Six things I want to see at Worlds⏱

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Jerry Schumacher to the University of Oregon 🦆

Apparently my dream job isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be? Granted, if I was going to be a Nike-backed coach of the best professional distance running group in the country, then we would be using the turf fields underneath the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge to do our ten miles of threshold work. After 15 years exclusively coaching the Bowerman Track Club, coach Jerry Schumacher has accepted a position as Head Coach at the University of Oregon for the Cross Country and Track team.

In addition to now overseeing the 96 athletes on the current college roster, the whole of the Bowerman team will relocate two hours south from Portland to Eugene. That’s a lot of training logs to parse through! Unlike OTC Elite, which just split ways with Mark Rowland who now has a new role with Athletics Canada, the challenge of being able to use the Hayward track most likely won’t be an issue. If there was ever any doubt that the relationship between the University of Oregon and Nike was intimately intertwined, then this should bring some additional clarity to that relationship’s complexity.

Like most leadership positions, being a successful coach largely comes down to who you choose to surround yourself with and how effectively you can delegate to those you trust, like what Schumacher did with the Nike Run Club app. The head coach of a collegiate track team is not personally overseeing and writing the workouts of each athlete. Oregon will undoubtedly fill out the coaching roster (if it changes) with the very best in each discipline to guide each group. It’s hard to imagine Jerry will stay up on Tuesday nights calling 4:08 high schoolers to talk about what they want to major in.

And if there is one thing that we have learned from the exit interviews of those who have moved on from Bowerman, it’s that Jerry’s best trait as a coach is culture building and the training philosophy to which he subscribes. That is a subtle way of saying it’s a system. The Bowerman team first learned of this news last week and although that’s a lot to digest before the World Championships, especially for those with homes and families in Portland, they’ll still do their job.

My questions center less around the how will Schumacher make this and more of the why.

Being able to hand pick the best runners out of the NCAA and train them up to be world beaters without the stress of administration, parents, politics, recruiting, conference meets, and whatever the hell the NIL is seems like the ideal setup. The club was reportedly close to moving to UNC in the not so distant past, so maybe there is some element of getting back to the NCAA that has intrigue. More money is always nice and Jerry’s predecessor was making at least $350,000 a year, so perhaps that’s a factor?

Coaching professionals is so much easier than coaching college kids. Their entire existence is dependent and dedicated to becoming the best runners possible and they know how to do it. There’s no checking in on Evan Jager to make sure he’s doing all the little things to get better — he’ll do them without you. A team of college runners left unattended in a locker room for more than 10 minutes can lead to more chaos than whatever is happening inside Pandora’s box. Will Jerry regret this move the first time an RA reports one his athletes for drinking a beer in the freshman dorms?

This move speaks volume of Nike’s trust in Jerry that they would hand him the keys to every Ferrari in Phil Knight’s garage, but surely the expectations are daunting. Anything less than NCAA titles and global medals would be considered a disappointment – maybe it’s not my dream job after all.

Getting to know Colin Mickow

One of my favorite parts of writing The Lap Count each week is highlighting athletes, stories, and accomplishments that maybe haven’t received the full attention that they deserve. A perfect example of that is 2:11 marathoner and University of Illinois graduate, Colin Mickow, who will be representing Team USA in the men’s marathon at the World Championships on Sunday, July 17th at 6:15am PT. You may not know much about him, but let’s change that.

I saw on Strava that you’ve been running a lot of big miles in this build up, topping out at 152 mile week. Is it safe to say things have been going well? Are you still coaching yourself?

Yeah, things are going really well. I like to run a lot when I am training for the marathon. But it's not like I'm planning out at the start of the week that I’llI hit 150 or 140. That’s just what it ends up adding up to.

And not anymore. My coach’s name is Michael Lucchesi and I am running for Second City Track Club and have been with them for about two years.

Has there been a particular workout leading into the World Champs that you feel has given you the most confidence?

I try not to get that hyped about one particular workout. It's just an overall thing of feeling the fitness and having good workouts. We do a 12 mile tempo workout that I try to hit under five minutes for and when I can do that it feels good. I've had some good long runs where I was able to close sub-five at the end of a 26 mile run.

I saw you went out to Eugene to preview the course? What was your impression of it?

