Archive | October, 2010

Marie-Louise Stenild Marathon On Each Continent

Marie-Louise Stenild Attempting 7 Marathons on 7 Continents in 7 Days

English marathon runner Marie-Louise Stenild will attempt to gain entry into the Guinness Book of World Records this week as she aims to run 7 marathons on 7 continents in 7 days.

If she can pull off the feat she would be the first woman ever to do so.

The effort is also raising money for the Adam Rogers Trust, named for a 13-year-old who did of a brain tumor.

She plans to run the L.A. Marathon ‘Stadium to Sea’ course on Monday in Los Angeles.

Here is a look at the locations and dates where she plans to pull this off:

Falklands (Antarctica): 30 October 2010
Santiago, Chile (South America): 31 October 2010
Los Angeles, USA (North America): 1 November 2010
Sydney, Australia: 3 November 2010
Singapore (Asia): 3/4 November 2010 (night run)
Cairo, Egypt (Africa): 4/5 November 2010 (night run)
London, UK (Europe): 5 November 2010

Best of luck to Marie-Louise on this remarkable challenge.

View Marie-Louise’s Website

Posted in Marathon2 Comments

Marathon Runner Jim Axelrod

What to Say on Marathon Monday? Well, Anything!

CBS News correspondent Jim Axelrod wrote an article in the New York Times a couple of days ago complaining about people at his job asking him how fast he ran his first marathon.

Axelrod in the piece refers to the day after a traditional Sunday marathon as ‘Marathon Monday.’

He seems quite perturbed in the piece by his co-workers congratulating him and then following it up by asking, “So, what was your time?”

There was no way this fine fellow, whom I would charitably describe as no stranger to the buffet table, could have had the faintest understanding of what a good time for a 46-year-old first time marathoner might be. Or a bad time, for that matter.

I’m certain that if I’d answered, “3:15:20” or “5:05:47,” it would have been met with the same blank stare as when I told him “4:30.” That’s because he had no earthly idea what the difference might be.

Ouch! I’d hate to be the co-workers who refused to ask or talk to him about his marathon.

I think it’s important to remember that although your marathon might be a huge deal to you, that it means very little or nothing to your co-workers and perimeter friends.

Often they are just being casual and humoring you with interest after watching you limp around the office.  It’s only natural to ask, “What was your time?” or “How long did it take you to do that?”

To the non-marathoner, they usually have no clue how long it takes to run such an obscene distance.  Often times it is more impressive to the person asking the question when you reply with how many hours it took you to finish a marathon.  The mortal friend just can’t conceptualize how someone could run for that long.

For the record, Axelrod ran his first marathon, the New York City Marathon (2009), in 4 hours and 30 minutes.  A very solid time for a 46-year old, first time marathoner.

Jim just needs to relax though about people asking him about his time.  It’s part of the running and marathon game, even more so to non-marathoners.

Also, when you’ve run a really good or fast marathon you want people to ask.

It’s always better to be asked than to blurt out or boast how fast you completed 26.2 miles.

He will likely find out that if he continues to run marathons that people will stop asking him about them all together.

Next time you see Mr. Axelrod ask him what time he ran his last marathon in!

So what are your thoughts on Marathon Monday etiquette?

Posted in Marathon2 Comments

(Training Through) Race Reports: MoMa 50k and Asbury Park Marathon

I skipped the Mohawk Hudson Marathon on 10/10 in order to spend 6 days in Portsmouth, NH.   I decided to skip the race after my half for the Ulman Fund on 10/3.   My ACL had become very painful the day after that run, thus I imagined the marathon would have just left me home recovering for days.  Right now, I really need to be training not resting.  In exchange for a hard 26.2, I opted for 42 easier miles along some of the most beautiful waterside scenic routes.

