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It's Universal A Stopwatch Does Not Make One a Coach:
"As long as AK (Athletics Kenya) does not bring genuine coaches together, people will continue displaying stop watches and calling themselves coaches"

-Brother Colm O'Connell in an article on the influx of 'quack' runners and coaches in tiny Iten. Some of the runners are being accused of having sex with young girls.

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Book Review: Running Within
Want to improve your mental outlook on running? Then Running Within is the book for you. Read our review of this excellent book.
Recommended Reads
Looking for a good running book ? Read our mini-reviews and suggestions

We interview one of our own:
LetsRun.com's Rojo talks about coaching at Cornell

More NCAA News: Mike Scott Analyzes the Women's NCAA XC Nationals
Message board thread on women's predictions here.
*Final NCAA Rankings Announced
The rankings are meaningless as everyone starts with a clean slate on Monday.

Welsh Athletics Celebrates 100 Years by Creating Hall of Fame and Inducting Steve Jones and Colin Jackson Among Others BBC

World Youth 100m Champ Asha Philip From Britain Blows Out Her Knee at World Trampoline Champs

Elite Racing to Put on Rock N Roll Marathon in San Antonio They've shown they know how to put on world class races. Especially in big cities that haven't had big marathons in the past.

Official IAAF XC Season Gets Underway This Weekend in Portugal

Weekend Action:
Kenya:
Moses Kigen Runs 56:14 (Equal to a 59:20 Half Marathon) at 5900 Feet in Kenya That is an incredible time at 6000 feet.
More Kenya: Edwin Soi, World Athletics Final 3k and 5k Champ, Back Running Strong as He Gets Athletics Kenya XC Win
Soi seems to have the potential to be the next Kenyan great. IAAF

Portugal: Portuguese XC Race Recap: Former European XC Champ Paulo Guerra Runs Well

Kenenisa Bekele to Marry a Movie Star in Ethiopia

Craig Masback Says Preparations for Track Trials Are Going Great Registerguard.com

Seb Coe Says Give Serious Consideration to Paula Radcliffe for BBC Athlete of the Year in Britain

Association of International Marathons Celebrates Its 25th Anniversary IAAF

Kenyans Janeth Jepkosgei and Samuel Wanjiru Up for 2007 Performances of the Year by IAAF

RYAN HALL 2:09:02 Ryan Hall put on one of the most impressive performances ever in American marathoning history, as he destroyed the field and coasted to victory in an incredible 2:09:04 (after a 1:06:17 1st half, yes that's a 1:02:47 2nd half on the hills of Central Park) on the very difficult NYC course. Dathan Ritzenhein ran a very impressive 2:11:07 to get 2nd while Brian Sell got the 3rd Olympic spot in 2:11:40. Former World Record holder Khalid Khannouchi ran a very gutsy race to finish 4th.
Ryan Hall is the real deal in case you didn't know. Here are his 5k splits on the very difficult NY course to prove how incredible he is at the marathon: 16:44, 15:41, 15:27, 15:12, 15:05, 14:48, 14:28. Yes that's right a 14:28 from 30 to 35k. Hall pumped his fist, pointed to the heavens, and waved to the crowd the final mile savoring the incredible run and still ran a 15 minute 5k pace for the final 7.2k (14.56 from 35 to 40k)
*Results
Race Recap From RunnersWorld's Amby Burfoot Amby did an excellent job covering the lead up to the Trials so it is fitting we link to his race article.
*NBCOlympics Recap of 2008 Olympic Marathon Trials: Triumph and Tragedy
*Quotes
*Video: Watch the on Demand (For Free, Skip to Any Crucial Point Instantaneously. Thank you NBC)
*Post Race Press Conference Videos Top 3, Meb, Culpepper, Khannouchi, Lehmkuhle
*Dathan Ritz Quotes
*Brian Sell Quotes

*Khalid Khannouchi 4th at Trials A great great run for Special K. He got 4th hobbling around the park.
*Photos
Excellent ones from letsrun.com message boarders skylon

2007 ING NYC Marathon: Paula Radcliffe and Martin Lel Win With Big Finishing Kicks For the second straight day, there was thrilling action in New York's Central Park. Paula Radcliffe led for nearly 26 miles before Gete Wami took her first lead with less than a half mile to go. That move sparked an amazing finishing kick by Radcliffe who got her second NY title in her first marathon in two years. Wami gota nice consolation prize - the $500,000 world marathon majors title. In the men's race, Martin Lel outsprinted Abderrahim Goumri just as he did in London.
Video:
Highlight Video from NBC Sports (3:47) NBC did a great job on its coverage this weekend. You can watch for free the entire men's trials here on demand (skipping to any point you want). If you paid $3.99 using code RUN2007 you can watch the full NYC marathon on demand.

