Harlem 26.2

Thanks for Reading Harlem 26.2 - Goodbye :(

2008-03-26T17:48:00.010-04:00

I am a runner. All runners are people of devotion, commitment, and perseverance - and it is that ethic in me - that motivated me to blog on my reflections and thoughts, through the lens of running, for a full year. Today closes the loop on a full year and nearly 400 blog entries. I never wanted to "play it safe", never cared about being politically correct, did not mind offending anyone, did not spell and grammar check, I just wanted to publish streams of thought - consistently and supported with a myriad of reference sources and documentation, and be authentic to who I am. If I never annoyed or provoked you to think I'm an idiot, I failed. Likewise if I never was able to get you to consider despite all my rough edges and flaws, I'm a decent person at the end of the day - I failed once more. Visceral responses either way are all good with me - I never wanted to be boring - I hoped to be a momentary diversion in the course of your day - a voice saying something you're not likely to hear elsewhere. I wanted this blog to be of interest and accessible to the non-runner. This blog was about entries like this, Eve Pell and Susan Graham-Gray. If you did not catch this blog, click those links - and experience Eve Pell's words & Susan Graham-Gray's spirit. Despite how you see me rip on the Black Marathoners, Eve Pell & Susan Graham-Gray is what this blog was really all about. Eve Pell actually contacted me and thanked me, as did many of the hundreds of people I spoke of (to my surprise). On a ridiculous note the Katie Holmes NYC Marathon Conspiracy entry got picked up by some of the biggest celebrity blog sites in the U.S., went world-wide, and I had people in Russia for example asking me for interviews on it - that one entry has gotten over half a million hits to date. I actually had established sports writers contact me on my blog about Lance Armstrong and told me I was spot on accurate in my comments (I said what they could not). I thought I would be able to but I could not talk about my business matters. Though the country's economic outlook is bleak - I'm going to be okay - things are relatively on a decent track. The sub 3 @ NYC '07 did not happen (3:05). I was sick as a dog that day too, damn. Oh well, I've chosen to bypass cherry picking and finding a flat & fast marathon course somewhere - and fully intend to go sub 3 in '08 @ NYC. Yes the sub 3 would be sweet - but you know what would be sweeter? Just being a regular 'ol father, running around Central Park pushing a baby jogger. That's what I really want - and hopefully that's what I'll be doing in about a year. I mentioned her once or twice - but over this past year I met and got involved with an amazing woman who I shall call "K". If you read this blog closely, at this entry in October I went to Tiffany's here in NYC a week before the NYC marathon and bought the classic 6 prong platinum diamond ring. I will be getting married this Summer, working on getting the "bun in the oven" right now. No sub 3 but a far better happy ending! (which is really the beginning).

I wanted to be a voice out of Harlem that you did not necessarily expect...from Harlem or from a Black man - a voice on distance running. Harlem is a very different place than you might think if you're not current on things.... 2 bedroom condos going for $1 Million+ is standard to see. A point of curiosity - would you believe more White people can be found running through Harlem than Black people? It's true. Anyway and to the point, I wanted to bring to the blogosphere something different on many levels. At least that was the intent.

I can't do this anymore. My business matters are about to be very demanding - I'm planning on getting married, starting a family, buying a second home outside NYC (but I will always live in Harlem), the whole sha-bang. It's going to be hard to even find time to just run - but I will run, I have to run - it's how I keep my head together. This site and all its content will remain here and on-line. Search it, take content from it, share it, there is a wealth of content herein. Anyone can email me by clicking the "View My Complete Profile" button on the side...and I can always be found running....in NYC's Central Park - the greatest place to run in the world, that green rectangle area you see above in the greatest city in the world, New York. It's always neat when other runners, strangers to me, in Central Park give me a "Harlem 26.2" shout out when when passing. Every one of you can do what I did, blog on running, I say go for it!

A couple of weeks ago I introduced you to a Black scholar, Dr. John Oliver Killens - novelist, social critic, screenwriter, playwright and essayist and founding chairperson of the legendary Harlem Writers Guild, I can think of no better words in which to say thanks for reading Harlem 26.2 and Goodbye than by expressing the words once again of Dr. Killens' writing "Long Distance Runner"

"It is an interesting phenomenon that we black folks, as a people, have produced some of the most magnificent athletes the world has ever known, but have produced very few long distance runners. We've raised a whole lot of hell in the hundred yard dashes. You watch the Olympics and you see nothing but black brothers up there at the finish tape in the sprints. We have the fastest get-away known to man or womankind. At the same time, we have produced very few long distance runners. Long distance running requires planning, pacing, discipline, stamina, and a belief in the ability to win everything over the long haul. Lasting power is the name of the game... We must evolve a generation of long distance runners - men and women - prepared to pay some dues for their children's children. Our people have paid some terrible dues for us to have come to this place and this moment in time and space."

Nothing but the best to all & always aim high!

Lancelot A. Smith

"Blacks Are Lazy" - Tony Reed & The National Black Marathoners' Association - Can These Negroes Be Saved? A 5 Point Rescue Plan & Path To Legitimacy

2008-03-26T11:01:00.033-04:00

"So lets keep up the boycott on responding to Lance regarding anything about NBMA & Tony Reed". - Anonymous Comment on Harlem 26.2. Q. Who's going to be the happiest people on earth that Harlem 26.2 ending? My friends the Black Marathoners. I only wish they were as passionate as the ultra runners. You see the Ultra runners are serious right? Good for them, I respect that - isn't it too bad Black people were not the same way? Originally on this blog I hyped the Black Marathoners & it's founder Tony Reed. In the spirit of Black solidarity I said , "Tony is do ing the damn thing.... I am no where near Tony" . The truth is The National Black Marathoners is nothing more than a vehicle for Tony Reed (the founder) to promote himself - it's like an "Al Sharpton strategy", building a cottage industry around himself. Al Sharpton's a good guy but had no business being on that stage on the left in that Presidential debate. Al simply created noise, exploited "White guilt" , and was deferred a voice of credence by White people - when really he was just the Black guy shouting the loudest and playing the race card. That's Tony Reed's strategy and Tony Reed is no more qualified to speak on matters "Black" and or "marathon" than Al Sharpton is on negotiating NAFTA. Last month at the Cowtown Marathon 53 year old Tony Reed was beaten by 15 Minutes by an 80 year old man. It's true, 80 year old Gene Brock ran a 5:36 Cowtown Marathon besting Tony Reed's 5:51 by 15 minutes. Tony Reed is 1 hour and 20+ minutes slower than Oprah Winfrey. Tony Reed does not even try, is not fit, does not train, and does not run - the man has no running ethic or regime at all - he literally walks these marathons. Why does it matter? Because through a PR Agency - Malloy Marketing Group and to the media & public Tony Reed markets a narrative of himself as a "marathon runner", leaning heavy on the "race card", and leveraging the assumed & implied credence that is deferred to the words that speak to a heritage & legacy "National Black Marathoners' Association". I care about the real heritage and legacy that as a matter of practice Tony Reed refuses to recognize on the Black Marathoners' webstie - or ever in an interview. Tony Reed markets himself as someone qualified to talk about health, the running ethic, marathon running, etc. it's all a fraud. "The National Black Marathoners' Association", those words are his currency to gain access, attention, & open doors...and he uses them exclusively to promote and hype himself. To this day you cannot find the name Ted Corbitt on the National Black Marathoners' Website. Is that not hilarious? Tony Reed preserves a collective ignorance within the organization by not recognizing the history inherent in the words and name he's co-opted to use as his personal currency. Now get this, when asked to speak to the lack of Black Americans in distance running?...Tony Reed said Black Americans are "lazy". His exact words? (In speaking in the context of Black Americans and The Marathon, Tony Reed said, "With a lot of Americans, it's easier to take a pill or a shot than to get up off the couch and become active," Reed said of what he calls the diseases of inactivity". Does this not equate to "Lazy"? Tony Reed, a guy with no running ethic who walks 6 hour marathons said Blacks are lazy. Keep in mind the legendary running visionary (and racist - there on the left) Arthur Newton , once said "Blacks would never run distance. They just don't have what it takes to do the distance". How much difference is there really in Arthur Newton's words about Blacks and running and Tony Reed's? Meanwhile Tony Reed's age-graded scores in his last 2 marathons were 39% and 40%, the very bottom of the barrel and he risk being disqualified in events that have a 6 hour cut off. Tony Reed's marathon walks of 6 hours matter as it's a contradiction of what he markets (in building a cottage industry around himself). Does anyone expect the N ational Association of Black Journalist to be headed by someone who can read and write? How about the National Association of Black Accountants? They're headed by a woman from my hometown, Oakland, CA, she's Gwendolyn Skillern, I am sure Tony Reed, a CPA, knows her. Does anyone including Tony Reed expect the National Association of Black Accountants to be headed by someone who can count? Tony Reed himself expects the National Association of Black Accountants to be headed by someone who rates above the very bottom of the barrel.....or in other words, exactly where he does (6 hour walking marathons) as the head of the National Black Marathoners' Association. I only say this because the guy does not even try - he does not care. He will market this false narrative and hope the media extends him an "affirmative action" allowance / consideration and give him a stage - if he were White, no one would care. An example? This weekend Tony Reed is walking the ING Georgia marathon, followed up by walking the St. Louis Marathon on the next weekend. What sense does it make for a 6 hour marathoner to be entered into marathons spaced by 5 or 6 days? None, but it does not matter for Tony Reed, it's all about fulfilling the narrative as America's Black Marathon runner who has ran 100 marathons (all about quantity, to hell with quality - no one ever asks...). I could care less about this - if he did it in his own name and not that of a heritage & legacy that I covet. If you're new to this blog - this is a continuation of a protest of mine against Tony Reed & The National Black Marathoners, there are 4 main parts: P ART 1, PART 2, PART 3 & PART 4. Everyone knows I am demanding the changing of their shameful logo of ignorance, that's it on the left, this 1865:FREE TO RUN. The Black Marathoners are out of Texas, a State that made it illegal for Tony Reed and the Black Marathoners to run in hundreds of City and State Parks in 1950, these laws were dubbed "Jim Crow Laws". People who violated these laws were arrested at best, lynched at worse, both happened. Declaring 1865:FREE TO RUN is denying the history of America and reality that Black people were denied, arrested, lynched, had dogs sicked on them, water hoses sprayed at them, it's a denial of segregation and the entire civil rights movement. Today I went to the National Black Marathon Association website and wow, look here, Tony Reed showcasing the medals he's collected walking in Marathons. That's the actual photo above on the right that Tony Reed found fitting to place on the National Black Marathoners' Association website. A photo of his medals. He justified placing that photo by addressing the pressing need of informing members of how to best store their medals. Keep in mind Tony Reed will not make space on the Black Marathoners' website for Ted Corbitt or anything whatsoever on the history of American Blacks and Distance Running. Tony Reed & The Black Marathoners' website offers no information or resources on training, nutrition, courses, race calendar(s), etc. absolutely nothing, not a scintilla of content that running clubs commonly have (makes sense as it's a fraudulent organization). However what does Tony Reed find fitting and appropriate to place on their website?... a photo of his medals! His Marathon "bling" Tony Reed's basically like that guy on the left above, "Don the Magic Juan" - a real negro proudly flashing his bling, "look at me and all my finery". Ridiculous. I've never seen the head of a running club or organization of any kind - place a photo of all their medals on their website for any reason, have you? They're the "The Church of Tony Reed" - this photo their alter. All while offering nothing of value, or benefit, or meaningful to the running endeavor. The organization is Tony Reed's personal platform to promote Tony Reed and their members? Bamboozled in whole. He even has a close inner circle that have come on this blog - they're actually more like Scientology than a running club - very cult like and I feel for the Black people who are turning to them, assuming due to their name they're legitimate - when they are not. Well there are people who are saved from Scientology but can these Black people be saved? I've outlined a 5 point plan to bring some legitimacy and semblance of an actual running organization to the National Black Marathoners.

(1) Heritage & Legacy: Recognize the heritage and legacy inherent in the name and words you've chosen to brand yourselves with. Harlem 26.2 has all sorts of content on the History of Black Americans and distance running including literature and video. Take it - all, please, claim it for your own, re-brand it, I don't care. What's important is that this information is shared with your members. Very few Black runners have ever heard of Ted Corbitt, Delores Cross, or the literature of Dr. John Oliver Killens. I've never met a Black person that ever heard of Arthur Newton or Frank Hart. You assume the name of a legacy and heritage and have a duty to bring recognition and dignity to it.

(2) The "FREE TO RUN" Logo Must Go! As "iconography" Tony Reed is branding himself & his organization on par with a "Happy Black Sambo" stereotype with that logo above. Let's explore this through the lens of academic authority, "The Coon caricature, for example, portrays black men as lazy, ignorant, and obsessively self-indulgent; these are also traits historically represented by the word Nigger".
- Ferris State University Museum of Racism Memorabilia. Tony Reed has no running ethic & walks marathons, his logo a declaration ignorance, and with his self-promoting press releases, photos of his medals, self-published book? Can anyone here connect dots? Does the shoe not fit? ...if it walks like a duck? Do I need to say any more? Okay, Tony Reed is not a Nigger, no one is, he's a Black man, I only wish he was an educated Black man. There is a point where there are no more excuses and that point is now. That logo is modern day "Coon & Nigger" iconography worthy of placement in the Ferris State University Museum of Racism Memorabilia. If you doubt that, click the link and you'll see Tony Reed's logo passes the "Happy Black Sambo Nigger test" in flying colors - nothing to be proud of.

(3) Social Network Strategy: Dump the lame Yahoo Group! Set up a forum within Athlinks.com and or Coolrunning.com You're further "ghetto-izing" yourselves in the isolation of Yahoo & minimal functionality of Yahoo. There are dynamic social network forums with rich infrastructure, tools, & resources for runners (logs, calendars, calculators, tips). A minimal effort to place links on your own site to RunningInTheUSA and MarathonGuide.com. This is a simple and easy means to provide people everywhere access to a race calendar, they can find local 5Ks or Ultras, if they're traveling they can find races and events. This is pretty simple stuff you all, even a place like Sweat365.com which I have blogged about, Sweat365 (A social network serving the running community) has a complete library section addressing training, nutrition, etc. All of this is easily manageable. Tony Reed & The Black Marathoners do not have to re-invent the wheel for crissakes! It's invented, done - all they have to do is set up shop (so to speak), extension shop if you will - at places like the social network forums I have listed, linked, and blogged about. These forums cover the "heavy lifting" (the training logs & tools, race calendars, nutrition, injury recovery).

(4) Strategically Placed Annual Summit: Tony Reed is having the annual '09 meeting gathering at the Cowtown Marathon, right where he lives - convenient for himself and he's walked the race 18 times before. He made this decision to bring full circle to the personal narrative he will market to the public and media through an PR agency, it will be his 100th marathon & the place where he had his first. This self-serving self-coronation decision making must end. If the organization wants legitimacy - it's gotta be about something bigger than Tony Reed. The annual meetings should have proximity to regions with high Black populations (not that Apache Junction Lost Dutchman crap they just did). It's about tapping into the Black professional societies in cities, conjuring promotion and support through organizations & media: I offered 4 or 5 examples before, one was the Philadelphia Marathon which has a 26.2, Half, 8K & Kids races - variety for all - the city of Philadelphia to tap into - and Verizon is a key sponsor - Verizon has in place health and education foundations and programs servicing the Black community - align in markets and with sponsors wherein you can conjure synergy - leverage your mission ten-fold....employ strategic thought and vision to where and why you meet at a specific annual event, not this self-promotion crap of Tony Reed.

(5) Strategic Networking: RRCA (Road Runners Club of America), Co-Founded by a Black man, Ted Corbitt). Why isn't The National Black Marathoners' Association a member of the Road Runners Club of America? Over 700 Running clubs are, what's their excuse? I blogged about the 2008 National Running Conference held in San Diego with over 350 entities focused on the business of running (every shoe & apparel maker, lots of Marathon RDs, nutrition/food makers, running oriented dot.com companies, retailers, you name it...if it involved running & business - they were there). For some reason the Black Marathoners take pride in being insular and staying "ghetto'ized" in their functioning. They wear this like a badge of honor - when it's really a statement of stupidity. I know lots of running clubs and organizations that have sponsors of all types (shoes, apparel, nationwide discounts on all sorts of stuff from restaurants to hotels). It's Tony Reed's job to attend the 2008 National Running Conference and network - sponsorship starts over lunch, a drink, a face to face conversation and handshake. The National Black marathoners can easily secure sponsors - they just lack leadership with planning and vision. Again, it's a Tony Reed self promotion vehicle, not a real organization per the name and branding they co-opted. Everyone in NYC knows local superstar Westchester Track Club runner John Samsel - probably the most distinguished member of the 30,000+ strong New York Road Runners and impeccable integrity. For reasons having to do with some of my professional matters - from time to time I speak to executives within the running industry - Samsel will co-sign on that - I've brought Samsel to meetings, some with famous national running figures like Craig Virgin for example (a very cool guy). The point? If the Black Marathoners' got rid of that logo and recognized the heritage and legacy inherent in the name they co-opted, I will personally get them real major sponsorship, shoes & apparel. I can do that. But they've got to get past taking pride in being "ghetto'ized", insular, and separate from the whole. They must welcome being woven into the fabric of running in America on a business level and be members and network within the RRCA for example. Howevever right now with his modern day "Coon Nigger" iconography logo Tony Reed & The Black Marathoners are "untouchable" for any significant sponsorship - (and they don't even know it, never viewed it through that lens).

If the Black Marathoners is indeed a real organization - they will have members who have the courage to say, "Tony, it's not about that asshole Lance in New York - it's about our own dignity & esteem" and the logo will go and their site will offer enrichment in the context of running. Black people in that organization have to decide if they deserve better - because they have nothing right now - they're nothing but pons in Tony Reed's world and agenda (for himself). In closing, this is not about me. This is about what I know. What I know the Black Marathoners are missing out on, what I know is possible. What I feel their members warrant and deserve. Today Tony Reed and that organization is a fraud and disgrace to the heritage & legacy of the name Tony Reed has co-opted. Tony Reed wants the privileges the name and branding deliver and none of the responsibilities. I covet the Black American Marathoning legacy and take an enormous amount of pride in being Black. I don't have art on my walls in my home. About 8 years ago I got an account at Sotheby's Auction House here in NYC and started collecting slave documents, buying the documents that controlled the lives of Black people. The sales receipts, contracts, auctioneers papers, medical check ups required before being sold, the insurance claims when a slave lost an arm or a leg in a farming accident, I have it all. I take a lot of pride in owning the documents that controlled the lives of Black people and place these documents in frames and on my walls. I like to believe the souls of these people live through the documents that controlled them, their whole lives - and it's rewarding these documents are now in Black hands - and souls heralded and admired by me. These documents (and imagining the lives behind them) inspire me to give total effort - in everything. Do you think there's a chance in hell I am going to let a fraud, Tony Reed use the name and branding of a heritage and legacy as his personal currency to hype and promote himself (while excluding that legacy of recognition & dignity?). I committed to being a countering voice to Tony Reed to anyone who gives him any legitimacy of any kind until he changes the logo & exposes that organization to the heritage and legacy inherent in its name. I will be ending this blog - but not that concern, I have it managed going forward. Have a great day!!

