Where the Pros Go


Is Sport Just About Ego?:

"There was a time when people said I shouldn't jump any more, when they said I was too old, but I didn't feel this way. I wanted to prove the only way for an athlete to go is not when other people say they have nothing left but when I am ready
....My personal ego is totally satisfied."
-Sydney silver medallist in the pole vault Tatiana Grigorieva on her retirment. Grigorieva, an immigrant to Australia, got her silver on Australian soil. (the quotes above are from 2 separate article separated by the ....) For message board threads on the selfishness of running see: Is Running Selfish? and What do Elites Contribue to Society?

Great Offer:
Extra 10% off
Your Order
10% Off Static (120x90)

What's Let's Run.com?

More News in Our:
News Section!

Our world famous: Message Board

Highschool Front Page *UPDATED*

Training Advice

Turn Back The Clock! Today's Top Runners Talk About Their High School Careers

Opinions
Wejo Speaks
Site co founder Weldon Johnson

Rojo Speaks
Site co founder and cross country coach at Cornell Robert Johnson.

JK Speaks
coaching guru John Kellogg

Miler Scott Anderson's Journal

RECOMMENDED
READS

Comments, questions, suggestions, story you'd like to submit?
Email us

Big Savings::
*15% off
Finish Line Color

Orders of $60 and Up
Enter Code 140387 at checkout

*Eastbay Coupon
*Fotlocker Coupon

Train Smarter


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

Alan Webb Returns 6 Years Later to Win 2007 New Balance Games Mile Photos and Recap 3:56 for Webb.  This race marks the end of his preseason as he has 3 tough races the next week weekends. Mary Cullen won the women's race.
*Video of Alan Webb's 3:56 at New Balance Games

*NYTimes Recap
More Track action:
*Reese Hoffa Shots 21.31 in Germany
IAAF
*
Jenn Stuczynski Vaults 4.70, Jeff Hartwig Gets 5th Win at Reno Vault Summit IAAF
Arkansas Results: Said Ahmed 3:59, Shaun Smith, Prince Mumba Sub 1:50

Tatiana Grigorieva Retires on Her Own Terms www.theaustralian
*Tatiana Grigorieva, Australian Pole Vaulter Hangs Them Up: "My personal ego is totally satisfied"
Grigorieva's medal on home soil made her a celebrity in Australia. Her medal, good looks and willingness to poise nude made her even more coin: "They thought we were boring. Now there are hot chicks clearing 15 feet, they want us"

In Case You Missed It: "In the history of track and field, I can't think of anyone doing anything comparable to what he did"
-Walt Murphy on the incredible
Delano Meriwether, who after becoming a doctor became a world class sprinter (and US Champ) at the age of 27, after not having been involved in track and field. Even more impressive is what the Meriwether has done off the track: from being the first black medical student at Duke, to providing medical care in apartheid S. Africa, to regarding material things as irrelevant. A must read.

This Weekend:
Reebok Boston Games:
Women's Mile Shaping up for 2007 Reebok Boston Indoor Games
*Mottram, Cragg set for 2007 Reebok Boston Indoor Games Next Weekend

British Team Named for Meet Next Week in Glasgow BBC

Link Fixed Great Matchup in 2 Weeks: Alan Webb to Race Craig Mottram, Bernard Lagat at Wanamaker Mile at 100th Millrose Plus Isibayeva in the women's vault in her US debut, and a competitive men's vault. Get your tickets now. Drop the Mary Slaney boycott. If you really dislke her you can boo her. Plus you can also boo Rojo as a Cornell 4 x 800 squad is entered along with Oregon, Nova, Gtown, Seton Hall and BC.

Great Matchup Next Month At USATF XC The USATF XC Nationals will be full of excitement not seen in over a decade as the fields are loaded and there will only be on male and female champion. Meb Keflezighi, Deena Kastor and Ryan Hall have all been confirmed as entrants.

More Ryan Hall: Ryan Hall Makes Page 3 of USAToday with a Photo (He'll Choose a Spring Marathon Soon) "The thing I'm most pleased about is that my preparation for the marathon has been really enjoyable. I've never enjoyed running more than the last couple of months. I love the long runs; I love doing the hard tempos; I love the volume. I think I'm made for the longer distances."
*Bob Larsen Says Everyone in the World Will Notice Hall's Run, Meb Hasn't Been to Altitude Yet

Ryan Hall Mania:
Ryan Hall surprised all of us with one of the most impressive and shocking performances in American distance running history by smashing the American record and running 59:43 a the Aramco Houston Half Marathon to pocket $21,000. He even shocked himself as even the best splits on his hand came out to 1:00:01 for the half.

