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Top Ten Stories of the Week
5/12/2018

Galen Rupp smashed his PR and won the Prague Marathon by nearly a minute clocking 2:06:07

American’s Galen Rupp did as promised and the weather did not get in his way at the 24th Annual Volkswagen Prague Marathon Sunday morning May 6.  

He ran an even pace the whole way reaching the half way point in 1:03:02.  Ethiopian’s Sisay Lemma stayed close through 30k but Galen took control and clocked 1:03:05 for his second half finishing in 1:06:07.  

This smashed his previous best by three minutes and 13 seconds. This makes Galen the third fastest American ever and his time was only 29 seconds off the official American Record held by Khalid Khannouchi.  

Ryan Hall’s 2:04:58 clocked in Boston is not considered official since Boston is a point-to-point course.  Galen has now finished five marathons setting a PR each time. The Prague Marathon kicked off at 9am local time from the Old Town Square.  

Sisay finished second clocking 2:07:02.  Thousands of runners from all over the world enjoyed the perfect weather and the beautiful course.   

(05/06/18) Views: 2,312
Bob Anderson

Prize Money in major races like the Boston Marathon should be awarded based on Gun Time

The weather at this year's Boston Marathon was horrible.  Many elite runners and others just could not handle these conditions and did not finish.  For the first time I can remember, several female runners that started in wave one placed. 

With all the pressure of the media, the B.A.A. is going to hand out cash awards based on chip timing.  This year's race should be looked at as unique and I do endorse the B.A.A. decision. 

But to change things in the future would not be a good idea.  Chip timing works for age-group but most major road races use gun time to award prize money. 

In fact, gun time is the only time accepted by both USA Track & Field and the International Association of Athletics Federation. 

David Monti, publisher of Race Results Weekly, wrote Sports Day, "To score an elite race based on chip times is both rare and risky.  It's risky, because it is possible for an athlete to purposely start well behind the elites, say five minutes, then compete for prize money clandestinely and out of view. 

“It's very possible that the first man or woman to break the tape will not actually be the race winner if the race is scored on chip time. How would that look?" 

We also know that there are people who cheat.  It is much easier to keep track of the smaller elite fields than a field of thousands.  I think we do need to stick with gun time in the future for the overall top open places.     

(05/04/18) Views: 1,293
Bob Anderson

Fast times are expected at the TCS World 10K May 27 with $213,000 in prize money

The world’s richest 10 Km run has seen participation from top elite athletes in the world.  Having completed a decade as one of the most sought-after road races in the world, Bengaluru, India is all set to be perfect hosts yet again for the 11th edition of the Tata Consultancy Services World 10K May 27.  

This year world Champions Geoffrey Kamworor of Kenya and Ethiopian Netsanet Gudeta will head the mens and womens elite fields respectively. For both the runners, who were recently crowned the world champions at the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships in Valencia, it will be their first competitive outing since their global triumphs in March.

Kamworor, 25, has established himself as one of the world's leading distance runners in recent years, winning the last two world cross country and the world half marathon titles.

"I took some rest after Valencia and then started my preparations towards Bengaluru. I hold the course record at this race (27:44) so I know about the course and the city," commented Kamworor from his home in Kenya.

Gudeta, 27, has also been preparing hard for her return to Indian soil. "Since Valencia, I have just been training and focusing on Bengaluru. Even though the race has been put back two weeks, that hasn't affected me. In fact, it's allowed me to prepare slightly better," she said. "I have been to India on a number of occasions in the past, including this race. I know after winning in Valencia that people will be talking about a fast time and perhaps the course record (held by Kenya's Lucy Kabuu at 31:46 since 2014), but this year there are no pacemakers.

"Of course, I set the women-only world record for the half marathon (1:06:11) in Valencia. I have also run times for 10,000m on the track (personal best 30:36.75, 2016) and 10km on the road (31:35, 2017) that are better than the course record." she reflected.

The TCS World 10K Bengaluru 2018 has a total prize fund of $213,000.  Besides the elites, thousands take part every year and many set PR's on the fast course.

(05/09/18) Views: 767

70-year-old Bob Anderson will be running his 60th Double Racing Event on August 5

Bob Anderson ran his first "official" Double Racing event in October, 2010,  "That was the Double Road Race in Cabo Mexico," says 70-year-old lifetime runner Bob Anderson. 

"It was very hot and humid and the second 5k leg was tough but I did it."  For that Double, runners first ran 10K and then one hour and forty-five minutes ran a 5K.  Times are added together for scoring. Since then Bob has run 59 Double Racing events of different lengths. 

On August 5 in San Francisco, Bob will be running the 4th Annual Golden Gate Double 8K.  The first leg is a 5K and the second 3K leg starts one hour and 15 minutes later. 

