PRECLASSIC.COM GOES INTERACTIVE

Eugene, Oregon—One of track & field’s first websites—preclassic.com,
created in 1997–is continuing its groundbreaking role by providing fans
of the sport with an unprecedented level of meet-related information and
interactivity through its revamped presentation. The Pre Classic site
now includes features that showcase the rich history and current content
of the Western Hemisphere’s best outdoor meet.

Want to see:
        
     *       a replay of the 2008 NBC telecast of the meet?

     *       photos of Brad Walker’s American Record in the pole vault?

     *       meet information for 2009?

     *       fans with their own websites who plan on attending?

     *       video highlights of each Pre Classic going back to 1986
(released weekly)?

All this and more can be found on the expanded site. Visitors will also
have the opportunity to interact and share with other Pre Classic fans,
including posting their own comments, memories, videos, photos, and
website links, thanks to software developed by RunnerSpace.com.
                                                #   #  #

  The 35th Prefontaine Classic is a part of the IAAF’s World Athletics
Tour and USA Track & Field’s Visa Championships Series. The 2009 edition
of the meet will be held on Sunday, June 7, at Hayward Field in Eugene,
featuring scores of the world’s greatest athletes.  It will be broadcast
live by NBC beginning at 11 a.m. Pacific Time.

RunnerSpace.com is a social networking website for all runners to
connect and share with other runners and fans through its
industry-leading team and event website creation software.

PreRaceJitters’ Track & Field Radio Show - Episode 1

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Listen listen to inaugural episode of PreRaceJitters’ Track & Field Radio Show.

Welcome to the inaugural show of PreRaceJitters’ Track and Field Radio show featuring Jay Hicks and John W. Davis. During this episode, we discuss the USA Track & field convention and talk with Ross Krempley of Runnerspace.com about the impact of Nike Cross Nationals (NXN) on the high school cross scene. Read more

It’s Official: Team XO Will Disband

The 2008 – ’09 season has not even kicked off, and already bad news is flooding into the sport.

The post-collegiate running team, Team XO has recently announced it is ceasing operations due to lack of sponsorships, the latest evidence that in the U.S. track and field is in financial decay.

One of Team XO’s founders Ross Kremply took to his personal blog on Runnerspace to deliver the dreaded news saying:

“As all of you know, Team XO has been very hard to maintain over the past 6 years. And to be honest, the team would have folded years ago without the support and energy from you guys and the community.”

“The business model for XO was based on a small team that was easy to manage and relatively cheap to run,” he wrote. “But as the years passed by, the team kept increasing while the budget stayed the same.”

Krempley however did indicate that he would keep the Team XO organization intact for the high school meet, which is held in conjunction with the Oregon Relays. However, all other aspects of the team are being shut down, such as entry fees, uniforms and travel expenses.

In previous seasons, the Eugene, Oregon-based team got by on a bare bones $15,000 annual budget and over the years Krempley watched the budget remain the same while the expenses soared in light of the team’s growing roster.

Hip hop poet Sean “Diddy” Combs said it best: “It’s all about the benjamins baby.”

A post-collegiate team is compromised of high-caliber runners that continue running without the all-important shoe contract that many of the biggest names in track such as Sanya Richards, Walter Dix, and Bianca Knight have in order to train and compete.

Runners without a shoe contract are forced to go at it alone to raise funds for training costs, which include: living expenses, health insurance, personal trainers, coaching, travel, and equipment.

A gaping hole now exists in the sport in the absence of Team XO. Sure, it comes to no surprise to those around pro track that the organization will not go on but its demise is sad and a sign of sports health.

One of the critical issues facing the sport today is that of cultivating athletes in order to produce athletes at international championship level meets. Countless stories exist of athletes quitting the sport due to financial turmoil and frankly that has to become a thing of the past.

The writing is on the wall. The 2008 Beijing Games served as final notice to those in denial that business as usual is over for the U.S. in terms of dominating while spending relatively little on the sport’s infrastructure.

The sports leadership had better be worried that Team XO for the most part is shutting down their operations, as the organization put forth six provisional qualifiers at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials in Eugene last summer.

The demise of Team XO further underscores the need of track and field to develop a comprehensive plan to maintain its existing base while growing the sport in this country.

A nation without a mechanism to develop talent is the sign of national athletic program on the decline.

Jay Hicks for Prerace Jitters.

Nike Cross Nationals Teams Up with Runnerspace

High School Cross Country Flying To Next Level.The Oregon-based company does everything big. The Foot Locker Cross Country nationals is in jeopardy because Nike Cross Nationals (NXN) is expanding to include individuals, and that is not all.

NXN is also a major break through for the Eugene, Oregon-based social networking site led by Ross Krempley. Runnerspace is a new partner with Nike Cross Nationals (NXN), serving as the official host to the Nike Cross Nationals website.

For the first time in history, a single race—Nike Cross Nationals—will crown both individual and team national champions for high-school-age runners. In 2008 the Nike Team Nationals is now the Nike Cross Nationals, and the newly adopted slogan is “Win as a team or win as one.”

There is no need to go anywhere else.

Viewers can watch videos as well as get news, photos, and meet information on the the newly created Nike Cross Nationals website. Keep in mind that users can create customized profiles and countless other features available on the social networking site. The Runnerspace site features information on the teams and individuals competing in Nike Cross Nationals. Runners are selected through a series of regional qualifying events.

This year, the 90 fastest individuals from non-qualifying teams will join the top 22 teams. Nike Cross Nationals is the only national cross-country championship for both teams and individuals.

“Nike Cross Nationals is going to be the ultimate competition for high school cross country,” said Ken Dice, Vice President of the Nike USA Brand. “It’s true cross country and a true national championship. We’re inviting the best runners in the country, whether they compete individually or as part of a team. Nike Cross Nationals is going to take cross country to a whole new level of competition for these elite athletes.”

The nine regions represented are: Heartland, Midwest, Northwest, Southwest, South, Northeast, Southeast, California and New York. There are also four at-large teams.

The championship meet of Nike Cross Nationals will be held in Portland, Ore. on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2008.

Jay Hicks for Prerace Jitters.
Seed Runnerspace

PreRaceJitters Exclusive Interview: Ross Krempley and Runnerspace.com—Touch The Sky!

Oregon’s Ross Krempley is one of the most exciting leaders in track and field, but getting Runnerspace.com off the ground and getting respect has been difficult. This year the veil comes off.

This is the final article in the three part series, Pioneers in the Internet Landscape of Track and Field. Previously, we had the distinct pleasure of highlighting Tom Borish of the legendary Trackshark.com and Steve McGill, the curator of Hurdlesfirst.com. Read more