*
Best Full-post race recap from David Monti
*
Houston Chronicle Recap
*Ryan Hall Photo Gallery
Video, Video Video:Click Here

In Case You Made the Terrible Decision to Not Come Here Recently:
59:43 for RYAN HALL
Yep, sub 1 hour in the half marathon for an America on American soil on a certified course. One of the
best American distance performances ever as Ryan Hall won the US Title, the Aramco Houston Half, picking up $21,000, to become the 9th fastest ever on a record certifiable course.
*Photo from Victah Sailer of PhotoRun.net
*Videos of the Race From the Flocast Guys Here

The Legend of Nick Symmonds: The DIII Star You Had Never Heard Of Until 7 Months Ago Opens Up in 3:56 Maybe he'll go undefeated this year. His time dropped a second overnigh without him running a step.

Sick: London Marathon Does it Again: Tergat, Gebrselassie, Limo, Gharib, Baldini, Ramaala, Khannouchi, Keflezighi and More to Race in 2007 London never seems to rest on its laurels and is the most competitive marathon in the world for a reason.. Hopefully for once just as a goodwill gesture they can put this race on tv in the States. American Meb Keflezighi will test his skills against the worlds best on a flat fast course.
*Meb in the Mix at the 2007 Flora London Marathon

*Gebrselassie Out for Elusive London Marathon Title

*2007 London Marathon Preview from IAAFIAAF

*Boston Gets 2: Two-time Boston Champion Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot and Two-time New York Champion Jelena Prokopcuka (World Marathon Major Leaders) to Run Boston
Cheruyiot won Boston last year and both runners want to stay atop the World Marathon Majors.

Photos Kip Keino Comes to Ithaca The legendary Kip Keino came to Ithaca, NY, the east coast home of letsrun.com. See photos of the event including Olympic champ Peter Rono, Keino's son, Ian, and LetsRun.com's Wejo, Rojo, and even JK.

Dean Karnazes Profile in the LA Times Quotes from LetsRun.com's Wejo, and message board poster, John Morelock.

NCAA XCs:
Women:
Sally Kipyego Dominates, Stanford Survives
Recap: Sally Kipyego Dominates, Stanford Wins With Highest Point Total Ever
*Individual results
*Team Results
Kipyego dominated the individual field and the Cardinal repeated, but just narrowly over Colorado, as the Cardinal scored 195 points, the highest ever for a winning team (that total on the men's side would have been 2 points from 7th). Mark Wetmore almost did the unthinkable again (with a squad that was only 6th at PreNCAAs), leave Terre Haute with 2 titles, but the Buffaloes' 5th runner finished 165th.
*Ivy League Women Have Top 3 Finisher for 5th Straight Year
*Women's Recap from Terre Haute Newspaper
Video: Flocast Video of Women's Press Conference Post Race

*Flocast Video Highlights of Women's Nationals

Deena's Pacer Runs 2:17:50 in Philly www.philly.com

LetsRun.com Classic Emails #1 We share with you some of the classic emails from our site's visitors and give you valuable knowledge at the same time. You'll read conclusive proof Lance Armstrong dopes, learn AJ Acosta is not as much an a**hole as you thought, and much more.

A Legend Passes: "I don't train never have. I don't think of running as training. I just go out and run each day, and let the racing take care of itself"- Jack Foster of New Zealand, who ran a 2:11:17 marathon at the age of 41 to win silver at the Commonwealth Games in 1974. He died in a bike accident yesterday at the age of 72.

In case you missed it:
Todd Williams Hangs them up

In our lengthy 3 part interview, Todd Williams, the premier 10,000m runner in the US, talks about his illustrious career and the sport of running in general.
Part I he
re, Part II here, Part III here
Also take a look at Amby Burfoot's look at Todd Williams' incredible American record at 15k in 1995, the same year he finished 9th at World Cross Country.

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

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.

LetsRun.com Book Reviews 2 Good Reads on Milers 50 years apart:
Sub 4:00 and The Perfect Mile

"Paul Maurer, in The Gift, not only presents an interesting and captivating story, but he explores the deeper questions of why runners run, why we compete, and what makes such a simple sport, running, so rewarding to those of us who do it. The Gift is one of the best running books I have ever read. "
-LetsRun.com's Weldon Johnson on a new Running novel,
The Gift
(The Gift is now available from Amazon.com)

XC Spain: Bekele over Bekele in Seville, Spain XC, Gelete Burka Wins Women's IAAF The Tergat and Geb "race" was just an exchibition.

