You don't have to admit it but you may have some tri geeks as friends, check out this new tri site by Tri Announcer Extraordinaire, Jerry MacNeil. He will keep you up to date on who is moving and shakin on the tri scene this year both locally and nationally.
http://www.minnesotatrinews.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Procrastinators have 6 days left!
May 26, 2009
Grandma's Marathon Registration Closes Monday
Sign Up Online at www.GrandmasMarathon.com
(Duluth, Minn.) Time is running out for runners to sign up for next month’s 33rd annual Grandma's Marathon. Less than a week remains until registration for the nation’s 13th largest marathon closes June 1.
The 26.2-mile race from Two Harbors to Duluth is Saturday, June 20 and has more than 8,200 marathoners registered. Capacity for the 2009 event is 9,500 participants. The online entry form and registration information are available at www.GrandmasMarathon.com.
Last year’s champions, Lamech Mokono and Mary Akor, are both expected to return to defend their titles from a year ago. Akor, the women’s division winner in 2007 and 2008, will be looking to become just the second runner in Grandma’s Marathon history to win the race three times.
Registration is closed for the two other races held during Grandma's Marathon weekend — the 19th annual Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon and the 16th annual William A. Irvin 5K. The Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon is Saturday, June 20 at 6:30 a.m. and the William A. Irvin 5K is Friday, June 19 at 6 p.m.
In all, more than 16,000 runners and 50,000 race fans from around the world will participate in the 33rd annual Grandma's Marathon weekend, which is presented by Target, Toyota and Wells Fargo Bank Duluth. Grandma’s Marathon weekend kicks off with the SMDC Health System Health and Fitness Expo Thursday, June 18 from 5 p.m. – 9 p.m. at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center (DECC).
For more information on any of Grandma's Marathon’s races or events, visit www.GrandmasMarathon.com or call (218) 727-0947.
Grandma's Marathon Registration Closes Monday
Sign Up Online at www.GrandmasMarathon.com
(Duluth, Minn.) Time is running out for runners to sign up for next month’s 33rd annual Grandma's Marathon. Less than a week remains until registration for the nation’s 13th largest marathon closes June 1.
The 26.2-mile race from Two Harbors to Duluth is Saturday, June 20 and has more than 8,200 marathoners registered. Capacity for the 2009 event is 9,500 participants. The online entry form and registration information are available at www.GrandmasMarathon.com.
Last year’s champions, Lamech Mokono and Mary Akor, are both expected to return to defend their titles from a year ago. Akor, the women’s division winner in 2007 and 2008, will be looking to become just the second runner in Grandma’s Marathon history to win the race three times.
Registration is closed for the two other races held during Grandma's Marathon weekend — the 19th annual Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon and the 16th annual William A. Irvin 5K. The Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon is Saturday, June 20 at 6:30 a.m. and the William A. Irvin 5K is Friday, June 19 at 6 p.m.
In all, more than 16,000 runners and 50,000 race fans from around the world will participate in the 33rd annual Grandma's Marathon weekend, which is presented by Target, Toyota and Wells Fargo Bank Duluth. Grandma’s Marathon weekend kicks off with the SMDC Health System Health and Fitness Expo Thursday, June 18 from 5 p.m. – 9 p.m. at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center (DECC).
For more information on any of Grandma's Marathon’s races or events, visit www.GrandmasMarathon.com or call (218) 727-0947.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Running Streaks
Check out what MDRA Grand Prix founder and still current scorer Hal Gensler has been up to for oh say the last 19+ years.....
7,000, 9,000, 11,000 days in a row - runners won't quit
by Connie Midey - May. 14, 2009 12:00 AM
The Arizona Republic
For anyone unable to muster the energy or time to jog an occasional mile, what some runners do is unfathomable.
Craig Davidson, 55, of Phoenix, has run every single day since Nov. 5, 1978. That's 11,149 days in a row, as of today, of rising at dawn, lacing up his running shoes and hitting the streets.
Hal Gensler, 62, of New River, hasn't skipped a day since Dec. 4, 1989, a total of 7,102 days.
And Robert Bartz, 74, of Phoenix, racked up 9,246 consecutive days before an injury told him it was time to slow down. He ended his streak with a run on his 70th birthday.
