43 Second Wednesday - Jessica Beard

Few, if any have accomplished as much. Jessica Beard has been exceptional. Brilliant. An integral part of a growing dynasty who helped bring the “sprint” title to Texas A&M.

The A&M senior 400 meter runner walks us down deciding to go to Aggie Land, being teammates with some incredible athletes and looks down the road to the NCAA Outdoor Championships and U.S. Outdoor Championships.

PreRaceJitters: Wow, what a meet you had at Big 12 Outdoor Championships. How awesome is it to win the women’s and men’s team titles while taking the 4×400 relay?

Jessica: The feeling is the best one. Even though I did not win the individual title, coming into the meet knowing that it would take the entire team was a great aspect to focus on and it challenged us under pressure to see what we would do and how well we could perform.

Going out and winning both titles my last year, was a wonderful experience, knowing that the seniors had something memorable we could leave with. When we put different people on the relay, it’s always good to see how we can perform so I was very pleased with the way all the girls stepped up and won.

PreRaceJitters: While we are on the subject of history, did you originally come to College Station with plans on re-writing the Aggie record books while at the same time being part of changing the landscape of college sprinting to Aggie Land?

Jessica: I never had a plan to come in and change or re-write anything, I just came in with high hopes of getting better and improving and trying to one day win my own individual title and most definitely a relay and team title.

I just knew that I was in good hands with Coach Henry’s resume, and Coach Anderson’s personality, and I just wanted to come in and prove that I could make the transition and become a better person and athlete.

PreRaceJitters: Why did you leave Ohio for college?

Jessica: TOO COLD!!! Lol, all of my choices were in the south or somewhere warmer than Ohio.

PreRaceJitters: Do you do any workouts with the Aggie 400m men Tabarie Henry and Demetrius Pinder?

Jessica: Lol. No I don’t. They’re very competitive in practice, I like to work on myself and at whatever pace Coach tells us, so I don’t think I could keep that focus or keep up! They’re two of the world’s best.

PreRaceJitters: The NCAA championships, running with great athletes like Porscha Lucas and Gabby Mayo and for coach great coaches - Texas A&M has worked out for you?

Jessica: Yes, A&M has worked out so well for me. When you come into a program, you are not sure what is in store, or how the people and environment will be. Even in the toughest times and through little disputes, I can say that I always have my teammates and they will always have my back.

We encourage each other and we come together like no other during Championships. I have to say that Coach Anderson, is a Coach like no other. He takes the time to learn who we are as athletes, students, and individuals, and that’s a tough job for an assistant coach! Coach Henry tells you what you need to hear, always there to relieve little stresses and always finds ways to motivate us when needed the most!

From Gabby and Porscha, I’ve mainly learned that injury can not keep a talented woman down for long, they’ve bounced back in more ways than one and that is something I keep in mind when things don’t go as predicted.

PreRaceJitters: Speaking of which, what is Gabby Mayo like as a college teammate?

Jessica: Hmmmmmmm. Lol, no Gabby is the crazy one! Loves to compete and loves to proves others wrong, when she thinks she’s right.

I lived with her my freshman year and she loves Fresh Prince! So that tells you she has that goofy side as well. Sweet girl for the most part (just don’t make her mad on the track, she shows out and performs well! Lol).

PreRaceJitters: You’ve earned three NCAA silver medals in the 400 meters? What would winning an outdoor national championship mean to you?

Jessica: Winning the Outdoor NCAA crown would make the indoor one even better. Along with a faster time or pr would be icing on the cake. I just want my senior year to be as memorable as possible.

I’m just going to go out there and give my last race all I have. And if that aids in becoming 3 time national champions, I know that would be the biggest blessing God could ever grant us!

PreRaceJitters: Another year, another championship banner. What does this team need to do to defend its team title in NCAAs?

Jessica: The team needs to focus on the team. We need to qualify to the best of our abilities and compete with courage and heart. We need to make finals and do the unexpected!

We need to listen to our coaches and to our supporters. We need to do what we’ve been doing all year, just at a deeper level. We need to remember who we are and why we came to nationals. We need to be Texas A&M, and nobody else.

PreRaceJitters: Does being a senior on a team coming off of back-to-back championship change the way you prepare?

Jessica: Not really. I don’t think you can just step up and try to be a different person at NCAA or any other big meet, than you are everyday in front of your teammates or how you act towards your teammates.

I think you just have to come with the mindset that this is a new year, a different combination of people, and everyone who has come this far can make it. You just try to improve the little things that you’ve been working on all year, and put it all together.

