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Volume 3, No. 3
$9.95
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PA I D Permit #50 Fort Atkinson, WI
Fall 2008
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quarterly
contents COACHING AT H L E T I C S 6 8 11
Publisher’s Note Superbug by Mary Helen Sprecher
In His Own Words: Olympian Christian Cantwell Interview provided by Tom Lewis, University of Missouri Media Relations Associate, Volleyball/Track & Field SID
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Some Things I Have Learned in 33 Years of Javelin Throwing by Roald Bradstock
20 24 28
Psychological Performance Skills
30
Winner: John McDonnell
by Dr. Keith Henschen
The Art of Coaching: by Dave Nielsen
Cross Country Shoe Review by Cregg Weinmann
by James Dunaway
quarterly
COACHING AT H L E T I C S Volume 3, Number 3 Fall 2008 Group Publisher: Larry Eder, larry.eder@gmail.com, 920-563-5551, ext. 112 Group Editor: Christine Johnson, ctrneditorial@aol.com Advertising: Larry Eder, larry.eder@gmail.com, 608-239-3785 Writers/Contributors: Roald Bradstock, James Dunaway, Dr. Keith Henschen, Tom Lewis, Dave Nielsen, Mary Helen Sprecher, Cregg Weinmann Photographers: Lisa Coniglio/PhotoRun, Victah Sailer/PhotoRun Layout/Design: Kristen Cerer Managing Editor: Sue Wells Hall, halls@fortschools.org Pre-Press/Printer: W. D. Hoard & Sons Company, Fort Atkinson, WI
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Publisher’s Reps: Peter Koch Weser, 310-600-9929, pkwadvmags@yahoo.com Special Projects: Adam Johnson-Eder, 608-957-2159, atflistings@gmail.com 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 assumes no liability or responsibility for content of paid advertising and reserves the right to reject paid advertising. Opinions expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Publisher. No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored in any form without written permission of the Publisher. Coaching Athletics Quarterly is not related to or endorsed by any other entity or corporation with a similar name and is solely owned by Shooting Star Media, Inc. Publisher recommends, as with all fitness and health issues, you consult with your physician before instituting any changes in your fitness program.
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publisher’s COACHING AT H L E T I C S note
he 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.”
T
Larry Eder, Publisher
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Photo by: Victah, PhotoRun.NET
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S T E P H A N I E B R O W N T R A FT O N
Stephanie Brown Trafton won the Olympic gold medal on her first throw in Beijing. That throw, 212 feet, 3/4 inches 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!
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Superbug
by Mary Helen Sprecher
thletic 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 Methicillinresistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA), a skin infection that starts small and can have serious consequences. As its name suggests, MRSA is one of those socalled “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.
A
Healthcare professionals have established a term for this type of infection CommunityAssociated 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
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
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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
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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: 866-501ASBA (2722) or www.sportsbuilders.org.
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In His Own Words:
Olympian Christian Cantwell Photo by:Victah, PhotoRun.NET
Interview provided by Tom Lewis, University of Missouri Media Relations Associate, Volleyball/Track & Field SID
On his high school experience at Eldon High School: “In [my] high school, [track & field] was more of a forced thing to do. When you start out in middle school, you start doing sports in the seventh grade, and you have football, basketball, and track, and typically, the same guy coaches them all, at least he did 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’t an option. That’s how I did it until my senior year in high school, and it sounds funny, but I didn’t try all that much. I did it more for the social aspect and because he [the coach] told me to. Then I started to get a little bit better and made the state meet. I think I got third that year and thought it was pretty cool, and if I put some more effort and time into it, maybe this would go somewhere. The beginning of my junior year, that’s when I hurt my knee playing football, so I wasn’t sure during my senior year of high school if I should try to go play football in college or even try another sport.”
