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Flotrack Main en-us Copyright 2006-2010 Flocasts Inc Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:03:10 -0500 /assets/portal/simple30/images/logos/flotrack-logo.gif AVCHD-HD [User Video] http://track.webglia.com/videos/play/100245 Flotrack http://track.webglia.com/videos/play/100245 Thu, 04 Mar 2010 15:51:56 -0500 Mov [User Video] http://track.webglia.com/videos/play/100244 Flotrack http://track.webglia.com/videos/play/100244 Thu, 04 Mar 2010 15:49:28 -0500 Avi [User Video] http://track.webglia.com/videos/play/100243 Flotrack http://track.webglia.com/videos/play/100243 Thu, 04 Mar 2010 15:32:18 -0500 Mov [User Video] http://track.webglia.com/videos/play/100242 Flotrack http://track.webglia.com/videos/play/100242 Thu, 04 Mar 2010 15:15:11 -0500 G 55 F 1A [User Video] http://track.webglia.com/videos/play/100241 Flotrack http://track.webglia.com/videos/play/100241 Thu, 04 Mar 2010 15:14:49 -0500 Ryan Hall On 2008 [Video] http://track.webglia.com/videos/speaker/78-ryan-hall Ryan Hall talks about his 2008 seaon, the highs and lows, running during his free agent year, resigning with Asics and looks ahead to 2009 and Boston. Flotrack http://track.webglia.com/videos/speaker/78-ryan-hall Wed, 16 Dec 2009 04:04:00 -0500 Booo [Photo Album] http://track.webglia.com/photos/album_assoc/157027 Photos from... Flotrack http://track.webglia.com/photos/album_assoc/157027 Tue, 03 Nov 2009 10:26:46 -0500 Madhu And Will Test [Coverage] http://track.webglia.com/videos/coverage/view/234912-madhu-and-will-test Flotrack http://track.webglia.com/videos/coverage/view/234912-madhu-and-will-test Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:56:43 -0500 2008 NCAA Cross Country South Regional [Coverage] http://track.webglia.com/videos/coverage/view/234300-2008-ncaa-cross-country-south-regional 2008 RESULTS 2008 Regional Central 2008 West Regional Coverage 2008 Mountain Regional Coverage 2008 XC Season Coverage 2008 NCAA South Regional Info Women's Course Map Men's Course Map 10:00 a.m. - Women (6K) 10:45 a.m. - Men (10K) 2007 Women's Results 2007 Men's Results Flotrack http://track.webglia.com/videos/coverage/view/234300-2008-ncaa-cross-country-south-regional Wed, 08 Apr 2009 21:27:11 -0500 2008 NCAA Cross Country Mountain Regional [Coverage] http://track.webglia.com/videos/coverage/view/234299-2008-ncaa-cross-country-mountain-regional 2008 RESULTS 2008 Regional Central 2008 South Regional Coverage 2008 West Regional Coverage 2008 XC Season Coverage 2008 NCAA Mountain Region Info Athlete Info/Course Maps Women’s race – 11:00 AM Men’s race – 11:45 AM 2007 Men's Results 2007 Women's Results Flotrack http://track.webglia.com/videos/coverage/view/234299-2008-ncaa-cross-country-mountain-regional Sun, 01 Feb 2009 15:49:48 -0500 Full FLCC Boys Championship (Better Quality) [Video] http://track.webglia.com/videos/speaker/1681-solomon-haile Flotrack http://track.webglia.com/videos/speaker/1681-solomon-haile Mon, 15 Dec 2008 01:00:00 -0500 Boys Footlocker 5k Finish [Video] http://track.webglia.com/videos/speaker/1681-solomon-haile Flotrack http://track.webglia.com/videos/speaker/1681-solomon-haile Sun, 14 Dec 2008 23:43:00 -0500 Girls Footlocker 5k Finish [Video] http://track.webglia.com/videos/speaker/581-jordan-hasay Flotrack http://track.webglia.com/videos/speaker/581-jordan-hasay Sun, 14 Dec 2008 23:32:00 -0500 Jordan Hasay 1st [Video] http://track.webglia.com/videos/speaker/581-jordan-hasay Flotrack http://track.webglia.com/videos/speaker/581-jordan-hasay Sat, 13 Dec 2008 15:26:00 -0500 2008 New England High School Cross Country Championships [Coverage] http://track.webglia.com/videos/coverage/view/234284-2008-new-england-high-school-cross-country-championships Boy's Results Girl's Results Flotrack http://track.webglia.com/videos/coverage/view/234284-2008-new-england-high-school-cross-country-championships Sun, 09 Nov 2008 06:23:03 -0500 A New York Minute (Or 138 Minutes- Almost 139) By Luke Humphrey [Blog Entry] http://track.webglia.com/blogs/blogger/Luke Humphrey/4603-a-new-york-minute-or-138-minutes-almost-139 I haven't blogged in a long time, letting my repsonsibilites lag. But, I haven't had a whole lot to talk about. In any case, I was a partcipant in the NYC marathon this past weekend and this is a condensed version of 2:18:38 of a hard run. ING NYC Marathon This year was my first real marathon in over two years, and what blew me away is how interested people were in this race. As many know, I was barely able to walk going into the 2007 Olympic Trials and the only reason I went was, well, it was the Olympic Trials. Upon my return to Michigan from the ING NYC Marathon, I was bombarded with congratulatory emails and requests for details of how it went. And, when Peggy asked me to share, I could only be happy to oblige. Hopefully, this story is interesting, but more importantly educational in the fact that elite athletes go through the same feelings as every other runner out there. Coming into this race, I