I feel \"stale.\" Not like my body is stale, but mentally. I keep trying to motivate myself, but I need to race on the track again again!

The Gatorade Player of the Year award is now viewed by many as the nation\'s most prestigious high school athletic award. Those who\'ve followed its history also know it as a first look at young athletes likely to emerge as champions in the collegiate and professional arenas.

Each year, Gatorade names Athletes of the Year for each state and each sport. For Track & Field, the 2006 winners for Pennsylvania are Bensalem\'s Reggie Carter, and Center\'s Allyn Laughlin.

Westside graduate Moe Brown and Spring Valley graduate Kate Niehaus were named Gatorade State Athletes of the Year following the 2006 track and field season.

I first met him in a 1500 at a KTC Saturday development meet. We were both 10 but he had to be about six inches taller than me, at least. He was a giant compared too little old me. Zach murdered me in that 1500, I do not remember the times but I am pretty sure that I was close too last place.

Four athletes from the Kingdom of Morocco will get the royal treatment in Kingsport for the 2006 edition of the Indian Path Medical Center & SunTrust Bank Crazy 8\'s 8k Run.

Set state record. Check. Set national sophomore record. Check. It seems as if when rising Methacton junior Ryann Krais sets a goal, she achieves it. And in the future, this remarkably talented hurdler, jumper, sprinter, and multis competitor will surely set many records, in high school, college, and if all goes as dreamed, beyond. (Photo courtesy of Victor Sailer, PhotoRun.NET)

I know sometimes I get really cheesy with all of this Carpe Diem \"stuff,\" but the older I get, the more I learn to appreciate life and what it has offered and what it still has to offer. Our lives are really short and we have to enjoy ourselves and not stress too much about the little things.

Getting faster is the easiest part of running. Running times and winning races that get you into the elite of an event is a lot tougher. But feeling like you belong in that group... well, that\'s a journey that many attempt, but even fewer achieve. That was Liz Costello\'s journey this year, and on Saturday, she arrived. (Photo courtesy of Davey, Dyestat.com)

There\'s a trend here. 2:08.72... 2:08.47... 2:07.71... 2:06.23. And it\'s a trend that is likely to continue, if Easton sophomore Chanelle Price has any say in the matter. (Photo courtesy of Victor Sailor, www.PhotoRun.NET)

Megan Jenkins is a rising sophomore at The Citadel. Jenkins is from Cheyenne, WY and is training around the James Island area this summer.

I believe the first time we ran together was on a 4X800 for the KTC competitive team in the AAU Junior Olympics at Eastern Michigan University. I had run on the team in the regional but did not run at JOs because Jay Oatts was a couple of seconds faster at the time.

A year into his collegiate career, former Tampa Jesuit distance star Andy Biladeau shares what he has learned from the experience.

48 images are now online for viewing only from the Candlelight Run, held Saturday evening in downtown Greenville.

Steve Magness is a native of Klein, Texas and ran for Rice University. Magness talks about his training and other areas of running.

The 2nd Annual KYtrackXC.com Track Awards are based on the performances from the entire season, including but not limited to Regionals and State and are not divided by class. I would like to congratulate all the athletes who competed in track this past season and recognize the top performers in three categories: Sprinters, Distance, and Field Events.

Brentwood Academy graduate Andrew Bumbalough wins the USATF Junior Outdoor T&F Champs with a time of 14:46.01

Spring Valley alumna Kate Niehaus finished second in the 5,000-meter event at the U.S.A. Junior Championships, held in Indianapolis, Ind.

So in Switzerland when you want to say that you just had a normal, routine day, they say \"fart normal,\" which I just find hilarious in translation because it makes no sense.

Long time Eastside (Taylors) cross country coach Ed Boehmke completed the Mayor\'s Marathon in Anchorage June 17. Boehmke talks about his marathon experience and his travels in Alaska.

17 images are now online for viewing only from Nike Outdoor Nationals, held in Greensboro, N.C.

Keith Graham, a 2006 graduate of West Ashley HS, has been invited to attend the Caribbean Scholastic Invitational.

