Based on my experience; I would develop fast speed before anything else. Get your young runners so they can run and teach them speed.

My key to victory was that I always went out way too fast. Too fast erases every other race strategy out there. Everyone is hanging on for dear life or they give up.

I started running in Junior High School. I was so slow and uncoordinated the coach set me up with a paper route so that instead of going to work out after school I went to the corner of Providence Ave at Crestline St. and picked up a bundle of 15 newspapers.

I never did cross training or lifted weights or put anything between myself and my passion for running.

When you hit a certain spot you Sprint no matter how you feel inside or what your co-runner thinks. You just go! In training as a nickel, you sprint because you need to sprint! You just do it! In racing people see it and call it courage, but it is attitude; determination; duty.

Humans are a TOUGH animal! We can do anything.

COURAGE is not a quality you teach. Courage is the by-product of self-discipline. It is an ATTITUDE.