It was a flat course, which is good for fast times as long as the weather's good. I like to know where I am, especially, towards the end of the race it’s beneficial to be able to picture how much you have left.

You've remained consistent throughout your career, obviously in the last few years. What's been the secret to that success?

I don't know if there's a secret. And the last few years have been my career. My first marathon was in 2019 and I've only run four. Maybe I am ignorant, but I think I have just trained well.

You took quite the hiatus after college after never making an NCAA meet. What happened between 2012 and 2019 and why’d you come back to it?

Between 2012 and 2019, I got a real job. I'm a financial analyst, though I started as an accountant which is a pretty normal transition in the corporate world. So I was focused on my career. Like you said, I never made NCAAs, so it's not like people were calling me up asking to pay me so that I could keep running. I just went out and got a job with my degree and kept running a little bit. I got into lifting a little, but didn't race at all – I just ran to stay in somewhat decent shape. I had never done a race over 6.2 miles and felt in the back of my mind, maybe I'd be good at these longer road races.

There was one that started about a half mile from my house so I just said I’d just go out and try it and ran 1:07 for the half. After that I was like, “Hey, I could be pretty decent at this!” I ran it all by myself and my first mile was a 6:30. Then I ran Chicago in 2019 as my first full and was running for the Retired Broz Track Club for a bit. Eventually I thought I should probably train more seriously because I wasn't doing workouts unless you count speeding up a bit at the end of a long run. I was just running.

What would you consider a good day next week at Worlds?

Obviously weather permitting I would say a PR would be good. I don't like to think too much about time because I just like to go out and race. But I think my PR could be lowered so I’ll say that I'd like to PR, but I really just want to race well.

I saw a tweet asking if anyone could name the men's marathon team without looking it up. Maybe part of that is because there's no trials and a big ceremonious selection process, but how do you feel about being an underdog? You have a really cool story that hasn't been shared much and now you're representing the US at the highest level. I know this is a loaded question, but does part of you care that not everyone is familiar yet? You took seven years off from competing and now look at you!

Yeah, there's a lot to that. I mean, I'm not surprised that I'm unknown or anything. I didn't have some stellar college career, which I think is where most people make a name for themselves. And then I took six years off and didn't start racing again until my late twenties. I'll just keep racing and maybe that'll change. Not that it’s the ultimate goal, but I think if I keep running well, people will eventually know who I am.

It's such a relatable and inspiring story. From an outsider's perspective, more people were like you when they were 22 years old than like Galen Rupp.

In college, I didn't take running as seriously as I should have. So that's another reason that I jumped back into it.

I think a lot of people graduate thinking, “Oh, I could have been better and done more.” And I had that in the back of my mind and it is nice to actually go out and challenge that idea and try to make myself not feel that way anymore.

In partnership with WCH OREGON 22

With just 9 days to go until World Athletics Championships Oregon22, the local organizing committee revealed the medals. Next week the best athletes in the world will be heading to Oregon, but are you? The likes of Ryan Crouser, Sydney Mclaughlin, and Noah Lyles will be competing in our backyard at Hayward Field at the University of Oregon – but Team USA needs our support! Cheer on the greatest American track and field athletes as they fight for global titles on home soil July 15-24.

The six things I want to see at the World Championships

As the who’s who of global track fandom descends upon the 146th biggest city in the United States this week, I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of the first ever World Championships held on US soil. Why it took until the 18th edition to bring the most dominant team in the sport a home game, I don’t fully understand, but alas, it is here.

The World Athletics President, Lord Sebastian Coe, who older readers may remember from his world records and gold medals, has cited on multiple media tours the dire need to capture the investment and attention of the American audience. How did everyone in charge for the previous 39 years miss so hard? The best place to start trying to grow the sport is obviously in the country that’s the best at it (Team USA has 170 World Championship gold medals, second place is Kenya with 60). And it doesn’t hurt that the country’s GDP is $19 trillion!

If you were expecting me to spew some negative opinions about the meet being hosted in Eugene, then dear reader, you are sorely mistaken. Much like Long Island, if you aren’t from here, then it’s not okay to make fun of it — you have to earn that right. (And I hope my patriotism isn’t losing the international crowd. The United States is bad at a lot of things, it’s just that running fast and making money happen to be two of the things we’re not.)