Running To Create a Spark & Build The Brain

2008-03-25T08:05:00.007-04:00

Over the year of this blog I've suggested a lot of different books on different aspects of the running. Before I say goodbye I offer a final book suggestion - one that kind of sums it all up for runners of all levels & ages - I am reading it now. A growing body of evidence suggests that running can build the brain. I share with you a forthcoming book, that's it on the left below, "Spark": The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain- which shows how running can boost memory, alleviate stress, enhance intelligence and allay aggression. John Ratey, an associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School in Boston and the book's author, says that exercise stimulates our grey matter to produce what he calls "Miracle-Gro" for the brain. "I can't understate how important regular exercise is in improving the function and performance of the brain," he says. "It's such a wonderful medicine." Happiness: Beyond the (potential) mood-lifting effects of fresh air and scenery, evidence suggests that pounding the pavement can also change the way our brains work to make us happier, or even stave off depression. "Exercise is as good as any anti-depressant I know," Ratey claims. Last December, scientists from Yale University wrote in the journal Nature Medicine that regular exertion affects the hippocampus, the area of the brain responsible for mood. Tests on mice showed that exercise activated a gene there called VGF, which is linked to a "growth factor" chemical involved in the development of new nerve cells. Tests show that this brain activation lifts a person's mood. Participants in one recent German survey were asked to walk quickly on a treadmill for 30 minutes a day over a 10-day period. At the end of the experiment, researchers recorded a significant drop in depression scores. Scientists are now working on a drug that mimics the effects of the VGF gene to market it as an alternative to conventional antidepressants. Stress: stress slows down the gastrointestinal system and reduces appetite, and can overexcite the brain, fuzzing our thought. By responding to or anticipating stress with 30 minutes of running, blood flow to the brain is increased, allowing the body to purge the potentially toxic by-products of stress. According to Ratey, exercise also helps in the long term. "It builds up armies of antioxidants such as Vitamins E and C," he says. "These help brain cells protect us from future stress." Intelligence: Research suggests that exercise boosts intelligence in the very, very young. Experiments on rats at the Delbrück Centre for Molecular Medicine in Berlin showed that baby rats born to mothers who were more active during pregnancy had 40 per cent more cells in the hippocampus, the area of the brain responsible for intelligence. If the same is true in humans, we can expect Paula Radcliffe's baby, Isla, to be a genius; Radcliffe was training for the New York marathon until the day before she went in to hospital to be induced – and won the race just nine months after giving birth. Aggression: The frontal cortex is the part of the brain that decides whether you throw a punch or take something on the chin. Reduced activity in the region, a trauma or abnormal development can result in an inability to control violent urges. "This area makes us evaluate the consequences of our actions," Ratey says. "It's the part of the brain that puts the brakes on when the ref makes a terrible decision and you want to beat him up." Exercise increases activity in that area, boosting rational thought, which makesus less likely to lash out. Memory: Most of the competitors at the annual World Memory Championships could hardly be described as the epitome of physical fitness but, according to Ratey and other scientists in the field, a good workout does much to boost recall, especially as we clock up the years. "When we're exercising, we're using nerve cells in the brain which help build up what I call brain fertiliser," he says. Ratey is talking about new research that suggests exercise increases blood flow to the part of the brain responsible for memory, and improves its function. In MRI scans on mice, conducted last year by neurologists at Columbia University Medical Centre in New York, the animals were shown to grow new brain cells in the dentate gyrus, which is affected in age-related memory decline. Research on humans is ongoing but Ratey is convinced that physical activity has a similar effect. He says: "Exercise does more than anything we know of to boost memory." Addiction: The principle is that exercise can stimulate production of the mood-enhancing hormone dopamine, which can, in turn, reduce smokers' dependence on nicotine. "Dopamine works by replacing or satisfying the need for nicotine," Ratey explains. Check out his site & info - read the reviews over at Amazon - this is a great read! Have a terrific day!

Why I Run & Those Pesky Ultra Runners....

2008-03-24T17:29:00.013-04:00

I am a runner, I do not walk or jog, I run. Alrightey - this thing is nearing an end - 1 full year of blogging on running - and how well do I know running? For a full year I never mentioned ultrarunning on this blog - why? I know how passionate they are - along with a few wingnuts (David Horton types). I knew the minute I said some sh*t - they would come out the woodwork in mass - and I see they have....as I said (& illustrated) things no one dare say in their world - sacred topics no one is supposed to dare question, lol. I love ultrarunners! ....and these guys emailing me...please...stop it. Most of you have been running what? 5, 10, 15, 20 years or so? Read the blog - I've been doing this thing for 32 years - got into it chasing Regina Jacobs as a teen in Oakland, CA, The NYRR & Athlinks won't show my best performances - they were done in Kenya, England, & China (the mainland) in the 80's. There's photos of me in the 80's on this blog for example in the SF Bay To Breakers, etc and yes, one day I will run the Rodeo Beach 50K or possibly the Mt. Diablo 50K for one reason - to win the race. I think Rodeo is the cherry pick, I have no shame and I will only put 1 toe in the Ultraworld (50K). Look at me, I'm a sprinter for crissakes - a local superstar runner just got me into racing with the NYRR - and that's John Samsel - there on the right, a 64 year old White guy - my best running buddy - everyone on the NYC running scene knows John - I started this blog a year ago paying tribute to John - check it - and no this is not the last entry - but it's close.....and I just run middle distance & distance for the heck of it - because I can - and for reasons very much in line with this collegiate kid above - check the video - need inspiration to go put in those training miles - it's funny how sometimes these kids in the running game can inspire us old Masters..... it's a great 5 minute investment! Have a great day.

The Ultra Running Scene & Scott Jurek: Over-Rated?

2008-03-23T17:18:00.046-04:00

Everybody who reads this blog knows my personal hero is Ted Corbitt, who also happens to be the father of ultrarunning - and yes I've seen the video clip of Ted introducing Scott Jurek. I've never met Yiannis Kouros (historic Ultrarunning superstar) or Scott Jurek (modern day superstar), but I have spoken with Pam Reed and Dean Karnazes several times, as well as many others not so well known. I've never ran an Ultra however everyone who has tells me they're easier than racing marathons. Why? You run easy - and just endure, so they tell me. I know few ultrarunners that train more than 40 - 60 miles a week in fact. (countered to marathoners that as a matter of practice clock 120 - 140 miles / week). It strikes with me that ultra events comprise distortion & outright nonsense - and is this probably the reason the IOC (International Olympic Committee) refuses to consider ultrarunning as a credible sport worthy of inclusion in the Olympics (Yiannis Kouros & others have tried to get it ultrarunning in the olympics for years to no avail). Running easy for 50 miles or 100 miles is clearly a lot easier on the body than actually racing for 26.2 with total effort as many run 5 or 6 of their events per year (at a competitive level). Most informed people know competitive marathoners can only run 2 or at the very most 3 marathons a year for reasons directly related to the rigors of the endeavor. It's a function of physiology - the human body & time. It takes several months to prepare to race a marathon, 2 or 3 weeks to taper, 5 - 7 days to nutritionally prepare.....all to have a peak performance on race day. That challenge necessitates a regime and time that does not exist in ultramarathoning. Competitive ultramathoners run these events as the come, with no particular regime prerequisite, even the best of the sport. After racing a marathon it takes numerous weeks for the body to recover from a myriad of damage & stress (microtears, biochemical alterations, etc - all well documented science.) A similar physical penalty to the body does not exist in ultrarunning. If you trot 100 miles one weekend, all you need is a couple of weeks downtime and you can trot another 100 miles - at a competitive level. Ultrarunning attracts an "older class" of runner - like those Ultrarunners above on the right, or those on the right running through the night - or that happy fellow below on the left. It does not strike as a competitive arena drawing talented runners (basically there's no money in it, and it consumes a lot of time). These fact have proven to be an effective barriers of entry in drawing the interest of talented runners (they're busy racing marathons and their professional lives). The Superstar of the sport is Scott Jurek but he racked up most of his wins as a 20-something (and 30, 31) racing against mostly guys old enough to be his father. That's a basic fact of the events and who enters them in general. Jurek's known for winning the premier event in ultrarunning, "BadWater" (a 135 mile race) - however what's not widely known is for example there were 67 finishers that completed this race in '05, 17 were under age 40, a whopping 50 were over age 40 - it strikes with me that Jurek's enjoyed a leveraged advantaged playing field being one of the few youthful runners - and this has been the case for the bulk of his wins. Furthermore the men's fields in these events commonly leave much to be desired in the way of running talent (it's taboo for me to say this - but it illustrates as true) - take a look at that very same crowning event "Badwater" '05. The fact are in 2005 the women were actually faster than the men. It's true looking at both the mean and the median, the women were faster. There were a total of 67 finishers (54 men and 13 women) the 54 men had a mean finish time of 44:43:45 and a median of 44:24:33. The 13 women had a mean finish time of 43:19:46 and a median of 41:31:15. Kudos to the women! (draw your own conclusions on what this speaks to of the caliber of the male runners in that race). Now Scott Jurek has been able to dominate ultrarunning to the extent where it's silly and makes no sense, actually hurts the sport in my opinion. Note Jurek was a very good Marathon runner and I don't believe many ultramarathoners were very good marathoners - they don't come from the running base he came from. Hence Scott Jurek enters the sport from an advantaged base (being a very good marathoner) couple this fact with the fact that he's competing largely guys who were not very good marathoners and mostly guys old enough to be his father and that all equates to a win, after win, after win. I believe Jurek's marathon PR is a 2:29. I've examined his WAVA age gradiing and Jurek's 100km and marathon time line up exactly on the WAVA charts. I suspect this too would play out for other marathoners who (if they chose to) run an ultra - and that strongly suggest a high level of mediocrity defines the very top of Ultrarunning in the context of competitive running . Why do I say this? Perspective: note the biggest star in Ultrarunning, Scott Jurek, was never talented enough to qualify to run in the Olympic Trials for example - by serious margin. I was at the '08 US Olympic team trials in '07 and the "A" qualifying standard is 2:20:00 for men (but a 2:22 will get you in). That day I saw 85 runners clock a faster marathon time than Jurek's ever clocked and there are several hundred runners in the U.S. that can go sub 2:29:00 - Jurek's best mark. Like Jurek - these runners could very likely extend their marathon talent to the ultra scene and I would suspect their WAVA tables would line up rather closely to their marathon times - just as Jurek's has. But these guys don't have interest in racing ultras (no money in the sport, and few people have time) and if Kenyans & Ethiopians entered these events? Game over for the current crop of runners on day one. To his credit Jurek was clever - able to scope an area of running wherein he could leverage his youth, talent, and exploit the nature of the sport drawing older runners - and become the King - and he did it, I applaud that. But it must be said, Jurek's enjoyed an advantaged playing field being one of the younger guys and as legit and solid marathoner before Ultra-running - he can clean up in a field of "weekend warrior" caliber runners. Jurek has not had to compete against guys like him, guys who can go 2:29:00 at the Marathon. When guys his own age have showed up, even ultra neophytes like Akos Konya has a shot of knocking off Scott Jurek - as he nearly did in '06. Some backgroud, this is a guy, Akos Konya, who working 60 hours / week as a restaurant manager, little time to run or train, he entered this big race, Badwater, with only 1 ultra under his belt and almost beat the Superstar of the sport Scott Jurek. Per the reports "Had Konya not pulled over at 1 a.m. (a 135 mile race) Tuesday and napped for 30 minutes in a sleeping bag, he might have won. Scott Jurek of Seattle, the seven-time Western States winner, won the race in 25 hours, 41 minutes". Konya, this neophyte took a nap for a half hour during race, lost winning by 17 minutes. Speaking of Badwater & Jurek - that guy on the right laying in that cooler with ice covering him (during the Badwater race - this is a technique he uses to cool off during this 135 mile Badwater race in the heat of the desert. Anyone can go to the Badwater website and see the rules state and I quote " So-called "cooling vests" or other types of artificial / technological cooling systems may not be worn or utilized by race entrants. Here's a comment from Jay Birmingham, Badwater Hall of Fame member:"If it uses technology that negates the envioronment, e.g., acts as a refrigerator, uses chemical reactions from manmade materials, and the like--it should be prohibited. A cooler is technology designed to refrigerate & retain cooling - Jurek typically as a matter of practice as you see in the photo lays bags of ice in the cooler, then lays in it with his support crew laying bags of ice on top of him - utilizing this technology - a cooler's thermodynamics to create a cooling chamber. Is it not clear how Jurek violates the rules of Badwater to the letter? I wonder why they never disqualify him? I've always wonder if he was simply viewed as as above the rules of the race. However the single most glaring fact about Ultrarunning that in my opinion gives the sport a "black eye" and illustrates beyond any doubt how overhyped these events are and loaded with "marginal" running talent? Well this was when Scott Jurek won The Western States 100, and then 2 weeks later won the Badwater 135 miler in 2005. This is ridiculous and a poor statement for ultra running courses & the quality of the running talent. 1). I just posted a blog entry publishing an article by Donald Buraglio where he described the Western States 100 Ultra as "the Toughest, Grueling, Unforgiving, Ferocious, "Hardest day of running they will ever encounter". I saw this as a very typical "ultra self-aggrandizing" about their Herculean task and what mighty men they are. 2). Badwater 135 Mile is truly supposed to be the very most grueling - physically and mentally demanding - race in the U.S. - I agree with this. Well then how is it that a man can run the Western States 100 at a level that's required to win the event - indeed win it - and then be physically capable and ready to race another ultra - truly the most grueling 135 ultra mile race, Badwater, - 13 or 14 days later? 1) Where was Jurek's fatigue from the Western States 100? 2) Ultra racing does not require any recovery period - no regime whatsoever - and it's clearly not possible to be physically marginalized by racing the Western States 100 - you can come out of the Western States Ultra 100 with no recuperation and recover price to pay - fit and able to race 2 weeks later in fact, like Scott Jurek and 3) It seems to me if the Western States was demanding, and you ran hard, Jurek should have entered Badwater seriously physically marginalized and other runners should have whippped up on him. That did not happen - most of those other runners were old enough to be his father, the Western States 100 is clearly not so difficult that it renders you fatigued and unable to competitively race an ultra just days later - there was no competition in either event - the very integrity of ultrarunning as an event suffers (event difficulty, talent of the field, etc.) when a single guy can not only enter but win the 2 so-called most grueling events, within a span of 2 weeks - it's a farce on that fact alone, I don't even need to talk about the - the Sri Chimnoy runners - do I? I've learned the ultra crowd does not like it when their events are examined under the lens of scrutiny - for their athleticism - field of talent. There's a huge "camradery" factor in these events, - an esprit de core - a pride in shared pain, sacrifice, etc. they frown upon anyone who stands out from the whole - Dean Karnazes is not the superstar within the sport - but by far the best known - yet he is despised in general by most of the Ultra running community for this very reason - standing out - and people in the community know there is a serious and extreme dislike of Dean Karnazes for what they characterize as "Grand Standing". I've spoken with Dean about this - I say it's because he's smart, a Yale man, handsome, a master promoter, does stunts and has been very successful at promoting himself in the context of ultrarunning. I like Dean Karnazes a lot in fact for these reasons. Now you see the blog I posted about David Horton (above on the right)? That's your typical Ultrarunner that I see - an old guy - who gets off on the shared misery and pain of it all. Why is it a lot of ultrarunners don't even look athletic? have you seen them? Just go over to Youtube and search "Ultra Race" or the like and take a look yourself. It's not just the men - I've met and spoken with one of the women's Superstars, Pam Reed - the lady does not even look healthy in person - does she? Can easily pass for 10 - 15 years older than she is - even on the women's side of these events - there is just little actual running talent in the fields - and that's seen when in '05 Pam Reed who at age 42 not only wins the Master's Women's field (Women 40+ in age) at the crown jewel event - The Badwater 135 mile race - she also wins the overall field of all women of any age, WTF? This speaks to the poor fields of women in their 20's and 30's in these events - sorry, Pam Reed wining the overall does not reflect well on the caliber of talent of women runners at Ultra races. So I'm not sure what to make of these events - and I'd really like to one day read why the International Olympic Committee dismisses them as worthy of inclusion in the Olympics. I'm the same age & w/the same body as Dean Karnazes - have spoken w/him about entering these - he tells me it all breaks down to being blessed with certain ideal mechanics to run - of which I am - and I thank I can do these events well - and be far more distinguished than I am in marathon running (which is just another face in the crowd). However these events hold no appeal for me. From all I gather form those who engage in them - they boil down to and are motivated by a "Self against the Environment" type of personal challenge, quest and feat. However Jurek is very competitive and keeps keen awareness of his standing with his support team relative to the competition during these Ultra races. Ultrarunners though are big into characterizing the terrain, elevation grades, blah blah blah, I hold not desire to challenge terrain and land - I'm still driven and interested in competing against other runners at standards. I can cherry pick marathons and win the Masters class if I wanted to - but that would mean nothing to me. Whenever I speak to ultra runners - I learn they lost interest and appeal in the Marathon. I always want to ask them, "Have you ever ran one (marathon) well"? I find ultrarunners commonly got into the sport by saying they lost interest in the marathon - without disclosing if they ever ran marathons well. It strikes with me that they've chosen to give up on realizing marathon goals - in favor of what are more so characterized as "feats". For example, the stuff that David Horton does? Entirely feat achievement by people with time. Take 1 look at David Horton - he cannot actually race against real runners on any trail, real runners just don't have the time or interest - David Horton does - hence when he asserts he set the "speed record" - it's very laughable in many senses as who in the hell is trying to do it? Who has the time? I see far more fulfillment in goals to be reached in the Olympic standard - the marathon - and running against the best runners - than I do in running 50 or 100 miles against a seriously weak field of runners. I will say this - in the last 2 years - ultrarunning events have been able to attract more runners of real talent - as opposed to the "weekend warrior runner". As they do - you're seeing Scott Jurek's records fall - as again - people coming from his background enter these events - and they are not only breaking Jurek's records - they are shattering them and in the process illustrating Jurek was mediorce talent - per his WAVA grading - relative to others with competitive marathoning backgrounds - Jurek enjoyed the spoils of a shallow pool - it has to be said - not even racing international competition - and what did we see when a legit international runner showed up at Badwater? Well Jurek's talents might be framed in a more accurate perspective then......- as they were when a Brazilian by the name of Valmir (above on the left crossing the finish line) bothered to show up at Badwater. Valmir summarily SHATTERED Jurek's record by 1 hour and 45 minutes. How do you characterize Jurek's performances after a guy from Brazil blows him away by nearly 2 hours? What you thought was great (Jurek) - was all the time good, but clearly not great - you just had marginalized small fields of weekend warrior runners - and Jurek looked great in that backdrop and context - and you would have known ahead of time when you saw Jurek - you say good but not great - if you examined Jurek's performance in the context of WAVA tables and knowing what's out there in the world of running - runners with the talent - just not interested in running Ultras (no money in the events). Again - I am not trying to slam Scott Jurek - I just am taking time to look at ultrarunning and explore what's really going on....when I do - I see all I've spoken to - and the proof is in the points of fact that kind of say it all, no? So when I say Jurek might be overrated, it's all in the context of who he's been racing against and more importantly, NOT racing against - his peers.

The History of the Western States 100 Ultra or "More Bullshit Than at a Rodeo"

2008-03-23T16:39:00.010-04:00

Okay - I'm about to publish a blog questioning the world of ultrarunning....however before I do let me share you you something another blogger published about ultrarunning. Journey of 100 miles: Taking on the Western States Endurance Run: Donald Buraglio, a blogger wrote on a "Journey of 100 miles" for the Monterey Herald. A piece about the Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run. He said, Each year, on the last weekend in June, the world's toughest endurance runners gather in the former Olympic Village of Squaw Valley, California. Over the next 24 hours, they race each other over 100 miles of the historic Western States trail, through some of the most rugged terrain of the Sierra Nevada. They climb more than 18,000 feet, and descend more than 23,000 feet while traversing deep canyons and high ridgelines before reaching the finish line in Auburn, CA. It is one of the most grueling physical and psychological challenges many of them will ever face. And this year, I'll be right there with them. The Western States Endurance Run is the most prestigious race in the burgeoning sport of ultrarunning [ME: No, Badwater is] , defined as any race longer than the 26.2-mile marathon distance. Most ultramarathons are contested on trails instead of roads, and the most common distance is 50K (31 miles). However, the number of 100-mile races across the country has gradually increased over the past several years — and every one owes its existence to the success of Western States [ME: No, that would be to Ted Corbitt - that's all who you owe your existence to, but like typical White men - you think you created the sport - you don't recognize or tip your cap to the founder of the sport - a Black man, Ted Corbitt]. If running 100 miles over unforgiving terrain through frequently ferocious weather conditions sounds crazy to you, rest assured that you're not alone. In fact, the contest was originally designed not for people, but for horses. Western States started out as the Tevis Cup, which originated when a bunch of old-time California cowboys decided to compare the toughness of their horses to legendary steeds from he days of the Pony Express. Riders who covered the 100-mile trail in a single day and night were awarded a silver belt buckle to recognize their accomplishment. For the first two decades of the Tevis Cup, the thought of anyone travelling the 100-mile trail on foot was inconceivable. [well it should be said the thought of travelling 100 miles and a hell of a lot further on trails was done and executed frequently.....by Black people escaping a slave life in the 18th and 19th Century in the U.S, - they were some of America's first UItra runners - they just did not know it at the time - this speech is little more than the usual self-aggrandizing that is standard, common & typical of ultrarunners.]. Then in 1974, a 27-year-old cowboy named Gordy Ainsleigh learned that his horse was suffering from foot problems and was too lame to attempt the ride. Ainsleigh was a bit of a maverick — so instead of dropping out of the ride, he laced up his running shoes and lined up alongside nearly 200 horses to take on the trail singlehandedly. He not only finished the course, but did so faster than the 24-hour cutoff, earning a silver buckle [ME: I've shown below]. With Ainsleigh's effort, the 100-mile trail race was born. Today, there are no fewer than 60 such races across the United States. And while some races take place at higher altitudes, and others feature greater changes in elevation, Western States remains the crown jewel among this fanatical subset of endurance events. [ME: I'll grant you that point]. What's more, it affords a select few "regular" runners — such as your author — to compete alongside the world's best. Regardless of their ability, all of the participants who meet in Squaw Valley each year realize that they are following in the footsteps of legendary champions who have gone before, while sharing the course with modern-day heroes of ultrarunning. It's an alluring combination of circumstances — to such a degree that the event struggles to manage the burden of its own popularity. Each year, an increasing number of ultrarunners clamor to enter Western States — and each year, more and more are turned away. Because the race passes through protected wilderness areas, the U.S. Forest Service limits the number of participants. And while rational folks would find it mind-boggling to hear that a 100-mile trail race has to turn people away, that's exactly what happens with this event. Consequently, Western States uses a lottery system to select applicants for the race. A portion of the slots are reserved, such as the top 10 male and female finishers from the previous year's race, runners who have unsuccessfully applied for two straight years, and a handful of sponsored athletes who are given automatic entry. Another automatic category called "pioneers" includes the now-legendary Ainsleigh, the man who started it all. Now in his 60s, he still lines up at the start line each year, and has finished the Western States course more than 20 times. In December, the lottery "winners" — honestly, that's the word we use — are notified, and immediately spend the next six months preparing for the hardest day of running they will ever encounter. They do so with equal parts excitement and overwhelming fear, knowing the challenges that await them on race day. A short list of potential dangers includes altitude sickness, treacherous snowpack in the high country, furnace-like temperatures in the lower canyons, waist- deep river crossings, wildlife encounters (mountain lion and bear sightings are not uncommon), and 10 or more hours of night running. That's in addition to all of the medical complications that can derail a runner on race day. [END]. I have got to post my take on ultrarunning as I am sick and tired of hearing this type of bullshit - framing of the race as some Herculian task from these guys. I don't know Donald Buraglio but he's very typical of the ultra scene. Note his language: "Toughest, Grueling, Psychological & Physical Challenges, Unforgiving, Ferocious, "Sounds Crazy", "Hardest day of running they will ever encounter" (NOT TRUE, especially to Badwater Ultra Runners and I can name several other races that make the WS100 look like a cakewalk - this speech is just part of the bullshit & hype of Ultrarunning - which I shall blog about shortly).