Non NY News:
Seoul:
Joshua Chelenga Wins in Seoul in 2:08, Women's Course Record Set of 2:29 IAAF
Athens: Athens Marathon Course Records Finally Broken
IAAF
Soweto: Soweto Marathon Recap

More New York:
*
Text of All Official Olympic Trials Post Race Interviews
*Text of All NYC Post Race Press Conferences

*Video of Press Conferences Here (Trials) and Here for NYC
Lance Armstrong even speaks.

Woman with MS, Zoe Koplowitz, Finishes NYC Marathon Nearly 29 Hours After She Started

Previous NYC News:
*
Radcliffe Shrugs Off Pregnant Pause & Wins NYC Paula showed tha
t post-pregnancy she is still the world's finest marathoner as she unleased an amazing finishing sprint to beat her old track rival Wami . Wami had taken the lead from Radcliffe after Paula led for theentire race up to that point. Paula put 23 seconds on Wami over the final 600 or so. Paula: "My legs got tired and when she came alongside me I thought this was not happening to me again. I've had years and years of her outsprinting me on the track and I thought she's not going to do it in a marathon."
*Paua Rembered World XC Win in Ostend During Finishing Sprint. In Ostend, Wami kicked a bit prematurely.
*Wami's 2nd Marathon In 35 Days Results In Big $500,000 Payday 2nd was good enough to giver her the world marathon majors title.

NYTimes Recap of Women's Race: On Familiar Turf, Radcliffe Shakes Off Old Rival
NYTimes Recap of Men's Race: London Sequel Has Same Ending For Lel

*Ramaala Settles For 3rd As Wheelchair Athlete van Dyk Is Forced To Withdraw After South African Air Loses His Wheelchair (For The 2nd Time)

Katie Holmes Completes NY Marathon 5.5 hours.

Details on Paula Radcliffe Training Extensively During Her Pregnancy New York Times
*
Jelena Prokopcuka Going for 3 Peat New York Times

LetsRun.com 2008 Men's Marathon Trials Preview Radio Podcast-Relive the glory of Wejo picking the top 3 in the Trials perfectly. Now available on demand to listen or download. We give you our genius opinions and break down the incredible field. And until talking to Toni and Matt we didn't realize the blowout profiles/stories/video on Chasingglory.com this week.

Ryan Hall Officially the Favorite
On the Trials preview radio podcast we first revealed the votes and Ryan Hall is the favorite followed by a close second in Abdi Abdirahman. 7 guys are clearly head and shoulders above everyone else in the voting.

More on Woodruff: 1936 800m Champ Olympian John Woodruff Dies New York Times
*
More on John Woodruff from NYTimes Last Year
*More on John Woodruff from ESPN

$100,000 LetsRun.com Marathon Trials Prediction Contest Get your picks in. Who will come out on top: Meb, Abdi, Hall, Ritz, Alan, or Sell? Want to win $100,000? Just predict the top 10 perfectly and be the only one to do so.

IOC Head Jacques Rogge Undecided if Thanou Should Get Marion Jones' Gold

Human Interest Trials Stories Below- (Race Stories To The Right)
Maybe there is hope for Rojo in 2012

39 Yr Old Cecil Franke Excited To Compete In First Trials
- The former Ball St. star rises each morning at 4:45 am to train prior to going to his job as a teacher and coach at a HS.
*Star Tribune Looks At Jason Lehmkuhle and Chris Lundstrom
*Nick Schuetze Ready For 1st Trials - The 25 yr old UPortland Grad Ran 2:16 at the downhill St. George Marathon
*New York Times Profile on Lost Boy from Sudan Olympic Trials Marathon Runner Macharia Yuot New York Times

ChasingKimbia.Com: Fasil Ready For Trials The most recent blog update includes a great quote from Kenyan marathoner Stephen Baba Kiogora who says when asked if he really wants to beat Ethiopians when he's racing: “Matt, everyone wants to win. Even me, if I was racing against my father, my brother, and my son, I want to beat them. But they are not my enemy.”

Even The New York Times Is Catching On To The Fact That Baseball's Drug Testing Program Is A Joke Baseball teams often are tipped off two days prior to the tests that a random, unannounced test is coming.

IAAF To Issue New Rules Concerning Youths Changing Countries It's expected the new rules will help the Kenyans keep some athletes being bought by Qatar/Bahrain.

