Column: Being a Running Fan(atic)

"One of my favorite things about being a professional runner is that while there exists a small group who, though ignorantly, criticize loudly and anonymously online, the majority of the running community is amazingly gracious and supportive." - Ryan Hall after deciding to pull out of the Chicago Marathon

From the wikipedia entry for fan: "Merriam-Webster, the Oxford dictionary and other recognized sources define it as a shortened version of the word fanatic"
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Column: Commissioner of Track for a Day

The unceremonious dismissal of USATF CEO Doug Logan really got me thinking. Track and Field is a sport struggling to draw spectators, and establish interest beyond it's one moment in the sun during the Olympiad every four years. Even with charismatic stars like Usain Bolt, track really struggles to draw a television audience and any mainstream interest in non-Olympic years. To try and fix that, I pondered what I would change if I were in charge of professional track and field. What are some of the ways to liven up the sport, make meets more fun, and keep all of the competition interesting? Though, I can't presume to be Pete Rozelle, here are some of the key changes I'd make in no particular order:

The Three Comebacks: Webb, Willis, and Kamel

If you looked at the seasonal bests and ignored the names on the start list, the 1500 in Milan at the end of last week would seem to be at best a "B" level race for the equivalent of the pro circuit's weekend warriors. A glance at the names and the corresponding pedigrees of some of the athletes, however, revealed a race lineup with intrigue and some potential impact on the upcoming three years of global championships.

Column: It is Snow Argument- The Case for Cross in the Winter Olympics

In a story that was deemed gripping enough to make the headlines section by ESPN editors (doubtful Rudisha's WR run was given similar treatment for long if at all), the IAAF made waves, er snowdrifts, by requesting that the International Olympic Committee add cross country running to the Winter Olympics program. A worrisome obstacle is the Olympics' charter that states: "only those sports which are practiced on snow and ice are considered as winter sports". Still, I would not be surprised if this charter is malleable considering other known Olympics goals like worldwide participation and the IOC's less outward ones like increasing television ratings and revenues. Logistical issues aside, I absolutely love the idea of having cross country in the Olympiad as both a fan of the sport and a fan of the Olympics. Below are the top reasons that Cross Country running in the Winter Olympics is a perfect fit.

Column: Dear Alan

Dear Alan,

I know you must feel like a burnt piece of steak right now. A blackened cut uncomfortably surrounded at the kitchen table by a thousand observers poking and prodding. While some mercifully remain silent or keep their voices down, the most unabashed and cynical you hear loud and clear as they declare: "He's done! He's cooked! Stick a fork in him!"
While most solemnly nod at this conclusion, I do not count myself as one of them. And neither should you. The naysayers will be there for the coming months, ripping you and writing your eulogy. Nonetheless, you must remember this is not the first time they've raised their voices, nor have they been right in the past.

Column: Generational Gap

American 1500m Running Primed to End Medal Drought
By Noah Jampol

Follow me along on a 24 year trip, virtually a generation, spanning from Tokyo, Japan to Beijing, China and finally culminating in Daegu, South Korea. The destinations may seem like they belong on a checklist of a Westerner visiting the continent of Asia for the first time. However, in the lore of American 1500 meter running, the cities represent a journey from competitiveness to irrelevance and perhaps all the way back in the contemporary middle distance landscape. Tokyo, Beijing, and Daegu are three hosts of global championships that represent the former heights American 1500 meter running reached, the depths to which it plunged, and where it might witness a rebirth.

Tokyo: A Bronze for Spivey Wraps up an Era of Competitiveness

In 1987, Jim Spivey’s bronze at the World Championships in Tokyo made him the last athlete who spent his formative years training in America to earn a medal at a major championship. The 1980s also saw Steve Scott make his mark with a silver medal