This is my daily chat with #RunBlogRun viewers and track fans on all things track & field!
We have done over six hundred podcasts of #CoffeewithLarry; you can find them all at www.runblogrun.com.
Coffee and tea, Scottie’s Eat Mor, the iconic breakfast spot, Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, May 2024
This is #CoffeewithLarry for Monday, July 29, 2024.
Our topics:
1. Coaching legend John Anderson, who coached David Moorcroft for his entire career, has died at the age of 92. John was the referee for the iconic show, Gladiators. Here is Athletics Weekly’s tribute: https://athleticsweekly.com/…/coaching-legend-john…/
John Anderson with Dave and Linda Moorcroft (Mark Shearman),
2. Mariano Haro, the great Spanish runner, who represented Spain on 27 different occasions and took 4th in the 10,000m in Munich in 1972, has died. He was 84. Real Madrid announced his passing, here is the release: https://www.realmadrid.com/…/comunicado-oficial…
Mariano Haro, photo courtesy of Real Madrid
3. Mt.SAC announced changes to their iconic cross country course. This is the official announcement, https://www.mtsacathletics.com/…/releases/20240727i3e07r
The recent announcement on changing cross country course at Mt.SAC, courtesy of Mt.SAC.
4. What do you think about the pasteurization of high school cross country?
1968 Eastern Conference Champs, photo by Mt.SAC
5. The fastest person in the world is not a fact but an opinion, or so says Michael Johnson. Here’s the tweet: “@MJGold
“Fastest Man or Woman In The World” sounds like a title, but in reality it is an opinion. ” What are your thoughts?
Noah Lyles, New York City Grand Prix track & field
World Athletics Continental Gold, photo by Kevin Morris
World Athletics Continental Gold, photo by Kevin Morris
6. Larry’s thoughts: As Doug Todd (former Mt.SAC Director of Track & Field/Cross Country) puts it, the Mt. SAC course change is a “sad day.” Cross country runners, coaches and fans are creatures of habit. Changing iconic courses, to make it easier (hence the comment on modern training techniques, which seem, at high school, to either dumb down cross country or to make it ‘more accesible’), is not good in long run. Challenges are important. I really wonder what my hero, Don Ruh, long time Director at Mt.SAC would say about this development?
Don Ruh, photo courtesy of Mt.SAC Track & Field
7. Larry’s thoughts: I love Michael Johnson and and totally respect his new #GrandSlamTrack. But here, I differ. If you win the 100m global title, man or woman, you are the fastest man or woman in the world.
Michael Johnson, Grand Slam Track, photo courtesy of Grand Slam Track
8. Deep thought: Learn this from Sir Ian Stewart, MBE: If you make the Olympic final in track and field, you can win the event.
Ian Stewart and Kip Keino, 1970 Commonwealth Games
9. Race walks begin the Olympic track & field on August 1, and the whole track & field party begins on August 2!
1939 marathon racing shoe, hand cobbled by Adi Dassler, founder of adidas, photo by adidas Communications
10. “We are all friends,” read this one, remember it,
Script it, fight club: American baptized by George Foreman vs. Refugee foe born in Iran, by Alan Abrahamson, #3Wiresports,
See you Tuesday on Coffee with Larry!