PreRaceJitters: In 2009, you earned a gold medal as a part of the Team USA 4×400 meter relay competing in Berlin. How does that experience come into play as you stare down a NCAA Outdoor Championships and a U.S. Outdoor Championships in a World Championship year?

Jessica: Well that happened after NCAA but it does show me that I have a big role when it comes to the 4×4 on the collegiate level and that I’m very capable of fulfilling it.

That experience was my first ever, so it was a learning process and I definitely believe that it will help me this year as I go into another World Championship year.

PreRaceJitters: So far, you’ve run 50.79 in your career. Is a sub-50 second 400 meters is within reach?

Jessica: With God ALL things are possible to him [her] that believe. Sometimes focusing on time could be a hindrance instead of a stepping stone. Indoor I just focused on my goals, and I plan to do that outdoor.

I will just have to wait and see what God has in store for me, and hopefully it’s a new PR.

PreRaceJitters: What do you do to wind down?

Jessica: I really just hang out with my teammates and cook and go to the movies. I like to read also in my spare time, but other than that, I just sleep! Lol.

PreRaceJitters: This is kind of a tough question to toss at you at the very end, but can you somehow give us a glimpse of what it means to represent America on the National Team two years ago, and try for the World Championships this year?

Jessica: That year will always be special. Running at the Olympic Stadium where Jesse Owens won his four gold medals, and him growing up in Cleveland Ohio, I don’t think I could really ever put that experience into words, but it was amazing for me, especially since it was my first team.

Now I want to do the same thing, each year, I just want to get better and improve. I believe if I do that, then my chances at another memorable experience will be just around the corner. Each experience is a lesson and hopefully I continue to learn from them!

PreRaceJitters: Thanks for your time and best wishes with the remainder of your season.

43 Second Wednesday: Natasha Hastings

The 2011 Indoor season was healing. Therapeutic. It reminded Natasha Hastings why she left school a year early to go professional in 2007.

A handful of promising professionals seasons for the former University of South Carolina standout has produced an Olympic gold medal on the 4×400 relay in Beijing, but has not quite reached expectations in the open 400 meters.

That is until now.

Things are changing in Hastings’ individual race. This year, Natasha Hastings is not-so-quietly establishing herself, as one of the most versatile and consistent runners in the world.

She dropped 50.83 in the 400 meters winning the 2011 USA Indoor Nationals and  we sat down to discuss what is next for the New York native.

PRJ: Did it surprise you to see everything sort of come together during the 2011 indoor season?

NH: I certainly hoped for a great indoor, but I don’t know if I expected everything to happen as it did. I’m pleased with the indoor season, and I feel it is a great way to begin my outdoor season this year.

PRJ: What were your fall workouts like? What was different about this years offseason workouts?

NH: This year, I did my entire fall training with Coach Frye. Last year I didn’t begin training with Frye until December. So, this season we got to spend the entire off season working together. We spent a lot of time working on strength and speed endurance. We also did some work on speed development and technique.

PRJ: What was it like going back to your New York roots and running in front of the Millrose Games crowd?

NH: I was very excited to go back to Millrose this year. I hadn’t competed there since my senior year of high school, so it was a special treat to get back to the Garden. It’s always a fun experience to get back to New York, and to compete in front of my hometown crowd.

PRJ: What do your indoor performances say about what you are capable of doing in the 2011 outdoor season?

NH: I’m pretty excited about the outdoor based on the indoor, because when you compare this year to my best season back in 2007, you could say I’m right on pace or maybe even a little ahead of pace to run 49 [seconds] this year. The main focus at this point is to continue training hard, and to stay healthy.

PRJ: You’re mother the former Joanne Gardner was an elite track runner and has been with you at nearly every major meet in your career and now she serves as your agent. What influence does she have on your racing? Does she give you advice or feed back after races?

NH: She’s been very influential from day 1. She’s been to most, if not, all major meets in my career. Having been an athlete herself, she has some valuable advice and knows when to step back or even when to get involved. We do talk about my races, but she does leave the coaching part up to Coach Frye.

PRJ: Has your relationship changed at all now that your mother is also your agent?

NH: The relationship hasn’t changed much now that she is my agent. It is a little different being that she is a lot more hands-on with my career. But so far the transition has been pretty smooth.

PRJ: You are back training with Curtis Frye in Columbia, South Carolina. Why change locations/training programs/coaches now?

NH: The change kind of came about by accident. I was back in Columbia finishing up my last semester of school. I was in the library studying one night, and just thought maybe it would be a good idea to stay in Columbia and train with Frye.

