On Episode 383 of Airey Bros Radio, we go belly to belly with Coach Ken Harnden, Auburn’s Associate Head Track & Field Coach and a two-time Olympian. With 25 NCAA champions, 170+ All-Americans, and 19 Olympians developed under his guidance, Coach Harnden has helped transform Auburn’s sprints & hurdles group into one of the most dominant forces in collegiate track & field.This one’s for the sprinters, hurdlers, coaches, and parents seeking the right fit — on the track and beyond.

🎙️ Topics include:

• The rise of Ja’Kobe Tharp & Auburn’s back-to-back NCAA 4x1 titles
  
  
• Coaching philosophy: "Be the bus driver, not the ego"
  
  
• Recruiting with integrity in the NIL era
  
  
• The Auburn experience: academics, walkability, culture
  
  
• Training global athletes from Zimbabwe to Nigeria
  
  
• Real estate classes, discipline, and how coffee with 20 sugars keeps Coach powered up
  
  
• Reflections on 24 years in coaching, Olympic dreams, and building championship culture
  
  

📍Originally streamed LIVE on YouTube
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🗒️ Show Notes / Timestamps:

• 0:00 – Intro & Coach Harnden’s Olympic résumé
  
  
• 1:14 – Building Auburn’s sprint/hurdle empire
  
  
• 2:30 – NCAA podium finish + Ja’Kobe Tharp’s rise
  
  
• 4:00 – Diamond League & global athlete development
  
  
• 10:00 – World team prep & NCAA season balance
  
  
• 11:00 – Coach’s Zimbabwe roots & walk-on journey at UNC
  
  
• 17:00 – Recruiting values > just times
  
  
• 24:00 – Relay chemistry, 4x1 mindset, and team competition
  
  
• 27:00 – Reflections on NCAA 4th-place finish
  
  
• 31:00 – Coaching with Leroy Burrell at Auburn
  
  
• 34:00 – Gear, compliance, and running the program
  
  
• 40:00 – Strength training & Coach Tyler Gay’s impact
  
  
• 43:00 – Why Auburn is a hidden gem for student-athletes
  
  
• 48:00 – NIL, roster caps, and shifting college track culture
  
  
• 54:00 – Advice to young coaches: “It’s not about you”
  
  
• 57:00 – Coffee habits: 4 venti pikes a day with 20 sugars

• 1:00:00 – Guilty pleasures: fishing & candy
• 1:04:00 – Zimbabwe reflections, home, and family legacy