Doug Courtemarche synonymous with Model Coach

Doug Courtemarche was a longshoreman in Long Beach, a submariner off the coast of Russia spying for the United States during the Vietnam War, a revenue collector for the IRS for 22 years, a counselor for the Veterans Administration and an anthropology major in college.

So I guess you could see why Courtemarche, as Santa Rosa’s cross country coach, recently received CIF’s highest coaching honor, the Model Coach Award.

Or maybe not.

Courtemarche is the living, breathing example of how a life doesn’t have to be logical, just consequential. The stress of having knocked on doors and asked for money, sometimes with uniformed gun-in-holster IRS officers as backup, has made being a cross country and track coach a walk in the park.

People with money issues trump, every time, teenagers with teenage issues. And spying on the Soviets, well, Courtemarche didn’t need caffeine to stay awake on that assignment.

All of which you would never know to meet Courtemarche. He doesn’t volunteer his ego; you have to bring it out of him.

So, why is he a role model?

“I’ve asked myself that question many times,” Courtemarche said.

“You were named a community hero in 1996, a honor that enabled you to carry the Olympic Torch,” I said. “How did you get to be a hero?”

“I’ve also asked myself that question many times,” he replied.

To read the rest of this article go to the following link:
Doug Courtemarche synonymous with Model Coach

Deadline for San Rafael Twilight Relays posted...

Hi all,

The 9th Annual San Rafael Twilight Relays will be held on Saturday, March 14, 2009.
Please have your entries into me by Saturday, March 7, 2009.

SHANNON ROWBURY will be on hand as our Special Awards Presenter and available to sign autographs!!!

Full entry information online at: www.twilightrelays.com

REGISTERED SCHOOLS
--Antioch HS
--Berkeley HS
--Calaveras HS
--Casa Grande HS
--Castlemont HS
--College Prep HS
--Crystal Springs Uplands
--Dublin HS
--Encinal HS
--Gunn HS
--Half Moon Bay HS
--JFK HS
--Kelseyville HS
--Marin Academy HS
--McClymonds HS
--Novato HS
--Oakland Tech HS
--Petaluma HS
--Piedmont HS
--Piner HS
--Rancho Cotate HS
--San Rafael HS
--Skyline HS
--St. Patrick/St. Vincent HS
--Stuart Hall
--Terra Linda HS
--University HS


Thank you,
Jason Jacobson
Head XC and T&F Coach, San Rafael HS
Meet Director, 9th Annual San Rafael Twilight Relays
** Where the Stars Come Out to Shine **
www.twilightrelays.com

Nice Shannon Rowbury Profile online

Check out the following link about Shannon Rowbury, the former Sacred Heart Cathedral runner, who qualified for this past Olympics in Beijing. Shannon finished in 7th place in the 1500m. final to record the highest finisher by an American woman in the event.

Inside Track: Rowbury looking for stronger finish in 2009

Peter Snell Documentary

Found the following link on LetsRun.com featuring legendary New Zealand runner, Peter Snell. Among all his accolades which include multiple victories in the same Olympics (800 and 1500), Snell was also an exercise physiologist at UC Davis at one point. Here is the link to the documentary:
Peter Snell-Athlete (Short Film)

Also, here is an article I wrote about Snell 2 years ago in my legendary runner series:
Peter Snell: Legendary Runner #6

Scott Bauh's Blog Link

http://www.flotrack.org/blogs/blogger/xcrun04/5989-training

More Northern California Track and Field Coverage...

In case you missed it:
Parents, Students Show Support for Veteran CV Coach (Castro Valley Forum)

Napa athletes younger and older shine at Arizona track and field meets (Napa Valley Register)

San Francisco Backs Off on Some of Its New Bay to Breakers Restrictions (Scroll down)

Track related newspaper articles and update on NorCal Track Preview...

While we anxiously await that first Track and Field meet, here are a couple of articles that mention track athletes doing well in winter sports.

Presentation wins CCS soccer opener (SJ Mercury)

Paige Logan, rebounder extraordinaire (SM Daily News)

And just for fun, I thought this would interest some people. Last year, Sports Illustrated named Punahou HS as the top sports high school in the United States. They just recently named a new athletic director to lead their historical sports program. She is a runner (YEAH!) and also an elephant trainer (INTERESTING!). How long has Panahou HS been around you ask? Try 168 years! Now that's history. Here's the article:
Punahou selects Garcia for AD post

Keith Conning has also updated the Northern California Preview for all Track and Field events for this coming season based on the top returners from last season.

Northern California High School Track Preview 2009

Good article about the Mountain View HS Cross Country Team

MVHS runners in fast lane
Cross country team dominates CCS, ranks high in state competition

by Casey Weiss
Mountain View Voice Staff

Knowing it was going to be a big year for the Mountain View High School cross country team, dozens of the school's other runners waited at the finish line this winter at the Central Coast Section championship in Monterey.

They painted themselves in black and yellow, the school's colors, waved signs and cheered as 14 varsity runners made Mountain View High history, winning CCS by 89 points and sending much of the team on to the state competition. Junior Garrett Rowe won the boys' race and senior Mary Reynolds placed second in the girls' competition.

"This is the best Mountain View team there has been in history," Rowe said.

The team's success did not end at CCS: The boys' team came in third at the state championships and the girls came in fourth. Rowe ran the 5-kilometer race in 15:03, making him the 13th fastest runner in the nation.

"We were just hoping he would be in the top half, and out of 200 he was 13th," said Evan Smith, the school's cross country coach. "We just have a lot of talent."

To read the rest of this story, go to the following link:
MVHS runners in fast lane

Tyson Invitational on ESPN today (2-4pm)

You can get your track fix today on this rainy Sunday as ESPN will show the Tyson Invitational from Fayetteville, Arkansas.

For you distance fans, you will get to see Galen Rupp's indoor American Record as he recorded a blazing 13:18.12 to finish 2nd. That time surpassed Doug Padilla's record from 27 years ago (13:20.55). Interestingly enough, one of the runners that was defeated in that race was Alberto Salazar who led most of the way but ended up in 4th place. Salazar has been Rupp's "mentor/coach" from his days in high school.

Padilla (born in Oakland, CA and pictured to the left) may not be a familiar name to current runners but in his time, he was one of the best distance runners in the world. His 3000m. time of 7:35.84 in 1983 still ranks as one of the fastest times for an American runner. He finished 5th in the 5000m. at the inaugral World Championships in Helsinki in 1983. He went on to finish 7th in the same distance at the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984. For those of you that have run at the Mariner Invitational, Padilla is also the man behind the scoring system (www.runnercard.com) at that meet.

Northern California High School Track Preview 2009

Courtesy of Keith Conning and THE CONNING TOWER

If you are currently a High School Track and Field athlete in Northern California and you want to find out where you rank in your section or overall in Northern California in your event, check out the link below. Mr. Conning does a great job of listing all the times in every event (boys and girls) as well as break down the times by section. You can also see the top returning state meet performers from the '08 season.

Northern California High School Track Preview 2009

So what is the most competitive event in Northern California (boys and girls)? What is the strongest event in any of the NorCal sections (CCS, NCS, SJS, NS, OAK and SF)? Who are the strongest candidates to bring home state meet titles?