Portsmouth, NH  has a wonderful running community.   The local running club ( http://www.coastalathletic.org/)    has links to group runs, pub runs, and trail and road races.    All the roads that I covered seemed to have a beaten down foot path along side the shoulders showing just how much runners are out there pounding out miles.   I mapped a  wonderful 13 mile loop through downtown Portsmouth and over the island town of New Castle, settled in the early 1600’s making it the oldest town in NH.   Hampton Beach and Rye are a short trip south from Portsmouth and a wonderful place to log some ocean and cliff-side miles over mildly rolling terrain.  The crisp 45-60 degree weather just made every run perfect.  Walk up to the window of the Beach Plum for a post-run Lobster Roll or some Pumpkin ice cream when in Hampton or stop by  Me and Ollie’s Café when back in Portsmouth for butternut squash/cranberry soup and a thick slice of gooey cinnamon swirl breac and it really it doesn’t get much better that this.

Skipping the marathon left me feeling good enough to run some mileage this weekend, so I attended to two local races: the Mountain Madness 50k and the Asbury Park Marathon.  My plan was to run while paying attention to my knee in order to stop before I do damage that would require rest and recovery.   There were not goal races, so I did not feel compelled to push through the pain.

Mountain Madness (MoMA)

Rick and Jennifer McNulty organize New Jersey Trail Series races (http://sites.google.com/site/xxctrailseries/Home).  The MoMa is in its second year.  The idea of running through the woods for hours and hours on a crisp fall day is so alluring.   I recall  feeling incredibly overwhelmed by the warm colors of the fallen leaves last year.  I looked forward to another beautiful day of slow hilly running.

The MoMa is truly second most difficult course I have run in NJ.  The first is another NJ Trail series run called Running with the Devil (RwtD), which takes place at Mountain Creek Ski Resort at the end of July.   At RwtD runners travel up 933 ft over 1 mile, then back down, and repeat for 3, 6, or 12 hours in the heat and humidity while being tortured by the sounds of people enjoying the adjacent water park.

The MoMa is much kinder, but the 50k loop over long hilly terrain is really quite challenging (for me).  Some sections are a bit too rocky for my trail running ability and I end up twisting my ankles a bit more than I care to tolerate.  Getting lost, as a group, is common.   Last year, a few of us were lost for a good half hour due to pulled markings.   This year, it seems the course markings were pulled again.  It became a group effort to determine where to go next.  This race is really beautiful, but runners could be disappointed if they expect to post a fast time.   As for me, after twisting my ankle four times, my ACL was not very happy.  It took just one very long decent around 13-14 miles for me to decide it was time to bail hoping to be able to run at least half if not all of the Asbury Marathon the next day.

Asbury Park Marathon

The Asbury Park Marathon is a fun race (http://www.runasburypark.org/index.html).   It is primarily a relay that takes place over a flat, fast, 8 loop course running through Bruce Springsteen’s home town.   The cool weather was absolutely perfect for a fast race.  The headwind in the early section of each loop was really the only obstacle.

As soon as I started, I could feel how the slow pace at the MoMa the day before left my legs feeling less than peppy. Regardless, I started just about sub-8 for the first mile.  It didnt take very long for my knee to rebel and knew I wasn’t going to run the entire way.   After 7 miles, I ran past my car, dropped off my gels and decided maybe a 10 mile run will be enough for the day.

At that point I met Art, who rode up to me on his bike and asked me if I was having knee pain.  Since my knee is taped, I laughed asking “Yes, how did you know?”  He told me that he is a physical therapist who just attended a seminar on knee problems in runners. He came to watch runners and talk to those who experience knee pain.  For the most part, I generally don’t engage men who ride up to me on their bike while I am running, but since there was zero creepiness about Art, I listened to what he had to say.  I ran a bit while Art rode and he asked if he could video tape my stride for a few seconds and discuss with me what he saw.  Since my run was almost over, I figured why not hear what he has to say.