On when he knew that he could be an elite shot putter: “I remember the moment. It was my first indoor meet my junior year [in college] and I threw a huge PR [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 a when scenario.” On his favorite conditions in which to compete: “I’d say—evening, late evening, sun starting to go down, 95 degrees, 93 degrees, probably, low humidity. That’s enough to get you loosened up, you know. For me, the heat’s good. It keeps the body limber. I like those type of conditions, and ironically, it’s probably what it’s going to feel like in Beijing.” On a short meet warm-up approach: “For the last two years, I would take, like, 30 minutes to get warmed up—jogging, stretching, things like that. Then [in] the indoor season, I had a Coaching Athletics Quarterly - Fall 2008 11
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meet in which I was actually late. I was driving down to go to this little meet [UCM Invitational in Warrensburg, MO] before the national championships, and I was running late, so I just put on my shoes and threw my indoor PR of 22.18 [72 feet, 9 inches].” So, then, I went to the indoor national meet and said, “You know what, I’m not going to warm up here either.” So, I didn’t warm up there either. And now, that’s basically my routine … just kind of walk around … I think I was wasting my energy earlier. I kind of like this, warming up with my throws nice and slow. That’s how I do it now. I think I like it for the time being. I did it at World Indoors, too, and threw pretty well. So, we’ll see. It’s good to conserve energy at a meet like that. If you warm up too early, you could be sitting in a call room for 90 minutes, and 30 minutes out in the circle is just way too long. You’ve got to pace yourself, especially a guy my size. You have a finite amount of energy. You have to save as much as possible.”
Photo by:Victah, PhotoRun.NET
On larger national attention brought to Reese Hoffa and Adam Nelson: “I don’t really pay much attention to that type of stuff. That’s great for them—I’m happy for them. But, I’m not going to watch them [jokingly]. I’m not going to [the Olympics] to be a spectator. My winning record against both of them … I think I’ve doubled up on them. I think they should be the ones worried.” On a possible medal sweep by American shot putters: “Yeah, everyone wants to talk about a possible sweep, and it sounds great and all, but as long as I do my best and give my best … you know, track is an individual sport, and it’s you versus the tape measure. People like to get into medal counts and stuff like that, but I mean … I hope those guys do well, but what are you going to do? If they do well, that’s great. But I have some goals in mind that I want to accomplish [before I worry about the three of us].” On the last four years: “So, I didn’t make [the Olympic team] in ‘04. And I thought when I made the team that I would have some sort of awe-moment. Yeah, that didn’t happen. I mean, after I made it, it was like another day. I was just mad I got second [at the Olympic Trials]. So, just move onto the next one.” “When I didn’t make it, I was in pretty bad shape 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 took 21.16 to win, and my average that year was like 21.70-something, two foot past what it took to win. I had a great year, that year. I don’t know if I would have changed much. If you take that year as an outdoor season, of anybody, it may be the best ever, minus a major championship. I look back on that
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year and think, “What was I doing there?” It seemed so easy at the time, but now looking back, I realize what 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, so part [of my time] will be to get used to that and get a few practices in, sharpen up, and by the time that happens, 10 days will go by a lot quicker than it sounds like. Blink your eyes and be ready to go. “ On former Mizzou wrestler Ben Askren’s prediction of Gold in his event [74kg freestyle wrestling]: “[Laughs] Ben will probably get Gold actually. I mean, I’m not like Ben. I’m not going to say [what predictions I have] … because I’ve done that in the past, and it didn’t work. I’m just going to give it hell and see what happens. The Olympics, if you look back, it’s always weird results; it usually doesn’t take as much as you’d think to win. It’s people who handle that stuff the best that do well. I think I’m at a point now that I know how big meets work. It’s going to be pretty tough [to do what you think you should do].” On making the team this year: “In my mind, there wasn’t any doubt that I was going to make the team. I had felt great, being mostly injury free. There was no way I wasn’t going to make it. But, I got to that fifth round and put myself in the lead after being [fourth], but I was never worried—I just knew it was going to happen. And, I stuck to that and never really doubted. I was just angry it didn’t end up how I wanted it to. I really had it planned a little bit differently, 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 personally in the last four years: “I’ve gotten a few more gray hairs, and my stomach hurts a little more now. Other than that, I’m pretty much the same. I don’t really feel different. I don’t feel any different making the team either, which is probably not what people expect. I don’t get in the thinking of being better now or then. I feel like I’m at the point of my career where I can start over and think of everything from this point on. [Being a professional thrower] is more like a job now. Before, I was just having a good time. I didn’t make that team, and it really sunk in that a lot of your life revolves around making these teams. That’s where your sponsorships and all that stuff comes into play. They don’t pay you to sit on the sidelines.” On his first child, Jackson Daniel, born nine weeks ago: “[My wife, Teri] does a great job with Jackson. She gets up with him every night.”
