The Toni & Matt Show #11
Today we welcome one of America’s top distance stars, special guest Matt Tegenkamp from the wilds of Wisconsin. We preview this weekend’s Adidas Track Classic in Carson, California. We share highlights from our comment line (206-888-0346), including a report from Major Russ Stewart in Tikrit, Iraq. All of that, plus the big story, race results, and more on the Toni & Matt Show.
-
The Big Story - Kenenise Bekele announces that he’ll make his American debut at the June 8th Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon. Then quickly adds that he’ll be making a World Record attempt at 10,000 meters (a record he already owns at 26:17.53). Great news, right? Wrong. Bekele’s agent Jos Hermans and meet director Tom Jordan decided the best time of day to make a World Record attempt is 9:30 . . . in the morning . . . on a Sunday . . . three hours before the rest of the Pre Classic gets underway. (shaking heads everywhere)
Matt Tegenkamp joins us in the “studio” from Madison, Wisconsin. The American Record holder at two-miles tells us that he’s ahead of where he was at this time last season (and we all know how that ended), claims that Jerry Schumacher is the best coach in the country, and explains how his wife Michelle cracked the whip. Matt also puts forth this week’s Hot House Idea (hint: think soccer in Europe) and we get our first major scoop on the show - Teg to sit out the 2010 season in protest. (kidding . . . sort of)
Quick News:
- Dathan Ritzenhein withdraws from Saturday’s Healthy Kidney 10K - a serious injury with implications for the US Trials, or just being cautious?
- Ryan Hall and Deena Kastor announced as Team Leaders for this year’s Bolder Boulder 10K International Team Challenge. Not a surprise to us; we had BB10K athlete recruiter Don Janicki on the show last month where he announced his goal of getting Hall and Kastor to Boulder.
- Brian Sell defends his USATF 25K Road Title at the Fifth Third Bank 25K in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The race has always been a good indicator for Sell, which should get all those Hanson-Brooks fans excited for Beijing.
- The London Marathon is losing it’s buttery taste. Race Director Dave Bedford will announce a new title sponsor (to start 2010) at the Tower Hotel this Friday. We can only hope for Crisco!
- The 97th ING Bay to Breakers initiates a gender challenge called The Battle to the Breakers. The first athlete to the line takes home the $25,000 bonus. There’s also a $5,000 bonus for the first man and woman to crest Hayes Street Hill at the two mile mark. One of the more entertaining races just got more entertaining. More races should take note.
- Barack Obama jumps Hillary Clinton in the super delegate count, then jumps a hurdle at the Oregon Twilight Meet thanks to Vin Lanana. Publicity stunt? Of course. Good for the sport? Of course (thanks to the fact that he didn’t fall over the hurdle . . . go ask the Bowling folks how participation has tanked since Obama’s 37!)
EPO, Mice, and Mustard Oil: An article in the San Diego Union Tribune cites a study that claims the skin can trigger the body’s production of EPO. In other words, an athlete could sleep with his/her body in an altitude tent set for 19,000 feet, but with his/her head out of the tent (because you couldn’t live at that altitude). If this works in humans (as it did for the lab rats) it could have enormous consequences for the sporting world.
Highlights from our comment line:
- Major Russell Stewart calls in from Tikrit, Iraq where he reports good running conditions, forms The Tikrit Running Club (Hey Russ, we want T-shirts!), and asks for your help to bring running to Iraq.
- Dan Lilot ponders the decision to split the 1500m at the Cardinal Invite into two heats. Once again track shoots itself in the foot.
- Jeremy Mosher enjoys Perrier while nudging you to get involved. We took your criticism about being too negative on the show; now it’s your turn to join the conversation.
You can do that by calling the comment line: 206-888-0346
Last 5 posts by Matt Taylor- The Toni & Matt Show #17 - Vin Lananna - July 9th, 2008
- LetsRun.com Eugene '08 - June 30th, 2008
- The Toni & Matt Show #16 - June 17th, 2008
- USOC to USATF: Change Now! - June 14th, 2008
- The Toni & Matt Show #15 - June 11th, 2008
May 15th, 2008 at 12:32 pm |
Interesting take on the Kenenisa Bekele attempt to lower his own 10k record in the morning at Pre. Matt noted that most — if not all — records are set in the evening to night. Then I read a blog by the Register Guard out of Eugene led by Ron Bellamy and Curtis Anderson who state the reason as, “because stats show there’s a better chance of less wind.”
http://rgweb-c.registerguard.com/blogs/index.php/trackfield/comments/another_record_attempt_at_pre/
Less wind? If that’s the case, why don’t we just stage all world-record attempts at 2am in the morning. After all, it’s not about the fans, it’s about the chase of a record.
May 17th, 2008 at 8:14 pm |
I agree with your regular comments that races should be more about competition and less about time. However, I found it odd that one of Matt’s first questions for Tegenkamp about an upcoming race was about the time that he hoped to run (sub-13?, American record?).
Regardless, I really enjoyed the conversation with Matt and hope that you can continue to have athletes on your show in the future.
May 18th, 2008 at 6:00 pm |
Today was the third year of the gender challenge and Hayes Street Hill premium at Bay to Breakers. I think the confusion by you guys thinking it was the first time for those challenges illuminates the fact that B2B is primarily a local event largely because of a low amount of prize money and limited American runners. Of course this year the big USA names are all targeting the trials in Eugene in 5 weeks, but even a normal year does not draw big USA contenders (last American winner was Eyestone in 86). The race is a local juggernaut attracting the casual runner (and non-runner) but only seems to be just another stop on the elite circuit as far as national attention. But with 60,000 participants (about 35,000 officially registered), the race is doing something right to promote the sport. Even if most people walk/push floats.
Great show as usual!
May 22nd, 2008 at 6:39 am |
[…] the Comment Line - Joe and Seamus weigh in on the conversation. Last episode Matt Tegenkamp discussed the need for athletes to be more organized and off-handedly mentioned 2010 as a year to do it. But Joe says the time is now. What better […]