David Horton, "The Runner" or "The Wing Nut" ?

2008-03-23T14:36:00.009-04:00

Okay - the guy in this video above is David Horton, not sure if he's still teaching but he used to be a professor at the late Jerry Falwell's Liberty University. He's also an ultrarunner - one of the better known ultrarunners....and a bit of a nut to me -I can give you a ton of quotes he's dished over the years....but just look at the video of a very polished film one of his former students made about him called "The Runner" - the visuals are extraordinary! beautiful...however Horton is a nut with a lot of Timothy Treadwell "The Grizzly Man" persona exuded...- you know..the looney guy that lived with Bears in Alaska...until they ate him?...remember him?...that film...well David Horton here will remind you of that guy. This move/film is filled with religious icon imagery visually & in dialog - it is extremely over the top in that department. Note the angles of sun ray shining - the dialog is ridiculous (just count the number of times he says the words: pain & suffer - is their no limit to "hamming it up"?). etc. the music, the build up, the screaming, etc....and again, he's one of the more better known ultrarunners - this old guy. In this video you'll see he likens himself to a "Jesus like" figure - suffering, having a cross to bear, ....it's all a bit much for me. But I love how he miraculously "snaps to it" and can speak free and clear of tearing emotion when it comes to listing all his race achievements! Isn't that brilliant! There he can speak without tearing and crying....how and why is that?....he just whips them right off with no hesitation whatsoever! I am going to blog about the world of ultra running - but before that - I will frame much of it by the personalities that very much represent the general mindset of the endeavor.

Bosnian Serb Marathon Runner & His 900K Protest

2008-03-23T08:32:00.004-04:00

Sometimes this "Marthon Runner" stuff can go deep, as in the case of the Bosnian Serb marathon runner who covered more than 900km in less than nine days to take part in a protest yesterday against Kosovo’s declaration of independence. “I wanted to sympathise with you and to inform you about support from Republika Srpska,” Zeljko Blagojevic (there on the right) said after completing the epic journey. Republika Srpska is the Serb-run part of Bosnia, a semi-independent entity with its own president, government, parliament and police force.“This is a way to show that we (Serbs) are one soul, both in Republika Srpska and Kosovo,” he said.Wearing a T-shirt saying “Kosovo is Serbia”, Blagojevic was mobbed by hundreds of anti-independence demonstrators on arrival in the northern Kosovo town of Kosovska Mitrovica.The marathon runner left the Bosnian Serb town of Banja Luka on March 14 and said he had passed through 17 towns before reaching Kosovo, which broke away from Serbia last month.Most Serbs, who consider Kosovo a cradle of their history and culture, are fiercely opposed to the unilateral declaration of independence made on February 17 by the majority ethnic Albanian government in Pristina.More than 30 countries, including the US and most European Union states, have recognised the move, but others including Serbia’s main ally Russia have strongly opposed it.Bosnia was divided into Serb and Muslim-Croat entities after the former Yugoslav republic’s 1992-1995 war.

Get Out of the "Girl Box" - A Place to Get Girls Involved in Running Early!

2008-03-23T08:27:00.008-04:00

Girls on the Run founded in Charlotte in 1996 by marathon runner and Ironman triathlete Molly Barker. It now has more than 140 locations in the U.S. and Canada. The program's target audience is girls 8 to 12 years old, but not because of their budding athleticism. Their focus is helping them establish themselves as a whole person, to discover why she is, her values, and to establish healthy lifestyles." Or, as the Girls on the Run mantra goes, "to help get them out of the girl box." The 8-to-12 audience is key. Girls on the Run hopes to get girls into a healthy frame of mind before they encounter the incivility of the mean girls of middle school. Different lessons are covered each week, from keeping promises and valuing what's really important to handling gossip and bullying to listening and cooperating. The above links are to their national chapters, the Manhattan (NYC) chapter can be reached here (looks like they have locations at public and private schools throughout Manhattan including a couple in Harlem -cool). The goals of Girls on the Run are to empower each girl to: *Develop a positive self-image* *Respect others and build teamwork**Assert herself in a healthy manner**Strive to achieve personal goals**Improve health and physical fitness**Have Fun!* - Check the video! If there's not a place near you, start one!

David Goggins : Ultrarunner - Revisited & Respected

2008-03-22T11:53:00.012-04:00

Last week I lampooned the guy in the video above, David Goggins who earned 5th place in the '06 Badwater 135 mile ultra race, and gave him some pretty hard shots.....(you all have to know this was on par with talking junk on the basketball court if you will) - he got it.....we're cool - and he's a great sport. I appreciate him checking-in & and contributing his voice to Harlem 26.2 - he did not have to do that. It's of great value to me to share with my readers that men like him are out there - countering the prevailing notion that Black Americans don't do distance. Very few people are familiar with the world of ultrarunning and I am proud to know a Black man is out there doing it on a level another Black man, Ted Corbitt (founder of the sport) would admire. I challenged David because I hold him to higher standard in this running game we all do. He's good - but could be great (on the Ultra circuit) - and he strikes me as a person who answers and rises to a fairground challenge. However distance running is not fair- no one cares about your BMI - David Goggins is not a little guy. Keep in mind when a guy like David runs an ultra like Badwater - in the desert sun - the toll he takes - due to his body mass alone- absorbing heat / carrying mass - 6'1" 195 .lb and muscle. It's much harder for this guy than the rest of the field - to handle the elevation gains, etc. - however this guy doesn't complain - he's a "no excuse" guy - he just deals with it and presses on - forward. Enjoy the video - and get a feel for the man he is. If he had a fan site or a place where you can keep up with him - I would post it - if you know of one - please post it. Is this guy really so humble that unlike Jurek and Ferg Hawke and Karno and Pam Reed....he does not have his own fan website? Can that really be?.....no myspace or facebook or anything? How do you keep up with him then? Check out this podcast interview David did last Summer too - very impressive man and I am happy I can expose him to a new audience. Have a great day.

Canadian Marathon Stories, Something Old, Something New & Meet Thomas Longboat, Man of Color - Marathon Star of the World

2008-03-22T07:09:00.014-04:00

Five years ago, Linda Rainville Wagar ran her first marathon. "It completely changed my life," she said. "I just thought if I could do that, I could pretty much do anything." After crossing the finish line in New York City, Wagar knew she wanted to give back to a community that had helped her get that far. "When something so significant happens to you, you want to give back," she said. The Sudbury native, who now lives in Ottawa, returned home and launched a website called Canadianmarathonstories.com. Her goal was to compile a series of short stories written by marathon runners, about marathon runners. The stories come from people in all walks of life, she said. She didn't want to stop there. "My vision was to publish the best stories," Wagar said. It didn't happen for her right away. But like her marathon running, she kept at it until she achieved her goal. When Wagar first started running eight years ago, she had no idea the path it would put her on. "I couldn't run around the block at the time," she said. "I just thought I would learn to run as an activity that I could do for a half hour every other day. It developed into a love of distances." [END]. Having share that - whenever I think of Canadian & Marathoning I am mindful of that historic figure, that man of Color, an Onondaga Indian from the Six Nations Grand River Reserve in Canada, Thomas Longboat (that's him below). Few Americans know the story of Tom Longboat - it's great The Ottawa Citizen's Charles Enman summed it up best, "
He was a world champion long-distance runner - King of the marathon world, at a time when marathoning was only second to boxing, in terms of world attention. His native origins made his bursting forth into public attention all the more remarkable, since international sport was, at the time, a white man's game. And when the trajectories of his career and life turned downward, that was simple proof for many in those racist times An Onondaga fromthat his earlier celebrity was a distortion of the native person's destiny. Even newspapers referred to Mr. Longboat as ``the Injun'' and ``Heap Big Chief.'' In 1906, at age 19, he entered the 20-mile Hamilton Bay race, an utterly unknown entrant who didn't impress the onlookers. One writer described Mr. Longboat on that day, before the race, as cutting ``a pathetic figure in a pair of bathing trunks with cheap sneakers on his feet, and hair that looked as if it had been hacked off by a tomahawk.'' Some of the bookmakers had put Mr. Longboat down at 60 to 1 odds, and one lucky bettor even managed to place a $2 bet at odds of 500 to 1. That day, his running style didn't initially impress, either. Most runners of the time ran with arms high, pumping the elbows. Mr. Longboat kept his just above the waist, a more natural form that most runners use today. He won the race and the next several Canadian races. Mr. Longboat, unknown only months before, was now the odds-on favourite at the Boston Marathon in April of 1907. Sports reporters hailed him as ``The Speedy Son of the Forest'' and ``The Indian Iron Man.'' His chances of winning were considered so strong that bookies were leery of accepting a bet on him, at any odds. He crossed the finish line at 2:24:25, setting a new course record that remained unbroken until the course was made easier.

The whole city of Toronto acclaimed him when he returned. As David Blaikie wrote in Boston: the Canadian Story, ``A sea of celebrating humanity engulfed Longboat as he stepped from the train. The champion was placed in an open car, a Union Jack about his shoulders, and taken to City Hall in a torch light parade. Young women gazed at Longboat in rapture as bands played and fireworks exploded around him. A gold medal was pinned to his chest and the mayor read a congratulatory address, highlighted by an announcement of a 500-dollar gift from the city for his education.'' Would Mr. Longboat turn professional? Doing so had appeal. In the first decade of the century, races between professional racers were drawing large sellout crowds in arenas around North America. The purses were large -- and Mr. Longboat's winning potential was now a matter of record. There was only one consideration. The 1908 Olympics were approaching, and Mr. Longboat was the odds-on favourite to win the marathon event. But he could only enter the Olympics as an amateur. In 1907, the New England Amateur Athletic Union declared Mr. Longboat a professional, banning him from returning to Boston in 1908 to defend his marathon victory. The 1908 Olympic Marathon was supposed to be Mr. Longboat's most shining moment, but destiny had other plans. He was in second place when he collapsed at the 19-mile mark. All sorts of rumours immediately began to fly. Some people suggested that Mr. Longboat must have been drugged so certain crooked bettors could rake in huge winnings on his upset loss. There were even suggestions that Mr. Flanagan, his manager, had had a hand in it. Howard Crocker, the manager of the Canadian Olympic team, stated flatly: ``Any medical man knowing the facts of the case will assure you that the presence of a drug in an overdose was the cause of the runner's failure.'' Nothing was ever proved. Racist assumptions weren't held only by Mr. Longboat's detractors. Lou Marsh, a famous Toronto Star writer, once described Mr. Longboat as ``smiling like a coon in a watermelon patch.'' And while delivering that kind of condescension, Mr. Marsh was a friend and later became Mr. Longboat's manager. Racist stereotypes were so entrenched as to be invisible, often even to people of good motivation. Mr. Longboat's first important race as a professional was in December 1908 at Madison Square Gardens in New York City -- a two-man race, against Dorando Pietri, [on the left is what these kind of events looked like at the start, and of course Dorando is the great Italian runner who I blogged about this week, the 1908 Olympics, being drunk, drugged, and carried to the finish line, later disqualified]. Mr. Pietri and Mr. Longboat were each guaranteed one-quarter of the gate receipts, amounting to $3,750 apiece. The race, on a circular track, was for the full 26-mile 385-yard distance of the official marathon. Mr. Longboat let Mr. Pietri lead for much of the first 25 miles. But for the last mile, he surged ahead, using the strong kick that had become his signature finishing strategy. [END].

Jogger Mugged in Central Park Thursday Night

2008-03-21T21:05:00.004-04:00

March 21, 2008 -- Thursday night Two vicious muggers stabbed and slashed a 23-year-old man in Central Park last night after grabbing his wallet and iPod, police sources said. The attack occurred at about 8:40 p.m. when the duo accosted the victim at 102nd Street and Park Road near Central Park West, the sources said. After the thugs, wearing dark hooded sweatshirts, stole the man's wallet and iPod, one of them stabbed him once in the upper leg and slashed him on the arm, the sources said. It was unclear if the victim had resisted. The attackers fled. The victim, who was not immediately identified, was taken to St Luke's Hospital, where he was in stable condition. Dozens of cops fanned out to find the punks. Drew Keller, 28, who was walking his pit bull and Schnauzer dogs in the park, was surprised at the violence. "Wow, that's crazy," he said. "I'm here at all hours, even at 3 a.m. "I would never expect this would happen in this area." [END] I am an anti-impaired (no ipod) advocate - and run in the park all the time at very late hours - have never had a problem - but I would think a mugger would think twice about taking me on - runners - be aware out there in the late evening hours.

New Balance New Marketing Strategy for Runners...WTF?

2008-03-21T15:18:00.006-04:00

Staphanie Kang of the Wall St. Journal put some running spotlight on New Balance. With the country teetering on the brink of a recession, sport-shoe company New Balance is doubling its marketing budget in hopes of winning over more young consumers. But can a company that built a following through low-key marketing ramp up its promotional engine without alienating loyalists?

New Balance is putting more money into marketing; above, a scene from a new TV ad

For years, New Balance has been an anomaly in the sneaker world, spending little on marketing in a business dominated by splashy TV campaigns starring big-time athlete endorsers. Now, under a new chief executive, the company is taking a page from its rivals' playbooks. As part of a broader overhaul, New Balance is tripling its ad budget and doubling its budget for things like consumer research.

The first evidence of that marketing offensive will come next week, with a new brand campaign kicking off during the NCAA basketball tournament. Focusing on the company's sweet spot, running, the television, print and online ads use the tagline: "Love/Hate. This is the New Balance." It riffs on the idea that most runners have a rocky relationship with the sport; sometimes it's good, but there are rough patches too, including breakups. In one TV spot, called "Bench," a man who has recently "broken up" with running sees other runners everywhere he goes. In another, "Party," a young athlete returns from his workout while his peers party. New Balance says the campaign will appeal to young consumers by talking to them honestly. The "Love/Hate" theme came from consumer research that looked at dozens of diaries of runners from around the world, says Bill Bruce, chief creative officer at Omnicom Group's BBDO, New Balance's advertising agency. "The unifying idea was simple: running is hard," he says. "People aspire to it because it's not easy." Mr. DeMartini says New Balance's new "Love/Hate" campaign gets the company back to basics by focusing on running. "It's not going to sound like the others". [END] This ad? Are you kidding? All that talk and this is the ad? I think young people connect to those that inspire them...but Nike's got Ryan Hall, etc. New Balance needs to hand pluck some up and coming talent in the U.S. and put them in their shoes, maybe they can sign up David Goggins or something.

Running into New York Governors

2008-03-20T17:02:00.013-04:00

Okay - now for the political round-up.: Yes, I used to see former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer running in Central Park - all the time, however not in the last 2 years - but he used to be a regular - I'm guessing Spitzer used to clock probably about 30 miles / week between the whole 6 mile loop and the reservoir - he mainly hit the reservoir though. In fact Spitzer was interviewed 2 year ago in Runner's World wherein he talked about his running while he ran for Governor of New York, in that interview he said, “With this campaign, my days are longer, but I still have to run,” Spitzer disclosed. “My wife doesn’t mind when I slip out at 5 a.m. She just asks that I don’t turn on the lights.” Yup, that's a direct quote. On to the new Governor and my neighbor David Paterson. Okay, since it's "out the bag now" I don't mind speaking on it - but David & Michelle have been my neighbors for a long time - I only know Michelle (his wife) in passing - however when I used to work out at New York Sports Club - a local gym - she would come in there looking gorgeous - I had no idea at the time she was involved in an affair(s) with men other than David (her husband)....however David? Now that's another story - I'm not speaking out of school here now...and since it's out - everybody knew David was screwing women left and right - he was on the prowl big time for a while there - common knowledge here were we live. In fact, hey look there above...it's a runner..and not just any old runner, that's 1988 U.S. Olympic Sprinter Daine Dixon.....errr...and also one of my neighbor's (David - the Governor's) "jump offs". For the White people a "jump off" is a "Hook-Up, a friend with "privileges", a Fuck Buddy, etc. Now I've seen Michelle (David's wife) in person a ton of times - and I see Diane Dixon above, one of David's "other women". No offense to Diane but she's not exactly Naomi Campbell. In fact at first I thought she was Saturday Night Live's Tracy Morgan in a wig. You got Michelle over here, and Diane over there, and David, you are screwing Diane?.....Damn....What can we conclude? Let there be no doubt in anyone's mind.......David Paterson is clearly blind.

Irving Berlin, Harlem, The Marathon, The Olympics, Drunk As Hell & Explaining Why 26 Miles & 385 yards

2008-03-20T06:15:00.016-04:00

Though he composed "Harlem On My Mind", I can't say I am a fan of the historic American composer Irving Berlin - that guy on the right below - why?...he did a lot of "minstrel Black face" crap. However it was his decision one time to include black performers in a performance. At the time, the US military armed forces were segregated, and as a result of Berlin's insistence, the performance This Is the Army show review unit became the only integrated US military company in uniform. To give This Is the Army the contemporary feel Berlin devised a new song for his black soldiers, something, he declared, "with a real Harlem beat." One endless night he played the melody for "Puttin' on the Ritz"--his ode to high-fashion blacks strutting along Lenox Avenue [Where I run & Ted Corbitt before me] --over and over again, and gradually the song evolved into something new: a different melody with the same tempo. When completed he said, "I finally got the number for the colored guys--'That's What the Well-Dressed Man in Harlem Will Wear." That was the name of the tune and what you see those men on the left in uniform above rehearsing. Now let me take you back a little bit. London, 1908 Olympics and THE MARATHON. The race distance was extended in order to please the British royal family: they wanted the race to start just outside one of their official residences, Windsor Castle, located just west of London. Although there was no standard distance yet, the previous marathons had been between 25 and 26 miles (or 40 to 41.6K). In London, the 26-mile maximum distance would have ended the race at the entrance to London's White City stadium. But there would be greater dramatic effect if the runners circled the stadium and ended up in front of the royal box at the stadium. So another 385 yards were added. So when you see the length of the race described as 26 Miles 385 yards....this is why. Now in 1908 during the race Londoners offered to the runners along the route "spirits" - happens even today - bars commonly offer beers to marathoners in a race - if the bar is along the route/course. In this case, beer, champagne - it all flowed to the runners, many were drunk during the race - however in 1908, one accomplished little Italian named Dorando Pietri was leading the race....but a little tipsy - he was drunk. Pietri had, according to one of the British competitors, been consistently drinking brandy offered from the generous onlookers. During the marathon race when he staggered into the stadium he seemed not to know which way to turn and promptly fell over - stone cold drunk. Some say he was simply exhausted. Others that he was "shit faced". That photo above on the right is of him "shit faced drunk" during the race. The British crowd soon realized that his closest pursuer was an American [who they despised] and urged Pietri to his feet. Suddenly a medical official rapidly administered a dose of a drug, strychnine, which quickly perked him up. Eventually Pietri was even then helped across the line by officials before the American [Johnny Hayes], could win the race. They carried him a distance to rousing cheers (photo on the left), Pietri was declared the winner which, since he had been given an illegal stimulant and then carried across the line, gave the Americans cause to protest - which they did. Justice prevailed when Pietri was disqualified, but at the end of the Games he was presented with a specially-commissioned gold cup by Queen Alexandra, who had watched his plight, according to the press, "With tender, womanly sympathy - and tears." Back to Irving Berlin, one of America's greatest popular composers, had his first big hit with the song 'Dorando', named after the Italian runner I have spoken to - The song is about an Italian-American barbershop owner who bets his shop on Dorando winning a running race at Madison Square Garden here in New York City. Dorando falls and loses, the lyrics go, "Dorando he's a drop! / Goodbye poor old barber shop." And the reason Dorando does not win, according to Berlin, is that the day before he eats Irish beef stew instead of spaghetti. Ironically, Johnny Hayes, the American who was declared the winner of the 1908 Olympic Marathon was the son of Irish immigrants. There you have it - now I jam packed this blog entry just to shut down the game (culture/sport/international/ethnicity) - some real history and connecting points you will not find anywhere - all put together here on Harlem 26.2. This blog is soon coming to an end - but let it be known far and wide - Harlem 26.2 knows this running game inside and out - back and forth - and can connect & flip it in ways few knew existed. Have a great day!