Runnersworld Says Ryan Hall is the Favorite for the Trials

Russians Aleksey Sokolov and Alina Ivanova Repeat at Dublin Marathon in 2:09 and 2:29 The last Monday in October is a holiday in Ireland.

Chariots of Fire Record at Cambridge Broken The only 2 other guys to do it under the allowed time are Olympic gold medallists including Seb Coe.

World 400m Champ Christine Ohuruogu Gets Private Hearing at Her Request to be Allowed to Compete at Beijing Olympics Guardian

Weekend Road Action:
Frankfurt: Wilfred Kigen Threepeats at Frankfurt Marathon (Gets $64,000)
Olympic steeple champ Wilson Boit Kipketer runs 2:13 PR, Dieter Baumann runs 2:30 IAAF
DC: Former Footlocker Champ Kristen Henehan (Gordon) Wins Marine Corps Marathon

*Ruben Garcia Fails to Threepeat at Marine Corps Marathon as Tamrat Ayalew Wins

*Former Brooks Hansons Runner Carl Rundell Gave Up Opportunity to Run Olympic Trials to Run Marine Corps Marathon

The Washington Post now has streaming video of the finish by time at the Marine Corps Marathon.
Nairobi: Rose Chesire Jepkosgei and John Njoroge Win Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon and $20,000+
The Nairobi Marathon often is a true rags to riches story. Jepkosgei had trouble coming up with the $20 bus fare to the race.

Britain: World Champ Luke Kibet, Rose Cheruiyot Wins Great South 10 Miler

New Delhi:
Ethiopia's Derebe Alemu , Rwanda's Dieudonne Disi Win New Delhi Half Marahton and $20,000 Each IAAF
Venice:
Jonathan Kipkorir Kosgei and Lenah Cheruiyot Do Something That is Very Hard, Get Repeat Victories at Venice Maratohn (2:12 and 2:27) IAAF

Drugs:WADA Head Dick Pound Defends Elka Graham She's the swimmer who said she was offered drugs by another swimmer but has refused to give the name.
*Some Fellow Swimmers Defending Elka Graham for Not Naming Names

Ridiculous: Roy Martin, Arrested, Sent to Jail for Buying a $1 Xanax and Attempting to Stop Drug Problem at His School Article and brief video. For those of us from Dallas, Martin is a legend. He ran 20.13 for 200 in high school.
*Roy Martin Podcast We haven't had time to listen to it but the finalsprint tracked him down.

LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon Men
Unvelievable:
Invuti Wins Unbelievable Finish in Chicago
Words don't do it justice just watch the video above.
*Chicago Tribune Recap of Ivuti's Narrow Win

It's hard for words to describe the greatest finish in (Chicago) marathon history. It came down to two time world champ
Jaouad Gharib and former track/xc star Patrick Ivuti, fresh off his 59:27 half marathon. Gharib surged ahead going up a slight incline down the finishing straight. Ivuti then battled back and took the lead on the downhill. Gharib dug back and retoook the lead as they barreled towards the finish and the two guys still standing there with the finish tape which is only about 5 feet wide. Ivuti surged back right at the finish and it was too close to tell but Ivuti got the win. Hot weather took its toll on everyone.
*Video: Patrick Ivuti Talks About His Narrow Win In Chicago

London Champ Martin Lel, London Runner Up Goumri To Race at 2007 ING NYC Marathon Remember the days when NY was 2nd class to Chicago?
*Video: Watch the Incredible Sprint Finish in London this Year (Final Quarter Mile of arguably the greatest men's marathon ever)

Post of the Week on the Message Board A guy wrote in talking about possibly passing out at the Chicago Marathon because of low blood pressure in the heat and then the author of the scienceofsports blog came onboard and helped explain the situation. Interesting Read.

Lengthy Video Interview With Gebrselassie with Sean Hartnett After His World Record Hartnett knows his stuff so we're sure this is a great interview without even watching it. Hartnett knows virtually every top runner in Kenya and Tergat turned to Hartnett for advice prior to moving to the marathon.

Victah Sailer's Berlin Marathon Photos See Geb make history.