"It was really hard to stop," he said. "I took the attitude that you brush your teeth every day, and you need to move every day."
They are among an elite national group known for one thing: running every day regardless of bad weather, injury, illness or any number of life's obstacles that can trip up the most dedicated enthusiast.
Mark Covert, a 58-year-old teacher and coach in Lancaster, Calif., may lead the pack of these resolute runners. He holds the longest registered streak, starting July 23, 1968. Unless something stands in his way, he'll reach 41 years, or 14,975 days, on July 22.
But streak runners let nothing stand in their way. Not a broken kneecap nor 119-degree temperatures nor the imminent birth of a child.
And when something finally does, "they're devastated," Gensler said. He has talked with a few of them, and he hopes to avoid their ranks until his streak hits 25 years. That's more than five years away, a realistic goal, given his current good health.
His and the other men's perseverance - and this until lately has been largely a male preoccupation - has earned them membership in the U.S. Running Streak Association. (The gender imbalance may be due to a previous lack of competitive distance-running events for women, women's predisposition to knee- and hip-overuse injuries and their worries about running alone, the group's founders and fitness experts say.)
Joining the USRSA registry (runeveryday.com), which is operated on the honor system, is like publicly declaring a New Year's resolution: This is what I promise to do, come blizzards, cross-continental flights or repetitive-trauma injuries.
Members must run at least one continuous mile each calendar day under their own power, the only exception being for runners with prosthetic legs, said association president John Strumsky.
But for certain members, a 1-mile run is barely squeaking by, something you do only when an ambulance is waiting to take you to the emergency room.
Strumsky, 69, wasn't satisfied with just one streak. For more than 15 years, he ran a minimum of 1 mile twice a day. He also ran in at least one race a month for 22 years.
"I'm a little bit hard-core," he said from his home in the Baltimore area.
One stormy day this winter, ice glazed the street where he usually runs, so he dressed in layers and headed to a nearby soccer field. There, he knew, his feet would crush through the ice to the dead grass underneath, giving him at least minimal traction for his run.
The end of his running streak occurred Feb. 9, after 9,395 days, or 25 years and 263 days.
Davidson, who works at Runner's Den in Phoenix, averages 12 to 13 miles a day. He can count fewer than five times, which he dismisses as "soft" streak days, when he ran the minimum.
"Running with a torn hip flexor was the toughest," he said.
The broken kneecap and the suspected burst appendix presented challenges nearly as daunting. But the day his wife, Irene, was in labor with their daughter might only have made Davidson run a bit faster.
Gensler averages 7 miles a day, cutting back during tax time - he's a certified public accountant - and taking the miles a little more slowly than when he started his streak.
Running when you're sick or injured "is not any fun," Gensler said, "but I don't get sick very often. And if I get an injury, I just run through it."
A windy, 25-degrees-below-zero day in Minnesota didn't deter him. Nor did a 119-degree day in Phoenix. But an unexpected snowstorm in Happy Jack, where he and his wife, Janet, used to have a cabin, came close.
On that day, Gensler decided running a mile's worth of circles in the unfurnished, 12- by 15-foot basement of the cabin would have to do. He duly logged it in that year's record book, one of a collection that tracks his every mile, including track workouts and races.
He knows it all sounds crazy. But Larry Woodruff, an exercise and wellness faculty member at Arizona State University's Polytechnic campus in Mesa, gets it.
"I'm a bit obsessive myself," he said. "If I don't do some kind of physical activity every day, I don't feel quite right."
While managing fitness centers years ago, Woodruff saw how daily exercise improves people's brain waves, reducing the potentially harmful epinephrine secreted under stress and increasing the feel-good endorphins. For distance runners especially, exercise becomes addictive.
Besides, he said, solid research indicates that one of the most effective ways to develop and maintain a good habit is to turn it into a ritual, and that's what streak runners are doing.
"Running every day is something you just do, period," Woodruff said. "You don't think about it. You just do it."
He stays fit, however, in a way he considers safer: varying his activities. His main cardio-respiratory exercise is bicycling, which is easier on the joints and less likely to cause micro-tears in the connective tissue than running every day. The USRSA encourages participants to ease into a running streak.
