AMERICAN MILERS CLUB: 2007 HIGH PERFORMANCE SERIES
July 15, 2006
(INDIANAPOLIS) The American Milers Club High Performance Series, in an
expanded four-day format, will conduct its fourth year of high
performance competition in 2007. The series’ competitions are planned on
Indiana University’s famed Billy Hayes track for the month of June.
Based on historical precedent the American Milers Club HP Series will
likely serve as one of the best early opportunities for athletes to post
qualifying marks for the 2008 US Olympic Trials.
The 2007 series will build on the momentum of the 2006 series where
athletes achieved 41 season bests and 26 lifetime bests and eight races
were determined by 33/100ths of a second or less and an additional four
races were determined by margins of 6/100ths of a second or less. At the
conclusion of the 2006 series no less than 19 athlete performances were
noted on the USATF national performance list in the men’s and women’s
800 and 1500.
The expanded fourth date to the 2007 American Milers Club HP Series will
be the "Big Red National Invitational". The added competition date will
be in effect a last chance national qualifying meet for the 2007 USA
Outdoor Track & Field Championships. The Big Red National Invitational
competition date will be held within the final two eligible days allowed
for USATF Outdoor National Championship qualification.
The final three days of 2007 series will held in the week immediately
after the 2007 USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships with exact dates
being determined when the outdoor championships schedule is finalized.
Based on recent historical perspective the likely dates for the series
are June 15, and then June 25, 27 and 30, 2007.
With the likely opportunity for athletes to post 2008 US Olympic Trials
qualifying marks, great competition is expected in every contest. In
2004, the series produced 43 Olympic Trials qualifying marks including
some of the deepest 800 and 1500 meter races in the USA during the 2004
track and field season. The fields will again include NCAA Champions,
Olympians, top Indiana athletes, and athletes from the USA's top elite
development clubs battling for best performances throughout the week.
Plans are also well underway for the 2008 American Milers Club HP Series
which will be conducted in the final available week for Olympic Trials
qualifying marks.
Discussions between the leading USA elite development distance teams are
underway to expand this High Performance Series to include additional
days and events for the 2007 outdoor season. The purpose of this series
to is provide the high level competitive opportunities needed by
America's top elite development middle distance and distance talent on
dates appropriate for high performance efforts.
Meet Director Greg Harger said, "The commitments by many of America's
Future Olympians and their coaches to this series are significant. As an
outgrowth of our collective organizational commitment to elite athlete
development we are working to expand the series to meet the needs of
more of the country's top athletes." Harger added, "Creating
opportunities to qualify for the 2007 Outdoor Championships and then
also qualifying for the 2008 US Olympic Trials are integral to
the spirit and purpose of this series. Efforts in our local communities
are underway to provide significant support to the top participating
athletes and to expand the spectator experience for some great
competitive racing next season."
2006 American Milers Club High Performance Series information:
http://www.nftl.net/events/2006/american_milers.asp
The Indiana Invaders, a not-for-profit organization founded in 1998,
presents an innovative approach to track & field by providing a
resident-based, athlete-centered support system unique to the sport in
the United States.
USA DISTANCE DEVELOPMENT SUMMITT III
July 11, 2006
(INDIANAPOLIS) The Indiana Invaders hosted the third in what has become
an annual "Distance Summit" of leading development teams, coaches and
supporters of athlete development in the United States on Friday, June
23rd, 2006 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
The Distance Development Summit was first initiated and hosted by Zap
Fitness in the fall of 2004 at their training facility in Blowing Rock,
North Carolina. In the fall of 2005, the Boston Athletic Association
facilitated the hosting of a second edition of the Distance Summit in
Boston, Massachusetts.
Arguably the majority of the most outspoken and successful true athlete
development organizations in the United States were in attendance or
represented: Big Sur Distance Project, Hansons-Brooks Distance Project,
The Farm Team, Inc., Team USA Minnesota, Zap Fitness, and the Indiana
Invaders.
Collectively these organizations as USATF clubs, led by some of the most
dynamic development coaches in the country, have produced more than 80%
of the emerging development talent competing at USA National
Championships in recent seasons. While each organization has a unique
event focus they have collectively had significant success from the 800
through to the marathon.