The National Scholastic Sports Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of Junior age track and field in the United States, has named a team it will be sending to Carolina, Puerto Rico to compete in the first Caribbean Scholastic Invitational.

Five Photo Galleries by Don Rich of the Nike Outdoor Nationals, June 15-17 at North Carolina A&T University.

High quality video clips are now available from Thursday, Friday, and Saturday\'s events at Nike Outdoor Nationals for subscribers and non-subscribers alike to see through Sunday. Footage shot with a little bit of bias to Virginia athletes, but is still very inclusive of the majority of the athletes that competed in the meet regardless of which state they are from (especially in the running events). Right click and save target as on the links of the video clips. Clips and image captures to each clip are still being added.

Drew Walker is a rising senior pole vault athlete at Spring Valley. Walker\'s training this summer consists of participating in cross country workouts to prepare for the 2007 track and field season.

Thirteen Tennesseans travel to North Carolina to the Nike Outdoor Nationals.

The stories and athletes who achieve all-American status on Friday at the 2006 Nike Outdoor Nationals at North Carolina A&T University, Greensboro, NC. (STORIES ON THE KARLEE MCQUILLEN AND LORRAINE HILL, PLUS ALLYN LAUGHLIN POSTED 6/21)

Milligan College cross country and track and field head coach Chris Layne recently announced the addition of three transfers for the 2006-7 season.

Competing at the Nike Outdoor Nationals is an honor for any track and field athlete. West Virginia was represented by four outstanding athletes with national credentials. Even though the athletes may be disappointed in their performances, we are all proud of them for their contributions to track and field and know this experience will make them better competitors and individuals.

Megan Jenkins is a rising sophomore at The Citadel. Jenkins is from Cheyenne, WY and is training around the James Island area this summer.

Saturday was a big day for Virginia at the Nike Outdoor Nationals with three national championship honors and quite a few national runner-up and All-American performances. Charles Clark was the performer of the meet for the state as he added onto his All-American third place finish in the 100 meter dash on Friday night with his second national title in the 200 meter dash with a sizzling 20.92 clocking (-0.2 lega wind) and also anchored home a national championship in the 800 meter sprint medley on the 400 meter leg with a final time of 1:29.86. Meanwhile, Eastern Region gained its third national championship of the day with Mike Morrison adding to his USATF Junior Nationals and National Scholastic Indoor Championships national title with a 17\'3\" meet record clearance in the pole vault. Marlon Woods of Booker T. Washington joined Charles Clark as a multiple All-American honoree at the meet as he finished third in the long jump with a mark of 23\'7.50\" and took fifth in the high jump with a clearance of 6\'8.25\". Park View sophomore Natalie Baird became a national runner-up in the discus throw as she nearly matched her personal best throw of 157\'7\" with a toss of 155\'6\" in Greensboro. A pair of Peninsula District athletes earned All-American honors in the girls\' 400 meter hurdles as Menchville\'s Nicole Saunders ran a time of 59.50 to become a national runner-up in the event, while Hampton\'s Tierra Brown won her section with a time of 1:00.45 to finish fifth overall. In the girls\' long jump, two other Virginians had All-American performances with Bethel\'s Shakia Forbes leaping to a mark of 19\'4.75\" for third place, while Brooke Point\'s April Sinkler qualified for the finals out of the first flight of three to finish sixth out of the finals with a mark of 18\'9\". Mountain View freshmen Thomas Porter had his second consecutive close and heartbreaking loss as he was nipped right at the line in the freshmen mile by less than two tenths of a second with a final time of 4:25.25 after a gutsy effort in the race. E.C. Glass senior Mike Zajac defieid the odds once again in the earning All-American honors for the second time in an event not contested by Virginia high schools as his personal best throw of 208\'08\" in the hammer throw placed him third overall against athletes that compete in the event all season long. After just missing All-American honors in the two mile last night in seventh place, Northside junior Catherine White ran a personal best time of 4:53.09 to win section two of three in the girls\' mile run to slip into the final All-American spot of sixth. Potomac Senior edged out fellow Virginia squad Manchester for sixth place in the finals of the 4x100 meter relay by two hundredths of a second with their sixth place time of 42.34. The Hampton girls managed to finish fifth out one of the slower sections of the 4x400 meter relay to earn All-American status with a season best time of 3:50.58. Herndon closed out the meet for Virginia posting one of the fastest DMR\'s in Virginia high school history with a time of 10:08.54 to finish sixth and the relay included a 3:02 1200 split from Abe Daganchew and 4:14 1600 split from Ermin Mujezinovic. Plenty of photo and video coverage to come from all three days of competition. This will most likely be the most footage and pictures that I have posted from any meet thus far. Nike Outdoor Nationals Photo Galllery - Over 6,000 photos from Thursday, Friday, and Saturday now posted. More Saturday\'s photos still to come! Nike Outdoor Nationals Video Clips Video clips from Thursday and Friday posted. Saturday\'s video clips still to come!