Sad News: Olympic 1500m Medallist Maria Cioncan Dies in Car Crash

10 Years Later WADA May Finally Have an HGH Test
And the NFL Players' Union is against it. Sad. But the test still can only detect HGH use in the last 36 hours. The scientists remain behind the cheats although progress is slowly being made.
*Double Standard on Drug Tests?: NFL Players Seem to Escape Scrutiny
Mark McGwire is ostracized NFL drug cheat Shawne Merriman goes to the Pro Bowl.

18 Year Old Yang Feng Xia, John Kelai Win Mumbai Standard Chartered Marathon IAAF

Brian Doyle Wants to Be Able to Compete for Scotland and Ireland Times of London Seems like he should only be able to compete for 1.

XC Action: Kenya:
*
Catherine Ndereba Wins Kenyan Prisons Champs IAAF
*Unknown Private William Chebon Wins Kenyan Armed Forces Champs IAAF

Post of the Day.... A poster disects the pschology of letsrun.com well: Webb runs 3:53 - he is the second coming.
Webb has a rough period post-university - he's done.
Webb destroys the Olympic Trials - he's going to beat El Guerrouj
Webb doesn't make the final - he's shit
Webb runs a great 10,000 - he can win the 5K...

After Struggling in 2005, Micah Kigo Emerged as a Star in 2006

David Millar Cleared on French Doping Charges Even Though He Admitted to Doping Guardian

Matt Tegenkamp Talks About Ryan Hall's Run, His Winter Training He wants Hall to focus on the track.

Lengthy Look at Dueling D's Dibaba and Defar set women's running on fire in 2006.

Russian Andrey Silnov After World Record in High Jump IAAF

Hungarians Roland Varga, Sprinter Geza Pauer and Javelin Thrower Gergely Horvath Get Doping Suspensions

Paula Radcliffe Has a Girl The baby doesn't have a name yet. But it is the only baby's who's mom has run 2:15 in the marathon. Just in case that's not enough, dad Gary has 3:34 1500m speed. Hopefully, mom and dad aren't too late that the baby didn't realize worlds are in August as she came out 10 days late.
*Kristiansen: Baby Won't Stop Paula

*Radcliffe's Birth Proves She's A Big Star In Britain As Exclusive Rights To First Pics of Baby Have Been Sold To A Celebrity Magazine Just like the big movie stars.

Banned Kenyan Lydia Cheromei Blames Fertility Treatments For Positive Test An interesting defense as Cheromei tested positive in Feb 2005 and she did have a daughter in Feb of 2006. Or perhaps she got pregnant after realizing she was banned?

Ugandan Road Race Attracting Top Talent
Interesting as the article says the race has a budget of only $1,000 but it's attracting African 10,000 champion Moses Kipsiro and Commonwealth chamipion Boniface Kiprop


Good News: WADA to Ammend Drug Code to Reduce Some Aspects of Strict Liability People who cheat on purpose should be treated differently.
Bad News: German Athletes Skip Doping Tests With No Repercussions

Ryan Hall Om the Boards::
One of the greatest American road performances (non marathon) ever was Todd Williams 42:22 15k Gate River Run. Ryan Hall split 42:21 Sunday and then ran nearly 4 more miles (although William's course was tougher)
*
How Much Does Ryan Hall Make a Year?
*Can Ryan Hall Win World XC?
*
Did Your Local Paper Have Press Coverage of Hall? Not unless you lived in Texas.
*
Renato Canova, Jason in, Wejo, Malmo etc...input on Ryan Hall's 2007 10000m/marathoning potential?
*Ryan Hall Shouldn't Run a Spring Marathon Some want him to focus on the 10k instead. Some say he should run a marathon now, so he gets the huge appearance fee he deserves for his debut marathon. (Instead of the Olympic Trials marathon getting him for "free." He could run a fall marathon besides the Trials instead of course and the 10k at the Olympics)

Footlocker XCs:
Boys:
Chad Hall Gets the Crown US star Ryan Hall is Chad's brother, but Chad has something Ryan never can get- the high school national championship.
*Footlocker XC Results
Girls:
South Reigns Supreme, Kathy Kroeger Wins, Aurora Scott 2nd link fixed Defending champ Jordan Hasay was 10th and 3 time runner up Mel Lawrence was 5th.
Predictions:
Tebo and Forys Neck and Neck, Hasay Expected to Repeat Check out the letsrun.com predictions. We give rankings for all 38 runners getting votes.

