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Posts Tagged with "adidas Grand Prix"

BATC Recap: adidas Grand Prix

June 12, 2010, 11:01pm

By Tom Kloos

If David Torrence’s season opener at 1500m is an indication of things to come, it will be an exciting season indeed. David out-performed pre-race expectations, finishing seventh place in a new PR of 3:35.81 at the adidas Grand Prix, taking nearly three seconds off of his previous best. The race was won in 3:33.29 by Nicholas Kemboi of Kenya, and the top American finisher was Leonel Manzano in 3:33.92.

David settled into the middle of the pack from the start of the race, which was off to a quick pace. “I wasn’t getting splits. I was just racing.” A gap opened up midway through the race, separating David from the leaders. With the pace already fast, and somewhat cautious with a sore hamstring, David waited until the last 600 meters to start giving chase, but managed to close with a final lap of 55 seconds to move up to seventh.

Bay Area Track Club teammate Shannon Rowbury finished fourth in the women’s 1500, describing her race as “strong in the finish, but I didn’t have much pop.” Shannon’s time of 4:04.00 was just behind top-finishing American Jenny Berringer in 4:03.63. The winner was Nancy Jebet Langat of Kenya in 4:01.60. Shannon’s season opener last year was slightly faster, but in a race which she says she “totally died in the end. So my finish (at the adidas Grand Prix) was an improvement.”

Shannon and David now head to North Carolina to train with coach John Cook, before lacing up next in Iowa for the USATF Outdoor Championships beginning June 23.

Tags: BATC, Bay Area Track Club, Shannon Rowbury, David Torrence, adidas Grand Prix
Read more | Comments (0) | Updated on June 12, 2010, 11:08pm

BATC Preview: Men's 1500m at the adidas Grand Prix

June 11, 2010, 8:38pm

By Tom Kloos

Late Spring in New York City, and Central Park is swarming with joggers, forming a continuum of bodies moving counter-clockwise around the park’s interior. There will be no such joggers running counter-clockwise at Icahn Stadium for the 1500 event of the adidas Grand Prix – IAAF Diamond League meet. The start list is a who’s-who of men’s milers, featuring top Americans and Olympians representing four different countries.

Someone might innocently presume that BATC’s David Torrence would be intimidated by the high-caliber field, heading to the starting line with the second-slowest seed time of the group (3:38.39). That someone would be mistaken. “It’s a whole new season for me,” says David reflecting on the level of competition, “I am a whole new runner.”

Tomorrow will be David’s first 1500 in 2010, and his performances in other events thus far (800, 1600 relay, and road mile) in the year are demonstrative that he is indeed a new runner. With the pace set to go 3:32, David is determined to come away with a whole new PR. “…more than just be dragged along, I want to compete with the best…I have no expectation, and no limitations.”

Sunday morning in Central Park, when the number of New York joggers hits its peak, David might be moving among them at an easy recovery pace. Some New Yorker may get to enjoy going a few miles with one of America's finest young middle distance athletes, but they would be wise not to try and challenge David’s kick. The same holds true of any number of the other milers at the adidas Grand Prix!

Tags: BATC, Bay Area Track Club, David Torrence, adidas Grand Prix
Read more | Comments (0) | Updated on June 11, 2010, 9:00pm

BATC Preview: Women's 1500m at the adidas Grand Prix

June 11, 2010, 8:33pm

By Tom Kloos

Shannon Rowbury’s last visit to the streets of New York was inspiring, as she capped a fantastic 2009 season with a win at the Fifth Avenue Mile. Returning to the city of big lights, Shannon will be making her 1500 meter debut of the 2010 season at the inaugural adidas Grand Prix – IAAF Diamond League meet this Saturday, June 12. Winning again in the city of big lights will not be a stroll, as the starting list is the best Shannon has faced since the IAAF World Championships final last summer in Berlin.

While Shannon captured the USATF crown in 2009, and was the highest American finisher at the World Championships, three U.S. women breached the 4:00 barrier in 2009, a mark Shannon is still after. All three of these women will be on the starting line at Icahn Stadium: Anna Pierce (Willard), Jenny Barringer, and Christin Wurth-Thomas.

When Shannon described the coming event as “a loaded race,” she inferred more than just her domestic rivals. Gelete Burka (Ethiopia) has the fastest PR in the field, and the second fastest time of 2010. Burka was tripped in the final lap of the World Championship in Berlin, a misfortune Shannon capitalized on en route to her bronze medal finish. The fastest time in the field from 2010, 4:01.63, belongs to Nancy Langat (Kenya), who also has a PR of 4:00.

Shannon’s training since last September’s Fifth Avenue Mile has done more than just build her fitness: “I know I am strong from all my 5k work. All the different energy systems are ready to go.” It has also built her confidence.

And while Usain Bolt has scratched from the meet and will not be scratching records later in the clubs of New York City, Shannon is looking forward to celebrating a successful Diamond League debut with BATC teammate David Torrence and training partner Treniere Moser before heading down to North Carolina for her final stretch of preparation for the USA Track & Field Championships beginning June 23.

Tags: BATC, Bay Area Track Club, Shannon Rowbury, adidas Grand Prix
Read more | Comments (0) | Updated on June 11, 2010, 8:59pm

When Magda Speaks...

November 17, 2009, 7:20pm

...we listen!

Magda was interviewed recently about why she's excited by the ideas behind the Bay Area Track Club. Hear her thoughts in this video.

If you like that one and you want more, feel free to browse our video section for more interviews with our athletes on why the Bay Area Track Club is the next big thing!

Tags: magda lewy boulet, batc, bay area track club
Read more | Comments (0) | Updated on November 17, 2009, 7:22pm