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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 put one out there far and be done with it, but at this level, that chance doesn’t happen too often. I mean, if you put one out there 75 or 76 feet, you can take your shoes off and go home. But, even at 73 feet, you are at that line where two or three of us in the U.S. can touch 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 and energy used to do that. I mean, I heard the opening ceremonies are four to five hours of just standing and waiting and the heat and all that. It doesn’t really sound like a good time to 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 them proud 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 of positive 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 fly in and do it. When I won the World Indoor Championships, I flew in [on the] day of and won … 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 that stuff. I think it’s a crutch. It’s actually something that throws a lot of people off. I don’t do that. Reese [Hoffa], before the World Indoors this year, he went over seven days before. I got in the day of, and I beat him. So, we do things a little different. I think sometimes having the chaos gets your mind off worrying about competition. It takes the stress 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 like the 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 the pollution [laughs]. It will be good. I’ve got a mask on anyways (stroking his beard and goatee).” 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 paying attention to the morning and p.m. qualifying, you’ll note that it’s the only event in major athletics championships to do everything in one day. I have no idea why the biggest human beings on the planet get the least rest. Most people get a day off, and they come back for the final. So, these guys are going to get up at probably six in the morning, or 5:30, make sure they get some breakfast and proceed to the stadium and out of the village to the warm-up area. The warm-up area precedes—substantially—the call room, maybe up to an hour, and then you are in the call room where you sit and wait, and then you’re taken to the track where you have one to two warm-up throws, then you compete. That’s qualifying. By the time you proceed out of the stadium, back to the village, you barely have 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’t need a 30–45 minute warm-up routine to be prepared to walk in the circle—he’s preparing himself to deal with the unexpected. You walk out of the call room—you don’t know what the officials are going to do or TV. To have the ability just to walk in the ring mentally 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’m completely 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.) Coaching Athletics Quarterly - Fall 2008 13
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Some Things I Have Learned in 33 Years of Javelin Throwing by Roald Bradstock or a javelin thrower, I have always been too short (5-10, 1.80m) and too slow, yet I have competed 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 threw 74.28m, 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 had to learn the event.
F
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.
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. 14 Coaching Athletics Quarterly - Fall 2008
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.
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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.
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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 is‌drills. 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. 16 Coaching Athletics Quarterly - Fall 2008
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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 runup 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.
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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. Coaching Athletics Quarterly - Fall 2008 17
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• 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.
Photo by:Victah, PhotoRun.NET
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Psychological Performance Skills By Dr. Keith Henschen ost athletes in track and field think that hours and hours of conditioning, strength training and practice are necessary for optimal performance. Only when the body is honed to a peak physiological condition do they feel ready for competition. Physical preparation is only part of the story. Performance is 95% physical and 5% mental; but the 5% rules the 95%. Consider this fact: All performers follow almost identical training regimens, yet during a track meet, there is but one winner in each event. What separates one athlete from another? In many cases, perhaps even most cases, mental preparation is the deciding factor. To be a good athlete, psychological training is essential, and compared with physical conditioning, psychological preparation is generally easier and more enjoyable. Athletes need psychological conditioning (mental skills) to attain their optimal performance. Mind and body need to work together. Excess tension, distractions and misdirected focus are negative factors that mental skills can help control and, thus, allow athletes to perform at their best. However, if these factors are not controlled and work against the athletes, these psychological factors are so powerful they can easily negate thousands of hours of physical training. The psychological skills necessary to perform well are fairly straightforward: relaxation, concentration, imagery, self-talk and a precompetition mental routine.
