Magdalena Lewy Boulet offers some advice to post-collegiate athletes, plus links...

2008 US Olympic marathon team member Magdalena Lewy Boulet (left/photo by Paul Merca) recently wrote a must-read piece, geared towards new post collegiate track & field athletes contemplating competing as the next move after leaving school.

She writes, "Many runners graduating from college have enough ability to become great runners given the ingredients for success, but so many of our post college runners do not pursue Post College running. Why is that? Is the real issue overcoming the fear of failure? Or is it the fear of the unknown? Many ask themselves, "What if I train full time and do not run any faster?"

She goes on to write, "More years ago than I care to mention, I asked myself the same questions. And like all those entering the real world this month, I decided it was worthwhile to discover the answer. I worked two jobs, went back to grad school, and eventually found that my competitive strength was in the Marathon."

To read the full article, please click here...

Recent University of Washington grad Katie Follett reflects on her years at Montlake in this Flotrack video. Follett, who did not make the finals of the 1500 meters at the USA Championships last week, talks about her disappointing performance at the NCAA championships, and looks to the future.

Follett will stay in Seattle to be guided by UW coach Greg Metcalf, and will have some financial backing to continue competing at the professional level, thanks to a contract that she signed with Bothell-based Brooks Sports.

You can watch the video here:

Track and Field Videos on Flotrack

One set of results we missed from last week was University of Washington freshman James Alaka competing in the Aviva European Trials and UK Championships in Birmingham, England.

Alaka, a NCAA qualifier at 100 and 200 meters for the Dawgs, got second in his first round heat of the 100, running 10.48. In the semis, he was fourth in 10.62.

In the 200, he was third in his semi-final in 21.39, missing a place in the finals by 1/100th of a second.

Results of the Aviva European Trials and UK Championships can be accessed here.

Finally, the Canadian junior championships are being held Friday through Sunday in Moncton, the site of the IAAF World Junior Championships later this month. Washington State freshman Holly Parent from Victoria is among the favorites to make the Canadian junior team and compete in the world championships.

The start list for the Canadian junior nationals are available here...