Named for RyanShay, the late elite marathoner and cross

country All-America selec-tion, it’s aimed at thefastest performances.The upper features an

open mesh with touchesof supportive overlays—it’s

minimal but enough. Inside, there’sa soft, flexible sleeve stitched to the sides of the tongue and securedalong the edges of the Strobel board. This sleeve moves with the foot,offering a close fit and reducing friction. The midsole is nicely cush-ioned, especially for a racer. The outersole features the old-schoolSaucony triangular lugs, which really grip on a wide variety of sur-faces, and a fun “footprint” in a second color of rubber. The combina-tion of performance and comfort add up to a hardworking cross countryracer—just like its namesake.

“This shoe was a pleasant surprise—traction, cushioning, breathable, comfort-able on the foot—it really performs.”


with 6 spikes Fit: snug heel, close-fitting toe box

Cross Country

Cregg Weinmann is footwear and running products reviewer for the Running Network LLC. A competitive runner for the past 43 years, he also has coached runners at all levelsfor over 25 years. He can be reached via fax at 661.872.1233 or via e-mail at [email protected].

Copyright © 2008 by Running Network LLC. All Rights Reserved. No part of this article may be stored, copied, or reprinted without prior written permission of the Running Network LLC. Reprinted here with permission.



John McDonnell, one of the most successful trackand field coaches the United States has ever seen,

is retiring after 36 years as head men’s coach of theUniversity of Arkansas.

His resume includes 42 men’s NCAA teamchampionships—12 outdoor, 19 indoor and 11 cross-country. Nobody else even comes close.

His athletes have won 105 individual NCAAoutdoor, indoor and cross-countrychampionships. That is an averageof three championships a year!

Of course, that figures.Everybody knows that winning theNCAAs usually depends on a fewstar athletes—guys who score 10,15, 20 points—and any coach whocan come up with three of thoseathletes per year is going to win alot of team championships.

Winning the conference? Nowthat takes more than just a fewstuds. Winning the conferencerequires depth. That is whyperhaps the most amazing of allMcDonnell’s statistics is this: in the17 years since Arkansas joined theSoutheastern Conference—thetoughest conference in track—Arkansas has won 45out of a possible 50 team championships.

McDonnell was a farm boy in County Mayo,Ireland, studied at a technical school, and became aTV cameraman. For sports, he was a distancerunner, good enough to beat the Olympic 5000meter standard in 1960, but he was ignored by theIrish selectors.

He came to New York in the summer of 1963 “onholiday” to visit a cousin. “I loved the weather.”When he got back to Ireland, it was, of course,

raining. Two months later, he was back in New Yorkfor good and quickly got a cameraman’s job at alocal TV station.

McDonnell ran in local races for the New YorkA.C. He met Malcolm Robinson, an Irish runnerattending Southwestern Louisiana. Next thing Johnknew, he was a 25-year-old freshman for coach BobCole at S.W. La. A year later, Cole had him coaching

the team’s distance runners—unofficially, of course, but he wascoaching.

In 1969, McDonnell became aU.S. citizen and got his degree(B.A. in Education). He startedteaching and coaching at the highschool level and was successfulenough by 1972 to get “tapped”as cross-country coach at auniversity than more famous forfootball and hog-calling than fortrack and field.

McDonnell got promoted tohead coach in 1978. He wanted towin so badly, he tried to get moreout of his athletes than they couldgive—until two of his bestathletes, Mike Conley and Frank

O’Mara told him, separately, that his pressure washurting, not helping their performances.

Right then, he realized what has been hismantra ever since: “They want to win. They’ve gotenough pressure on them already. The coachdoesn’t need to give them any more.”

It took Bill Bowerman, Jumbo Elliott and JohnWooden more than a decade to win their firstnational championships. John McDonnell, who didit in six years, belongs in their company.

Winner: John McDonnellBy James Dunaway

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