Mad Len moves to Oregan Track Club

Domer

http://www.flotrack.org/article/12365

Big change to make so close to London. I hope it's the right move! He is undoubtedly one of our best talents.

Does he need to qualify for London, or are last years times sufficient?

TFBubendorfer

Domer wrote: »

http://www.flotrack.org/article/12365

Big change to make so close to London. I hope it's the right move! He is undoubtedly one of our best talents.

Does he need to qualify for London, or are last years times sufficient?

As it says in the article:

He ran a personal best 3:34.46 in Oordegem, Belgium, at the beginning of August --which gave him the Olympic "A" standard.

nerraw1111

He’s no longer mad len either. Changed his twitter name.

BobMac104

I hope he's more comfortable there now

Clearlier

I think that this could be a good move for him. I was surprised that he went to Salazar in the first place. It's all one-off observations rather than a systematic analysis but I wonder if Salazar isn't a 'finisher' of athletes rather than a 'developer'. Didn't Ritzenhein go there, have one great season and get injured? Mo apparently runs nothing slower than 5:40 now. That kind of environment didn't on the face of it seem to me to be a good fit for a guy who had a really long series of injuries followed by one breakthrough season which was founded almost entirely on base work.

I hope that the new set-up suits him well and he gets over the injury soon.

BobMac104

it all seemed a bit too serious for him there. all work and no play atitude dosent seem to suit him. He seems to run best when enjoying himself.

dermCu

Clearlier wrote: »

I think that this could be a good move for him. I was surprised that he went to Salazar in the first place. It's all one-off observations rather than a systematic analysis but I wonder if Salazar isn't a 'finisher' of athletes rather than a 'developer'. Didn't Ritzenhein go there, have one great season and get injured? Mo apparently runs nothing slower than 5:40 now. That kind of environment didn't on the face of it seem to me to be a good fit for a guy who had a really long series of injuries followed by one breakthrough season which was founded almost entirely on base work.

I hope that the new set-up suits him well and he gets over the injury soon.

I think he was being coached by Steve Magness rather than directly by Salazar. I wonder if that was an issue. I always thought he was a strange fit for Salazar's group. To me it looked like Salazar took Len on-board to act as a hare for Rupp and Mo. Did Len come to that realization and decide to do what was best for him?

It looks like a good move.

Lock

Can we all please stop calling him Mad Len, or Len. Even he has dropped that nickname.

If he can get over his achilles soon, Rowland's group will suit him better I think. More milers train in Eugene with guys like Symmonds and Renshaw to hang on to. Farah and Rupp are aerobic machines whereas now he can tag on to guys like Chris Thompson in training which I think would be more manageable. The guy is still only 24 I think.

dermCu

Lock wrote: »

Can we all please stop calling him Mad Len, or Len. Even he has dropped that nickname.
.

Why? He promoted that persona. Has he issued a press release saying he'd now prefer to be known as the runner formerly known as Mad Len?

Lock

dermCu wrote: »

Why? He promoted that persona. Has he issued a press release saying he'd now prefer to be known as the runner formerly known as Mad Len?

Call him what you want, I just think the whole Mad Len with the mullet persona, the man who ran the A standard after drinking beers with his buddies in the bar is a bit old. I'm just being cynical that's all.

He kind of has issued close to press release about his new persona actually. His website is now GoCiaran.com and all his supporters tag #GoCiaran on twitter.

dermCu

I'm old school. What's twitter?

Nah, I'm not having a go. I'm a fan. My point is that in the past he seemed to be happy to go along with that image.
If he wants to change his image that's ok but the media in general and particularly social media are fickle beasts.
When you use them as a tool you do so at your own risk. You cant complain if the general public don't instantly go along with it even if the old image is a clichéd one.

Hopefully this means absolutely nothing to Ciaran/Len/Mad Len/The Bullet with the Mullet and he is just focused on running fast.

asimonov

Lock wrote: »

Call him what you want, I just think the whole Mad Len with the mullet persona, the man who ran the A standard after drinking beers with his buddies in the bar is a bit old. I'm just being cynical that's all.

He kind of has issued close to press release about his new persona actually. His website is now GoCiaran.com and all his supporters tag #GoCiaran on twitter.

Surely you should aim your cynicism at the brand nike #gociaran bull$hit. Actually, we should insist on calling him #madlen just to piss them off - stick it to the man for god sake.

dna_leri

dermCu wrote: »

I'm old school. What's twitter?