Art explained that most runners try to strengthen their quads in order better hold the knee cap properly.   However, he recenty learned that the newer thinking is that the knee is being pulled out of place by strong quads and therefore the muscle groups that need the most attention are the glutes and hamstrings.  We discussed a few different types of exercises that could be done at the gym and I was off to finish my run.   I would love to hear more thoughts about this.

Just as I was about to finish off the run, I saw Colleen running along with her friend Valerie.  I met Colleen at the start and she is a Marathon Maniac who was working on her first double marathon weekend.  (Congratulations Colleen!)  I returned my chip at approximately the 9 mile mark  as I passed through the start/finish, I caught up  and talked with Colleen and Valerie while planning to stop once I reached my car at 11.   As I passed my car, I was feeling good enough to continue so I took things about ½ loop at time.  Once reaching the S/F line (very close to  my car), I decided to continue on.   Upon passing my car again, I decided I still was not ready to stop and went back out.  Again crossing the S/F line, I decided to continue on.   Briefly, I thought I would end up finishing the entire run.  That idea quickly vanished just after 16 miles, when I could feel my ACL  straining too much for my comfort level.   I ended up with about 17 miles for the day and 32 miles of wondering running for the weekend.

Thank you all so much for reading my posts.

Shannon

Posted in Marathon, Race Reports, Ultra Marathon0 Comments

2011 Boston Marathon Closed

2011 Boston Marathon Filled Up in Just 8 Hours

The Boston Marathon is a Super Bowl of sorts for marathon runners.  There is usually around 25,000 spots for the race with 6,000 of those going to charities and corporations.  That leaves around 19,000 coveted positions for runners who BQ’ed (Boston Qualified) at marathon races throughout the country over the past year.

Last year it took nearly two months for the race to fill up.  Every year before that you could register almost up until race day for the most part.

Yesterday, the first day you could register for the 2011 Boston Marathon, the race filled up in just eight hours.  26,800 runners registered on the Boston Athletic Association website between 9:00 AM and 5:03 PM.

Extreme marathoner Chuck ‘Marathonjunkie’ Engle and others kept dibs on Facebook as the registration numbers kept rising throughout the day. Engle and others claimed computer issues with the Boston Marathon website made it hard early on in the day to sign up.

What does all of that mean?  It means a lot of runners that set the goal of running Boston and qualified at a race during the past year will have to try to qualify again now for the 2012 Boston Marathon.

It does seem a bit harsh and unfair.  One day, one shot, one good internet connection in order to run the Super Bowl of marathons.

Well, there is always next year….maybe!

RELATED: The 10 Best Marathons to Qualify for Boston

Posted in Marathon2 Comments

running6A

Wretched Undead Hound the Haunted Half

Photo, Jim Clark

The horde of hollow-eyed ghouls making a death march along Cookeville city streets next Saturday will turn out to be a pack of sleepy-eyed runners competing in the 2nd Annual Haunted Half Marathon. For some, the worst nightmare ever; for others, a glory-dream…

Dream? One dream weaver will be Angie Clark. No scar-faced guy with blades for fingers will catch her. The Celina native, now living in Sparta, follows a rigorous training program, regularly running farther than the race’s unlucky 13.1-mile distance…

The race goes to the fit, the trained. Others fall behind, some way behind. Bad luck for those poor wretches. Laggards will be arrested and thrown into the pit where porta potties are pumped…

Read the full story by Dallas Smith on his website by clicking HERE

Posted in Half Marathon0 Comments

The Middle Half 2009 Marathon (Joshua Holmes)

Micah Tirop Wins The Middle Half Marathon (2010 Results)

Micah Tirop, of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, won The Middle Half Marathon this morning in Murfreesboro with a blistering time of 1:05:43.  He held off  Joseph Maina, from Richmond, Kentucky, by just 15 seconds.  Paul Michel rounded out the medal stand with an impressive 1:07:02

Men Top 9 Results (Sub 1:20)

