TheFinalSprint.com - Track & Field, Marathons, Racing News, Training Advice, Elite Athlete Blogs, Interviews, Podcasts, Videos and More! - TheFinalSprint.com is the Premier Destination for Track & Field, Marathon, Cross Country, Olympic and Road Racing Enthusiasts.

Lead Stories: Sunday, October 12, 2008

Alan Webb Highlights 23rd Annual Carlsbad 5000

Posted March 27th, 2008 at 5:04 PM by Jamal Walker

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Olympics

After breaking Steve Scott’s quarter-century old American mile record last summer in Brasschaat, Belgium, 25-year-old Alan Webb will have an opportunity to take down San Diego native Marc Davis’ 1996 American road 5k record of 13:24, also set at the Carlsbad 5000. Webb has chosen to open his 2008 Spring campaign in Carlsbad as he prepares for an Olympic bid. The Southern California race, set for Sunday, April 6, 2008, was made famous by Scott 23 years ago as both the course designer and champion of the first three events.

“I’m really looking forward to my first trip out to Carlsbad,” said Webb, a Reston, Virginia native. “I’ve always heard about what a great course and event it is, and how fast people have run there. Plus, Steve Scott has been something of a mentor to me over the years, and to run on a course he designed and won on three times just makes it that much more special.”
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

In Between Eugene Will be Des Moines

Posted December 13th, 2007 at 9:54 AM by Martha Jones

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Olympics

Eugene, Ore., will host the U.S. Olympic Trials in 2008, and the U.S. Outdoor Championships in 2009 and 2011. In between, USATF announced today, the national championship meet will move to Des Moines, Iowa, home of Drake University and the Drake Relays.

“For several years, we have wanted to bring one of our premiere events to Drake Stadium,” USATF CEO Masback said in a prepared statement. “The Drake Relays is truly a community event with phenomenal fan support, and that community spirit shone through in Des Moines’ bid. We look forward to building a very strong partnership with local organizers for what will be an outstanding 2010 USA Outdoor Championships.”

Drake Stadium will get a $15 million renovation for the championships. “We envisioned that the facility would make Drake and Des Moines the Midwest capital of track and field,” Drake President David Maxwell said. “This event is a huge plus not only for Drake but also Des Moines and Iowa as a whole.”

(c) 2007 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved. Used with permission.

Comment on this post | Permalink

Greatest American Middle- and Long-Distance Track Runners of All Time

Posted November 10th, 2007 at 11:00 AM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

In an earlier post I wrote about my obsession need to think about my favorite sport – Track & Field (specifically, middle- and long-distance events) – even during the off-season.

I went to my favorite statistics site, alltime-athletics.com, to gather some statistics for analysis. This time around, I want to take a look at American middle- and long-distance track events. What single American has run the most world-class times of all time in events ranging form 800m to 10000m? In the past ten years? In 2007? In each event? Some of the answers might surprise you.
Read the rest of this entry »

4 comments, add yours | Permalink

Podcast 84: JON RANKIN, third at today’s Fifth Avenue Mile, reflects on his successful summer

Posted September 29th, 2007 at 8:20 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: 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!

Episode 84 of TheFinalSprint.com Podcast, the most listened to running Podcast in North America, features
my interview with emerging star JON RANKIN.

Rankin, a former UCLA All-American, had a lot of success in 2006 and has really improved since making the decision to work with Joaquim Cruz, the 1984 800m gold medalist, and after recovering from several stress fractures that plagued him in 2006. Earlier today, Rankin capped off the successful season by finishing third behind Alan Webb and Kevin Sullivan at the Continental Airlines Fifth Avenue Mile.

In the interview, Jon talks about today’s performance, what it’s like to be running in the lead with runners like Webb, highlights of the season and the source of his improvement, and the major focuses and goals in the months ahead.

Download the podcast to hear Jon discuss these topics, as well as, how former American mile record holder Steve scott, Coach Cruz and his agent Merhawi Keflezighi (brother to Olympic silver medalist Meb Keflezighi) serve as a phenomenal support system, their ability to assist with his mental preparation and self-confidence, 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: Jon Rankin
Producer: Greg Cherniet
Musicians: Ryan Ahlwardt & Darnell Perkins
File Size: 23.7 MB | Length: 34:38 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!