Nah, I'm not having a go. I'm a fan. My point is that in the past he seemed to be happy to go along with that image.
If he wants to change his image that's ok but the media in general and particularly social media are fickle beasts.
When you use them as a tool you do so at your own risk. You cant complain if the general public don't instantly go along with it even if the old image is a clichéd one.

Hopefully this means absolutely nothing to Ciaran/Len/Mad Len/The Bullet with the Mullet and he is just focused on running fast.

Actually his current twitter user-name (handle for old-schoolers) is @Gociaran, which is as cliched as you can get. I wonder if he got some PR advice a few months ago and adjusted his image accordingly after he went on a solo-run about internet funding here and on his blog. I suspect this more positive image was more in keeping with the Nike Project profile.

It will be interesting to see if the change in training group has an effect on this. It's hard to see how a change this close to racing season will have much effect on his running performance except maybe that a happier runner is a faster runner. I would have thought that the oregon project was a better place to get all the treatment he would need to recover from injury. Apparently he is due to race again soon, so we will see.

Speculation on other forums is that he moved because he was unhappy about being coached by Magness rather than directly by Salazar or that he was only in the group as a rabbit for Rupp/Farah.

In any case I hope this is the right move and that he is successful as he is the brightest Irish prospect to break-though in a long time and could be a positive influence on the sport and young people's participation in this country.

Lock

dermCu wrote: »

I'm old school. What's twitter?

Nah, I'm not having a go. I'm a fan. My point is that in the past he seemed to be happy to go along with that image.
If he wants to change his image that's ok but the media in general and particularly social media are fickle beasts.
When you use them as a tool you do so at your own risk. You cant complain if the general public don't instantly go along with it even if the old image is a clichéd one.

Hopefully this means absolutely nothing to Ciaran/Len/Mad Len/The Bullet with the Mullet and he is just focused on running fast.

Yeah I completely agree with you there. When he disappeared off the social media circuit the week after his poor run at the World Indoors in March, I was hoping he wouldn't come back to be honest. He's a smart guy though and I can understand trying to market yourself as a young runner with fire in the belly rather than laying low and getting down to training. A solid online profile is good for an athlete so who can blame him I suppose for all this Madlen/GoCiaran stuff.

He knows what he wants. He wanted to change groups and did it. I can't wait to see what he can do in London.

nerraw1111

I think the Irish Times piece stung him a bit. I thought it was a bit harsh, might've unfairly given the perception his approach was unprofessional. I still think he has a great attitude. Got the impression he felt he disappointed his fans.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0310/1224313108951.html

"What is certain is that just three hours before his race Ó Lionáird was about one croissant away from having two croissants too many: I know that because he said it himself on that minefield of information also known as Twitter. Why Ó Lionáird was concerned about his pre-race meal is not the problem (although it was hardly the breakfast of champions); the problem is why he was felt the need to share such information at all."

BobMac104

nerraw1111 wrote: »

I think the Irish Times piece stung him a bit. I thought it was a bit harsh, might've unfairly given the perception his approach was unprofessional. I still think he has a great attitude. Got the impression he felt he disappointed his fans.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0310/1224313108951.html

"What is certain is that just three hours before his race Ó Lionáird was about one croissant away from having two croissants too many: I know that because he said it himself on that minefield of information also known as Twitter. Why Ó Lionáird was concerned about his pre-race meal is not the problem (although it was hardly the breakfast of champions); the problem is why he was felt the need to share such information at all."

I think everyone has their own pre race strategy and if the athlete formerly known as mad len likes to eat croissants and tweet then so be it. He's done well off it up until this point. plus he's only a young fella give him a break.

SeanKenny

Lock wrote: »

When he disappeared off the social media circuit the week after his poor run at the World Indoors in March, I was hoping he wouldn't come back to be honest.

Does anybody else remember him on the Leevale message board as a younster? Collie was his nickname then - back in the days when he was running 3 mins 50 for 1500m as a youth! He wrote some great stuff!