was ready, no doubt about it. My fitness was the best it had ever been and I thought there was no way I would walk away without a personal best. On Sunday, November 2, 2008, I toed the line with some of the greatest marathoners ever. True, some are in the twilight of their careers, but they are still legends. They are still the best. The weather was cool, almost cold, sunny, and breezy. Of course, the wind was in our face for most of the race. However, I was calm and ready. I couldn’t believe that I wasn’t nervous. We blasted off to the ringing of cannon fire, but quickly fell into a very pedestrian pace. Granted, we were running up the side of the Verrenzano Bridge, but when we came through the first mile in 5:55 (goal pace was 5:03), we were a touch slow. The second mile was down the bridge and we came through two miles in 10:53. From there, a decent sized group took off and I ran the next mile in 4:59, but alone. The fourth mile was a repeat of the third, and by 20 minutes of racing, in a race of 40,000 people, I was alone in every sense of the word. This ended up being my race mistake. I had a choice to make, and I chose the wrong one. Instead of staying with the lead group, I chose to back off. Now, if I would have stayed in the group, I would have realized that everybody had settled down within the next couple miles and I would have been in the race that I wanted. Instead, I panicked and thought they were way too fast. So, from 4 miles to 26, I was left to fend for myself. It was hard because even by 10 miles I felt like I was running too hard. Maybe if I would have stuck with that second group, things would have felt a little easier. We'll never know and it's hard to speculate. I ground it out the best I could. With the wind in my face and no shelter, I just ran. At halfway, I was 1:07:32 and nobody in front or back. Listening to the crowd cheering, there were only cheers when I went by. I didn’t hear anything from people behind me and heard nothing in front of me. At 25k I saw my last mile split and it repulsed me, so I stopped looking at my watch and thought- just focus on people. I saw a small figure at about 17 miles, way off in the distance. That was my goal. I caught them within a mile. At 19 miles, I saw Kevin, who told me the next guy was Jim Carney. Again, I caught him within the next few minutes. This process repeated itself a couple more times as I weaved through the Bronx and back into Manhattan. When I hit 23 miles, my thoughts couldn’t keep me together any longer. I was too tired to be tough. I just wanted it to be over. I thought about retiring from running, getting a full time job, moving away, maybe just disappearing to the Montana countryside. Amazingly, I was still passing people. At 40k, I passed Hendrick Ramalla. When I did, I thought, “Oh no, I made a move to fast! He’s going to outkick me.” I laugh now at the thought of two turtles battling it out down the finish stretch. Could you imagine how painful that would have been to see? Making my left hand turn into the park, I saw it -the giant finish banner that would finally bring me peace. I tried to resemble a runner as I made my way home, but at that point, you have no pride. Your only thought is survival and luckily I did. Crossing the line met me face to face with Mary Wittenberg, the President of NYRR and race director. She gave me a hug and said, “Fantastic job, Luke! I think you were 10th (actually 11th). It was a tough day today.” I think I grunted my approval and my man Sam G. pulled me out of the finish area so I could get some dry clothes on. So, in the end, it was no grand re entrance onto the world marathon stage. On the other hand- I was 11th in the biggest marathon in the world. You can’t exactly complain about that. Behind were faster guys. Some Olympians had enough and dropped out. I guess that makes me feel better. It is hard though, because you train so hard to not have things go perfectly. But, what I did learn was that you control your destiny. If you want to do great things, then it is up to you to put yourself in position. It’s not just the training, but executing everything down to the smallest details, having faith, and just letting go of outside perceptions. So, another learning experience. At 27 I sometimes feel like I am over the hill, when in reality, I am a young marathoner with 6 marathons under my belt - 4 being under 2:19 and 2 being 2:15. I haven't nailed it yet, but I guess that's why we keep trying. Luke Humphrey http://track.webglia.com/blogs/blogger/Luke Humphrey/4603-a-new-york-minute-or-138-minutes-almost-139 Thu, 06 Nov 2008 12:13:00 -0500 2008 NCAA Cross Country West Regionals [Coverage] http://track.webglia.com/videos/coverage/view/234241-2008-ncaa-cross-country-west-regionals Men's Race Photo Gallery Women's Race Photo Gallery Ind. & Team Awards Gallery 2008 RESULTS 2008 Regional Central 2008 South Regional Coverage 2008 Mountain Regional Coverage 2008 XC Season Coverage 2008 Official Meet Website Men's 10k Course Map