Read the rest of this entry »

One comment, add yours | Permalink

Alan Webb Breaks Steve Scott’s American Mile Record

Posted July 23rd, 2007 at 8:00 AM by Hariz Siddiqui

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

Three-time U.S. 1,500m champion Alan Webb on Saturday broke the American record in the mile, clocking 3:46.91 at the Atletiek Vlaanderenmeet in Brasschaa, Belgium. The mark breaks the record of 3:47.69 set by National Track & Field Hall of Famer Steve Scott in 1982 and makes Webb the eighth-fastest man in history, behind Hicham El Guerrouj, Noah Ngeny, Noureddine Morceli, Steve Cram, Daniel Komen, Venuste Niyongabo and Said Aouita.

Webb’s agent, Ray Flynn, reports unofficial quarter-mile splits for Webb during the race as 56.1, 57.4, 56.8 and 56.2.

Held on a 6-lane track, Saturday’s race is part of a career-best year for Webb. In February, he won his first U.S. indoor title in the mile before going on a tear during the outdoor season. On April 28, he ran 3:51.71 to break Scott’s mile record at the Drake Relays in Des Moines, Iowa. On June 24 in Indianapolis, he ran 3:34.82 in the 1,500 to break Scott’s meet record at the AT&T USA Outdoor Championships, where Webb won his third career national title.
Read the rest of this entry »

One comment, add yours | Permalink

Webb Breaks American Record in the Mile

Posted July 21st, 2007 at 5:18 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

Alan Webb of Reston, Va., broke one of America’s most venerated sports records today when he scorched a 3:46.91 mile in a low-key meet in Brasschaat, Belgium tonight, breaking Steve Scott’s 25 year-old record of 3:47.69 set in Oslo in 1982.

“It was awesome,” said Webb by telephone just after setting the record. Then he joked, “I think I have the world record for the least number of spectators.”

His manager, Ray Flynn, estimated that there were between 500 and 1000 people at the track which is set in a forest, bordered by tall trees.

Running in windless and comfortably warm conditions, Webb knocked off approximate quarters of 56.1, 57.4, 56.8 and 56.2, according to Flynn.

“It’s just really been a tremendous year,” Webb continued, pointing out that he still has a long career in front of him. “I’m not done. I’m only 24.”
Read the rest of this entry »

Comment on this post | Permalink

USATF: 2007 AT&T USA Outdoor Champs mark phenomenal successes

Posted July 6th, 2007 at 3:20 PM by Jeanie Rebb

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

The 2007 AT&T USA Outdoor Track& Field Championships last month in Indianapolis were among the most successful in recent history.

The excitement of close finishes in the middle-distances, a packed house that provided loud encouragement to the athletes, and the fastest 100-200 double in history by Tyson Gay tell a compelling story. Television ratings, Website traffic and merchandise sales all saw significant rises over 2006. These were just a few of countless highlights.

In hard numbers, the meet measures up impressively:

0 - Number of stadium evacuations due to weather.

1 - The number of American records set (Breaux Greer, men’s javelin, 91.29m/299-6).

2 - Number of Visa Champions crowned (Tyson Gay and Tiffany Williams)

4 - Number of national television broadcasts of the meet (2 on NBC, 2 on ESPN2). NBC’s live coverage from 1-3 p.m. on Sunday, June 24, won its time slot and was the #2 sports program of the day on network television. In aggregate, TV ratings for the meet saw a 144 percent increase over 2006.
Read the rest of this entry »

One comment, add yours | Permalink

AT&T USA Outdoor T&F Champs: Webb edges Lagat; breaks Scott’s meet record

Posted June 24th, 2007 at 6:09 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

Alan Webb has long spoke about wanting to break Steve Scott’s records, and he got one of them Sunday in a thrilling Nike men’s 1,500m. Webb ran in the style that suits him best, taking the lead and pushing the pace. Webb towed the pack through quick splits of 57.56 for 400m and 1:56.23 for 800, when defending champion Bernard Lagat took the lead.

Webb and company stayed right with Lagat, however, with Said Ahmed, Chris Lukezic and Leonel Manzano also tailing the leader. Lagat passed 1,200 in 2:53.8 as the race continued to escalate. Coming off the final curve, Lagat, Webb, Lukezic and Manzano all were in the running, and it came down to a final sprint.
Read the rest of this entry »

Comment on this post | Permalink

Webb breaks Drake Relays men’s mile record

Posted April 28th, 2007 at 6:13 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

Alan Webb broke one of America’s older track records today at the 98th Drake Relays in Des Moines, Iowa.

The 24 year-old from Reston, Va., destroyed the field in the men’s mile, clocking 3:51.71, an early world leader. Webb’s time easily eclipsed Steve Scott’s Drake Relays and Drake Stadium record of 3:55.26 set back in 1979 when Scott ran for the old Sub Four Track Club.

Blake Boldon was a distant second in 4:03.15.
Read the rest of this entry »

Comment on this post | Permalink