In both public and private circles I may have lamented that the Hayward faithful have been so over inundated with meets that that good old fashioned Hayward Magic may be losing some of its allure.

But those thoughts are reserved for events like an NCAA or USA Championship — not an event of this caliber. This stadium is not only the most comfortable place I have ever watched a track meet, it’s the best venue I have ever taken in any sporting event. (Yes, even including old Yankee Stadium.) And we haven’t seen it rock to its fullest!

That’s why I am desperately rooting for the success of the World Championships. To help make that happen, here are the things I want to see most during the next week and a half.

I want to see fans’ reactions. I’ve spent a solid percentage of my life in Eugene, but others have only heard about it and will be experiencing Track Town, USA, for the first time. Surely there will be skeptics, and I want to be there to witness their initial impressions of the airport, the few bars and restaurants, Pre’s trail, the gas pump (where somebody has to pump your gas for you — perhaps a slice of home for those traveling from New Jersey), the university, the stadium and everything else that comes with spending a week in Eugene geeking out about track. For many international visitors, this may be their first time in the United States, and while it isn’t the New York City skyscrapers, walk one block south of the stadium and that’s a pretty solid taste of Americana. Does the history of Oregon, Nike, and a mustachioed guy who never won an international medal mean anything to someone from Sweden? I’m interested to find out!

I want to see World Records. What a greedy request! If the over/under is set at 2.5, what are you taking? To begin, there is Mondo Duplantis and the question of whether or not he can match his 6.20m vault from indoors on the outdoor runway. One year ago, Ryan Crouser tossed the shot put 23.37m at the Olympic Trials in this same ring and he’s rounding into shape at the right time. At the World Indoor Championships, Yulimar Rojas triple jumped her way into the record books with a 15.74m leap, but has only competed in her primary event a single time outdoors.

Then there are the hurdles — Sydney McLaughlin broke her own in the 400mH at the US Championships, but it didn’t get quite the fanfare you’d expect. After all, she didn’t even post on Instagram about it. Karsten Warholm hasn’t finished a single race in 2022, but I’d be remiss not to mention him. And Keni Harrison was only .14 off in the 100H running into a headwind. There are a few other events’ whose all-time marks could be under threat, and if the track gets hot enough to cook an egg then we might just make a few omelets.

I want to see rivalries. The 200m seems to be where I’ll best scratch this itch. Just a few weeks ago we saw the hard charging and anime-inspired 2019 World Champion, Noah Lyles, point in the general direction of the precocious Erriyon Knighton. Although the pair will be teammates, this is likely a fight for the throne as the Olympic Champion Andre De Grasse has not been below 20.00 or 10.00 so far this season. As every rivalry in a sport that is not tied to geographic loyalties, this is a litmus test for fans as to how they prefer their stars to act. While we would normally expect the up-and-coming high schooler to be the one talking a big game, it is in fact the opposite.

Then there’s the beef that the World Athletics social media team started when they postedthis graphic. If you think it’s innocuous to symmetrically post the US Champion in the center of a promotion for a US-based meet then you’re clearly not from Jamaica. Rather than apologize for such an egregious act, World Athletics catered to the immense pressure and appeased the most dedicated and vocal fan base in the sport with a “JAMAICA TO THE WORLD” post. I’m sure no one noticed…

I want to see redemption. Observing Donavan Brazier in full stride is best described as a religious experience. It’s inconceivable to watch him glide around the track and imagine there are many people who can do it better — such was the case in 2019 when he won the 800m World Championship. But this sport is a fickle beast and can humble even the most special of athletes. After an American Record indoors, Brazier lined up at the Olympic Trials and did not make the team due to injury.

A year later and thanks in part to a bye — he’s the defending world champion — Brazier is currently battling bursitis in his foot. At the US Championships he looked strong going 1:46.49 for the fastest time in the first round before passing on the next two. Admittedly, he may be considered a long shot as ten men have run 1:44.06 or faster this season, although I believe in the possibility of a Jordan flu game. That the most talented runner in the field winning a medal would be considered an upset speaks to the tsunami-like ebbs and flows of track and field.