Women's 6k Course Map Women's Race - 11:00AM Men's Race - 12:00PM 2007 Men's Results 2007 Women's Results Flotrack http://track.webglia.com/videos/coverage/view/234241-2008-ncaa-cross-country-west-regionals Sun, 02 Nov 2008 21:34:15 -0500 3 Weeks 300 Miles By Scott Bauhs [Blog Entry] http://track.webglia.com/blogs/blogger/Scott Bauhs/4498-3-weeks-300-miles I am nearing the end of the biggest training block of the season and I feel great. Two weeks ago I ran my first 100 mile week of the year. I structured it like this: Week 1: 5 am, 10 pm Monday; 15 pm Tuesday(3 mile warm up, 10 mile tempo, 2 mile cool down); 5 am, 10 pm Wednesday; 12 pm Thursday; 6 am, 12 pm Friday (workout); 10 am Saturday; 15 am Sunday Week 2: 12 am, 6 pm Monday; 5 am, 10 pm Tuesday (workout); 6 am, 10 pm Wednesday; 6 am, 6 pm Thursday(travel), 8 am Friday; 13 am Saturday (4 mile warm up, 5 mile race, 4 mile cool down); 18 am sunday Week 3: 6 am, 10 pm Monday; 4 am, 10 pm Tuesday (workout); 6 am, 12 pm Wednesday; and presumably 12 pm today; 4 am, 10 pm tomorrow; 10 am Saturday; 16 am Sunday My legs are responding very well to this volume and hopefully with a taper and some good workouts I will be as ready as ever to run at the NCAA championships. The Chico teams did amazing at conference as we dominated both the men's and women's races. Hopefully we can sweep the regional meet next weekend and be ready to kill the nationals in Slippery Rock. Scott Bauhs http://track.webglia.com/blogs/blogger/Scott Bauhs/4498-3-weeks-300-miles Thu, 30 Oct 2008 12:17:00 -0500 Respect By [Blog Entry] http://track.webglia.com/blogs/blogger/ /4489-respect <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> </xml><![endif]--> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> So I’m sitting at home doing what I normally do which is tour the running websites. I watched the NYC video’s on the American press conference here on flotrack. Now to be totally honest I am a pretty cocky guy. I think its part of getting good you have to believe you can do it or it will never happen. But anyway they had a press conference for the Americans and I was bothered that two of the athletes they highlighted were guys who finished behind me at the trials and who had slower PB in the marathon then me. Now don’t get me wrong, Carney and Rohatinsky are better then me and having better years then me, but still it stung a little. Not so much that I had a problem with the NYRR decision to put them in the press conference. What it did upset me about is how I have not followed up my run at the trials with the type of running I needed to do to prove myself. So where did I go wrong? First I failed, absolutely failed, to fix my hip/hammy problem. Then I let myself get anemic. I also got caught behind the eight ball, planning races on the assumption that I would fix the hip/hammy and not planning based on my actual situation. Also I didn’t expect results quick enough and I need to be trying more different types of treatment until I get this thing under wraps. Still I can’t feel like I slighted myself I ran a great race last November despite some set backs and the same hip/hammy problem I’m fighting right now, but I didn’t back it up well. I ran a lot of races but really I only ran two decent races, both in September, and two ok races. That is out of 12 races for the year, and some of those were just horrible. I had two DNF’s and three races in July that were just embarrassing. By running like this I end up sitting at home watching Flotrack instead of being on it. So moving forward how do I fix this? First we start on Sunday, where I need to run well in spite of my hip/hammy. It is probably going to slow me but frankly my fitness is in the kind of place where I should still be able to run pretty well, like at the trials last fall. Second I need to fix the hip/hammy I honestly believe that if I can move past it I am only a few weeks from a 2:10 or better marathon. Third I need to train for and race in races that won’t bother the hip/hammy until I get it fixed, so I’ll focus on indoor track first. When I get the hip/hammy on the run I need to do training that will bother it less and allow me to get race ready without getting it re-aggravated. I have found those workouts and I will be ready for my next race. I am focused and confident that I will in the next year fix my hip/hammy and keep it fixed long enough to properly prepare for a marathon where I can show that I am an American marathoner worthy and demanding of the public attention and respect. http://track.webglia.com/blogs/blogger/ /4489-respect Wed, 29 Oct 2008 19:11:00 -0500 I Love NYC By Magdalena Lewy [Blog Entry] http://track.webglia.com/blogs/blogger/Magdalena Lewy/4488-i-love-nyc I LOVE New York City This weekend I will have another chance to compete at the ING New York City Marathon. If you have never witnessed this race, all I can say is that I hope one day you will have the privilege to run the race or be one of those badass spectators. The ING NYC Marathon is the place to race in the fall. I will give you 3 reasons why I strongly believe that: 1. The New Yorker Road Runners Club puts on the most professional event in the world. The support and care they provide to the athletes is beyond what I have experienced even at the Olympics. If any organization has the experience and understanding of performance at the highest level, it would be the New York Road Runners. 