"It is always hard getting started on the second leg but once I get going I get back into the rhythm" says Bob. 

"My pace is always faster the second leg.  I have had some sciatic nerve issues this year but that seems to be behind me now.  I can't wait to run the Golden Gate Double 8K and on September 30th the Pacific Grove (California) Double Road Race.  I am hoping to win my division at both."

(05/08/18) Views: 585

The crazy Bay To Breakers 12k with it's costumed runners, elites and centipedes is May 20

The Bay to Breakers (BTB) is one of the most popular footraces in the United States. On May 18, 1986 the annual 12K race in San Francisco drew 110,000 participants. 

The Guiness Book of World Records recognized it as the world's largest footrace until October 10, 2010 when an event in Malina had 116,086 participants. The BTB route is typically dotted with various local bands performing.

In February 2009, SF city officials and race sponsors announced changes to the race regulations.  The regulations included an official ban on floats, alcohol, drunkenness and nudity.

The changes were made to address the concerns of San Francisco residents along the route, who say the race has gotten out of hand in recent years.

Many Bay Area residents said the changes would destroy much that has made the race a national treasure for most of the last century...

The first BTB was run January 1, 2012.  American's men won every year until Australian's Chris Wardlaw won in 1976 clocking 37:28.  Runners from Kenya have dominated since 1991, winning 25 times out of 27.  The course record is held by Kenya's Sammy Kitwara set in 2009 when he clocked 33:31. 

The first women to official run was Frances Conley in 1966.  She clocked 1:00:07.   Six-year-old Mary Etta Boitano won in 1969 clocking 1:01:12.  Mary also won in 1974, 1975 and 1976.  Her best time was 43:22 (1974) which was the course record until Laurie Binder broke it in 1979 clocking 43:07. 

The women's course record was set in 2010 when Kenya's Lineth Chepkurui clocked 38:07.  The one runner who won the most times was Kenny Moore who won six times in a row between 1968 to 1973. His best time being 36:39 (1972). 

Moore ran in the Olympic marathon at both Mexico City and Munich, finishing fourth in 1972.  After his running career, Moore became a journalist and screenwriter. He had a twenty-five-year career covering athletics for Sports Illustrated.   

Alaska Airlines Bay to Breakers is a race built by the people. Since 1912, Over 2 million costumed runners, walkers, elites and centipedes have completed the iconic 12K journey from the San Francisco Bay to the breakers on Ocean Beach. 

(05/10/18) Views: 520
Bob Anderson

I am skipping the biggest meets that remain at Hayward Field, just too sad to go back to this doomed place

Full destruction of Hayward Field is guaranteed, now that the City Council has refused to consider a last-ditch attempt at historic status designation. I’m already distancing myself from the place, skipping the biggest meets that remain, Pre and NCAA.

This isn’t a call to boycott. It’s just too sad for me to go back to this doomed place. There are many happier places in Eugene...Coverage of the total teardown and replacement has overlooked the neighbors.

This might be the right change, but it's in the wrong place. Hayward Field outgrew its location by at least 1972 (the first year I visited there for the Trials). On-street parking was scarce then and has become more so.

The neighborhood has grown ever more crowded, from new construction on and near campus. Neighbors range from barely tolerant of the big events to wishing them away.

Hayward sits amid property owned by UO Physical Education and Recreation — four turf fields and the Rec track. These are heavily used, up to 18 hours a day. I’ve taught a running class there since 2001, and we typically get evicted whenever a big track meet comes to Hayward.

The effect of construction will be devastating on all student uses of these fields and track, and some of that space will never be replaced because there’s no spare room. The end of Hayward would have been the perfect time to locate the new stadium anywhere but here, anywhere with surrounding space.

The old track, minus the stands other than a smaller replica of the East, could have become Hayward Heritage Park — open to students and the public alike. Now it’s too late. Sad that the suggestions of nearest neighbors seemingly never were solicited. 

(Editor's note: Joe Henderson was the editor of Runner's World in the early years and continued to write for the magazine for many years.  He has written many books and is currently coaching his team in Eugene.)

(05/10/18) Views: 346
Joe Henderson

Co-Stars of Fixer Upper Chip and Joanna Gaines Silo District Marathon in Waco is set for Sunday

Co-Stars of Fixer Upper, Chip Gaines and his wife, Joanna, met Gabrielle Grunewald last fall in Central Park. Gabe is a professional mid-distance runner who’s been fighting a rare cancer since 2009.

She convinced Gaines that he could train for a marathon in about six months. Grunewald also shared how she's battled adenoid cystic carcinoma since 2009. Gabe’s story left such a mark on Chip that he quickly moved past his goal of running a marathon to actually hosting one in Waco as well. 

He and the Magnolia team created Sunday's event the Silo District Marathon to benefit Grunewald's Brave Like Gabe Foundation, which raises funds for research on rare cancers.

