Joe Vigil | TheFinalSprint.com - Track & Field, Marathons, Racing News, Training Advice, Elite Athlete Blogs, Interviews, Podcasts, Videos and More!

Lead Stories: Sunday, November 23, 2008

Wanjiru Surges to Olympic Marathon Title

Posted August 24th, 2008 at 9:05 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Olympics

Like Usain Bolt in the 100 and 200 meters,
marathoner Sammy Wanjiru blew away the field and the Olympic record here today, surging away from a stacked field to win Kenya’s first ever Olympic Marathon gold medal. Just 21 years-old, Wanjiru won his
second marathon in three starts, getting under Carlos Lopes’s 1984 Games record by nearly three minutes. Unfazed by a blazing sun, he recorded a finish time which would win nearly any cool weather marathon in the spring or fall: 2:06:30.

“The best guy won today,” said 2004 ING New York City Marathon champion Hendrick Ramaala of South Africa. “He runs without fear.”

Wanjiru beat up on the field right from the opening gun. There would be no dawdling pace at the start of this marathon, not like so many other major championships in the past. Wanjiru and teammates Martin Lel and Luke Kibet got some unexpected assistance from the Eritreans Yared Asmerom and Yonas Kifle, and the pace was hot in the opening kilometers. The first 5 km went down in 14:52, a 2:05:28 marathon finish pace, dramatically faster than anyone had expected.
Read the rest of this entry »

Comment on this post | Permalink

Asics to Host Distance Summit at USA Cross Country Champs

Posted February 5th, 2008 at 3:00 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Cross Country

Asics announced today that they would hold a distance summit prior to the USA Cross Country Championships later this month in San Diego. The summit is free and open to the public.

Scheduled for Friday, February 15, at 5:30 p.m. at the Sheraton Mission Valley, the summit will feature three prominent figures in the annals of U.S. distance running:

Joe Vigil: U.S. Olympic Coach, 1998 - 2008
Steve Scott: Former U.S. record holder in the mile
Terrence Mahon: Coach of Team Running USA California, which includes Deena Kastor and Ryan Hall

Read the rest of this entry »

Comment on this post | Permalink

Team Running USA Athletes Shine in 2007

Posted December 15th, 2007 at 11:00 AM by J. R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Olympics

Led by Ryan Hall’s sub-one hour half-marathon in Houston, U.S. marathon debut record at London and Olympic Marathon Trials triumph in Central Park, Team Running USA athletes again distinguished themselves with world class performances, multiple national titles and U.S. records and USA Running Circuit Grand Prix titles.

“Since 2001, Team Running USA athletes have performed well nationally and internationally, and this year was no exception. Ryan Hall, of course, had an exciting, historic year, while Deena Kastor added 5 more national titles and two U.S. records, fellow Olympic medalist Meb Keflezighi took on Kenya’s best road racers this summer and Kate O’Neill had a wonderful marathon debut for third in the heat at Chicago,” said Basil Honikman, CEO of Running USA.
Read the rest of this entry »

2 comments, add yours | Permalink

Podcast 92: Preeminent Running Coach JOE VIGIL

Posted October 11th, 2007 at 7:56 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Cross Country, Track & Field, Olympics, Special Features, Interviews, Podcasts

Episode sponsored by: Bill Rodgers Sportswear
After 21 years BR Sportswear is closing out their line of high -quality running apparel. Visit shopfest.com to take advantage of an unprecedented 50% discount on all in-stock items!

joe vigil legendary running coach Episode 92 of The Final Sprint Podcast features my in-depth interview with legendary running coach JOE VIGIL.

Recognized as one of America’s greatest distance running educators, Vigil led Adams State to 14 national championships, guided a plethora of top runners, such as Olympic marathon bronze medalist Deena Kastor, to extraordinary success, and has been inducted to eleven different Hall of Fames. In addition to mentoring a number of coaches and athletic organizations, Vigil continues to coach Team Running USA alongside fellow icon Bob Larsen and will lead American distance runners at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

In the interview Vigil explains why Deena Kastor has had such a significant and special impact on him as both a coach and as a person, he shares his thoughts on the Marion Jones debacle, talks about Pat Porter’s passion for the sport, “improv[ing] achievement motivation”, and the role that Arthur Lydiard and other coaching greats played in his own development.

Download the podcast to hear Coach Vigil discuss these topics, as well as, preparing the American distance running squad for the pollution and warm conditions in Beijing, the upcoming U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials, the greatest moments of his career, his opinion on pacesetters and why their absence helps athletes to learn what their “capable of internally”, and much more!

Listen In
[PLAY] (To Download: Right click and select “save as”)

[RSS] Add The Final Sprint Podcast RSS feed to your RSS reader to have the show delivered to you

Host: Adam Jacobs | Guest: Joe Vigil
Producers: Greg Cherniet, Adam Jacobs
Musicians: Ryan Ahlwardt, Darnell Perkins
File Size: 16.3 MB | Length: 23:46 MIN

Episode sponsored by: Bill Rodgers Sportswear
After 21 years Bill Rodgers Sportswear is closing out their line of high-quality running apparel. Visit shopfest.com to take advantage of an unprecedented 50% discount on all in-stock items!