USA Sprint Training – Jenna Luckenkimber fights for the best new personal performances

At the Gina Lückenkemper training group in Florida, there is a particularly popular day among athletes – Friday. Because on Fridays it gets really painful. This is why they respectfully call it the “day we’re going to die again in the group, because on Fridays these days, let’s affectionately call them,” knockout training days. “

It is intended as a division of 300 meters. Everyone must complete the distance twice – first at 200 and 100 meters – then run 150 meters. Almost everything is at full speed – and very short breaks in between. Lately, it has become especially tough for Lückenkemper in the 150 m races.

“First was a pot full in the headwind. Then I nearly vomited 150 seconds ago – but there was no time to pass because we had to keep running after a minute. After that, it took some time, until I was able to get up.”

Difficult sessions as new experiences

Lückenkemper often lies crying on the road. However, she is happy with every challenging session – because the 24-year-old, who has been in Florida since February, can feel how to make progress.

“These are definitely borderline experiences. I have to honestly say that since I was part of the training group here, I learned to push these boundaries, and above all, I ran into lactate. I used to do it to the same extent and not reliable at all to that extent, I couldn’t “.

The man who challenges them is called Lance Brauman, an American and considered one of the best sprint trainers in the world. In his group there are world and Olympiad champions, such as Noah Lyles and Shawnya Miller-Oybo – and with Lückenkemper for the first time a German. Her second-place finish in the European Championships at home in Berlin 2018 may seem a bit pale compared to the successes of others around her. But Brauman maintains that she is a world-class runner thanks to that silver medal in the European Championships and several rounds in under 11 seconds – and thus more than qualified for his training group.

Bypass prison and suspicion of doping

In the fall of 2007, Proman started his training group. He had just been released from a Texas prison shortly before. Bruman had served there for nine months on charges of fraud. At a college in Kansas, he undermined the strict regulations of American college sports by using some tricks to help students get good grades and thus get scholarships.

That is why he prepared his first superstar, Tyson Jay, out of prison for the 2007 World Cup in Osaka, where the American won the gold medal three times. When Jay was convicted of doping in 2013 and banned for a year, many looked at Lance Broman critically. However, he refused any guilt. Jay said he carelessly trusts someone outside of Proman’s training group.

Lückenkemper’s Next Career Step

Lückenkemper turned to Starcoach in Florida in the fall of 2019. Also, with the support of her longtime coach Ully Kunst, whom she describes as “a very good coach”. Moving to Florida was just her “next career move.”

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The German Athletics Federation wants a high-end training group – in response to the emigration of the high-profile athletes to the United States. Athletic educator Timo Stiller at Dlf demanded that the focus not be on success, but rather on individual development.

“You don’t get such an opportunity every day to join such an elite group here. And I don’t regret in any way that I took this step. This is really something unique here – and I’m really grateful to have had this opportunity at all. You have a little bit of this attitude.” Compete in nearly every training session. That way you can reach your limits much better, you can also motivate and push yourself better – even if it’s not that easy on your day. “

On the way to the summit

Brumann trains less than his German colleagues, but he’s stronger. Lückenkemper talks about an “incredibly smart training structure”. Much emphasis is placed on the stages of recovery. Training with and by the superstars is a motivation and motivation for them. Not only does Lückenkemper want to run, he also wants to keep up. Proman asserts:

“She learns to train against the best in the world every day – this fact leads to good times. I am particularly very satisfied with the past five or six weeks. Jenna is on the right track and she must have enough time to play summer matches to be at her best.”

Lückenkemper will soon be able to show what the three months brought her in Florida – at the German Championships on June 5th and 6th in Braunschweig.