The latest issue of Running Times devotes its cover and a sizeable story inside to the distance-running culture created by Wisconsin men's cross country coach Jerry Schumacher.

 The piece is entitled "Riding The Red Line'' and was written by well-known running author Matt Taylor.

 Matt Tegenkamp, a former UW standout and current Olympic hopeful in the 5,000 meters, is on the cover.

 The piece touches on the lives of several ex-Badgers -- specifically Chris Solinsky and Simon Bairu -- in the process of crediting Schumacher with the resurgence of distancing running in the U.S.

 Schumacher is training Tegenkamp, Solinsky and former U.S. Olympian and Stanford product Jonathan Riley in Madison for the Bejing Olympics. Their intent is to take all three spots on Team USA in the 5,000.

 At one point, the story asks this question: "So why is Jerry Schumacher the best coach you've never heard of?''

 To know Schumacher is to know he's not about the attention.

 "I don't like to do interviews,'' he said in the story. "I love coaching, not talking about coaching.''

 The author manages to draw a parallel between Schumacher and Bill Belichick, the acclaimed coach of the New England Patriots, whose gift for creating NFL champions is clouded by an arrogant attitude and an apparent penchant for cheating.

 "Schumacher likes his gratification delayed,'' Taylor wrote. "He's an architect, methodically putting the pieces together, paying special attention to timing, intensity, and frequency. He looks past the horizon. He sets goals about the clouds. He is the Bill Belichick of distancing running (minus Spygate and a league full of enemies).''

 There are a couple other items of interest for local runners in the magazine, including a Q&A with Suzy Favor Hamilton and a scientific look at what makes a running city.