Eastside High cross country coach Ed Boehmke finished 182nd earlier today in the Alaska marathon, held in Anchorage. Boehmke covered the 26.2 mile course in 3:56.39.

No national championships for Virginia on Friday evening at Nike Outdoor Nationals, but a handful of individuals and relays did earn All-American honors. Mike Zajac kicked off things for Virginia in the discus throw with a best throw of 184\'8\" as the University of South Carolina bound E.C. Glass senior finished fifth overall. After a questionable recall on a false start that would have disqualified eventual top finishers in the finals of the boys 100 meter dash, Bayside senior Charles Clark settled for third place in the 100 meter dash to earn his fourth All-American honor ever at a 10.58 clocking with a -0.2 legal wind. Virginia notched two top six finishes in the girls\' triple jump with a national runner-up and personal best performance of 39\'5.75\" for Brooke Point junior April Sinkler and Deep Run sophomore Ashley Orr taking the final spot in sixth place at 37\'9.50\". Another pair of Virginia girls also became All-Americans in another Friday jumping event in the high jump with Deep Creek\'s Ashley Gatling finishing fifth and Booker T. Washington\'s Deshana Briggs tying for sixth as both athletes cleared 5\'7\". Manchester boys had an outstanding evening in the relay events as they won their qualifying heat of the 4x100 meter relay and will move on to Saturday\'s final with the fourth fastest time at 41.71. Manchester also successfully repeated as sprint medley relay All-Americans by the hair of their chin as 800 meter anchor leg Andrew Duty nipped Union Catholic\'s (3:30.50) by one hundredth of a second at the line for a final time of 3:30.49 to finish fifth in the fast section and sixth overall as John Handley joined Manchester as All-American winning the previous section in 3:29.54. Other notable performances that did not make the grade as far as a top six finish, but were outstanding nonethless were Northside junior Catherine White running a time of 10:32.14 in the two mile run to finish one spot shy of All-American in a loaded top six with a seventh place finish, AA\'s Blacksburg girls running a season best time of 9:21.41 to finish second in the slower section of the 4x800 meter relay, Hampton\'s Tierra Brown getting stuck in a loaded preliminary heat of the 100 meter hurdles and finishing third with a time of 14.12 with top seed as well as 100 meter dash champ Gabby Mayo of North Carolina (13.78) and Gala champion Theresa Lewis of Maryland (14.05) in the same section. There were definitely a lot of Virginia best athletes and relays though M.I.A. for Friday\'s event at NON. What\'s the deal? Excuses. Excuses. Call out of the day to Virginia high school track and field community: We need to do a better job to make sure our state\'s top athletes are healthy, fine tuned, and well rested to compete on a national level post-states versus heavy competition in meaningless early season invitationals and small meets. Easier said than done of course, but food for thought.

Pee Dee Elite youth runner Lauren Ellis set a new meet record in the girl\'s youth 400-meter dash of 58.71, the only runner to go under 60 seconds in the event.

