Best & Worst of 2015

With 3 days left in the year, I hesitated posting this today!
You see, this has been a year of some pretty brutal shockwaves attacking our sport, and with about 80 hours left, I can't say there won't be another!
But I'll take my chances!

First, I have a few marks to report--always the most important reason my blog exists!

Jenn Suhr is riding high---literally!
After a 15-9 opener to her 2016 season a few weeks ago, she went over 15-5 yesterday!
She then tried a height of 4.90 (16-0.75), but missed her 3 attempts.
She'll compete again tomorrow!

Janice Keppler was far back (13-5.25).
And a 14 year old HS Freshman--Erica Ellis--topped 11-9.75.
Why report the latter?
Because the Frosh Class record is 12-9.50, and Ellis reportedly has 12 foot-plus talent!
She also competes again tomorrow!

Don't know if records were broken, but a 7 year old (!!)--Rhoan Kaulder-- ran the 60 & 200 in 8.80 and 31.24 in the same meet as Suhr.

In a HS meet, a McGorty brother--Brandon--opened with a 1000 in 2:28.74.

Noah and Josephus Lyles had good marks--Josephus a 500 in 1:04.66, and Noah a 6.35 (& 6.40 heat) in the 55.

Kate Murphy also opened strong, winning the 1000 easily in 2:50.56.

Boxing Day Road races in Canada saw Rob Watson take the 10 Mile in 49:07, and Sheila Reid the 4 Mile in 21:58.

Now on to my Best & Worst of 2015!

I'll begin VERY close to home--with my favorite blog posts of the year.

Winner is--Opinions on Track and Field History and Culture (in 2 parts)!!
The 2nd part got LOTS of views!!

Other good ones---IMHO!--were The Legacy of Ron Clarke, On OT's (and other things), Two WR's (and TONS more), World Relays--It had Everything, and Shanghai Fizzles, Collegiates Sizzle.

The latter got a few compliments for its Title!!

But the ones I'm probably most proud of were the 12 (TWELVE!!) posts I did covering the Beijing World Championships!
There was the Schedule, 4 Prediction Preview posts, 6 Results posts (each 3rd day, for each gender!), then a Summary.

Speaking of Blogs, I give Best New Blogger (AND Most Interesting New Blogger Personality!) Award to--
Lauren Kleppin.
BTW, she also happens to be a rather fast marathoner!
Watch for her at the OT's!

While not strictly about 2015, I want to rate the Best DECADES of Track and Field News magazine!
I've read every issue from 1957 on (also the OG issue of 1956), but I'll only rate the Decades from the 1960's to the 2010's--six total.

1. The 60's.
Not because I'm a "60's guy", but because its (normally) 24 pages were FILLED with results, features, meet & event stories, Letters to the Editor, and LISTS--something missing from more recent decades!

2. The 90's.
Maybe because that was such a fascinating Decade--with the Chinese explosions, the Barcelona & Atlanta Olympics, and maybe the final Decade before Africa REALLY took over the Distances!

3. The 70's
T&FN published 18 issues for a couple of years (1973 & 1974).  There were the Olympics in Munich & Montreal.  It saw the end of the Jim Ryun and Ron Clarke eras, AND the Life and Death of Steve Prefontaine!

4th is the 80's, 5th the 00's, and 6th, THIS (half finished) Decade!

Biggest Disappointment
The Van Damme DL Women's Mile!
It had a fantastic field, and I predicted (in an "extra" post!) a TON of records being broken, and many additions & revisions to my A-T lists for the World and US!

While Faith Kipyegon's winning time of 4:16.71 wasn't "bad", it coulda & shoulda been a whole lot faster!
And why didn't BOTH Shannon Rowbury and Jenny Simpson at least TRY for Mary Slaney's American Record of--heh--4:16.71??

To say an entire event is the Worst may be a bit hyperbolic.
But to see the Year of the High Jump morph into a winning height of 2.34 in Beijing is pretty SICK (and not in the sense teens use that word!).
The other "Worst" Men's event is the 800.
A slow final at the WC, and the scandal involving a certain USATF Champion!  (See below!)

The Women's Worst Events?
The 100H.
The US FOURsome (3, plus a Wild Card) DERAILED in China!!
Oh, one of them got 4th, but.....BUT fourth being the BEST the US could do??
JEEZ!!

The TJ and SP sucked some, even though Caterine Ibarguen and Christine Schwanitz both shone!
It's just that both events didn't have the FIRE that some competition for Ibarguen, or a healthy & fit Valerie Adams would've added to the mix!

The 10000 was won in the mid-31's--notwithstanding what happened in the bid for Bronze!  (See below!)
MoBot-itis strikes the Women's race!

The Best Frosh in Cross Country this past fall?
For the Men, it was Grant Fisher.
And for the Women, the award is Allie Ostrander's.

An amazing fact about Five Foot Tall Allie---She was a star Basketballer for her Kenai (Alaska) HS team!!

