POWELL HIITS 35 !

Today (April 16th) marks the 35th anniversary of Trackspeed1 coach John Powell taking his first coaching exam at the very venue he has coached at for every one of those three and a half decades - Crystal Palace!

Aged 17, John was verbally examined by Linford Christie's coach, Ron Roddan for his then 'Assistant Club Coach' badge, blissfully unaware at the time what a massive  impact on his life - and that of countless aspiring athletes - his role as a coach would have.

Since that auspicious day in 1976, many names have passed through his hands, or have been recruited to the sport during his time as one of the most successful youth team managers in the country with Blackheath and later on Belgrave Harriers.  Joice Maduaka, Phillips Idowu and Chris Lambert will be the better known names of recent years, but the number of athletes graduating from club to international level through his Trackspeed1 squad - so named only a few years ago - exceed all but the most senior coaches in the UK.

"I simply can't imagine life not being a coach," said John, who is a Police Superintendent in the Metropolitan Police, "and I reckon I'll be doing even more of it later this year.  To say time flies is a cliché, but it really does, and after 30 years in the Police this year, I can retire on a full pension.  My athletes won't know what's hit them when I get all that free time!"

John's CV as a coach is attached to this website, and it is clear that is efforts have not been restricted to these shores.  His link with Harvard University through graduate athlete Chris Lambert were cemented with an appointment to their casual coaching staff, and his links and partnerships with individuals and groups all over the globe have made Trackspeed1 a brand unto itself.

"It's no secret that it has been a very sore point when it comes to athletes moving on," said John.  "I've never really learned to take those sort of knocks on the chin, and I still get riled when it's clear that outside forces have been at work.  Athletes here get a seriously good deal, but the grass is so often made to appear greener.  But very few sprinters have ever improved after leaving, which surely counts for something.  That's why I hold such respect for athletes like James Ellington, who moved to another coach, but was big enough to admit it wasn't working, and come back.  And now he's setting PB's again!

"The job satisfaction from coaching is unique, and it's incredibly addictive.  But coaches in track and field are hugely under-rated - few people outside the sport see the trials and tribulations we have to suffer for the sake of success."

A production company are shadowing John and his squad this year with a view to producing a documentary film on what lies behind success on the track.  Supported by Adidas, it promises to link his Policing role, the Met-Track scheme he founded in 2005, and a number of the athletes in his squad.  Set against the background of London as the Olympic city in 2012, it will graphically illustrate just how tough it is to reach the top.

GOODBYE CRUEL WINTER

It's been a winter many Trackspeed1 athletes will want to be forgetting as the warmer temperatures at last hit home shores. 

Hamstring injuries have been a huge problem for coach John Powell's charges - so much so that he is looking to review his entire programme at the end of the year with other coaches and advisors both at home and abroad.

"I can't believe how many athletes have had hamstring issues this winter," he said, "but I have to say that in most cases, I am completely satisfied that a lack of strength and conditioning on the part of the athlete - and/or careless management of recovery periods during training - are the main root causes.

"We had quite a few younger athletes join what was essentially a senior group last summer, and unfortunately they have chosen to learn their trade at this far higher level the hard way - despite many warnings from me.  But we're pretty much good to go now - summer beckons, and those athletes going warm wather training are gearing up for a great trip."

About half the squad travel to Florida for a mnth's pre-season preparation on Sunday (April 17th) where they will use the ESPN Wide World of Sport facilities that outstrip the comparatively miserable surroundings they have had to tolerate during the winter.  Tjose athletes not travellling will be hoping for some scceptable UK weather after a winter nightmare that saw the entire squad programme suspended for a week atone stage.

Trackspeed1 athletes train in Florida last year: they will compete in 2
meetings while there, and field a squad relay team who will target 
the hugely impressive 40.69s mark set four years ago!

"This was the worst winter I can remember in a long time," said john, "with snow in November preventing me or the group even getting to Crystal palace, and consistently freezing temperatures making runs in trainng further than 80 metres indoors virtually impossible.

"We've missed out on a bit of speed endurance as a result, but I have to say everyone has knuckled down well this last few weeks, put plenty of fuel in the tank, and we are beginning to look in reasonable shape for summer.  These next four weeks will be hugely defining, and anyone not working seriously hard will be left very disappointed when the majors come round this season."

Trackspeed1's final full get-together in the UK will be on Saturday April 16th - fittingly exactly 35 years to the day aince John took his first ever coaching exam with Linford Christie's coach Ron Roddan - on the very track they will train on that day - at Crystal Palace!

SO NEAR YET SO FAR FOR PLUCKY JAMES

James Ellington could have come no closer to his first ever Grand Prix final on Saturday (19th) as he crossed the line one hundredth of a second behind third-placed Craig Pickering in his heat.