2. Then there are the most passionate and loudest spectators who love this even and stand by you from the start to the end and finishing in Central Park in spectacular. 3. Only the best marathoners travel from all over the world to grasp the opportunity to compete in this race because this is the most challenging race in the world and you want a shot at performing your best here on the streets of NYC. After a 10 hour journey from the bay are to NY, I made it to NY safe. The weather was rough and the ride was very bumpy and I don’t get scared very often. This is why I usually arrive in NYC 3-4 days prior to the race to acclimate to the time change and allow recovery from traveling. On Thursday I will attend a school function and do a Q&A with young kids, which will be a lot of fun for me. On Friday, I will attend the marathon expo with the Saucony crew, sign posters and talking to runners about our final hours of preparation for the race. I will then rush to my hotel room and glue myself to my computer and my cell phone to get updates on the Pac 10 XC Championships. I will be cheering for the CAL Bears as they toe the line and compete in Oregon. The cross-country season is coming to an end and the best is yet to come for the Bears. As a full time coach, a mom and a marathoner who trains on average 120 miles per week, I find the final days of marathon preparation a treat. There is very little running going on, lots of rest, massage, stretching and visualizing the best race scenario. Because of my delayed start in marathon training caused by knee accident in Beijing, I had to approach training a little differently. I was very fit going into Olympics, went through a taper before the Olympic marathon, but did not finish the race, took a couple of weeks off and had to start up again 7 weeks from the NYC marathon. I went through ups and downs at first and finally 3 weeks ago I started to feel strong in my workouts and confident in my training. I am excited to get back out and compete against the best marathoners in the world. Many athletes ask me what I do the day before the race in regards to training and nutrition. I always go for a 30 min morning run, stretch out and light massage. I take a nap and attend the technical meeting for the elite athletes where all the rules of the game are presented to us. I sip on GU2O through out the day to get my fluids in and electrolytes. I eat small snacks frequently and rest. Then the fun part comes; I get to fill up my water bottles with Tango-Mango GU2O and duck tape my GU Energy Gel to some of the bottles and I turn the bottles in before I head out for an early pasta dinner with my husband. I love relaxing the night before with Riche, as he is the most supportive person in my life. He takes all the stress away from my shoulders and keeps me positive and relaxed…just the way I like to feel before races. Best of Luck to the Golden Bears at Pac 10s this Friday and a former bear Bolota Asmerom at the ING NY marathon debut! Go Bears, Chewy Magdalena Lewy http://track.webglia.com/blogs/blogger/Magdalena Lewy/4488-i-love-nyc Wed, 29 Oct 2008 16:16:00 -0500 12 Days To Go By Mark Flotrackr [Blog Entry] http://track.webglia.com/blogs/blogger/Mark Flotrackr/4401-12-days-to-go There are 12 days until I run the ING NYC Marathon and I am excited to see what I can do. I have been training since Sept 1st and I think things have gone pretty well. When I threw the idea out of running a marathon in Beijing Terrence Mahon, Ryan Hall and Deena Kastor's coach, said that I did not have the patience for it. I think he might have been trying to push my buttons but in reality it has been hard to stay focused. 25 mins into my first run when my legs started to hurt, my stomach began to wrench, my shoulders tighten and my mind questioned my sanity and if Terrence was right. I knew that if I did not make it public I would not run the marathon, so I went home and wrote a blog. Now we are 12 days out and training has gone pretty well, I still have no idea what kind of shape i'm in and what kind of time I am capable of but everyone is telling me to go out slow......... I don't know if that is my style. Everyone talks about this "wall" but what fun is it to be scared? Then I start to wonder what kind of patience Terrence was talking about......Was it in training or on race day? That being said I have to be a lil smart bc I will have to do interviews after I finish the race and I can not be in the medical tent, bc I dont think Kara, the Black Cactus or Kim Smith will come to me after the race. I am excited to see what I can do