And we’ll file this sub-category under redemptions as well, but I want to see handoffs–clean handoffs. The US men have six of the nine fastest 100m times in the world this year, and that does not include Lyles who anchored the national record* winning team in 2019. However, the squad failed to make the final at last year’s Olympics following a botched handoff, something that has become an awful tradition. (2008-Dropped, 2009-DQ, 2011-Fell, 2012-Doping DQ, 2013-Botched, 2015-DQ, 2016-DQ). You knew it was bad, but seeing it written out like that… ouch!

I want to see upsets. Everyone reading this should text one friend their hottest take — just put it out there into a universe and the only risk is that a single person may laugh. And if you are correct with the timestamp to prove it, then you’ll become legendary.

It’s scary to say out loud that Grant Fisher is going to win the 5000m gold. You have to be brave to say Emma Bates is medaling in the marathon. That despite the complete and utter disrespect shown for the US men’s 1500, that you’re crazy enough to believe they’ll have three in the final. But here I am putting words down about Sinclaire Johnson breaking the American Record.

You can just say things and try to speak them into existence. Try it — it’ll make things more fun and there’s an outside chance you’ll get to say, ‘I told you so.’

I just want other people to love track and field as much as I do.

Rapid Fire Highlights 🔥

• Jemal Yimer Mekonnen won the Utica Boilermaker 15k in 42:38 (4:35/mi) to break the course record that has stood since 1996. Rosemary Wanjiru took the women's race in 48:54 (5:15/mi).

• Former high schooler Drew Hunter erased two seconds from his four-year-old mile personal best, winning the Sound Running Sunset Tour mile in 3:54.80. Taryn Rawlings took the PR show to even greater lengths and ran a four second best to lead the women.

• Eliud Kipchoge has committed to the Berlin Marathon this fall, again. It will be his fifth time running the race, which is the site of his 2:01:39 WR – so you can understand why he might do it again. He said, ​​“I treat Berlin as a fast course where a human being can showcase his potential to push the limits.” But to that I say, “why don’t you try to win all the World Marathon Majors like you said you would and come push your limits on a real course, like in New York.”

• Ethiopian Athletics reversed its decision to not allow star athletes to double at Worlds so we’ll be seeing some extra Letesenbet Gidey, Selemon Barega, and others. This is good for their medal count and bad for whoever comes in fourth.

• Do you remember when Sifan Hassan won the 5,000 and 10,000 at the Olympics, and also ran 3:55 to take bronze in the 1500? Well she opened her 2022 season a week before Worlds with a 15:13 “tempo” at the Stumptown Twilight.

• How did the World Championships end up coming to Eugene? Read about the journey.

• The USATF Vertical Mountain Running Championships took place up Loon Mountain in New Hampshire this weekend and featured inclines as steep as a 48% gradient! The women’s winner was none other than recent Arkansas graduate and multiple time All-American, Lauren Gregory. And on the men’s side it was just the man you’d expect to win a race like this – Joseph Gray.

• This is a great NYT article on the storied career of Henry Rono and how he is doing today.

• Unfortunately Steven Gardiner, DeAnna Price, Francine Niyonsaba, and Peres Jepchirchir are all late scratches from Worlds due to injury. Adjust your fantasy teams accordingly.

• Botswana’s Nijel Amos has been provisionally suspended by the AIU after testing positive for Metabolites of GW1516.

• Tara Davis bounced back from a tough US meet and an aching knee to set a wind-aided personal best of 7.24 (+2.8) in the long jump.

• Sir Mo Farah has publicly shared that he was trafficked to the UK as a young boy and that it is not his real name. The full story will be told in a new BBC documentary on Wednesday.

• I’ve gone in-depth on multiple occasions about the insanity that is the world rankings system. The whole thing is made worse by the inconsistency of selection procedure from country to county and WITHIN each country. Abbey Caldwell was officially left off the Australian 1500m team despite winning the national meet before getting the standard one month later because of policy changes. Meanwhile, Athletics Ireland did not include four invited athletes from their national squad despite invitations from World Athletics to compete on the basis of their rankings. Considering the intention of the two pronged qualification system is that 50% would make it on standards and 50% would be via rankings, then this is a gross misunderstanding that undermines its purpose. I don’t like anything about this system, however, it’s what we have and to disregard it only creates further confusion for athletes and fans.

CITIUS MAG at the World Championships

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