But lest anyone think all this is too much pain for the gain, streak runners say their rewards go far beyond the health benefits that may have motivated them in the beginning.
The desert surrounding his New River home is a Siren luring Gensler outdoors every day.
"I like to run where there aren't a lot of people around, so I can think about different things and take it easy," he said. "It's relaxing, most of the time."
Bartz, who traveled as vice president of marketing for General Foods, Nabisco and Nestle, saw sights and experienced moments he won't forget during runs at home and in about 55 other countries, on all seven continents, before ending his streak.
"It's like living on a different plane," he said. "I would love to get back to it."
Reach the reporter at connie.midey@arizonarepublic.com
or 602-444-8120.
7,000, 9,000, 11,000 days in a row - runners won't quit
by Connie Midey - May. 14, 2009 12:00 AM
The Arizona Republic
For anyone unable to muster the energy or time to jog an occasional mile, what some runners do is unfathomable.
Craig Davidson, 55, of Phoenix, has run every single day since Nov. 5, 1978. That's 11,149 days in a row, as of today, of rising at dawn, lacing up his running shoes and hitting the streets.
Hal Gensler, 62, of New River, hasn't skipped a day since Dec. 4, 1989, a total of 7,102 days.
And Robert Bartz, 74, of Phoenix, racked up 9,246 consecutive days before an injury told him it was time to slow down. He ended his streak with a run on his 70th birthday.
"It was really hard to stop," he said. "I took the attitude that you brush your teeth every day, and you need to move every day."
They are among an elite national group known for one thing: running every day regardless of bad weather, injury, illness or any number of life's obstacles that can trip up the most dedicated enthusiast.
Mark Covert, a 58-year-old teacher and coach in Lancaster, Calif., may lead the pack of these resolute runners. He holds the longest registered streak, starting July 23, 1968. Unless something stands in his way, he'll reach 41 years, or 14,975 days, on July 22.
But streak runners let nothing stand in their way. Not a broken kneecap nor 119-degree temperatures nor the imminent birth of a child.
And when something finally does, "they're devastated," Gensler said. He has talked with a few of them, and he hopes to avoid their ranks until his streak hits 25 years. That's more than five years away, a realistic goal, given his current good health.
His and the other men's perseverance - and this until lately has been largely a male preoccupation - has earned them membership in the U.S. Running Streak Association. (The gender imbalance may be due to a previous lack of competitive distance-running events for women, women's predisposition to knee- and hip-overuse injuries and their worries about running alone, the group's founders and fitness experts say.)
Joining the USRSA registry (runeveryday.com), which is operated on the honor system, is like publicly declaring a New Year's resolution: This is what I promise to do, come blizzards, cross-continental flights or repetitive-trauma injuries.
Members must run at least one continuous mile each calendar day under their own power, the only exception being for runners with prosthetic legs, said association president John Strumsky.
But for certain members, a 1-mile run is barely squeaking by, something you do only when an ambulance is waiting to take you to the emergency room.
Strumsky, 69, wasn't satisfied with just one streak. For more than 15 years, he ran a minimum of 1 mile twice a day. He also ran in at least one race a month for 22 years.
"I'm a little bit hard-core," he said from his home in the Baltimore area.
One stormy day this winter, ice glazed the street where he usually runs, so he dressed in layers and headed to a nearby soccer field. There, he knew, his feet would crush through the ice to the dead grass underneath, giving him at least minimal traction for his run.
The end of his running streak occurred Feb. 9, after 9,395 days, or 25 years and 263 days.
Davidson, who works at Runner's Den in Phoenix, averages 12 to 13 miles a day. He can count fewer than five times, which he dismisses as "soft" streak days, when he ran the minimum.
"Running with a torn hip flexor was the toughest," he said.
The broken kneecap and the suspected burst appendix presented challenges nearly as daunting. But the day his wife, Irene, was in labor with their daughter might only have made Davidson run a bit faster.
Gensler averages 7 miles a day, cutting back during tax time - he's a certified public accountant - and taking the miles a little more slowly than when he started his streak.
Running when you're sick or injured "is not any fun," Gensler said, "but I don't get sick very often. And if I get an injury, I just run through it."
