For twelve years The Golden League was the premier competition series in the sport. Run exclusively in Europe during the heart of the “Circuit”, the six/seven meet series allowed a select group of athletes the opportunity to win all, or a share of a $1 million jackpot. Select meaning that only a handful of events qualified for jackpot competition each season. After a dozen years, the Golden League is getting an upgrade to the fourteen meet “Diamond League” consisting not only of meets in Europe but adding competitions in Asia, the Middle East and the United States: Doha (QAT) – 5/14Shanghai (CHN) – 5/23Oslo (NOR) – 6/4Rome (ITA) – 6/10New…

Cross country season is always a good time to take a look at distance running. Especially this fall as for the first time in many years we’re coming off a track season where we saw substantial improvement among our middle and long distance runners. 2009 saw a resurgence in our middle distance women and our distance running men such as we’ve not seen in a very long time. Not that we haven’t seen individuals rise up on occasion. But, for me, I haven’t been as excited about distance running since Alan Webb burst on the scene as a high school senior in 2001! Webb’s breaking of Jim Ryun’s HSR in…

As we take time out to celebrate America’s war heroes on Veterans Day, I thought it might also be appropriate to celebrate our Track and Field Heroes. After all, just as our veterans went in to battle to preserve the freedom of our nation, there have been many heroes in our sport that have paved the way and set standards for today’s athletes to follow. So following are some of the sport’s greats. Athletes that I feel during my lifetime have made a difference and helped to make the sport great. I know there will be many omissions. That’s one of the great things about this sport – we’ve had…

Shawn Crawford reported to camp today and began workouts with John Smith is the word I’ve gotten this afternoon. Potentially filling that void in Smith’s camp left by the retirement of Maurice Greene in 2006. Crawford brings an already impressive resume to practice. Bests of 9.88 and 19.79. Olympic gold medalist in 2004, he’s also scored silver in the event in 2008, and bronze in 2001. Crawford has been one of the US’s most consistent sprinters this decade, slowed only by foot problems in 2005 that seemed to hamper him for a couple of seasons. Crawford rebounded nicely in ’08 and ’09 as he ran 19.86 and 19.89 (19.73w) putting…