with a couple weeks of training after a 2 year hiatus from running but I am also excited about the NYC marathon and the field they put together. Both the Men's and Women's races are going to be a lot of fun. The NYRR do a great job of promoting the sport and Mary and the gang did it again this year and are giving you a chance to win a car! When Abdi and I met Mary Whittenberg from the NYRR on the top of the Great Wall she was so amped about the marathon and making it fun for everyone. Mary was bouncing ideas off all of us on the way home from the wall an her goal was to get people excited about the elite field and she had two Toyota's to make things interesting and interesting she made it. The result of the ride from the Great Wall to Beijing was www.pickandrive.com. www.pickandrive.com is the contest of all contests, if you pick the top three places in the men's race or the top three in the women's race in NY you have a chance to win a New Toyota Prius! I am super excited bc Flotrack was a part of the process and helped with the website. Check out the website Here and come back next week for a chance to win some Flotrack gear........... which is almost as good as a Toyota right? Cheers, Mark P.S. If you care about my training check it out here Mark Flotrackr http://track.webglia.com/blogs/blogger/Mark Flotrackr/4401-12-days-to-go Wed, 22 Oct 2008 07:07:00 -0500 On John Little And Olympic Marathon Qualification Standards By Christopher Kelsall [Article] http://track.webglia.com/articles/view/409-on-john-little-and-olympic-marathon-qualification-standards Is American marathon runner John Little of Flagstaff, Arizona completely off his rocker? Is he delusional and possibly suffering from a bout of post marathon illusory psychosis? He just may be! He also may be fully and completely correct with his assertion that Canadian Olympic marathon standards are set too high by the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) and Athletics Canada (AC). Of course John has nothing to lose by saying so when he talks to the Canadian press about his feelings on the subject.John Little, in not so many words, told the press that he was speaking on behalf of some of his Canadian comrades who he trains with down in Flagstaff. He said this after he finished the ING Ottawa Marathon, Sunday May 25th.Regardless, Little indicated that Giitah Macharia’s ING Ottawa Marathon time of 2:16:55 last week and Matthew McInnis’ 2:16:59 are good enough to represent Canada in the Beijing Olympics.Little went on to say, "If you were American or Finnish or Norwegian, he Macharia would go, but the Canadian federation is more interested in making sure that 50 officials go and 50 coaches go. They've achieved international Olympic standards, but Canada won't send them to the Olympics. It's not about sending officials, but they would rather send no one than send someone at 2:16, which is complete hogwash! He called the men's qualifying 'A' standard of 2:12:38 'ridiculous'.Let’s clear up one small matter. A runner with the time of 2:16:55 could in theory make the American team for Beijing, if he actually won the US Olympic Trials while no other American had managed the A standard during the qualification period. But that scenario didn’t play out, did it?For those of you who reside under the proverbial rock, Ryan Hall won the trials in a decisive manner, finishing with a time of 2:09:02. Ritzenheim and Sell were roughly 2 minutes behind, therefore eliminating any need for a 2:16 marathon runner to represent the US in the Beijing Olympics. Canada is getting stronger, but does not benefit from the luxury of having 3 sub 2:12 marathon runners, just yet.Here is where John’s rocker careens out of control on him. He went on to say, "2:15 to 2:18 will win in Beijing."As much as I agree that anything can happen in an Olympic marathon, including defrocked priests vigorously tackling athletes, the idea that a 2:15 to 2:18 marathon runner will win Beijing is just crazy talk. A sub 2:08 runner may win Beijing with a finishing time of 2:15 to 2:18 because of severe weather or severe priests. However, a 2:18 marathon runner is unlikely to run 2:18 or better in dire conditions, but yes anything can happen.Regardless, there goes the credibility factor, too bad, because it was making for such good fodder in the rounds of the general news media.Did anyone out there notice that Tara Quinn-Smith, not going to Beijing is a bigger crime than any of the aforementioned men? Tara finished fourth in her marathon debut, with a time of 2:33:58. Her race should be all over the greater media. Ok I started it here first, open the floodgates.Quinn-Smith beat the women's international 'A' standard of 2:37:00 by more than three minutes and the B standard of 2:42 by more than eight during her marathon. However, she did not meet Athletics Canada's tougher A and B women's standards of 2:27:35 and 2:31:00 respectively.Men’s standards:A+ 2:11:31A   2:12:38B   2:14:00Women’s standards:A+ 2:27:35A   2:29:08B   