January 06, 2014 Homepage Archive

Where Your Dreams Become Reality

Archived Homepage For January 06, 2014

Quote Of The Day

“I know I haven’t run a very fast marathon in my career so far. But what people forget is that I am still learning. You can’t judge someone who hasn’t run more than 10 marathons. I have competed against very experienced marathoners and defeated them. … On a good day, I am sure I can run 2:05. I can even attempt the world record (2:03:23). It’s very possible.”

– Olympic and World marathon champ Stephen Kiprotich talking confidently about his prospects for a fast marathon time at 2014 London, for which he starts training next week. In November, Kiprotich was much less confident about his time prospects as he told us before New York there was no way he could run 2:03.

Two Recommended Reads

Recommended Read #1 Why Do Tens Of Millions Watch 15 Hours Of Distance Running In Japan? Brett Larner’s Got Some Ideas Larner agrees with us – an Ekiden is way more entertaining than a regular race. NYC Marathon producers, please read.
Recommended Read #2 Four Years Ago, She Was A 2:41 Marathoner, Now At Age 37, She’s A 2:23 World Silver Medallist – The Incredible Story Of Valeria Straneo According to the IAAF, the key to her breakthrough was she had her spleen removed as she suffered from a rare hereditary disease called spherocytosis, an anaemic condition which can damage red blood cells.

More Inspiration

US News

Team Run Flagstaff Launches Pro Division – Olympians Ryan Hall And Janet Cherobon-Bawcom Join Good news – there’s now a non-profit in the birthplace of LetsRun.com supporting aspiring elites.
Lolo Jones’s Case For Spot On Olympic Bobsled Team Gets Boost With Silver Medal Run In Germany Jones and Lauryn Williams are two of the four finalists for three push spots.
Canada News: Canadian 71:42 Half Marathoner Dayna Pidhoresky Has Moved To Vancouver To Train With The BC Endurance Project (BCEP)

Asbel Kiprop Allegation & Denial

Asbel Kiprop Denies Gun Assault/Alcohol Claims Kiprop has issued a vehement denial and says he was just looking for grub after watching a Premiere League match with his training mates.
MB: Kiprop denies all allegations: “At the moment, I am only armed with my spikes and training shoes. I do not take alcohol.”

Previous:1,500 Star Asbel Kiprop To Be Charged For Beating Up Security Guard That Wouldn’t Let Him Drink After Hours At Bar “Kiprop punched me several times on the mouth and kicked me on my private parts saying that he is a police inspector and cannot be questioned by anyone or taken anywhere.”
MB:Asbel Kiprop Might Be Going To Jail
*Assuming He’s Not In Jail In A Week, Asbel Kiprop Will Try To Defend Great Edinburgh Cross-Country Crown Next Saturday
*Blog From Kenya: Someone Please Advise Asbel Kiprop Before He Loses His Career

New Running Shoe Introduced

LRCMizuno Running 2014: The Launch Of The Wave Paradox

Mizuno used its "One Minute/One Product" pitch at the 2013 Running Event to talk about the new Mizuno Wave Paradox.

What A Difference A Decade Makes

Recommened Read10 Years Ago, The US Sucked In The Mid-Distances, Now The US Is A World Power – Why?David Monti reminds us just how much things have changed from 2003 to 2013 as 10 years ago no one from the US made the final of Worlds in the 800 or 1,500 and only six men and women broke 3:40/4:10.

2013 IAAF End-Of-Year Review Of 800 And 1,500 Races 2013 was supposed to be the year of the 800 but some of the stars of the incredible 2012 Olympic final struggled in 2012, but not Nick Symmonds and Mo Aman.

Protect Your Weenie:

Toni Reavis On Running In The Cold And Dealing With Dreaded Penis Frostbite

The Key To Jamaican Sprint Success Unveiled?

Perfectly Symmetrical Legs Are Key To Jamaican Sprint Success “We found that Jamaican children have particularly symmetric legs, in comparison to Europeans. Furthermore, in children symmetry in the legs, particularly in the knees, predicted their willingness to sprint and their sprinting times when they were adults.”

Random But Why Not?

3 Good Reads

#1Australian Olympians Ryan Gregson & Genevieve LaCaze Are Dating Quite an interesting read. Did you know that Gregson one day hopes to be a bar owner?
#2Great Profile Of Ireland’s 3rd-Ever World Champ Rob Heffernan: Emerging From The Shadows To Be Best Of Best Yes, we’ve ridiculed the walks over the years, but this is a great profile of what it takes to get to the top. That being said, we didn’t like how he praised Russian dopers for all of the hard work they put in before they dope.
*Previous:Heffernan’s Gold Medal Stolen But Recovered By Police*Heffernen’s Tweet Causes Uproar
#3 Chris Kelsall Congratulates India For Banning Entire States For Doping Did you know the Ancient Olympics were finally shut down in 393 because of rampant corruption?

