“Running, for Van, was not training or doing a sport. It was a way of being, a radical counter-culture for a chosen few. He didn’t coach a team or build training plans. He created a world of values and mystery, and invited you in. Those who crossed the threshold would be forever fundamentally changed.
Van’s world unlocked runners. How do you take an adolescent boy and convince him to run 80 miles per week? How do you create a band of brothers, willing to pour themselves out, day after day, under the hot sun? How do you take 20 or so young men from a small town in Tennessee and craft a team that is able to compete with the best teams in the nation? These are the things that Van did.”
– Jeff Edmonds in his eulogy for LRCer Van Townsend. LetsRun.com remembers Van here.
LRC 2015 USA Half Marathon Championships Preview: Can 39-Year-Old Meb 3-Peat? Meb Keflezighi goes for the three-peat against Josphat Boit, Shadrack Biwott, Diego Estrada and Girma Mecheso. In the women’s race, marathon specialists Annie Bersagel and Lauren Kleppin will attempt to hold off U.S. 10,000 champ Kim Conley. Sara Hall and 2012 Olympian Janet Bawcom are also in the field.
LRCFour Thoughts On The 2015 Women’s Race Which Features The “Fantastic Four” From Kenya Nothing in our beloved sport can equal the 2015 men’s London field but the women’s equal is pretty special with 3 former champs in Mary Keitany (2:18:37), Edna Kiplagat (2:19:50 PR), and Priscah Jeptoo (2:20:14 PR) plus the fastest half runner in history – Florence Kiplagat. We break it down for you.
*Paula Radcliffe is running, but will announce on January 30th is she’s in elite race or not Amazingly, Radcliffe hasn’t raced London since 2005.
*Press Release From London Organizers
*RRW:London Marathon Women’s Field Does Not Disappoint
*LRC Archives From Last Week:Is The Men’s Field The Greatest Ever?
Steve and Sara Slattery are hosting the party and want runners, non-runners, and LRCers to be there.
LRC Remembering LRCer Van TownsendThe running world lost one of its bright lights this week with the death of Van Townsend.
*MB: RIP Van Townsend: Share Your Respects Here
Not Your Normal Boring Q&A: Good Chris Derrick Q&A – “I think I can run with anyone in the world.” “My college teammate Garrett Heath just went out there and beat the world cross-country champion. I never lost to Garrett in cross-country, so if he can do that, I want to be able to do that, too.”
*MB: Chris Derrick talks big: “I think I can run with anyone in the world.”
More Good Stuff: Alan Abrahamson Breaks Down The 2024 Boston Bid Like Only He Can He said it was obvious Boston was the choice when Thomas Bach came out with an Op-Ed in the Boston Globe two days before. Also was Boston selected because it’s on the East Coast?
*Boston 2024 Likely To Get Insurance To Protect Against Cost Overruns
2008 Olympic Champ Wilfred Bungei Says Current Drug Cheats Are Causing Him Problems In Retirement People ask him if he doped.
LRC Meb Or Galen? Vote For LetsRun.com’s 2014 Award It’s time to vote. Vote and tell us who are the male and female runners of the year for the World, US, and NCAA. Plus vote for the “best record-breaking performance,” the “race of the year,” the “moment of the year” and “unusual moment of the year.”
Recommend Read: Kudos To The Ultimate Internet Sleuth: MB: Canadian proves that 2012 Russian Olympic champ competed on Dec 30th while banned!Evan Dunfee has done an amazing job showing you how the Russians have doctored photos to make it look like Elena Lashmanova‘s race took place in 2012, not 2014. *IAAF Investigating
Jeremy Wariner May Open 2015 With 800m Run If he does, thousands of LetsRun.com fans will get the answer to the ultimate hypothetical they’ve been debating for years.
*MB: At last our dreams will become reality: Jeremy Wariner may open 2015 up at 800m!!! How fast (slow) will he go?
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