2023 State Relay Weekend Championship dedicating to Matt Pitts Rest In Peace

Good Afternoon

Salute to everyone who has been rocking with Me and MSTCA-TV. Visitors all the information you need for the 2023 Indoor State Relay Championship Weekend is here, welcome to the Meet Hub. Over the next 72 hours in the Reggie Lewis Center, there will be Five State Relays Meets, where a plethora of teams seeking to

1. Run or Jump or Throw Season Best

2. Focusing on Qualifying for the Meet of Champions on Feb 25th, 2023

3. Qualifying Relays for the Nationals Meets Coming Up in March (New Balance, Nike, Adidas)

4. SMR (Sprint Medley) not many opportunities to qualify for Nationals

5. DMR (Distance Medley) Not many opportunities to qualify for Nationals

6. Shuttle Hurdles aren’t competed often it is a National Event this will be a Hot event as well.

7. Most important get some quality competition against teams in your division.

8. Goals of the week to get Coach H Live Instagram Account to 900 Followers (Currently 738)

9. Goals of the Week to have MSTCA crush 1k subscribers (Currently 942)

Below are the Links ( Streaming Links + Live Results + Performance List)

Looking forward to seeing everyone in the Chat

Janurary 20th, 2023 Friday Night Lights Division 4 State Relay Edition

Division 4 State Relay Performance List

Division 4 State Relays Live Results

Division 4 State Relays Streaming Link Stream Starts at 3:30pm

Saturday Jan 21st, 2023 Subscribe Saturdays (Double Header)

Division 5 State Relay Performance List

Divison 5 State Relays Live Results

Division 5 State Relays Streaming Link Stream Starts at 8:30am

Division 1 State Relay Performance List

Division 1 State Relays Live Results

Division 1 State Relays Streaming Link: Stream Starts at 2:45pm

Sunday January 22nd, 2023 Serious Sunday: (Double Header)

Division 2 State Relay Performance List

Division 2 State Relays Live Results

Division 2 State Relay Streaming Link: Stream Starts at 8:30 am

Rest In Peace Matt Pitts Division 3 State Relays

After Division 2 I am stepping away to attend a ceremony of a close friend of mine who lost his life to brain tumor I miss you Matt Pitts I am going hard this weekend specifically for you . The Services are 2pm-4pm Sunday during the start of Div 3 State Relays. I plan on rushing back to attend the rest of the meet but I cannot promise anything, depending on my mood. However I can guarantee Division 4, Division 5-1, Division 2 I will be 100% announcing on the stream.

Division 3 State Relay Live Results

Division 3 State Relay Streaming Link: Stream Starts at 2:45pm

Love you Matt Pitts

your brother from another Hatim Jean-Louis

MSTCA Speed Classic (Small School) Preview 2022

I AM BACKKKK !

To be honest I hate the word Small especially when we are talking about XC & TF. Yes Yes I get it, the criteria is the size of the school population. However I am a true believer it is not the size of the team or the competitor it’s the heart of the Champion, the heart of the warrior. This Sunday December 18th, 2022  in the Reggie Lewis Track and Field Center, the MSTCA will be hosting the 2nd part of the Speed Classic Weekend. The heartbeat of the assassin’s will be heard. There is nothing small about the competitors we will see the likes of starting in the

GIRLS 55H

Last time I saw my home girl from Auburn Massachusetts Katherine DeFosse she was 7th a year ago in the Meet of Champions with a time 8.75. Defosse comes in with the number one seed time, and looking forward towards a big race sunday. Coming out the Blocks with DeFosse will be Cam Travis from Hurdle U aka Plymouth South, recently it was Katrina Sullivan who has graduated and moved on to I believe Holy Cross.. Can someone in the comment section verify Back to Travis if you know Plymouth South they will be in the mix. 

