For this episode we welcome four special guests! The members of the Athens 2004 Gold Medal winning British 4x100m Relay Team. It is not everyday one gets to chat with an entire Olympic relay squad and listen to their perspectives. The four members that shocked the world with their victory are:

Jason Gardener

Darren Campbell

Marlon Devonish

Mark Lewis-Francis

These four gentlemen published a book around their Olympic exploits, their experience growing up as minorities in Great Britain and the aftermath of winning Gold.

The book is called Our Race: The Untold Story of an All-Time Sporting Shock

Available via Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09B3RPRV7/ref=dp_kinw_strp_1

If you enjoy this podcast episode, we urge you to check out the book!

0:30 Introductions

4:20 Talk to us about the preparation. What was the relay training situation like?

7:30 How often had you four run in this formation before the Athens Games? With all the ups and downs you'd had individually and collectively, how come you had so much belief that Athens would be your moment?

12:00 What were the main hurdles you had to overcome in order to negotiate your personal rivalries and gel as a group?

18:45 Usually in relay squads members have different roles, can you describe your role within the team.

22:15 What was the time in the call room and then on the track like before the finals?

32:10 Walk us through the race from leg to leg (handing off to one another). What were you aware of while you were running?

42:00 Once a 4x1 runner hands off the baton, they basically become a spectator. What did the first three legs think as you watch the race unfold and the seeing Mark speeding down the homestretch?

51:45 How did winning gold feel? Does winning the ultimate prize in sport make it all worth it? How did you feel about competing after you became champions?

58:30 How do you feel your individual upbringings contributed to making you world-class athletes?

1:17:00 How do you guys feel that your achievements are viewed and recognized in Britain and elsewhere?

1:29:00 How did the book come about? Why have you chosen this route to publication? What do you hope the book helps change?

For this episode we welcome Ohio State Associate Head Coach Joel Brown. We discuss Joel's long professional hurdling career, his start into coaching and the development of 200 runner Anavia Battle.

1:30 Track & Field can humble you quick ... give us an instance where you realized there are levels to this.

3:30 Give us your evolution as a hurdler, high school and college

10:00 Growing up in Baltimore

13:10 You entered the pro ranks during arguably the deepest error of hurdling. What was that like going from a top NCAA hurdler to competing as pro along side the likes of Dayron Robles, Liu Xiang, Ladji Doucoure etc?

19:30 Tell us about competing at Helsinki World Champs - that had some of the craziest weather ever


23:35 How would you describe your hurdle style, what made you an elite-level hurdler? And talk us through who you liked competing against?


26:40 The transition from elite athlete to college coach can be different for everyone share with us your experience and what it was like for you?

29:20 Who are your coaching mentors and influences?

33:10 Having seen so much of this sport from a variety of different view points, what advice would you give yourself as a volunteer if had the opportunity to do so?

34:15 Talk us through the amazing development of Anavia Battle and some of your coaching points/philosophy in regards to the 200. She had a phenomenal season culminating earning a spot on the US Olympic Team

41:45 Give us a great track story - you have been around the sport at every level.

43:50 Who else would you like to listen to on this show?

This week we welcome Coach Abigi Id-Deen form the University of South Florida. Abigi talks to us about his coaching journey, the development of some star pupils and his 400 hurdles philosophy.

0:50 Track & Field can humble you quick ... give us an instance where you realized there are levels to this.

7:30 How has your college career influenced the way you coach?

10:00 Who are/were your primary mentors & influences?

14:15 Sometimes where you coach can have a significant impact on the event(s) you specialize in. You have had your fair share of success in the long sprints. Did you set out to be a great 400/400H coach or did it just come about due to circumstances?

25:40 I believe many of us remember and were somewhat enamored by David Verburg. Coming out of George Mason, a small school, albeit a school rich in track history, he got a lot of attention. Talk a little about his development because his first couple of years he was conference performer - then he just exploded on to the National scene!

33:30 Fast forward; at UNC you inherit a pretty talented 400H in Kenny Selmon. Kenny was the real deal out of high school. In 2018 he gets 2nd (a close second) at NCAA then goes on win USA outdoor championship. Tell us a little about his development that year. What changes, if any, and what key decision had to be made to allow for that success to take place?

40:00 Share with us (1) what you look for in a 400Her, (2) what do you see as important areas of focus (3) how do you break down the event to your athletes?

51:20 You have been around the block a few times ... leave us with a fun track story (or two)

59:30 Who would you like to listen to on the podcast?

We are BACK with Season 2 of the 1 Track Mind podcast! Our first guest this time around is Coach Ken Harnden, sprints & hurdles coach at the University of Tennessee. We talk about Ken's upbringing in Africa as well his athlete & coaching path. He is a 2x Olympian and 3x World Champs competitor and has now coached numerous NCAA champions, countless All-Americans and athletes who have gone on to shine on the international stage.

1:55 Background and upbringing in Zimbabwe

5:40 How did you get started with track?

8:00 Coming to the States and walking on at North Carolina?

10:30 Athletic development while in College

13:40 What was your ideal 400H pattern? How did you like to run your race?

16:00 Coaching Influences

19:40 Lessons, Perspectives & Impressions from your Pro Career, Olympics & World Champs


23:05 When did you decide you wanted to coach and how did that transition come about?

26:50 What is your 400H philosophy?

31:20 Evolving Stride Patterns in the 400H

36:20 Impressions of the evolution of the 400H race?

46:10 Talk to us about Walter Dix and Ngoni Makusha while at FSU. Those were some crazy talented individuals.

56:00 To conclude, give us a fun track story from your memory banks

Our guest today Coach Elisha Brewer. She is long-time Kansas Jayhawk assistant coach and first Arkansas student-athlete to run under 13 seconds in the 100 Hurdles:

1:00 Evolution of a Coach and 15 Years at Kansas

4:00 Mentors

9:30 Experiences of being a Student Athlete at Arkansas

13:00 At what point did you decide you wanted to coach?

16:00 How does your Background in Counseling help you in Coaching?

18:30 Social Media Influence on Student Athletes now

21:30 Short Hurdle Training Philosophy

24:30 Introducing Hurdling after getting fit

27:45 400 Hurdle Approach

32:00 Considerations for Dual-Hurdlers and Michael Stigler

40:30 What do you wish you had known as an athlete?

43:30 What is important from a mentality standpoint to be a sprinter or hurdler?

47:30 Winning a Team National Championship

55:30 Importance of Kansas Relays

1:03:00 Great Track Story