Not All Is Good on the Anti-Doping Fight: "Leading anti-doping authorities are convinced that an investigation-oriented approach is more effective than drug tests" Washington Post How about actually spending money to develop better tests or at least trying to spend serious money on the tests. Professional sports in the US get billions in subisidies every year yet we toss a few million to anti doping research and act like we're combatting the problem.
One We Missed from Last Month WADA Vice President: "WADA has taken a step backwards, we've gone back ten years."
*Athlete Passports May Be Best Anti Doping Tool USA Today
*
A Secret Push by Europeans May Be Held to Prevent Australian John Fahey From Becoming WADA Head

Because of Error With Chip Timing, State High School Title Changes Hands in Texas 2 Days After the Fact The officials should be embarrased for not fixing the problem right away. Chips do not replace good old scoring by hand if the meet is anywhere close.
More HS News: Police Probing Whether Spectator Through Sand in Face of Runner at New England Championships
Australia: Super Impressive: 17 Year Old in Australia Run 8:01 3k to Break Craig Mottram Junior Record

Runners in Iten Are Being Accused of Impregnating Young Girls and Town Wants to Kick Some of them Out As Wejo pointed out in his highly praised recap of his trip to Kenya, tiny Iten is full of runners.
More Kenyan News: Robert Cheruiyot is Now Focused on Olympic Gold in Marathon

Special 10 Euro Coin to Be Made for 2009 Worlds in Berlin

NCAA News: John McDonnell Pleased With His Arkansas Team, Says it Reminds Him of 2000 National Championship Team
*Rupp Dominated West Region Registerguard.com
On the boards: What happened to Jess Baumgartner? Remember the guy who finished 3rd at NCAAs last year out of nowhere as a junior.
*
NCAA Cross Country - Build Your Case Here For Which Team You Think Can Win It

Great Matchup at Fukuoka Tergat vs Wanjiru The former world record holder Tergat will take on the world half marathon record holder Wanjiru in his debut, plus Japanese stars Takaoka and Fujita. From what wise old people tell us, Fukuoka was once the greatest marathon in the world.

Gouchers Update: Adam Has Foot Surgery, Kara to Focus on 10k Next Year

NCAA At Large Selections
Syracuse was th last team left out on the men's side.

Drug News WADA Conference This Week in Madrid:
*Australia's John Fahey Will Replace Dick Pound as WADA Head (He's the Only Candidate Left)
*Drug Bans Could be Lengthened to 4 Years from 2 at This Week's WADA Conference in Madrid
*Making Enemies Was Part of Dick Pound's Job as WADA Head
*Top Agents Say They Won't Represent Athletes Who Get 2 Year Drug Bans

NCAA Regionals:All Regional Results Here
*Who Is Getting In At Large? Looks like it comes down to Syracuse or Indiana.
Mountain:
Colorado over NAU and UTEP (Lopez Lomong Wins Individual) Don't tell us you're surprised
*Colorado State Women Win, Colorado Only 4th That is surprising
Great Lakes:
Men's Results: Michigan Beats Wisconsin (Technically They Tied)
*Women: Michigan State Wins
Midwest Women Team Results: Minnesota Women Win
*Diane Nukuri Dominates Individuals
Mid Athlantic: Georgetown Men Win Mid Atlantic Nova gets the 2nd auto as Princeton suffers heartbreak again as for 2nd time in 3 years they are left out of big dance by less than 5 points.
*Princeton Women Win Mid Atlantic
NorthEast: StonyBrook Women Make It We're surprised. Not sure if we should be.
*Men: Iona and Providence Congrats to Rojo's Sage Canaday, the youngest runner at last weeks Olympic Marathon Tirals for qualifying for the Big Dance.
South Region: Men Alabama Rebounds As FSU Trounces Florida
Women FSU And Georgia Get Auto
South Cetnral: Men
Same Old Same Old This region is a good example of why there needs to be a superregional as all regions are by no means equal
Women:
Rice Women Win as Arkansas Edge Baylor
SouthEast Region: Duke Women Rise to Occasion To Nab 2nd Their season had been disappointing up until Saturday
Men: NCStated Edges Louisivlle By 1 As W&Mary and UVA Also Advance
West:
Oregon Men Win Nation's Most Competitive Region Question is how many teams will get in?
Women:
Stanford Women Roll and Look To Be Team To Beat At NCAAs 33 points is fantastic

Glasgow Gets 2014 Commonealth Games They beat out Abuja Nigeria.

