Craig Pickering

[StarWars]

The drive phase was brilliant but Craig should have been about .04 faster out of the blocks. The reaction time was bad. Definitely fell asleep. But other than that the best race he's ever run.

Craig does look like he's trimmed down a bit. Also, he opted for no sleeves on his spandex. There are trials for a reason, and if Craig keeps it up, he'll get the #2 spot after Chaimbers. Easily on pace for a sub 10. I like what I see.

 

[white lightning]

Thanks StarWars. The drive phase is finally improving but there is better news. The endurance is coming back to finish off races. Ever since the teenage days, the strength has always been pulling away over the last 30-40 meters. Something very few guys do. Or to catch guys from behind like the K.Collins race indoors. The top speed is there. Now if the drive and the finish parts of the race can stay the same, you will see some faster times. Bad luck can only last for so long. Far too much talent to be stuck at 10.14 for two years. A little pissed off but happy to finish 2nd in the big picture. The times have to come soon. Tired of being so far down of the GB Totem Pole. In my opinion, the most consitant sprinter along with S.Williamson and D.Chambers. They also have some help if you know what I meen.

Felt smooth and powerful. Maybe next time Bolt trys to go by, will knock him down with the arm swing!

When the clock strikes 9.98, it will be time to get drunk. Got some old champagne and it's not going to make it until new years. Trust me mate. It's going down!

 

[white lightning]

Coming out of the blocks and hunting for some scalps!

http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/slideshow/photo//090617/ids_photos_sp/r1875153702.jpg/Edited by: white lightning

 

[jaxvid]

Geez, nice race by Pickering!!!! Good things to come from that dude!

 

[ToughJ.Riggins]

Wow this is great news. I firmly believe that Pickering, Lemaitre and Guliyev are all destined to go sub 10. Then Lemaitre and Guliyev will push toward the 9.9 "barrier".

Starwars, thanks for posting that video. With a better reaction time, a better last 10 meters with more of a lean at the finish and 0.1 less wind- this could have already been a sub 10! Great work Craig!

 

[white lightning]

Just do me one favor guys. Don't jump off the bandwagon if the next race isn't as fast. You start with the foundation and work your way from there. Some races will obivously be faster than others and that race had perfect conditions except for the falling asleep in the starters blocks. Just trying to keep people level headed.

It will happen and I belive it won't be until August. Still not at peak condition yet. The funny thing is the speed is pretty damn good at the moment but will be even a little faster by Berlin. The start is still the enemy. The drive phase is back and hopefully will continue to improve. Top speed was gained and maintained very quickly but the sluggish start cost a flat 10.00 second race. It wouldn't have mattered anyway with the wind erasing the results from the record books.

I don't want to start predicting times before every race but I will guess that next weeks time will be a legal new p.b. around 10.10 or so. That is considering mother nature doesn't have a field day. Hoping for the best.

 

[StarWars]

At this point a win is what I hope for every race. He has proven he can run elite times against good competitors, so making the team is what he has to do. Anything under 10.20 and I'll be happy.

 

[white lightning]

One last point about the Bolt Race. There were 4 legal sub 10 runners in the race. Only Bolt did anything as far as I'm concerned. None of the other guys ever closed any ground what so ever. This is with a bad start. There was also another guy from France with a p.b. of 10.06 and he didn't do much. The fact is that this race was a very convincing win over a high quality field of sprinters except Bolt. With a better start it would have been even uglier.

The top speed is equal of better than anyone on the planet except for 3 guys. Bolt, Powell and Gay. Now there are other guys who run way faster 60 times and hold their speed and that is why a guy like Walter Dix or Martina are a bit below 10 seconds. If the start can improve, the times will improve. The speed is already there for a shot at 10 seconds flat but that would be the ultimate tease. Have to go sub 10 to put a stop to a topic that should have ended with Borzov. It can and will be done.

9.98 by Berlin at the latest!

 

[white lightning]

Well we are one day away from tommorows race. Feeling good at the moment and planning on getting some sleep this time. The race against Bolt was on around 2 hours good sleep with alot of jet lag. It still turned out pretty good so let's see what happens tommorow. Sleep is so important in helping your body to perform at it's optimal peak fitness rate. It also helps to recover from the long training sessions which can be brutal both physically and mentally. A couple of teammates will also be competing in the mens 100 tommorow.

It will be a very busy July with IAAF Golden League fixtures in Norway, Italy, Spain, Germany and France still to come. Then there is also the British Nat'l Championships/World Trials on July 10th-12th! The month of July could end up being the most important month of the whole career with non stop meets and so much at stake. The chance to make history while hopefully picking up some new sponsors with the funding cuts that happened this year. It's all about acheiving one goal.

9.98 may just seem like a number to many but to me it is the start of the next level of performance. A barrier that must be taken down! Just hoping for good health and nice weather from here on out. Having a new girlfriend wouldn't hurt either although at the moment, it's better to be in an open relationship/friendship.