David Goggins: The Prettiest MotherF*%#@er in Running

2008-03-19T18:11:00.004-04:00

David Goggins - holding down the ultrarunning scene for the brothas.....and what a pretty motherfucker we have here, chiseled 6'1" 195 pounds, Navy Seal, Badwater, on and on. Oh Snap!...what's this? A 3:29:35 in last months LA Marathon? David, is that you?.... a 59.6% AG grading? WTF? What happened? I'm suspect, did you really run at 2:56 Boston? and that 3:08 Las Vegas qualified you? Qualifying for Boston at age 32 by 95 seconds.....tsk tsk....hummm...I don't know....my man...all the Ultra stuff is nonsense in my book, quit hiding in those weak field events and step up to the real game brah.......but know you're going to have to get your weight up if you even think about coming to New York City, that sub 60% AG grading on a flat marathon course in LA ain't gonna cut it my man. You've never cut a time to qualify you for the New York City Marathon - yes, I have some strings I can pull, but I'm sure you can earn your way in, no? Holla back when you're really ready to get down - that's right, I'm talking New York City - if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere - but be forewarned...it runs through Harlem....where you gotta go hard, or go home. For my female readers - I present to you David Goggins, the prettiest motherfucker in running. Have a great day!

White Runners Charged With Too Much Ass & The Mathematics of a Black Woman

2008-03-19T08:40:00.011-04:00

Breaking News! A jogger charged after allegedly revealing too much ass? I don't make this stuff up.....An instructor at the International Junior Golf Academy is accused of jogging along William Hilton Parkway with his pants pulled down, according to a Beaufort County Sheriff's report (Coastal Carolinas). The 35-year-old was leading a group of males jogging on the bike path around midday Monday, and had his "entire buttocks" exposed, the report stated. By the time the officer returned to the area, the runner had his pants pulled back up to a "proper position," authorities said. He told the officer he was just fooling around because they were on an "Indian Run." He was arrested on a public disorderly conduct charge and was taken to the Beaufort County Detention Center, where he was later released on a $258 bond. [END] Runners behaving badly, I'm shocked! This foolishness makes me think of Alenka Bikar - you might not be familiar with Alenka but that's her on the right above, a Slovenian 200 meter sprinter, a very nice resume of her sprinting & international competitions can be seen over at the IAAF - like the jogger in the Carolinas above - Alenka has become notorious for having too much ass - imagine that, a White woman charged with having too much ass. Her ass looks pretty Captain Fantastic to me, be careful White women, keep running and you might end up with an ass like Alenka's. I am not joking about this..if you go to Wikipedia where she is listed - it says, " She is currently training. She has a loyal youtube following due to her ample backside". That's it. Not another thing else about her is said, her entire claim to fame is that ass. Now don't get me wrong, she's got a very nice ass, but it's pretty much standard fare on a Black woman's scale from my Black man's point of view. And look there, Bo Derek on the left, hooked up in braids and suddenly she's a "10". Oh my, look at those "full" lips there on the right, the wonders of collagen injection....and does not every town in America have at least 1 Tanning Salon? Manhattan's got 2 on every other block....where people go year round to get...eeerr......."dark". Shall we review? : 1 great ass + braids + 2 full lips + dark skin = a Black woman, does it not? Hell after that all you need to do is get a subscription to Essence and vote for Obama and you're good to go! Have a great day!

The $175 Newton Running Shoe v. The Old School Runner

2008-03-19T03:52:00.007-04:00

I am now seeing 3 or so different runners, per week in a pair of the $175 Newton Running shoes in Central Park. Believe it or not if I spot a runner in this shoe I will often run adjacent to them and conduct my own interview. I am intrigued and curious of the obvious question, are they worth it? Like here in this article from Ultra Adventures they explain the Newton shoe has ‘actuator lugs’ under the forefoot that are intended to absorb impact more effectively than simple foam. There are a number of minor features of Newton shoes, such as light weight, highly breathable, but it is the forefoot that is the reason for buying them. Initial impressions running in the Newton is very different to other shoes. The forefoot is much thicker, so you naturally land on your forefoot. Standing in the Newton puts your toes slightly higher than your heal, the opposite of most shoes. I am a midfoot runner, but the Newton shoes make me a pure forefoot runner. I enjoyed my first few short runs (3 miles or so), but I found that my calves were not used to the strain. I also felt that the Newton shoes had a forefoot that was too thick, making me feel a little unstable. This is make worse by the fact that the ‘actuator lugs’ are not the full width of the forefoot, increasing the feeling of instability. A cheaper alternative? Having run in the Newton shoes for a while, I got to thinking how I prefer the Nike Free [the shoe on the right], but like most shoes, the Free has a thicker heel than forefoot. So I found an old pair of Frees and took a knife to them, hacking off the heal and part of the midfoot. This gave me a very light weight shoe with a similar feel to the Newton, allowing me to run on the forefoot very easily. The free is much more flexible and lower than the Newton, which I greatly prefer. I think that forefoot running is much more natural form of running, and removing the heel excess heel from the shoe makes forefoot running much easier. However, taking a knife to an old pair of shoes is rather cheaper and maybe more effective. [END]. This is actually the best review of this shoe I've ever seen. I've been running for over 30 years - I'm "old school", we do things like this - radically alter a brand new shoe and perfect it for us. Us old school runners drill pencil size holes in our shoes' soles right out the box so the shoe retains less water and drains (running in rain), we drill screws in the shoe for winter and icy roads / better grip and traction, we cut off the ankle collar of a brand new pair of shoes rubbing and causing friction - we do all sorts of unconventional things to shoes, to "perfect them for us". The guy who wrote this is an "old school" runner and I have love for that! Now having said that - on to the Newton Shoe. I am a forefoot runner and most runners are not aware how fatiguing it is to race a 5K forefoot/toe striking. You have to be very strong - I've worn lots of shoes that "nest" the heel cup lower than the forefoot, this is a common design of New Balance racing flats, the NB RC 750 and NB950 shoes are like this, even the classic NB 150 was like this - it's a great design - however you have to be strong to race middle distance in these shoes, exceptionally strong to go a Half or full Marathon in these shoes, properly, forefoot striking the whole distance - few can do that. I suspect the Newton shoe is best suited for the less than advanced runner - if the words of this reviewer are valid. Meaning - seasoned advanced runners don't need a shoe to force us to forefoot strike - we'll do that in whatever shoe we wear. As I said last week, I can get a pair of Asics Ohana racing flats for $70 landed - that's a mighty hard value to top. However having said that - the Newton shoe might be a fit for you - and I say anything that enables you to run better is worth it - I just am not sure this shoe enables the advanced runner to run better, in other words, for the advanced runner, the shoe may not be a solution as it presumes a problem that does not exist for that runner - however I am guessing that runner accounts for less than 3% (people who train in flats and light weight trainers) of the running shoe market and the vast majority of runners need correction of some kind - just an opinion.

Coming Soon: A Film of a Chinese Ultra Marathoner - 100 miles in the Yunnan Mountains

2008-03-18T21:18:00.006-04:00

I've traveled throughout most all of China, however I've never been to where you see there on the left - the Yunnan Mountains - that looks to me like quite the risky path to travel...no thinks....however China based producer Jay Rothstein said Tuesday that David Ren will direct his next project, "Distance Runners" - there in the Yunnan Mountains. "Distance Runners," a $2.4 million co-production between Rothstein's China Venture Films and Yunnan Minority Film Studio, is the story of a Chinese ultra-marathon runner who tries to tackle a 100-mile run through the mountains of Yunnan."I wanted someone bilingual, experienced and who understands both cultures," Rothstein said. "I also wanted someone I felt had his heart and soul in the film. David's very passionate."Ren, who directed "Shanghai Kiss" in 2007, was born in Shanghai but grew up in New York City. There are only a small handful of movies on ultrarunners - I'm glad to see this in the works!

Meb Keflezighi: Stick A Fork In Him, He's Done!

2008-03-18T20:27:00.004-04:00

As predicted by Harlem 26.2 on February 3, Meb Keflezighi, that guy below, is lost, stick a fork in him - he's done. Runnersweb is now reporting, "Short of conditioning, reigning Olympic Marathon silver medalist Meb Keflezighi has withdrawn from next month's Flora London Marathon. In a statement released by his brother and manager, Merhawi, confirmed "Meb Keflezighi has decided to pass up on the 2008 Flora London Marathon," and read the statement. "Meb is short of the conditioning he and Coach Bob Larsen would like before racing in one of the finest and competitive marathons in the world. Meb and Coach Larsen feel it would be too risky to rush the workout preparation for London, during an Olympic year. While Meb is disappointed he will not have a chance to set a significant personal best in London, he realizes it is better to be cautious during the Olympic year. Meb will now give his complete focus on preparing for the USATF Olympic Trials." This is the second time Keflezighi, 32, has had to withdraw from London. The first time was in 2005 when an injury forced him out of the race. He started the race in 2007, but dropped out in the 16th mile (26th km) when an Achilles injury combined with a huge blister on the bottom of his foot made finishing the race too risky. In his last marathon at the USA Olympic Team Trials - Men's Marathon last November in New York City, Keflezighi finished a disappointing eighth in 2:15:09. He was hampered in that race by a hip injury, the recovery from which has been slower than expected leading to his decision to bow out of London. By finishing out of the top-3 at the Trials, Keflezighi lost his chance to run the Olympic Marathon in 2008. Keflezighi still has a good chance to make the Olympic team at 10,000m when the USA Olympic Team Trials in track and field open in Eugene, Ore., on June 27. [END]. I like Meb - but as I said last month - he's lost - this professional runner has unstated, undisclosed reasons as to why he is withdrawing - no injury - just "short on conditioning? WTF? Give me a break - this is your full time job....please - your done Meb, sad to see.

Wind: 2, Olympic Trials: 0. The Wind Wins

2008-03-18T08:03:00.008-04:00

That on the left is a photo from last weekend's Shamrock Marathon in Virginia Beach, VA - and the runners faced a tough opposition - a driving wind gusted most of the day, slowing times and costing a few runners a chance at running in the Olympic Trials - one being Long Island's Jessica Allen who clocked an impressive 2:48.59 - unfortunately that was 2 minutes too long for an Olympic qualifying slot next month in Boston. Despite not reaching her goal Jessica Allen won the race - no small feat and is already looking forward to the 2012 Olympic trials. She said, "This just makes me want to go harder, to do it in four years,". And to close the loop on someone I've been mentioning, Amy Palmiero-Winters fell shy of the Olympic Trials qualifying mark with a 3:23:26 or 7:46 min/mile - nonetheless still a great job! I don't mind racing in rain or even snow - however wind is a killer. Sometimes when you're chasing a goal - in a race...you really need the stars to fall in alignment - and when they don't - it makes the going pretty tough - The wind got the best of everybody on that course that date no doubt - and both these Long Island, NY woman runners did an awesome job - winning a friggen marathon?...that's unbelievable...and I have to give'em their props on that, kudos! Have a great day.

St. Partricks' Day? The GREENING of the Running Industry : TrailRace Denial, & How Green is the New York Road Runners?

2008-03-17T07:49:00.004-04:00

Linda Honikman, Running USA has written a briefing so to speak on the "Greening of the Running Industry" - I will share - and comment; "The Running Industry is beginning to respond to this new eco-sensitive community by developing green products and events. In the short term, green efforts offer promotional benefits and over a number of years, events, vendors and manufacturers are seeing significant energy and cost savings associated with sustainable practices. But in the long run industry entities hope their collective efforts will result in clean air and attractive natural areas to fully support the low energy, health-improving activity of running, the most natural of sports. Greener Events Becoming More Popular: Bolder Boulder Race was one of the first major road races to implement resource conservation efforts although race director Cliff Bosley acknowledges that initial efforts in the mid-90s were informal and modest. In 1999, Bolder Boulder began tracking the amount of waste that was collected along the course and at the finish area. Every year as the field and spectator numbers have increased, the amount of non-recyclable garbage has decreased. With the help of the University of Colorado Recycling Program, an environmental impact report is produced after each race and recommendations are made for ways to improve. Fifteen years ago the local bus service began offering a park-and-ride service which about 27% of the Bolder Boulder entrants used in 2007. In 2003, race organizers began using a usable lunch bag for post-race refreshments and items are selected that have minimal packaging. Over the last five years, the entry form has been reduced from 8 to 4 pages and the online registrations have increased from 15% to 50%. All unused food and drinks, averaging about 10,000 lbs. per year, are donated to the Boulder Community Food Share. At last year's event, 15,906 lbs. of race day garbage were recycled, a 41% increase from 2006. The result of their conservation efforts saved the equivalent of:

* 37 forty foot Douglas-fir trees
* 41,300 gallons of water
* 332 million BTU energy
* 7 Metric Tons of Carbon Emission (MTCE)
* 3,000 gallons of gasoline

Bosley believes that a mindset of minimizing waste and saving resources not only is the right thing to do for the environment, but can help an event's bottom line. Trail runners didn't need Al Gore to bring home the importance of minimizing our ecological footprint so the first 'Green Running Event' was probably a trail run. Nancy Hobbs, executive director of the American Trail Running Association, (AATRA) says the organization is very supportive of the green event concept. "We hope that race directors stage their races with the environment in mind. Of utmost importance is to use eco-friendly course markings such as flour, and at the very least to remove any and all markings once the event is completed. We like to encourage runners to carry their own water and / or fill up their bottles at aid stations rather than using paper cups. These are just a few ways to mitigate the impact to our natural resources." One candidate for the first authentic green race is the Keweenaw Trail Running Festival which began in 2000. The director, Jeff Crumbaugh has been improving his pro-environment efforts every year. In 2006, there were no garbage bags to take to the landfill after a 2-day event that included a meal for 300 runners. Finishers are served a breakfast featuring organic, locally grown foods that minimize use of fossil fuels required for transportation. Real dinnerware replaces Styrofoam cups and paper plates. Bringing in real dinnerware and refilling participant water bottles is not going to work very well for the typical road race. But running events of any type and size can get cost effective promotions by taking some modest eco-friendly steps. [END]. FYI to my readers - there's a new site Runner's World new pro-environment web community where running/races and ecology is the focus!

First of all "Trail Races" are highly suspect events and the author failed to address the real issue behind them which is basically, "capacity" per condition which changes DAILY. Normally Race Directors seek to pack as many entry fee paying heads into an event as possible to maximize the revenue. However most trail races have a capacity, a limit, I've seen them as large as 1000, as small as 75 (runners allowed). Not all have this self governing and it's all pretty much self-policed (which never works). But Trail Racing has a serious impact on the the environment - 500 runners = 1000 feet trampling a trail in an hour for example (or if it's 2 loops of the same course, double the trampling). The dirty secret? If it rained before the event the environment is even more fragile and prone to erosion (from the weather condition alone!) - now add to the equation 1000 feet to inflict more damage to the trail and the environment has little to no chance of having a fair voice to counter in real time. There are not enough environmental authorities out there to inspect & evaluate conditions, as they change, as the race hour looms. Yes, there have been trail races that have been canceled due to authorities determining the event will have a permanent deleterious effect on the trail (due to the rain that softened up the trail and primed the course for erosion). However canceling these events is rare, it's only happened 2 or 3 times in the U.S. to my knowledge. So Trail Race Directors like to bring your focus on litter - when the real question is one of trail erosion and how weather before the event compounds the damage of runners on the trail. This changes daily right up to the moment of the start of the race. A Saturday trail race might be permitted to have 300 runners, capped to limit environmental damage - did not factor in weather - an ever changing variable. In the real world if it rains that week or night before or day of, etc. the trail is primed for erosion and it might only take 100 runners to have the impact of 300,.....300 runners might now have the impact of 900. The Trail Race business does not want to concede or come to terms with this reality - they don't even want it probed - they want unrestricted use per their allowed capacity limit regardless of weather the day of, night or week before.

Now on to the NYRR: Okay - they've cut a deal with Toyota and now the official car of the NYC Half and Full Marathon are these "Hybrid" vehicles. Okay - that works - but what else are the NYRRs doing to become green? And like the Boulder Bolder Race - it seems to me the NYRR should document similar figures, no? Seriously, after every event right along with race results, statistics, photos, etc. the NYRR can include the "ecology or green" report of that race? Why not? Document the .lbs of garbage, how much of that is of paper cups that will be recycled, etc. and place it in a context of savings as the Boulder Bolder Race has done. Should NYRR Central Park races be capped at 5,000? (exceptions only for the Half and Full Marathon?). Is Central Park limitless? Just tossing out these questions. I'll believe the NYRR is serious about "Greening" and "Ecology" when they offer on the entry forms the standard Option to "Opt In" or "Opt Out" the Shirt for the race - as many races do (and lower your entry fee by $5 or whatever in the process). Do you hear that Mary Wittenberg (President). Just think, 1,000 people might "Opt Out" causing less manufacturing, chemicals, energy to ship those shirts, etc. - everything has a footprint, right? Will Mary progress to this standard common with many Race Events? (and kiss goodbye $5,000 cash per race in the process.....I'm not holding my breath......and I say that feeling that she is a great great Race Director - the best in the world). Have a great day!

Running into Toby Tanser & Shoe4Africa

2008-03-17T06:31:00.006-04:00

One thing about running in Central Park - you get to recognize the "regulars" - of which there are hundreds. But there are a few that kind of stand out above and beyond even being a regular runner - but almost have a "fixture status" on the Central Park running scene - I happen to know most of those people - but one that I don't and I have no excuse not to - is that guy on the right - Tob y Tanser. I last saw Toby a week ago running in the park, everybody recognizes Toby - he has that long hair flowing in the wind - some my recognize his name in reading running publications as he's published articles all over the place - he's on the board of directors of the NYRR and the Achilles Track Club in fact - however not everyone might know all the good things and change Toby makes for people's lives - through running. He's quite the dynamic guy - to my awareness he's one of the very leading figures behind the shoe4africa campaign in the U.S. I note this today as I saw an article wherein the success of the program's event held on Saturday said, "Never at a Kenyan race has there been such a galaxy of International stars from past, present & future. It was a day of joyous celebration on Saturday in Iten, Kenya at the Shoe4Africa Peace run. Over 560 school girls came out to run a 4km peace run powered by Leppin. The story of the day was the amazing turnout of Kenya’s international stars who, led by Douglas Wakiihuri and Luke Kibet, World champions in the marathon, walked through Iten town on an athlete’s parade of peace with all the children singing and dancing behind, walking behind shouting Amani Kenya (Peace in Kenya) Shoe4Africa Run for Peace. All were dressed in yellow T-shirts. There was hugging, crying and dancing not only from the children, but also from the athletes, many of which had not seen each other in decades. Priscah Jepteling was the winner of the girls. Chris Cheboiboch & Timothy Cherigat, a Boston runner-up and a Boston winner, were rabbits to lead the girls on pace. As the runners passed the finish line, all the stars handed a pair of running shoes to all of the runners, exercise books and pencils too. At the awards ceremony Amos Biwott, the man who won the first steeplechase Olympic Gold handed out a new windows vista laptop computer to Kiptingo Primary school, money for books went to the second prize school. All the international athletes introduced themselves as the crowds sang. [END]. And I saw in the photo above Toby Tanser there on the left recording the event - which I imagine he will have on his website shortly. Good job by all. Have a great day.

The Fred Lebow Movie: Run For Your Life - The Creation of the New York City Marathon

2008-03-16T12:06:00.007-04:00

Here in New York City we have the Tribeca Film Festival - and there is a movie premiering there about the legendary "Fred Lebow" called Run For Your Life, directed by Judd Erlich. It's a fun, loving, and inspirational tribute to the late Fred Lebow and shows how his imagination, determination, and love for running created one of the world's most popular sporting events, The New York City Marathon. Not to diminish the story of Fred Lebow at all.....but I've been told from a couple of people who were there at the time - not the best of stories about Fred Lebow (may I politely say) in terms of his relations with Ted Corbitt. I'm told once he was diagnosed and aware he had cancer, a kinder Fred Lebow emerged - a new leaf turned over...in his relations with Ted Corbitt and few others.

