PreraceJitters Exclusive Interview with Brianna Glenn: Surviving The Game

The memories of the U.S. Olympic Trials are etched in Brianna Glenn’s mind. Her Olympic dreams died in Eugene at the U.S. Olympic Trials.

In the end, it was not in the cards. Brianna Glenn could not get everything to come together in the long jump finals, but ended up in 11th place with 20 feet, 6 1/4 inches when the competition ended. She fouled on her final two jumps.

Afterwards, in the athlete interview area, a tear rolled down Brianna’s cheek. She finally got out, “You don’t plan for this.”

Less than two months before the U.S Olympic Trials, she had surgery to repair a recurring knee injury, and then everything fell apart. An injury is a long jumpers’ nightmare and it definitely was not in her plan to compete in the Olympic Games. No run at making the Olympic team is supposed to be battled this way.

You won’t hear Brianna offering up any excuses or pointing to any specific reasons for not placing top three at the Olympic trials. Even though she would be well within her rights to do that but she didn't. She gathered herself together as quickly as possible and arrived at the trials ready to compete. Because win, lose, or draw - she is a competitor.

Just after the gut-wrenching experience of failing to achieve her life-long goal of going to the Olympics, Brianna gracefully agreed to sit down at the Hilton hotel in downtown Eugene for an interview.

In the hotel lobby, Brianna's eyes betrayed her. They typically dance with expectation and possibility. Much has been written about Brianna's fun-loving attitude, her fabulous sense of humor, her victorious nature. Brianna does little to dispel that image, but her light hazel-brown eyes hinted at something else altogether. Something much more vulnerable.

Her window of her career hasn’t yet closed, and the question before her is whether to stay in the sport, or retire from the sport that she loves so much.

Here is what Brianna Glenn had to say:

PRJ: Share with us the experience of participating in the third Olympic Trials of your professional career.

BG: I was not as nervous this time around. This time, I was able to take this experience for what it is and put aside the hype involved. The first time I came to the Olympic Trials, I was wide-eyed and just so darn excited to be there. I was competing with people that I had looked up to for so many years. That feeling subsides after you’ve done it a few times.

PRJ: What was your mindset coming into the ’08 Olympic Trials?

BG: I was definitely confident coming into the trials. I was really excited because we wait every four years for this opportunity. It’s a culmination of all the work you’ve put in up to this point. Now, you actually get to get out there and show your stuff. It’s an exciting time, I think, for most athletes once you actually get to the trials. All of that hard work is finally about to pay off.

PRJ: Talk about your disappointment in not making the Olympic Team.

BG: My performance is disappointing. It was hard for me, because I really had a tough year. More than anything, I wanted to come in here and do my best. I just felt like if I competed to the best of my abilities that I would have a shot to make the team. That did not happen. You know the circumstances I was in, so I have to take it for what it is, learn from it, and just move on. I’m just trying to do that the best that I can.


PRJ: Talk about your abilities to not just overcome obstacles and disappointments, but to thrive on the field and in your personal life.

BG: Ultimately, you have to have a strong sense of self, especially in this sport. You go through ups and downs, and nothing is always up. If you are not mentally prepared, then you will not be in the right position to experience the high points. You also have to learn to bounce back and how to have a short-term memory, because every athlete experiences losses.

PRJ: What was it like having your friends and family here at the Olympic Trials to support you?

BG: It was important. It’s great to be here with people that support you. I have the best friends and family in the world, in my humble opinion. They love me unconditionally. They know who I am as an athlete, but more importantly, they know who I am as a person.

PRJ: You’ve been to two other Olympic Trials, what is your opinion of Eugene ’08?

BG: They have done a wonderful job putting on a big show here in Eugene – ‘Tracktown, USA’. They have a track mentality here to support the sport. It’s great how they organized the meet. Overall, it’s good for the athletes and the sport. When you come to Eugene, the fans support every event, not just the premiere events.