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Relaxation Learning to compete with the right amount of relaxation sounds easy, but it is really fairly difficult to achieve. Being too relaxed or not relaxed enough leads to a less-than-effective performance. Most track athletes, especially runners, need to reach a comfortable rhythm as soon into their events as possible. This rhythm is characterized by smooth and efficient effort and an overall relaxed, easy feeling, which allow athletes to exert more intensity during various times in the performance without tensing up. Learning to relax properly is not only feeling “non-tense” it is also having the control to respond to directions from the mind. How many times have 20 Coaching Athletics Quarterly - Fall 2008
you said to yourself “Relax,” only to find yourself more tense than ever? The body hears the message, but unless trained with relaxation skills, it really does not know how to respond. In effect, learning to relax allows one to communicate more effectively with one’s body. Relaxation techniques available to track and field athletes include progressive relaxation, breathing exercises, autogenic training and meditation.
Concentration The single most frequent cause of mistakes during a performance is to be in the wrong attentional state, thus resulting in inappropriate concentration. When athletes learn how to control their attentional styles, they make fewer errors and become more confident in their ability to perform. Schools do not teach students how to concentrate appropriately, so students must find a way to accomplish this task themselves. A good sport psychology consultant can also teach athletes concentration skills. The skills of concentration are probably the most important of all the psychological skills to affect actual performance. Concentration, arousal, anxiety and self-confidence are intricately related with each of these variables, greatly influencing the others. No one can give a person appropriate concentration skills; each person must learn those skills for him/herself.
Imagery Imagery is a great practice technique, because it can help prepare the athletes for situations that might occur during their events. Athletes can use imagery to rehearse their events from start to finish. When done correctly, imagery is perfect practice (in the mind). To use imagery correctly, one first needs to determine what type of imager one really is—visual or kinesthetic (feeler). Strangely enough, most athletes are feelers; their best method of imagery is feeling how to perform instead of seeing it in their minds.
Self-Talk Everyone talks to himself or herself, and track athletes are no exception. The way we talk to ourselves either enhances or hurts our performance. Positive self-talk provides more energy to an athlete than negative self-talk. Most of us are conditioned by our culture to be negative
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with ourselves. We have been taught that this is the proper way to motivate ourselves, which, of course, is nonsense. If a person learns to change his/her inner dialog to be positive, a better chance to perform well results. Negative thoughts tell the body that something is wrong. In response, the body goes into a defensive mode and performance suffers.
Establish a Pre-Competition Routine After learning all these psychological skills, the real challenge is to use them. A precompetition mental routine, developed between the coach and the athletes, helps the athletes get their mind in the proper place to perform well. The following is a sample 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 Up All athletes, in order to perform well, must supplement their physical training with mental conditioning. I am talking about psychological skills, and they are skills— relaxation, concentration, imagery and positive self-talk. These skills should be incorporated into a pre-competition routine which will help athletes mentally prepare and compete in their events. Remember, psychological skills can—and must—be practiced the same as any physical skill.
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R E E S E H O F F A , O LY M P I C S H OT P U T T E R
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This series of shots was taken by Victah Sailer on June 8, 2008, at the Nike Prefontaine Classic. Reese Hoffa is the 2008 World Indoor Silver medalist and 2007 World Outdoor champion. His personal best in the shot is 22.43 meters, or 73 feet, 7.25 inches, set in 2007. Reese Hoffa won the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials. He finished seventh in Beijing, having an off day.
