track

Hooray Run Podcast: Seth Norder, Nolan Clark, Will Hewitt

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Seth Norder (front) and Nolan Clark (Bib 4) are two of the fastest high school runners in Michigan. Photo by Miles Postema.

Seth Norder, Nolan Clark and Will Hewitt joined me in conversation for Episode 32. Seth and Nolan represent Grand Haven High School in Michigan and are two of the fastest runners in the state. They had incredible performances at the Division 1 state track meet on June 4 in Rockford, Michigan. Seth finished second in the 1600 meters with a time of 4 minutes, 7.99 seconds (4:07.99). Nolan finished fourth in the 3200 meters with a time of 9:08.74. They were also part of the Grand Haven 4×800 relay team that broke the school record at the state meet — the first Grand Haven 4×8 team to go under eight minutes. Seth and Nolan talk about the state meet in detail, their high school careers so far, team culture, summer miles and goals for 2022 cross country. I then welcomed Will on the pod to get a coaching perspective. Will is one of Seth and Nolan’s coaches, and he shares thoughts on Grand Haven running and what it’s like to coach two of the best high school runners in Michigan.

This episode is sponsored by Sportwatch. Sportwatch is a team management app built by former athletes for track and cross-country coaches. View team performance, track athlete growth and much more all from the convenience of your phone. Ditch the clipboard and pick up Sportwatch! Learn more at sportwatch.us.

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Hooray Run Podcast: Episodes 13-15

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Hicham El Guerrouj set his 1500-meter world record in 1998 in Rome.

Ep. 13: Kari Rogers and Her Running Streak (Oct. 31)

Hooray Run Podcast host James Rogers welcomes his older sister, Kari Rogers, to Episode 13. Kari’s running streak turned a year old on Oct. 18, as she runs at least one mile every day but aims to hit a minimum of 50 miles per week. Pre-streak, Kari lived in Rwanda for over three years and logged plenty of miles there, so the siblings cover her African running days. They also discuss the streak’s origin, Randy Rogers’ influence, her conversion to Nike Pegasus and her ideal running climate. James and Kari’s mom, Linda Rogers, gives a one-minute take on her 28-year-old daughter’s streak.

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Ep. 14: Talkin’ Track World Records with Tyler “T-Dot” Brinks: Men’s 800, 1500, Mile, 3K, Steeplechase

James Rogers and Tyler Brinks decided to do a pod series dedicated to the insane track world records, starting with the men’s 800, 1500, mile, 3K and steeplechase. JimCity and T-Dot take a deeper look at the following world records in this episode: David Rudisha’s 1:40.91 in the 800; Hicham El Guerrouj’s 3:26.00 1500 and 3:43.13 mile; Daniel Komen’s 7:20.67 in the 3K; Saif Saaeed Shaheen’s 7:53.63 in the steeplechase. Which record is the most vulnerable? Which is the safest? As Jim and Ty’s friend Zach Zandbergen would say: Let’s break down these STUPID-FAST times!

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Ep. 15: Zach Zandbergen and His Boots 5K

Zach Zandbergen joins the line from London. Former XC/track teammates at Hope College and veteran Starburst consumers, James Rogers and Z discuss the Boots 5K. Z had to run a 5K on an XC course in hiking boots and authentic jeans after Jim hit a basketball shot from DEEP in the Ridgepoint Community Church parking lot on Sept. 2, 2017. Hope hosts its annual season-opening meet (Bill Vanderbilt Invitational) at this church in Holland, Michigan, and James and Zach were two of many alumni present on this day. Listen as Z gives his firsthand account of the infamous 3.1-miler—a run he could not have completed without the help of Josh Kammeraad.

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No. 115 [Runners]

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Photo by James Rogers
Photo by James Rogers

“Last season, I really wanted to break 17 minutes [in the 5K], but I didn’t run at all in the summer because I kind of thought I would do it without any work. I was just being dumb. And that definitely did not happen. I was kind of mad about that, and then during my track season, I actually worked in the winter, so I finally had a really good track season. I learned from that dumb thing I did that one summer. So now this season, I’m coming back really strong. I ran a lot this summer.”

A Detailed Look at Mo Farah’s Wild Dominance Under Alberto Salazar

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Mo Farah made a monumental move in January 2011. No, not a strategic in-race move to break away from the pack, but rather a career-defining resettlement from Great Britain to the United States.

The then-27-year-old Farah committed to the Portland-based Nike Oregon Project (NOP) and its head coach, Alberto Salazar. In this group, Farah would train primarily with Galen Rupp, who has been under Salazar’s guidance since his high school days. Rupp was 24 years old at the time, and he would soon realize the importance and advantage of having Farah by his side for thousands of miles. 

Without delay, Farah dismantled the British and European records for the indoor 5,000 meters, running 13:10.60 on February 19 in Great Britain.  

“I’ve really enjoyed working with Alberto,” Farah said after his record-setting 5K in February 2011, per Simon Hart of the Telegraph. “I’m starting a new life there, so it’s not going to be easy, but he’s a great coach, and the four weeks of training with him and Galen worked out really well.”

This would be just the start of something extremely special.

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