Running Into Etienne-Jules Marey - First To Analyze The Running Motion

2008-03-16T07:42:00.004-04:00

Was out in Central Park yesterday to watch the USA 8K Championships - most of the male Olympian stars pulled out of the race before the start - but the women were there in full force - runners at this caliber make it look so easy - and when I look at these people running - their bodies in motion - how they flow - I am reminded of the person credited with first examining bodies in motion - running, " Etie nne-Jules Marey" - of France. Marey hoped to merge anatomy and physiology in studying human locomotion. That image on the right is an illustration of how he would have a runner wear an elaborate apparatus intended to register his different paces. Keep in mind this was in the late 1800's and the devices (polygraphs, sphygmographs, dromographs and other myographs - stuff that measured physiology, blood pressure for example) were recording instruments that ultimately produced graphs. He succeeded in analyzing man running and demonstrated the walking motion of humans (and horses, the the flight of birds and insects). That above on the left are 2 chronophotographics (Marey's imaging process) of a runner taken from overhead in 1887 . Marey’s chronophotographs were the first images that attempted to explain exactly what happens when the body moves. Now if I can only get my body moving like those Olympians I watched yesterday in Central Park....Have a great day.

Asics Ohana Racing Flats! I'll Take 2 Pairs Please....

2008-03-14T11:19:00.010-04:00

That shoe is the Asics Ohana Flat - currently being closed out - and everything I've heard about it is that it's an awesome flat - I've never owned a pair. I went over to RoadRunnerSports to read reviews, this shoe got a score of 4.9 out of a 5, the highest I've ever seen - 17 different reviews - below are 4 views of this shoe. 1) Good news and bad news -- I concur with what most others have said about the Ohana. It's light, well cushioned, very well ventilated, and has a great outsole tread that works on dirt and grass as well as pavement. The downside: it is designed for higher-arched runners, and has no midfoot support for us lower-arched types unless we use an after-market support insole or orthotic. The trusstic plastic is so thin that you can easily bend the shoe double in the middle. If you are a high-arched neutral runner looking for a speedster, buy it now before the remaining supply is exhausted. If you are low-arched and need stability, better look elsewhere. 2) This shoe is a great compromise between impact protection and weight. If you are running a lighter shoe like the Mayfly and feel you are getting too much impact induced fatigue try the Ohana. I'm running about ten seconds a mile faster in the Ohanas than in the Mayfly with less fatigue. The Ohana is a great shoe for the mid to light weight runner with neutral pronation. 3) Recently ran the Fargo Marathon in these, and they performed very well. Trained in them for approximately 150 miles before the marathon, doing workouts and one or two longer runs to get my calves adapted to the lower heel height. No blisters, no sore calves, nothing--which is really something! I wear 2080s for day-to-day training, and these fit and feel like a leaner, meaner version. Great flat. Minus one star because I think the upper is far too flashy. It reminds me of a street-racer modified Honda Civic. Save the flash, and just give me the great shoe. 4) Finally! Asics kept making race shoes that either 1) Had too little forefoot cushioning and too much weight (see any of the DS Racers or 2) Had no durability or lateral control (see Magic Racer.) Now, this thing comes out and is fairly light and is so durable and with just the right amount of stability through thew arch and toebox, I went through my first pair because I couldn't resist using them as my everyday trainers. Now I have a second that I using for a marathon and I can't wait. I put 100 miles on these things before I saw any wear and there was no loss of stability. Please, Asics, don't do what you often do and screw this design up or discontinue it (see DS Trainers #'s 8-10.) If you are a smaller runner who runs on the forefoot, get this shoe. [END] I bring this up to say I think I'm going to buy 2 pairs - they're within the buy point I like - $70 after shipping and taxes, etc. I will share - Eastbay.com Coupon Code LKS17CCB = 20% off of purchases over $99 @ Eastbay.com - where the Ohana is available @ $80, all sizes. Meaning 2 pairs can be had for $128! This is a shoe that many places still sell at $100 a single pair. Shipping on 2 pairs of shoes from Eastbay is about $10 - I've never been charged tax too! This might just energize my training. If you've never tried a pair of flats....from all I know, this is a great great shoe. Have a terrific day.

Tony Reed & The National Black Marathoners' Association: "Preserve Black Ignorance - No Scholars Allowed"

2008-03-14T07:01:00.021-04:00

Meet the late Dr. John Oliver Killens - that man below on the left & right; novelist, social critic, screenwriter, playwright and essayist - was the founding chairperson of the legendary Harlem Writers Guild, a workshop that strongly influenced such writers as Maya Angelou, Sarah E. Wright, and Nikki Giovanni, among others. Dr. Killens is probably best known for his first two novels, Youngblood (1954) and And Then We Heard The Thunder (1962), the latter of which was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. His work I am particularly fond of? "Long Distance Runner":

"It is an interesting phenomenon that we black folks, as a people, have produced some of the most magnificent athletes the world has ever known, but have produced very few long distance runners. We've raised a whole lot of hell in the hundred yard dashes. You watch the Olympics and you see nothing but black brothers up there at the finish tape in the sprints. We have the fastest get-away known to man or womankind. At the same time, we have produced very few long distance runners. Long distance running requires planning, pacing, discipline, stamina, and a belief in the ability to win everything over the long haul. Lasting power is the name of the game... We mush evolve a generation of long distance runners - men and women - prepared to pay some dues for their children's children. Our people have paid some terrible dues for us to have come to this place and this moment in time and space."

This again is another reason as to why I am profoundly disappointed in Tony Reed & The National Black Marathoners' Association. Having no actual runners to dignify our heritage is unfortunate, but no scholars as well?....an inexcusable shame. They've never heard of Dr. Killens - and from all I've seen take pride in being "insular" and ignorant about Black American distance running (from every angle - including in literature). Is there any valid reason that the work of this Black scholar is not acknowledged, available, and shared with the Black Marathoners' by Tony Reed? Should it not be their very theme and cornerstone foundation - proudly published on the front page of their website? It's appropriate, fitting, educational and inspirational; all the right reasons they should herald and share this work - but they won't. Former Black College President & Scholar Delores Cross and her book (the only Black authored book on marathoning and life) is not acknolwedged on the Black Marathoner's website,....hence... Dr. John Oliver Killens' work has no chance to be exposed to the members of the Black Marathoners. This is how Tony Reed works, he successfully preserves the communal ignorance of the Black Marathoners by keeping them less enriched and exposed to black scholars on matters marathon....when he so easily can. Congratulations Tony Reed.

''My fight is not to be a white man in a black skin, but to inject some black blood, some black intelligence into the pallid mainstream of American life, culturally, socially, psychologically, philosophically.'' - Dr. John Killens

Thank you John Killens. Tony Reed & The National Black Marathoners' Association is a collective fraud and I'm here to inject some Black blood and intelligence, planning, pacing, discipline, stamina, and a belief in the ability to win everything over the long haul - in this Black American distance running game where "Lasting power is the name of the game....". I will bring dignity and voice to the heritage and legacy that Tony Reed & The National Black Marathoners embarass and shame. Have a terrific day!

Age Graded Scoring: How To Compare Running Performance Across Age & Gender

2008-03-13T13:40:00.008-04:00

That runner on the left below is a friend of mine named Billie Moten - she's a New York Road Runner, a fixture on the Central Park running scene - you might note her from her appearances in Runner's World. I was told some weeks ago that she somehow broke her arm - hope she has a speed recovery. Last month she ran a Half-Marathon and clocked a 2:33. On first blush - that time might not impress - however in running - the true measure of the performance is in the Age Graded Score - which in this case was 67% - a fantastic performance at the Half-Marathon Distance. Note Billie Moten is 70 years old. This 67% score is equivalent to a 30 year old Man running a 1:28 Half-Marathon. But as the distance is increased, the scoring becomes more challenging to sustain, understandably, Billie clocked a 58% Score in the '07 NYC Marathon - still a very solid. What is Age-Graded Scoring? Basically, Age-Graded Scoring allows all individuals within a race to be "scored" against each other. That is done by first comparing the individual's finish time at that particular race distance to an "ideal" or best time (not necessarily the "world record") achievable for that individual's age and gender. Age-Graded Scoring utilizes statistical tables to compare the performances of individual athletes at different distances, between different events, or against other athletes of either gender and/or of any age. How does Age-Graded Scoring work? Let's say a 55-year old male runs a marathon in 3:00:27. He would receive an Age-Graded Score of 80.21%. That is because, according to the Age-Graded Scoring tables, the "ideal" finish time for a 55-year old male is 2:24:22, and that's about 20% faster (about 36 minutes) than our 55-year old ranNow let's say that a 27-year old male ran the same marathon in 2:45:47. Obviously, that is faster than our 55-year old. But is the performance of the younger runner really "better" when compared with that of a man more than twice his age? The answer is, "No!" In fact, the Age-Graded score of the 25-year old is only 76.51%. The old guy wins! And, our 27-year old has a lot of training to do if he expects to "improve with age" and post anything close to a 3-hour marathon when he turns fifty-five! Why Age-Graded Scoring? Age-Graded Scoring was originally developed to do two things: (1) Provide each race finisher with a percentage value score that will enable them to judge their performance against any and all others without bias to age or sex. So, no matter how old you get, your Age-Graded Score or "performance percentage" will be judged against the standard for your current age within your gender; and (2) as your performances decline with advancing age (and they will), so too will the standards used to calculate your Age-Graded Score, thereby giving you a true measure of your performance. Who knows, although your actual finish times may get slower over the years, you could actually improve in Age-Graded score like a fine wine. Correct each person's performance, no matter what age, to what it would have been (or will be) in their "prime" athletic years. This allows for very interesting comparisons. You can compare your current performance to previous ones over the same or any distance. You can compare your performance to other runners of any age and either gender. You can even compare your performance to the elite athletes. Where did Age-Graded Scoring come from? The research and statistical analysis that allows us to determine these percentages was developed by the World Association of Veteran Athletes (WAVA), the world governing body for masters long distance running, racewalking, and track and field. WAVA compiled approximate world record level performance standards for both genders and each age between 5 and 100. Then separate sets of standards were established for each of the standard road racing distances (5K, 8K, 10K, 12K, Half Marathon, Marathon, etc.). Age-Graded Scoring Achievement Levels
WAVA has also developed the following broad "Achievement Levels" for use with Age-Graded Scoring. A score within each range indicates the level of performance achieved by an athlete. You can find Age Graded Calculators online like here at Runner's World.
100% = Approximate World Record Level
90-99% = World Class
80-89% = National Class
70-79% = Regional Class
60-69% = Local Class
If you really want to get into it, click here.

Marathons Should Allow Us All To "Pay It Forward"

2008-03-13T11:08:00.006-04:00

Nice run this morning in Central Park - if you are out there today and Friday - you will see Superstars - Olympians & Record Holders training - all for Saturdays big race. Okay, When someone does you a favor - don't pay it back, pay it forward. Pay it forward: the concept, noted popularly from the Catherine Ryan Hyde novel - and later in the film about her book. The idea of the book and film has been brought to life by the Pay It Forward Foundation. Check them out, here's how it goes, "since the book was released in January of 2000, a real-life social movement has emerged, not just in the U.S. but worldwide. What began as a work of fiction has already become much more. Reuben St. Clair, the teacher and protagonist in the book “Pay It Forward,” starts a movement with this voluntary, extra-credit assignment: THINK OF AN IDEA FOR WORLD CHANGE, AND PUT IT INTO ACTION. Trevor, the 12-year-old hero of “Pay It Forward,” thinks of quite an idea. He describes it to his mother and teacher this way: "You see, I do something real good for three people. And then when they ask how they can pay it back, I say they have to Pay It Forward. To three more people. Each. So nine people get helped. Then those people have to do twenty-seven." He turned on the calculator, punched in a few numbers. "Then it sort of spreads out, see. To eighty-one. Then two hundred forty-three. Then seven hundred twenty-nine. Then two thousand, one hundred eighty-seven. See how big it gets?" This is brought to mind for me as of this letter that was published recently in a Maine Newspaper. It goes: "I am writing in hopes that there is someone who had intended to run the Boston Marathon has changed their plans and will not be running. My nephew, who is a police officer in Massachusetts has been training since Aug. 2007 in hopes to run the race for his sister who is recovering from a bone marrow transplant. He was not aware he needed a number in order to run, although all his other papers have been filled out and filed with the Leukemia Foundation. I am inquiring if anyone who may have decided not to run or a major corporation could supply him with a number in order that he may run the race for his sister. Thank you in advance of any help you may offer.
Mary-Esther Hannan
Wiscasset.

I'm not interested in running the Boston Marathon - but could have entered - obtained entry and a bib for the Boston Marathon - and in doing so, wouldn't it have been great if there was a process working within the guidelines where I could "Pay It Forward" to someone like Mary-Esther Hannan here above? All these Marathons need to lighten up & rethink their policies - they are not so damn serious and important in the greater scheme of things where there is not room for me or anyone to earn entry, pay the fees, and choose to pay it forward. Have a terrific day!

A News Report on Haile's Refusal To Run the Marathon in the Olympics Due to Beijing's Pollution

2008-03-12T19:26:00.005-04:00

"A Good Day is When You Get To Run. A Great Day is When You Inspire Others to Run" The State of Running in America

2008-03-12T09:01:00.011-04:00

Had a nice 5 miler this morning in Central Park - yesterday and today - lots of secret service types at where I live....the residence of New York's next Governor, David Patterson....woo hoo!. Too bad he's also Clinton Super Delegate, oh well....I see Donald Buraglio & Mike Dove of "The Running Life" reported on the The 2008 Running USA National Conference held in San Diego. This year over 350 attendees, including representatives of the Big Sur International Marathon (BSIM), gathered to discuss issues affecting the sport and business of running. All major road races were represented, along with many other businesses that depend on races or runners for buying their products: makers of shoes, training software, medals and awards, sports drinks, clothing companies, media and magazines, photography, heat sheets, and nearly anything else you can think of related to running. Each year at the conference there is Hall of Champions banquet where individuals are inducted into the Hall. This year, the BSIM's race director, Wally Kastner, was selected for induction. Wally was praised for "taking the wonderful Big Sur Marathon and making it the crown jewel of American marathons". The BSIM was called "the greatest running experience on the planet." [Me: Yup, I am a Californian and have always wanted to race Big Sur - right there below - that's exactly where you run - I've lived all over the world - there is no where more beautiful than California's Central Coast]. He was also instrumental in being one of the founding partners of Running USA in 1999. The Big Sur Marathon's JUST RUN youth program, with Susan Love as administrator, was in the limelight in three separate conference sessions on youth running. JUST RUN is considered the premier national model for other youth programs. JUST RUN, which started just 2 years ago in Monterey County, now has over 5,000 children involved, and groups in 15 California counties, 12 states, and 2 foreign countries. The conference theme this year was "20 in 10", which is a challenge that was presented in the keynote speech by Basil Honikman, outgoing CEO of Running USA. The industry was challenged to increase the number of race finishers in United States races to 20 million within 10 years. The goal is ambitious as there were less than 9 million race finishers in 2007. These 9 million finishers represent approximately 4 million unique runners, as some finish multiple races. Doubling the number of race finishers would have simultaneous benefits: increasing the health and well being of the U.S. population, while significantly improving the businesses of the races and companies in the industry. There are 12 million runners in the United States that run at least twice a week but only 4 million of those enter races. The most popular race distance in 2007 was the 5K with about 3.5 million finishers, followed by the 10K with 1 million, and the marathon with 520,000. In the two days of the conference many ideas were presented to reach this goal; more events for the first timer and the reticent, more national promotion and TV and media coverage, more fun in events, creation of tounaments and running leagues, reaching out to minority members (only 2% of race finishers are people of color), and more youth programs and races. Many speakers said the sport needs recognizable heroes and stars. One interesting group of statistics was presented by Andy Hersam, the publisher of Runner's World magazine; with 650,000 subscribers it has the largest subscriber base of any Running publication. Runner's World surveys indicate that 28 million people in the U.S say they at least run occasionally. Of these, 19 million are married but 14 million of their spouses don't share the habit — they DON'T run. Also there are 35 million family members that don't run. Therefore, the easiest route to making "20 in 10" actually happen lies in each runner's home, and in finding a way to get spouses and children out running and entering races. There should be more races for kids. As Wally Kastner said in his induction speech, "I am convinced runners can save the world." Dave McGillivary the Boston Marathon race director says that when people ask him what he does for a living he says, "I raise the self esteem and self confidence of thousands of people each April." The Saucony shoe company corporate saying is now, "A good day is when you get to run. A Great day is when you inspire others to run". So the message we're delivering from the Running USA conference to all our running friends is to share the gift you already have. Give it to your spouse and family and friends as well. [END]

I am asked, "Lance, why are you so hard on Tony Reed & the National Black Marathoners' Association ?" - My answer, reason No. 83, Here is a list of the array of members of Running USA, you will recognize lots of entities on that list [non-profits & for profit entities]. These entities are woven into the fabric of running in America. Question: Why is it that the National Black Marathoners' Association are not members of Running USA? Could someone ask Tony Reed that? I know the answer is because they lack the vision to strategically align and benefit by being enfranchised in America's running culture - and are basically clueless - a rudderless ship (unless it points to Tony Reed) - for the benefit of their very own members (in sum they're poor in organizational dynamism). Tony Reed & that organization are a FRAUD and not part of anything that's legitimate. That worse part of this illustration? The Black Marathoners will actually take pride in not being part of the whole - they'll make excuses and deny they are missing out on a myriad of valuable benefits for their members...blah blah blah....defend the incompetence of Tony Reed on matters running, marathoning, and organization building....at all cost..... they will actually herald what is in sum their "self ghetto-izing insular culture". This is reason No. 83 on why I criticize Tony Reed & the National Black Marathoners' Association. Have a terrific day!

Harlem Gives Props to Hungary

2008-03-11T19:04:00.003-04:00

Nicola Bamford for European Athletics penned a very cool article about that womena below, Aniko Kalovics - I have excerpted a little, check the link for the full article, she says Aniko Kalovics embodies a one-woman battle to promote the sport she loves in her homeland Hungary and subsequently gain the distinction she so richly deserves. With sports such as soccer and water-polo taking precedent in the Hungarian psyche, Kalovics' believes that her athletics achievements have been some what under-acknowledged by the public in recent years; causing the Szombathely-born runner to switch allegiance to an Italian club; Co-Ver Mapei in 2004.
Mud, road or mountain, no terrain is too tough for this endurance enthusiast."The Hungarians do not see road running as being of equal importance to track and cross-country," the prolific road-runner explains, "they see road and cross-country running as the lowest point of athletics. I have never been ‘athlete of the year' but I've run a national record every year and you can read about me on the IAAF website almost every week." Regardless of the frustrating lack of encouragement, the Hungarian record-holder at 10km up to the half-marathon is adamant on remaining loyal to her roots, "I am not famous but like it like that. People know me more abroad than in my home-country, it's a typical Hungarian story. But the road races abroad are becoming more popular and in Hungary too." And Kalovics knows the road scene better than most, since establishing herself amongst the global elite in distance running, "I am very proud of my Hungarian half-marathon record in Milan and my performance in the 2007 Great North Run," the 2006 World road running 11th placer reveals. Boasting personal bests of 68:58 (half-marathon) and 2:26.44 for the marathon, Kalovics has truly catapulted herself onto the athletics radar - all of these accomplishments are detailed on her insightful website, Flash-forward to the present and the outgoing Hungarian is looking ahead to realising her marathon dreams. "My future is the marathon; I hope to become a very good marathoner and my dream is London 2012," divulges Kalovics. "After London, I'd like a baby and after that, if I still have pleasure in running, I will compete until I'm 40.[END]. Great attitude, great spirit check her out.

BREAKING NEWS! "Stuff White People Like" Votes "Marathons" @ #27!

2008-03-11T12:22:00.008-04:00

Stuff White People Like

This just in to Harlem 26.2 by way of a reader, "Stuff White People Like" has determined Marathons ranks #27! You Go White People! They go on to offer a keen insight on the mind and motivations of White people, "In life, there are certain milestones of physical activity that can define you. A sub 5 second 40 yard dash, a 40 inch vertical leap and so forth. To a white person, the absolute pinnacle of fitness is to run a marathon. Not to win, just to run. White people will train for months, telling everyone who will listen about how they get up early in the morning, they run when it rains, how it makes them feels so great and gives them energy. When they finish the marathon, they will generally take a photo of themselves in a pair of New Balance sneakers, running shorts, and their marathon number with both hands over their head in triumph (seriously, look it up, this is universal). They will then set goals like running in the Boston Marathon or the New York Marathon. If you find yourself in a situation where a white person is talking about a marathon, you must be impressed or you will lose favor with them immediately. Running for a certain length of time on a specific day is a very important thing to a white person and should not be demeaned. Also worth noting, more competitive white people prefer triathlons because Kenyans can’t afford $10,000 specialty bicycles. If the subject ever comes up, just say that triathletes are in better shape than football and basketball players. It’s not true, but it will make the conversation a lot more genial.[END] Wow, now that is insightful! . Have a great day!