PRJ: What, if any, affect did the fans have on the performances?

BG: They gave off great energy. They are behind you, clapping you down the runway. It’s not like, ‘Oh, there is my mom, I can hear her clapping.’ It was a positive experience here, because the fans cheer in the first place and the last place finishers.

PRJ: What do you have to look forward to the rest of the ’08 season and the ’09 season?

BG: We’re still trying to figure that out now. Things are up in the air, because I have to reorganize things. It will be something that I go over with my coach and my agent in the next several weeks. You can always read about it on my blog.

PRJ: Let’s digress for a moment and discuss your blog. It’s considered one of the most popular track and field athlete blogs on the net. What do you think is behind that success and the out-pouring of support from the fans?

BG: I don’t know where the traffic is coming from. What I like is that people from different backgrounds read my blog, both track fans and non-track fans alike. But they found my blog somehow and are currently interested in the sport, and that is great.

My blog has taken on a life of its own. Now, I feel responsible to keep updating it with what is going on in my life and career because my fans have taken the time to read my blog.

PRJ: What are your thoughts on your life after track and field?

BG: It’s hard to know for sure, because most athletes know their sport. I have my college degree in marketing, so I believe it will be something along those lines. I love sports and would like to do something in sports marketing.

PRJ: It’s been a rough 18 months or so for the sport. Have the Olympic Trials been good for track and field?

BG: It was a great Olympic Trials. Being out there for the last seven days, you have so many people with dreams in their eyes. Hopefully, that dream will shine through, and people will stop focusing on the negative. I just really appreciate our sport and what it has to offer.

PRJ: Brianna, thank you so very much for taking the time, and we wish you the best.

All content and photographs by Jay Hicks.

Seed Runnerspace

A Look Back at The Olympic Trials!

Withdrawal from the Olympic Trials has been setting in since returning from Eugene and coming down from the adrenaline rush. Part of that is because eight days is a long time sleeping on a hotel mattress, and I have finally gotten some good sleep since returning home.

I've found myself communicating with colleagues that shared the Eugene experience because we shared something very special in Eugene '08, which turned out to be a de facto track and field national holiday.

What is there not to miss? Eight days of riveting action on the track, coupled with an exhilarating atmosphere. The days were spent comparing and contrasting athletes of today and the past, while interviewing the world's best track athletes about the greatest sport on the planet.

Here are a few pictures of the athletes and the action.

The tough Bershawn "Batman" Jackson puts his heart on the line to win the 400-meter hurdles.

Is Hyleas Fountain the greatest female athlete in the world today after her compelling win in the heptathlon at the Trials? "I'll be back" says 37-year-old Allen Johnson. The 1996 Olympic champion has at least several more seasons left in the tank.

Mary Wineberg (l), Sanya Richards (c), and Dee Dee Trotter (r) are looking for a 400 sweep in Beijing.

"No, I was never worried during the race about making the 200 team," says Wallace Spearmon.

Count em' four, that is the number of Olympic teams high jumper Amy Acuff has made in her illustrious career.

Raw emotions of joy were going through champion Lolo Jones' body after her victory.

Usain who? Tyson Gay after running a crazy 9.68 (+4.1) to win the Olympic Trials.

Usain Bolt is the real deal says legend Michael Johnson.

All pictures and content by Jay Hicks.

Is It David Oliver’s Time to Shine?

-From Eugene, OR

Sure Allen Johnson isn’t in the finals of the 110 hurdles, but rising star David Oliver is running at an instinctual level that is unaffected by the loss of the 37-year-old American hurdling legend. Look for the heat to come from Anwar Moore, Antown Hicks, and veteran Terrence Trammell.

Oliver has been on the grind and is hoping that the hurdles are his best friend, and not his worst enemy, tomorrow in the finals.

“That's what's important. Whether you're first or 16th, we're all going to the semifinals, and we all have a chance to make the team still," said Oliver.