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The Art of Coaching– Making Corrections: Cues, Clues and Adjustments By Dave Nielsen oaching is both a science and an art, as it requires the ability to assess and assist in the acquisition of skills paramount to success. Science provides insight and direction in regard to mechanics, physiology, psychology, and learning. Art involves the effective application of this wealth of knowledge to individual athletes and/or the team. Communication is the bridge between coach and athlete. Not surprisingly, the art of communication is a key distinguishing characteristic great coaches share. I am fascinated when I have the opportunity to observe my colleagues implementing a variety of effective coaching techniques. Coaches make technical corrections, provide support, deliver psychological motivation, and direct tactical strategies. Knowledge, skill, and the ability to help the athletes make corrections are required to help mold athletes for success. A little “tweaking” may be all that is required in taking an athlete from a non-qualifier to a medallist. In this regard, I have been intrigued by the use of cues, clues, and adjustments, as tools coaches can use to alter an athlete’s behavior, action, or position. The following are my definitions, observations, and suggestions in this aspect of coaching. A cue is a direct instruction for a certain action, i.e., a specific directive. A cue is a focused directive aimed at a specific response or sequence within the immediate grasp of the athlete, and may range from simple to complex. A cue can manifest itself in a physical action, a sensory reaction, an auditory stimulus, or a visual directive.
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Here are some examples: Physical: The coach wants the athlete to extend his right arm up very high overhead and cues the athlete to “make your right shoulder touch your ear.” Sensory: The coach wants the athlete to generate a more powerful and elastic response when doing a long swing from a pole or bar. The instruction might be to “feel the pressure in your chest before swinging your feet and hips upward.”
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Auditory: An athlete is running hurdles and, even though he has no problem getting from hurdle to hurdle, is slow and plodding. The coach might use an auditory cue of “BOOM—ta—taah—taa—BOOM” (hurdle step, three steps between, hurdle step, and so on), so the athlete can replicate a better hurdling rhythm. Visual: A dancer struggles to do a series of turns in a straight line across the stage. As a result, he is coached to spot a common reference point on each turn. On the other hand, a clue—in a broad sense—is a metaphor or simile that is used to convey what is to be done using another recognizable descriptor. The clue can be physical or mental, though it is usually a combination of the two. Drills are usually designed to imitate physical movement patterns of a particular activity or event and, therefore, can be considered a clue or a piece of the activity puzzle. A sprinter may spend a whole training session doing drills with a focus (cue) of keeping the foot cocked (dorsal flexed) in order to better activate the muscles of the calf, hamstrings, and hip. The drills themselves are not sprinting but physical modeling clues to enhance sprint performance. The athlete may be very good at doing drills but must still make the connection to actual sprinting. Hopefully, the drill simply becomes an automatic motor response. One paramount principle in the training process is to focus on a single cue at a time. Multiple cues in training are seldom effective, because the athlete over-saturates, and confusion sets in. The value of a good cue is its ability to create a focus on a single aspect of a movement sequence. Because of the sequential nature of movement, the beginning of the movement is critical and should garner the priority as the cuing target. Further, because of the focused nature, a good cue can be used effectively in competition. In another example, a pole vault coach may try to get an athlete to capture the feeling of turning upside down while keeping pressure on her hands. The athlete may be cued to drop her shoulders. If the cue is unclear, the athlete will likely fail.
