Run It Fast®

Bobby Mack won the USA Cross Country Championship on Saturday in a very cold St. Louis, Missouri in a time of 35:41.

Aaron Braun finished in second place. Third went to Josh Simpson.

Christo Landry and Rombough rounded out the top 5.

Other notable finishers/Results:

• 6th – Elliot Kraus
• 13th – Steve Murdock

The women’s race was held prior to the men’s event and included a photo finish win for Sara Hall who barely edged out Molly Huddle (full story).

[hat tip to Jeff Caron]

Here is the finisher’s medal from the Virginia is for Lovers 14K that was held on February 11, 2012 in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

The medal has a heart charm and bottle opener. The perfect bling to seduce and score on Valentine’s day with your significant other.

MORE PHOTOS OF MARATHON/ULTRA MEDALS AND BUCKLES

[medal photo submitted by Darius Daniel. Follow him on Twitter @dzoid11]

Sara Hall won the women’s USA Cross Country Championships in St. Louis just moments ago.

Sara beat Molly Huddle in a finish so close that the winner wasn’t known until several minutes after the race.  The judges finally decided that Hall had won the race by a nose.

Some on Twitter were saying that Huddle crossed the timing mat first but that Hall’s lean got her across the tape first.  Sounds like a Hollywood ending.

Sara is the wife of American marathoner Ryan Hall.

Follow Sara Hall on Twitter @SaraHall3

[finish line photo courtesy of Ryan Hall]

BFF Time on the Trails

2011 ended with a challenging 100 mile race, Ancient Oaks 100, and after some time off and the New Year, I decided to get back to the basics of why I love to run. As much as I enjoy the challenge of finishing a race with a time goal in mind, I needed to take a step back from that and focus on why I really run.

Fat Ass 50k is a GUTS race that is has been a tradition for me since 2009. All week, I was excited to travel with Dena Cyr to Sweetwater Creek Park in Lithia Springs, GA, see all of my GUTS friends, and enjoy some time on the trails.

Competitor, the for-profit group that owns and puts on the popular, yet controversial Rock ‘n’ Roll marathon and 1/2 marathon races is not making too many new friends with the inaugural Rock ‘n’ Roll St. Pete 1/2 Marathon that takes place this weekend in St. Petersburg, Florida (event website).

The biggest complaint this time is the unexpected costs and inconveniences that runners anticipate encountering on Sunday, February 12, 2012.

Rock ‘n’ Roll events are pricey. For this 1/2 marathon it is costing runners north of $105.00 ($125.00 if you sign up at the Expo on Saturday).  That is a lot of money for a HALF MARATHON. Almost $10 bucks a mile! Ouch!!!

But no one is forcing runners to pay that much and Rock ‘n’ Roll/Competitor is having record turnouts across the country.  I have stopped running the more expensive races myself.  I did get into the 2012 Rock ‘n’ Roll New Orleans Marathon with some heavy discounts for $40.

I run lots of marathons and ultras. I try to have a simple formula on what I’m willing to pay for a race. I usually try to not pay more than $3/mile.  So roughly my limit for a 26.2 mile marathon is $78.60.  For an ultra-marathon it’s more like $2/mile (50 miler @ $100/limit or 100 miler @ $200/limit).

But normally I tend to try to stay away from RNR events, especially after the disaster on the Las Vegas strip this past December during the 2011 Rock ‘n’ Roll Las Vegas Marathon (and Half Marathon).

So why exactly are RNR St. Pete runners upset according to WTSP 10 in Tampa/St. Pete?

In addition to the $100+ entry to run, runners are being charged:

• $15 to park at the Expo on Friday or Saturday to pick up their race bib
• $15 to park near the start of the RNR St. Pete 1/2 on Sunday
• $10 to get a shuttle ride from the finish line of the race back to their car or walking 45 minutes back (the race finishes 2.3 miles from the start).

To quote an agree Facebook poster, “That’s absurd!  Pay to run, pay to park, pay to get to start/finish.  Just raise the entry fee and quit nickel and diming everyone!”

And that pretty much sums it up! However, if you are going to run a RNR event or a race in a large city then you should be prepared for additional costs and inconveniences.

Rock ‘n’ Roll isn’t without its flaws though as was mentioned repeatedly here after the trainwreck that was Rock ‘n’ Roll Las Vegas (see HERE).