IAAF Top 50 Lists for 2007 Announced IAAF

Hayley Yelling Running Gateshead's Riverside Bowlon XC Saturday

Isinbayeva Honored by Zurich Golden League

Lornah Kiplagat to Run Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon Perhaps this race can replace Berlin as a World Marathon Major (although JasoninAsia points out Berlin has a beautiful course and tens of thousands of spectators). It already has the biggest prize purse in the marathoning world and Haile Gebrselassie.
*Amsterdam the Fastest Marathon in 2007
And while we think Berlin is the weakest of the majors it does have the fastest 10 times in the world all-time. (Plus we actually have the right Khannouchi video where he talks about Berlin and Geb's record)

Robert Cheruiyot and Gete Wami Honored With Inaugural World Marathon Majors Titles and Their $500,000 Checks in NYC Both athletes were very humble as they accepted their prizes and were already focused on the future instead of spending their paydays. Cheruiyot is the greatest rags to riches story in sport. Text, photos and video.
*NY Times Article on World Marathon Majors Awarding $500,000 to Cheruiyot and Wami
*London Director Dave Bedford Expects World Marathon Majors to Raise Purse

Post NYC News:
*Paula Radcliffe Turns Attention to Beijing and Will Do Some Things Differently This Time Times of London
*Radcliffe Hoping to Compete at London Olympics at Age 38 in 2012
BBC
*
Seb Coe Praises Paula Radcliffe BBC
*
Steve Cram Full of Praise for Paula
*Paula Radcliffe Interview With BBC
BBC

(Most of Our NY News is Above and to the Left)
Pre Race NYC/Trials News:


Her Mom Runs 2:15
and Her Dad 3:34

Friday:
Paula Stronger Than Ever? Paula Radcliffe blew into the press area in advance of Hurricane Noel on Friday and she got the star treatment. Paula indicated that her pregnancy has left her stronger than in the past. That's a scary thought. LetsRun.com story above with photos/video of the press conference.
More Paula:

*
Philip Hersh Profile in LA Times
*
British Article on Comeback
*Brendan Foster:
Paula is Britain's Best Hope for Gold in 2008
Thursday: US Men Ready to Rumble
Abdi and Hall the Favorites

Thursday the majority of the favorites for the US Olympic Trials addressed the media (Brian Sell, Dathan Ritzenhein, Alan Culpepper, Ryan Hall, and Abdi Abdirahman).Sell and Hall looked nervous for sure but that all means nothing on Saturday. It is almost time to forget about the hype and let them lace them up and take to the streets of NYC in the most anticipated Olympic Marathon Trials in ages. The media was out in full force on Thursday and the US stars are getting a lot of press, although not much of note was said.

Hall: Ryan Hall Profile in LA Times: "A silver medal trumps a 2:08" Latimes.com
*Full Video of Press Conference With Amerian Men and International Men
Wednesday:
2008 NYC Media Day 2 (Wednesday): Jelena Prokopcuka, Wami Battling for Half a Million $$$$
American Darkhorses: Jason Hartmann, Clint Verran and Ryan Shay Address the Media, Pete Gilmore Sick
LetsRun.com recaps Wednesday's Media news. Text, photos, video.
Tuesday at the Trials:
Khannouchi, Meb Ready to Go
A candid Khalid Khannouchi addressed the media along with Meb Keflezighi. Khannouchi took on a wide range of issues (the fall trials date, the 1 shot American system, and Haile Gebrselassie's new world record in the marathon) as arguably the greatest marathoner of all time tries to make the Olympics for the first time. Both Khalid and Meb say they're training has been good of late.
*Video of Press Conferences

Spira CEO Writes an Open Letter to Letsrun.com Readers You know the company that is dependent on USATF "banning" it's shoes.
*LetsRun.com Readers Respond With an Open Letter to the Spira CEO

Gebrselassie Talks About Running First 10 Miles of Detroit Free Press Marathon into Canada "This one, one day, I believe can become big like Chicago, New York and Boston"

Scott Bauh, DII Star, Turning Heads With his 1:03:04 Half Marathon Clearly he looks like the real deal.

Let the Hoopla Begin: LetsRun.com
Thousands of Spectators, The Greatest American Field Ever Assembled, and Much More: America's Top Coaches Brad Hudson, Keith Hanson, and Terrence Mahon Talk About the 2008 Olympic Marathon Trials

Hudson's Athletes Doing "Much, Much, Much Harder" Training
Teleconferences are usually pretty boring but since the greatest American field ever is assembling in New York in two weeks we've broken down for you the highlights of what America's top coaches are saying about the Olympic Marathon Trials and their athletes' preparations. Learn how Brad Hudson's athletes have done "much, much, much harder" training for this marathon than anything else, learn about Brian Sell's 150+ mile weeks, predictions of hundreds of thousands of spectators, how USATF was "inept" at developing marathoners, and much more including Jason Lehmkuhle no longer being a darkhorse candidate at the Trials.
*Audio Highlights and Full Teleconference If You're Into That
O
n the boards: Is this the greatest collection of American distance talent ever in one race?
More Marathon News:
*
Meb Keflezighi Celebrating 20 Years in America
*
Dathan Ritzenhein Interview
*
Ryan Hall Interview

LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon Women
Unbelievable
Adriana Pirtea Blows It

Just watch the video above. Shorter video here if you're impatient

*
Chicago Tribune Recap of Ivuti's Narrow Win
Adriana Pirtrea, a runner basically no one has heard of (including ourselves) (she did finish 2nd at an NCAA indoors once), was on her way to winning the Chicago Marathon. She had been clear of Berhane Adere for miles. Pirtrea, as she took the final turn, was high fiving the crowd. She had a 15 second lead with 58 seconds of runing left. Little did she know that Adere had overcome whatever problems she had had and was quickly making up ground. Pirtrea never looked back and was strolling into the finish thinking about her career changing win. Meanwhile, Adere was in an all out sprint on the other side of the road. She flew by Pirtrea and Pirtrea had no chance to respond. A truly incredible turn of events as Adere made up a 15 second deficent in 47 seconds. Watch it to believe it.
*Former Yalie Kate O'Neill 3rd in Her Debut

*Wheelchair Race Decided by 1 Second All the races in Chicago were close.

We're Not Joking: RunnersWorld with Extensive Olympic Marathon Trials Section The editor, Amby Burfoot, was a Boston Marathon champ back in the day, and has done a good job. You learn that Brian Sell looked good in the Olympic Trials simulator in Central Park, Khannouchi is fasting for Ramadan, Josh Cox is running 150 miles a week, and more.

AL OERTER 1936-2007 The death of this legend basically is being ignored in the US but thankfully the NYTimes gave him the homage he was due in this tremendous article by Frank Litsky on Oerter. And we like Oerter's anti drug stance and honesty (admitting to trying roids in 1976). When he quit competitive throwing he said, "The drug culture had taken over."
*Daily Telegraph in Britain Remembers Al Oerter

*Kansas City Star Remembers Al Oerter

*More Oerter: *
Message Board Thread
*
More on Oerter from Florida Paper
*Article on Oerter and His Painting: "I know this won't sound right but painting is the same dadgum thing I found in training for the Games"

LetsRun.com 2007 World's Coverage:
*Sunday Homepage
Ndereba marathon
*Saturday Homepage
*Friday Homepage Tyson Gay
*Thursday Homepage Lagat
*
Wednesday's Homepage Lagat
*
Tuesday's Homepage Bekele 10k
*
Monday's Homepage Tyson Gay
*
Sunday's Homepage Dibaba/Goucher 10k
*Saturday's Homepage
Kibet Marathon

Ryan Shay
1979-2007

The tragic death of Ryan Shay in the first 10k of the race put everyone in the running community at a loss for words. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife and family.

Official Ryan Shay Remembrance Thread: Joe Shay, Ryan's dad, wrote in to give his thanks for all the kind thoughts and prayers. With a dad like that you see why so many people liked Ryan.
*Ryan Shay Photo Gallery

New News:
*
John Meyer of Denver Post Remembers Ryan Shay
*
Doctors Say Chances of Heart Problems During a Marathon are Very, Very Rare denverpost.com
Previous:
*
Nice Writeup on Ryan's Funeral from Local Paper
*
Runnesworld's Amby Burfoot Writes About Spending Time With Ryan Shay's
Parents and Alicia
*
Amby Burfoot Writes about Ryan Shay Memorial Track Runs in Ryan's Hometown
*We've moved the previous Ryan Shay news here

China Trying to Lessen Medal Expectations in Advance of Beijing Olympics

50 Year Old Budd Coates Ra 2:36 at New York

Hayley Yelling Destroys Field at Gateshead International Cross Country

Japanese News:
*
2004 Olympic Champ Mizuki Noguchi Back from Altitude Training for Matchup Vs Japanese Record Holder Yoko Shibui in Next Week's Tokyo Marathon Should be a great matchup with 08 Olympic spots on the line.
*2000 Olympic Champ Naoko Takahashi Back From "Q`s Boot Camp" in Boulder
*More on Shibui at the Japanese English Running Blog started by a letsrun.com visitor

The Woodlands Win Their Record 14th XC Title in Texas The accomplishments of the program are truly amazing.