The previous two seasons weren’t the successful seasons that I had hoped for, and I knew this was a situation that in the past did work for me. So, I took about a week to really think through the decision. Then I asked to meet with Coach Frye, and asked that he would coach me again. We started training the following Monday.

PRJ: Looking at your outdoor 400 meters for 2011. What can you and Coach Frye do better this spring and summer to improve your race?

NH: We’ve particularly been working on my speed development. One thing we’ve realized over the years of working together is that the faster my 200 the faster my 400 will be.

When I’m able to run a 22 second 200, I’m way more confident about going out in 23 seconds, so speed is something that is very important to the set up of my 400.

PRJ: You get out pretty quickly in the open 400 meters and recently at the Pepsi Florida Relays you dropped 22.7 - a world leading time. What does it do for your 400, when you can turn it over that well in the open 200 meters?

NH: This as I said before is a great confidence booster for me. It’s especially exciting to be this close to my 200 pr so early in the season. So, for me it speaks volumes for what’s to come in my 400.

PRJ: What is your racing schedule for the 2011 outdoor season?

NH: Tentatively, TX relays this weekend. Next weekend, I will be opening up in the 400 at Auburn University, and then we head to Penn Relays at the end of the month.

PRJ: From top to bottom, describe the depth in women’s 400 meter field?

NH: The 400 is DEEP in the US. We have Sanya Richards, Allyson Felix, Debbie Dunn, and Dee Dee Trotter who have all run under 50 seconds. Mary Wineberg is having a great season so far, and of course Francena McCrory has already run 50.5 for the season.

I honestly think it will take 49 low to make top three at the US Nationals this year. We have some amazing talent here.

PRJ: The last couple seasons have not gone as you’ve wanted and this is a world championship year. What are your goals and do you want to send a message that you still have “it”?

NH: I think I’ve already sent the message that I still have it. I’ve come pretty close to my pr’s indoor, and getting off to a fast start this outdoor. But like I said earlier, I just want to stay focused on my training and stay healthy. With that, everything else should fall into place on its own.

PRJ: You have received attention for dating professional football player William Gay of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Who would win a 400 meter race between you?

NH: I hope I’m not receiving attention because of who I’m dating LOL. But I’d like to think I can take him in the 400.

PRJ: Do you still get prerace jitters?

NH: Before every single race!

PRJ: Thanks for your time and best wishes!

Jay F. Hicks blogs about track and field and serves as PreRaceJitter’s Editor-In-Chief .  You can find him on Twitter.

Team USA NACAC U23 roster announced

INDIANAPOLIS - Seventy-eight athletes will represent The Team USA roster at the 2010 NACAC Under-23 Track & Field Championships, whose roster was announced Friday by USA Track & Field.  The event will be held July 9-11 in Miramar, Florida.

The NACAC Athletic Association’s U23 Championships are held every two years in one of the 32 member nations of the North America, Central America and Caribbean Athletic Association, one of six regional athletics associations affiliated with the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

Team USA dominated the medal count and the record books at the 2008 NACAC Under-23 Championships in Toluca, Mexico. The team won 62 total medals (28 gold, 26 silver, 6 bronze) and set 12 meet records.

Team USA NACAC U23 Roster

Men

100m- Luther Ambrose (St. James, La.), Maurice Mitchell (Kansas City, Mo.)

200m- Curtis Mitchell (Daytona Beach, Fla.), Brandon Byram (Gallatin, Tenn.)

400m- Tavaris Tate (Starksville, Miss.), Joey Hughes (Long Beach, Calif.)

800m- Cory Primm (Thousand Oaks, Calif.), Charles Jock (San Diego, Calif.)

1500m- Ben Blankenship (Stillwater, Minn.), Cory Nanni (Bloomington, Ill.)

3000m SC- Don Cabral (Glastonbury, Conn.), Steve Finley (Palatine, Ill.)

5000m- Mike Crouch (Yucca Valley, Calif.), Mohamud Ige (Mogadishu, Somalia)

10,000m- Ahmed Osman (San Diego, Calif.), Colin Mickow (Princeton, Ill.)

110m Hurdles- Ronnie Ash (Raleigh, N.C.), Johnny Dutch (Clayton, N.C.)

400m Hurdles- Reggie Wyatt (Riverside, Calif.),  Jeshua Anderson (Woodland Hills, Calif.)

20 km RW- Dan Serianni (Rochester, N.Y.), Jose Moncada (Brea, Calif.)

High Jump- Ricky Robertson (Hernando, Miss.), Paul Hamilton (Sidney, Neb.)