Women’s 200m Final Looks Very Familiar to 100m

The main difference going into the 200-meter final is that Allyson Felix has the fastest time (22.22) run by an American this year. The 100-meter U.S. Olympic trials champion Muna Lee has the second fastest qualifying time (22.33), Shalonda Solomon put down 22.48, and Bianca Knight won the first heat in 22.53.

Felix, Lee, Lauryn Williams, Torri Edwards, and Marshevet Hooker all appeared in the 100-meter final, and they are all now in the 200-meter final.

This race is simply too close to call. Felix is the favorite going into tomorrow. Hooker is motivated by not getting left home. Solomon is a beast, and Knight is the picture of consistency at the half lap distance. Not to mention that Torri Edwards has veteran experience that can not be underestimated.

Get your popcorn ready, because this is going to be entertaining.

All content and photos by Jay Hicks.

The Hardest Team to Make by Nike Is Hard to Miss!

-From Eugene, Oregon

The sights in and around Hayward Field are overwhelming figures of Nike. The place is bought and paid for Phil Knight and company.

The presence of the Beaverton, Oregon-based apparel maker is beyond strong. Many of the greater Eugene area employees from hotels, restaurants, bars, and vendors all sport the ‘08 Eugene shirts boldly displaying the Nike symbol.

The city buses have various billboards featuring the Nike swoosh, and the Hayward Stadium is plastered with the company's images. Look to buy a t-shirt with an Adidas logo, and you would be out of luck because they are not here.

Nike is reportedly a seven-figure contributor to the Olympic Trials, and most businesses are forbidden to sell any product that competes directly with Nike. Without the company's support, the best Olympic Trials ever hosted would not be possible.

Adidas has set up booths at the Villard Street Pub, which is a pub located near the track. The Adidas logo is also plastered on the feet and bodies of the Olympic Trials’ biggest stars, such as Tyson Gay and Jeremy Wariner.





By Jay Hicks.

They Showed Out Tonight!

The crowd in Eugene may arguably be the best U.S. crowd ever assembled to watch track and field in this country's history. The athletes paid back the favor by really showing out today.

The women’s heptathlon usually runs in front of half-packed stands. Normally just friends, family, and a few other enthusiasts come out to watch—not this time around. A Hayward Field record crowd of 20, 964 packed the stadium today to watch the first day of the Olympic Trials.

Can Marshevet Hooker keep producing 10.79s through the rounds? As I reported on TheFinalSprint.com, although the wind-aided time (+3.4) was with a huge wind, the time has only been surpassed by Flo Jo, Marion Jones, and Merlene Ottey.

One the highlights of the day for many track fans was the honoring of the 1980 Olympic Team that did not go to the Olympics to boycott the 1980 Moscow invasion of Afghanistan. Some of the attendees included: Carol Lewis, Willie Gault, Renaldo Nehemiah, Alberto Salazar, and Mary Slaney to name a few. The attitudes of the former greats ranged from anger to happiness. It is sad thinking back that they were robbed of their Olympic glory. The Winter Olympic team attended the games. It was a very classy moment to honor the group with a lap around the track.

It was a pleasure speaking with former Olympic decathlete gold medalist, Dan O’Brien. He talked about missing the sport and competing at the highest levels. The Portland, Oregon native is considered by many to be one of the greatest athletes ever. O'Brien also said that he is happy coaching current heptathlon athlete Jacquelyn Johnson, who is in strong contention to make the Olympic squad.

If Johnson performs within her capabilities, O'Brien expects Johnson can finish second overall. Jacquelyn has been recently signed with track legend and agent Michael Johnson. Michael Johnson also shared with me that he felt Jacquelyn could also finish second if things go her way.

Fan favorite, Matt Scherer of Eugene, made it through the first round of the 800-meters by finishing fourth in his round. He spoke with me during my work at TheFinalSprint.com after the race. "The name of the game today is not time, it's qualifying," said Scherer. "Fourth today is as good as first" he went on to say.

