Submissions From Fans Of The Blog!

I love receiving just about anything from my 100's of fans!  Yes, I did say hundreds.  Things are really starting to pick up steam here at Blog Central.  And just about anything YOU submit will be included too.

• Coach Bill Preston generously submitted a more complete map of the PSUAC Mont Alto XC Course I helped to map out last week. Thanks Coach!  I will certainly be there for the races.
  
  
• KKOB sent me an article reminding us that PSU was there at the very beginning of the Nike Oregon Project.  Friend Tom Clarke, PSU Biomechanics PhD, started it all and recruited Alberto Salazar as the coach.  Previous post on this HERE.
• Rob Whiteside and his daughter Phoebe (Large and White Rabbit) have had a terrible time of it once they entered the New England area.  They are currently in New Hampshire headed toward Maine on the Appalachian Trail, where the hiking is at some of the most difficult of the whole trail.  Weather has not been their friend at all, and Rob took a tumble with a few lingering side effects.  I hope all of you say a prayer for them as I do daily.

Love Them/Hate Them But Don't Doubt Their Influence

Nike has made an impact on our sport like no other single company.  I personally have run more than 99% of my miles in Nikes and prefer them far beyond any other shoes I have dabbled with.  And PSU has had a big influence on Nike, from its current leadership (Mark Parker) to JoePa's influence on Phil Knight.  There are plenty of detractors too, which is their right.

The AlSal I ran "with" in 1975.

But one thing I did not know, was that at the beginning of Alberto Salazar's Nike Project, a lunch with Tom Clarke PhD (PSU Biomechanics) and some scribbled notes on a napkin led to AlSal's Coaching tenure.

I always thank Tom for being one of two people who realized I had run my best time at PSU in the 10K despite being lapped by Greg Fredericks twice.  The other was Don Ziter.  Thanks again to both of you!