2025 Summer Mileage, July 30, 2025, Week 4, Day 3,a good hour run on Wednesday, and Bill Dellinger was the real coach of Steve Prefontaine
Thursday, July 31, 2025, warm up, 60 minute run with 4 x 5 minutes of hills, cooldown
Some thoughts on Coaching
At the memorial for Bill Dellinger on Wednesday, Rudy Chapa, one of Coach Dellingers athletes (1976-1980) was one of the speakers. Rudy was an NCAA champion at 5,000 meters. It is said that Coach Dellinger consider Rudy Chapa as his most talented athlete that ever coached.!
Rudy Chapa told the assembled crowd that Coach Dellinger was happiest when his former athletes visited him.
A long feature by Scott M. Reid for the Eugene Register Guard gives the reader a wonderful view of the late Bill Dellinger. In the story, Matt Centrowitz, Sr, an athlete coached by Dellinger called Bill just after his son, Matthew Centrowitz, Jr. became the first American to win the Olympic 1,500m since 1908! “That gold is much better than your bronze,” Matt Sr quipped with Bill. Dellinger, tears, in his eyes, so proud of his athlete’s son, continued the joke.
Rudy Chapa, an athlete coached by Dellinger told a story about how he was devestated when he ran a poor 10,000m early in his college career. Matt Centrowitz Sr had run a terrible 1,500m. In both instances, Coach Dellinger gently nudged them both, encouraging them to dust that bad races off and move on, while learning from the experience.
Coaches are so integral to our success. Make sure that you appreciate your coach.
In his sophomore year of track, Steve Prefontaine did not make the state meet. He was embarrassed and upset with himself. That summer, he planned, with his coaches, a ruthless series of training runs over the summer. He not only did mileage, he made himself stronger. He made himself tougher. That fall, Steve Prefontaine was ready for his junior season of high school cross country.
Will. you be ready? Follow our daily training suggestions, and daily athlete stories and you will be ready to race in the fall!
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