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However, imagine the athlete has a gymnastics background. The clue might be that the action of dropping the shoulders is similar to doing a “clear back hip circle to handstand” on the high bar or uneven bars. In this example, the athlete has performed a like skill (physical) and is now clued to make a connection (mental), bridging the gap for application when pole vaulting. An example of a purely mental clue is a football coach telling his fumbling receiver to imagine that his hands and the ball are magnetic. He is to allow that magnetic attraction and go with it every time the ball is near. As the clue is internalized, the function of the clue may change from a teaching device to a warm-up tool. At this stage, a clue may assist in the preparation of the athlete, physically and/or mentally, immediately prior to the onset of a primary training activity or competition. Clues, by their nature, are hazy and subject to interpretation in execution. They are presented to develop or adjust motor patterns or to map an internal 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 clue may pop up at any time, the best place for clues is away from competition. Beyond cues and clues, an adjustment is a simple alteration of position or tactic. For example, a gymnastics coach may change the order of competition, the color of the uniform, or the difficulty of the routine. An athlete may be participating in an event that requires running up and jumping from a particular mark. If the athlete repeatedly misses the mark by taking off short, then it is likely that he will be told to start the run up further forward than previously. Although adjustments involve little thought, they may carry with them psychological consequences that could have a negative impact on an athlete’s performance. For example, the polevaulter’s coach may instruct him to change to a stiffer pole, but the athlete may be reluctant because of a bad experience on the pole. The result may be a failed attempt. In this situation, a simple adjustment could create a psychological quagmire! All aspects considered, adjustments are the simplest 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. A tool may commonly be used successfully in combination or in a non-standard fashion. Cues, clues and adjustments are, therefore, best suited for certain jobs. Training is the primary place to use both cues and clues in order to address technical changes. In this setting, specific movement goals are addressed so the athlete can go from a focused effort to an automatic response. At competition time, the athlete is most likely to perform at a peak level when not encumbered by concepts or directives that require thought-generating
movement. Hopefully, by that time, the performance is automatic. If the athlete needs help during competition, the “adjustments drawer” of the toolbox is the best choice, as this tool requires little prolonged thought. I observe practical applications of cues, clues, and adjustments all the time in the pole vault. The uses of these tools range from incredibly insightful and effective to “off the wall” and even to potentially perilous. That said, some uses, though insightful, are ineffective, while some of the “off the wall” uses are incredibly effective. Additionally, a cue that works great for one athlete may not work for another. As a practical example, I started using the cue, “hit your top hand in,” which told the pole vaulter to use the top hand to make the pole hit the back of the box hard in the pole plant process. This cue took on a life of its own, parented by various persons, among them Dr. Peter McGinnis. He reported that elite vaulters tend to keep a more firm top arm and that the cue of running over the toe of the takeoff foot had worked well. This “hit your top hand in” cue seemed to reinforce that by nature. The cue focuses on the top arm instead of the bottom arm and reinforces the notion of keeping the hands moving through the jump. The result from my athletes has been that about half of them pick up the cue and find it effective within a practice. Twenty-five percent found it useful at a later time but not when initially introduced. For the rest of those given the cue, it did not make sense. In this situation, it is likely best to forget about it – for a while at least. It is not likely that one cue will be a panacea. In regard to this cue specifically, for some it was effective in a given situation, but it had a short shelf life of usefulness, whereas others still use it as a focal base in difficult situations, such as changing poles, turning upside down, etc. Therefore, the practical application of these tools is a skill to be honed by both coaches and athletes. All people use tools. The screwdriver, hammer, pliers, and duct tape may be instrumental in fixing many things. However, few would disagree that sometimes another tool is needed to fix a problem. The questions to be asked involve the size of the inventory, the choice of the right tool for the job, and the knowledge of its proper use. The table below 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 athlete to fill in with tools relative to their philosophies and background. Regardless, striving to become the best requires a collective effort, with each individual, whether coach or athlete, contributing his or her tools to the toolbox. As a result, the toolbox will hold a limitless wealth of knowledge easily accessible to those who choose to utilize its contents.
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A D A M N E L S O N , O LY M P I C S H OT P U T T E R Adam Nelson was photographed by Victah Sailer on June 8, 2008 at the Nike Prefontaine Classic.
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Adam is the 2000 and 2004 Olympic Silver medalist, 2005 World Champion, 2001, 2003 and 2007 World Championship Silver medalist and 2000 and 2004 Olympic Trials champion at the shot put. HIs personal best, from 2002, is 22.51m or 73 feet, 10.25 inches. Adam was injured the week before Beijing and did not complete a throw. He will be back.