Pole Vault- Jordan Scott (Watkinsville, Ga), Jack Whitt (Norman, Okla.)

Long Jump- Christian Taylor (Fayetteville, Ga.), Chris Phipps (Patterson, N.J.)

Triple Jump- Christian Taylor (Fayetteville, Ga.), Josh Como (Moreno Valley, Calif.)

Shot Put- Kurt Roberts (Lancaster, Ohio), Aaron Studt (Ripon, Wis.)

Discus- Nick Jones (Amarillo, Texas), Mason Finley (Salida, Colo.)

Hammer- Walter Henning (Kings Park, N.Y.), Chris Cralle (College Station, Texas)

Javelin- Cooper Thompson (Bakersfield, Calif.), Brian Moore (Willow Grove, Pa.)

Decathlon- Nicholas Trubachik (Estacada, Ore.), Gray Horn (Waynesfield, Ohio)

4×1 Relay Pool- Luther Ambrose (St. James, La.), Maurice Mitchell (Kansas City, Mo.), Curtis Mitchell (Daytona Beach, Fla.), Brandon Byram (Gallatin, Tenn.), Fred Rose (Texarkana, Ark.), Ronnie Ash (Raleigh, N.C); plus anyone on the roster

4×4 Relay Pool- Tavaris Tate (Starksville, Miss.), Joey Hughes (Long Beach, Calif.), O’Neal Wilder (Carthage, Miss.), LeJerald Betters (Waco, Texas), Jeshua Anderson (Woodland Hills, Calif.), Charles Jock (San Diego, Calif.), Curtis Mitchell (Daytona Beach, Fla.); plus anyone on the roster

Men’s Staff

Head Coach - Mike Lawson

Head Manager - Tonie Campbell

Assistant Coach (Sprint/Hurdles) - Linda Lanker

Assistant Coach (Throws) - Gary Aldrich

Assistant Coach (Distance) - Al Schmidt

Women

100m- Jeneba Tarmoh (San Jose, Calif.), Kenyanna Wilson (Glendale, Ariz.)

200m- Candyce McGrone (Indianapolis, Ind.), Tiffany Townsend (Killeen, Texas)

400m- Shelise Williams (Long Beach, Calif.), Ebony Collins (Long Beach, Calif.)

800m- Christina Rodgers (Phoenix, Ariz.), Anna Layman (Spokane Valley, Wash.)

1500m- Ashley Verplank (Bloomington, Ill.), Keri Bland (Fairview, W. Va.)

3000m SC- Rebeka Stowe (Olathe, Kan.), Stephanie Garcia (South Riding, Va.)

5000m- Tara Erdmann (Tucson, Ariz.)

10,000m- Amanda Goetschius (Franklinville, N.J.), Sarah Porter (Hockinson, Wash.)

100m Hurdles- T’erra Brown (Hampton, Va.), Michaylin Golladay (Upper Malboro, Md.)

400m Hurdles- T’erra Brown (Hampton, Va.), Tameka Jameson (Upper Malboro, Md.)

20 km RW- Miranda Melville (Rush, N.Y.), Lauren Forgues (Boothbay, Maine)

High Jump- Amber Kaufman (San Jose, Calif.), April Sinkler (Stafford, Va.)

Pole Vault- Melissa Gergel (Chicago Heights, Ill.), Rachel Laurent (Houma, La.)

Long Jump- April Sinkler (Stafford, Va.), Lauryn Newson (Oakland, Calif.)

Triple Jump- April Sinkler (Stafford, Va.), Ashika Charan (West Covina, Calif.)

Shot Put- Anna Jelmini (Bakersfield, Calif.), Karen Shump (Media, Pa.)

Discus- Anna Jelmini (Bakersfield, Calif.), Jeneva McCall (Dolton, Ill.)

Hammer- Jeneva McCall (Dolton, Ill.), Gwen Berry (St. Louis, Mo.)

Javelin- Marissa Tschida (Missoula, Mont.), Brittany Borman (Festus, Mo.)