On July 15th, Saturday night in Kingsport, TN, at precisely 9:58 pm, Crazy 8\'s organizers will pull back the curtain on a brand new 8k course for the Indian Path Medical Center & SunTrust Bank Crazy 8\'s 8k Run. They hope the new surroundings will produce yet another world record, just like Peter Githuka\'s shocking 22:03 set ten years ago, or the world shattering 24:28 set by Morocco\'s Asmae Leghzaoui in 2002.

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Jones dominates the Girls 5000 Meter race tonight, winning in 16:57.21--over 45 second lead over the next competitor. Meanwhile, Caleb Vogt finished in 9th in the boys race. Both races were broadcast live on the MileSplit Network. If you missed them be sure to join us tomorrow!

Junior Danielle Tauro won the 1,600 meters (4:49.17), won the 800 meters (2:10.88) and wrapped up her humongous day at the New Jersey State Meet of Champions by reeling off a 55.9 lap that lifted her school, from far off the pace, to a medal-winning fifth place in the concluding 4x400 relay.

Who\'s who in the girls side of this year\'s Nike Outdoor Nationals? Elliot Denman brings us an event-by-event preview.

A light preview of some of the Virginia athletes and relays to look out for at this weekend\'s Nike Outdoor Nationals to be held Thursday through Saturday, June 15th through 17th in Greensboro, North Carolina. Several individuals from Virginia will be vying for national titles such as Charles Clark, Mike Morrison, Katie Doswell, and Nicole Saunders. National Previews from the NSSF: Girls Preview by Elliot Denman Boys Preview by Peter Cava

Central Dauphin freshman Justin Shirk has been near the top of the state in the Javelin most of the season, finishing 3rd in the PIAA AAA competition at states with a throw of 198-07 (in photo by PennTrackXC.com). According to the rankings by both the Pennsylvania Track & Field Coaches Association (PTFCA) and PennTrackXC.com, that is his season-best and a PR. But while checking through the performance list for the Nike Outdoor Nationals, another performance by Justin Shirk was clearly noticeable. It was a 207-05 and it was labeled as the US Freshman record, set in May, 2006.

It\'s looking to be an exciting race this year! Here is a preview of who to look out for on the boys side.

72 images are now online for viewing only from Sunday\'s portion of the USATF Junior Olympics state meet, held at Irmo HS.

The spots are filled, the roster is set and we, the Track Knoxville coaching staff, couldn

J.L. Mann alumna Amberly Nesbitt finished first in the 100-meter finals at the NCAA Championships in 11.34 seconds. Nesbitt, a sophomore at USC, competed in lane eight.

The Northeast Tennessee Track & Field Club is hosting the 2006 AAU Southeastern District Track & Field Championships on June 23-24 at Sullivan North High School. This is a Friday & Saturday. We will be hosting clubs from Tennessee & Alabama and expect approximately 700 athletes ages 7-18 at the meet.

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It was a good day for Floridians. Xavier Carter (LSU) became the first man since Jesse Owens to win four NCAA titles: 4x100, 100, 400, 4x400! FSU saw victories by Garrett Johnson, Walter Dix, and Rafeeq Curry, along with second place finishes by Dix, Richardo Chambers, and Tom Lancashire to come up with its first ever national championship!

This weekend\'s first annual MileStat.com Elite Track Gala will showcase some of the finest track and field talent in Virginia as well as a sprinkling of athletes from a total of 12 other states including Colorado, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida as well as the District of Columbia. The meet features two national champions, more than a handful of All-Americans, and dozens of state champion performers. If these are the usual humble beginnings of a first year meet, watch and see how this meet grows over the years.

6/8-2006 PTFCA All-State Track & Field Teams The 2006 All State Outdoor Track and Field Team was selected by a committee of the PTFCA on 6/8 taking into consideration honors won, quality and consistency of performance and head-to-head competition. Congratulations to all the new All-State athletes, and Coaches and and Athletes of the Year.

Stress fractures, strains and sprains are common injuries often talked about in the running world, but no one seems to be mentioning a bigger problem, one related to other common injuries, and one that could have lifelong consequences. Menstrual irregularities may be more common and more serious than most runners realize.

State meet fees go up, schools move classification, and other changes from the TSSAA board of control meeting.