Keith Hanson (Hansons Brooks Developmental Program), Dennis Barker
(Team USA Minnesota), Pete Rea (ZAP Fitness), Frank Gagliano (Nike Farm
Team) and Greg Harger (Indiana Invaders) were joined by a handful of
anonymous influential supporters and backers of their collective
initiatives. Several initiatives were defined and will be addressed by
the group members in the coming weeks and months with significant
developments improving domestic opportunities for true USATF elite
development clubs and organizations supporting the efforts of USATF
elite development clubs.
Summit host and Indiana Invaders Team Director Greg Harger said, "We
share the same values and commitments to developing athletic talent and
together we represent an overwhelming percentage of distance development
talent that is club based in the United States. We have all
independently developed and achieved success in our own communities with
private and unique initiatives that have a remarkable amount of common
experience and value to one another as we have learned through sharing
our lessons learned. By coming together as a united group and
continuing to work together where ever possible we will continue to
change and improve the dynamic of our sport for true development
initiatives in this country." Harger added, "As a group we are focused
on developing today's emerging talent and to becoming a driving force in
accelerating tomorrow's future world-class talent. Gathering like this
is very refreshing as we are able to remind ourselves that we are
basically no more than 6-7 years old at this new game of distance
development and we have only been working together for less than three
years so our rate of return on investment will only continue to grow and
improve as we go into the Olympic years of 2008 and 2012."
Further details from this Distance Summit will be released in the near
future as they become formalized. Another session of these USA Distance
Development Summits will be held in Indianapolis at the 2007 USA Outdoor
National Championships.
The Indiana Invaders, a not-for-profit organization founded in 1998,
presents an innovative approach to track & field by providing a
resident-based, athlete-centered support system unique to the sport in
the United States.
AMERICAN MILERS CLUB HIGH PERFORMANCE SERIES: RESULTS DELIVERED
July 2, 2006
(INDIANAPOLIS) The 2006 edition of the American Milers Club High
Performance Series delivered significant results, career enhancing
performances, and a wealth of competitively charged races for some of
America's top middle distance athletes in three days of racing over the
past week on Indiana University's famed Billy Hayes track.
July 1st, the third and final day of the series saw fields of
athletes producing four sub-1:49 800’s, two sub-2:06 800's for women,
two sub-4:17 1500's for women, and five sub-3:45 1500’s. The Farm Team
having won all but one race during the series again dominated on the
final day. Krista Ferrara, running for the Farm Team and a graduate of
Indiana University, won the 800 with a 2:03.76 as she posted her 4th
fastest career 800 meter races over the last 10 days. The Farm Team's
Elliott Blount won with a season’s best time of 1:47.76 in the 800 and
teammate Brendan Mahoney won the 1500 (3:43.05) with his second fastest
time of the outdoor season.
Unattached athletes won the women's 1500 and men's steeple, with Shannon
Rowbury posting a life time best of 4:12.31 to win the 1500 and Tom
Chorny, an Indiana University graduate and 2001 USA Outdoor Champion in
the steeple, posting a winning mark of 8:50.33.
The American Milers Club High Performance Series over three days of
heated competition produced 41 season bests and 26 lifetime bests. Eight
races were determined by 33/100ths of a second or less and four races
were determined by margins of 6/100ths of a second or less.
Meet Series Director Greg Harger said, "These high caliber races were
great for everyone. The results speak for themselves as we had multiple
athletes break into the USA Top 10 performance list and many others
moved up 10 to 15 spots on the US list after the week’s races.” Harger
added, "We look to grow, expand and solidify this series as an annual
highlight of our nation's potential in the 800 and 1500. Experiences
like this to go head-to-head when the athletes are at peak fitness
immediately after USA nationals is the reason the top development
coaches and athletes came together for this series. 2007 will see a
similar series of races immediately after USA nationals."
American Milers Club High Performance Series:
http://www.nftl.net
The Indiana Invaders, a not-for-profit organization founded in 1998,
presents an innovative approach to track & field by providing a
resident-based, athlete-centered support system unique to the sport in
the United States.