James clocked 6.72 seconds - one of his fastest ever 60m sprints, although it was inferior to his lifetime best set just seven days earlier of 6.69s.

It was a heat packed with drama with the front three automatically through to the final, and a desperate Pickering throwing himself at the line to edge out his rival.  And behind them was the fast-fading Mark Lewis-Francis who pulled up short with what looked like quite a nasty groin injury.

James Ellington (nearside) misses out on the Grand
Prix 60m final by one hundredth of a second,
 in Birmingham, as captured by photo-finish
technology.

"Craig rotated his right shoulder and that is the only reason he got the nod," said coach John Powell.  "It's ironic because James has been under strict orders never to twist round on the line, as that was a major contributor to his serious hamstring tear last June."

Ellington now returns to winter training after a few days of low key recovery work, having completed what many coaches have described as a miraculous comeback from his injury in Geneva last year.

Meanwhile, another Trackspeed1 sprinter, Matt Threadgold, was competing in the British University Championships, in Sheffield.  He was rounding off what had already been an outstandingly successful indoor season for him, with lifetime best times over 60m, 200m and his specialist distance of 400m.

In Sheffield he drew a nightmare lane two in the heats, and it looked as if it might be all over before it began, but incredibly he won the race in 22.47s to reach the semi-final.

In the semi, he drew lane four, and improved to 22.29s, but failed to qualify for the final in second place after a poor first bend left him too much to do.

Matt was far from done though, and subsequently put in an outstanding relay leg in the 4 x 200m final, taking Loughborough University to gold with an astonishing split time recorded as 20.1 seconds.  

ELLINGTON CHASES THE BIG PRIZE!

Trackspeed1 sprinter James Ellington is having one last go at chasing the big prize of another indoor 60 metres persoal best today (Saturday 19th).

James becomes the first ever Trackspeed1 athlete to take part in an indoor Grand Prix. He contests the 60m alongside Britain's best sprinting talent as well as some of the leading sprinters from around the world.

Ellington recorded his fastes time to date at Shefield last weekend during the UK Championships - 6.69 seconds.

HUSSAIN DRIVEN ROUND THE BEND!

Day two of the UK Championships saw both 200m sprinters reach finals, although Jason Hussain's first ever national final quite literally drove him around the bend!

A vastly improved 21.64s heat time compared with earlier season form was three hundredths of a second off the race winner, but that fraction of time meant that he was drawn in the dreaded lane one for the main final.

"I really would have loved to have been one place slower," he said, "because then I would have been relegated to the B final and got lane 6.  As it was though, I did get to my first ever individual national championship final, so I guess that's a line for the CV!"

Hussain battled well with the tight bends, but was never going to impact on the leaders who enjoyed the benefits of a far wider turn, and finished sixth in 22.29s.

Jason Hussain prepares to battle with the dreaded inside bend in the final
of the UK Trials and Championships, in Sheffield

The second Trackspeed1 athlete in action was Lawrence Wooldridge, who impressed with an indoor lifetime's fastest time indoors of 21.74s in the heat, earning himself a berth in the B final.  Both runs were from lane 4 with the final seeing him clock 21.85s.

"Both lads did themselves proud," commented coach John Powell afterwards, "and they should be giving themselves a pat on the back for producing top performances when it matters - at a national championship."

The indoor season is all but over now for Trackspeed1, with James Ellington the last senior to be in action - he will go in the Birmingham Grand Prix on Saturday (19th) over 60m where he will hope to take advantage of a notoriously fast track to further improve his lifetime best mark of 6.69s.  The younger athletes in the squad context their national championships at the same venue a week later.

ELLINGTON IS THE COMEBACK KING!

Trackspeed1 sprinter James Ellington completed one of the most spectacular comebacks ever in athletics this weekend (12th Feb), as he soared to a lifetime's fastest 60 metres, in the UK Championships, in Sheffield.

Barely seven months ago his whole athletics career hung by a thread, after a horrendous hamstring injury in Geneva threatened to end an illustrious track record spanning 12 years.

Ellington, now 25, clocked 6.69s in the semi-final at the English Institute of Sport - the second time he has improved his lifetime best this winter.  Although his sixth placing in the final was a disappointment compared with what he promised, he won many plaudits by the fact he was there at all.

Coach John Powell was upset with the final, but not because the athlete under-performed: "James deserved far better than that after the work he has put in this last few months," he said, "and both he and I know he is capable of running far faster.  But the perspective is that he has gone from being unable to walk 7 months ago, to one of the country's top 60m sprinters again, and that is nothing short of totally phenomenal."

National coach Tony Hadley commented: "The boy did well - I remember the injury in Geneva - it's amazing he's back at this sort of level so quickly.  Incredible"

Mentor coach Clarence Calendar said: "He's going to fly over 100m.  It's great he's back so quickly - many athletes in the past have had serious injuries like that and have taken more than a year to get back to even vaguely good form."

