bennett running camp

When Feeling Exhausted is Feeling Great

Seriously, if someone not wearing Oregon jersey's would do something great then I could post about another school. But, since Rupp won the 5k and 10k and this guy won the 800 I have no other option. If you disagree you can always "comment". See what happens then!

 Here is a VERY tired Andrew Wheating of Oregon after he won the NCAA 800 in 1:46.21 last weekend. He was sick that morning, his calf exploded on him with 300m to go, and he held off a diving Longhorn at the line. All in a days work. I love how totally wiped out he is during this interview. He literally gets more and more fatigued as the interview goes on. Just awesome. We've all been there. Maybe it was not after a win as epic as what he did but it is no less noble if it came as a result of a monumental effort. 

Always keep digging. The wells not dry until its dry. And remember to eat your wheaties!

Meet of Champions

Congratulations to all of you that competed this weekend at the NJ Group State Championships. It was a long weekend indeed.  The performances, across the board, on the girls and boys side both were exceptional. MOC should be terrific. Each race promises to be a brawl. 

Remember though, if you were able to qualify for MOC, that your teammates  in the stands watching and cheering, or back home scouring the internet or waiting by their phones for results of your race, are a large part of your success. We race around these circles alone. The battles between the lines, start and finish, are met without the aid of another. But, and this is a significant but, we are up to the challenge because of the company we kept on this journey. None of this would be as special without them. You will always be a more dangerous athlete when you race for your team. Enjoy these days. Wear your jersey with pride. It represents so much more than a school, so much more than one athlete. 

Speaking of dangerous athletes, check out this article here: Rupp is a Beast. But he is a Turbo Beast when his team needs points.  I cannot help but applaud this guy week in and week out. 

So if I applaud Rupp I have to mention that this past weekend I watched Don Bosco senior Rob Molke, Southern Senior Jillian Smith and Seton Hall Senior Clayton Parros do one day TRIPLES. You only do that for your team. No one does one day TRIPLES for themselves. Fighting for every last point, tenth, and inch, is how you pay back your teammates for the days, months, and years of friendship, support, and laughter. Those are my kind of runners. 

It's About Points. It's About the Team.

The University of Oregon. NCAA Champions in XC. NCAA Champions in Indoor Track. Points. Team. The kids on these teams get faster along the way. Why? How? Don't doubles slow you down? Depends. Need motivation when you run that third lap of the 1600m? How about laps 5 and 6 of a two mile? 

Or that straightaway AFTER the Bowl? 

Nothing beats your obligation to the boys and girls on your team to do your job. 

In this interview Andrew Wheating talks about how tired heats and rounds get you at Pac 10's. But, he gets through them because the chance to win as a team will always get him to dig deeper.

 I've always felt that a baton makes people dangerous. Give a person a baton, which symbolizes team, and magic happens. 

So, here is a brief interview with one of the studs from the 2008 Trials. Remember, XC is the ultimate team sport. No baton needed for magic in XC. You just need 5 willing to go to the line for each other. 

The Men and Women of Oregon get it. Do you? 

Your Time Is Now

Stanford University is the site of the best distance races in the US year in and year out. The combination of perfect weather, great competition, and a fast (some would say short) track make exceptional performances possible. This past weekends Payton Jordan Invitational was another terrific night of races at Stanford. The Youth of the sport rose to the forefront. Chris Derrick (13:29) and German Fernandez (13:31) both ran under the 5000m American Jr. Record that was held by Galen Rupp. Matt Centrowitz Jr. (3:36) ran the 7th fastest 1500 in NCAA history. Jenny Barringer (15:07) set another collegiate record in the 5k. Below is the AJR 5k being set as shown on Flotrack . One year ago Derrick and Fernandez were in HS getting ready for Counties or Conference just like all of you. 12 months. 365 days. Work. Work. Work. No one says it's easy. If they did they'd be lying. And if it was, well, then it would not mean much in the end now would it?

Watch the race. See the effort. Derrick's last 25m is excruciating. I bet he loved it. 

Run. 

Sometimes Everytime

Whether it's Gabrielle Andersen Scheiss and her Epic finish in LA 1984 or Seb Coe and his amazing 1500 win after his equally amazing 800m loss earlier in the week in Moscow 1980 or Mary Decker leading every step of the 3k and then every step of the 1500 until the final bend against the Russians on the 1983 WC or Mottram vs Bekele in a race that no one believed (maybe one believed) should have been a race some truths find there way to the finish everytime.

Watch it again. Then get in that registration for Bennett Camp! Then Run.

More World XC Coverage

Here is the meet website. Now you have no excuse.

IAAF World XC Championship WebSite

Did you know, former camper, CBA great, Notre Dame great, great guy in general, John Coyle was the top American Junior at the 1990 World XC Championships? Of course you did!

So, since you are brilliant, knowledgeable, and fast we bring you the following:

Here is some great footage from the 1983 World XC Champs. Salazar, deCastella, Lopes, it just does not get much better.