2:31:00Marathon:Qualifying Period - Sept. 1, 2006 to May 25, 2008. Athletes must achieve ‘A’ Standard in 2006 or 2007 OR ‘A’ Standard after May 26th, 2007.Standards achieved in 2006 or 2007 require proof of fitness between Mar. 1 & July 06, 2008.Relays World Top 16 " based on the IAAF qualifying systemIn his post race interview, McInnis said, "It's really too bad because I think there's four of us who have the minimum international standards. I think any one of us would be able to represent the country well, and you never know what's going to happen in a marathon.” I couldn’t agree more with his latter comment (see above re: defrocked priests).When I asked Greg McMillan of McMillanElite for his thoughts on the subject, he provided more balanced feedback. He offered, “for those of us working with emerging elite runners (and I suspect for most all young, competitive runners), we feel that providing opportunities for athletes to experience international competition is vital to their ability in future championships to compete for medals.” Greg went on to say something that I have been beating my chest about all along, athletes need international exposure!I gleamed this from his larger quote, “they usually need one or two exposures to this level of competition before they can perform maximally. In the US, for example, both Meb and Deena were Olympians in 2000 (at 10,000m where few would have suggested that they had any chance of winning a medal) before they won their medals in 2004.According to Martin Goulet, Chief High Performance Officer with Athletics Canada:"The A+ standards were established following an analysis of recent World Championships and Olympic Games results as well as a statistical analysis from the past five years in order to reflect what represents - performance wise - a top 12 ranked athlete in the world". Regarding the above analysis:Marathons contested at the World Championships, Commonwealth Games and Olympic Games typically do not result in performance times found in marathon races such as London, Berlin, Chicago, Fukuoka, Rotterdam and many others. And anything can and often does happen during the event.For the 2007 Worlds in Osaka a heat-wave baked the streets of Japan's second largest city. Marathoners raced in temperatures well over 30 degrees with a relative humidity of 70%. As a result 28 of 87 competitors did not finish the marathon and 2 did not start. 30 could not crack 2:30, 47 could not break 2:20, and the top 9 ran between 2:15 and 2:19. Kenyan, Luke Kibet only managed to run 1 second under 2:16.Consider the average finish time in Athens Marathon in 2004 was 2:22, 7 minutes slower than Macharia’s Ottawa performance, which was also run in warm temperatures. Paul Tergat who at the time held the world standard for the marathon, with a time of 2:04:55 finished 10th in 2:14, behind Victoria's Jon Brown who finished 4th in 2:12.Jon's qualifying time would not necessarily qualify him for international competition according to Athletics Canada. World record holder (Tergat) ran a time that was not only outside of AC's A+ standard, but would also not qualify him for the competition in the first place. The 12th place competitor, America's Alan Culpepper ran a time of 2:15:26. 2006 Manchester Commonwealth Games silver medalist Joshua Chelanga ran 2:12.45, outside of the A+ standard. Stuart Hall of England came in that magical 12th spot with a time of 2:19:53.So what are they talking about?McMillan added, “The US had to go back to setting up groups to provide enough support to keep the athletes in the sport and help them rise, over several years, to a high level and that is with more realistic standards set forth by USATF. Maybe Canada will see the same as it begins to set up groups (like the Brooks Marathon Project and the others in BC). Until then, some of us feel that sending emerging elite athletes to championships is an investment in the future, not a waste of funds. Give home-grown athletes a chance to develop. When given the chance, athletes almost always reward the opportunities and investment with great performances in future years.” Perhaps John Little is completely on his rocker, he just needs to put a helmet on, when he rocks, but rock on anyway John Little!________________________________________________________Christopher Kelsall is sponsored by Island Runner Footwear, located in Victoria, BC - Check out the store's site at Island Runner dot caWhen visiting Victoria, rent from Chris' favorite RV place CampRVChris is a member of the Lydiard FoundationContact: chriskelsall@flocasts.org Christopher Kelsall http://track.webglia.com/articles/view/409-on-john-little-and-olympic-marathon-qualification-standards Sun, 01 Jun 2008 01:00:00 -0500 Rankings# 8 By Track Rankings [Article] http://track.webglia.com/articles/view/408-rankings-8 Men's Division I Pre-Regional Rankings Rankings Points 1. LSU 291.64 2. Texas A&M 250.32 3. UCLA 216.08 4. Florida 212.00 5. Florida State 204.27 6. Arizona State 202.19 7. Arkansas 195.73 