The BEST Events?

For the Men, the Grand Prize goes to--the 100 & 200, but especially the former!
All friggin' year, MB talk has been--Is Bolt Finished?--and secondarily--a Death Wish for Justin Gatlin!!
Yet it was Gatlin who came into Beijing the favorite--unless you were talking to Bolt-ophiles!!
It was the Lone Ranger vs the Evil Cattle Rustler!
And the Masked Man WON BOTH!!

Come on, who REALLY doubted that outcome??!!

Other Goodies were the 400 (all those sub-44's!), the Taylor-PPPP battles in the TJ, and the Toppling of the Top Guy by Shawn Barber beating Renaud Lavillenie in China!

The Women's Prize goes NOT to Genzebe Dibaba's WR in Monaco!!
Nope!
I give it to that FABULOUS 200 race between Elaine Thompson and Dafne Schippers in Beijing!!
Such MASSIVE time improvements by both sprinters!
And maybe---just maybe!---the END of the Allyson Felix Era in that event!

But the 1500 (and Mile) was a solid back-up.
And yes, Ms Dibaba's WR was the key!
But the battle for the US record didn't hurt, not to mention all the other great times in that Monaco race!

The Pole Vault is next, but MAINLY for the Records in the HS and Collegiate divisions!
The Weeks twins polished the HS section, while the GREAT Demi Payne vs Sandi Morris WAR saw several important battles a-ragin'!!

I'll add that INdoor 5000 score by KJT!
Second best-ever, and hitting 5K---on the NOSE!!

And the OUTdoor Gotzis meet---with KJT and the other 2 Hyphens (JEH and BTE)!!
A Preview of Rio?

So who was the Best HS PRO Sprinter?
Well, this category maybe needs a better title!
You see, Candace Hill only turned Pro AFTER her season was over!

But since both are NOW Pro's, I'll rate them!
The Award goes to--Kaylin Whitney!
She was the Anchor in 3 4X100 Relays--with SUPER Elites running the first 3 legs!
And the times were VERY good--the fastest being 41.96.
And with a HIGH SCHOOL KID Anchoring!!

Ms Hill's FANTASTIC 10.98 was the Best Individual result, with her 22.43 in the 200 not bad either!
(Although Whitney also got a PR in the 200--time of 22.47.)

Who was the Best Female Collegiate PV'er in 2015?
I spoke earlier of Ms's Morris and Payne.
They were incredible!!
INdoors!
OUTdoors!
15-pluses galore!
One getting the CR, then the other---and then back and forth again!

I give this Award to BOTH!!
It's a TIE!
Thank you, Ladies!!

Best Race Within a Race?
Was there any better than the Race for the American 1500 Record in that Monaco affair?

You had Dibaba vs the Clock!
But then--about 40 meters back--came the DUEL for Slaney's iconic standard!
WHO would get it?

Watch the video!
You see--out of one eye!--Dibaba showing her stuff!
But out of your OTHER eye--you see Simpson coming off the final curve in FRONT of Rowbury!
Then, as the track straightens out, you watch Shannon go outside of Jenny--edge ahead---and stay there to the tape!!
(Reminded me a bit of when I attended the 2001 Pre meet---and watched the magnificent El G run 3:49.92 to win---and my OTHER eye latched onto young Mr Webb, finishing his HSR's of 3:38.26 and 3:53.43! back in 5th place!!)

Changing gears for a minute, What is the Best Movie Yet To Be Released about T&F?
Why, it's Alexi Pappas's Tracktown--in which she STARS---as a---RUNNER!!
Well, Duhhhh!!
Can't wait!!

And the Best NON-Statistical Book of our sport this past year?
Best Call that Girl (Heh!) Suzy Favor Hamilton and tell her that her memoir Fast Girl WINS!!

(I should ask her, but I wonder if her title was influenced by her seeing that "great" movie Fast Girls in 2012!)

Speaking of T&F Record Books (NOT mine!!), I feel it's appropriate I rank the Best Record Books our sport provides---or HAS provided!

1. High School Track annual.
Has SEPARATE lists for INdoors and OUTdoors!
That alone is 80% of the prize!
But you won't find a better HS record book.
And it comes out in December of every year--thanks to Jack Shepard (and Mike Kennedy).

2. Athletics Annual
The Best for International marks, records, and lists!
But it's not just numbers & names!
It offers several great articles, detailed accounts of the BIG meet (either OG or WC) each year, all the results from ALL the many regional Championships held each year--and so much more!

3. FAST Annual
Basically, the US version of the A.A.---except no articles!
However, its INDEX is excellent---with year-by-year progressions (for all the events an athlete has done!!) for over 2500 US athletes!
Only big flaw is that they don't do INdoor!!

Fourth is the new book I mentioned in my last post--World's Greatest in Athletics.
As noted, I will have a FULL critique of this work sometime soon!