Paula Right Back Where She Was 4 Years Ago: The Favorite Heading into the Olympic Marathon Year Independent
*Paula Radcliffe Now Focused on Japan Times of London

"I think I cannot run 3:26 (for 1500). I know I can still run 3:28 and that is plenty good enough. I don't have to prove anything by trying to run 3:25, which I know is not practically possible. But my time is in the books and you know what? I am still competing at the age of 32 and I am still beating the young guys."
-Bernard Lagat indicating he will likely go for the 1500, 5000m double at the Olympic next year.

Athletics S. Africa Ratifies 2008 Calendar

More Olympic Trials News: *Ryan Hall's Last 20 Miles Were at 2:06:30 Pace on the Rolling Hills in Central Park
*
Olympic
Trials Quick Facts: Ryan Hall Was Almost the Same Age as Frank Shorter Win He Won in 1972
*Journalist at 2004 Olympics Called US Marathoners 'Losers'
Photos: More Trials Photos

Race Relations:
This is Not a Joke: Eugene Trials Have Created a Group On How to Treat Black People at Olympic Trials
The article says Trials volunteers are not supposed to make assumptions based on someone's race, yet they are teaching the volunteers about soul food and hair salons. Ok.
*Chasing Kimbia Recap of NY Marathon/Olympic Trials
"But perhaps most significant was the fact that three white guys crossed the finish line first."

Timing Problems Affected 2,300 Runners at NYC Marathon

$100,000 Marathon Trials Prediction Contest Scores
Check your final scores
or if you didn't play see how smart Wejo is as he picked the top 3 perfectly on the LetsRun.com PreTrials Radio Podcast.

Blue Collar: 78 Year Old Woman, Jeannette Cyr, Got Hit by Car in a Marathon and She Wanted to Finish the Race

Ask Wejo:
Ask Wejo 3: Did You Ever Think "Why Am I Doing This?" A USATF qualifier wonders if Wejo wondered if he would ever be any good.
Ask Wejo 4: Questions From a High Schoooler Trying to Break Through and 5 Hour Marathoner Clearly Wejo must have been bored to write two columns in one day as LetsRun.com reaches out to the masses.

NY Times Looks at Sleep Requirements of Elite Runners Nice article with quotes from Meb, Deena, Steve Spence.
Today's Sign of the Apocalpyse:
Rojo Quoted in the NY Times
It's a separate but related article to the one above. And in it you find out that you that getting sleep 2 nights before the race is BS.

Blue Collar Running: Camp Phoenix Marathon Kabul, Afghanistan

Video of Asafa Powell's 9.74 WR

On the boards: Have the Japanese Perfected Lydiard Training?

Video Race Highlights:
1500
: The Final lap of the men's 1500m
110 Hurdles: *Michelle Perry Storms from Way Behind to Win 100m Hurdles
High Jump: Winning Jump
Video: Men's 100m Final
Video:
Horrendous Fall in Men's Steeplechase Warning this is not for the faint of heart
Video: Video of Tyson Gay's 200m Win
*Video of Saladino's Clutch Winning Long Jump
*Video of Andrew Howe Taking Lead in Long Jump and Then Going Nuts
Yes nuts. Worth a watch.

*Should Lagat Run the 5k?

Training Advice:
Advice from the pros

Top 10 Training Tips

LetsRun.com's Weldon Johnson gives his top 10 training tips in this letsrun.com classic when the site first launched.. They helped him knock 1:22 off his 10k pr in one race and will definitely help you too.
No Shortcuts
LetsRun.Com coaching consultant John Kellogg outlines his basic coaching approach and gives the four principals to correct training for elites. LetsRun.com co-founder Robert Johnson translates Mr. Kellogg's approach so that it is beneficial for the masses.

Wejo Speaks:
Why I Sucked in College
Perhaps Wejo's Most Popular Training Article Ever
"In running however, there are not bonus points for running 'hard.' The point is to run fast. There is a difference. Don't forget that."

-Letsrun.com's Wejo explaining "Why He Sucked in College" but went on to be 4th in the country in the 10k"

Rojo Speaks:
*In Case You Forgot JK is a genius: "John (JK)is the whole inspiration [for] why my brother and I are into running,His philosophy is what we use here at Cornell."- LetsRun.com's Rojo on the legendary JK

JK Speaks: JK Speaks: Progressing To Peak Fitness LetsRun.com coaching guru John Kellogg talks about progression runs and the art of the sport versus the science of the sport.