Heptathlon- Kiani Profit (Pasadena, Calif.), Dorcas Akinniyi (Carrollton, Texas)

4×1 Relay Pool- Jeneba Tarmoh (San Jose, Calif.), Kenyanna Wilson (Glendale, Ariz.), Terra Evans (Phoenix, Ariz.), Candyce McGrone (Indianapolis, Ind.), Tiffany Townsend (Killeen, Texas); plus anyone on the roster

4×4 Relay Pool- Shelise Williams (Long Beach, Calif.), Ebony Collins (Long Beach, Calif.), Amber Purvis (Benicia, Calif.), T’erra Brown (Hampton, Va.), Tameka Golladay (Upper Malboro, Md.), Tiffany Townsend (Killeen, Texas); plus anyone on the roster

Women’s Staff

Head Coach Distance -Stanley Redwine

Head Manager -Julie Mckinney

Assistant Coach(Sprint/Hurdles) - Joy Margerum

Assistant Coach (Throws) - Michelle Curcio

Assistant Coach (Jumps/Combined) - Ian Dube

U.S. Sets Olympic Record in 1,600-Meter Relay

-Beijing-The Team members were all smiles at the “Bird’s Nest” and why wouldn’t they be?

The winner of the 1,600-meter relay was never in doubt.

LaShawn Merritt (44.35) got the U.S. out to a comfortable lead before handing off to Angelo Taylor who blazed a 43.70 leg. On the third leg, David Neville added to the lead before Jeremy Wariner (43.16), nearly ran a 42 second anchor leg that added an exclamation point to the victory.

The team of LaShawn Merritt, the 400-meter champion, 400-meter hurdles gold medalist Angelo Taylor, David Neville bronze winner and Wariner the 2004 gold medalist and 400 silver medalist recorded a time of 2:55.39 in Saturday’s final.

The time was good enough to establish a new Olympic record, in an event that the U.S have dominated. The previous record of 2:55.74 was set by Americans Andrew Valmon, Quincy Watts, Michael Johnson and Steve Lewis in 1992 at the Seoul Games. The U.S. continues a tradition of owning this event, having now won the 1,600-meter relay at the last seven straight Olympic Games.

Olympian Kerron Clement and former Baylor standout Reggie Witherspoon ran in the qualifying heats and also share in the Olympic gold.

That is not a bad way at all to close out the track and field events at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

By Jay Hicks.

Can Great Britain Win the 4 x 100 Relay in Beijing?

Jimson Lee at Speedendurace.com wrote an great article asking can the UK 4×100 relay team repeat with Olympic gold from the ‘04 Games in 08/08/08?

Heck no!

Maybe the Brits’ 4×100 meter relay should take Michael Johnson’s advice to Asafa Powell and trip their competitors. That looks to be the UK’s best chances to win gold.

This summer is a big one for the UK 4×100-meter relay talent pool, and some of its biggest guns will be locked in a drawer. It looks more like the nation’s top sprinter, Dwain Chambers will be not be allowed to run in Beijing. Darren Campbell has hung up his spikes for retirement, and Mark Lewis-Francis is out this summer with an achilles injury.

Jamaica will make some kind of run. The Jamaican national team has two legit stars plus, a bunch of guys with international experience. After what we saw at the Penn Relays in April, the Jamaicans can be that much better in Beijing, right? Marvin Anderson, Michael Frater, Nesta Carter and Dwight Thomas ran 39.04 seconds without world record holder Asafa Powell and Usain Bolt, who as of this publication is the second fastest man ever at 100-meters.

Who knows which Americans out of the talent pool will make the team for Beijing. We’re not going to jump the gun and say that Tyson Gay is a lock for the team. So far Darvis Patton, Wallace Spearman, Xavier Carter, Mike Rodgers, Leroy Dixon, John Capel, and Shawn Crawford are in the mix. As long as Team USA doesn’t drop the stick, the relay team is almost guaranteed to run well below 38 seconds.

The Nigerians dropped the stick at the world championships in Osaka last year. If the ’08 relay squad led by Olusoj Fasuba, the fastest guy on the continent, holds on to the stick in Beijing, the Nigerians may surprise some in the Olympic finals.

The 4×100-meter relay results are so difficult to predict because there are so many moving parts, no pun intended. Many of the national teams do not necessarily run or practice together that much before the Olympics because track is an individual sport. No one wants to be remembered for medaling on the relay. But, this Olympics is shaping up to be an epic battle on the track in Beijing. We will have to tune in to see how it all plays out.

Jay Hicks for PreraceJitters.

Brianna Glenn Models Olympic Uniforms

Track’s resident model, Brianna Glenn, was selected to show off Ralph Lauren’s latest winning look in the U.S. Olympic uniforms.

Brianna is shown wearing a Ralph Lauren designed ‘Olympic Village Wear’ uniform with U.S. Olympic team boxer Deontay Wilder. She is also seen getting a touch-up from makeup artist Johnny Caruso as U.S. Olympic team rower Giuseppe Lanzone stands in the background. These photos are from a New York City photo shoot.