Boys 55H

My Main Man from the North Shore Ean Hynes from Newburyport seeking to get the Clippers some valuable points down the road. This weekend look to see Hynes, be accompanied out the block by the O’Riorden Family (Sawyer) seeking to make a name for himself as older brother Tristen O’Riorden took his talents to Umass Lowell, look for Nashoba to be in the mix. Nolan Palmer more Hurdle U aka Plymouth South and Arman Araujo Wareham, Brennan Shea East Bridgewater will be in the hunt 

Girls 55

We will have an Ava VanBuskirk sighting, the talent out of Marlborough is going to have a big day with top times in the 55 & 300 Meters. North Reading’s Ava McIntyre & Kayla Bundy will be mixing it up with Pentucket girls off Sdyney Trout, Sage Smith, Resse Gallant. I would love to see Ruby Codrington out of Westwood shake this entire race up. 

Boys 55 

This weekend Small School Speed Classic no cliche will be won in the blocks, no clear cut winner just the entry seeded time. The number one seed coming into the meet is Julian Ram-Tylerbest out of Medfield with a time of 6.71, however sitting in 10th place is William Acquaviva from Newburyport, the Acquaviva has produced talent over the last several years don’t be surprise to see Will stick his nose into it this weekend. My boys from Littelton Tyler Castillo & Paul Neary, (Neary) Family salute will be representing Tracktown USA. Keep an eye of Jaiden Mcniss Nantucket, Yanni Kakouris Pentucket always a tough act and last but not least Chirs Oman from East Bridgewater. 

Girls 300 Meters 

Can Vanbuskirk break 41 sec in the 300 ?  How will Stroope & Felts from Newburyport respond ? Or will Maddie Grogan from Walpole be my sleeper athlete of the meet only time will tell that’s why we race

Boys 300 Meters

Man oh Man this is like a family affair.. Michael Long representing the Long Family from Ashland, Mike has been working hard creating a name for himself, look for the TVL’s Finest seeking to dip below 36.. However, Tim Smith from Lunenburg and my main man Gabe Merrow are going to give Mike everything he is looking for, how gets the 200 first ?

Girls 600 Meters

This is going to be a good one… 400HH Specialists my home girl is back Giulana Ligor from North Reading, but she will be challenged by my other home girl who had an amazing XC Season look out for Mia Jilani from Milton. I see Caroline Collins is entered in this event, looking forward to see the Nashoba Junior race, watch out for Pope Francis Brenna Sears 

Boys 600 Meters

Maybe the race of the day we shall see. School Record Holder Senior Extraordinaire my main Man Zach McClure from Lunenburg will have his hands full with the likes of Samuel Secor from Bromfield and Evan Cherry from Littleton.  Winner runs sub 1:24

Relays 

Boys 4x200: Littleton; Pentucket, Nashoba Can Newburyport break 1:37 to crash the party

Girls 4x200: North Reading, Newburyport, Pope Francis look out for Pentucket 

Boys 4x400: Snowball Fight between Bromfield, Lunenburg, East Bridgewater, Douglas, Pentucket, - This could be the race of the day -TBD Sunday 

Girls 4x400: Littleton, Newburyport which Lunenburg team has Abby Rodriquenz anchoring, maybe the faster of the two, as they enter two teams.

I will be announcing on the Live Stream, I will see you in the Live Chat. Athletes , Coaches don’t be shy don’t be a stranger come kick with me. How should come to booth ?

#WeAreLive

#SpeedClassic2022

#SmallSchoolPreview

For more Coverage Follow: CoachH.Live

We Are Live !! @CoachHLive New Day New Opportunities

Long Time Coming !! Decided to Believe in myself.

Just Joined Instagram: CoachHLive

Just Joined Twitter: CoachHlive

I am in the cocoon stage this is new it’s fresh but I am excited about the new platform. I will be conducting Interviews, Previews and Meet Recaps at CoachH.Live

Questions to my Former self w/ Tyler Morris (Weston) Div 3 All American (Colby) @colby_tf_xc

I started the Questions to my former self series for the importance of the future generation and the audience to learn about Self reflection. For the last four years I watched this young man, worked diligently to improve his running mechanics. You can't teach relentless, you can't purchase courage. A student of the sport he would do what all us track junkies do and ask the "RIGHT" questions to learn more about the nuances in the racing. Besides training hard, "My main man" Tyler Morris a member of the Weston High School XC & Track & Field Class of 2019. Tyler has now taken his talents to Colby College and as freshmen was a Div 3 All-American in XC

Info: 

First & Last name: Tyler Morris

Social Media 

Instagram: tyler_morris7

Twitter: NA

Facebook: Tyler Morris

Age 19 

HS Graduated & year graduated 

Weston High School, 2019

College: Colby College

Events: Distance

Cross Country

1 Mile

2 Mile

3K Pending

5K Pending

10K Pending

PR’s

High School:

1 Mile: 4:30

2 Mile: 9:38

College:

XC 8K: 24:55

DATG: When did you start running?