8. Southern California 189.99 9. Auburn 182.01 10. Tennessee 180.82 11. Baylor 167.80 12. Colorado 160.56 13. Texas 160.01 14. Oregon 149.61 15. UTEP 130.68 16. South Carolina 129.25 17. Kentucky 126.93 18. California 113.08 19. Arizona 106.13 20. Nebraska 103.85 21. Liberty 98.48 22. Texas Christian 96.22 23. Mississippi State 94.09 24. Georgia 92.99 25. Boise State 92.15 Women's Division I Pre-Regional Rankings Rankings Points 1. LSU 340.93 2. Texas A&M 326.91 3. Arizona State 309.60 4. Texas Tech 218.57 5. Southern California 217.01 6. Virginia Tech 214.57 7. Florida 195.47 8. UCLA 180.94 9. Penn State 172.87 10. Stanford 159.09 11. Oregon 138.85 12. Arkansas 137.79 13. Minnesota 134.42 14. Tennessee 132.79 15. Oklahoma 131.51 16. Baylor 129.15 17. UTEP 125.39 18. Michigan 115.95 19. Kansas 110.23 20. North Carolina 110.17 21. Texas 101.03 22. Mississippi 99.96 23. Texas Christian 98.28 24. Miami (Fla.) 96.34 25. California 90.72 *** Rankings from USA Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (http://ustfccca.cstv.com/) Track Rankings http://track.webglia.com/articles/view/408-rankings-8 Thu, 29 May 2008 01:00:00 -0500 The Week Ahead- (May 26-Jun1) By Nathan Haskins [Article] http://track.webglia.com/articles/view/407-the-week-ahead-may-26-jun1 The summer has officially started and that means two things: first NCAA Track and Field Championships are right around the corner and second the Pro track season is under way. This weekend will be full of action as NCAA DI Regions, the Reebok Grand Prix, and the DKB-ISTAF (IAAF Golden League) meets will be raced. This weekend our nation's top collegiate teams will compete in their respective regions with hopes of making it to the big show. For those that don't know there are four regions, which are comprised of the East Region (Florida State),MidEast Region (Arkansas), Midwest Region (Nebraska), and West Region Championships (Cal State Northridge). Expect to see some very fast races, but don't be surprised to see a few strategic ones also. If any team is nervous going into the championships, it has to be Arizona State University. Their cover has been blown. Many knew they were talented, but now everyone knows they're the real deal. Teams like FSU and LSU on the men's side and Texas A&M on the women's side want their shot again at a national championship so expect them to come out strong. The Reebox Grand Prix is the second Visa Championship meet this summer leading up to the Olympic Trials on June 27-July 6. Do not expect anything less than what happened at the Adidas Track Classic. The organizers of the Reebox Grand Prix have also brought in the top athletes not only in the USA, but the world to compete on May 31. Sprinter Allyson Felix, a triple 2007 World Champion; Sanya Richards, ranked #1 in the world at 400 meters; Maryam Yusuf Jamal of Bahrain, the reigning 1500-meter World Champion; Jenn Stuczynski, American Record-holder and #2 all-time in the pole vault; and Lisa Barber, 2006 World Indoor Champion at 60 meters, will all be in the lineup. They join the previously announced Tyson Gay, Usain Bolt, Veronica Campbell-Brown and Lauryn Williams in what is shaping up to be an extraordinary night of sprint action (ReeboxGrandPrix). The start list has not been posted just yet, but trust me there will be plenty of other top runners and field athletes to join those names above. Feel free to post your top picks from your favorite event once they do become available! Though the Reebox Grand Prix is the top USA meet being held this weekend the DKB-ISTAF (IAAF Golden League) might bring just as many top athletes to its competition. There will be four Golden League meets before the Olympics and I am sure that most of you have heard that the Bislett Games, which will be held in Olso is the same weekend as the Nike Prefontaine Classic (letsrun). That really sucks because two of the biggest meets of the year will split the competition up instead of everyone being able to compete against each other. Good luck to all the teams/individuals competing this weekend be safe and run fast! Always make sure to check out the News and Results on the Flotrack Website for any extra information! Nathan Haskins “News and Results Guy” Nathan Haskins http://track.webglia.com/articles/view/407-the-week-ahead-may-26-jun1 Wed, 28 May 2008 00:00:00 -0500 ING Ottawa Marathon - Everyone Loves A Winner Baby! By Christopher Kelsall [Article] http://track.webglia.com/articles/view/406-ing-ottawa-marathon-everyone-loves-a-winner-baby The ING Ottawa Marathon organizing committee made a stand-up effort to bring in a crop of athletes very capable of taking down course records, especially in the 10k and the Marathon. With good prize money and Athletics Canada naming the date of Sunday May 25th as the final opportunity for Canadian men and women marathoners to qualify for the Beijing Olympics, the race was stacked with an elite field of Canadians and internationals. Riding in the second media van, armed with a Nikon D70 and a