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Here is a look at the list of all of the elite runners that will be running at the 2011 Chicago Marathon on Sunday, October 9, 2011 in Chicago, Illinois.

Many are looking at American Ryan Hall to put down a spectacular time and perhaps win it all after he set the U.S. marathon record earlier this year at the Boston Marathon.

RELATED: Ryan Hall Nude in ESPN’s ‘Bodies We Want 2011’ Issue

Check back on Sunday for results from the Chicago Marathon

Elite marathoner and devout Christian Ryan Hall is nude as can be in ESPN’s 2011 ‘Bodies We Want‘ issue.

In the photo, Hall is seen running nude through the woods while displaying his perfect form that led to his fastest U.S. marathon time ever at the 2011 Boston Marathon.

The issue often ruffles up feathers and creates controversy for the athletes included in the spreads.

I have to admit that Hall is one of the last athletes I expected to see baring all for the camera in the 2011 edition.

You can view Hall’s perfect naked running form through the woods HERE at ESPN (SFW).

You can view all of the 2011 ‘Bodies We Want’ photo spreads HERE at ESPN.

Other athletes including in the ‘Body Issue’ include: Hope Solo, Blake Griffin, Jose Reyes, Alicia Sacramone, Steven Jackson, Gretchen Bleiler, Zera Zvonareva, Belen Mozo, Sylvia Fowles, Natasha Hastings, Julie Chu, Jon Jones, Apolo Anton Ohno, Sergio Martinez, Ryan Kesler, Stephanie Gilmore, Jeremy Campbell, Suzy Hotrod, Kelly Kulick, Louie Vito, and Helio Castroneves.

Singer David Cook, who won the 7th season of the reality singing contest American Idol, has announced that he plans to run the 2012 Los Angeles Marathon.

David is running to raise money for Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure (ABC²).  Cook lost his brother Adam to brain cancer back in 2009 at the age of 37-years old after a 11-year battle with the disease.

You can DONATE to his cause HERE!

The 27th L.A. Marathon will take place on March 18, 2012.

Los Angeles Marathon Website

Kenya’s Patrick Makau destroyed Ethiopian Haile Gebrselassie world record in the marathon when he ran a 2:03:38 at the 38th Berlin Marathon on Sunday in Berlin, Germany. Makau broke Gebrselassie’s world record by 21 seconds.

2011 Berlin Marathon Live Blog & Photos

Haile had the lead and set the pace for most of the race before stepping off the course around the 27th km with what appeared to be either a side cramp or bad back. He started back but was unable to finish.

Top 10 Berlin Male and Female Winners/Finishers

The 10 Fastest Male Marathon Times of All-Time

Many of you have seen this but here is the Kilian Jornet in a newly released Salomon Running video called “Kilian’s Quest S3 E07 – Slow Motion.”

It was recorded at 1,000 frames a second and uses excessive slow-motion technology to show Jornet shredding some intense trails.

ESPN’s First Take anchor Dana Jacobson finished her first half marathon on Sunday in Philadelphia at the Rock ‘n’ Roll Philadelphia 1/2 Marathon.

Jacobson ran the 13.1 mile course in a time of 2:19:49.

Congrats to Dana and her coach Bart Yasso who helped her train via one of his patented Runner’s World training programs.

Dana tweeted afterwards, “The @RunRocknRoll folks are amazing put on a great show! Made me feel so welcome can’t wait for another.”

So it looks like Dana has the bug like the rest of us now!

[image: @djacobsonespn]

Elite runner/cyclist Lisa Buohler was riding her bicycle on Wednesday when she was hit by a car in Lehigh Acres, Florida.  Buohler suffered a broken back and bruised liver.

“Being propelled 20 feet in the air and landed on the grass, I have to consider the facts – I’m extremely lucky to be here,” she said. “You can be as careful and safe as you like, and it just takes one.”

Buohler and her friend, Mary Rine, were supposed to be traveling to Spain today to compete in the Duathlon World Championships.  Buohler was going to be competing for the first time as a United States citizen, something she was very excited about.

Buohler has been a Facebook friend for several years.  Our thoughts and prayers are with Lisa as she recovers and heals from the accident.

I hope everyone will use this as a wake-up to be even more careful while running and cycling on the roads.  Many behind the wheel are impaired or simply not paying attention.

Earlier this year we lost elite marathoner Sally Meyerhoff who was killed when a semi-truck collided with her bicycle while she was cycling.

Lisa Buohler’s Facebook Fan Page

[images: Lisa Buohler]

Actress Reese Witherspoon was hit by a car while out jogging yesterday in Santa Monica, California. Witherspoon was treated for minor injuries at a Santa Monica hospital after the accident.

The driver of the car was an 84-year-old woman, who failed to see Witherspoon crossing the street and plowed into her like a bull in a china shop.  The woman was cited for failure to yield to a pedestrian and released from police custody.

The woman was reportedly driving around 20 MPH when she hit the Legally Blonde actress.

Reese has been released from the hospital and is resting at home according to the report.

Luckily Reese is doing alright, but the national interest of the accident should serve as a wake up call to motorists and runners, as well, to be more careful out on the roads.

Political hot-button Sarah Palin, the controversial star of Tea Party gatherings across the country, ‘secretly’ ran the Storm Lake (Iowa) Half Marathon (website) yesterday in a time of 1:46:10.

Palin has been traveling all across Iowa giving speeches to rouse up the Tea Party and interest in her own Presidential ambitions (she has yet to say she is running for the office).

She signed up for the half-marathon under her maiden name Sarah Heath.

Several runners eventually noticed Palin who started near the back of the pack before working her way past the walkers:

This afternoon, Palin tweeted “Thank you, Storm Lake, Iowa. You put on a great event & we loved meeting some great folks in your beautiful town today!”

The official results showed that Palin (Heath) came in 2nd place in her age division, just 1 minute and 5 seconds behind the age division winner.  The overall female winner, Lindsey Meyer, ran a 1:38:10.  Justin Helbing was the overall winner with a time of 1:18:52.

Palin is an avid runner and has completed marathons in the past.

[image: L.A. Times]

Royal little-sis Pippa Middleton competed in the 2011 Highland Cross 50 Mile Duathlon in the Scottish Highlands last weekend.

She completed the 20-mile run and 30-mile bike ride in 5:07:58.

Pips finished 15th out of 116 women who competed in the event.

Middleton competed in the BE Blenheim Triathlon Relay earlier this month where she did the running leg. Pippa has also completed a solo triathlon and several running races of varying distances.

Pippa Middleton Finishes GE Blenheim Triathlon (Photo)