Beer, The Great Motivator

"I felt terrible for the first 20 km, but then everything clicked into place. The whole last 500 m I was thinking about the beer that was waiting for me at the finish. This win is a big step forward for me, but more than what it means for me I hope it shows other Japanese runners that there are different ways to have a career and that the corporate team system needs to become more flexible."

- Japan's Arata Fujiwara after winning the Ottawa Marathon in a course record 2:09:33, the fastest Japanese marathoning time of the year. As Brett Larner put it, Fujiwara's decision to quit his corporate team - Team JR Nigashi Nihon - earlier this year was "unprecedented" for a Japanese male at the top of his elite career.

Comrades Marathon *Top 10 Results *Full Recap

Comrades Excitement: Muzhingi Repeats, Cox Struggles Get the full story of the 2010 Comrades including the suicidal opening pace, Muzhingi's patient, tough comeback, 1-2 domination by the Nurgalieva twins and even a little video of the finish and post-race comments.
*Boards: Cox 6:51:29
Josh Cox apparently struggled with stomach issues and crossed the line 20 minutes behind US woman Kami Semick, who was 4th in the women's race.
*More Boards: Josh Cox (the human hype machine) gets destroyed
*Profile: Zimbabwe's Stephen Muzhingi, Reigning Comrades Champion

Hengelo Meet - Bad Weather Doesn't Stop Defar - 14:38

*Event-by-event Hengelo Recap Christin Wurth-Thomas 2nd to Nancy Lagat in a fast 4:04 for 1,500m. Abubaker Kaki is back with 1:45 win - will match up with David Rudisha in a few days in Bislett Games. In 7:41 3,000, Saif Saeed Shaheen of Qatar was only 9th (7:46.82)
*FBK Games Video From our friend in the Netherlands.
*Video: Dayron Robles Not Amused After Crashing Out Of Wet Hengelo Hurdles

More From Europe: Bryan Clay And Jessica Ennis Win Goztis Combined Events Challenge
*Thorkildsen Launches 90m Javelin

Oregon Elite Scene

Shalane Flanagan To Announce Fall Marathon While In New York As the folks at Track Focus point out, it's pretty unlikely the choice will be Berlin or Chicago though ING NYC has not been confirmed.
*OTC Elite Help Out At Oregon's HS State Meet - Run Elite 1,500 Nick Symmonds was the surprise, finishing only 7th in 3:45. Flanagan was 2nd in the women's 1,500 as the pros mixed in with the HS kids in Eugene.

2.04m 6'8.25" - Chaunte Lowe Breaks American High Jump Record
Howard Lowe of the U.S. reacts after winning the women's high jump at the IAAF World Challenge Zlata Tretra in Ostrava

BolderBOULDER Preview With Team Listings Ethiopian men look very strong. American men: Hartmann, Torres, Carlson.
*Boards: Bolder Boulder Elite Race

Ottawa Race Weekend 10k *Results *LRC Photos

Dire Tune Wins Gender Challenge, Feyisa Lelisa Wins Men's Race In Ottawa Feyisa Lelisa, Deriba Merga and the men were 1 minute off WR pace, so Tune took the gender prize purse home.

Comrades - All 89km - Coming Sunday! *Wiki Page

Amazing Read: Zimbabwe's Stephen Muzhingi, Reigning Comrades Champion Muzhingi's story - to start, he's the first African not from South Africa to win Comrades - is simply incredible. Find out what his occupation is, how he got into running, why he needed someone from his country at the awards stand, why he wants to present the trophy to President Mugabe and more.

Unlike Soccer, American Runner Has A Prayer In South Africa
Josh Cox Ready To Roll Race, Then Check Progress Of Team World Vision Charity Work

A woman shops inside a Foot Locker store in New York Matt Fitzgerald: Doctors Reporting "Born To Run" Causing Epidemic Of Running Injuries It's best to remember that switching to Vibram or barefoot is not a magic bullet for health or running success.
*Latest Boards: Can minimalism help a beginning runner who is highly prone to shin splints?

LetsRun.com's The Week That Was In Running
The 2012 Olympic mascot Wenlock and Paralympic mascot Mandeville pose for photographers in the playground at St. Paul's primary school in LondonLast week was light in terms of domestic US action, but we've found plenty to talk about. In roving the globe from Shanghai to Daegu to California, we find time to rip the new 2012 Olympic mascots, wonder if long years are in store for top US pros Shalane Flanagan and Jacob Hernandez, catch up with Lukas Verzbicas, give out free coaching advice from Jerry Schumacher and bow down to the great Japanase sprinters with an introduction to Shota Iizuka.

Ostrava Golden Spike *Results/Recap *LRC Ostrava Photos

Usain Bolt is human after all as he could not break Michael Johnson's world 300m record. Bernard Lagat was third in the 3k.
*Powell Breaks Charlie Green's 100yd World Best
 
*Ben Johnson Talks To Media - Warns Usain Bolt Of Sabotage 22 years later, Ben Johnson is opening up to the media with appearances, new book.

Who's Racing Where

Manager Jos Hermens Says Torn Calf Means Bekele Is Likely Out For Season

Top 3 Sport Reads

Recommended Read: Anton Krupicka Talks Training We usually don't have time to cover ultra-marathoners unless they're amazing hype machines (see Josh Cox, Dean K) or they name us as influences like Boulder's Krupicka.