love for all things competitive, especially marathon running, I enjoyed observing the marathon unfold on wide, empty streets with sweeping boulevards. As a veritable kid in a candy store, I got to observe a beautiful race unravel. Beneath the unrelenting sun and early morning warmth, the ING Ottawa Marathon weekend's marquee race unfolded in tactical, but dramatic fashion. A lead pack of 12 international athletes ran together to approximately the 25k mark. A few dropped off, but at 30k there were still 9 in that lead group, working the water stations together and taking turns sharing the lead. Kenyans, David Cheruiyot and Vincent Kiplagat finished 1st and 3rd while Ethiopian, Mollo Solomon, finished 2nd; yet it was not apparent who was the fittest on the day until there remained only 3 or 4k. The runners were through 10k in 30:48 and on pace for a 2:09/10 finishing time. They kept this pace going, right to 30k, before surges on two back-to-back down hills by Mollo Solomon, splintered the group. Although Solomon's lead grew to 50m, he was soon swallowed back up by Kiplagat and Cheruiyot and the three remained tight for a few more kilometers. Alfredo Arevalo Reyes of Guatemala City, Guatemala took the lead in the middle of the race and kept a vigorous push for several kilometers, before trading places with David Cheruiyot. This push later came to haunt him as he ended up finishing in 2:13:49. Unwilling to take the lead until after 30k, Kiplagat appeared to enjoy running in the back of the lead pack throughout; sometimes he was difficult to spot. Once Kiplagat did take the lead, well after 33k, it became apparent that Cheruiyot's experience trumped both Solomon's and Kiplagat's, as he patiently waited to unleash the winning kick. The warmth of the day got to a few runners, including Marten Bostrom of Finland who staggered in and proceeded to lie down. Bostrom got a free ride out of the chute courtesy of the very quick and alert work of the medic volunteers. The volunteer's efficiency perhaps was a metaphorical lesson to some athletes on teamwork. Although from the lead vehicle I could not tell, it appears the Canadian men did not work together as well as the internationals did. The 10k split from Canadian Giitah Macharia was 31:45, 15 seconds up on Matthew McInnis, Stephen Drew, Andrew Smith, Charles Bedley and 19 seconds up on Jeremiah Ziak; several more staggered behind. A few other Canadians dropped out including Vancouver runners, Ryan Day and Mark Bombaand Nick Best of Victoria. Asmae Leghazoui of Morocco won the women's race in her debut with a new course record of 2:28:43. Asmae was followed by the Russian, Elza Kireeva and Kebebush Haile of Ethiopia. Brooks Project Team member and first Canadian, Tara Quinn-Smith, finished 4th in 2:33:57, which was also her debut in the marathon distance. With her time and finish placement, Tara qualified for the Canadian Marathon World Cup team, earned funding from Athletics Canada and $5, 000 in prize money. Not a bad day! Unfortunately Canada's Lioudmila Kortchaguina, four-time winner, was nursing a hip injury and was not able to compete. By checking the 10, 20 and 30k splits, the women it appears also did little to work together as they hit 10k in single file fashion and continued the solo efforts right through to the end of the race. Winner Asmae trains alone in Addis Ababa, perhaps she felt this tactic would work for her, it did; however she later intimated that she expected a faster finishing time. David Cheruiyot's victory was his third Ottawa win in four years, earning $15, 000, while countryman Vincent Kiplagat finished third for a second time, in his second attempt in the nation's capital. The ING Ottawa Marathon will be looking for a new title sponsor for 2009. I marveled at this race weekend's atmosphere, which was high on friendliness and operated higher yet on efficiency. I hopped into the 10k race for fun, observed and photographed the marathon and MDS Nordion 5k, also, considering my situation from the lead vehicle and from in the chute, I was provided with a close up view of Canada's jewel marathon. At one point in the race the mid-packers who were running in the opposite direction of the lead pack were so loud with their cheering, I craned my neck to see where the bleachers were, this must have been motivating for the front runners. The entire weekend of events was well put together and should easily attract a first rate sponsor. Everyone loves a winner baby! ________________________________________________________ Christopher Kelsall is sponsored by Island Runner Footwear, located in Victoria, BC. Check out the store's site at Island Runner dot ca When visiting Victoria, rent from Chris' favorite RV place CampRV Chris is a member of the Lydiard Foundation Contact: chriskelsall@flocasts.org Christopher Kelsall http://track.webglia.com/articles/view/406-ing-ottawa-marathon-everyone-loves-a-winner-baby Tue, 27 May 2008 01:00:00 -0500
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