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Cross Country
by Cregg Weinmann
T
he 2008 cross country season is looming, complete with a new batch of shoes designed for traction and lightness. This season’s offerings are familiar, each with a little something for all aficionados of the hill and dale sport. As always, the versatility of cross country 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 models nearly mirror each other in styling and weight, with spikes providing a marginally better grip on muddy or soggy ground. Cross country spikes are designed to perform best on all-natural courses, while the spikeless versions, which have integral outersole nubs of some sort, generally handle all surfaces, including indoor or outdoor tracks. If you’re looking to make a purchase that will transition from cross country season to track season, consider the one of the spikeless options here.
adidas adiZero Belligerence
adidas RLH Cross
The Belligerence is the first adiZero cross country shoe and, thanks to adidas’ experience, it’s right on target. 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 protection with its very low-profile and responsive ride. The upper uses minimal synthetic overlays with the HF-welded bands from the eyestay 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 improves the fit, but is strategically reinforced to provide a balance between freedom and structure.
After a lengthy run on store shelves, the Neptune 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. Wellplaced Traxion lugs in both the heel and forefoot provide an effective grip, with enough give to provide a little cushioning on hard surfaces. Both spiked and spikeless versions provide the extra traction needed for sloppy conditions.
“Very pleased with the great fit. The traction was the best feature, like an extension of my foot, no, more like part of it, the way it flexed and moved with it.”
“Fit hugs foot without unpleasant pressure anywhere, ideal for racing flat. No feeling 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
Price: $90 Spiked Weight: 7.4 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 several turns. The value-oriented price holds steady despite increases throughout the industry. The CMSpEVA midsole, lugged outersole, and rubber Trusstic element continue 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 effective 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. The cushioning is low-profile with a minimalistic feel, just enough cushion and grip for 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
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Mizuno Wave Kaze 4 For 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 traction from 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
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REVIEWS
Cross Country Nike Zoom Waffle Racer VI & Zoom Waffle XC VII
The Nike 2008 cross country season amounts to a back-to-the-drawing board for the Nike Waffle offerings. The upper’s tailoring is familiarly snug, reflecting the spike that it is. The midsole and spikeplate/outersole have recognizable aspects—the aggressive chevron-shaped “Waffle” rubber and the CM-EVA midsole—but the switch to a thin layer of thermoplastic in the midfoot has taken significant weight out of the shoe, a whopping 2 ounces. The upper also contributed to the weight loss, with gauze-y mesh and open mesh sandwiched together, with a soft, synthetic suede arch band for fit and comfort.
“These shoes feel good; they are light, offer good traction, and just enough protection 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 the changes to its sibling the Waffle Racer, the men’s half of this pair. Significantly, it has dropped over an ounce in weight—directly attributable to changes in the midsole. The midfoot now sports a thin, thermoplastic layer of support in place of the much heavier rubber from before, without sacrificing protection from the cushioning and the thermoplastic layer that protects from rocky surfaces. The upper has been reworked to internalize the structural overlays of the previous version, again at a weight savings. One of the ways that the Jana differs from the men’s versions is the open mesh over the toe with a different sandwich of meshes from the midfoot through the heel. Sueded lining in the heel and just in front of the arch offer comfort where the shoe fits the snuggest.
“I really like the shoes overall. Love the color, and they feel fast! Lacing feels secure and strong, won‘t let me down. Maybe best of all, the fit is comfortably snug, but soft against my foot.” Price: $50 Spikeless/$60 Spiked Weight: 4.9 oz. (women’s 8) Spikeless/5.1 oz. (women’s 8) with 4 spikes Fit: snug heel, glove-like toe box
Reebok Velocity Waffle II & Velocity XC II
The updated Velocity retains the effective parts of the shoe, while introducing some improvements. The proven midsole/outersole, with its dependable traction and cushioning for harder surfaces, does equally well on the soft surfaces. The upper contributes to the lighter weight with a new, closed mesh and a bit of water-resistant, rubbery overlays combined with good support from its Vector stripes. The narrow, sueded overlays on the edging add protection and a little structure. Overall, the supportive, glove-like fit has been maintained to continue to provide Reebok’s version of low-profile design.
