New Teacher meetings finished.

So last week was all about new teacher orientation. We went through a few 'development' days and all the benefits meetings on Friday. This week gives us more meetings with the High school teachers and also with the BPS teachers, which I suspect will involve a lot of people!

Back In Northwest Arkansas and a new job!

Ok, so I've been very very slack in writing on my blog and I feel I need to start it back up again. Jennifer and I have finally made our permanent move back to Northwest Arkansas. We are about to start jobs at Bentonville High School. I will be coaching boys cross country and track while teaching freshman health class and Jennifer will be the assistant (to Michelle Coens who was a teammate of Jen's at the U of Ark.) volleyball coach while teaching American History and also Civics.
We really feel comfortable being back here and the we are still settling into our new home (which we are renting). I think we have found a tenant for our Pyramid Drive property, so that will be a relief once that has been rented out for a year.
I plan on starting another blog for the Bentonville Boys Cross Country and Track team in the coming weeks so that will be exciting. Keep you posted.

It's good to be back!

Its been a long time!

Well it has been a great 2007 so far for me...so good that I have been forgetting to add anything to this blog. I am fresh off getting married last week, which was the best thing that I have done. I know it will change how we do things together for the better and will no doubt make having a family somewhat closer to reality. I had some long time friends part of the wedding and its something that I will never forget for as long as I live. It was only missing my parents and family & friends from Australia, but we will, please God, see them all safe and healthy for Christmas. We also have bought a house in Mississippi ! yes...we will be officially be FROM the funnest state to spell out loud. I hope to keep this updated a little more during this year and leading into a very exciting 2008.

Back To Memphis We Go

After a fun filled Christmas break Jen and I are heading back to Memphis this arvo. I will add some photos soon from Christmas with the Haaser family.

Traveling to Fort Smith today

Jen and I are off on highway I-40 today heading into Arkansas. We are going back to Fort Smith to see my future in-laws for Christmas. I am pretty excited about something, but I will tell you that later this week. We are really excited about Christmas and being with the family, but I'm not too thrilled about being around all those cats that seem to take over. Oh well, guess I'll take my allergy medication before I go.

From our family to yours, may you have a Merry Christmas and New Year. Stay safe out there because it can get crazy at times.

Uni finishes this week, but not work

So this is the final week of final exams at the U. of Memphis. All the kids are busy studying, partying and getting another semester out of the way. I am still trying to get a few of my Aussie athletes admitted into the University & it seems to be right there....well before something else pops up. I always get so confident that the international kids will be admitted but then something comes up, gets lost, or just plan needs to be updated. So this morning didn't start well, but improved as we got closer to practice. The guys and girls are all improving, but with the Christmas break starting at the end of the week I am a little nervous that they can keep up the training intensity. I would love them to come back in better shape & knock off some of the records.
Jen is fitting in much better at the high school. We just got back from a HS basketball game which was fun, but Munford lost dismally. I am back into running. I ran twice on the weekend and then hit another 55mins today. I should be getting in about 5-6 hours of running this week & slowly building up. I have a half marathon I'd like to win in March, so need to get in shape. :-)

Post Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving was all about heading back to Fort Smith for the family-in-law (nearly) get together. It was fun to see them all, but not to see all the cats. I really get messed up when I get near them and just don't care for them. I know it may be mean, but that is the truth and this is my blog so I am allowed to say that! haha. Anyway it was a very productive weekend and good to get away from Memphis. Not that we dislike this city, but always good to get away from the grind at work. While on the topic of work I am very nervous about some start recruits I have signed up for the January inclusion into the University. They are all from Australia & I cant wait to have them help build this program up towards winning the conference. I am sure it can happen, but may take a few years. The men and women are continuing their good training with everyone completing a great 'mile down' workout in the beautiful weather on Monday. We have 600's tomorrow. I have started a Memphis Track Blog specifically aimed at talking about the workings that go on behind the scenes of this Division 1 University. Get onto it some time.

It's all starting to happen

After a great track workout by both the men and women last night I think they are all starting to show that they are improving with their new training. The men pushed out 5x1000 [200 jog] in their target time of 3:05-3:15. All looked smooth and relaxed in the 80 degree heat. The women worked well with Emily Malinowski showing great form with 5x1000 [200 jog] in her target time of 3:35. Perfect pace for this time of the year & she had a lot in reserve.
I am excited about the coming weeks & I know the team will improve even more as we progress through the track season.

What a weekend!