Big events can be fun but the true beauty of running is often found at smaller races where you can actually run without obstruction and without stress.

Rock ‘n’ Roll St. Pete is expecting over 8,000 runners for the inaugural event.

Related: The Nightmare on the Strip: Rock ‘n’ Roll Las Vegas Marathon Full of Sin

[RNR marathons run: RNR Las Vegas (2x), RNR Country Music (2x), RNR San Diego (very first marathon), RNR New Orleans]

[source: WTSP Tampa]

We asked on Twitter (@runitfast) where you were running this weekend and 49 of you responded!

Many of you will be down at the Mercedes Marathon and 1/2 along at the Rogue Orleans down in New Orleans. Best of luck to everyone running this weekend whether it be your first marathon, half mary, or a training run.

We will be better runners come Monday!

Joshua Holmes – Weekend of training for a very busy March to come: 50 miler, 26.2, 50 miler, 26.2, 26.2, 100 miler #runitfast

Daniel – Old Bethpage 5k!!

Ara M – Training calls for 10 miles. 5k of that will be in a race for a fundraiser at my #neices elementary school. #Excited.

Mr.Viramontes – Hanks High School El Paso, TX

Susie Stephen – Tucson, Arizona – trail running in the desert – all for fun!

Lisa Gonzales – I’m running local trails. I hope. #crossingfingers

Katie M. Key – I’ll be on a 6-person relay team for the @rouge_orleansultramarathon 126.2!! We start running at 8AM on Saturday!

Yo Momma Runs – Racing Mercedes Half Marathon with my bro on Sunday! First half in my hometown.

BeardRunJax – Sunday, @Runrocknroll St. Petersburg (FL) Half-Marathon!

Run Away with K – Mardi Gras Masquerade 10K Las Vegas, NV @runitfast#happyrunning

Mark Ward – The Killer at Ngaruawahia this Sunday

Angie Gerber – 13 mile training run on Terwiliger, Portland, Oregon. Will be “running for Sherry”.

Lauren Stone – 9 mile training run AND the “Run for Chocolate” 5k here in STL!

Romana DL – Gava’-Casteldefells Half Marathon – Barcelona (Spain) 🙂

Brenda Wasserman – Beautiful Vancouver! @VanFirstHalf

MZD – My very first 5k!! Mermaid Run, San Diego!!#happyrunning #mermaidseries

Bryan Llorente – I’ll be running Southport Mad Dog 10k in UK#happyrunning

Jenn Cherrey – #happyrunning in Glen Rock Cupid’s Chase 5k, plus a 7-mile training run.

davidealex – #ro12 Rouge Orleans! The only place to be!

NaomiPipes – Heart of Katy 5K.

Scott Stader – Last day in the ATL – ready for the Kiss It Goodbye 5k and Mercedes Benz Half this wknd! @runitfast peeps!

Shawna –  I’ll be doing @Run_Mercedes Half on Sunday in Birmingham, AL

Jonathan Bobbitt – trails in Shelby/Madison County, Tennessee

Daniel Payne – Ralston Creek Half Marathon in Arvada, CO; 28 degrees at race time!

Coree Woltering – Monmouth Fighting Scots Invitational -Indoor mile! 🙂

Forrest Gump – Kemah Boardwalk 5K!

taurie whitton – I.U!! 🙂 #letsgo

MassielSm – At Dallas Hot chocolate 15K

Manny Navas – Rock and Roll St. Pete Half Marathon,

E.B. – Jacksonville, FL 26.2 with Donna

ƗǝƆuod яɐɔsO – I ran a Half Marathon by myself, today I will go for 1O raining K

Carl Chantigian – Charlotte Harbor Half-Marathon in southwest Florida

humberto vazquez – 10k Imagen, Monterrey , México

Brenda Koski – Running in Beautiful Catalina State Park Tucson AZ 50 year Trail!!!! Running in Memory of #SherryArnold

TJ – Frostbite 1/2 @ Cedars of Lebanon

Erin Storey – Running @vanfirsthalf on Sunday! Using it as a marathon training run. A nice “no pressure” race!