News From Africa

World And Olympic Champ Stephen Kiprotich Is Sounding More Confident About His Prospects For A Fast Marathon: “I am sure I can run 2:05.” In the past, Kiprotich, who starts training for London next week, wasn’t sure he could run fast.
After Winning Berlin And Then $25,000+ In Delhi For HM, Florence Kiplagat Wins Final Leg Of Athletics Kenya XC Series The winner of the men’s race was Kiprono Kurgat, who is coached by 3-time Boston champ Ibrahim Hussein and is often based in North Carolina.
Rotterdam Pacesetter Barnabas Sigei Dominates Administration Police (AP) XC Champs In Kenya Sigei is trianing for the Vienna marathon.

News From Europe

RIP:Former British Steeplechase Record Holder Andy Holden Has Died At 65 The Olympian ran 8:26 in the steeple in 1972 and 2:15:18 in the marathon in 1980.
There Are Now Less Than 200 Days Until The XX Commonweath Games And Scotland Is Starting To Get Excited
Women’s 400 Hurdles World Champion Zuzana Hejnova To Miss Indoor Season Due To Broken Toe
France’s 21-Year-Old Sprint Phenom Jimmy Vicaut (9.95 PR) Plots A Big 2014 He’s hoping to be just the 2nd man to win European gold in under 10.00.

News From Jamaica

3 Recommended Reads

Inspired By LetsRun.com’s “Clean Or Dirty” Poll, The Science Of Sport Analyzes The Suspected Dirtiness Of The World Records Scientifically Some of the women’s world records, which on average are over 20 years old, are simply untouchable. “Doping moves performances beyond the realms of possibility – it takes women’s performances and pushes them out 10%, to a point where it is no longer possible to match them without androgenic assistance.”
Toyo University Grows Lead And Comes Through With Second-Fastest Hakone Ekiden Win This is EXCELLENT RUNNING JOURNALISM. 1843 words that totally tell you what the biggest event in Japan is all about. Toyo, who had been second in every single Ekiden since legendary ace Ryuji Kashiwabara graduated in 2012, got the job done.
*Japan News:Toyo pulls away, cruises to 4th Hakone win
Great New York Times Piece On 86-Year-Old Joy Johnson – The Woman Who Died Happily After Falling At Mile 20 Of NYC Marathon She always said she hoped to die with her laces on and she almost did.

More Action Of Note

World Champion Japhet Korir Has Best Outing Since Worlds, Wins In N. Ireland – Fionnuala Britton Is 4th Uganda’s 10,000-meter man Thomas Ayeko was second as steeplechase silver medallist Conseslus Kipruto 20-year-old Cornelius KiprutoKangogo was 3rd. Bahrain’s Mimi Belete won a tight women’s race over Maryam Jamal as Mimi’s sister Almensch was the first European (via Ethiopia) in third ahead of two-time defending champ Fionnuala Britton who was 4th. *IAAF Recap
*Japhet Korir Needs To Recover Fast As He’s Racing 2013 Silver Medallist Imane Merga At The Campaccio Meeting In Italy On Monday This is a rematch of 1-2 from last year’s Worlds. *Follow It Live – Chris Barnicle Of USA Is Running
Pre-Race: Fionnuala Britton Is #1 Women’s Name At Saturday’s N. Ireland XC Meet
*World Champion Japhet Korir Leads Men’s Field

Time To Guess …

MB: Awesome: 2:05:12 marathoner Stanley Biwott ran a 1500 yesterday, 2 days after winning NYear’s 10k – Guess his time
1976 Olympic Bronze Medallist Brendan Foster Reveals The Highlight Of His Athletics Career Came In Year ****
NYTimes.com Investigates – Why Is **** The Most Doped Country In The World? With more than 500+ positives since 2009, can you guess the name of this country?

