The Trailer

"The park looks so lovely without cross country." SAN JOSE, Calif. – It truly is the most wonderful time of the year.  The crew gets all fired up for USATF club cross country with special guest and cross country's nemesis, Addie Bracy. We chat about the virtues of a Louisville weekend, and the latest news we find interesting.  It's Trailer time: get in. In this episode: * Adam Nelson is still our favorite, even if he's Olympic champ. * Jon is talked into another, err, unique racing experience, complete with swears. * Addie sheds some light on her true feelings for the hill and dale of xc. * It did not rain a drop on Daniel Tapia at CIM in Sacramento. * The advantages of selecting your sponsors wisely: Scoe Gear (order via email) * USATF is a not the NBA. Yet. * The skinny on club xc and why 50 year old engineers make the best teammates. Need a little more Addie Bracy in your life?  Check out her exclusive prior to the Chicago Marathon. You can also see more of her on her blog or enjoy her on twitter.  BIG THANKS to ZB Savoy and the Chivalry for providing this episode’s music, “Bad Decisions”. You might not sing like 'em, but you can dress like 'em.

Adam Nelson Speaks The 2004 Olympic silver medalist may get gold before Christmas. But is it too little, too late? by The Trailer LONDON – By now you’ve probably heard that Yuriy Bilonog of Ukraine, the 2004 Olympic gold medalist for shot put, has tested positive for a banned substance when the IOC took a second look at a small fraction of the samples taken during the 2004 Games. And while the IOC will meet from Dec. 4-5 in Lausanne, Switzerland, to decide what punishment, if any, will be administered, one man, Adam Nelson, is particularly interested. Nelson, 37, was the 2004 Olympic silver medalist in the shot put, and should Bilonog’s medal be stripped, Nelson stands to receive his gold medal eight years after the fact. The Trailer: How did you hear about the news? Did any of the governing bodies contact you? Adam Nelson: Nah, I haven’t heard anything from anybody officially. I got an email from a friend who’s a reporter, and he said ‘Have you heard about it?’ and I just read the article. Honestly, this is not a new subject for me. In 2004, two days, three days after [the end of the Games], when I was still in the village in Athens, I heard that someone—they didn’t say who, but they thought it was Yuriy—had tested positive. Nothing happened. I got a call from a friend two weeks later who said he had been speaking to a credible source within the IOC [International Olympic Committee], and he said the same thing. I’d love to say that if it’s not true, then someone owes Yuriy an apology. And if it is true I’ll certainly have a different take on it. The Trailer: That’s supposed to be the early part of December, the IOC’s ruling? AN: It’s December 5th, but the article that I read back in July, they were debating whether to expedite the hearings because there’s a statute of limitations of eight years, and it’s unclear when that expires. So that’s the other part: are these tests going to be within the statute of limitations? The Trailer: You’ve been outspoken on the penalties for dopers for a long time, even saying they were committing fraud and should serve jail time. Does your past opinion still stand? AN: So my personal opinions haven’t changed much—and my opinion, we’re too soft on doping. You either have a doping policy that’s absolute, or you don’t. As I’ve learned more about the drug testing system, there are flaws there. In a recent study I read from 2010 there are around 270,000 samples collected worldwide, and of that, I think there was a one percent adverse findings rate [one percent that comes back positive]. I’ve been in sports long enough to know that everyone thinks the number of dopers is between five and 15 percent, depending on the sport, so one percent is still well undershooting what the realistic expectation is. But that aside, my personal opinion about the drug testing is one [failed] test and you’re gone. We find ourselves making exceptions for people—there’s got to be some grey area where shit just happens. But at the end of the day I feel like we’re making a lot of exceptions for people who are repeatedly violating the nature of the rule. The reason it’s so important to me is because it does not matter what I say, what I do, or how well I do on the field; the assumption of guilt will always follow me because I compete in the shot put. It doesn’t matter that I’ve never had a positive test—it means less now than it did 12 years ago. If you’ve read any of Tyler Hamilton’s book [a tell-all about doping in the Tour de France] and you know anything about the BALCO cases, not having a positive test does not mean you’re not cheating anymore. So I’m guilty by association and by look: I’ve got a thick neck, and I compete in the shot put, and I make a lot of noise when I compete, and sometimes I get angry. I get frustrated when I see or hear about people who are taking drugs, and who are beating the system. They’re stealing from everyone in the sport.

