Ralph Lindeman Reports from Osaka
8/20/2007 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
Aug. 20, 2007
Air Force track and field head coach Ralph Lindeman is currently in Osaka, Japan, serving as the Head Manager for the United States' men's track and field team at the 11th-Annual International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) World Outdoor Championships for Athletics. Lindeman took time out of his schedule with Team USA to let Air Force fans know what he has been up to.
SATURDAY, AUG. 18
I arrived in Osaka on Monday (13 Aug), a day ahead of most of our contingent of athletes. The Championships start next Saturday (25 Aug), so we've been holding a 'training camp' at the Osaka University of Health Sciences for our early arrivals (i.e., those who will be competing during the first few days of the Championships).
We're staying in a luxury hotel about 30 miles north of Osaka, and just a 15-minute bus ride from our practice track. The local Japanese have been incredibly hospitable and accommodating of our needs.
We're providing our team with two opportunities a day to train, but since the heat and humidity have been "record-breaking", most choose to train in the evening. Between practices, I shuffle a lot of paper as I work to organize our preparation and logistics. I know a majority of the athletes from my experience serving on the coaching staff of the 2004 Olympic team in Athens, and they are a terrific group of individuals-- most have the character and class I'm used to from our athletes at the Air Force Academy. Almost without exception, the team is in great shape and eager to defend their mantle as "The World's #1 Track & Field team."
On Tuesday, our entire contingent moves to downtown Osaka and the World Championship "village", which is actually a collection of hotels. We'll be sharing a hotel with the Canadians. We're all hoping the accommodations and the food are as good as they are at training camp!
I miss my team and coaching staff at USAFA, and wish I could be there to help in the transition of our two new coaches (John Hayes and Scott Steffan), but Scott Irving has been more than competently managing our program.