I spotted a very relaxed looking Al Joyner near the track area. There was not time to track him down today, but he was definitely on the scene.

It was purely amazing to watch Bernard Lagat pull a Michael Jordan moment tonight in the 5,000. You remember when MJ would play 18 holes before heading to the NBA court to dominate his competition... Lagat appeared as relaxed as a morning jog when he rolled through the first round of the 5,000-meters.

The men’s 400-meter hurdles was quite interesting. Kerron Clement and Angelo Taylor appear to be favorites to go 1-2 in the finals.

In the last race on the track tonight, Shalane Flanagan, Kara Goucher, and Amy Begley are officially heading to Beijing in the women’s 10, 000 meter run. The final event was brought home by a standing ovation for the top three finishers.

By Jay Hicks, a.k.a. Track Evangelist.

PreraceJitters.com Interview: Brianna Glenn--The Good Life!

Brianna is no stranger to the pages of PreraceJitters.com. As a matter of fact, she is a regular via her blog, which is a fan favorite with laugh out loud funny entries about the goings on in her so-called fabulous life in track and field.

The sprinter and long jumper has hurdled, run around, and gotten under all of the obstacles that could have potentially kept her from the Olympic Trials. If there was test for persistence, Brianna would pass with flying colors regardless of the outcome at the Trials where she will focus on the long jump in her journey to make the Olympic Team.

With less than a week before the Olympic Trials, we caught up with Brianna and here is what she had to say:

PRJ: Your blog is wildly successful. The sport has struggled to attract new fans in large numbers. Your larger readership is made up of hardcore track fans and people who know generally about track but maybe have not followed the sport closely. So what do you make of all of this?

BG: I think it’s awesome. I didn’t really start a blog with the hopes that I would reach a whole lot of people that I didn’t already know…it was more so for my friends and family to keep up with me. But it turns out that a lot of people I have never met read it as well as people who have never previously been big fans of track and field. Whatever their reasons are for stopping by, I am just happy that they find enough interest in what I do to continue to check back and hopefully in the process they can learn to appreciate the sport I love.

PRJ: What if anything have you learned from readers since you began blogging and where do you see your athlete blog going in the future?

BG: There is a lot you can gain from putting yourself out there in the blog world. For the most part people are very encouraging and supportive, which is such an amazing bonus to it all. Not only do people take the time to comment on what is going on in my life, but I constantly get emails and messages that are incredibly uplifting or just to say they appreciate a certain picture…which is also very flattering!

PRJ: Did you have any role models when you started competing?

BG: I have always been a huge fan of Jackie Joyner-Kersee. She is one of the greatest athletes of all time and she did it with the utmost grace and humility.

PRJ: When did you first realize that you wanted to sprint and jump?

BG: When I was younger I was always involved in sports, just not track. I knew I was fast but it wasn’t until high school when I actually saw where my talent was and that I was meant to sprint and jump. So I ran with it. Literally.

PRJ: After last season your life ran like a Hollywood movie—only in reverse. You changed coaches and packed up and moved from Los Angeles to Tucson where you had a great deal of success during your time at the University of Arizona. How has the overall move worked out for you so far?

BG: I am no stranger to moving and switching coaches. I always do what I feel is best for my career at the time and this year it made sense for me to go back to working with my coach from college, someone I trusted immensely. Trusting your coach is a huge piece of the puzzle and as much as I loved living in LA, it was a small sacrifice to make. Being out here has allowed me to focus and prepare how I needed to.

PRJ: Do you have a good chance to qualify? If so, what do you feel you need to do in order make sure you get an airline ticket to perform in Beijing?

BG: This year the field in the women's long jump is stronger than it's
been in quite some time. We have a number of women who are capable of
jumping far and getting on that team and I definitely see myself in
that mix. I think the great competition among us will push us all to
jump far and to produce some great marks. I have a feeling that if I
jump what I am capable of jumping I will definitely be on the team.
My focus is on jumping well and when that happens the results will
fall into place.