Ellington clocked a cool 6.76s in the heat, cruising most of the way, and taking second behind Mark Lewis-Francis, and was sixth in the final with 6.72 after his best ever run in the semi.  He now looks toward the Grand Prix next Saturday as a likely final curtain on his indoor season, and that could be impressive too as he takes to the fastest track in the country in Birmingham!

Day two (Sunday 13th) will see Trackspeed1's Jason Hussain and Lawrence Wooldridge take to the indoor boards over 200 metres.  The squad's indoor season will close in 2 weeks with the England age-group championships.  Powell will be enthused for the summer though. With indoor pb's in abundance, and four of his top sprinters abstaining due to injury niggles, this summer could develop into one of the most successful yet!

SHEFFIELD BECKONS

Trackspeed1 will have all eyes on Sheffield this weekend with three of its most talented stars in action in the European Championship trials, to be held in the English Institute of Sport venue in Yorkshire.

James Ellington will lead the squad's line-up as a classic fly in the ointment for the normal sprint stars, after his superb second place in the Lee Valley London games final a couple of weeks ago.  After his victory over the likes of Harry Akinees Arietee and Craig Pickering he will be confident of a really positive performance in Sheffield.

Jason Hussain has been showing some very encouraging repetitions in training recvently which suggests that he could spring a surprise int he 200m, while training colleague Lawrence Wooldridge has been running so well, this comparative unknown on the national scene could make a name for himself.

Trackspeed1's Matthew Threadgold would have competed in the 400m, after a fantastic pb of 48.50 midweek over 400m, but he has decided to prioritise the British Universities Championships next week.  And Dwayne Grant would have been a further competitor had it not been for a groin strain that has forced him to shelve his indoor season.

"I've never been so positive over an indoor season," said Trackspeed1 coach John Powell.  "Our guys are in serious form and could really turn heads this weekend.  It's a pity the likes of Dwayne and Matt aren;'t going to be here, but that's life, and it all points toward a really super summer season."

ELLINGTON IN THE FORM OF HIS LIFE

Trackspeed1's James Ellington made a very clear declaration of intent at the London Indoor Games on Sunday (30th January) as he powered to a lifetime's fastest 6.70m 60m sprint.

He left in his wake some of the most established British International sprinters, including Harry Aikines Arieetyey and Craig Pickering, as he made it clear his intentions with the European Championships in Paris in the not-so-distant horizon in March.

Add caption

Ellington''s first round 6.74s run - his second fastest ever over the distance, was a warning to his rivals that he is well and truly back from the serious hamstring injury last June that threatened his career, and the under-23 European gold medalist lived up to expectations in round two with a superb lifetime's best 6.70s performance.

Coach John Powell was of course delighted with his protegee's efforts, and was quick to highlight that his achievements had been reached the hard way:

"James has been off funding and any kind of support for years," said Powell, "and he has had to fight back to form without any kind of support.  The athletes who have had medical and financial support throughout recent years were staring at his backside this afternoon, and that is a very satisfying feeling!

"James is a world class athlete, and he is on the brink of proving that.  He ripped his hamstring last June and we were all terrified that it might just be a step too far to come back from, but James is one of the most determined athletes I have ever coached.  He rightly has immense self belief, and he has massive talent, and is potentially one of the most under-estimated athletes in track and field." 

Catford-born Ellington, now living in Addiscombe, Croydon, recently became a father and had 3-month-old daughter India at the Lee Valley complex for moral support, along with other family members.

"James has had a massive few months," said John Powell.  "He has become a dad for the first time (and boy, has he taken to that well) and he has got back from a potentially career-terminating hamstring injury to the form of his life.  I've been working with him for all but 2 years of the last 12, and seeing him at last break through to the senior elite where he belongs will mean the world to me, let alone himself."

Trackspeed1 sprinters in action at Lee Valley chalked up further lifetime bests (see rankings lists on this website).  Jason Hussain shaved a hundredth off his fastest ever 60m with 7.11s, while Omardo Anson put the jet lag of his return from the States a few days earlier behind him to equal his best ever 60m mark of 7.05s.

On day one, Omari Carr-Miller fluffed his lines on the second lap of his 400m event, getting boxed in for much of the second half of his race, but still managed to squeeze home in a lifetime's fastest indoor time of 50.89s.

"Apart from the injuries we have suffered, this has been a superb indoor season so far," said Powell.  I just wish that those of our lads who have learned life the hard way could have been part of this season.  The likes of Tunde Judun, Edmond Amaning, David Bolarinwa, and Ellis Zorro could have combined to make this an absolutely amazing winter season.

"One day," he continued, "athletes will realize (maybe!) that conditioning and strength work really are essential in preventing injury and preparing an athlete to run fast, especially during the cold winter months.  But we have a fantastic squad, and I just know that, in 2011, we are going to seriously turn heads!"