I will give you guys the full report later tommorow night. The latest weather report is cloudy skys with a little white lightning!

 

[white lightning]

If you guys don't mind, say a few prayers. Will try to get some video coverage if possible. If not, like usual, someone at youtube will post it I hope.

 

[StarWars]

Good luck, Craig!!!

 

[albinosprint]

lets see a wind legal 10.08 today!

 

[Kali]

a win in 10.32 but with wind -1.7.



http://www.dbresults.net/sitofin/risultati/at/2009/milano25062 00901/at/indexframe.htm

 

[albinosprint]

a win is a win and 10.32 into a 1.7 wind is not bad, about 10.20 without the wind. the win is the important part and its a win over Edgar & Lewis-Francis

1. 4 6 Craig PICKERING 1986 0.177 10.32
2. 6 2 Emanuele DI GREGORIO1980 0.161 10.35
3. 2 8 Christian BRENDAN1983 0.176 10.36
4. 3 4 Simone COLLIO1979 0.184 10.48
5. 5 7 Tyrone EDGAR1982 0.174 10.50
6. 7 3 Obinna Joseph METU1988 0.157 10.51
7. 8 5 Mark LEWIS-FRANCIS1982 0.132 10.53
8. 1 9 Rosario LA MASTRA1984 0.178 10.63

 

[Maple Leaf]

That was an average race.

 

[StarWars]

Solid. He beat two GB sorinters and is reasserting his dominance. He will run individually in Berlin.

 

[white lightning]

Didn't have to go all out. It was an victory with an average time. Why risk anything with nothing on the line? When everyone lined up, it was obvious the wind was very bad. Those races do however show one thing. Incredible strength and endurance. The times will almost always be below par but the wins are what counts at the end of the day. Turn the wind around and it's probably close to a 10.10 - 10.12!

Sorry to the time wasn't up to your standard Maple Leaf. No one can run fast every time. Not even the guys on the juice. Again, why push it. What would it acheive? Only around 6 - 7 weeks until Berlin!

Next race as I told you guys last week will be on June 30th. Maybe the conditions will be better. Keeping my fingers crossed. One last thing. Collio and DeGregario will there but still no Fabio Cerutti. What the hell is he waiting for? No one seems to know. Hope to see him soon. Need some company in the finals in Berlin!Edited by: white lightning

 

[mastermulti]

were they the two Italians who finished behind Chambers in the 60m? If so, good work for Craig.
Conditions were tough... only at majors do they get 10 dead into a 1.7 so he's OK. Another metre/ metre and a half in 6 weeks time would be nice.

BTW what a disappointment Lewis-Francis has been over the years after promising so much as a youth

Craig won and that's really important after he convincingly beat the pack (apart from Bolt) last week. He'll be thinking he's a winner again and nothing beats confidence

 

[white lightning]

DeGregario took the bronze at the Euro Indoors. Cerutti took the silver and he wasn't there. Collio didn't make the finals but he is still a good sprinter. Like mastermulti said, winning is contagious. It is just an attitude and it shows in your body language and in everything that you do. A big part of sprinting is mental. You need that edge. You have to belive that you can win before you step on the track.

Again, the times are nice but the wins are better. Borzov used to say that he only ran fast enough to win. I don't think anyone ever could say he was slow. What an amazing sprinter he was. One of the biggest reasons Valery was so good was his mental edge. He feared no one.

The times will come when the conditions are right. Not too worried about it at the moment. Just want to get through the next month and a half healthy on the road to Berlin.

 

[Maple Leaf]

White lightning: I don't have any standards, but it was just an average race which he has run many times before. It's good to see Pickering win but Guliev's 10.08 is more impressive. If he's not going to get on a prescription plan then he had better retrace his steps and find out exactly why on some days he's faster than others and what buttons he can push in his life's regime to accelerate. If he does not improve his bottom line this year I am seriously wondering if he ever will.

 

[freedom1]

It's nice to see Craig is continuing his non steroidal progression. What's the 10.08 adjust for with the wind, 10.09, 10.10? We know now he's a better than 10.10 sprinter, so it could happen at any time. He needs to keep putting himself in the right situations. He'll at the very least break his pb for sure this season.

 

[white lightning]

It's almost race day. Tommorow should be a good outing. I have another feeling although the short rest might be a factor. Screw it, I'm throwing down the gauntlet. Tommorow will bring a 10.10 if the weather is right! You heard it here first.

 

[StarWars]

With a positive wind he should be around 10.10, and if it's near 2 m/s then there's a chance he could break ten. Good luck, Craig!

 

[Maple Leaf]

He should drink 4 to 6 cups of coffee two hours before the race. That should really wake him up especially for the start.

 

[Guest]

FYI Steve Sailer is researching track and field stats according to his blog entry at v-dare. I thought I would post it here since some might be able to help him with this, or might keep an eye open for his conclusions.