A windy, 25-degrees-below-zero day in Minnesota didn't deter him. Nor did a 119-degree day in Phoenix. But an unexpected snowstorm in Happy Jack, where he and his wife, Janet, used to have a cabin, came close.
On that day, Gensler decided running a mile's worth of circles in the unfurnished, 12- by 15-foot basement of the cabin would have to do. He duly logged it in that year's record book, one of a collection that tracks his every mile, including track workouts and races.
He knows it all sounds crazy. But Larry Woodruff, an exercise and wellness faculty member at Arizona State University's Polytechnic campus in Mesa, gets it.
"I'm a bit obsessive myself," he said. "If I don't do some kind of physical activity every day, I don't feel quite right."
While managing fitness centers years ago, Woodruff saw how daily exercise improves people's brain waves, reducing the potentially harmful epinephrine secreted under stress and increasing the feel-good endorphins. For distance runners especially, exercise becomes addictive.
Besides, he said, solid research indicates that one of the most effective ways to develop and maintain a good habit is to turn it into a ritual, and that's what streak runners are doing.
"Running every day is something you just do, period," Woodruff said. "You don't think about it. You just do it."
He stays fit, however, in a way he considers safer: varying his activities. His main cardio-respiratory exercise is bicycling, which is easier on the joints and less likely to cause micro-tears in the connective tissue than running every day. The USRSA encourages participants to ease into a running streak.
But lest anyone think all this is too much pain for the gain, streak runners say their rewards go far beyond the health benefits that may have motivated them in the beginning.
The desert surrounding his New River home is a Siren luring Gensler outdoors every day.
"I like to run where there aren't a lot of people around, so I can think about different things and take it easy," he said. "It's relaxing, most of the time."
Bartz, who traveled as vice president of marketing for General Foods, Nabisco and Nestle, saw sights and experienced moments he won't forget during runs at home and in about 55 other countries, on all seven continents, before ending his streak.
"It's like living on a different plane," he said. "I would love to get back to it."
Reach the reporter at connie.midey@arizonarepublic.com
or 602-444-8120.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
USA 1 Mile Road Championship
Story filed by RunMinnesota writer, Patrick O'Regan
On May 7th the USA 1 Mile Road Championship races were held on Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis. The races – women’s, then men’s – took place on a lovely evening, perfect for a short run, and with crowds of full-throated fans lining the Mall. It was a positive thrill to see the elite runners, among the best in the country, charge past, just a notch or two less than full speed, hell-bent for the win and for the times (4:28 and 4:00) that were set for the $10,000 bonus prize.
Preceding the Championship races, some 3,200 citizen runners – many outstanding athletes among them – coming in waves, starting a few minutes apart, swept down the Mall, helped along, like the elite runners to come, by a rolling cacophony of cheering. The citizen-races were fitting preludes to seeing some of the best milers in the country compete. In all, the evening was a memorable event for a fan of the sport.
The afternoon before the races, the runners held a press conference with the local media in the Hyatt Regency Hotel on the Mall near the finish line. Panels of the top women and men runners answered questions and generally made themselves available for interviews. A few words on the press conference, then the races themselves, might be of interest.
The Press Conference
The press conference was well-attended – perhaps 30 people – but the ratio of outstanding runner to spectators and media was about one to three. Seldom will you see so little attention paid to so much talent. In other countries – African countries – these runners could not walk down the street without being waylaid by admirers. Perhaps it’s better. The nicest people in the world can be corrupted by money and fame. The gracious Hall and Rowbury, Rankin and Torrence might become impossible characters.
All the top runners slated for the race were there. Some people in the audience were notable, too. Ryan Hall, the best American marathoner and husband of Sara Hall, one of the elite milers, was there. Ryan was third in the Boston Marathon this year; seventh at the Beijing Olympics, following a terrific run around Central Park in the Olympic Trials. This is a runner way beyond the imagination of a citizen jogger. He looks small, shy and a little scruffy in his blue jeans and baseball hat. He is sloughed in his chair and has a pained expression. Perhaps he’s annoyed because he has to sit still.
