by Jeff Benjamin
Craig Engels, Clayton Murphy, Jeff Benjamin, Pete Julian, Donavan Brazier, photo by Jeff Benjamin
RunBlogRun notes: We observed Pete Julian on the side of the Reggie Lewis track after the 2020 NB Indoor GP. I went over to say hello. Pete Julian loves being a track coach, and at the end of the day, his small group of athletes works hard to those big races in the future. I did get a smile out of Pete when I asked if the new club, born out of the ashes of the Nike Oregon Project, would be called “Phil’s Knights”?. Pete Julian gave a genuine laugh, “No, we are considering several names…”
Jeff Benjamin caught up with Pete Julian
Catching Up Quick With NIKE Coach Pete Julian
By Jeff Benjamin
To say that some indoor running performances were astounding so early in this Olympic year is an understatement.
NIKE Coach Pete Julian was just as surprised with some of his charges’ performances as well. But Julian, a former 28 minute 10K runner himself, knows that, regardless how his athletes performed this past indoor season, the eye is on the prize at Tokyo!
” Although we wanted to race this indoor season, as I think it’s important to test the waters a bit in the winter, we still took a low key approach to things,”
said the Coach of Donovan Brazier, Craig Engels and Konstanze Klosterhalfen amongst others.
Donavan Brazier sets AR of 1:44.22 at Millrose, photo by Cortney White
” Donavan surprised me with his National Record at Millrose,” said Julian of Brazier’s mid race surge tactics which led to a time of 1:44.22 at The Armory. “We haven’t really done the sort of work that would have lead me to believe he was in record fitness, but nevertheless, the clock doesn’t lie.”
Konstanze Klosterhalfen, NYRR Wanamaker Mile, photo by Cortney White
The clock certainly didn’t lie for Klosterhalfen who, despite losing to the shocking breakthrough American-Record performance by Ellen Purrier (4:16.85) in the Women’s Millrose Wanamaker Mile, still set a German National Record and personal best time of 4:17.26.
Craig Engels, took third in the 1,500m at USATF Indoors, photo by Cortney White
Add into the mix Engels’ all-out move at the USATF Indoor 1500 Championships where he fell back to third, and it seems that Julian, despite the peaks and valleys of his athletes this indoor season, is still focusing on Eugene and Tokyo in the summer.
“The crew is healthy and we look forward to the Spring,” said Julian.
As for the question about a new name for his club?
“No team name right now,” said Julian. “Just keeping our focus on performing well at our respective Trials.”