The next significant date in the Trackspeed1 diary is the European Indoor Championship Trials, i Sheffield, in 2 weeks' time on February 12/13th, when the likes of James Ellington, Dwayne Grant, Jason Hussain, Lawrence Wooldridge and others will be in action.

TRACKSPEED1 PAIR IMPRESS STATESIDE

Two Trackspeed1 athletes fly back over the Atlantic this week after highly satisfactory competitive debuts on the indoor circuit in America.

Omari Carr-Miller (yellow top) is pipped for first at the Harvard
University indoor track meeting in the U.S. on Sunday (23rd)

Both Omari Carr-Miller (16) and Omardo Anson (17) brushed aside senior men's opposition at the annual Boston Track Club Invitational meet, at Harvard University.

While temperatures plummeted to minus 18 outside, the British pair were in red hot form inside on a circuit not known for producing fast times.

In the 400m Omari finished second of an overall field of 55 athletes, clocking his second-fastest ever time indoors of 51.14s.  He found himself behind at the bell, but implemented his coach's instructions perfectly with a brisk overtake on the back straight to lead into the final bend.  He was caught only in the final 20m home stretch.

Omardo Anson was taking part in his second ever track meeting, having joined Trackspeed1 in the Autumn after referral from John Powell's Met-Track scheme.  His first ever trip around 200m indoors resulted in a superb 22.72 second effort, beaten only by one athlete who ran in a different heat.

Omardo also contested the 60m, but clocked a disappointing 7.23s.  Although he won his heat, he was adjudged to have been two one thousandths of a second slower than the eighth fastest man, and hence missed out on the opportunity to rectify things with a second outing in the lunchtime final.

Omardo Anson at his marks in the 200m.  These meetings in the
United States don't allow the use of blocks , making his performance
all the more impressive!

"Omardo is developing fast," said coach John Powell, "and he is definitely a prospect for the future.  He needs alot more experience though, and needs also to develop his all-round strength, but all that will come in time.

"Omari ran a virtually perfect race tactically.  He didn't panic when he couldn't quite get the lead at the bell, and bided his time until the back straight.  But I think that overtake, combined with a draw in lane 2 on the first lap, drained him a little, and he got overhauled just short of the line.  It was a great run though."

POWELL'S STATESIDE WARNING AS INJURIES MOUNT

Trackspeed1 coach John Powell has fired a fierce warning to his athletes 4000 miles across the Atlantic from his current Boston base.

As news reached him of another injury to one of his sprinters, he again repeated what he has been warning all winter – condition or take the consequences!

John Powell at Harvard University track with former Trackspeed1 and
Harvard graduate, Chris Lambert's, record marks proudly etched on
their history board.

Edmond Amaning is the latest TS1 sprinter to injure his hamstring and early indications are that the recovery period could be quite lengthy. 

“Edmond has opted out of gym work for reasons best known to himself,” said Powell, “and this is despite almost weekly warnings, and examples like David Bolarinwa who also suffered an injury recently.  I fail to see what else I have to do to get the message across.  The level these guys want to train at demands a high level of basic fitness, and a strong body.  Without that, the risks of injury are sky high.”

Powell hopes to arrange an urgent assessment for Amaning so as to minimise the length of time he will need to rehabilitate but, whilst some athletes are going from strength to strength as the indoor season gets into full swing, the TS1 injury list gets no shorter.

Currently David Bolarinwa is approaching a rapid return to full fitness after a hamstring problem, but Ellis Zorro (hamstring), and Edmond Amaning have prematurely terminated their indoor competition plans. 

Other athletes who have been on the injured list over the past month or so include Ellie Doel, Tunde Judun, and Kwame Francis, with Tunde still facing a lengthy course of rehabilitation before he can resume full training.

On the positive side, though, Trackspeed1’s overall indoor picture is a positive one.  Medals or PB’s for Lawrence Wooldridge, Jason Hussain, Samuel Adeyemi, Kieron Daley and Anton Daley sparked success on day one of the indoor season, while James Ellington, Dwayne Grant, and Danny Doyley all gave indications of their capabilities over the next few weeks.

South of England Champion Anton Daley is back in action this weekend at Lee Valley in the London Indoor Games agegroup event, while most of the rest of the squad compete in the senior events next weekend 29/30^th January.

Omari Carr-Miller (left) and Omardo Anson are with coach John Powell
at Harvard University, USA this week.

Stateside, John Powell is reviving his relationship with Harvard University again, with TS1 members Omardo Anson and Omari Carr-Miller.  Both have trained at the university’s six-star indoor facility, while Omari has been hosted as a potential student in two years’ time.  This Sunday they both compete in the Boston Track Club's meeting, at Harvard, where Omardo will contest the 60m and 200m, while Omari runs in the 200m and 400m.  They return to the UK on Tuesday.