I can no longer run one lap of a track, shattering myself with the effort, as fast as Ryan Hall runs 105 of them, without a break. In other words, if I ran the marathon in relays – 105 of me, in turn, giving it all I had – I would still be way behind him when he crossed the finish line. He and the other elite runners in the room leave a citizen runner star-struck.
What must life be like to run as these elite men and women do? Is running just another part of life besides the things that count for much more? Are these runners preoccupied with being among the best in the world at something as fundamental as running? Are they self-involved? It doesn’t seem like it.
Taking the women’s panel first:
Shannon Rowbury (4:20)
Shannon won the 1500 in the Olympic Trials and is currently the highest ranking American woman in the mile and 1500. She placed seventh in the Beijing Games (4:03). She had to be considered the favorite in the race, though, as she pointed out, she hadn’t raced since last fall.
Shannon gets away from running by attending live concerts from time to time, but says that she is prohibited from having much of an active life, apart from running, because of the rigors of the sport. She leaves the impression of someone consumed by running. Many years ago, marathoner Frank Shorter said, “That’s what it takes.”
Sara Hall (4:25, road)
Sara’s goals in running are to make the Olympic Team in 2012 and win a National Track and Field Championship. She might have a marathon in her future. The Twin Cities marathon? she asked herself.
Sara works for her church as a way of getting something besides running into her life. She was recently training with her husband at altitude.
Carrie Tollefson (4:27)
Carrie, a native of Minnesota, made the finals of the 1500 at the Athens Olympiad in 2004. She’s had a raft of injuries, but is getting back to full speed again. Her goal for the race is a fast time – to come away from the race feeling she had run it well.
Having for years been steeped in running, Carrie’s motivated now to have more balance in her life. “We should use all the gifts we have,” she said.
“The race will be over so fast,” she said. “It’s pretty cool. … My wheels are more for the 5 k.”
This brings back memories. I recall standing before the TV watching the women line up for the finals of the 1500 in Athens. Like a lot of fans, I’m sure, my thought was – Why is she running this race? Wouldn’t she have a better shot at a medal in the 5000?
“Okay, ladies, now it’s a 400 m race. Run like mad.” Given that scenario, and knowing that the runners are after medals and not records – so the race will likely be tactical: decided by a mad sprint in the last 300 m – isn’t it likely that the top three in the 400 will probably be in the medals or close? And isn’t it also likely that the last three will not be in the hunt for a medal?
Jim Spivey, the fine American miler, had made the Olympic team in the 1500, but went up to the 5000 before the next Games. “I could no longer run a rested 400 under fifty-two seconds,” he said. He was fourth in the Trials in the 5000.
It’s just a fan’s assessment – and presumptuous.
Emily Brown (4:37)
Emily qualified for the steeplechase in the 2008 Trials. She combines being a professional dietician with running. She uses what she has learned from her career for her training.
Emily’s goal is the U.S. Championship in the 5k.
Now the men’s panel:
David Torrence (3:57)
David is the indoor 3000 m champion this year and the winner of the Puma Mile.
“What’s important to me,” he said, “is staying healthy, recovering, stretching, doing the little things right.” He says he loves to compete, and run against a great field.
Kyle Alcorn (4:00)
Kyle won both the NCAA Indoor 3000 and the NCAA Steeplechase Championships.
“The mile is a great test,” he said. “With this, I’ll see where my conditioning is at. He plans on concentrating on the steeplechase after this, with an eye on the U.S. Outdoor Championships.
Jon Rankin (3:54)
Jon has the fastest time in the mile and 1500 coming into the race. He won the Falmouth Mile Road Race in 3:57.
Jon’s strategy is to go out hard and run the whole race fast.
Jordan Fife (3:59)
Jordan was third in the mile on Nicollet Mall last year. The course has changed, however. Now it is a straight route till a slight curve at the end.
“The slight advantage I had” (from running the course last year), he said, “is largely lost.”
Jon thought the winning time would be sub-four-minutes or close.
Darren Brown (3:58)
Darren won the Boston Road Race Mile earlier this year. In that race, he got away early enough to hold on for the win, taking the last two laps of the roundabout course alone.
Darren broke four minutes last summer. His strategy is to stay relaxed as long as possible.