Tyler Morris: I started running in sixth grade because our soccer coach forced us to get in shape. I was the slowest one on the team by far but by the end of the season I ended up becoming the fastest one on the roster. Spring of 7th grade is when I met and started working with Weston High coaches John Monz and Kathleen Vinciullo.

DATG: What was the race or the moment in your career you realized that you could be pretty good at the sport of running?

Tyler Morris:The moment I realized there was some true potential was at the Wayland XC Invite in 8th grade. It was my first club and highly competitive cross country race ever. My father and I laugh to this day because when we arrived at the meet he said to me "I can't wait for you to get beat". He was so excited that I was participating in such a highly competitive field. He and my mom were even more excited after I went on to win the race and set a course record. Following that my young self realized that I really had a bright future in running and continued training with Monz and Vinciullo.

DATG: Is there a pre-race meal ?

Tyler Morris: A go to Cereal ? Always love this question because I am your stereotypical distance runner. Pasta with a little protein the night before each meet and morning of a bagel and a banana.

DATG: Weston XC/TF is part of the Dual County League, arguably one of the toughest leagues here in Ma$$, How was it to be trained and coached under legendary Coach Monz?

Tyler Morris: Coach Monz is truly an incredible coach and an even better person. I consider myself so lucky to be able to call him my coach and mentor. I would not be where I am today without Monz and all our other coaches at Weston. As you said Monz truly is a legend he has been at Weston for over 40 years and has molded both Weston and MA track into what it is today. I am so lucky to have been a part of such a great team there are so many people on that team that I miss and it was truly the highlight of my high school experience.

DATG: What was considering the Low during your running career in HS and how did you bounce back from adversity ?

Tyler Morris: The low in my running career was facing an injury going into junior year. I know now it was muscle compensation and lack of glute activation but it took far to long to combat this. At one point going into my Junior year I thought I may never run again, but I kept fighting. There were plenty of inconsistent races, which were incredibly frustrating for myself and Monz but he was always there for me. I will forever be thankful to my mom for finding me the right physical therapy team that brought me back from this major setback. I want to say a major thank you to Nicole Downin, Doctor Andrew Fiola, and Katie Adams for keeping me healthy and helping me bounce back from the lowest point in my running career.

DATG: Wow times flies, I can't believe you are in college, how is that going? How is the dorm life?

Tyler Morris: I absolutely love Colby I have some truly incredible friends and classes have been great. Major shoutout to my Colby family (Katherine Brown, Robbie Graham, Nick Peterson, and Lila Saligman) thank you for making my adjustment to Colby so special. Additionally, the cross country/track team is so close here and I again I feel so lucky to be a part of such a great group of people. My coach Jared Beers is a pure genius when it comes to muscle activation and writing training plans for each individual runner. The entire Colby team loves him and we are all so thankful.

DATG: You have an amazing story i really wanted to share it thanks for participating. When we first met it was three summers at the bostonxc.com day camp with Coach Broe. Why did you feel it was imperative to attend BXC ? I had known Coach Broe for a short time before BXC. He was always talking about getting a training camp together and once he started Boston XC I was super excited to be a part of it. I really wanted to train with a group of people during those lonely summer months and BXC was perfect. I met some truly incredible people at BXC and I am so happy to see so many Weston runners continuing to run at BXC.

DATG: I am so proud of you i remember watching the NCAA Div 3 XC Championship meet, I saw a silhouette of a runner who had similar running mechanics, getting out with a good charge with the leaders, I said to myself is that " My Main" Tyler Morris and sure enough it was. Please share the audience the feeling of finishing your XC freshmen year as an All-American ?