  1. Micah Tirop (Murfreesboro, TN) 27M – 1:05:43
  2. Joseph Maina (Richmond, KY) 28M – 1:05:58
  3. Paul Michel (Gunnison, CO) 27M – 1:07:02
  4. Scott Wietecha (Goodlettsville, TN) 29M – 1:10:37
  5. Bradley Chronister (Manchester, TN) 24M – 1:16:54
  6. Cameron Aly (Bowling Green, KY) 21M – 1:17:15
  7. John Thorpe (Nashville, TN) 36M – 1:18:35
  8. Chad Hintz (Thompsons Station, TN) 25M – 1:19:43
  9. Timothy O’Leary (Antioch, TN) 48M – 1:19:49

Janet Cherobon was the fastest female on the day. She finished the flat and fast course with a time of 1:17:12.  Sonja Freind-Uhl (1:19:00) and Jillian Mastroianni (1:24:12) were the 2nd and 3rd place female finishers respectively.

Women Top 7 Results (Sub 1:30)

  1. Janet Cherobon (Rome, GA) 32F – 1:17:12
  2. Sonja Friend-Uhl (Brentwood, TN) 39F – 1:19:00
  3. Jillian Mastroianni (Nashville, TN) 28F – 1:24:12
  4. Ashley Comstoct (Bare, ON) 24F – 1:26:22
  5. Sue Ann Heins (Brentwood, TN) 43F – 1:28:42
  6. Catie Caldwell (Franklin, TN) 32F – 1:29:05
  7. Kristi Phillips (Murfreesboro, TN) 35F – 1:29:47

View All Results from The Middle Half

The Middle Half Website

Congrats to personal friends Kirk Catron, Scott Flowers, Gene Caballero, and Chris Estes who all had a great race today.

Posted in Half Marathon0 Comments

Marathon Record Holder – Haile Gebrselassie

The Top 10 Fastest Male Marathon Times of All-Time

Here is a look at the Top 10 Male Marathon Times of all-time.  

All ten of the top ten have happened since 2008.  Berlin and Rotterdam are for sure the two fastest places to run a marathon according to these elite marathoners.

The top 6 fastest times ever recorded have now taken place in Berlin.

The Top 10 Male Marathon Times of All-Time

Runner (Country) Time Date Location
1. Wilson Kipsang (Kenya) 2:03:23 Sep 29, 2013 Berlin
2. Patrick Makau (Kenya) 2:03:38 Sep 25, 2011 Berlin
3. Haile Gebrselassie (Ethiopia) 2:03:59 Sep 28, 2008 Berlin
4. Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya) 2:04:05 Sep 29, 2013 Berlin
5. Geoffrey Mutai (Kenya) 2:04:15 Sep 9, 2012 Berlin
6. Dennis Kimetto (Kenya) 2:04:16 Sep 9, 2012 Berlin
7. Ayele Abshero (Ethiopia) 2:04:23 Jan 27, 2012 Dubai
8. Duncan Kibet (Kenya) 2:04:27 Apr 5, 2009 Rotterdam
9. James Kwambai (Kenya) 2:04:27 Apr 5, 2009 Rotterdam
10. Tsegaye Kebede (Ethiopia) 2:04:38 Oct 7, 2012 Chicago

UPDATED: October 3, 2013

Related: The Top 10 Fastest Female Marathon Times of All-Time

Posted in Featured, Marathon3 Comments

IMG_0348

Bagles Or Bananas? No Thank You!

I’ve run a few marathons… Okay, scratch that, I’ve run a lot of marathons. And for every race, there is the infamous pre-race breakfast debate. Coffee? Carbs? What can I eat that will give energy and won’t give my stomach flip flops at mile 5?

I know some of you are creatures of habit. You have the same meal before every race, whether it be peanut butter toast, oatmeal or bagels with bananas.

Not being stomach shy about trying new foods before a race, I’ve experimented with a lot of different options.

