Though it’s an arbitrary beginning, the calendar turn does give structure to what’s ahead.  As 2013 morphed to 2014 a number of significant moves have been witnessed throughout the sport of running and track.

With the success of the Nike Oregon Project and OTC Elite out west, the recent move toward elite team building continues at pace.  It was announced today that 1996 Olympian and Dartmouth women’s cross country coach Mark Coogan has taken a position with New Balance in Boston — joining coach Terrence Mahon in Beantown, who signed on with the Boston Athletic Association late last year to develop an elite group for the venerable purveyors of the Boston Marathon.

Simultaneously, another elite team has been started in Flagstaff, Arizona by Ben Rosario, the young running entrepreneur from St. Louis for whom, it seems, no challenge should go unmet.  The one-time specialty running store owner, Olympic Trials qualifier, track meet founder, cross country championships meet director, and running fan shop developer has, along with wife Jen, gone all-in to create Northern Arizona Elite. (more…)