He wrote back then and he still likes the internet stuff. Who really cares though, I just want to see him back racing like a champ through the rounds of a championship like last year. Go Ciaran/Len/Collie/whatever!!!!

thirtyfoot

Usernames aside, moving coach in May is never a good move whether it's schools, nationals, European or Olympic
Level. Having said that, if one man can deliver off a unconditional preparation he can but from a far it's a not a good sign.

dermCu

thirtyfoot wrote: »

Usernames aside, moving coach in May is never a good move whether it's schools, nationals, European or Olympic
Level. Having said that, if one man can deliver off a unconditional preparation he can but from a far it's a not a good sign.

Never? As in never ever never?
All coaches are not created equally. If an athlete is being led down what they feel is a counterproductive path or if they feel their health is being put at risk or if they feel they can greatly improve elsewhere then they are 100% right to change at any time of the year.

Maybe you should take off your coaches hat and look at it from an athletes perspective instead.

thirtyfoot

dermCu wrote: »

Never? As in never ever never?
All coaches are not created equally. If an athlete is being led down what they feel is a counterproductive path or if they feel their health is being put at risk or if they feel they can greatly improve elsewhere then they are 100% right to change at any time of the year.

Maybe you should take off your coaches hat and look at it from an athletes perspective instead.

Most coaches do look at things from an athletes perspective, don't they?

I caveat my fears of the move with the point that he is one who can possibly pull it off.

ecoli

I think 30ft s fear is that the time it will take his body to adapt to the possibility of a dramatic change of approach (Magness and Salazar are very much based around science with alter g treadmills, altitude tent styled apartments etc) that the timing might work against him in the short term

Interesting Russell Brown (one of his new training partners) hit the A standard last night in Doha

woodchopper

ecoli wrote: »

I think 30ft s fear is that the time it will take his body to adapt to the possibility of a dramatic change of approach (Magness and Salazar are very much based around science with alter g treadmills, altitude tent styled apartments etc) that the timing might work against him in the short term

Interesting Russell Brown (one of his new training partners) hit the A standard last night in Doha

I dont think Russell Brown is is training partner, although he is affiliated in the same club. Brown, Wheating and Acosta are coached by Vinny Lan the Oregon college team coach. However, Ciaran's coach Mark Rowland coaches Jordan McNamara a 3.37 guy and winner of the Morton mile last July along with Nick, Ian Dobson a former 5000 Olympian for USA, Chris Thomo from England, an Aussie 1.44 guy and even Sammy Chelenga 27.09 10k guy.

Salazar likes to say he is old school and new school. For example he uses the gadgets but his guys run the miles fast, long tempos, mile reps etc. The underwater threadmill is not a different training philosophy only serves to increase mileage without the pounding. I sure most of Rowlands athletes sleep in altitude tents anyway.

thirstywork2

I don't think he will be running in the Olympics.His achilles is pretty bad.
He has joined anew group as a longterm plan rather than a quick fix for London 2012.

Pisco Sour

thirstywork2 wrote: »

I don't think he will be running in the Olympics.His achilles is pretty bad.
He has joined anew group as a longterm plan rather than a quick fix for London 2012.

Please tell me that just a hunch/ pessimistic guess rather than insider information?

BobMac104

any truth in the above comment?

ecoli

Name scratched from finalized OXY HP meet today. Hopefully this is just due to coaching change or lack of sharpness after injury

rom

04072511 wrote: »

Please tell me that just a hunch/ pessimistic guess rather than insider information?

11th May "Motivated and hungry. Injury isn't fun, but I've come back from worse. And when I'm back, the weakness causing my ailment will be strengthened and I'll be a better athlete because of it. Excited to be working with a great new team in OTC Elite, a dedicated coach and terrific teammates and staff. Watch this space." https://www.facebook.com/GoCiaran

dna_leri

Interesting to see that Steve Magness has also moved on from the Oregon project.

BobMac104

I have been following his twitter over the last few weeks and he seems in good form going into the games. He has a few tune up races coming which will tell a lot.

rom

BobMac104 wrote: »

I have been following his twitter over the last few weeks and he seems in good form going into the games. He has a few tune up races coming which will tell a lot.

You should take a trip up to Cork City Sports (presume he is running) in CIT Tuesday week to see him run. I am on hols

BobMac104

rom wrote: »

BobMac104 wrote: »

I have been following his twitter over the last few weeks and he seems in good form going into the games. He has a few tune up races coming which will tell a lot.

You should take a trip up to Cork City Sports (presume he is running) in CIT Tuesday week to see him run. I am on hols

Will be there