Just got word a little while ago that there will be no Modesto / California Relays this year. The meet had been held in the Central California town of Modesto for some 67 years, and was scheduled to move to Sacramento and Sac State’s Hornet Stadium this year – home of the 2000 and 2004 Olympic Trials. Apparently, however, the meet director said that they weren’t able to nail down all the details in time for the move. I’m extremely disappointed at this turn of events. For those long time California track fans, or just fans of the sport in general, the Modesto Relays has been a mainstay of the…

Another relatively quiet weekend on the track. I’m still waiting for that “break out” weekend when the competition gets HOT. I thought we were going to get there this past weekend as there were some good programs entered in the Florida State Relays. But horrible weather lead to several stoppages, athletes dropping out of many events, and poor conditions keeping most marks under par. Better weather out here on the West Coast saw some good early season competition at the Stanford and Arizona State Invitationals. Nothing earth shattering, though we did get a couple of nice sprints in Arizona with Marcus Brunson looking like he is returning to form with…

We’ve become accustomed to technological advances in our world `making things better. But every once in a while I think that “old school” may have been better. For example, while microwave popcorn does have its place, nothing beats fresh, “real popped” popcorn. That’s one reason most everyone loves to order popcorn at the movies – its just better than micro waved. When I look at all the technological innovations that have come to the world of track and field, every once in a while I reminisce about the Good Old Days when something was just, better. In this case, I think it was better when results – specifically times –…

A very low key weekend with few sterling results. On the track, Texas A&M ran collegiate leaders in both the men’s and women’s relays with efforts of 39.32 and 43.67 respectively at the Trojan Invitational in Southern California. On the field, defending collegiate champion Rashaud Scott of Kentucky, became the =8th all time collegiate thrower in the discus with his 212′ 9″ (64.86) win at the Baldy Castillo meet in Arizona. We also got a quiet 20.77 opener from Jeremy Wariner in his 200 meter win at the Dr Pepper Classic in Waco Texas. I expect that we might see a few more 200’s from Wariner this year as he…

In a Track and Field News report from the Adidas Running camp it was revealed that Tyson Gay’s fall and winter training were delayed due to a knee injury. While athletes need a good fall program to prepare them for the season, Tyson as the defending World Champion in both sprints will get byes in both to this years World Championships in Berlin. Therefore he will not have to peak for this years National Championships. Tyson, therefore, can focus his energies on preparing for the World Championships. I wish him good luck. I must say however, that when I went to his website to check on his status, his site…

The name Trevor Graham strikes a cord with most fans of the sport of track and field. Earlier in the decade it was synonymous with championship winning sprinters like Marion Jones, Justin Gatlin, Shawn Crawford. Then it became synonymous with “The Syringe”, as he became the man that started the BALCO whirlwind by turning in the syringe that contained THG – providing USADA with the blueprint to the undetectable designer drug that lead to the suspensions of several elite athletes, including Dwain Chambers, Kelli White, Regina Jacobs, and some of his own athletes, including Tim Montgomery and Marion Jones. Most recently, however, Graham has been forced to serve his own…

Apparently double Olympic sprint champion Usain Bolt of Jamaica has signed on to run in a 150 meter street race in Manchester England on May 17. While some are excited about Bolt’s appearance in the city, I have to say that it harkens back to Jesse Owens racing horses following his quadruple Olympic victories in 1936. Circumstances were quite different then, as Owens being an African American, had tremendous difficulty “cashing in” on his Olympic success in traditional ways. Then it was still difficult for Owens to get “good work” and so he had to resort to “side show” type competitions to try to earn a living. I would like…

Headline on the Track and Field News website today read: Hurting UCLA Hurdler Craddock to Redshirt This Year. As a huge sprint and hurdle fan, growing up here in Cali UCLA was one of the iconic institutions of track and field. Their storied past is littered with some of the greats of the sport: Warren Edmonson, Millard Hampton, Mike Marsh, Danny Everett, Steve Lewis, Henry Thomas, John Smith, Benny Brown, Greg Foster, Wayne Collett, just to name a few. Their dual meet battles with cross town rival USC in the 1970’s and 80’s were legendary! I remember attending dual meets between the two that were standing room only and you…

The preps also closed out their indoor season this past weekend with two championship meets – Nike Indoor Nationals in Boston, and the National Scholastic Championships in New York City. While the high school kids typically don’t get a lot of attention, they are the future of our sport here in the US. Not that long ago this year’s collegiate indoor star Galen Rupp was running a National Record 13:37.91, while last year’s Olympic 400 gold medalist, LaShawn Merritt was leading the prep ranks at 45.25. Today both are stars in their own rights. This past weekend, new stars seemed to take their place. In Boston, Wayne Davis of Raleigh…

The collegians put a nice close on what has been a rather lackluster indoor season. The University of Oregon showed that it is indeed the nations top team (at least indoors) with a convincing victory in College Station Texas this past weekend – lead by distance star Galen Rupp who had wins in the 3000 (7:48.94), 5000 (13.41.45), and a leg on the winning Distance Medley Relay (9.29.59)! An awesome individual performance. The University of Florida, runner up in this meet, was lead by its own star, frosh Christian Taylor, who scored an American Junior Record in the Triple Jump with his 55′ 8.50″ (16.98m)jump to win the competition. In…