“Reebok has steadily provided a shoe that works great for my cross country racing. They fit me, the traction is reliable, and the low profile gives me a feel for the course.” Price: $50 Spikeless/$55 Spiked Weight: 7.9 oz. (men’s 11) Spikeless/8.4 oz. (men’s 11) with 6 spikes Fit: snug heel, glove-like toe box
Saucony Shay XC
The Shay XC becomes Saucony’s new cross country option to the Kilkenny. Named for Ryan Shay, the late elite marathoner and cross country All-America selection, it’s aimed at the fastest performances. The upper features an open mesh with touches of supportive overlays—it’s minimal but enough. Inside, there’s a soft, flexible sleeve stitched to the sides of the tongue and secured along the edges of the Strobel board. This sleeve moves with the foot, offering a close fit and reducing friction. The midsole is nicely cushioned, especially for a racer. The outersole features the old-school Saucony triangular lugs, which really grip on a wide variety of surfaces, and a fun “footprint” in a second color of rubber. The combination of performance and comfort add up to a hardworking cross country racer—just like its namesake.
“This shoe was a pleasant surprise—traction, cushioning, breathable, comfortable on the foot—it really performs.”
Price: $60 Spikeless/$65 Spiked Weight: 7.2 oz. (men’s 11) Spikeless/7.7 oz. (men’s 11) with 6 spikes Fit: snug heel, close-fitting toe box
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 levels for over 25 years. He can be reached via fax at 661.872.1233 or via e-mail at shuz2run@lightspeed.net. 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.
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Winner: John McDonnell By James Dunaway
J
ohn McDonnell, one of the most successful track and field coaches the United States has ever seen, is retiring after 36 years as head men’s coach of the University of Arkansas. His resume includes 42 men’s NCAA team championships—12 outdoor, 19 indoor and 11 crosscountry. Nobody else even comes close. His athletes have won 105 individual NCAA outdoor, indoor and cross-country championships. That is an average of three championships a year! Of course, that figures. Everybody knows that winning the NCAAs usually depends on a few star athletes—guys who score 10, 15, 20 points—and any coach who can come up with three of those athletes per year is going to win a lot of team championships. Winning the conference? Now that takes more than just a few studs. Winning the conference requires depth. That is why perhaps the most amazing of all McDonnell’s statistics is this: in the 17 years since Arkansas joined the Southeastern Conference—the toughest conference in track—Arkansas has won 45 out of a possible 50 team championships. McDonnell was a farm boy in County Mayo, Ireland, studied at a technical school, and became a TV cameraman. For sports, he was a distance runner, good enough to beat the Olympic 5000 meter standard in 1960, but he was ignored by the Irish selectors. He came to New York in the summer of 1963 “on holiday” to visit a cousin. “I loved the weather.” When he got back to Ireland, it was, of course,
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raining. Two months later, he was back in New York for good and quickly got a cameraman’s job at a local TV station. McDonnell ran in local races for the New York A.C. He met Malcolm Robinson, an Irish runner attending Southwestern Louisiana. Next thing John knew, he was a 25-year-old freshman for coach Bob Cole at S.W. La. A year later, Cole had him coaching the team’s distance runners— unofficially, of course, but he was coaching. In 1969, McDonnell became a U.S. citizen and got his degree (B.A. in Education). He started teaching and coaching at the high school level and was successful enough by 1972 to get “tapped” as cross-country coach at a university than more famous for football and hog-calling than for track and field. McDonnell got promoted to head coach in 1978. He wanted to win so badly, he tried to get more out of his athletes than they could give—until two of his best athletes, Mike Conley and Frank O’Mara told him, separately, that his pressure was hurting, not helping their performances. Right then, he realized what has been his mantra ever since: “They want to win. They’ve got enough pressure on them already. The coach doesn’t need to give them any more.” It took Bill Bowerman, Jumbo Elliott and John Wooden more than a decade to win their first national championships. John McDonnell, who did it in six years, belongs in their company.
Coaching Fall 08
9/16/08
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Coaching Fall 08
9/17/08
11:04 PM
Page 32