A question was asked about Olympic 1500 m Champion Rashid Ramzi, who was caught – appar-ently – for drug use during the Games. (The drug allegedly used was Cera, an EPO-like red blood cell enhancer.)
Darren Brown said the situation was sad but not surprising. (Ramzi has long been the subject of suspicion.) His approach would be to legalize the practice, but require the athletes to declare what they are taking.
True enough, this approach would devalue any drug-enhanced performances. But I’m reminded of the two-page photo spread in Outside magazine a couple years back. It showed the cyclists – men of 20, 21 and 22 years old – who had died in recent years. There were ten of them. Leaving aside Marco Pantani, who died of a cocaine overdose but was suspected of using performance enhancing drugs, these young guys died of heart attacks brought on by the use of EPO. Like Ramzi, they were boosting their red cell counts. But their blood became so thick that it could not flow freely through their coronary arteries.
Jon Rankin said it breaks his heart to learn of the cheating in track and field and other sports. “We have God-given gifts,” he said, “and we should use the gifts we were given. … This puts our own efforts down. People think it applies to us, too. It’s not fair.”
On May 7th the USA 1 Mile Road Championship races were held on Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis. The races – women’s, then men’s – took place on a lovely evening, perfect for a short run, and with crowds of full-throated fans lining the Mall. It was a positive thrill to see the elite runners, among the best in the country, charge past, just a notch or two less than full speed, hell-bent for the win and for the times (4:28 and 4:00) that were set for the $10,000 bonus prize.
Preceding the Championship races, some 3,200 citizen runners – many outstanding athletes among them – coming in waves, starting a few minutes apart, swept down the Mall, helped along, like the elite runners to come, by a rolling cacophony of cheering. The citizen-races were fitting preludes to seeing some of the best milers in the country compete. In all, the evening was a memorable event for a fan of the sport.
The afternoon before the races, the runners held a press conference with the local media in the Hyatt Regency Hotel on the Mall near the finish line. Panels of the top women and men runners answered questions and generally made themselves available for interviews. A few words on the press conference, then the races themselves, might be of interest.
The Press Conference
The press conference was well-attended – perhaps 30 people – but the ratio of outstanding runner to spectators and media was about one to three. Seldom will you see so little attention paid to so much talent. In other countries – African countries – these runners could not walk down the street without being waylaid by admirers. Perhaps it’s better. The nicest people in the world can be corrupted by money and fame. The gracious Hall and Rowbury, Rankin and Torrence might become impossible characters.
All the top runners slated for the race were there. Some people in the audience were notable, too. Ryan Hall, the best American marathoner and husband of Sara Hall, one of the elite milers, was there. Ryan was third in the Boston Marathon this year; seventh at the Beijing Olympics, following a terrific run around Central Park in the Olympic Trials. This is a runner way beyond the imagination of a citizen jogger. He looks small, shy and a little scruffy in his blue jeans and baseball hat. He is sloughed in his chair and has a pained expression. Perhaps he’s annoyed because he has to sit still.
I can no longer run one lap of a track, shattering myself with the effort, as fast as Ryan Hall runs 105 of them, without a break. In other words, if I ran the marathon in relays – 105 of me, in turn, giving it all I had – I would still be way behind him when he crossed the finish line. He and the other elite runners in the room leave a citizen runner star-struck.
What must life be like to run as these elite men and women do? Is running just another part of life besides the things that count for much more? Are these runners preoccupied with being among the best in the world at something as fundamental as running? Are they self-involved? It doesn’t seem like it.
Taking the women’s panel first:
Shannon Rowbury (4:20)
Shannon won the 1500 in the Olympic Trials and is currently the highest ranking American woman in the mile and 1500. She placed seventh in the Beijing Games (4:03). She had to be considered the favorite in the race, though, as she pointed out, she hadn’t raced since last fall.
Shannon gets away from running by attending live concerts from time to time, but says that she is prohibited from having much of an active life, apart from running, because of the rigors of the sport. She leaves the impression of someone consumed by running. Many years ago, marathoner Frank Shorter said, “That’s what it takes.”