You Can Run with Ultrarunner Philippe Fuchs in a 3D Virtual Race: Paris to Beijing

2008-03-11T06:59:00.008-04:00

I've been getting in some decent morning runs - Spring is a little more than a week away! Whoo Hoo! Okay - I once blogged about how people on Second Life actually assume the identity of avatars, digital characters, and go on training runs, alone and with others - in a virtual world. It's gotten worse, we now have real Ultra Runners like that guy on the left, a well known runner...Philippe Fuchs...is running Paris to Beijing with the help of a company called Dassault Systèmes’ in an event called the “Virtual Plus Reality Challenge” that you too can participate in. This is a 3D Race Based on Innovative 3D Technologies. Dassault Systèmes the leading provider of software solutions allowing users to create, share and experience in 3D, affirms its commitment to the athletic arena with its “Virtual Plus Reality Challenge”, a new technological experience:

• A technologically advanced mini-website based on the latest 3D solutions allowing the general public to watch the Paris-Beijing race run by renowned marathon runner Philippe Fuchs in real-time

• A global premiere for science and sports with the Marseille Motion Science Institute using Philippe Fuchs’ biomechanical data to model his stride

• A charity event in partnership with Sports Without Borders allowing the general public to join the marathon through an innovative Facebook application.

It launched on March 7, the “Virtual Plus Reality Challenge” will continue through to Philippe Fuchs’ arrival in Beijing during the Summer Olympic Games. Running for innovation in sports with Dassault Systèmes - known for its 3D solutions, Dassault Systèmes’ 3D solutions are also being used to create innovative and high-performing sports applications, from stadiums to bicycles to running shoes. A chance to experience Philippe Fuchs’ race in 3D on Dassault Systèmes’ mini-website Fuchs supporters will be only a click away from the runner’s latest progress. A dedicated mini-website will allow fans to get his real-time position via a geolocation interface, video commentary on his cardiac performance, and multimedia from Fuchs himself of latest developments, thanks to his 3D avatar and Dassault Systèmes’ online TVnima broadcast application. Dassault Systèmes will feature the longest and zaniest relays in its Virtual Relay Hall of Fame on the dedicated mini-website, as well as a real-time counter of virtual (and real) kilometers run. The kilometers run by virtual participants will be added to those run by Fuchs, and Dassault Systèmes will contribute accordingly to Sports Without Borders’ efforts to improve the living conditions of children in Latin American, Africa and Asia with athletic programs. To follow or participate in the “Virtual Plus Reality Challenge" just click the link. Okay, I can deal with the marketing & promotion of a technology as a sports endeavor - however having said that....this is not my cup of tea - it's kind of interesting - on a technical level - the website is pretty cool and worth a click - and that's about it for me. Nonetheless have a great day!

Running in Beijing's Polluted Air - Haile Says No!

2008-03-10T18:58:00.006-04:00

Marathon world record holder Haile Gebrselassie, that guy on there right said on Monday he would not compete in the Olympic marathon because of fears Beijing's air pollution would damage his health. The Ethiopian runner, who suffers from asthma, said he would still compete in the 10,000 meters at the August Games. "The pollution in China is a threat to my health and it would be difficult for me to run 42-km in my current condition. Bejing is a serious mess for athletes - even for just walking around - athletes will be wearing that mask on the right - that you can actually buy, it's actually designed for use in Beijing and by athletes in their events - the Honeycomb Activated Carbon Filter (ACF) Pollution Mask - what that woman on the right is wearing. If you are exposed to pollutants and run?....consider that mask on the right, just click the link and check it out.

Harlem's in The House! (The Governor's House!)

2008-03-10T18:47:00.007-04:00

Well whaddaya know.....my neighbor, that guy on the left with the Achilles Track Club running tank on (because he's on the Board of Directors of the Achilles Track Club) is named David. We've talked running a couple of times - he told me he's ran the NYC Marathon too. David's a good guy - and David is about to become the Governor of the State of New York. Wow. The current Governor Spitzer is basically "done" - it's just a matter of time. So I'm kind of excited to see my neighbor and a board member of the Achilles Track Club rise to the level of Governor - very cool. Now the only problem with this is a that David is also a Super Delegate, and a Clinton Supporter - Boo!

The Nonsense of the 50 States Marathon Club

2008-03-10T06:08:00.011-04:00

I have a nice 9 mile run yesterday in Central Park, the Daylight Savings Time is going to take some time to adjust to, it's 6:40am and pretty much completely dark, not to mention cold, and this bed I am in is feeling pretty toasty. I see Harry Jackson Jr. wrote a "disclosing piece" in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, I wil share with my commentary: You won't recognize them by looking into the crowd of runners at the GO! St. Louis marathon on April 6. But they're there, people who have made their life's work running a marathon in every state, sometimes as often as one marathon a week and sometimes making the circuit multiple times."I've done the whole United States twice," said Paula Boone of Houston, who heads the 50 States Marathon Club with her husband, Steve Boone, 58. "He's done all 50 eight times.'' The attraction for her is the travel and fellowship. "I don't really like running," she said with a laugh. "It's a good way to see the country, and you get to see it at ground level. You see the touristy things. We have friends from all of the country."Why? A club whose name better reflects the mindset is the Marathon Maniacs, another 50-states club, she said. "I guess there are different levels of insanity; you have to be a little tipped." Paula Boone, 41, has run more than 220 of the 26.2-mile events. The 50 States Marathon Club has about 1,500 members who pay the $10 annual dues. Members range from people who race to win and others who run to finish. Members include surgeons, NASA workers, assembly line workers and lawyers. The youngest to complete the 50-state circuit was 16; the oldest, 81. Members have finished first and last.The club has four reunions a year in which they award 50-state trophies. The only identification marks are on their T-shirts."It's interesting who you'll see in the group," Paula Boone said. "People look like anyone on the street." Most members run one a month, while others, like her and her husband, do one a week. For Lee Hoffman of Glendale it's a labor of love for friends and running. Eight years ago at the tender age of 65, he ran his first marathon in Toronto at the urging of friends. Eight years later, at 73, he has 61 marathons under his belt and a 50-state trophy from the club and is 16 races into his second go-round . And he has won his age class several times. "But as you get older, fewer people are competing."When you cross the line, you realize you've done something only 1 percent of the population has done," he said. "And running a marathon in all 50 states, only a few hundred people have done that." [ME: Not all exclusive clubs are worth entering, note the "Polar Bear Clubs"- like those fools on the left that jump in icy waters in the Winter - there are only so many people that have done that too - heck, there's a Pizza Eating Club called "Slice" where you can organize together to eat Pizza in all 50 states for example - a small exlusive club - no thanks] He has run marathons in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles and boasts about having finished two in two days one weekend a couple years ago. That accounts for the 50-state goal, Hoffman said. "Once you do that, you start thinking, what now?" [ME: How about instead of quantity, you focus on quality? Is that too damn much for you to conjure?] He spaces his marathons out so that he runs 10 to 12 a year. His next is in Texas, and he's undecided about running in St. Louis; he has done Missouri three times.AREN'T YOU SORE?Anyone who gets into a groove for running that many races is in no more or less danger of wear and tear as any athlete.Dr. Bill Cragg, himself an Iron Man competitor, is a west St. Louis County chiropractor who is on the St. Louis Marathon medical staff. He said the key is the competency with which someone trains. "Certainly, the mileage seems excessive, but when you're talking about a mature runner, you're talking about someone who knows how to train," he said. He said he has treated some ultramarathon runners, people who run races often double a marathon's distance, and the story is the same. "Most of the injuries I see are from people who are running their first or second, or they run one a year," Cragg said.Barbara Wnek, 58, of Brentwood, another member of the 50 Marathon Club, said, "To stay injury-free, I change running shoes every few months." She also regularly replaces shock resistant insoles.And, "rest is very, very important," she said. "I usually take one day off a week from running and weight training."Wnek is a physical education and health teacher in the Ferguson-Florissant School District. She recently finished her 52nd marathon. "I have 20 states because I run where it seems like the most fun," she says. "I've run in California 10 times and St. Louis 10 times."Lee Hoffman admitted he's no superman. "I get sore," he said. "I've even had stress fractures in both ankles at the same time. But you get used to it."Paula Boone talked about the secret to staying healthy for constant running: "Once you get your body to marathon readiness, you just stay there. We don't train to get ready. We're there all the time"[END]. [ME: That is a nonsensical & fraudulent statement - it also runs counter to the wisdom of the gurus of running & learned study of Noakes, Daniels, Pfitzinger, Glover, Higdon, literally every authority on marathon running]. I've learned a lot of people believe their own nonsense & make statements of complete ignorance and expect you to swallow and accept their nonsense. That's Paula Boone. She knows nothing about Marathon Running. (1) "Once you get your body to marathon readiness" is something that takes several months. (2) " you just stay there", no you taper and peak for a moment physically & nutritionally. (3) "We don't train to get ready", is nothing more than her admission that she knows nothing about marathoning. (4) "We're there all the time", no, you basically go on Lydiard like long slow distance runs on the weekend of 26.2 miles, that's all. It's a lot harder to train and run 1, a single marathon well, than to go on long slow distance runs every weekend. I will never choose quantity over quality or engage in any activity marginalized, that's what these people do - it's a free county.....they enjoy what their doing & are having a good time, fine, great, whatever - and I am free to illustrate their total unfounded nonsensical streams of thought.

Running into Daylight Savings Time

2008-03-09T08:06:00.004-04:00

Thank you, Daylight Savings Time! Finally you are here....and maybe, just maybe I can now get up off my ass and seriously train to race! Did you know total energy costs actually increase with Daylight Savings Time?...it's true. Which means more air pollution and more allergies, illness and asthma. Benjamin Franklin came up with DST in 1784 while in France. However when you change clocks to daylight savings time, you don't change anything related to sun time and we forget that there is a biological clock that is as old as living organisms, a clock that cannot be fooled - our circadian rhythm goes haywire -- the body's internal clock --it follows the sun and changes depending on where you live. It actually changes in four-minute intervals, exactly the time it takes for the sun to cross one line of longitude. However a lot of people never quite adjust to Daylight Savings Time - I think it's great for us runners though - and I can now think seriously about running, training, etc - with more hours of visibility to enjoy whilst running - running in darkness just is not a fun as running in the light - I am good with Daylight Savings Time, can handle it "circadian rhythm" wise and am looking forward to getting in racing shape. So thank you Ben Franklin, Franklin, on this one point I will overlook the racist SOB you were and your wish to "keep America White" — and to exclude everyone, unless they were English....and thank you for coming up with Daylight Savings Time - so I can run in more hours of daylight! Have a great day and enjoy the extra light!

Best Running Shoe "Primer" Ever Written

2008-03-08T07:45:00.014-05:00

Finding the right running shoe makes a difference in performance, so says Vic ky Hallett of the Washington Post: She writes: This is a story about running shoes, and don't let anyone like Bart Yasso, chief running officer of Runner's World magazine, hear you give them any other name. "When people call them sneakers, we correct them. A sneaker would be something you walk around in," he says. It might seem silly, but the distinction matters, at least to the person whose feet they're on. Running shoes are highly technical footwear that provide stability and cushioning while heroically bearing up to three times the wearer's body weight; sneakers, on the other hand, are fashion accessories designed to look cool at the mall. "If you run for more than five minutes at any time, you might as well have running shoes," advises Stephen Pribut, a Washington, D.C.-based podiatrist specializing in sports medicine. But not any pair will do, even if you're dropping upwards of $100, because finding the right running shoe is something of an art -- or "a science and a feel," according to Warren Greene, the brand editor of Runner's World, who is charged with organizing the magazine's annual shoe guides. The science part begins with the shape of the arch of your foot, which anyone can determine at home with this quickie experiment: Dunk your foot in water and then place it on a brown paper bag. If you see a "C" shape on the paper (using your left foot a C, using your right foot a backwards C) when you remove your foot, you have a rare high arch, which suggests you're an under-pronator. If the shape looks more like a rectangle, that means you have flat feet and are likely an over-pronator. See something in between? That's a normal arch, which usually translates into some pronating but not a whole lot. Pronation isn't as sinister as it sounds -- it's merely the flattening of the arch as you move through your step, which makes your foot roll inward. "There should be a degree of that occurring," explains James Christina, a podiatrist who serves as director of scientific affairs at the American Podiatric Medical Association. "Pronating loosens up the structures in the foot and allows it to adapt to changes in the ground. But if it happens excessively, you have problems." Think shin splints and tendinitis.Of course, under-pronation comes with its own host of maladies because your foot doesn't absorb shock effectively. Without proper cushioning, that's a recipe for stress fractures and knee and hip issues. Luckily for runners, shoe technology has come a long way since Ed Grant, president of the D.C. Road Runners, trained in Converse shoes and the like in the 1970s. "What was available back then, you wouldn't use as walking shoes today," he says. "A piece of rubber with a vinyl top, no arch support, no cushioning. Now, manufacturers focus on foot biomechanics and devote extensive resources to designing products that can correct practically anyone's stride. Companies typically classify their shoes in three categories: neutral (for high arches), stability (for normal or low arches) and motion control (for flat arches). Conveniently for shoppers, that's also how specialty running stores tend to divvy up their inventory, and even if you haven't done the paper-bag test at home, staffers there can analyze your gait to steer you to the right part of the wall. At that point, most people would just grab an appealing shoe and try it on. But pros first like to conduct a series of quality-control tests. Christina sets his pair on a flat surface so he can look for differences in alignment between the right and left shoe. (Yes, these can occur even in premium shoes.) "One shouldn't look like it's tilted in a different way," he notes. Pribut has a three-phase sequence for checking stability: First, he bends the shoe toe to heel to see where it flexes. If it's not at the forefoot -- where the foot actually bends -- be afraid. He then grips both ends and twists in opposite directions. If he can wring it like a towel, that means there's zero support. Finally, he squeezes the heel in both directions right above the midsole. A stable heel won't cave in. Even if a few pass these tests, there's a lot more hunt ahead to find the right fit. It all starts with the "last," the mold that shapes the inside of the shoe: whether it's wide or narrow in the midfoot, how it sits on the heel and how roomy the toe box is. Each company's lasts are slightly different, which is why some people detest a certain manufacturer's shoes while others are completely devoted to that brand. "It's not a fashion show when you're running," reminds Yasso of Runner's World. You want the heel securely in place. You don't want to be squished in so that either the inside or outside of the foot feels like it's protruding. Anything that's rubbing, or even just feels off, is a sign to slip into another pair. It's wise to hold off until the afternoon to make your purchase, to allow for any swelling that your feet do throughout the day. Toes also dictate sizing choice: The rule is you need a finger's width from your longest toe (whether that's your big one or not) to the end of the shoe. In addition, the fact that running shoes have a tendency to run small may mean the right size is as much as a whole size larger than what you'd opt for in a dress shoe. If what you've been using has been working, the shoe-store folks will typically start you with the same shoe. The only problem is that ... well, it might not actually be the same. Manufacturers update most of their shoes every 12 months, and sometimes the shifts can be dramatic. Some changes can have a discernible impact on a shoe's "ride" and certainly affect its price. Even Grant, who was once a bargain-rack shopper, says you're a fool to focus too heavily on price. "If your feet aren't in the right shoe, that'll hurt your experience," he says. And besides, he points out, they're the only equipment you really need to participate in the sport. The question becomes how much do you spend, and for what. Most shoes hover around $90, although certain pairs sell for twice that -- usually because they're packed with more innovations. But someone's got to pay for advertising, too. Reading about a shoe's construction can feel a bit like parsing a foreign language, what with all the references to proprietary materials. Brooks boasts that one of its newest shoes, the Infiniti, has the ultimate cushy forefoot because its trademark MoGo compound is sandwiched around a layer of something called e-Fusion. Adidas's adiStar Cushion 6 comes with ForMotion plates that keep the heel steady on uneven surfaces, plus a GeoFit heel and an abundance of adiPRENE. Greene says the advances worth springing for are the ones that improve your run. "There are early adopters who want the most whiz-bang shoe on the market," he adds. "But you need to be in the shoe that fits you correctly. I would dissuade readers from buying shoes on technology." While Runner's World singles out some shoes as "Best Buy" and "Best Update," picking shoes on that basis alone is ill-advised. "People always ask me what's the best shoe," Greene says. "I tell them that I don't know. I'm running in what are the best shoes for me."[END] Thanks Vicky Hallet - this is the best spot on CliffNote Running Shoe Primer I've ever seen. Have a great day!

Sports Bras Revisted & Updated: You Decide Your Best For Running

2008-03-07T19:46:00.011-05:00

If you recall a while I ago I blogged about a Dr. Joanna Scurr of Portsmouth University UK on her research into the dynamics of breast movement and what sports bras work best, The Perfect Sports Bra. Well I am happy to pass along an advancement of that discussion - by way of a interviewer who contacted me and recently interviewed Dr. Joanna Scurr, they've also created The ultimate Sports Bras Review/The Bounce Test Videos. "A leading online lingerie retailer [Her Room] and creators of The Bounce Test, a series of videos showing the effectiveness of sports bras designed for high-impact sports, spoke with Dr. Joanna Scurr, THE biomechanics professor at the University of Portsmouth, about her research into breast movement during exercise and the issue of breast pain. "Breast pain has not received much attention in the past," says Dr. Scurr. "It's not just a cyclical problem. Some women, like myself, have pain throughout the month and it is worse when we exercise." Contrary to popular belief, breast pain does not only affect large-breasted women. Dr. Scurr has tested subjects from an A cup to a JJ. Breast pain can affect breasts of any size. The incidence of breast pain is highly under-reported, says Dr Scurr. Women don't tell their doctor about it as they feel it's not a 'real' health concern. Subjects in her study were surprised and relieved to learn that it is in fact a major health issue for many women and it can affect their quality of life. New findings in Dr. Scurr's research show that breasts don't only move up and down -- they also move side-to-side and back and forth. The biggest increase in movement is actually at low-impact activities, such as changing from a walk to a slow jog, so it is not only women who do high-impact sports who need a good sports bra. Another UK study on treatment of breast pain compared the use of medication against correct breast support that limits motion. A good sports bra won hands down. There are two types of sports bras, explains Dr. Scurr. One is a compression bra that attempts to flatten the breast against the body and the other is called an encapsulation bra, which holds each breast individually. Her scientific testing has shown that the encapsulation sports bra is the most effective design. HerRoom.com has tested over 30 makes of sports bras designed for high-impact sports to show how effective they are at reducing the movement of the breasts while exercising. You can listen to the interview with Dr. Scurr and see The Bounce Test sports bra videos at www.HerRoom.com. Full disclosure - this content was fed to me as a press release - no harm in that, happens all the time - I usually don't bite and publish product placement stuff - however - I'm not positioned to make an evaluation on how informative & beneficial this content is as I don't usually wear a Sports Bra - so it made this content made its way on the blog - I hope it informs... Have a great day!

The Latest Running Gizmo: miCoach - Check It!

2008-03-07T08:58:00.007-05:00

Samsung & Adidas joined the race against Apple & Nike and that iPod+/ Nano thing you see & they've been hyping......offeirng people a device that plays music and keeps track of their running. Samsung's miCoach music-mobile phone even lives up to its name by encouraging people as they run, telling them to "speed up" if they aren't keeping pace, and giving them updates on their heart rate, time left in their run, and more. The system includes a heart-rate monitor, a sensor to attach to a pair of running shoes and a Web workout journal to help people design and keep track of fitness programs. In the future there will even be online coaching, etc. - The main differences between the two systems are that the Samsung model is also a mobile phone, while the Apple one is just a music player. Samsung/Adidas buyers will pay around $600 for the deluxe kit with the miCoach mobile phone, heart monitor, shoe sensor and more. Okay - it looks cool - however in my opinion all this stuff is a total waist - all electronics, period. The only time this stuff makes sense is if you're running unfamiliar paths & you want a GPS unit to track your distance. Of all this crap? The Bones in Motion & Motion Based stuff is pretty cool...especially when you use their online communities, etc. And I also like that those tools are not in your ears. You can carve out some pretty cool self-coaching or online coaching with those tools, but this crap above? Never! However the ad is very cool - funny how runners in commercials are all seemingly Olympic caliber isn't it? Have a great day!

