June Track & Field Championships and Races

(Matt McGowan, June 2008, RUNOHIO) The month of June is full of outstanding track and field competition and road races.
Hopefully, you will be able to run a road race or two this month and take time to watch some great track and field competition at the Ohio High School Athletic Association Track & Field Championships which will be held June 6-7. The USA Junior Outdoor Track & Field Championships will be held June 20 – 22. The Junior Championships is also in need of volunteers to help with this outstanding event. The 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Track & Field start June 27th.

Ohio High School Athletic Association Track & Field Championships

The 101st anniversary of the Ohio High School Athletic Association Track & Field Championships will be held at the Jesse Owens Track at Ohio State University on June 6th and 7th. This year will mark the 101st anniversary for the boys and the 34th annual for the girls.

Dates and Schedule –

Friday, June 6

9:30 a.m. Division III Running Events Preliminaries
4 x 800 Relay Final
10:00 a.m. Division II Field Events
Note: 9:00 a.m. pole vault begins
1:00 p.m. Division III Field Events
1:30 p.m. Division II Running Preliminaries
4 x 800 Relay Final
4:30 p.m. Division I Running Preliminaries
4 x 800 Relay Final

Saturday, June 7

9:00 a.m. Division II Field Events
9:30 a.m. Division III Running Finals
12:00 p.m. Division I Field Events
1:00 p.m. Division II Running Finals
4:30 p.m. Division I Running Finals

The cost of an all-day ticket for any person age six and older is $10.00 per day. Tickets are on sale at the stadium beginning at 7:30am each day.

For more information go to - http://www.ohsaa.org/sports/tf/default.asp

USA Junior Outdoor Track & Field Championships

The Greater Columbus Sports Commission is hosting the 2008 USA Junior
Outdoor Track & Field Championships on June 20 – 22, 2008 at Jesse Owens
Memorial Stadium at The Ohio State University.

This is USA Track & Field’s premier event for junior track & field athletes. It is an
opportunity for Columbus to watch up-and-coming track & field stars compete.
Winners will represent the United States in the World Championships and Pan
American Games.

Past winners include Carl Lewis, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Alberto Salazar and
many more. To learn more about the event, visit www.columbus08.com

Volunteers

Volunteers are needed for various jobs from June 19th - June 22nd at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium at The Ohio State University. This is your opportunity to get a behind the scenes look at the most prestigious track & field event for the junior age group.

All volunteers will receive an official 2008 USA Junior Outdoors Track & Field Championships t-shirt, access to watch the meet before and after their volunteer shift and an invitation to the Volunteer Party. Free parking will also be provided. For those volunteers that work two shifts in one day, a meal will be provided.

Please note that some of the volunteer positions will require a training session. Please make sure you are available for one of the training sessions if you select a position that will require training.

Volunteers must be 18 years of age or older by June 19, 2008.

For more information on volunteering contact Aaron Motley - AMotley@ColumbusSports.org or 614-221-6174.
Also, volunteers are needed as Drug Testing Escort, for more information contact –
Gwen Verhoff at gverhoff@ColumbusSports.org or 614-221-6188

To check out the 2008 USA Junior Outdoors Track & Field Championships schedule and for ticket information go to - http://www.columbus08.com

2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Track & Field

2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Track & Field
From USATF
June 27 - July 6, 2008
Hayward Field, University of Oregon - Eugene, Oregon

Returning to one of the most hallowed sites in the sport, the U.S. Olympic Team Trials will return in 2008 to Hayward Field, site of the '72, '76 and '80 Olympic Trials. The country's most prestigious pre-Olympic event, the Olympic Trials is where the roster for Team USA will be selected for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

Eugene has long been dubbed "Track Town, USA" for its rich track and field history and the community's appreciation of the sport. The Nike Prefontaine Classic regularly draws standing-room-only crowds, while athletes consistently rate Hayward Field as having one of the most compelling atmospheres of any stadium in the world.

The largest national championship track meet in the world, the U.S. Olympic Trials hosts more than 1,000 athletes as they compete for the right to represent Team USA at the Olympic Games. More than 350,000 fans attended the last two Olympic Trials in Sacramento, and at each edition of the meet, more than 1,000 members of the media from around the world covered the event while thousands of volunteers and officials provided support.

For more on the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Track & Field go to –
http://www.usatf.org/events/2008/OlympicTrials-TF

For a schedule of events go to –
http://www.usatf.org/events/2008/OlympicTrials-TF/schedule.asp

RUNOHIO plans to cover the Track & Field Trials, check the RUNOHIO web site during the Championships for our updates - http://www.runohio.com

2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Track & Field - TV Schedule

All times are Eastern; subject to change; check local listings

Date Times Network
June 28 12:00-1:00 a.m. USA
June 28 8:00-9:00 p.m. NBC
June 29 7:00-8:00 p.m. NBC
June 30 11:00 p.m.-1:00 a.m. USA
July 3 11:00 p.m.-1:00 a.m. USA
July 4 11:00 p.m.-1:00 a.m. USA
July 5 5:00-6:00 p.m. NBC
July 6 7:00-9:00 p.m. NBC

Bob Schul’s Distance Legends

"The purpose of the DISTANCE LEGENDS is to bring back some of America's greatest runners from the past to share what it took for them to be successful. It is my hope that this will bring about a new renaissance in distance running and in the process get young people more active and handle some of the obesity and health issues affecting our young people." from Bob Schul's Distance Legends web site - http://www.distancelegends.com
Read more at - http://www.runohio.com/news/04-25-08Ledgends.html

Read RUNOHIO's Book Review - A Closer Look at - Bob Schul, "In the Long Run" http://www.runohio.com/news/07-28-04Book_review_schul.html

June Road Races

Good luck with your training this summer. If you are looking for a June race check out the RUNOHIO June Race Calendar - http://www.runohio.com/calendar/06-08.html
and The Running Network Searchable Calendar –
http://www.runningnetwork.com/eventcalendar.html

Columbus 10K – June 8th

I will be helping The Columbus Recreation and Parks Department and Jim Jurcevich and The Columbus Running Company with the 31st annual Columbus 10K on June 8th – For more information on this downtown event go to –
http://www.runohio.com/news/04-18-08Columbus_10K.html

Register in person at one of the three Columbus Running Company stores; 6465 Perimeter Dr., Dublin, OH 43016; 1250 Hill Rd. N (Rt. 256) Pickerington, OH 43147 or 320 S. State Street, Westerville, OH 43081 – now - June 7th.
You can also register on race day at Columbus City Hall 7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. The race starts at 9am at the corner of the Ohio State House at Broad and High Street.

Mark your calendar for Saturday, August 16th - Crew 5K

The Crew 5K Run/Walk around the grounds of the Crew Stadium, Ohio State Fairgrounds and finishes at the midfield of Crew Stadium. All registrants receive: Free tech shirt and goody bag and a Free ticket to see the Crew take on FC Dallas at 7:30 p.m.; After you hit the finish line, you'll be the star of Crew Plaza with music, food, games, Crew players, Crew Cat and the Crewzers.

Fore more information on the Crew 5K go to - http://www.runohio.com/features/Crew5K.html
To register online: http://www.signmeup.com/60548

Mark your calendar for the Granville Bryn Du Summer Cross Country Series
Run around the Bryn Du fields and Mansion in these fun summer evening cross-country runs. Whether you run the Bryn Du Summer Country events as a serious race, a training run or a fun run

Dates Distance Time
Thursday, July 10th 3km 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, July 24th 5km 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, August 7th 5km 7:15 p.m.

Enjoy the summer and good luck with your training and racing.

Matt McGowan