Knowing my body has 26.2 miles to cover, I’m a firm believer in good nutrition before the race.  But there are days when I just can’t choke down another bagel, especially at 4:30 in the morning! So I flex my options from time to time, and my new pre-race running love has been muffins! Depending on the variety, you can get substantially
the same amount of calories and carbs from them as a bagel, and it’s just a nice change of pace.

Being a particularly adventurous nut in the kitchen, I’m always trying new recipes and after a few rounds of using my family as taste-testers, and adding my own twists, I’ve finally got it!

So bake up a batch of Dana’s Triple Awesome Muffins and try them out for a pre or post run snack! Solid wholesomeness, they might just make it on your pre-race breakfast menu! These muffins are every bit as tasty as healthy, but don’t have a high caloric volume. If you plan to eat them pre-marathon, you’ll want to stock up on a few.

And if you have a family like mine, you’ll be glad you took the extra, because there won’t be any left waiting for you when you get back!


Dana’s Triple Awesome Muffins

These babies pack a lot of goodness in every bite and are one of my
favorites to make!  If you want to make it your own, add a little flax
seed, or replace some of the flour with ground oats. Some people like
adding a crumb topping with oats too. But whatever you do, make them!
Eat them! And Run!

Ingredients:

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all purpose flour
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 egg
3/4 cup skim milk
1/2 cup agave nectar (low glycemic organic sweetener)*
2 Tbs butter (melted)
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
11/2 cups frozen mixed berries (raspberries, blueberries, marionberries)

Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. In another bowl, beat eggs,
milk, applesauce, agave nectar, and butter. Fold mixture into dry
ingredients just until moist. Fold in berries. Makes enough batter for
12 mega sized muffins. Make sure to spray your muffin pan with non-stick
cooking spray! Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes and test with a toothpick
to ensure fully cooked. Cool for 5 minutes and remove from pan to wire
rack. Enjoy!

*Don’t have any agave nectar? We’ll run to whole foods store and buy
some! Or if you must, you can substitute 1 cup sugar instead.

Nutrional Info Per awesome mega muffin (estimated)
Calories – 155
Fat – 2.5
Protein – 3.7
Carbs – 30
Sodium – 113mg

Posted in Nutrition1 Comment

Back of Newton Terra Momentus Train Running Shoe

Review: Newton Terra Momentus (Off-Road Trainer) Running Shoe

Newton Terra Momentus (Momentum) Off Road Trainer

Finally, after nearly two-months of waiting and delays, I received Newton’s new and first off-road trainer, the Netwon Terra Momentus (Momentum) on my doorstep earlier today.

In full disclosure, I’ve been running in Newton Running Shoes for nearly a year and love them.  Since switching from the Asics Nimbus to the Newton Distance I’ve had no major injuries and less soreness/pain from long runs.

Newton is different from other shoe companies in that they put a lot of resources, research, and technology towards creating a shoe that patterns that of a natural or barefoot runner.

Newton’s rubber lugs on the forefoot of the sole of  the shoe trains you to land on the forefoot or sweet spot of your foot, as opposed to landing on your heel which can cause serious injuries if done over and over.

The shoes have worked great for me. There is a learning curve with them, and Newton advises to start over with short distance runs and gradually add mileage as your feet and body adjusts to running in Newtons.

As I’ve finished several marathons in the past year, I’ve started to eye more trail marathons and ultras for the upcoming year.  I knew the Newton Distance, although great for road racing, was not ideal for dusty, technical trails and nasty roots.

So Does the Newton Momentus Live Up to the Hype?

I opened the Momentus box today and told myself I would wait until I had a good trail to try them out on.  Two hours later I had them laced up for a quick 2-mile test on the pavement.

I could tell just holding the shoes, right out of the box, that they would fit like a glove.  They actually almost felt like a glove just holding them.  They fit more snug than a regular Newton running shoe for sure.

The shoes feel more stable than your normal Newton. The lugs are smaller and placed a bit further back on the sole. The lugs also have added traction on them, as opposed to the smooth lugs on the Distance.  The Momentus is very stable on the foot and feels a bit like the Asics Nimbus without being as bulky or heavy.