Well last weekend had to be the busiest one I have had in a while. I got to do a little recruiting at the Tennessee state XC meet in Nashville which was fun. I meet a great guy, Dave Milner, who coaches a high school team and also publishes a fantastic running mag, Tennessee Running. After the 3 hour drive from Memphis and the Saturday race day activities, I struggled home to Memphis. Then the next day we had some recruits in for official visits and show them around the campus/facilities. Long weekend!
This week is official the 'Early Signing Period' where athletes can sign the Letter of Intent to attend a certain institution on scholarship. The University of Memphis should get a few this week and I will post them on here once they come through. I think this is a first for our Uni, so that is exciting to see something positive starting to happen so early into the season and changes here.
I am running again about 3 times per week. I run with the girls at the moment, but that should change soon once I get my legs under me.

A little disappointing

Well the C-USA champs came and went. It was a draining weekend which ended the cross country season and a few of the athletes careers. I would have liked them to compete a little more, but I think a few factors contributed to their under-par performance. We now have an easy week before we get into a solid 2 months of training which prepare for the indoor track season. I am looking forward to getting the athletes on the track and giving them some good hearty workouts....they need it.
I am pretty tired after the meet and deserve an easy week myself but I will start a few days of training myself & hopefully get back into 3-4 days/week of running. As long as my heel doesn't play up it should be fun to get back into it a little more regularly.

Conference Champs

We leave for C-USA champs tomorrow. The team did their final workout today before flying out tomorrow morning. They are all looking alot better than the start of the season., but then again, I'd hope so. I have put alot of time into them to think like 'real' athletes and get their heads wrapped around competing when it was on the line. Lets see if they perform Saturday morning. I am quietly confident that I can have 1 girl in the Top 10 and another girl in Top 25, with our number 3 around 30th. So the team should come out with 6th or 7th. With the Men's Team it is a little different. We are looking to beat just one team....and they are hosting the event on their own turf. So a tough ask for the blokes, but see how they react.

Finally getting back to it

Ok, sorry to everyone for not keeping up on the blog. I have been very overwhelmed with moving, visas & work these past few months and it is time to catch everyone up on what has been happening.
As some people know I am now the Head cross country coach for men & women and the assistant track coach for indoor and outdoor at the University of Memphis.
Jen and I moved here in late July and we had to get a place quick. Somehow we were lucky enough to move into a nice little single storey unit & settled pretty quickly.
After I finally secured the coaching position, something I have been after for 2 years, I started to learn everyday how coaching at the Division 1 level is so different than racing at it. I love the learning process and having the chance to develop up-and-coming talent.
As my appointment to the coaching staff was so late in the year I had little time to get things going with the few runners that I was to look after. They didnt have a chance to work on their strength base and really had to go with what they had built up through the summer months of running. We have now run 4 races and the runners have improved through each week. The mens side range from 27 minutes to 30 minutes for the 8km distance and the womens range from 19-22mins for the 5km.
The thing that I do 90% of the day is recruiting. I am trying to develop this program into a strong distance program, something it was back in the late 70's.....and I will do it. I have no doubt about that and I am confident that all the work will pay off when our team starts winning cross country races even as early as next year. The building process can take 4-5 years, but I think that we should see a whole new Memphis Cross team next year.

We are now just about settled here in Memphis and learning our way around the streets near we live. Jen is just about finished with volleyball coaching and I know that will be a weight off her shoulders.
I will keep more up to date on this blog now. Hope everyone is well.

sorry for not updating

I have been very busy with everything these days after moving to Memphis. I have met many people and I am trying to remember all their names. Most people are not good with names and I am definately one of them. Anyway, sorry that I have not been updating this blog. I know some people read it....

Back In The USA

So now I am back in the USA I am finding it alot different than Spain and Australia. The culture seems very repetitive and busy in US. Everything runs very fast here in US from services to people. I like it, dont get me wrong, but I did like the slow pace of Spain, and even Australia to some extent.
My running is pretty much non-exsistant here in the US. I did run a few times in the weeks that I have been here, but with my left ankle still bothering me it leaves me without motivation and drive for some consistant work. I dont see myself getting back to the same level that I once was. I have been thinking about coaching and putting my knowledge into bringing others to achieve their own goals in athletics. With my Barcelona experience and some athletes here and there I think that my philosophy and style of coaching can be a benefit to alot of people. Well thats the idea anyway! email if interested.

Our Final Day in Barcelona

Hello All. Well this is our final day in Barcelona. We are all aboard a plane tomorrow morning to the US. It was a great time here in BCN that I will never forget. This is one of the best things that I have ever done and I will look at it as the time that my love for Jennifer grew more and more each day and also where we both became better people because of our stay. The running program was great and the people and places were even better. So much pluses and short on negatives. Adios a Barcelona. Tu eras gran!