Sara Hall (4:25, road)
Sara’s goals in running are to make the Olympic Team in 2012 and win a National Track and Field Championship. She might have a marathon in her future. The Twin Cities marathon? she asked herself.
Sara works for her church as a way of getting something besides running into her life. She was recently training with her husband at altitude.
Carrie Tollefson (4:27)
Carrie, a native of Minnesota, made the finals of the 1500 at the Athens Olympiad in 2004. She’s had a raft of injuries, but is getting back to full speed again. Her goal for the race is a fast time – to come away from the race feeling she had run it well.
Having for years been steeped in running, Carrie’s motivated now to have more balance in her life. “We should use all the gifts we have,” she said.
“The race will be over so fast,” she said. “It’s pretty cool. … My wheels are more for the 5 k.”
This brings back memories. I recall standing before the TV watching the women line up for the finals of the 1500 in Athens. Like a lot of fans, I’m sure, my thought was – Why is she running this race? Wouldn’t she have a better shot at a medal in the 5000?
“Okay, ladies, now it’s a 400 m race. Run like mad.” Given that scenario, and knowing that the runners are after medals and not records – so the race will likely be tactical: decided by a mad sprint in the last 300 m – isn’t it likely that the top three in the 400 will probably be in the medals or close? And isn’t it also likely that the last three will not be in the hunt for a medal?
Jim Spivey, the fine American miler, had made the Olympic team in the 1500, but went up to the 5000 before the next Games. “I could no longer run a rested 400 under fifty-two seconds,” he said. He was fourth in the Trials in the 5000.
It’s just a fan’s assessment – and presumptuous.
Emily Brown (4:37)
Emily qualified for the steeplechase in the 2008 Trials. She combines being a professional dietician with running. She uses what she has learned from her career for her training.
Emily’s goal is the U.S. Championship in the 5k.
Now the men’s panel:
David Torrence (3:57)
David is the indoor 3000 m champion this year and the winner of the Puma Mile.
“What’s important to me,” he said, “is staying healthy, recovering, stretching, doing the little things right.” He says he loves to compete, and run against a great field.
Kyle Alcorn (4:00)
Kyle won both the NCAA Indoor 3000 and the NCAA Steeplechase Championships.
“The mile is a great test,” he said. “With this, I’ll see where my conditioning is at. He plans on concentrating on the steeplechase after this, with an eye on the U.S. Outdoor Championships.
Jon Rankin (3:54)
Jon has the fastest time in the mile and 1500 coming into the race. He won the Falmouth Mile Road Race in 3:57.
Jon’s strategy is to go out hard and run the whole race fast.
Jordan Fife (3:59)
Jordan was third in the mile on Nicollet Mall last year. The course has changed, however. Now it is a straight route till a slight curve at the end.
“The slight advantage I had” (from running the course last year), he said, “is largely lost.”
Jon thought the winning time would be sub-four-minutes or close.
Darren Brown (3:58)
Darren won the Boston Road Race Mile earlier this year. In that race, he got away early enough to hold on for the win, taking the last two laps of the roundabout course alone.
Darren broke four minutes last summer. His strategy is to stay relaxed as long as possible.
A question was asked about Olympic 1500 m Champion Rashid Ramzi, who was caught – appar-ently – for drug use during the Games. (The drug allegedly used was Cera, an EPO-like red blood cell enhancer.)
Darren Brown said the situation was sad but not surprising. (Ramzi has long been the subject of suspicion.) His approach would be to legalize the practice, but require the athletes to declare what they are taking.
True enough, this approach would devalue any drug-enhanced performances. But I’m reminded of the two-page photo spread in Outside magazine a couple years back. It showed the cyclists – men of 20, 21 and 22 years old – who had died in recent years. There were ten of them. Leaving aside Marco Pantani, who died of a cocaine overdose but was suspected of using performance enhancing drugs, these young guys died of heart attacks brought on by the use of EPO. Like Ramzi, they were boosting their red cell counts. But their blood became so thick that it could not flow freely through their coronary arteries.
Jon Rankin said it breaks his heart to learn of the cheating in track and field and other sports. “We have God-given gifts,” he said, “and we should use the gifts we were given. … This puts our own efforts down. People think it applies to us, too. It’s not fair.”
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