Tyler Morris: It is an incredible feeling, I am amazed by how much I have improved in such a short amount of time. It is a huge testament to Jared Beers and the Colby Cross team. I am so thankful for my training partners Eli Decker and Ewan Frick. Both Eli and Ewan pushed me to new limits I didn't know I could achieve. Eli, a Concord Carlisle Alumni took me under his wing this past summer and I was so lucky to be able to race side by side with him each meet. At nationals, we finished one place apart and it was an incredible feeling being able to share that success with him. I wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

DATG: What's next for Tyler Morris only a freshmen at Colby College, what's your short term and long term goals ?

Tyler Morris: My main goal is to continue training and racing with Eli and Ewan and see where it takes us because it has certainly been working thus far. We are hoping to put our top 6 cross country runners under 15 minutes in the 5K this track season. All of which will be returning next fall.

DATG: Your off to an amazing Collegiate career, I know you work hard, did you ever think All-American? Why Colby College?

Tyler Morris: When I started training this past summer my main goal was to make the top 7 on the Colby roster. So to answer your question no All-American never even crossed my mind. But being pushed by Eli and placing very well all season long by the end of the season All-American was the goal for both Eli and myself. I picked Colby because I wanted to go to a small liberal arts school that I could run for and pursue a degree in economics. Additionally, Monz recommended that I also consider picturing myself running for a coach for the next four years. When I met Coach Jared Beers and walked around Colby's campus with him I knew this was the place and the person that I would want study and run for the next four years.

DATG: What would you tell the Tyler Morris who was a freshmen at Weston ? What would you tell him about your journey ?

Tyler Morris: I would tell my freshman self that running definitely has some hurdles but the process is so rewarding. The hard times make the good ones taste so much sweeter that is something Coach Vinciullo and Coach Montrose of Weston both taught me well. The biggest thing I would tell my freshman self that if you truly love something then you will fight for it no matter how much it may hurt. That is the biggest lesson I learned in high school and I am stronger because of it.

A major thank you, Coach H, it has been an absolute privilege getting to know you these last few years and I feel honored to be mentioned here. Please continue to be yourself because you have helped and influenced so many great runners. I

DATG: I cannot accept the compliment but I will say Iron sharpens Iron.. Thank you for believing in Me

Previously on DATG: Questions to my former self w/ Rishab Prakash

Previously on DATG: Questions to my former self w/ Aaron Lucci

Previously on DATG: Questions to my former self/ Catarina Rocha

Questions to my former Self w/ Catarina Rocha @catrocha11 #PeabodyFinest # ProvidenceFriar

As a coach we are educators and I find myself seeking and looking for stories of inspiration to share with the youth. What’s not better but sharing a story of Catarina Rocha from Peabody. The Rocha family has been a household name in the sport of running for over three decades especially in the New England Area. How many State Championships has this family produce ? For now we are entering All State Weekend Here in Mass, why not a Q/A with a winner Cat Rocha, i believe many can learn from her and her journey.

DATG: When you were younger you played soccer & basketball ? What positions in each respective sports you played and how did that assist you in your running career ?

Cat Rocha: Yes, I played a lot of different sports when I was younger. I was a really energetic kid so any sport that allowed me to move really interested me. My main sports that a played for many years were soccer and basketball. I started playing soccer when I was five years old until I was a sophomore in high school. My main position was midfield and on rare occasions I played goalie. I also began playing basketball at a young age (elementary school) until I was in eighth grade. Because I was so short, I played point guard. Being a midfielder and point guard both involve a great deal of running which assisted me in finding what I really love to do…RUN! I never would have found my passion unless I played those sports. Playing those sports not only helped me discover my passion but also be competitive and be a member of a team. Even though running is more of an individual sport there is nothing like going out and crushing a workout with your teammates, who also are some of your best friends. There is no better feeling than working together in order to achieve a collective goal. Playing team sports instilled this feeling in me and I am grateful. Some of my best memories in my life thus far have been with my high school and college teammates.

Side Note: I also played flag-football and honestly was one of my favorite childhood sports. I made an all-women’s team in middle school and we made it to the national tournament in Florida.

DATG: I notice you like music, is there a particular genre's is your favorite ?

Cat Rocha: I enjoy all music genres. Depends on the day what I feel like listening too. I listen to anything from country to pop to Indie!