Learn From a Legend
Arthur Lydiard Quotes:

"
Train Don't Strain"

-famed distance coach Arthur Lydiard
Lydiard Quote:
"Americans arrogantly want it all now, this is why they finish last. Speed must be used in proper proportions. Build and build like the Afrikans. This is the only way to realise your potential."
-famed distance coach Arthur Lydiard

Learn/ Be Inspired from the Stars:
Yet Again The LetsRun.com Training Philosophy Is Proven True:

"Everything has been part of a master plan. Of course we've had to re-focus and re-adjust along the way, like everyone does, but there has always been a plan. [Years] 2005 and 2006 were all about training for 2007 and 2008. The last couple of years, we were trying to build up the strength he needs to win championship medals in the 1,500.''
-Scott Raczko, coach of Alan Webb, talking about how their focus on strength the last two years is paying big dividends in a feature in America's top sports magazine, Sports Illustrated (although we are pretty sure the article appears only online).

Great Read/Advice: Such a Simple Sport:
"I train twice every day except on Sundays and on Christmas Day."

-the great Haile Gebrselassie, on his training over the holidays. He says his New Year's resolution is to win the gold medal at 10k and break the 10k world record. And Gebrselassie is still young as it is only 1996 in Ethiopia (we swear).

Geb:
More Great Advice for the Greatest Distance Runner Ever:

Haile Gebrselassie says work hard, be patient, and take your recovery days seriously.
Good Read.
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Haile Gebrselassie's Addicted to Running:
"I always have a goal to do something. That way I keep running. It's an addiction to winning. But it's also an addiction to run - it is like a drug. If I'm not sweating I don't feel good."

Cheruyiot
A Must Read
Inspirational Profile of Boston Marathon Record Holder Robert Cheruiyot The life story of Cheruiyot, who is looking for his 3rd Boston title Monday, is truly remarkable
LetsRun.com
R
ojo Speaks: Inspired By a Kenyan Robert Cheruyiot Cheruyiot is a true star in the sport and a truly unbelievable rags to riches story.

Some of the Highlights From Our Archives:
You Know You're a Runner If...
(our reader's fill in the blanks with some hilarious responses on the message boards)

Kenya: LetsRun.com's Wejo went to Kenya for the World XC Championships and then he toured the country and explored the secreats of some of the Kenyan greats. See some of his insights on this incredibley country.
Controlled Chaos
Read about incredible one of kind 2007 World XC Championships in Mombasa, Kenya. Tens of thousands of people packed like sardines, hanging in trees, in opressive heat, all to see the Cross Country Championships for the first time in Kenya. There will never be a party like this one again.
Kenyan Distance Running Part I: Kenya, the Land of Opportunity
You've seen the highly praised photos, read the incredible race recap, now learn about the Kenyan distance phenomenon. In this article, Wejo looks at the motivations of Kenyan runners. "Running in Kenya is by and large about one thing: money opportunity.
Wejo's Kenya Photos:
546 Photos from His Post World XC Trip
See how the Kenyans live and train in Eldoret and Iten. Plus photos of Kip Keino's center, St. Patrick's High School, Singore Girls School, Lornah Kiplagat's, and the Kimbia house. Not to mention photos of Tergat, Tanui, Kiplagat, and many more.

Interviews With Today's Stars on Their High School Careers
A bit old, but we've got to remember our roots.

Rod Dehaven: U.S. Marathon Champ

Juli Henner: U.S. Olympian
Todd Reeser: Top Road Racer Wrestled in High School
Many more
Training Advice
Learn how LetsRun.com running guru, John Kellogg, made a tiny private school in Texas one of the best teams in the state.

And the winner is:
Best Running Movie of All-Time: Fire on the Track
After sitting on the results for months, we're proud to announce that the best running movie of all-time as selected by our viewers is a not an academy award winner, Chariots of Fire, or a highly publicized film produced by Tom Cruise (Without Limits), but rather a running documentary, Fire on the Track: The Steve Prefontaine Story. Read all about the voting and see the 10 best running movies of all-time as selected by our viewers.
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Thumbs Up Showdown DVD: Wejo watched the Showdown DVD on the 2007 USA XC Champs in Boulder and was inspired.

Married Thanks to LetsRun.com:
"I don't want to say it. It sounds crazy but it was a dream come true"

-John Stiner, on getting married to his wife, Sarah, who he met on the LetsRun.com message boards. Read about their incredible story.

More isn't always better:
"I had over-trained. I put too much pressure on myself because I wanted that gold medal too much. If I had trained 15 per cent less, I would have won. I was training like a crazy person. There was a lack of self-confidence and a lack of maturity. An athlete does not only train with his body. He trains with his mind."

-Hicham El Guerrouj on why he didn't win Olympic gold in 2000

Inspirational Running Poem