Floyd Landis Offers Details On How Athletes Beat New Biological Passport Testing With Ease Living in a fantasy world where top athletes, managers, coaches and sponsors aren't giving 100% effort to cheat the system? Read this article.
*More: Paper On EPO Testing Co-Authored By LetsRun Reader

David Owen: Charlie Francis Was My Sporting Hero

Bonus: Semenya Gives AP Interview - Says IAAF Decision Won't Affect Her

Arata Fujiwara's Drive For Beer Propels Him To 2:09 Victory
LRC Ottawa Marathon and 10k Photos *LRC New 2010 Photo Gallery

Renegade Fujiwara Runs 2:09:33 Course Record In Ottawa Brett Larner, Japan Running News

Fujiwara: "When I drove the course earlier, I saw cafes and pubs and thought it would be nice to go in. Now that I've won, I'll have a few drinks." Ottawa Citizen
 

Steamy NCAA D1 Regionals Conclude
East Results --- West Results

IAAF Notices: Strong Sprint Times Highlight NCAA Regionals We were blown away by the number of top sprint times. In terms of distance, a lot happened but the big highlight was Andrew Wheating dominating in 1:46, 3:37.

Boards: Texas A&M coach RIPS NCAA regional system They already have the studs, the programs, the staff, the facilities, the meets - of course they want automatic entry of all their top guys to NCAAs.
*Lananna Uses Puskedra To Rabbit McNamara To NCAAs Maybe regionals aren't all that bad.
*DEAR VIN LANANNA: Here are the reasons to have regionals
*Below: A&M's 4 x 1 Not Exactly Struggling To Advance ...

LRC Exclusive The 24/8 NCAA Qualifying Plan Explained - Day 4: Women's Field Events
This year in outdoor track, we have the Pure Regional system. Last year was regionals plus time qualifiers. The NCAA plan for next year may likely be a totally different version. As a way of looking ahead, we took the time to find out exactly who would make NCAAs this year if the proposed "Wilson Plan" or "24/8 Plan" was already in place.
Day 4: Women's Field Events
Day 3: Women's Running Events
Day 2: Men's Field Events
Day 1: Introduction/Men's Running Events

Apparently This Is Controversial

USATF Launches Coaches Registry Program In order to become a coach registered with USATF you must now undergo criminal, terrorist, sex offender and identity verification procedures and sign a code of conduct.

D2 And D3 Nationals This Weekend

*D2 Results
*Boards: ADAM STATE SCORES 2PTS IN 10,000M D2
St. Augustine's wins another men's title, Angelo State takes women's. Adams State got 8 in the 5k and 13 in the 1,500.

*D3 Results, Recap
*Boards: DIII Outdoor Nationals
North Central men win XC/indoor/outdoor triple crown, Illinois Wesleyan takes women's championship.

Inspiration From Billy Mills

Believe, Believe, Believe - Billy Mills Continues To Inspire

Recommended Read: Sports Illustrated: Army 800m Runner Andy Ferrara Follows Brothers To Battle After Regionals

Scientists, Medicine, Testosterone Deodorant And Sport

Upcoming Events For The Sport That Never Sleeps

Thursday: Usain Bolt To Run Golden Spike Ostrava 300m David Rudisha will contest the 800m as well.

Friday And Saturday: Preview Of NCAA Regional 800m Regionals will run from Thursday - Saturday to determine who makes NCAAs in Eugene.

Sunday: Josh Cox And Team World Vision Head To South Africa For Sunday's Comrades Ultra We're fascinated by Josh Cox's attempt to win this race.

Monday: Boulder, CO Getting Excited For Memorial Day Bolder Boulder

More Weird Cheating News From China

Shandong Marathon Winner Banned After Ringer Revealed Video revealed that the supposed race winner actually hired a ringer to run for her.

Another Rising Star - Titus Mbishei

Cross Country: 37th IAAF World Championships-Junior Men Titus Mbishei Announces His Arrival With Big Win Over Kipsiro, Lelisa, Tola and Merga 19-year-old Titus Mbishei truly left his mark this weekend by defeating some big names by big margins in Bangalore, India.
*Young Kenyan Mbishei Will Use Prize Money To Help Teammates An amazing gesture from Mbishei, who won $21,000 and trains with 25 other guys in Kenya.
*Titus Mbishei Profile World junior XC and 10,000m silver medalist has run 27:31 for 10,000m. Stats courtesy of Pace Sports Management

More Interesting Results
*Geoffrey Mutai Follows 2:04 Marathon With 1:07 Half Marathon Win At Altitude In Nairobi

*20-Year-Old Teddy Tamgho Sets Triple Jump World Best With Amazing Series You may remember Tamgho as the guy who broke the indoor TJ world record (we gave him the quote of the day because he sounded so interesting).

Video Of The Next Sprinting Phenom? Check Out Japan's Shota Iizuka We knew something crazy must have happened when distance running enthusiast Brett Larner of JapanRunningNews.blogspot.com sent us a link to a university 4 x 100 video. Chuo University (lane 5, in white) runs 38.54 thanks to a monster anchor leg from freshman Shota Iizuka. 38.54 would have won the NCAA 4 x 100 final last year, almost beaten the 2nd American team at Penn Relays (38.50), and made almost any Olympic or WC final. Worth a watch.
*More From Larner: Dream Win For 5,000m Underdog

Shanghai Diamond League Coverage *Full Results *LRC Photos

LRC Recap/Results: Bolt Smashes Competition, Fast Distance Races Headline Shanghai Diamond League
*LRC Photos Usain Bolt ran 19.76 or better for the 11th time in his career (the next closest guy in history has 3). Other happenings included Liu Xiang finishing as the 2nd Chinese hurdler, Sentayehu Ejigu winning a great 5,000 in 14:30, Asbel Kiprop showing he is in top form, and flops by some dominant field eventers.

*Bolt 19.76 Video
*Shanghai Meet Writeup From IAAF
*Bolt Tells Gay He Can Chase The Records Bolt says to Gay - go ahead and chase my times, I'm just trying to stay undefeated this year.