I’m not sure how many of you were around when I moved here in 2001. I brought a hard life and a piece of conduit with me. A pipeline to Bend, OR. To Jim & Carol McLatchie. My two original mentors. He my coaching, she my administrative. What they saw, why they chose me, is best left to the gods.
Maureen Larsen and Pam Dubas were the first two female runners across the Blarney Stone 5K that same year, that rascal Chaz Davis replete with shamrock, shillelagh and pipe would lead the men. I recruited them on the spot, told them of a vision. Chaz not at all interested for his own good reasons. A knock on my door a couple weeks later and I would work daily with Maureen for over two years, channeling and teaching the McLatchie Method. Leading to a personal best 2:56:41 and 3rd o/a at the 2003 Houston Marathon. She is currently a top masters competitor.
James McGown qualified for the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Trials Marathon. I was privileged to coach him using the same McLatchie Method. He is the last Nebraskan male to reach the Trials.
I’ve used some version of the method with hundreds of Nebraska runners by now.
Longtime readers know Jim was a DI XC Champion in 1963. Has coached dozens of Olympians. Carol was a 32:30 10K runner, Women’s LDR Chair, lifetime friend. They retired to Bend, OR fifteen years ago. Summit HS girls in Bend just won their record setting 10th straight Oregon High School XC Championships. Like this: “With senior Taylor Vandenborn winning her first individual state title and five more Storm runners placing in the top 10, Summit claimed its record-setting 10th straight girls cross-country state championship Saturday at Lane Community College with 15 points — the first perfect score ever posted, by any gender in any classification, in OSAA history. ”
Its a culture. If you have ever pondered, wondered how and why Nebraska is where we are today.
This.
Carol also works as a USATF Official at the Prefontaine Games. Our sport, so much bigger than our own training routes.
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