"TRACKSPEED1 COULD BE BEST EVER"!

Trackspeed1 coach John Powell has had a fortnight to see his enlarged and diverse squad of athletes for 2011 back in training, and he is already wondering whether 2011 could just be the strongest year ever!

"I have taken on a few more athletes than I had intended, but the group is gelling really well.  The seniors mentor the younger athletes, and the general environment is really upbeat and positive.  People are willing to really work hard, which at this stage of the game is vital if you are to have half a chance in the New Year."

The squad include a number of new international standard athletes as well as developing youngsters, not forgetting the existing elite achievers like James Ellington, the 2010 UK number 3 over 100m, and the World's fastest under-18, David Bolarinwa, who only turned 17 last week.

"Of the new guys there are still one or two whose life in the group could be quite short if they don't wake up to the reality of hard work," John continued, "but we have some real workers too.

"Ellis Zorro works hard, and twins Kieron and Anton Daly are grafters, as is Joshua Atille, and Edmond Amaning is really impressive.  We are also delighted to see that Lawrence Wooldridge was able to adjust his working routine to join us after all - a 21.5 200m athlete is always going to be a positive addition to the existing clan of Hussain, Grant, Ellington, Bolarinwa and others, even if there are a few tenths to make up on paper!

Lucozade testing session sets the standard
Trackspeed1's new-found partnership with Lucozade saw Sports Scientist Joel Enoch carry out a number of base level tests at Crystal Palace today (Sunday 24th October), which will be repeated throughout the winter months into next season.

The tests were for reaction time out of blocks and speed / acceleration over 30m.  Then there were jump tests to assess power.  The results will be used to compare progress through the squad training programme this winter, and will highlight areas that might need additional attention.

"We are delighted to be working with Lucozade," said John Powell, "it is a unique opportunity for everyone, and has already produced some fascinating data.

James Ellington was unsurprisingly the strongest statistically, with Danny Doyley just behind, but the newest recruit to the squad, currently on a month's trial, was the youngster who caught Joel's eye.  Omardo Anson (17) was referred from John Powell's Met-Track scheme and, although very raw in terms of experience, produced one of the most impressive sets of statistics overall.

"He's a very very raw talent," said John, "and he did a totally unconventional start for the runs.  That alone will improve him further.  It will certainly be interesting to see how he goes."

TRACKSPEED1 READY FOR LIFT OFF !

The preliminaries are over, the new guys have been briefed and, despite a slight alteration to the start date, this weekend sees the new Trackspeed1 squad for this winter swing back into action.

The group will reconvene at Crystal Palace on Sunday (October 10th) when every athlete will be put through a rigorous fitness test to assess just how well their preparation training has gone.

"There's no messing around this year," said coach John Powell, " I am absolutely not interested in anyone who is not willing to put the work in.  If I can get up at 5am to go to work in order to ensure I can make training, the least my athletes can do is apply themselves to the job in hand."

Talking of the new faces who have joined the group, John was extremely upbeat about their prospects, but lamented what he referred to as the "usual gossip" about how they came to join the squad:

"I haven't taken on anyone who I do not believe 100 per cent can improve with our training regime - what would be the point?  There's been the usual banter though about athletes moving around between coaches this summer, but I sleep easy at night - every one of the new athletes to Trackspeed1 approached us first, and not the other way round.

"It's never pleasant losing an athlete to another coach (heaven knows, I do know!) but you have to move on - no coach owns an athlete and if the athlete wants to move on there is absolutely nothing you can do about it."

Mark Brown rejoins Trackspeed1 for the coming winter.

John was especially delighted that former Trackspeed1 400m sprinter Mark Brown has returned to the squad after a 2-year absence.  His personal best of 46.3 back in 2008 he hasn't come close to since, and is now hoping that he can rekindle the form that brought him to within one trial race of a place in the Beijing Olympic Games.