David Wagoner – Holiday Lake 50K, Appomattox VA

Sarah Malaney – 4 mile group run tomorrow morning. BTG #HalfMarathontraining week 2. I love it! Group of about 100 people

Bethany Burroughs – 10 Miler Neighborhood run Tomorrow morning! In the snow!

Craig Brett – Bramley 20 miles on Sunday

Outrageous Fortunes – nice easy parkrun tomorrow then 15 mile on Sunday .. What a way to spend the weekend

Gregg Lynn – Run Toto Run 50K.

E Hannum – Planning 5m tomorrow, 10m Sunday. But snow is in the forecast #ihatetreadmills

Vanessa Probert – beach running on Saturday at Pismo Beach, Ca & hiking up Madonna Peak in San Luis Obispo on Sunday! 🙂

Siobhan – running in the Run Your Heart out 5k

Aaron Johnstone – last long run before the @austinmarathon next weekend!!

Michelle Mitchell – long run in Moscow tmrw recovery run in Vilnius Sunday afternoon race next weekend

Colin Martin – Spire Institute: Geneva, Ohio

Mindy M – 10k on Ford Island in Honolulu, HI.

mike stout – running a 50K trail race in Kansas City! #PsychoWyco #RunTotoRun

Dani Obregón – Cedars Frostbite Half Marathon in Lebanon TN ! My second half 🙂 #runitfast

Jackson native Karl Studtmann won the inaugural Jackson Jackass 50K on Saturday, February 4, 2012 in Jackson, Tennessee. He won the race with a blistering time of 5:23:25 on the rain soaked, slippery, and muddy course.

Arthur Priddy held a substantial lead until the 7th loop when Studtmann caught and passed Priddy who was using the race as a training run for the Andrew Jackson Marathon in March.  Priddy was able to hold on to a close 2nd place finish with a time of 5:32:20.

Third place went to Cordova’s Kevin Leathers who ran the tread off his Hoka One’s with a finishing time of 5:53:33.

The female winner was Lakeland’s Emily Conley who easily won by over an hour with a time of 6:37:05.  She even took a wrong turn and ended up doing some extra distance on her last loop.

It was a big day for several first-time ultramarathoners as Jonathan Bobbitt, Cody Whitehead, Jonathan Harrison, Brad Box, Arthur Priddy, Kam Otey, Gene Pierce, and Lisa Gonzales all finished their first 50K.

Other finishers included Chris Estes, Jeff Fugate, Joshua Holmes, Jennifer Whitley, Sulaiman Seriki, and the legendary Dallas Smith.

2012 Jackson Jackass 50K Results

Photos of the Inaugural Jackson Jackass 50K

Jackson Jackass 50K Race Reports

• Lisa Gonzales’ JJ50K Race Report
• Kevin Leathers’ JJ50K Race Report
• Jennifer Whitley’s JJ50K Race Report
• Jonathan Bobbitt’s JJ50K Race Report
• Jonathan Stewart’s JJ50K Race Report

[images by Naresh Kumar]

Here are nearly four dozen photos from the inaugural Jackson Jackass 50K that was held over the weekend in Jackson, Tennessee.

I didn’t know if we would be able to pull it off, but we did and had a blast in the process.

Thanks to all who traveled near and far to make it a wet, muddy, sloppy reality!

Jackson Jackass 50K Results

2012 Jackson Jackass 50K Photos

[all photos by Naresh Kumar]

Here is the beautiful surf board bling from the 2012 Surf City Marathon that was held over the weekend on February 5, 2012 in Huntington Beach, California.

One of the best marathon medals that we see from year to year.

MORE PHOTOS OF MARATHON/ULTRA MEDALS AND BUCKLES

[medal photo submitted by Jason Howard. Follow her on Twitter @JasonRunsUtah]

The inaugural Jackson Jackass 50K was held Saturday, February 4, 2012 in Jackson, TN on a 4.3 mile trail.  The runners ran 7 loops before concluding with a shorter eighth loop of 1 mile.

Here are several more photos of the finisher’s medal from the 2012 Jackson Jackass 50K

MORE PHOTOS OF MARATHON/ULTRA MEDALS AND BUCKLES

[medal photos submitted by Lisa Gonzales (@runlikeacoyote), Jonathan Bobbitt (@jonathanbobbitt), Joshua Holmes (@bayou), and Jonathan Harrison]