Fifth is the National Athletics Records for All Countries in the World 2012.
The FLAW in this is that it's NOT an Annual!
In fact, my copy of the 2012 edition replaced the one I own dated--2003!!
(There were none between!)

6th is the IAAF WC Statistical Handbook--Beijing 2015.
An excellent work--and due to a delivery error, I got it for FREE!! (Normal cost was $35!)--which came out before Beijing!
Over 800 pages of fascinating stats!

Seventh goes to my 2011 edition of the TAFWA All-Time World Indoor List!
LONG lists for EVERY event held INdoors!!
(Except the Two Mile!!)
Another "flaw"?
The Men's pages are BLUE--while the Women's pages are--PINK!!~
SEXIST!!

Last, but certainly NOT least is my copy of the 2012 edition of The Big Gold Book.
Has COMPLETE Metric Conversion charts, and COMPLETE points tables for ALL the Multi's, INdoors and OUTdoors!!

Best Decision by a Teenage Professional Award goes to---Mary Cain!
She put a BIG 3000 miles between her and her (censored!) Coach, AlSal, when she left Portland (the city and the College!) and went home to Bronxville NY--and a new College--Fordham University!

Here's hoping these changes lead to a GREAT 2016 for Mary!

The WORST Decision by a Teenage Professional?
Has to be Alana Hadley's REFUSAL to give up Marathoning--for 2 or 3 years??--and return to TRACK racing in the 5000 and 10000!!
I've urged her to do so---in Tweets and on Facebook--but I guess she doesn't like my Armchair Coaching Advice!
Heh.

Speaking of Alana---who seems to be a very mature & personable young lady--she ALSO gets my Award for the Most Hated Person on the Let's Run MB (or Forum!).

But she shares that Title with--Kara Goucher!

What are the Best Emerging Groups--as in Training & Racing groups--in our sport?

First Place goes to OISELLE!!
Among their Elites, they have the aforementioned Ms Goucher, Lauren Fleshman, Kerri Gallagher, and Kate Grace, as well as Hammer Thrower Brittney Henry!
But they have so much more--including the Best T&F Cheering Section around!!
Wear ear plugs if you're near them at road races & track meets when a Oiselle athlete is competing!!

Other good groups are Deena Kastor's Mammoth Lakes (CA) runners, and Stephanie & Ben Bruce's little cadre down in Arizona!
I also like the Minnesota group coached by Dennis Barker, and the BAA group (Abbey D, among several other elites) coached by Terry Mahon.

Best MOMMY Comeback Award goes to---Alysia Montano!!
(The worst probably should go to Chaunte Lowe!)

How about the Worst Timing for a Pregnancy Award??
I give that one to--Sarah Brown!
She's VERY MUCH welcoming her baby (due around March 21st!), BUT that gives her just 3 months to return to form for the OT's--which she has stated she WILL compete in!!

Two others coming back from giving birth are--or SHOULD be!!--Tirunesh Dibaba and--Yelena Isinbayeva!
(More on the latter below!)

And that brings me to the WORST of the WORST Awards I'm giving out!

Obviously, First Place goes to the SCANDALS of T&F!
And the Top-Rated SCANDALS are---

1. The Russian Dope Factory
UGH!!
Not only is it so bad that the list of athletes (and coaches and officials) being banned is almost endless, but it's so BAD that the ENTIRE RUSSIAN TEAM has been banned!!?

Including "innocents" like Ms Isinbayeva (and Anna Chicherova and Sergey Shubenkov!!).

My opinion?
Ban the drug OFFENDERS--the CRIMINALS---YES!!
But do NOT ban EVERYone!!
Let Isi compete!!

Other HUGE Scandals included---

2. The War between USATF and Nick Symmonds!
He won the USATF (& WC Trials) 800!
He wasn't allowed to compete!
I won't go into the details---you've heard them all many times---but I will say I'm on NICK's side in this 100 percent!

3. The allegations against Alberto Salazar and his Nike Oregon Project group!
4. Not a scandal, but definitely a HUGE story in 2015---the fight to become President of the IAAF!
Seb Coe beat Sergey Bubka!
It was so great to see these ICONS of the sport duke it out---politically!!

Well, I come to my LAST Award!
(Finally!!!)
But---the one I HATE to have to give---even MENTION!!
(In recent Facebook & Twitter messages, Kara Goucher, Alysia Montano, and Emma Coburn--among others--have castigated Flotrack for "awarding" this moment in time as the "Biggest FAIL" of 2015!!)

You KNOW what I'm talking about.
With the utmost respect and love for these two GREAT athletes---and PEOPLE!!!---I will only say this--

Hold your head high, Molly!
You're a GOLD Medalist in my book!!
You're a CHAMPION!!

And Emily, THANK YOU for being so HUMBLE and RESPECTFUL and GRACEFUL
with your words to Molly in all of your post-race interviews!
You TOO are a Champion!!

See you all on the 31st with my Athletes of the Year designations for the World and US categories, OUTdoors!
(Plus, I'm sure, a few notable results!)