Running Into Toe Problems

2008-03-07T05:56:00.005-05:00

Damn - there she is below on the left, the baddest woman on the planet - Marathon World Record holder Paula Radcliffe who yesterday confirmed she has been forced to withdraw from next month's London Marathon because of a toe tendon injury. A freaking toe - damn! She picked up the right toe injury while altitude training at her base in Albuquerque, New Mexico and in mid-February returned to Europe for specialist treatment. "I am desperately disappointed that I have to pull out of this year's race. I love running in London and this race would have been the perfect test for me before the Olympic Games," she said. "But in marathon training there are no short cuts and there is simply not enough time to be in the shape I want to be in to run well in London". Tell me about it - you can't half-ass this marathon game - not even in your training. Keep in mind this is a woman who recovered from pregnancy and birthing a child t0 within the same year win the NYC Marahton - and a damn toe's taken her out of would be about $500,000 payday between the Race & Sponsors. Now I don't know the exact nature of this "toe tendon" injury however if I was a professional runner?....I'd be sleeping in Toe Stretchers (YogaToes) to strengthen my toes/tendons. That's a pair on the right - They're made of a special gel material that is fitted into the spaces between your toes to help open up your circulatory system, they exercise and condition your feet, and with daily use you will notice an improvement in the shape and strength of your feet - they're used for an array of foot complications...and per the claim they're used for foot pain, poor circulation, and other serious conditions such as: Bunions Hammer Toe Sciatica Arches Plantar Fascia Achilles Tendon Varicose Veins Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) Foot Pain Upon initial use you will feel a tense stretch, but this is a good stretch. The longer you can wear a pair - the more limber your toes will become. You can buy these at Amazon, you'll see them on Ebay, you're looking at $25-$40 or so for a pair. If you're very serious about your marathoning - you gotta have a pair. I'm feeling pretty good - going to clock about 7 strong this gorgeous morning in Central Park - New York City! Have a great day!

Who Wants To Build A Business Around Running? (If .mobi is the future, we're strategically aligned with "MarathonRunner.mobi")

2008-03-06T11:31:00.014-05:00

Most Americans are unaware but more people in Japan access the internet via cellphones, handheld devices than actual computers. This is America's future. There will be a day in the very near future wherein America- we function like many European & Asian countries and access the internet primarily via handheld devices - and many people are now preparing for that day and banking on the future in big ways - and a new extension (and to keep it basic, a new protocol & standard in terms of website design and functioning) has been defined using the .mobi extension instead of the .com - to accommodate a cell phone world while offering the full internet experience. There are many that say .mobi will overtake .com going forward. Yes there is a countering argument centered on iphone like phones....but suffice it to say lots of people are banking on a .mobi future - you see it when you realize the domain name music.mobi sold for $616,000, games.mobi for $401,500, flowers.mobi, which sold for $200,000, sports.mobi sold for $101,000, movies.mobi $82,000 and it goes on and on. Running: Now get this, a guy in Oregon owns NYRR.mobi, NOT the New York Road Runners. What's he got planned I wonder? Holding them hostage or something? I am not even sure the NYRR are aware of this. There's a guy in New Jersey that owns NewYorkCityMarathon.mobi and NYCMarathon.mobi, the same guy - again, have no idea if the NYRR know this. Marathonguide.com is a great site - in fact if you type marathonrunner.com you are redirected to the site of marathonguide.com, both owned and controlled by this fellow John Elliot who lives not far from me in Manhattan here - but I don't know him, do you? He owns SeriousSports.com as well - and seems to have built a nice little cottage business for himself - if you know anything of this fellow and or his business model - do tell! I am curious. However he will probably be annoyed that some guy in Spain owns Marathonguide.mobi.....and guess what, yours truly owns MarathonRunner.mobi. Yup, I own MarathonRunner.mobi....now..... Hummmm? What to do with this, I am all ears if anyone has ideas. Hey, let's all build a business, why not? I see no reason why MarathonRunner.mobi cannot become (Marathonguide + Athlinks + RoadRunnerSports/RunningWarehouse + MotionBased & the like + CoolRunning....all combined). The branding is half the battle.... it's secured and in place. Okay - I'm jammed up with my schedule and life in my other matters - but this is something that I've been sitting on - and the easy play is to turn marathonrunner.mobi into a CraigsList type of site however exclusively all things running - however I have not discounted the possibility that Harlem 26.2 readers might have brighter ideas than me - and we can actually build a business together around this passion - this running thing. It is possible - just putting out the word on something in the back of my mind....and have a great day!

Sarasota Marathon Winner Pulls a "Katie Holmes"

2008-03-06T06:52:00.008-05:00

Cristina Noble, there she is on the left...the first woman to cross the finish line at Sunday's Sarasota Marathon....has been disqualified - she cheated, circumvented the course (a Katie Holmes). Thomas Becnel of the Herald Tribune reported Race officials say she missed electronic checkpoints at mile 17 and 18 of the Marathon. Course monitors (race officials) confirmed that she did not run a mile of the marathon on a section of the course, the Ken Thompson Parkway. The official women's winner of the 2008 ABC-7 Sarasota Marathon is now Madeleine Zolfo, 43, that woman below on the right -she learned the news Monday night. Cristina Noble, a 33-year-old marathoner from Brighton, Mich., did not return calls to her cell phone (from reporters). According to the Web site for the 2007 Detroit Marathon, she finished that race in 3 hours, 9 minutes. Her disqualified time in the Sarasota Marathon was 3 hours, 10 minutes. At the finish line, Noble told SNN-News 6 that she was happy with her time. "It was kind of warm. I'm not used to it, since I'm from Michigan," she said. "It was a really nice course, kind of scenic, with the causeway. It's kind of a big hill there." [END]. Okay - I see She's ran a 3:35 Boston Marathon in '06, a 3:20 NYC Marathon in '06, a 3:51 Chicago Marathon '07, - remember, you can go to places like Athlinks and track down anybody - just click that link and out of curiosity I checked her times. Did she cheat? Yes....and even very good runners can and do cheat, take drugs to enhance their performance, etc. even at this weekend warrior level of a runner. Her other times suggest she is capable of a 3:09 on a flat course no problem - however 2 "missed" chip markings is "smoke". It's odd to have chip mat detectors so close together - and the only reason you would do that is because the course layout possibly had a "turn-around" or a section easy to circumvent - hence justifying chip mat detectors so close - Cristina Noble is clearly an experienced runner/marathoner - she simply failed to consider the chip mats that could possibly lay ahead - along with the race officials "spotting" runners. In any Marathon - race officials know and spot the top 3 or 4 women quite easily, in fact they are usually shouted to as "first woman" along the course, "second woman", etc. Race officials know who they spotted - and who they did not -Cristina Noble just got busted - that's all - she cheated. Plus - she's not protesting this or responding to phone calls...? Sad. Have a great day.

The Running Shoe Racket & How To Pimp The Game

2008-03-05T19:13:00.006-05:00

The Running Shoe racket. It parallels a "clothing & fashion" business model, shoemakers concoct reasons to change a shoe's design (usually unnecessary) and elude to a progression in design (often in fact not) - but needed to make that argument to compel you to buy the latest model...presto! reoccuring sales! The shoe the shoe company swore was perfect for you 6 months earlier - suddenly..... no longer is. Now there is no crime in this tactic - however note there is also no integrity in it either - rule #1 never believe a shoe company. As a matter of standard practice when they change a shoe they accept a certain % of pissed off former devotees of the shoe in hopes to attact a % of new devotees that exceeds the % of defectors. They seek a fractional positive sum game in sum. Case in point the Brooks Adrenaline GTS model - that shoe in the video - a very successful shoe - Brooks #1 shoe -nonetheless....they change it with the seasons. Watch the video - it's current as of March '08, they're talking about the latest model, the GTS 8 - and note the Runner's World experts site only 1 change to the GTS 8 - Brooks changed the curve of the heel.....that's essentially it...and get this...they changed it to be closer to that of the same shoe, the GTS 6 - the model 2 generations previous to this current model (a regression of all things!). If Brooks could talk they would say "You caught us....we really did not have a reason to change the GTS 6 at all - but had to because of the nature of the business, thus we changed the heel of the GTS 7 from the GTS 6 .... marketed it as an advancement & an improvement, however in the real world ?....not really...it was the gimmick we needed at the time - truth is the GTS 6 was fine, hence for the latest model this GTS 8..... we're going back to how we had the heel for the GTS 6". These companies just go back and forth with crap - claiming an improvement for a season of selling - then often reverting back (and characterizing that return to a previous design as forward improvement). This nonsense is typical and common in the shoe business and that's why as a matter of policy - believe no one (other than other people like you - runners). Now having said this, despite this heel thing - the GTS 7 might be a fine shoe....psst...over at Road Runner Sports the GTS 7 got 3.8 starts out of 5 from other people like you, runners, how many? 67! - yup, 67 reviews of this shoe - 3.8 starts is actually very good - and a huge number of 67 different reviews - again a very good sign.....but best of all....note the GTS 7 can be bought for $60 on closeout are Holabird Sports! (every size, men and women). You can learn more about the GTS 7 from those 67 reviews than from any shoe salesperson anywhere. I am a value shoe buyer and this shoe at this price is excellent. Right now - the very best value available. If you're a daily an and active runner - you have to pimp this shoe game - stock up when you can. You should be rotating your shoes anyway - you should have multiple pairs - and $60 is exactly what I like to pay for a premium shoe - generally I translate this out to $0.18 - $0.22 / per mile, my shoe cost - I dump shoes after they've crested or peaked - 250 or 300 tops, - sure I can get another 100+ miles out of them but I never run in a shoe on it's downside of the bell curve - the lifespan of a shoe. It's your job as a runner to take personal charge of a serviceable shoe for you - and then when the window presents itself - stock up - pimp the game - buy 3 great pairs of shoes for less than $200 instead of 1 pair for $100+ - that's how you pimp the game! Do not be a slave to fashion or the Running Shoe Business nonsense! Have a great evening!

Coming Soon...Olympians Running in Central Park

2008-03-05T18:43:00.002-05:00

Wow - I see the New York Road Runners just signed up that woman on the left, Shalane Flanagan to show up here in NYC on March 15 and race in the USA 8K Championships - Women's Group. She's the fastest woman middle distance runner in the U.S., an olympian - world class runner....I would rank her 10th or so worldwide @ 5K for example. How does she train? 3 week cycles of 60, 70, and then close to 80 miles a week. In addition she works on her speed every day with strides after almost every run. In November she clocked a 26:29 @ 8K, I think the distance is a little further than her strong suit - but she gotta be the favorite to bank the $10,000 first prize. However my favorite is Jen Rhines that woman on the right above - why? She has an "all around game", does it all - and you rarely see that - I admire that - a runner that does it all, 1,500m to the Marathon.....her times? 1,500m - 4:17.30; 3,000m - 8:46.09; 5K – 14:55.18 ; 10,000m - 31:17.31 ; marathon – 2:29:32 . This is going to be a show not to miss - if you've never seen Olympians running - be at Central Park on March 15, visit the NYRR site for details. The coolest thing about training in Central Park is I am sure 1, 2, and perhaps even 3 days before this race - on the men's side you will see Alan Webb & Ritz, along with these women -training along right beside you - as you run in Central Park. I am fortunate - and spoiled, we all are - those of us that on a daily basis get to run in Central Park.

NYC Nike Half Marathon: More Expensive Than The NYC Marathon!

2008-03-05T14:13:00.009-05:00

Look at them running below - right on the West Side Highway!...those folks are in the NYC Half Marathon...Well you can register today, right now. Processing fee $5.00 (non-refundable) Entry fee $70.00 NYRR member. Chip authorization $35.00 . Basically for NYRR members, $75. Now in my wacked out head that's $5.72/Mile. I've not registered for the NYC Marathon yet - however as a member with the bus pass included - I think - if it's $125 (which is what I've heard) that's $4.77/mile. If you read this blog, you know I can be such a running goofball that I have a "running shoe value" index which for me is $0.18- 0.22 / mile. Now I'm just having some fun placing the race in this context - as characterizing it as the most expensive NYRR race and before some smarty pants corrects me...yes I know the 5th Ave. Mile = $15/mile and there are a couple of 1.7Mi races that technically are indeed more expensive per mile. However, you get my idea here - and at the end of the day it strikes as odd that this race.....on a per mile basis.... is more expensive than the NYC Marathon. Have a great day.

RUN LIKE HELL : Fam is the Man

2008-03-04T18:08:00.004-05:00

Sometimes I check out one of our local superstars DVD trailer to get pumped up & get my running swagger on- Anthony Famiglietti , He made his way to Harlem 26.2 last year when he kicked major ass in Central Park and picked up $10,000 in the process - on the ice! If you don't know this guy check his site - he's as cool a dude as can be - Olympic Runner - Artist - I think he majored in psychology too in school....the dude just thinks outside the F@%#' ing box on everything - I give him Honorary Harlem cred in fact...he's that cool. That trailer gives a feel of what it's like to run in NYC & race in Central Park - Have a great evening!

Marginalizing Women Runners in 2008 on TV: The LA Marathon

2008-03-04T06:09:00.010-05:00

Great 7 miler this morning in Central Park, it was nearly 60F, 78% or humidity - wow - I was sweating...but it felt good. Will be nice to shed 7 .lbs and get in race shape. I have to rip on a Black man...damn...and Black folks no likey me when I do that. Hey, these people bring it on themselves - and I will let Helene Elliot of the L.A. Times set the scene, "Competitors in L.A. show spirit, strength and stamina. It's too bad William Burke, event co-founder and president, stuck his foot in his mouth by saying, 'You can't get them back in the kitchen.' The Los Angeles Marathon is part fun run, part habit and totally remarkable for its ability to bring out the best in those who run, jog, walk and push or crank their wheelchairs along its peculiar and sometimes twisting route. Each of the estimated 25,000 runners who started in Sunday's early-morning sunshine was a winner...Only one person came out looking like a loser. It wasn't a runner whose last steps came long hours after Tatiana Aryasova of Russia (there below braking the tape at the finish) and Laban Moiben of Kenya had won the women's and men's divisions, respectively. William Burke hit the lone discordant note (my man there on the right). Burke, co-founder and president of the City of Los Angeles Marathon, was asked during a Channel 4 interview to comment on the smart race strategy of the elite female runners. They had gotten a head start of nearly 20 minutes in a battle-of-the-sexes gimmick that paid a $100,000 bonus, and Aryasova capitalized on it to hit the jackpot. Burke's reply was stunningly stupid. "You can't keep those women down," he said. "You can't get them back in the kitchen." He offered no smile or wink to indicate he was attempting to make a joke. Not even a forced chuckle. Burke wasn't available later to explain his comments. A race official said Burke wasn't answering his cellphone Sunday afternoon. [END]. Then this Op Ed piece put it like this: Marathon Man -- Running Off at the Mouth

What year is this again? What city? The 20-minute head start for women runners gave the victory and a six-figure bonus to the winner, the Russian woman who broke the tape. Tatiana Aryasova’s overall time was two hours, 29 minutes and 9 seconds, compared to Laban Moiben of Kenya’s two hours, 13 minutes and 50 seconds. The Marathon’s co-founder and president, William Burke, was so wowed by Aryasova’s performance that he marveled to Channel 4, ``You can’t keep those women down. You can’t get them back in the kitchen.’’ So –- to answer my questions, the year must be 1950, and the town must be Stepford. My colleague Helene Elliott reported that Burke offered ``no smile or wink to indicate he was attempting to make a joke. Not even a forced chuckle.’’ His knuckle-headed remark is all the more distasteful because his wife is the formidable Yvonne Brathwaite Burke, the first woman and the first African-American on the Los Angeles County board of supervisors -– and the first African-American woman to go to Congress from California. I hope she gave him a piece of her mind when he came home after Sunday’s marathon – because he sure sounded like he had come up a few brain cells short. Burke didn’t corner the market on boneheaded blather. Two TV commentators evidently spent some time discussing whether Aryasova’s hormone levels were back to normal after childbirth. Her child was born more than two years ago. Can you imagine the hue and cry if Burke had made some equivalently dumb, stereotypical remark about the first black marathoner to turn in a winning performance? Oh, what’s that? You don’t think he would have said any such thing? Well, there’s the problem, right there. [END]. Even in 2008...the dumbshit is alive & well. This William Burke is a man of some prestige & authority in LA too....it would be a shame if this did not hit the radar of NOW (national organization for women) - this man's got 2 daughters too - you would think he was a little further along the evolutionary curve, no? Oh well, have a great day nonetheless...

The Monetization of the New York Road Runners

2008-03-03T09:51:00.012-05:00

Any reason that on the left below should not be the new logo of the New York Road Runners? I was reading over at MarathonGuide.com, they once again find it ridiculous that the New York Road Runner$ are printing money as usual in a perhaps bogus fee. If you are not a NYRR member, the NYC Marathon is $166! the International Fee? $221. Damn...(the only saving grace for foreign runners is the U.S. dollar sucks on the exchange market). However Marathonguide.com addresses this "*lottery "processing fee". They say, "....Registration open from 2/25 to 5/1 for guaranteed and international participants and through 6/1 for general lottery participants - plus, our annual pet peeve moment... Acceptance into the ING New York City Marathon is one of the most difficult annual feats for runners. Registration by lottery is 'til June 1st with the results announced in mid-June. By certain estimates, approximately 50,000 lottery participants will likely be turned away. Almost like the annual ceremony of watching the Super Bowl or the Oscars, the running industry watches the pricing of the NYC Marathon to see where running futures might be headed... The fees for 2008 represent an across-the-board increase of $25 in fees from the 2007 registration - although the 2008 fees include bus travel to start, something that the marathon charged $20 for in past years. We will, as we do annually, continue to remark on our pet peeve of the charge of a $11 ($10 in 2007 and $7 in 2006 and prior) processing fee to enter the New York City Marathon lottery, which is unprecedented in the industry - especially when assessed against those who are not selected. As we'll always note, that's approximately half a million dollars from runners who are denied entry to the race - that's something we've still never seen in other USA running events and is equivalent to the entire runner registration budget for many races...". With how actively I used to race with the NYRR? Today?...my annual registration fees paid would be about $700/year - and that's as a member at a discounted rate. But I would have about 35 T-shirts I guess. But it's the memories - right? They're priceless. Well...after you've raced the course several dozen times the memories are blurred - when I reflect now - I recall "seasons". I recall races at 0F degrees - & snow, Summer hot humid night races, beautiful Autumn & Spring races. Racing in rain, etc - blurred because perhaps yes, I train in Central Park - on the very race course - a place I've ran thousands of times. I sense a monetization & corporatization trend w/the NYRR of just about everything as of late. On my own I can make a donation online to the Central Park Conservancy or to any and all of the organizations benefiting from the NYRR....Besides... who is the Scotland Day 10K race at the end of this month for? The Brooklyn Half? It's not like all these races are for a cause or something - other than the NYRR and their charter. The NYRR do a lot of good deeds - however I gotta say it, upon relfection, it's not the NYRR that make races in Central Park so great - it's Central Park. I've had some unbelievable memorable runs in Central Park alone, and also with a friend. These are my thoughts as I try & pick and choose which events to race in w/the NYRR - and really think through and justify why. I don't need to participate in any amount of NYRR races to qualify for the NYC Marathon. I'll probably race the Brooklyn Half & NYC Half due to the venue the NYRR creates - enabling me to race courses / paths I otherwise wound not be able to. It's March and that above is what Central Park will look like in about another 3 weeks. I'm not downing the NYRR now - however their monetized corporate culture is just prompting me to do the same thing - I am focusing on "value" - and probing why certain races offer "value" to me - and others don't. It's not clear NYRR events in Central Park bring me anything of value I can't obtain, and do every day, on my own - just a thought. It's funny - in speaking with numerous long time runners - everyone kind of is on the same page here - the monetization trend of the NYRR, I've learned many local runners simply find "running community joy" with their own running organizations and clubs - and simply view the NYRR as Walmart for example - only participating in team point races for example. Just thoughts. Have a great day -

It's March, the Journey Marches On!