Ben Johnson Implies Carl Lewis' Camp Spiked His Sample in 1988, Joe Douglas Admits to Having Plant in Drug Testing Room The biggest revelation to us is that Douglas admitted that Lewis' camp was able to put people in the drug testing room with Johnson. Even if you accept Douglas' reason for the plant (to make sure Douglas did not take a masking agent), it shows what a joke drug testing was in 1980s. But rival sprint camps perhaps sabotaging one another or ratting on one another sadly is still a relevant topic today.

A Staff of One:
"
Perhaps the most valuable gift from Letsrun.com is a friendly willingness to share lessons learned by their editorial staff, which includes successful college coaches and highly competitive athletes. "

-Gary Droze, writing about letsrun.com in the
Tallahassee Democrat

NCAA XCs
Men: Mark Wetmore is the Man:

Colorado Stuns Wisconsin Again, Rohatinsky Wins

Team Recap: Colorado Does it Again: Men Come Out on Top, Women Finish 2nd
Individual:
Josh Rohatinsky Just Wanted to Get to 8k Near Lead No he's not 30. He's 24 and a few days younger than Jess Baumgartner who came out of nowhere to finish 3rd.
*Individual results

*Team Results The race was eerily similar to 2 years ago when Colorado, a huge underdog, came from behind to upset the heavily favored Badgers. Josh Rohatinsky won the individual title.
*Chris Solinsky Takes the Blame for Wisconsin's Loss www.madison.com
*Men's Recap from Terre Haute Newspaper
*Stanford Women Defend, Colorado Men Upset Wisconsin at 2006 NCAA XC Champs Race Results Weekly
Video:
*
Flocast Postrace Interviews of Mark Wetmore,Chris Solinsky and Josh McDougal 1 very happy guy and 2 very disappointed ones.
*Flocast Interviews With Men's Top 3 Post Race
*Flocast Video Highlights of Men's Nationals Watch them before CBS comes calling.

Bob Kennedy Interview
"I think the question then becomes when, and at what point are we, as organizing bodies, USA Track and Field, IAAF, the other national governing bodies from all over the world, going to really invest the money that its necessary in testing to keep up and get ahead of, the people who are using the system to cheat. And that will take money. It takes money to develop the tests for the different variants of the drugs that these people are coming up with, and only when you have that kind of investment will you really stop it. Otherwise, they're just faking it."
-Bob Kennedy, in a LetsRun.com interview where he talks about drugs, success, shoes (the Kennedy XC) and Tegenkamp

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.

"Everybody in Kenya is trying to come to America. I had no dream about coming because I knew this was impossible. It was a miracle," Kiplagat said. "That is why I take advantage of every opportunity. I came here, graduated in three years, and count myself blessed"- Richard Kiplagat who graduated from Iona in 3 years and had a 3.75 GPA

"This is not coming out of retirement, this is just me showing that if you just enjoy what you are doing and stay in there and set little goals. I do a lot of speaking, I've spoken to every group in Australia and I tell them back when I ran I set little goals and I think here I am telling these guys, but I've got to do it myself and tonight was really a chance to walk the walk"
-Steve Moneghetti, who at age 43, broke the world best for the 1 hour run for master's, averaging sub 5 minute pace the whole way as Ron Clarke, John Landy, and Robert De Castella watched him run.

Paul Tergat
*"As the holy scriptures say, 'for whoever much is given, much is expected,' it is, therefore, my duty and privilege to help in any small way in giving back to society."
-Marathon world record holder, Paul Tergat, speaking after founding a sports foundation that will help disadvantaged youths.
*Tergat's hamstring injury has healed and he says he's ready to go at NYC: "I expect good results as I am in good shape" but he's out of next week's Half Marathon in Britain, but interestingly Gezahegne Abera (remember him, formerly the greatest marathoner in the world) is running. www.registerguard.com

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.

Training Advice:
Advice from the pros
.Top 10 Training Tips
LetsRun.com's Weldon Johnson gives his top 10 training tips. They helped him run a 28:27 10k 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.
Marathon Training Program
Do you want to run a successful marathon? Sign up for our marathon training program. Let our experts show you how.
High School Section
Interviews
Turn Back the Clock:
Interviews With Today's Stars on Their High School Careers

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.