Andrew Kastor Gives Birth to a Track He built a track, but will they come? by The Trailer's Josh Muxen MAMMOTH LAKES, Calif. - The Trailer's Josh Muxen catches up with Andrew Kastor to talk about the shake up in Mammoth with the departure of Terrence Mahon to the U.K. Listen in on how he plans to keep the success going and his plans for future growth. Bonus: The Birth of a Track Kastor talks through the development of their brand spankin' new 400 meters of bliss tucked into the mountains of the Sierra Nevadas.

The Trailer Podcast, Episode 9 Road Race Management, Max Siegel speaks, the Fall Marathon Shuffle, and Club XC hosted by The Trailer's Josh Muxen SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - The Trailer goes to the Road Race Management conference. In this episode: Number 9 is our favorite number. Of the day. JT's in Hollywood . . . Florida, for the Road Race Management Conference. Even nerds like palm trees. We've got an apparel sponsor! Addie Bracy of Hudson Training Systems in Boulder, Colo., sent in some Scoe Wear gear for the boys. Max Siegel emerges as one heck of a keynote speaker, according to some, at RRMC. (Apparently both he and Obama were waiting after the election to put some energy into themselves.) Who will drive the Number 8 car for Track and Field? Was there a right answer for the New York City Marathon? The Fall Marathon shuffle is a dance with the devil. But can the devil mamba like Abdi? California International Marathon is going to be delicious. Mux gets on Twitter and learns about Geb competing in Japan. CLUB CROSS COUNTRY IS COMING! In Lexington, Ky. Get ready. Gugala ponders live tweeting Club XC from the race . . . literally while in the race. The rebirth of Mammoth TC. Catch the exclusive with Andrew Kastor tomorrow right here on The Trailer. And the U.S. is losing athletes to . . . England? adidas creates running snorkles. – Want to wear the shirts The Trailer sports? Visit Bracy's website and pester her there. BIG THANKS to Lemonade for Episode 9's music. Follow them on Twitter, and buy their music on The iTunes.

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - Terrorists, volcanoes, snow storms, hurricanes; nothing stops New York City and the New York Road Runners (update 11/2 - NYC Mayor's office announces Marathon will be cancelled Sunday. Check here for updates from NYRR). We preview the Marathon from our studios in San Francisco, home of your 2012 World Champion S.F. Giants. Joining Mux & JT from afar are Jon Gugala and our guest host, the spectacular megababe Lauren Fleshman (she's fast, too). In this episode: * "How the heck have you been?" by JT Service * Jon Instagrams and Lauren questions his photo dumping * Lauren does not photo dump, discusses not rushing back into training for 2016 and reflects on 16 years of racing. * Picky Bars & Believe I Am. Go there. Buy. * Lauren on branding oneself and building a fanbase. "Don't expect anybody else to do it for you. Be Unique" * Mr. Jesse Fleshman & Brothstein * The NYC Marathon is on. Take that terrorists, snow storms, volcanoes, and hurricanes. * Lauren on Hastings, Kim Smith is one tough white chick, and Molly Pritz' chances (high, to very high). * Betting on the women's marathon for mustache rights (neck-beard November). * Lauren gives advice to Julie Culley on going from the track to Fall marathon training and back again. * The Trailer backs "A.C." Andrew Carlson in the Men's marathon and Lauren pushes for more detail on the Men's field, saying Meb is the fountain of youth. – Lauren Fleshman lives in Eugene, Ore., and trains with the OTC Elite. She was the U.S. 5,000m Champ in 2006 and 2010. When she's not running, she's sort of like P-Diddy, co-founding Picky Bars, Believe I Am, and HMFIC for her website, AskLaurenFleshman.com. Sign-up for her newsletter (DO IT).    BIG THANKS to Among Savages for providing this episode's music, "New York City," which was also featured on Gossip Girl (not kidding). Follow him on Twitter.