Once I took off on my run, I almost didn’t notice the shoes again until I took them off. They felt great, my foot seemed to naturally fit the shoe, and the lacing system did a good job of conforming the shoe to my foot even more.

I felt like I was able to focus more on my running form in the Momentus.  I was able to hold my form well and land on my forefoot with ease (I didn’t have a chance to over think it).

I ran the Bartlett Park Ultra 50K back in September in the Newton Distance and it performed pretty good.  I noticed two things that day that caused problems on the trail: 1. Stability/support and 2. Lugs were perhaps a bit too big and caused a couple of my trips and face-plants.

Those two things are the most modified on the Momentus.  The lugs are rounded, not as big, and further back on the shoe as I mentioned earlier.  And the stability of the shoe is kinda freaky similar to what I loved about the Asics Nimbus a couple of years back.

The insole of the shoe is thicker than your typical Newton and the outer sole is a thicker rubber as well, especially in the heel.

Some how Newton was able to make those modifications while keeping the shoe light.  The shoe only weighs 11.2 ounces (which is light for a trail running shoe).

The colors are bright and loud (Forest+Lime).  But that is a Newton trademark that makes them easy to spot at 5K’s, marathons, and ultras.

My Newton bias aside, they appear to have put together a great trail running shoe in the Momentus while adding comfort and stability to their forefoot technology.

As I’ve seen in road marathons over the past year, I expect to see more and more bright Newtons off-road and putting down miles on dusty trails.

RATINGS

  • Comfort: A+
  • Lightness: A-
  • Durability: (TBD)
  • Stability: A
  • Cost: B- ($139)

– Joshua Holmes

Newton Terra Momentus Website

Posted in Featured, Shoes, Ultra Marathon2 Comments

2010 Chicago Marathon Champion sammy Wanjiru

Sammy Wanjiru Wins 2010 Chicago Marathon Over Tsegaye Kebede (Results)

Kenyan Sammy Wanjiru won the 2010 Chicago Marathon on Sunday morning (October 10, 2010) over Ethiopian Tsegaye Kebede with a time of 2:06:23.  Kebede with the win, won the World Marathon Championship and took home an additional $500,000 dollars.

Elite Men’s Results

  1. Sammy Wanjiru (Kenyan) – 2:06:23
  2. Tsegaye Kebede (Ethiopia) – 2:06:42
  3. Feyisa Lilesa (Ethiopia) – 2:08:10
  4. Wesley Korir (Kenya) – 2:08:45
  5. Vincent Kipruto (Ethiopia) – 2:09:07
  6. Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot (Kenya) – 2:09:28
  7. Laban Moiben (Kenya) – 2:10:47
  8. Jason Hartmann (USA) – 2:11:06
  9. Ridouane Harroufi (MAR) – 2:13:01
  10. Mike Sayenko (USA) – 2:14:27

Elite Women’s Results

  1. Lilya Shobukhova (Russia) – 2:20:25
  2. Astede Baysa (Ethiopia) – 2:23:40
  3. Maria Konovalova (Russia) – 2:23:49
  4. Desiree Davila (USA) – 2:26:20
  5. Irina Mikitenko (Germany) – 2:26:40
  6. Mamitu Daska (Ethiopia) – 2:28:29
  7. Magdalena Lewy-Boulet (USA) – 2:28:44
  8. Kaori Yoshida (Japan) – 2:29:45
  9. Jia Chaofeng (China) – 2:30:34
  10. Tera Moody (USA) – 2:30:52

Lilya and Sammy both repeated as winners of the Chicago Marathon.  Both also won the World Marathon Championship and $500,000 with their wins.

American male Jason Hartmann had a great marathon finishing in 2:11:06.

MORE 2010 CHICAGO MARATHON FULL RESULTS

Posted in Marathon0 Comments


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