2008-03-03T06:06:00.009-05:00

Anyone know what's up with that woman on the left?...Hicksville NY resident Amy Palmiero-Winters, who was seeking to become the first amputee athlete to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials /2008 U.S. She needs to meet the Olympic Qualifying standard of 2:47 at the Sarasota Marathon yesterday, March 2, in order to qualify for the Olympic Trials in Boston on April 20. I saw the top female finisher in the Sarasota Marathon ran a 3:10 - did not note Amy's name in the results. She's a member of the Greater Long Island Running and as late as Friday they were issuing press releases that she would be racing on March 2 in Sarasota, and I know yesterday was the last date possible to qualify for the Trials around the U.S. However on Amy's site it says she's schedule to run at the Virginia Beach Marathon on March 16 - which suggest prior to Friday - for some reason she opted out of trying to qualify for the Olympic Trials - and scheduled this mid-March race. I did some decent running this weekend - I'm out of shape - however nothing I can't snap back from in a month of solid training and diet. I was at The New York Running Company yesterday - Time Warner Center - a fun place to visit if you ever come to the City....they probably have the most expansive collection of running shoes in the City - I am guessing. If you don't mind paying full retail, a guy there named "Jerrod" or something like that - I think he's a sales manager - he's always there when I go - and I know he was a serious runner - he knows as much about running & his products (the shoes on the rack) as anyone I've ever come across. It's not common to go into a running shop and see a full fleet (line of product) of Mizuno shoes for example, most shops don't carry Mizuno at all, if they do, perhaps 1 or 2 models at best. I think I saw the whole line of Mizuno running shoes yesterday. That's important because most runners have never owned a pair of Mizuno running shoes - ever. I feel they make some of the very best running shoes hands down. Generally when women ask me for running shoe suggestions - I point them to the Saucony line - historically Saucony devoted more design efforts, etc. to serve the woman runner - consequently at one point some years ago before they were purchased by Stride Rite - 70% of their market of runners were women. Very likely due to their Japanese origins - Mizuno running shoes tend to fit better with those with a more narrow foot. Every shoe maker makes a clunker now and then, a model that just stinks as running shoe - I've owned 8 or 9 pairs - I can say I've never gotten a pair of "stinkers" from Mizuno - and I've ran in their stability shoes, light weight trainers, cushion shoes, flats, you name it. I feel Mizuno makes the best running shoes (design/engineering/quality) in general across the board - of the shoes that are made in China - the vast majority of everybody's shoes. Next time you're looking for a shoe....try something you've probably not - try a pair of Mizunos! Okay - it's March - time for all us who've been taking it easy over the Winter - to stop foolin' around and get out there. That's how I am feeling. Now though Nike Running shoes basically suck - I will give them credit - they come up with the best ads & slogans - and that one above they placed in Midtown Manahattan sums it up! It's time to do the damn thing - and get my running swagger back on! Have a great day!

Running with Autism Revisited

2008-03-02T08:06:00.006-05:00

Brent Hoplins of the LA Daily wrote something that caught my eye, Paul Richards - 6 months ago, that eighth-grader on the right began his quest to run today's LA Marathon, he started running one minute, walking 30 seconds. Then two minutes at a dash, 60 seconds slowing down. Three miles, then five, then more. He built it up to 18 miles. "I'm nervous, very nervous," he said. "I've got dreams that I'm doing it, and I'm really tired. I'm sure it'll hurt." His father, Jeff, said it's been a challenge for Paul, who has autism. But pushed by his teammates at Rosemont Middle School, Paul kept at it and built up his stamina. Running three times a week - after school and early each Saturday morning - the budding marathoner now has no trouble taking laps around the Rose Bowl. "I find just driving 18 miles is pretty painful to me," Jeff Richards said. "His grades have improved, his self-discipline has improved, and his physique has gotten better. "At first it was tough, but he started building up his strength, and now he's doing wonderfully." Getting the idea himself, Paul asked his father if he could run to raise money for the AbilityFirst Paul Weston Center, a Woodland Hills-based facility that offers programs for the developmentally disabled. In the final days, Paul has psyched himself up, convincing himself that the nervousness will fade as the mileage increases. "I know I can do it," he said. "I've just got to train my brain to say `when I do it,' not `if I do it."'[end] I'm down with this kid - that's exactly the attitude you have to have to "do this running thing". I've blogged about "Running with Autism" before - it's a great read if you've never seen it. However one thing I've never blogged about before is that fellow there on the left whose name is Ishmael - it is through him that I learned about running with autism. The more I learned - the more I was inspired in my marathon training - so after the race I sent him my '07 NYC Marathon medal in appreciation. I've never met or even spoken to Ishmael ( his parents sent me that photo) but I hear he's had more than a few shining moments in the Special Olympics. Please check that link - there are local programs everywhere. That's something I really have to stop putting off and just do - volunteer in some capacity leveraging this running thing thing that comes natural & easy for me - with others for whom it is a bit more of a challenge. Sooner rather than later - I hope to have personal change in that department - have a great day - it's gorgeous in NYC - I'm going to clock 10 miles in Central Park!

Running Past the Blues & a Seamless Skirt

2008-03-01T07:03:00.006-05:00

Cynthia Overweg of the Ventura County Star has a neat write up about that woman on the left - Tawni Gomes, a runner - Sunday she's racing her 80th marathon in Los Angeles she said, "If I have a good run in the morning, it doesn't matter how the rest of my day goes because I know I've accomplished something worthwhile,". But it wasn't that long ago when the 5-foot-4-inch marathoner weighed 300 pounds and suffered from depression. The idea of running in a marathon was unimaginable, she said. The turning point, she said, came in 1996 when she read "Make the Connection," a book by Oprah Winfrey and fitness expert Bob Greene. The book chronicles Winfrey's battle with her weight and self-image. "I was inspired by what Oprah had gone through and what she achieved, so I followed the book's 10-step program, changed my lifestyle, and set a goal to run in a marathon," Gomes said. She said her depression soon lifted, and doctors gradually reduced, then eliminated, the antidepressant drugs she had been taking for years. Today, she is a trim and fit 135 pounds, and said she has maintained her weight since 2004. [END] If any of you know someone, a friend, sibling, parent - battling depression - perhaps dangerously overweight - click that link above - send them that article - it's a nice read of someone able to overcome a personal challenge - and transition into a healthy lifestyle. Okay - I've blogged about women's running skirts before here. An update - companies send me press releases - I usually don't bite - however I'm not positioned to make a judgment on if this is legit or hype, I suspect just hype - nontheless I love watching a woman run in a skirt...so...I pass it along. For this weekend's LA Marathon - Zensah, the originator of seamless performance apparel and running skirts, today announced the debut of the Zensah® running skirt. They claim the Zensah® running skirt is not your typical running skirt. It has a built in lycra compression short which means no thigh bunching, and a non-elastic waist band eliminates chafing. Zensah Fabric®, a proprietary fabric, wicks away moisture, fights bacteria and odor. The innovative technology makes the Zensah® running skirt the best running skirt to date. Over the years there have been many variations of the running skirt, which have included a jogging skirt, lycra skirt, exercise skirt, running skort and even a fitness skirt. Until now they all have been made using cut-and-sew technology. These types of athletic skirts can be uncomfortable, and do not provide the performance that the active women of today demand. Typically they're made with common polyester, which is very coarse on the skin. The Zensah® running skirt is different incorporating soft Zensah Fabric®. It is challenging enough to complete in a half marathon or marathon. The Zensah running skirt will attract women who seek both style and performance. I have definitely gotta clock some major miles this weekend here in rainy NYC - once I get out of bed - you know I write this blog in the bed with a cup of coffee - which is where I am now...have a great day!

Merging Women Running & Domestice Violence To Sell Sport Bras...WTF?

2008-02-29T06:24:00.012-05:00

Canada's largest specialty Runner's Shop, "Running Free" - is under fire and for good reason - it's best summed up by the blog Adland and I will let them take the stage, "Back in Noverber ad agency DDB Canada approached Nick Capra, co-owner of Running Free, a Markham, Ont. athletic apparel store, with an offer to do a pro bono ad campaign - meaning they figured that they had an awesome idea they really wanted to do. The idea was to show what happens when us girls don't have a decent running bra, portraits of women with black eyes and broken noses and the line “Support bras, now available.” Nick Capra didn't like the ads, but sought the opinions of his co-workers anyway: “I do things by consensus, so I showed them to everybody at the shop and they all had the same reaction, which was quite negative...They looked like a domestic violence campaign.” Capra then told DDB he didn't want to use them, and that was that, right? Wrong. However, according to Andrew Simon, senior vice-president and creative director at DDB’s Toronto office, Capra gave the agency the go-ahead in writing to produce the ads, though Simon declined to show the Marketing copy of Capra’s approval. But the ads were sent to adblogs and have thus cause quite a stir on the net, so finally Capra has posted a statement on Running Free’s website calling the ads a “hoax,” “tasteless and offensive” and saying he never authorized the use of the company logo. DDB now wants to apologise and are asking all adbloggers to take the ads down. [END] There's a pretty good discussion on this going on at Feministing.com and a news report claiming Capra gave the green light on exploring this is here. My comments: Think about it, people that have some measure of education, general awareness of the world, culture, etc. not only came up with this, but ran it up the flag pole thinking they had a "winner" on their hands. What are the only words available to characterize their thinking ? I don't like characterizing people as "ignorant" or "dumb" - however unfortunately there are times & people responsible for things so plainly offensive....the shoe fits, this is one of those times. It makes me want to scream....just as I am screaming about Tony Reed & the National Black Marathoners Association and their logo & slogan:1865:Free To Run. I know, I said I would not but I had to illustrate this analogy. Tony Reed and the Black Marathoners are out of Texas, a state where 27 Jim Crow Laws were passed up through 1958. It's a fact Black people like Tony Reed & his members were not "Free To Run" in State Parks in Texas (and hundreds of city parks): It was a violation of law Texas put on the books in 1950 (at best you were arrested, at worse lynched -people were both). If you do not see ignorance & offense in DDB Canada/Running Free/Nick Capra/Tony Reed/Black Marathoners - something is wrong with you. Have a great day!

NYC Half Marathon July 27, '08 - Register Next Week!

2008-02-28T09:00:00.005-05:00

I see the '08 NYC Nike Half Marathon is set for July 27 - set the date, registration starts next Week, March 5, they claim it's a "lottery" - however I am sure there will be earmarked guaranteed entry qualifying times too. This is the second largest race hosted by the New York Road Runners - it's been ran twice - I've done it both times - years from now this will be the #1 Half-Marathon in the world (attracting world class runners, etc.). The thing you have to be aware of for this race is NYC heat & humidity - it's ran early but it can still wear you out. It's a big race - a loop of Central Park and run through Manhattan Time's Square just like you see in that photo on the right and on down the West Side. I am sure the New York Road Runner$ are going to get about $75 or so for each entry - life in NYC - it's expensive. However if you're not in the NYC Marathon - and curious to get a feel of a big NYC race - this is a pretty good one to try and get in - it will have it all - a world class field, crazy fanfare, live TV, etc....it will be "New York City". I will be running it looking to PR at about 1:25 or so. Have a great day!

The 50 Best Running Shop Stores In America

2008-02-28T07:04:00.006-05:00

The 50 Best Running Stores in America and none are in Harlem? I'm shocked! The Running Network, LLC and Footwear Intelligence announced the 2007 list of the 50 Best Running Stores in America. They do this every year - this is from 2 months ago I thought I would share it with my readers - I rip on running shops a lot - just giving fair and balanced "air" to the topic. Now though I've never been there - my idea of a great running store is Bob Roncker's Running Sport, truly woven into the community in their area - a myriad of running information separate and away from spending a buck with them, etc just looks like a great place. Locally I am surprised my favorite, Urban Athletics did not make the list - and I am pleased Super Runners Shops did not as they suck. The announcement of the list capped off a near year-long search that took into account more than 2,000 nominations from consumers, the mystery shopping of more than 120 stores, and input from leading running vendors. The criteria to select the stores was changed from last year based on feedback from stores and vendors. However, a Mystery Shopper Rating conducted by The Franklin Resource Group, the sport industry's leading merchandising services company, still counted for a strong percentage (50%) of the overall grade. "The Mystery Shopper Ratings were way up this year over 2006," said Mark Sullivan, editor of Footwear Intelligence, which administered the program. "Last year, if a store scored in the high 60s out of a possible 100, it had a good chance of making the list. This year, we had stores that scored in the mid 70s out of a possible 100 and yet they did not make the 50 Best list."

Midwest
Athletic Annex / Big River Running / Elite Feet, Kansas City / Fleet Feet Chicago / Fleet Feet Cincinnati / Fleet Feet St. Louis / Garry Gribble's Sports / Gazelle Sports / Hanson's Running Shop / Movin' Shoes, Madison / Naperville Running Co. / Playmakers / Runners High'N Tri / The Running Spot / The Running Company, Indianapolis

The West
A Snail's Pace / Bandanna Running / Boulder Running Company / Fleet Feet Davis / Fleet Feet Tucson / Heart & Sole Sports / Napa Running Company / Runner's High, Menlo Park / Ryan's Sports Shop / Salt Lake City Running Co. / See Jane Run / Skinny Raven Sports / Super Jock'n Jill /

The South
1st Place Sports / 9th Street Active Feet / TAF Raleigh / Big Peach Running Co. / Fleet Feet Huntsville / Fleet Feet Tulsa / Luke's Locker / Metro Run & Walk / Pacers Running Store / Potomac River Running / Roger Soler Sports / Running Zone, Melbourne / Run On / Runner's Depot / Track Shack / Virginia Runner

The Northeast
Bryn Mawr / Elite Runners & Walkers / Fleet Feet Adams-Morgan / Fleet Feet Syracuse / Flying Feet Sports / Georgetown Running Co. / Marathon Sports / Medved Sports / Jack Rabbit Sports / Whirlaway Sports

Finalists for Store of the Year
9th Street Active / Bryn Mawr Running Co. / Fleet Feet Huntsville / Luke's Locker

How The 50 Best Was Selected

There were new criteria for selecting the 50 Best Stores in 2007. Last year the results were based largely on a mystery shopping rating of each stores that was conducted by The Franklin Resource Group, the leading store merchandising company serving the sporting goods industry. This year, the mystery shopping accounted for 50% of the total evaluation. A community involvement rating accounted for 25% and credit scores and evaluation from vendors accounted for the remaining 25%.

Rating Criteria for The Mystery Shopping
* How promptly were you greeted? * How knowledgeable and helpful was the staff OVERALL? * How many choices of items in your size and price range did they bring you to try on? * Were they polite and respectful? * Did they offer additional information beyond your question(s)? * Were you thanked and given incentive to visit the store again in the future? * How would rate the overall experience? * If you were shopping with your own money and interested in running, would you return to this store? * Did the sales person measure your foot? * Did the sales person measure your gait for specific needs? (ie - overpronation, underpronation or neutral) * Were try-on socks available? If so, were they clean? * Did the sales person help you beyond the shoe selection? (ie - discussed apparel or accessory items, etc) * Did the store carry a wide range of sizes, colors and brands of running shoes? (refer to brand list above in report instructions) * Was your size available in the shoe(s) the associate suggested initially? * Were all of the prices clearly marked? * What kind of range of accessory products does this store carry? (socks, insoles, water bottles, hats, watches, etc) * Was the store well-lit, clean and easy to maneuver? (rate overall) * Was the merchandise presented in a way that was easy to understand and shop? (rate overall) * Was the fitting room for apparel comfortable, well lit and clean? * Was the checkout procedure quick and simple? * Rate the sales associates on their attire. Were they readily identifiable? * Please add anything (positive or negative) that you experienced during your visit:

Total evaluation was worth 100 points

The First Black American Marathon Runner : My Boycott of The National Black Marathoners' Association

2008-02-27T10:06:00.014-05:00

Many consider that man on the left, Arthur Newton to be one of the visionaries in distance running, and to a degree, he was. I would not dispute that assertion, however, what I would dispute is Arthur Newton's assertion that - "Blacks would never run distance. They just don't have what it takes to do the distance." Yes, that cut and dry, plain and simple - fortunately, Black American Ted Corbitt responded to that assertion and eventually towered over Arthur Newton as a running visionary in ways Newton could not imagine. The first distance runners in America were Native Americans who have a rich running history. Running was a means of transportation, as it facilitated trading and sending of messages in addition to hunting and warfare. I can't prove but I have no doubt slaves escaping the South and heading North were essentially in many cases ultrarunning. Note, this whole distance running endeavor as an "event or sport" is a progression of what in the 1800's was called "Pedestrian Multi-Days" (power walking over hundreds of miles for days) - this was a huge sport drawing crowds, fans, great prize money, etc. A superstar of the sport and the first African American distance athlete I know of was named Francis Smith - a "pedestrian" great of the 1830's. Now before there was Ted Corbitt, there was Black American Fred Hitchborn, a grocery store clerk in Boston who set a goal to become a professional pedestrian for the prize money to be won - and that he did. He entered his first race at age 20 in 1879 at the Boston Music Hall. As is stated per the record, "He was the favorite and followed by many at races because of his color, a Black Man and he walked with some of the most prominent names in the walking world; Charles Rowell, Edward Weston, and George Guyon. Fred Hitchborn later changed his name to Frank Hart (he was also known as "Black Dan)" (there he is on the right showing a championship pedestrian belt). At races no one would shake his hand at the start, he received racial taunts and threats of violence from spectators. Once a spectator gave him some soda water he became severely ill and it was determined that he was poisoned. Even being ill-stricken he managed to beat Weston and Guyon. He won the Rose Belt race by completing 540 miles, one mile short of the world record. Hitchborn then cracked the world record at the 1880 O'Leary race by successfully running 565 miles". Click here & here to learn the history and check out Multi-Days.com. I've never met a Black person who ever heard of Fred Hitchborn/Frank Hart and most all African American historic archives neglect mentioning him - however thanks to Quintard Taylor & Blackpast.org & Charles B. Kastner - you can click those links and learn about "Black Dan". We Black Americans have a problem - it's ourselves, it's exemplified & worsened in distance running by people like Tony Reed & The Black Marathoners Association. Arthur Newton, Ted Corbitt, Frank Hart, and Delores Cross (former President of a Black College and only Black American to write an autobiography paralleling life and marathon running, below on the left) should be found on the website of any organization characterizing itself as "The National Black Marathoners Association". On their site the only book Tony Reed gives voice and attention to is his. The National Black Marathoners have no room for Delores Cross, only Tony Reed. Consequently he fosters and preserves a collective ignorance within the organization, inarguably illustrated in their logo and slogan. Let's be clear, Tony Reed co-opts the words National, Black, Marathon, & Association and all they imply and markets the identity of the authoritive source and bastion of American Black distance running. His press releases leverage his ethnicity and organization name to establish the appearance of legitimacy, this is his "currency" to promote himself, sell his books, and secure bookings as a speaker. In sum, Tony Reed exploits a history and legacy in name for his own promotion (while excluding giving that legacy any "air"). Have you seen The Great Debaters? The film, based on a true story, revolves around the efforts of Black debate coach (Denzel Washington) at historically Black Wiley College to place his team on equal footing with whites in the American south during the 1930s, when lynch mobs and Jim Crow laws abounded. The Wiley team eventually succeeds to the point at which they are able to take part in a debate with Harvard University. The pursuit of Black excellence need not only be in film, it should be in all quarters wherein we (Black People) present ourselves as national organizations and entities. Last week Tony Reed ran Marathons spaced 5 days apart, he assured himself the less than mediocrity he achieved finishing 645th out of 701 (inside runner talk, Tony's AG grade was 40.4% - no marathoner of this level could be in Runner's World - however Tony markets himself to Runner's World using his ethnicity and organization name and receives a type of "Negro Affirmative Action"). Tony's strategy is to promote himself, say he ran 100 marathons, use and exploit a legacy (Black Distance Running) while not paying tribute to it - and indeed insulting it with his logo and slogan of ignorance. I've chosen to be a contrary voice to the fraud that Tony Reed & the Black Marathoners Association is, for the reverence and dignity I hold to the legacy - the footsteps I run in. I will not be mentioning it again going forward on this blog - however I am boycotting the National Black Marathoning Association until such time that they 1) change their degrading logo and slogan and 2) incorporate some exposure to the legacy inherent to the name they co-opt. (I email reference a lot of people to them all the time). How does it work? Google the words Tony Reed Marathon and you tell me what you get?....an unmanageable situation for Tony Reed and the Black Marathoners going forward - and will remain until they institute change and dignify the words they've chosen to co-opt. Have a great day.

Serge Girard: French Ultramarathoner Ran Across 5 Continents Without a Day Off: Enjoy this GORGEOUS Video Footage (U.S. in '97 hence the WTC)

2008-02-26T10:10:00.004-05:00

Register for the '08 NYC Marathon!

2008-02-26T06:50:00.005-05:00

Look at that - wow, the start of the NYC Marathon....want to join the fun? Seriously, why not...if you've never ran the NYC Marathon - it's hard to really describe...2,000,000 fans screaming on the course in a frenzy beginning to end, nonstop. Well just click here to give it a shot, the entry lottery registration process is open! You never know, you just might get picked, secure a slot, remember - come late October people on Craig's List and Ebay commonly sell entry bibs for $300 - $500 a pop. Come the Fall everybody wish they could be in it - and it's possible that you can! Why not give it a shot? And local NYRR members, did you see the new policy where to qualify for the NYC Marathon - in addition to completing 9 races in a year - you now also have to volunteer at at least 1 race event. I'm good with that - I did that any way. However I must tell you and be honest - NYRR events are becoming almost too "corporate machine driven", "too big in scale, etc.". Between the TV show production, the multiple starts for even basic 4 mile races, everything - it's starting to feel like you are corralled and more so part of a parade or something - than a race. I'm glad the events are getting popular....but...there is "hassle" factor now connected to many of the events. Oh Well...also note - the Chicago Marathon is also open for registration too - and it will be closing very soon...so if you want a flat fast course, something ideal to PR or qualify for Boston, check out the Chicago Marathon site here. I still hope one day to run a small town Marathon....something I've never done...perhaps I'll show up at the '09 Cowtown Marathon in Fort Worth, TX...who knows. Have a great day!