DATG: Is there a pre-race routine that you do to get in your zone ? 

Cat Rocha: The morning of the race I try to stay relaxed and stay positive. I usually get nervous but that is natural for everyone. Once I get to the course, I throw in my music in and try to visualize the race. I try to visualize how I am going to run my own race and think about all the work I have put in to get here.

DATG: Why Providence for undergrad ? 

Cat Rocha: I chose Providence for undergrad because of the great academics and athletics. Providence’s rigorous liberal arts academics is what I was looking for in a small city school. They also have one of the best Elementary/Special Education Degrees around which is what I wanted to pursue. When you walk onto campus you can just feel that there is so much support from all Academic Departments, faculty, staff. The athletics was also a major factor in my decision to become a Providence Friar. Providence has a great athletic reputation, not just in cross-country/track but all sports. Being part of one of the strongest conferences (BIG EAST) in the country and having many sports nationally ranked drew me in. I wanted to be part of an institution that valued, supported, and took pride in their student-athletes not only in sport but in life. What sold me was the coaching staff and teammates on both the men’s and women’s cross-country/track team. They were all very welcoming and all were trying to achieve the same goal, which is what I really wanted. I chose to be a Friar because of the longstanding reputation of the program and my desire to continue running to the best of my ability. I trusted Ray and knew he was the best coach for me and would help me work towards my goals athletically and academically. Immediately after my official visit, I knew Providence was special and I wanted to be part of the Friar Family.

DATG: What was it like growing in Peabody with your Uncle & Father, at the helm of the Cross Country & Track & Field teams ? 

Cat Rocha: Growing up I knew my Father was the track coach and had great success as an individual athlete as well as a coach. Even though I knew this growing up I did not really realize the impact my father had on the programs and more importantly his athletes. My father had a major impact on the Peabody High XC and Track programs. He has coached multiple individual State Champions, HS All-Americans and won State Team Titles. He has helped student-athletes achieve their athletic goals, continue running in college at all Divisions, and even becoming Professional runners. More importantly my father had a major impact on the athletes themselves. He knew running came second to the well-being of his athletes. He cared for each of his athletes like they were one of his own. I did not get treated any differently in high school than any one of my teammates. My dad made everyone feel as though they belonged and that they brought something special to the team. Growing up and hearing that my dad has touched the lives of so many athletes was not a bad way to grow up. Knowing that the Peabody community respected him for not only his coaching abilities, but also character was something to admire.

DATG: Favorite pre & post race meal ? 

Cat Rocha: My favorite pre-race meal would have to be chicken-parm and pasta.  My favorite post-race meal is big cheeseburger and french fries !

DATG: Your the oldest of Jose & Gina's children. As the oldest siblings your younger brothers have carried the Rocha torch, describe the feeling when Marcelo won MA state title in XC ? Now Claudio attending Assumption. When you see them run do you see some similar attributes and traits that you see in yourself ?

Cat Rocha: When Marcelo won the MA State Title and Claudio committed to Assumption, I was extremely happy for both of them. When Marcelo won the State Title, I think I was more excited during that moment than when I won my own state title. I just knew how hard he worked and the lengths he went to win that title. When I found out Claudio committed to Assumption, I was so proud of him. He has been the underdog that no know thought twice of when we were young, and now he is one of the best runners in MA. Claudio is one of the toughest runners I know, and I wish I was half as gritty as he was in high school. I give both of them a great deal of credit and respect as well. I respect them a great deal because of how they overcame all the obstacles thrown in their way throughout their high school career. Whether those obstacles be an injury or teammates doubting their abilities, they overcame all those adversities. I honestly think in high school I could have not done what they did. After I graduated from high school, unfortunately they were known at first as Catarina Rocha’s brothers. But as they progressed throughout their career, they made their own names for themselves both athletically and academically. They created their own path that I believe tops anything I have done so far. I bet in a couple years people will be asking me, “Oh are you Marcelo and Claudio’s sister?”, and that would make me so happy!

DATG:  Reflecting on your career what was your "worst race", and how did you bounce back from it ? 