"I didn't want to spend another second standing on the sidelines," Gaines wrote in a Jan. 10 blog post announcing the event. "Given what she's gone through, I didn't have any excuse not to give this a shot."

He invited his social media followers to join him.  100% of the profits from the race will be donated to the Brave Like Gabe Foundation in order to further the much-needed research on rare cancers.

It is our honor to come alongside Gabe and others with similar diagnoses to find answers, solutions and, ultimately, cures. Also thinking of the runners as well, the race will present $88,000 in prize money to the top three overall men and women in the half and the full.

The overall marathon winners will receive $15,000 and the half champions will earn $10,000.  The prize money is going to be given out based on chip time and not gun time.  Hopefully the best time will be the first person to cross the finish line too.  

(05/04/18) Views: 252

Tracktown USA hopes to be selected to host the USATF 2020 Olympic Trails

The University of Oregon says work will begin in June on a renovation of Hayward Field, to be completed in 2020. The plans include a 165-foot, 9-story tower named in honor of Bill Bowerman, the coach who brought Steve Prefontaine to campus and helped Phil Knight launch Nike. The work will be funded by Penny and Phil Knight and more than 50 other donors.  Tracktown USA made it clear Wednesday that they'll be making a bid to bring the 2020 Olympic Trials back to Hayward Field. USATF pulled its original bid from Mount SAC in California, due to concerns over the stadium construction.  Construction on the new Hayward Field will start this summer.  Tracktown USA CEO Michael Reilly says the new-look Hayward Field will be completed in plenty of time to host the 2020 Trials. "We understand everything is going to be ready to go for an entire Track and Field season in 2020," said Reilly. "I can't think of a better way to welcome America's top athletes than to bring them to a new Hayward Field."      (05/04/18) Views: 203

Sisay Lemma is out for revenge in Prague after being beaten by Galen Rupp at last year’s Chicago Marathon

Sisay Lemma and Galen Rupp will line up for the 24th Volkswagen Prague Marathon on Sunday May 6 in the hopes of breaking the course record of 2:05:39 at the IAAF Gold Label road race. Just 20 days after respiratory problems forced Galen to withdraw from a wet and windy Boston Marathon, USA’s Rupp will be on the streets of the Czech capital. The Olympic bronze medallist has reached the podium in all four marathons he has completed to date and he will be looking to continue that record on Sunday. “I’m excited to be running in Prague and thankful for another opportunity to race,” said Rupp, who competed in the city’s half marathon in 2017. “I’ve done a lot of great training in the last few months and I’m looking forward to the race.” Lemma, who ran 2:04:08 earlier this year in Dubai, will be wearing the No.1 bib. The Ethiopian will also be out for revenge after being beaten by Rupp at last year’s Chicago Marathon. Amane Gobena is the fastest in the women’s field. The Ethiopian set her PB of 2:21:51 when finishing second at the 2016 Tokyo Marathon, and earlier this year she won the Mumbai Marathon in 2:25:49.  The start time is at 9am local time or Midnight (PST) Saturday night. (05/05/18) Views: 165

Top Finishers from Boston Marathon Des Linden, Sarah Sellers and Krista DuChene to Headline NYRR New York Mini 10K

The top three finishers from this year’s Boston Marathon Des Linden, Sarah Sellers, and Krista DuChene – will line up together again in Central Park on Saturday, June 9 at the NYRR New York Mini 10K.  “The NYRR New York Mini 10K started in 1972 as the world’s original all-women’s road race and has developed into an annual star-studded event,” said Peter Ciaccia, president of events for NYRR.  “New York City is in for a real treat this year with Des, Sarah and Krista all lining up together at the start line for the first time since racing to the podium in Boston."  Linden, 34, of Washington Township, MI, became the first American to win the women’s open division at the Boston Marathon in 33 years last month, clocking in at 2:39:54 in the face of rain and blustering winds. Previously, Linden had finished at runner-up at the 2010 Chicago and 2011 Boston marathons and fifth-place in Berlin in 2013 and New York in 2014. She will be racing the NYRR New York Mini 10K for the fifth time. Sellers, 26, of Tucson, AZ, is a full-time certified registered nurse anesthetist who finished in a surprising second place behind Linden at the Boston Marathon in what was just her second attempt at the 26.2-mile distance.  A former track and field athlete at Weber State, Sellers was a nine-time Big Sky champion from 2009-13 and earned Big Sky All-Conference honors 15 times in track and field and cross country. DuChene, 41, of Canada took third place at the Boston Marathon and first in the master’s division, crossing the finish line in 2:44:20. In 2016, the mother of three placed 35th at the Rio Olympic Marathon behind teammate Lanni Marchant; they were the first Canadian women to run in the Olympic Marathon since 1996. (05/08/18) Views: 80