Good News: Leonard Mucheru Gets His Bahraini Citizenship Back Peace in the Middle East must be next.

More Ryan Hall News: Ryan Hall Gets Some Press in the Washington Times
*Ryan Hall Teleconference Recap
The teleconference was on Monday but we didn't know it existed until readin the Washington Times article.

Popular Threads:
*Olympic Gold Medallist, Bob Schul, Gerry Lindgren discuss their 1964 Race against Canadian Phenom Bruce Kidd Where They All Broke the American Record
*
When Rod Dixon wore that Darth Vader videocam
*
Renato Canova, Jason in, Wejo, Malmo etc...input on Ryan Hall's 2007 10000m/marathoning potential?

Kajsa Bergqvist Once Finished Last in 3 Events at Swedish Junior Champs, Now She's the Best in the World

1 Race, 1 True Champion, 1 Great Party: LetsRun.com Official Partner With Boulder 2007 It doesn't get any better than USATF XC Nationals this year. Ritz, Culpepper, Goucher, Torres, Abdi, and more all in 1 race. We're proud to be associated with it.
*Deatails above. If you want to see our flash intro again click here.
*Flash Intro Updated with new photos thanks to Victah Sailer of Photorun.net
*Old flash intro here Nike is very powerful so we had to switch the photos.

Centro Featured in Washington City Paper

Footlocker XC Contest
Check the provisional final scores. Email us if you think there are errors. The scoring system
is here. If you didn't play and want to check the scores click here.

Wejo Speaks:
"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"

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

Trails are the #1 Amenity Homeowners Would Like to See in a New Community New York Times

More on the Amazing John Woodruff from Arizona Republic: "I'm most proud that I was able to do what I did in track and field in order to bring a good name for the Woodruffs."- John Woodruff
-NY Times Article on Woodruff
*
There is a Race in Woodfuff's Name in PA

On the Boards:
*
College Coaching Salaries Exposed If you're in it for the money get a job teaching high school. It pays better.

So True: "Eight years ago, Yesalis and UCLA labratory chief Don Catlin were asked independently how much money it would take for research to really fight doping, and both said the figure would be in excess of $50 million. The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency spends roughly $2million a year on research."-New York Daily News writer

Arthur Lydiard Quotes:
"
Train Don't Strain"

-famed distance coach Arthur Lydiard
Friday's 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


'Suddenly I got to the age of 36, and one day I realized I can't ever run any quicker than I'm running at this moment"
(Coe reportedly stopped midwork and never ran another competitive step)

-SebCoe,
2 time 1500m gold medallist and former 800m world record holder, according to Frank Deford in an audio essay on the doping scandal.

Great Advice:
"I am glad that because I chose to focus on a personal goal, pursued passionately and today I bear testimony of what it can yield, even beyond my wildest expectations. I hope that this will somehow encourage someone here today as well, to pursue his dream and vision...Usually, I get quite enriched whenever I have an opportunity to positively touch the life of someone. Such opportunities to show concern enable me, and indeed all of us, to share what God has placed into our hands."

-World Record Holder in the Marathon and Humanitarian Paul Tergat in his acceptance speech for his honary degree from Bloomfield College in New Jersey.

More Great Advice for the Greatest Distance Runner Ever:
Haile Gebrselassie says work hard, be patient, and take your recovery days seriously.
Good Read.

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).

Great Read: "...there would be days I would run 70 km (43 miles) and then there are days I would run 20 or so. I just mentioned that figure (70) to state that there are days I would actually run up to 70 or so. The fact that I can run that much gives me confidence and makes me believe I am doing a good job."
-former world record holder in the marathon Naoko Takahashi in Part I of a fascinating interview with Japan Times on her training

*Part II Here

Inspirational Running Poem

You know you're a runner if....... (our reader's fill in the blanks with some hilarious responses on the message boards)

Is it the VAAM?:
"I thought for a few minutes my legs would be sore. But my legs weren't heavy at all. I went jogging and felt as good as ever."
-Naoka Takahashi won won the Berlin marathon and reportedly went for a "long run" the day after. Takahashi credits some of her success to VAAM, the sports drink from made from stomach acid of killer hornets that she drinks.
If you want order VAAM
click here

Runnersworld.com apologizes to letsrun.com