Cat Rocha: Throughout my career I have had many bad races, both in high school and college. I would say the “worst race” in my career so far would have to be the 5,000 meters outdoors in Florida at the NCAA East Preliminary Championships last spring. Going into this meet I had a great chance of placing top-12 and making it to the NCAA Outdoor Championships for the first time in my career. Unfortunately, I did not make it. It was not because I wasn’t capable or fit enough but because I doubted my abilities. It was one of the first times I went into a race having no confidence in myself. I convinced myself that I did not belong there, and I didn’t have a chance of making it to the NCAA Championships even though I could have. I was overthinking every move the lead pack made, I ran their race instead of mine, and just quit on the race with one mile to go because I convinced myself I wasn’t going to qualify.  I also feel that it was my “worst race” because it was the last race of my college career. It was difficult emotionally to take in because I knew I would never have another opportunity at the college level again.

I am going to be honest I was upset for a week or so. I was sad, mad, and disappointed not only in how the race went but in myself. During those couple weeks, I didn’t run one step and kept saying to myself I don’t think I want to run anymore. I kept feeling bad for myself and playing back that race in my head thinking I could somehow change it. After a weeks of not running, reflecting ,and much support from my family, friends, and coaches I realized some things…

1.      It is inevitable for every race you run to be great!  No matter how good you are or who you are, everyone has bad races. That is a major part of the sport and that’s why we run the races! We as runners put in so much work and get so little out but that is part of the sport!

2.      This ONE race does NOT define my running career. I ran some of my best races last year. I had won three-straight BIG EAST titles and was part of a team that supported me throughout the good and bad days.  What defines my career is how I bounce back from that and how I learn from that experience.

3.      I found out that I really do LOVE running. Those weeks after the race I was upset and told myself I don’t want to run anymore but I was kidding myself. I realized it was okay to be upset because it just showed how much I cared about the sport.

DATG: With a stellar career what would you have done differently if anything ? 

Cat Rocha: There are not many things I would have done differently in high school and college because I had such great experiences in both. The only thing I can think of is appreciating the little things in both my high school and college careers. As athletes, we need to appreciate our coaches, teammates and families because they are there for us through thick and thin. Appreciate the time you have with your teammates and the goals you want to achieve together. I would appreciate the hard workouts, the long runs, and each race you run. I say this because once you get older somedays you won’t always have that.

DATG: If we could go back in time, what would you tell yourself Freshmen year before you transitioned from Soccer to running ?

Cat Rocha: I would tell my freshman year self to enjoy my first year of high school and live in the moment. I would tell myself to not put any pressure on myself in regard to athletics. I would say to have fun being on the varsity soccer team and being the underdog. C

 DATG: Did High School prepare you for College and did College prepare you for the Pros?

Cat Rocha: In regard to running, I feel as though high school prepared me for college to an extent. My dad who was also my coach definitely prepared me for the type of training that I had throughout college. My mileage was very low in high school (40-45 miles per week) compared to college (60-65 miles per week) but the type of schedule and workouts were similar. During high school, I did a lot of strength workouts, such as four mile tempos and interval reps, and at PC I did the same except they were faster and longer. High school definitely prepared me for the type of training that was ahead of me, but it did not prepare me for collegiate racing. Racing in high school is very different than college. In college, everyone is the best of the best and very experienced, especially at the NCAA Championship Meets. I feel as I gained more experience in the collegiate scene throughout my five years, I became more comfortable and confident in both my training and races.  I learned a great deal about training, racing, recovery, and patience in college, which then prepared me for pro-racing. I would say one of the most important things I learned in college was patience. In college I found that patience is the essence of progress. Being patient and trusting in yourself, your abilities and your training will allow you to move forward and achieve your goals. One of the biggest obstacles I faced during my senior year of college was injury. I was injured for a full year and it was really difficult for me because I had never been injured for that long. Throughout that year, I learned that I need to be patient and let my body heal as it wants. It is not up to me and I can’t speed up the healing process. Being patient during my senior year definitely benefitted me in the long-run mentally and physically. It made me appreciate running more and being healthy. Learning how to be patient and progressing will hopefully lend itself in trying to run professionally. Being patient and accepting results is all part of this new running journey that I am just starting. My favorite quote about patience… “Patience is the calm acceptance that things can happen in a different order than the one you have in your mind”

DATG:  What is next for Catarina Rocha ?