Next Saturday

Next Saturday: Chris Derrick, Bobby Mack And Joe Grey To Lead; Team USA Announced For Bupa Great Edinburgh Cross-Country; USATF.tv To Air LIVE For Free USATF will broadcast for free at 8:15 am ET.
*NXN Champ Wilmot & FL Runner-Up Dressel Lead US Juniors Selected For Bupa Great Edinburgh XC

UK News

Tom Farrell Is Off To Kenya To Train, Soon Will Be Joined By Mo Farah, But After That He May Or May Not Return To US The former OK State Cowboy hasn’t quite figured out where he wants to be based.
Now Retired, Former UK 800 International Karen Cudby (Harewood) Is Running London Marathon To Raise Money To Give Back To Athletics At Age 38 A nice gesture by Karen, who once broke her femur so badly at the European Champs that doctors thought she’d been in a car accident, to support the Ron Pickering Memorial Fund.

New Year’s Week Races

Thursday: Hakone Ekiden: Led By Identical Twin Seniors Keita And Yuta Shitara, Toyo University Has Day One Hakone Ekiden Lead The sub-28 seniors both won their stages as Toyo put up the second-fastest time ever on day one. Komazawa University is in second, however, less than a minute back and looking to be the 4th school ever to win the triple crown.
Thursday: Mare Dibaba Sets Course Record At Xiamen Marathon (2:21:36)In her first marathon in 17 months, Mare Dibaba, who has a 2:19:52 PR, went out fast and was on 2:19:29 pace at 30km before fading. 38-year-old Mariko Kiplagat won a tactical men’s race in 2:08:06.
*IAAF head starts 2014 with a bang in China
2:05:12 Marathoner Stanely Biwott Beats 12:48 5ker Yenew Alamirew To Win In Luanda – Priscah Jeptoo Wins Women’s Title The time (28:31) may not seem fast but it was 90 degrees with 50+% humidity. In the women’s race, 2013 NY Marathon champ Priscah Jeptoo returned to racing with a win in 32:10.
Konica Minolta Repeats As New Year Ekiden Champs In Japan

Another Slow Saturday

Australia’s Len Johnson Wonders: Why Do We Suck At Track? The Aussies for three straight years have only had a single person (Sally Pearson) ranked in the top 10 in the world in a track (not field or walking) event. We’d start by saying your population of just 22 million makes it tough.
Kenyan Runner Fractures His Leg And Had To Drop Out Of Japan’s Biggest Ekiden Relay, Bows Repeatedly In Front Of Team And Says “I’m Sorry” “Everybody has told me, ‘Don’t lose hope, don’t quit running.’ That has made me very glad. I’ve come to understand that in the Ekiden you share in both the joy and the sadness.”
MB: Ever wonder what happens if someone drops out of an Japanese ekiden, now we know – Kenyan fractures leg mid-race
2012 Olympic Steeple Champ Yulia Zaripova Is Pregnant, Vows To Be Back For 2016 Games
New WADA President Issues Welcome MessageSir Craig Reedie has been with WADA since its inception and he’s pumped the IOC has given it $10 million for research.
The Telegraph: Is 16-Year-Old Heptathlete Morgan Lake The Next British Athletics Star?
Usain Bolt Was 7th In World In Endorsements In 2013 At $24 Million Before you get too excited, realize a cricket player is #6.
IAAF Review Of Combined Events Challenge 2013

One We Missed

One We Missed: Peter Najem Wins 2013 Millennium Mile In 3:58.55

Blog It Up

Pat Rizzo Blogs About Highs And Lows Of His Marathon Buildup For Houston “After the frustration of Twin Cities Marathon, my target immediately became revenge. In this case, revenge comes in the form of Houston Marathon on January 19th.”
After Very Disappointing 2013, Lisa Uhl Blogs About Her Goals For 2014 She’s going to start hitting the roads a little in 2014.
Birmingham CrossPlex: $48 Million Indoor Track And Swimming Complex In Middle Of Birmingham, AL Ghetto Is Getting Nice Reviews
MB:Anyone been to Birmingham CrossPlex – indoor track and swimming complex in middle of Birmingham ghetto?

Nick Symmonds Signs With Brooks

The Oregonian On Symmonds’ Departure:Symmonds Doesn’t Rule Out Living In Eugene After His Career Is Over

LRCNick Symmonds Is Thrilled To Have Say At Brooks – “Just sitting in Eugene twiddling my thumbs waiting for Nike to call me – that was not satisfying for me.” In an exclusive chat with LetsRun, Symmonds reveals the financial the deals offered to him by Nike and Brooks were similar, but at Brooks he’s got input. Symmonds also talks about training without Mark Rowland, how fortunate he is as compared to Leo Manzano, and the high quality of journalism one can find on LetsRun.com each day.

LRCAnalysis: 4 Quick Thoughts About Symmonds’ Move The Brooks Beasts Track club has a high profile member now as Symmonds is leaving Nike, Oregon and coach Mark Rowland to move to Seattle and Brooks.