PRJ: The pressing matter on everyone’s mind in track and field is the pending Olympic Trials. You have recently had knee surgery and are back to working out. How is your knee and physical conditioning going into the trials?

BG: This is 2008. Everyone knows what the deal is this year and where the focus is. My knee surgery was most definitely a setback but there was nothing that was going to keep me out of the Trials in my mind. I told the doctor he could duct tape it together if necessary but one way or another, I would be out there. I’ve healed quickly enough to give myself a great opportunity in Eugene and that is all I can really ask for.

PRJ: There has been a huge build up to the Olympic Trials. Do you feel any pressure heading into Eugene?

BG: It’s exciting. Sure, it’s a pressure filled situation because we all know what’s on the line, but you have to embrace the opportunity.

PRJ: Is there one thing in particular you're looking forward to if you get to Beijing?

BG: I’m looking forward to competing with USA written across my chest.

PRJ: Are you anxious about anything outside of competition that you're going to encounter in China? I've heard about some non-traditional toilets.

BG: Track athletes do a lot of squats so we will be ok. I’m looking forward to some authentic orange chicken and shrimp fried rice. Whatever we encounter, I’m sure we will embrace it all.

PRJ: Thank you for making time in your busy schedule to speak with us. Good luck in your efforts at the Olympics Trials and the remainder of your season.

By Jay Hicks.

400-meter Hurdle “Run Down”

Is this the year that Kerron Clement breaks the world record of 46.78? The 400 hurdles is the next in what seems to be an endless number of events in which the U.S. is extremely deep. So far this year, Kerron has a season’s best of 47.79. He ran this time back on May 3 in Kingston, Jamaica.

Kerron has blinding speed and is arguably one of the most physically gifted athletes on the pro circuit. However, his one weakness is a hurdling technique that he and his new coach, Bob Kersee, are working to improve. Up until now, he hasn’t had to be concerned with his technique, because Clement has been winning by wide margins. But if he gets on the ropes in a tight race, his sub-par technique could be the margin of difference between winning and losing.

Bershawn “Batman” Jackson (48.15) is close to breaking the 47 second barrier this season-- his personal best is 47.30. Runners with something to prove are dangerous. The 5 foot, 8 inch runner is on a mission to prove that he is worthy to be amongst today’s great 400 hurdles after his meltdown at the ’07 World Championships when he failed to make the finals.

The 400 hurdles is one of the most intriguing events this Olympic year, because so many questions remain about the younger runners. After Clement and “Batman”, the remainder of the U.S. field is extremely talented, but lacks experience at the international level. In fact, many of the hurdlers are talented collegiate athletes new to the international scene.

The three factors affecting the success of collegiate runners in the post-NCAA season is how well they react to the big stage, how they handle the enormous pressure, and how many races they have run during the year. Keep in mind that in ’04, Jeremy Wariner won the indoor NCAAs, outdoor NCAAs, USA Outdoor Nationals, and the Olympic Games. So, it is entirely possible to see some blazing competition out of these hurdlers.

This is the second year for Michael Tinsley (48.84) on the pro circuit. The former ’06 NCAA Champion from Jackson State University has ran well this season.

Justin Gaymon(48.53) is new to the elite scene. A junior from the University of Georgia, Gaymon is a hurdler seeking to leap past the competition and make a name for himself.

Is it time for freshmen Johnny Dutch (48.68) to be the next in a long line of superstars from the University of South Carolina hurdlers? Coach Frye has produced Allen Johnson and Terrence Tremmell. Dutch will attempt to launch his career on the international scene with a top three finish at the U.S. Olympic Trials.

This kid is a big time athlete. Robert Griffin (49.23) of Baylor University is a two-sport star who is planning on playing football for the Bears this fall. He has a major asset in Coach Clyde Hart who knows a little something about preparing collegiate athletes for the Olympic Trials.

By Jay Hicks.