Cat Rocha:To be frank I am not sure what is next, which is sort of exciting but also a little scary. Currently, I am a Graduate Assistant in Sports Information at PC and am finishing up my Masters in Counseling. On top of graduate school and my GA I run for the Ocean State Athletic Club. Ocean State Athletic Club is a group based out of Rhode Island that is sponsored by New Balance. We are coached by the legend/guru himself Ray Treacy, who was also my college coach. I am the only woman on the team thus far and just finished up my cross-country season last week. My last race was the USA Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee, Florida. I placed 24th and was one spot away from a NACAC USA Team. I am very happy with how my first post-collegiate cross-season went and ready to run some races on the outdoor track this coming Spring. I hope to run some PR’s on track and get in some decent road races during the summer under Ocean State. But as of right now I am just enjoying the ride and motivated to get better each and every day!

#Tokyo2020 400 Meter Specialists ? Michael Norman x Sydney Mclaughlin @Mike_Norman22 x @GoSydGo

If you haven't been paying attention but the running community is on fire right now, especially performances by the Poland Men's 4x400 at the World Championship.  We are truly fortunate to watch greatness executed, this past weekend Michael Norman from the University of Southern California, broke the world indoor record in the 400 Meters with a blistering time 44.52 then anchored the USC Men's 4x400 to a new world Record of 3:00.77. In the women's 400 Sydney Mclaughlin breaks her own World Record Under 20 in the 400 meters with a time of 50.36. 

If you aren't familiar with names of Sydney Mclaughlin & Michael Norman it's time to get acclimated. Both have been torching the track scene since there High School careers. Providing me and many others the excitement of a 2020 Olympics. Both are young barring injuries it maybe safe to say that the United States should make some noise in Tokyo in the 400 Meters. 

Poland Sets the World Indoor Record in the 4x400 Relay

First reaction was like no way, what happened ? Like most running enthusiast i had to find the video to actually see what happened. As a proud of American there are some stapled events that for the 39 years i have been living American Track & Field does very well in the sprint relays.

The Polish team of Karol Zalewski, Rafal Omelko, Lukasz Krawczuk and Jakub Krzewina won in 3:01.77. That shaved 0.36 seconds off the previous record of 3:02.13, which was set by the United States in 2014. via Press reader

 BIRMINGHAM, England — The recipe for defeating the United States in a 4×400-meter relay is simple: hold the race in England. <---- I disagree with that statement. As a Coach and athlete myself we train for results, we train for execution, I am not shock this is a way of life, this is a mentality. Yes the track world and America is in awe on how this could happen, and I say very simple, best explained by the second leg, Rafal Omelko.

“It is a big shock and surprise for us,” Omelko said. “We were targeting the European record, but really did not expect a result like this and never dreamed about the world record.” As far as I am concern Dreams Are Tangible Goals.. Here in the States many are baffled some have gone as far and conducted research check out How Four Polish Guys Beat the US to Break the 4×400 World Record (3:01.77)  

The race was in control by the US, I will give always props and credit when it's due and earned. The first and second leg of Poland did their job keeping the US in eye sight keeping the race close and most important giving the 3rd & 4th leg an opportunity for victory. Below is the race let me know your thoughts ? US will be back as always but for now salute to the four men who didn't pull an upset they just worked hard and achieved the possible. Dreams Are Tangible Goals

Here’s a look at how the Poles and Americans stacked up, leg-by-leg:

Poland

Name                   Outdoor PR      Indoor PR  Unofficial Split

Karol Zalewski     45.8                  446.2          45.85

Rafal Omelko       45.14                46.08          45.10

Lukasz Krawczuk 45.65               46.26          45.90

Jakub Krzewina   45.11                 46.26           44.93

USA

Name                 Outdoor PR     Indoor PR     Unofficial Split

Fred Kerley       43.7                  44.85             44.84 (FAT)

Michael Cherry  44.66              45.53              45.27

Aldrich Bailey   45.19                45.59              46.05

Vernon Norwood 44.44          45.31                45.67