Kate Niehaus traveled to Greenville for the chance to prepare for Nike Outdoor Nationals with a 3200-meter run at the Greenville Track Club all-comers meet, held at Furman University Wednesday.

Kate Niehaus participated in the 3200-meter run at an all-comers meet Wednesday at Furman University in Greenville. 20 images are now online.

A roundup of the top performances from Saturday\'s Golden South Classic in Orlando. GSC attracts athetes from around the Eastern US as well as Canada and the Bahamas.

TL Hanna alumnus Stephen Dickey takes a look at his trip to the Prefontaine Classic. Dickey is attending The Citadel in the fall.

65 images are now online for viewing only from the Prefontaine Classic.

While the majority of PA athletes and teams have shut down for the season, two teams from the Philadelphia Catholic League still have members participating in post-season meets. On Saturday, the boys of Cardinal O\'Hara were in New York City at Icahn Stadium, while the West Catholic girls were in Orlando Florida at the Golden South Invitational. O\'Hara was joined by LaSalle on Sunday at the Boys\' Eastern States meet at Iona Prep in New York.

At least the 2006 AAA State Meet did not encounter its usual 100 degree humid summer days in year\'s past as on and off rainfall and an overcast helped cool things off, but only heated up the competition and times. The Landstown track team won its second consecutive title, but it was the girls instead of the boys that won this year as they also tied like the boys with the Deep Creek girls, who also emerged out of the shadows of their boys\' program with a state championship title. The Landstown girls won the final event of the day in the 4x400 meter relay to tie Deep Creek, who had a 1-2 finish in the high jump from Ashley Gatling and Jonee Artis to jump start them. Meanwhile, Charles Clark and company put on a show on Saturday as Bayside won the boys\' team title. Clark won the 100, 200, and 400 meter dashes, while teammate Oliver Alexander finished state runner-up to Clark in both. Great Bridge boys fell short of a second state title as Mike Morrison won two events in the pole vault and 300 meter hurdles (after a disqualification by original winner Corey Vinston of Phoebus). Complete meet summary posted (click link above) with plenty of photo and video coverage from John Herzog and Brandon Miles on the way! AAA State Meet Photo Gallery by John Herzog - 1,664 total images in collection. Photo gallery from Brandon Miles with more than 2,000 photos on the way! VHSL Group AAA State Meet Video Clips - To be posted overnight Sunday. Newspaper Articles: Richmond TImes-Dispatch - \"Duo puts Lee-Davis third in state meet\" by Stephen M. Lewis Washington Post - \"Spooner Uses Late Dash To Steal 3,200 State Title\" by Sean P. Flynn Daily Press - \"Double, trouble\" by Darry Slater The Virginian Pilot - \"Marlins\' winning margin: more than a hair\" by Larry Rubama (Day 2 Article) The Virginian Pilot - \"State track crowns still up for grabs\" by Larry Rubama (Day 1 Article)

A lot of lives changed the day a track coach/biology teacher walked down the school hallway past a familiar-looking girl and her mother.

Thanks to Mr. Turner from All Trax Timing for compiling these results. This is how the girls state meet would have been if it was scored as one big meet with no classifications.

These end of the season rankings were calculated by scoring the elite performances over the entire year and rankings them 40-deep. 1st place received 40 points for their team, on down to 1 point for 40th place. Calculated as of Jun 01, 2006

These end of the season rankings were calculated by scoring the elite performances over the entire year and rankings them 40-deep. 1st place received 40 points for their team, on down to 1 point for 40th place. Calculated as of Jun 01, 2006

Two-time Class 2A 100 meter high hurdle champion Lindsay Dolan said something unique when interviewed by a group of reporters after collecting her gold medal at Shippensburg last Saturday. \"My coach once told me I hurdle like a dancer,\" the Center High senior said. It turns that\'s because she used to be one. Beginning at age three and for about 12 years Dolan did ballet, jazz and tap dance. (Front page photo by Karen Ward)

The Mile Split Network is pleased to announce that it will provide LIVE video coverage of the Nike Outdoor Nationals.

I get a lot of different reactions from this online journal