Repent the Hesch, Part 2: A Jury of His Peers by The Trailer's Josh Muxen SAN CARLOS, Calif. – In part two of The Trailer's interview with admitted doper Christian Hesch, Mux covers the running community reaction to the event. He asks reader-submitted questions, along with questions from some of the American Elite. Those who ask WTF: Ian Dobson Julia Lucas a few more Plus, more of your questions, VerdantMinotaur87. Missed part one? Find it here.

Repent the Hesch, Part 1: In a Doper's Own Words by The Trailer's Josh Muxen SAN CARLOS, Calif. – When we asked you for questions for admitted doper Christian Hesch, we thought we'd get a few emails. We got a lot. And so when The Trailer's Josh Muxen sat down with Hesch this last Friday, it wasn't your standard 10-minutes-and-done interview. They talked. Hesch broke down (twice). That takes time. At its conclusion, we had just too much stuff for one day. So in Part 1, Hesch addresses how he was caught on EPO, the media stories following his admission, and his regret. In Part 2, to run on Tuesday, October 23, he'll field your questions, as well as those of his peers, some of whom he stole money from through his drug use.  

The Trailer catches up with Peter Gilmore, discusses the Christian Hesch EPO scandal, and wonders aloud, "Who's next?"

Episode 6.5: Post-Chicago Thoughts

Days before the Chicago Marathon, the fellas talk buying gyros in yen, the hinderance of an Olympic medal, and the excitement brewing at the end of Interstate 290.  It's road trip time in The Trailer. Up for discussion: Did Centro sandbag Olympics for glory on 5th Ave.? Marathoning Japan in Chicago Live blog-tweeting from Chi-town (@the_trailer) They let us get an Instagram thing (seriously, follow us: @The_Trailer). Shameless self promotion

Episode 5: Straight out of Fargo (said in a N.W.A. voice), Team USA Minnesota athlete and Golden Gopher alumnus Andrew Carlson gets in The Trailer. Up for discussion: Cross Country in the Winter Olympics Barefoot running Fall Marathons Taking jabs at JT A North vs. South Dakota throw-down Taking jabs at Gugala Lisa Uhl Not running & maximalist shoes Why does Andrew hate himself? World Championships in Eugene? JT & Andrew's wild night in Eugene On a serious note, Carlson is a serious runner, and has been a member of two World Half Marathon teams, the World 20k team, and two Chiba Ekiden teams. He's also a two-time USA champion, winning the 15k championship in 2008 and the 25k championship in 2010. Debuting in the marathon at the 2012 Olympic team trials, he finished sixth in 2:11:24. He will race the New York City Marathon on November 4. Music by Lemonade. Follow them on Twitter.

Episode 4: Should track be done after the Olympics? We search for diamonds, the GalenRuppord, and ponder the six things NYRR should buy with all their cash. We also visit the Garden Isle where JT has been "working" for the Kauai Marathon.  

In a special episode of The Trailer, Jon Gugala catches up with 3x Olympian Dathan Ritzenhein, specifically in room #2066. Big ups to the Gatorade Sports Science Institute for the hook-up. The rundown: London Recap Chicago Marathon The Wound V.A.C. Turning 30 Fall marathon training Joining the exclusive 4x Olympian group  

Episode 3: The  boys reflect on the end of the Olympics, Athletics (Track & Field to you Americans), and the end of the Samsung Diamond League series. Amy Hastings decides for some unknown reason to grant us an interview...

Episode 2 catch it while its hot: The trailer is really impressed with the effort the olympic athletes have been giving. Balls out: We are super excited: