Harlem 26.2

Thanks for Reading Harlem 26.2 - Goodbye :(

2008-03-26T17:48:00.010-04:00

I am a runner. All runners are people of devotion, commitment, and perseverance - and it is that ethic in me - that motivated me to blog on my reflections and thoughts, through the lens of running, for a full year. Today closes the loop on a full year and nearly 400 blog entries. I never wanted to "play it safe", never cared about being politically correct, did not mind offending anyone, did not spell and grammar check, I just wanted to publish streams of thought - consistently and supported with a myriad of reference sources and documentation, and be authentic to who I am. If I never annoyed or provoked you to think I'm an idiot, I failed. Likewise if I never was able to get you to consider despite all my rough edges and flaws, I'm a decent person at the end of the day - I failed once more. Visceral responses either way are all good with me - I never wanted to be boring - I hoped to be a momentary diversion in the course of your day - a voice saying something you're not likely to hear elsewhere. I wanted this blog to be of interest and accessible to the non-runner. This blog was about entries like this, Eve Pell and Susan Graham-Gray. If you did not catch this blog, click those links - and experience Eve Pell's words & Susan Graham-Gray's spirit. Despite how you see me rip on the Black Marathoners, Eve Pell & Susan Graham-Gray is what this blog was really all about. Eve Pell actually contacted me and thanked me, as did many of the hundreds of people I spoke of (to my surprise). On a ridiculous note the Katie Holmes NYC Marathon Conspiracy entry got picked up by some of the biggest celebrity blog sites in the U.S., went world-wide, and I had people in Russia for example asking me for interviews on it - that one entry has gotten over half a million hits to date. I actually had established sports writers contact me on my blog about Lance Armstrong and told me I was spot on accurate in my comments (I said what they could not). I thought I would be able to but I could not talk about my business matters. Though the country's economic outlook is bleak - I'm going to be okay - things are relatively on a decent track. The sub 3 @ NYC '07 did not happen (3:05). I was sick as a dog that day too, damn. Oh well, I've chosen to bypass cherry picking and finding a flat & fast marathon course somewhere - and fully intend to go sub 3 in '08 @ NYC. Yes the sub 3 would be sweet - but you know what would be sweeter? Just being a regular 'ol father, running around Central Park pushing a baby jogger. That's what I really want - and hopefully that's what I'll be doing in about a year. I mentioned her once or twice - but over this past year I met and got involved with an amazing woman who I shall call "K". If you read this blog closely, at this entry in October I went to Tiffany's here in NYC a week before the NYC marathon and bought the classic 6 prong platinum diamond ring. I will be getting married this Summer, working on getting the "bun in the oven" right now. No sub 3 but a far better happy ending! (which is really the beginning).

I wanted to be a voice out of Harlem that you did not necessarily expect...from Harlem or from a Black man - a voice on distance running. Harlem is a very different place than you might think if you're not current on things.... 2 bedroom condos going for $1 Million+ is standard to see. A point of curiosity - would you believe more White people can be found running through Harlem than Black people? It's true. Anyway and to the point, I wanted to bring to the blogosphere something different on many levels. At least that was the intent.

I can't do this anymore. My business matters are about to be very demanding - I'm planning on getting married, starting a family, buying a second home outside NYC (but I will always live in Harlem), the whole sha-bang. It's going to be hard to even find time to just run - but I will run, I have to run - it's how I keep my head together. This site and all its content will remain here and on-line. Search it, take content from it, share it, there is a wealth of content herein. Anyone can email me by clicking the "View My Complete Profile" button on the side...and I can always be found running....in NYC's Central Park - the greatest place to run in the world, that green rectangle area you see above in the greatest city in the world, New York. It's always neat when other runners, strangers to me, in Central Park give me a "Harlem 26.2" shout out when when passing. Every one of you can do what I did, blog on running, I say go for it!

A couple of weeks ago I introduced you to a Black scholar, Dr. John Oliver Killens - novelist, social critic, screenwriter, playwright and essayist and founding chairperson of the legendary Harlem Writers Guild, I can think of no better words in which to say thanks for reading Harlem 26.2 and Goodbye than by expressing the words once again of Dr. Killens' writing "Long Distance Runner"

"It is an interesting phenomenon that we black folks, as a people, have produced some of the most magnificent athletes the world has ever known, but have produced very few long distance runners. We've raised a whole lot of hell in the hundred yard dashes. You watch the Olympics and you see nothing but black brothers up there at the finish tape in the sprints. We have the fastest get-away known to man or womankind. At the same time, we have produced very few long distance runners. Long distance running requires planning, pacing, discipline, stamina, and a belief in the ability to win everything over the long haul. Lasting power is the name of the game... We must evolve a generation of long distance runners - men and women - prepared to pay some dues for their children's children. Our people have paid some terrible dues for us to have come to this place and this moment in time and space."

Nothing but the best to all & always aim high!

Lancelot A. Smith

"Blacks Are Lazy" - Tony Reed & The National Black Marathoners' Association - Can These Negroes Be Saved? A 5 Point Rescue Plan & Path To Legitimacy

2008-03-26T11:01:00.033-04:00

"So lets keep up the boycott on responding to Lance regarding anything about NBMA & Tony Reed". - Anonymous Comment on Harlem 26.2. Q. Who's going to be the happiest people on earth that Harlem 26.2 ending? My friends the Black Marathoners. I only wish they were as passionate as the ultra runners. You see the Ultra runners are serious right? Good for them, I respect that - isn't it too bad Black people were not the same way? Originally on this blog I hyped the Black Marathoners & it's founder Tony Reed. In the spirit of Black solidarity I said , "Tony is do ing the damn thing.... I am no where near Tony" . The truth is The National Black Marathoners is nothing more than a vehicle for Tony Reed (the founder) to promote himself - it's like an "Al Sharpton strategy", building a cottage industry around himself. Al Sharpton's a good guy but had no business being on that stage on the left in that Presidential debate. Al simply created noise, exploited "White guilt" , and was deferred a voice of credence by White people - when really he was just the Black guy shouting the loudest and playing the race card. That's Tony Reed's strategy and Tony Reed is no more qualified to speak on matters "Black" and or "marathon" than Al Sharpton is on negotiating NAFTA. Last month at the Cowtown Marathon 53 year old Tony Reed was beaten by 15 Minutes by an 80 year old man. It's true, 80 year old Gene Brock ran a 5:36 Cowtown Marathon besting Tony Reed's 5:51 by 15 minutes. Tony Reed is 1 hour and 20+ minutes slower than Oprah Winfrey. Tony Reed does not even try, is not fit, does not train, and does not run - the man has no running ethic or regime at all - he literally walks these marathons. Why does it matter? Because through a PR Agency - Malloy Marketing Group and to the media & public Tony Reed markets a narrative of himself as a "marathon runner", leaning heavy on the "race card", and leveraging the assumed & implied credence that is deferred to the words that speak to a heritage & legacy "National Black Marathoners' Association". I care about the real heritage and legacy that as a matter of practice Tony Reed refuses to recognize on the Black Marathoners' webstie - or ever in an interview. Tony Reed markets himself as someone qualified to talk about health, the running ethic, marathon running, etc. it's all a fraud. "The National Black Marathoners' Association", those words are his currency to gain access, attention, & open doors...and he uses them exclusively to promote and hype himself. To this day you cannot find the name Ted Corbitt on the National Black Marathoners' Website. Is that not hilarious? Tony Reed preserves a collective ignorance within the organization by not recognizing the history inherent in the words and name he's co-opted to use as his personal currency. Now get this, when asked to speak to the lack of Black Americans in distance running?...Tony Reed said Black Americans are "lazy". His exact words? (In speaking in the context of Black Americans and The Marathon, Tony Reed said, "With a lot of Americans, it's easier to take a pill or a shot than to get up off the couch and become active," Reed said of what he calls the diseases of inactivity". Does this not equate to "Lazy"? Tony Reed, a guy with no running ethic who walks 6 hour marathons said Blacks are lazy. Keep in mind the legendary running visionary (and racist - there on the left) Arthur Newton , once said "Blacks would never run distance. They just don't have what it takes to do the distance". How much difference is there really in Arthur Newton's words about Blacks and running and Tony Reed's? Meanwhile Tony Reed's age-graded scores in his last 2 marathons were 39% and 40%, the very bottom of the barrel and he risk being disqualified in events that have a 6 hour cut off. Tony Reed's marathon walks of 6 hours matter as it's a contradiction of what he markets (in building a cottage industry around himself). Does anyone expect the N ational Association of Black Journalist to be headed by someone who can read and write? How about the National Association of Black Accountants? They're headed by a woman from my hometown, Oakland, CA, she's Gwendolyn Skillern, I am sure Tony Reed, a CPA, knows her. Does anyone including Tony Reed expect the National Association of Black Accountants to be headed by someone who can count? Tony Reed himself expects the National Association of Black Accountants to be headed by someone who rates above the very bottom of the barrel.....or in other words, exactly where he does (6 hour walking marathons) as the head of the National Black Marathoners' Association. I only say this because the guy does not even try - he does not care. He will market this false narrative and hope the media extends him an "affirmative action" allowance / consideration and give him a stage - if he were White, no one would care. An example? This weekend Tony Reed is walking the ING Georgia marathon, followed up by walking the St. Louis Marathon on the next weekend. What sense does it make for a 6 hour marathoner to be entered into marathons spaced by 5 or 6 days? None, but it does not matter for Tony Reed, it's all about fulfilling the narrative as America's Black Marathon runner who has ran 100 marathons (all about quantity, to hell with quality - no one ever asks...). I could care less about this - if he did it in his own name and not that of a heritage & legacy that I covet. If you're new to this blog - this is a continuation of a protest of mine against Tony Reed & The National Black Marathoners, there are 4 main parts: P ART 1, PART 2, PART 3 & PART 4. Everyone knows I am demanding the changing of their shameful logo of ignorance, that's it on the left, this 1865:FREE TO RUN. The Black Marathoners are out of Texas, a State that made it illegal for Tony Reed and the Black Marathoners to run in hundreds of City and State Parks in 1950, these laws were dubbed "Jim Crow Laws". People who violated these laws were arrested at best, lynched at worse, both happened. Declaring 1865:FREE TO RUN is denying the history of America and reality that Black people were denied, arrested, lynched, had dogs sicked on them, water hoses sprayed at them, it's a denial of segregation and the entire civil rights movement. Today I went to the National Black Marathon Association website and wow, look here, Tony Reed showcasing the medals he's collected walking in Marathons. That's the actual photo above on the right that Tony Reed found fitting to place on the National Black Marathoners' Association website. A photo of his medals. He justified placing that photo by addressing the pressing need of informing members of how to best store their medals. Keep in mind Tony Reed will not make space on the Black Marathoners' website for Ted Corbitt or anything whatsoever on the history of American Blacks and Distance Running. Tony Reed & The Black Marathoners' website offers no information or resources on training, nutrition, courses, race calendar(s), etc. absolutely nothing, not a scintilla of content that running clubs commonly have (makes sense as it's a fraudulent organization). However what does Tony Reed find fitting and appropriate to place on their website?... a photo of his medals! His Marathon "bling" Tony Reed's basically like that guy on the left above, "Don the Magic Juan" - a real negro proudly flashing his bling, "look at me and all my finery". Ridiculous. I've never seen the head of a running club or organization of any kind - place a photo of all their medals on their website for any reason, have you? They're the "The Church of Tony Reed" - this photo their alter. All while offering nothing of value, or benefit, or meaningful to the running endeavor. The organization is Tony Reed's personal platform to promote Tony Reed and their members? Bamboozled in whole. He even has a close inner circle that have come on this blog - they're actually more like Scientology than a running club - very cult like and I feel for the Black people who are turning to them, assuming due to their name they're legitimate - when they are not. Well there are people who are saved from Scientology but can these Black people be saved? I've outlined a 5 point plan to bring some legitimacy and semblance of an actual running organization to the National Black Marathoners.

(1) Heritage & Legacy: Recognize the heritage and legacy inherent in the name and words you've chosen to brand yourselves with. Harlem 26.2 has all sorts of content on the History of Black Americans and distance running including literature and video. Take it - all, please, claim it for your own, re-brand it, I don't care. What's important is that this information is shared with your members. Very few Black runners have ever heard of Ted Corbitt, Delores Cross, or the literature of Dr. John Oliver Killens. I've never met a Black person that ever heard of Arthur Newton or Frank Hart. You assume the name of a legacy and heritage and have a duty to bring recognition and dignity to it.

(2) The "FREE TO RUN" Logo Must Go! As "iconography" Tony Reed is branding himself & his organization on par with a "Happy Black Sambo" stereotype with that logo above. Let's explore this through the lens of academic authority, "The Coon caricature, for example, portrays black men as lazy, ignorant, and obsessively self-indulgent; these are also traits historically represented by the word Nigger".
- Ferris State University Museum of Racism Memorabilia. Tony Reed has no running ethic & walks marathons, his logo a declaration ignorance, and with his self-promoting press releases, photos of his medals, self-published book? Can anyone here connect dots? Does the shoe not fit? ...if it walks like a duck? Do I need to say any more? Okay, Tony Reed is not a Nigger, no one is, he's a Black man, I only wish he was an educated Black man. There is a point where there are no more excuses and that point is now. That logo is modern day "Coon & Nigger" iconography worthy of placement in the Ferris State University Museum of Racism Memorabilia. If you doubt that, click the link and you'll see Tony Reed's logo passes the "Happy Black Sambo Nigger test" in flying colors - nothing to be proud of.

(3) Social Network Strategy: Dump the lame Yahoo Group! Set up a forum within Athlinks.com and or Coolrunning.com You're further "ghetto-izing" yourselves in the isolation of Yahoo & minimal functionality of Yahoo. There are dynamic social network forums with rich infrastructure, tools, & resources for runners (logs, calendars, calculators, tips). A minimal effort to place links on your own site to RunningInTheUSA and MarathonGuide.com. This is a simple and easy means to provide people everywhere access to a race calendar, they can find local 5Ks or Ultras, if they're traveling they can find races and events. This is pretty simple stuff you all, even a place like Sweat365.com which I have blogged about, Sweat365 (A social network serving the running community) has a complete library section addressing training, nutrition, etc. All of this is easily manageable. Tony Reed & The Black Marathoners do not have to re-invent the wheel for crissakes! It's invented, done - all they have to do is set up shop (so to speak), extension shop if you will - at places like the social network forums I have listed, linked, and blogged about. These forums cover the "heavy lifting" (the training logs & tools, race calendars, nutrition, injury recovery).

(4) Strategically Placed Annual Summit: Tony Reed is having the annual '09 meeting gathering at the Cowtown Marathon, right where he lives - convenient for himself and he's walked the race 18 times before. He made this decision to bring full circle to the personal narrative he will market to the public and media through an PR agency, it will be his 100th marathon & the place where he had his first. This self-serving self-coronation decision making must end. If the organization wants legitimacy - it's gotta be about something bigger than Tony Reed. The annual meetings should have proximity to regions with high Black populations (not that Apache Junction Lost Dutchman crap they just did). It's about tapping into the Black professional societies in cities, conjuring promotion and support through organizations & media: I offered 4 or 5 examples before, one was the Philadelphia Marathon which has a 26.2, Half, 8K & Kids races - variety for all - the city of Philadelphia to tap into - and Verizon is a key sponsor - Verizon has in place health and education foundations and programs servicing the Black community - align in markets and with sponsors wherein you can conjure synergy - leverage your mission ten-fold....employ strategic thought and vision to where and why you meet at a specific annual event, not this self-promotion crap of Tony Reed.

(5) Strategic Networking: RRCA (Road Runners Club of America), Co-Founded by a Black man, Ted Corbitt). Why isn't The National Black Marathoners' Association a member of the Road Runners Club of America? Over 700 Running clubs are, what's their excuse? I blogged about the 2008 National Running Conference held in San Diego with over 350 entities focused on the business of running (every shoe & apparel maker, lots of Marathon RDs, nutrition/food makers, running oriented dot.com companies, retailers, you name it...if it involved running & business - they were there). For some reason the Black Marathoners take pride in being insular and staying "ghetto'ized" in their functioning. They wear this like a badge of honor - when it's really a statement of stupidity. I know lots of running clubs and organizations that have sponsors of all types (shoes, apparel, nationwide discounts on all sorts of stuff from restaurants to hotels). It's Tony Reed's job to attend the 2008 National Running Conference and network - sponsorship starts over lunch, a drink, a face to face conversation and handshake. The National Black marathoners can easily secure sponsors - they just lack leadership with planning and vision. Again, it's a Tony Reed self promotion vehicle, not a real organization per the name and branding they co-opted. Everyone in NYC knows local superstar Westchester Track Club runner John Samsel - probably the most distinguished member of the 30,000+ strong New York Road Runners and impeccable integrity. For reasons having to do with some of my professional matters - from time to time I speak to executives within the running industry - Samsel will co-sign on that - I've brought Samsel to meetings, some with famous national running figures like Craig Virgin for example (a very cool guy). The point? If the Black Marathoners' got rid of that logo and recognized the heritage and legacy inherent in the name they co-opted, I will personally get them real major sponsorship, shoes & apparel. I can do that. But they've got to get past taking pride in being "ghetto'ized", insular, and separate from the whole. They must welcome being woven into the fabric of running in America on a business level and be members and network within the RRCA for example. Howevever right now with his modern day "Coon Nigger" iconography logo Tony Reed & The Black Marathoners are "untouchable" for any significant sponsorship - (and they don't even know it, never viewed it through that lens).

If the Black Marathoners is indeed a real organization - they will have members who have the courage to say, "Tony, it's not about that asshole Lance in New York - it's about our own dignity & esteem" and the logo will go and their site will offer enrichment in the context of running. Black people in that organization have to decide if they deserve better - because they have nothing right now - they're nothing but pons in Tony Reed's world and agenda (for himself). In closing, this is not about me. This is about what I know. What I know the Black Marathoners are missing out on, what I know is possible. What I feel their members warrant and deserve. Today Tony Reed and that organization is a fraud and disgrace to the heritage & legacy of the name Tony Reed has co-opted. Tony Reed wants the privileges the name and branding deliver and none of the responsibilities. I covet the Black American Marathoning legacy and take an enormous amount of pride in being Black. I don't have art on my walls in my home. About 8 years ago I got an account at Sotheby's Auction House here in NYC and started collecting slave documents, buying the documents that controlled the lives of Black people. The sales receipts, contracts, auctioneers papers, medical check ups required before being sold, the insurance claims when a slave lost an arm or a leg in a farming accident, I have it all. I take a lot of pride in owning the documents that controlled the lives of Black people and place these documents in frames and on my walls. I like to believe the souls of these people live through the documents that controlled them, their whole lives - and it's rewarding these documents are now in Black hands - and souls heralded and admired by me. These documents (and imagining the lives behind them) inspire me to give total effort - in everything. Do you think there's a chance in hell I am going to let a fraud, Tony Reed use the name and branding of a heritage and legacy as his personal currency to hype and promote himself (while excluding that legacy of recognition & dignity?). I committed to being a countering voice to Tony Reed to anyone who gives him any legitimacy of any kind until he changes the logo & exposes that organization to the heritage and legacy inherent in its name. I will be ending this blog - but not that concern, I have it managed going forward. Have a great day!!

Running To Create a Spark & Build The Brain

2008-03-25T08:05:00.007-04:00

Over the year of this blog I've suggested a lot of different books on different aspects of the running. Before I say goodbye I offer a final book suggestion - one that kind of sums it all up for runners of all levels & ages - I am reading it now. A growing body of evidence suggests that running can build the brain. I share with you a forthcoming book, that's it on the left below, "Spark": The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain- which shows how running can boost memory, alleviate stress, enhance intelligence and allay aggression. John Ratey, an associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School in Boston and the book's author, says that exercise stimulates our grey matter to produce what he calls "Miracle-Gro" for the brain. "I can't understate how important regular exercise is in improving the function and performance of the brain," he says. "It's such a wonderful medicine." Happiness: Beyond the (potential) mood-lifting effects of fresh air and scenery, evidence suggests that pounding the pavement can also change the way our brains work to make us happier, or even stave off depression. "Exercise is as good as any anti-depressant I know," Ratey claims. Last December, scientists from Yale University wrote in the journal Nature Medicine that regular exertion affects the hippocampus, the area of the brain responsible for mood. Tests on mice showed that exercise activated a gene there called VGF, which is linked to a "growth factor" chemical involved in the development of new nerve cells. Tests show that this brain activation lifts a person's mood. Participants in one recent German survey were asked to walk quickly on a treadmill for 30 minutes a day over a 10-day period. At the end of the experiment, researchers recorded a significant drop in depression scores. Scientists are now working on a drug that mimics the effects of the VGF gene to market it as an alternative to conventional antidepressants. Stress: stress slows down the gastrointestinal system and reduces appetite, and can overexcite the brain, fuzzing our thought. By responding to or anticipating stress with 30 minutes of running, blood flow to the brain is increased, allowing the body to purge the potentially toxic by-products of stress. According to Ratey, exercise also helps in the long term. "It builds up armies of antioxidants such as Vitamins E and C," he says. "These help brain cells protect us from future stress." Intelligence: Research suggests that exercise boosts intelligence in the very, very young. Experiments on rats at the Delbrück Centre for Molecular Medicine in Berlin showed that baby rats born to mothers who were more active during pregnancy had 40 per cent more cells in the hippocampus, the area of the brain responsible for intelligence. If the same is true in humans, we can expect Paula Radcliffe's baby, Isla, to be a genius; Radcliffe was training for the New York marathon until the day before she went in to hospital to be induced – and won the race just nine months after giving birth. Aggression: The frontal cortex is the part of the brain that decides whether you throw a punch or take something on the chin. Reduced activity in the region, a trauma or abnormal development can result in an inability to control violent urges. "This area makes us evaluate the consequences of our actions," Ratey says. "It's the part of the brain that puts the brakes on when the ref makes a terrible decision and you want to beat him up." Exercise increases activity in that area, boosting rational thought, which makesus less likely to lash out. Memory: Most of the competitors at the annual World Memory Championships could hardly be described as the epitome of physical fitness but, according to Ratey and other scientists in the field, a good workout does much to boost recall, especially as we clock up the years. "When we're exercising, we're using nerve cells in the brain which help build up what I call brain fertiliser," he says. Ratey is talking about new research that suggests exercise increases blood flow to the part of the brain responsible for memory, and improves its function. In MRI scans on mice, conducted last year by neurologists at Columbia University Medical Centre in New York, the animals were shown to grow new brain cells in the dentate gyrus, which is affected in age-related memory decline. Research on humans is ongoing but Ratey is convinced that physical activity has a similar effect. He says: "Exercise does more than anything we know of to boost memory." Addiction: The principle is that exercise can stimulate production of the mood-enhancing hormone dopamine, which can, in turn, reduce smokers' dependence on nicotine. "Dopamine works by replacing or satisfying the need for nicotine," Ratey explains. Check out his site & info - read the reviews over at Amazon - this is a great read! Have a terrific day!

Why I Run & Those Pesky Ultra Runners....

2008-03-24T17:29:00.013-04:00

I am a runner, I do not walk or jog, I run. Alrightey - this thing is nearing an end - 1 full year of blogging on running - and how well do I know running? For a full year I never mentioned ultrarunning on this blog - why? I know how passionate they are - along with a few wingnuts (David Horton types). I knew the minute I said some sh*t - they would come out the woodwork in mass - and I see they have....as I said (& illustrated) things no one dare say in their world - sacred topics no one is supposed to dare question, lol. I love ultrarunners! ....and these guys emailing me...please...stop it. Most of you have been running what? 5, 10, 15, 20 years or so? Read the blog - I've been doing this thing for 32 years - got into it chasing Regina Jacobs as a teen in Oakland, CA, The NYRR & Athlinks won't show my best performances - they were done in Kenya, England, & China (the mainland) in the 80's. There's photos of me in the 80's on this blog for example in the SF Bay To Breakers, etc and yes, one day I will run the Rodeo Beach 50K or possibly the Mt. Diablo 50K for one reason - to win the race. I think Rodeo is the cherry pick, I have no shame and I will only put 1 toe in the Ultraworld (50K). Look at me, I'm a sprinter for crissakes - a local superstar runner just got me into racing with the NYRR - and that's John Samsel - there on the right, a 64 year old White guy - my best running buddy - everyone on the NYC running scene knows John - I started this blog a year ago paying tribute to John - check it - and no this is not the last entry - but it's close.....and I just run middle distance & distance for the heck of it - because I can - and for reasons very much in line with this collegiate kid above - check the video - need inspiration to go put in those training miles - it's funny how sometimes these kids in the running game can inspire us old Masters..... it's a great 5 minute investment! Have a great day.

The Ultra Running Scene & Scott Jurek: Over-Rated?

2008-03-23T17:18:00.046-04:00

Everybody who reads this blog knows my personal hero is Ted Corbitt, who also happens to be the father of ultrarunning - and yes I've seen the video clip of Ted introducing Scott Jurek. I've never met Yiannis Kouros (historic Ultrarunning superstar) or Scott Jurek (modern day superstar), but I have spoken with Pam Reed and Dean Karnazes several times, as well as many others not so well known. I've never ran an Ultra however everyone who has tells me they're easier than racing marathons. Why? You run easy - and just endure, so they tell me. I know few ultrarunners that train more than 40 - 60 miles a week in fact. (countered to marathoners that as a matter of practice clock 120 - 140 miles / week). It strikes with me that ultra events comprise distortion & outright nonsense - and is this probably the reason the IOC (International Olympic Committee) refuses to consider ultrarunning as a credible sport worthy of inclusion in the Olympics (Yiannis Kouros & others have tried to get it ultrarunning in the olympics for years to no avail). Running easy for 50 miles or 100 miles is clearly a lot easier on the body than actually racing for 26.2 with total effort as many run 5 or 6 of their events per year (at a competitive level). Most informed people know competitive marathoners can only run 2 or at the very most 3 marathons a year for reasons directly related to the rigors of the endeavor. It's a function of physiology - the human body & time. It takes several months to prepare to race a marathon, 2 or 3 weeks to taper, 5 - 7 days to nutritionally prepare.....all to have a peak performance on race day. That challenge necessitates a regime and time that does not exist in ultramarathoning. Competitive ultramathoners run these events as the come, with no particular regime prerequisite, even the best of the sport. After racing a marathon it takes numerous weeks for the body to recover from a myriad of damage & stress (microtears, biochemical alterations, etc - all well documented science.) A similar physical penalty to the body does not exist in ultrarunning. If you trot 100 miles one weekend, all you need is a couple of weeks downtime and you can trot another 100 miles - at a competitive level. Ultrarunning attracts an "older class" of runner - like those Ultrarunners above on the right, or those on the right running through the night - or that happy fellow below on the left. It does not strike as a competitive arena drawing talented runners (basically there's no money in it, and it consumes a lot of time). These fact have proven to be an effective barriers of entry in drawing the interest of talented runners (they're busy racing marathons and their professional lives). The Superstar of the sport is Scott Jurek but he racked up most of his wins as a 20-something (and 30, 31) racing against mostly guys old enough to be his father. That's a basic fact of the events and who enters them in general. Jurek's known for winning the premier event in ultrarunning, "BadWater" (a 135 mile race) - however what's not widely known is for example there were 67 finishers that completed this race in '05, 17 were under age 40, a whopping 50 were over age 40 - it strikes with me that Jurek's enjoyed a leveraged advantaged playing field being one of the few youthful runners - and this has been the case for the bulk of his wins. Furthermore the men's fields in these events commonly leave much to be desired in the way of running talent (it's taboo for me to say this - but it illustrates as true) - take a look at that very same crowning event "Badwater" '05. The fact are in 2005 the women were actually faster than the men. It's true looking at both the mean and the median, the women were faster. There were a total of 67 finishers (54 men and 13 women) the 54 men had a mean finish time of 44:43:45 and a median of 44:24:33. The 13 women had a mean finish time of 43:19:46 and a median of 41:31:15. Kudos to the women! (draw your own conclusions on what this speaks to of the caliber of the male runners in that race). Now Scott Jurek has been able to dominate ultrarunning to the extent where it's silly and makes no sense, actually hurts the sport in my opinion. Note Jurek was a very good Marathon runner and I don't believe many ultramarathoners were very good marathoners - they don't come from the running base he came from. Hence Scott Jurek enters the sport from an advantaged base (being a very good marathoner) couple this fact with the fact that he's competing largely guys who were not very good marathoners and mostly guys old enough to be his father and that all equates to a win, after win, after win. I believe Jurek's marathon PR is a 2:29. I've examined his WAVA age gradiing and Jurek's 100km and marathon time line up exactly on the WAVA charts. I suspect this too would play out for other marathoners who (if they chose to) run an ultra - and that strongly suggest a high level of mediocrity defines the very top of Ultrarunning in the context of competitive running . Why do I say this? Perspective: note the biggest star in Ultrarunning, Scott Jurek, was never talented enough to qualify to run in the Olympic Trials for example - by serious margin. I was at the '08 US Olympic team trials in '07 and the "A" qualifying standard is 2:20:00 for men (but a 2:22 will get you in). That day I saw 85 runners clock a faster marathon time than Jurek's ever clocked and there are several hundred runners in the U.S. that can go sub 2:29:00 - Jurek's best mark. Like Jurek - these runners could very likely extend their marathon talent to the ultra scene and I would suspect their WAVA tables would line up rather closely to their marathon times - just as Jurek's has. But these guys don't have interest in racing ultras (no money in the sport, and few people have time) and if Kenyans & Ethiopians entered these events? Game over for the current crop of runners on day one. To his credit Jurek was clever - able to scope an area of running wherein he could leverage his youth, talent, and exploit the nature of the sport drawing older runners - and become the King - and he did it, I applaud that. But it must be said, Jurek's enjoyed an advantaged playing field being one of the younger guys and as legit and solid marathoner before Ultra-running - he can clean up in a field of "weekend warrior" caliber runners. Jurek has not had to compete against guys like him, guys who can go 2:29:00 at the Marathon. When guys his own age have showed up, even ultra neophytes like Akos Konya has a shot of knocking off Scott Jurek - as he nearly did in '06. Some backgroud, this is a guy, Akos Konya, who working 60 hours / week as a restaurant manager, little time to run or train, he entered this big race, Badwater, with only 1 ultra under his belt and almost beat the Superstar of the sport Scott Jurek. Per the reports "Had Konya not pulled over at 1 a.m. (a 135 mile race) Tuesday and napped for 30 minutes in a sleeping bag, he might have won. Scott Jurek of Seattle, the seven-time Western States winner, won the race in 25 hours, 41 minutes". Konya, this neophyte took a nap for a half hour during race, lost winning by 17 minutes. Speaking of Badwater & Jurek - that guy on the right laying in that cooler with ice covering him (during the Badwater race - this is a technique he uses to cool off during this 135 mile Badwater race in the heat of the desert. Anyone can go to the Badwater website and see the rules state and I quote " So-called "cooling vests" or other types of artificial / technological cooling systems may not be worn or utilized by race entrants. Here's a comment from Jay Birmingham, Badwater Hall of Fame member:"If it uses technology that negates the envioronment, e.g., acts as a refrigerator, uses chemical reactions from manmade materials, and the like--it should be prohibited. A cooler is technology designed to refrigerate & retain cooling - Jurek typically as a matter of practice as you see in the photo lays bags of ice in the cooler, then lays in it with his support crew laying bags of ice on top of him - utilizing this technology - a cooler's thermodynamics to create a cooling chamber. Is it not clear how Jurek violates the rules of Badwater to the letter? I wonder why they never disqualify him? I've always wonder if he was simply viewed as as above the rules of the race. However the single most glaring fact about Ultrarunning that in my opinion gives the sport a "black eye" and illustrates beyond any doubt how overhyped these events are and loaded with "marginal" running talent? Well this was when Scott Jurek won The Western States 100, and then 2 weeks later won the Badwater 135 miler in 2005. This is ridiculous and a poor statement for ultra running courses & the quality of the running talent. 1). I just posted a blog entry publishing an article by Donald Buraglio where he described the Western States 100 Ultra as "the Toughest, Grueling, Unforgiving, Ferocious, "Hardest day of running they will ever encounter". I saw this as a very typical "ultra self-aggrandizing" about their Herculean task and what mighty men they are. 2). Badwater 135 Mile is truly supposed to be the very most grueling - physically and mentally demanding - race in the U.S. - I agree with this. Well then how is it that a man can run the Western States 100 at a level that's required to win the event - indeed win it - and then be physically capable and ready to race another ultra - truly the most grueling 135 ultra mile race, Badwater, - 13 or 14 days later? 1) Where was Jurek's fatigue from the Western States 100? 2) Ultra racing does not require any recovery period - no regime whatsoever - and it's clearly not possible to be physically marginalized by racing the Western States 100 - you can come out of the Western States Ultra 100 with no recuperation and recover price to pay - fit and able to race 2 weeks later in fact, like Scott Jurek and 3) It seems to me if the Western States was demanding, and you ran hard, Jurek should have entered Badwater seriously physically marginalized and other runners should have whippped up on him. That did not happen - most of those other runners were old enough to be his father, the Western States 100 is clearly not so difficult that it renders you fatigued and unable to competitively race an ultra just days later - there was no competition in either event - the very integrity of ultrarunning as an event suffers (event difficulty, talent of the field, etc.) when a single guy can not only enter but win the 2 so-called most grueling events, within a span of 2 weeks - it's a farce on that fact alone, I don't even need to talk about the - the Sri Chimnoy runners - do I? I've learned the ultra crowd does not like it when their events are examined under the lens of scrutiny - for their athleticism - field of talent. There's a huge "camradery" factor in these events, - an esprit de core - a pride in shared pain, sacrifice, etc. they frown upon anyone who stands out from the whole - Dean Karnazes is not the superstar within the sport - but by far the best known - yet he is despised in general by most of the Ultra running community for this very reason - standing out - and people in the community know there is a serious and extreme dislike of Dean Karnazes for what they characterize as "Grand Standing". I've spoken with Dean about this - I say it's because he's smart, a Yale man, handsome, a master promoter, does stunts and has been very successful at promoting himself in the context of ultrarunning. I like Dean Karnazes a lot in fact for these reasons. Now you see the blog I posted about David Horton (above on the right)? That's your typical Ultrarunner that I see - an old guy - who gets off on the shared misery and pain of it all. Why is it a lot of ultrarunners don't even look athletic? have you seen them? Just go over to Youtube and search "Ultra Race" or the like and take a look yourself. It's not just the men - I've met and spoken with one of the women's Superstars, Pam Reed - the lady does not even look healthy in person - does she? Can easily pass for 10 - 15 years older than she is - even on the women's side of these events - there is just little actual running talent in the fields - and that's seen when in '05 Pam Reed who at age 42 not only wins the Master's Women's field (Women 40+ in age) at the crown jewel event - The Badwater 135 mile race - she also wins the overall field of all women of any age, WTF? This speaks to the poor fields of women in their 20's and 30's in these events - sorry, Pam Reed wining the overall does not reflect well on the caliber of talent of women runners at Ultra races. So I'm not sure what to make of these events - and I'd really like to one day read why the International Olympic Committee dismisses them as worthy of inclusion in the Olympics. I'm the same age & w/the same body as Dean Karnazes - have spoken w/him about entering these - he tells me it all breaks down to being blessed with certain ideal mechanics to run - of which I am - and I thank I can do these events well - and be far more distinguished than I am in marathon running (which is just another face in the crowd). However these events hold no appeal for me. From all I gather form those who engage in them - they boil down to and are motivated by a "Self against the Environment" type of personal challenge, quest and feat. However Jurek is very competitive and keeps keen awareness of his standing with his support team relative to the competition during these Ultra races. Ultrarunners though are big into characterizing the terrain, elevation grades, blah blah blah, I hold not desire to challenge terrain and land - I'm still driven and interested in competing against other runners at standards. I can cherry pick marathons and win the Masters class if I wanted to - but that would mean nothing to me. Whenever I speak to ultra runners - I learn they lost interest and appeal in the Marathon. I always want to ask them, "Have you ever ran one (marathon) well"? I find ultrarunners commonly got into the sport by saying they lost interest in the marathon - without disclosing if they ever ran marathons well. It strikes with me that they've chosen to give up on realizing marathon goals - in favor of what are more so characterized as "feats". For example, the stuff that David Horton does? Entirely feat achievement by people with time. Take 1 look at David Horton - he cannot actually race against real runners on any trail, real runners just don't have the time or interest - David Horton does - hence when he asserts he set the "speed record" - it's very laughable in many senses as who in the hell is trying to do it? Who has the time? I see far more fulfillment in goals to be reached in the Olympic standard - the marathon - and running against the best runners - than I do in running 50 or 100 miles against a seriously weak field of runners. I will say this - in the last 2 years - ultrarunning events have been able to attract more runners of real talent - as opposed to the "weekend warrior runner". As they do - you're seeing Scott Jurek's records fall - as again - people coming from his background enter these events - and they are not only breaking Jurek's records - they are shattering them and in the process illustrating Jurek was mediorce talent - per his WAVA grading - relative to others with competitive marathoning backgrounds - Jurek enjoyed the spoils of a shallow pool - it has to be said - not even racing international competition - and what did we see when a legit international runner showed up at Badwater? Well Jurek's talents might be framed in a more accurate perspective then......- as they were when a Brazilian by the name of Valmir (above on the left crossing the finish line) bothered to show up at Badwater. Valmir summarily SHATTERED Jurek's record by 1 hour and 45 minutes. How do you characterize Jurek's performances after a guy from Brazil blows him away by nearly 2 hours? What you thought was great (Jurek) - was all the time good, but clearly not great - you just had marginalized small fields of weekend warrior runners - and Jurek looked great in that backdrop and context - and you would have known ahead of time when you saw Jurek - you say good but not great - if you examined Jurek's performance in the context of WAVA tables and knowing what's out there in the world of running - runners with the talent - just not interested in running Ultras (no money in the events). Again - I am not trying to slam Scott Jurek - I just am taking time to look at ultrarunning and explore what's really going on....when I do - I see all I've spoken to - and the proof is in the points of fact that kind of say it all, no? So when I say Jurek might be overrated, it's all in the context of who he's been racing against and more importantly, NOT racing against - his peers.

The History of the Western States 100 Ultra or "More Bullshit Than at a Rodeo"

2008-03-23T16:39:00.010-04:00

Okay - I'm about to publish a blog questioning the world of ultrarunning....however before I do let me share you you something another blogger published about ultrarunning. Journey of 100 miles: Taking on the Western States Endurance Run: Donald Buraglio, a blogger wrote on a "Journey of 100 miles" for the Monterey Herald. A piece about the Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run. He said, Each year, on the last weekend in June, the world's toughest endurance runners gather in the former Olympic Village of Squaw Valley, California. Over the next 24 hours, they race each other over 100 miles of the historic Western States trail, through some of the most rugged terrain of the Sierra Nevada. They climb more than 18,000 feet, and descend more than 23,000 feet while traversing deep canyons and high ridgelines before reaching the finish line in Auburn, CA. It is one of the most grueling physical and psychological challenges many of them will ever face. And this year, I'll be right there with them. The Western States Endurance Run is the most prestigious race in the burgeoning sport of ultrarunning [ME: No, Badwater is] , defined as any race longer than the 26.2-mile marathon distance. Most ultramarathons are contested on trails instead of roads, and the most common distance is 50K (31 miles). However, the number of 100-mile races across the country has gradually increased over the past several years — and every one owes its existence to the success of Western States [ME: No, that would be to Ted Corbitt - that's all who you owe your existence to, but like typical White men - you think you created the sport - you don't recognize or tip your cap to the founder of the sport - a Black man, Ted Corbitt]. If running 100 miles over unforgiving terrain through frequently ferocious weather conditions sounds crazy to you, rest assured that you're not alone. In fact, the contest was originally designed not for people, but for horses. Western States started out as the Tevis Cup, which originated when a bunch of old-time California cowboys decided to compare the toughness of their horses to legendary steeds from he days of the Pony Express. Riders who covered the 100-mile trail in a single day and night were awarded a silver belt buckle to recognize their accomplishment. For the first two decades of the Tevis Cup, the thought of anyone travelling the 100-mile trail on foot was inconceivable. [well it should be said the thought of travelling 100 miles and a hell of a lot further on trails was done and executed frequently.....by Black people escaping a slave life in the 18th and 19th Century in the U.S, - they were some of America's first UItra runners - they just did not know it at the time - this speech is little more than the usual self-aggrandizing that is standard, common & typical of ultrarunners.]. Then in 1974, a 27-year-old cowboy named Gordy Ainsleigh learned that his horse was suffering from foot problems and was too lame to attempt the ride. Ainsleigh was a bit of a maverick — so instead of dropping out of the ride, he laced up his running shoes and lined up alongside nearly 200 horses to take on the trail singlehandedly. He not only finished the course, but did so faster than the 24-hour cutoff, earning a silver buckle [ME: I've shown below]. With Ainsleigh's effort, the 100-mile trail race was born. Today, there are no fewer than 60 such races across the United States. And while some races take place at higher altitudes, and others feature greater changes in elevation, Western States remains the crown jewel among this fanatical subset of endurance events. [ME: I'll grant you that point]. What's more, it affords a select few "regular" runners — such as your author — to compete alongside the world's best. Regardless of their ability, all of the participants who meet in Squaw Valley each year realize that they are following in the footsteps of legendary champions who have gone before, while sharing the course with modern-day heroes of ultrarunning. It's an alluring combination of circumstances — to such a degree that the event struggles to manage the burden of its own popularity. Each year, an increasing number of ultrarunners clamor to enter Western States — and each year, more and more are turned away. Because the race passes through protected wilderness areas, the U.S. Forest Service limits the number of participants. And while rational folks would find it mind-boggling to hear that a 100-mile trail race has to turn people away, that's exactly what happens with this event. Consequently, Western States uses a lottery system to select applicants for the race. A portion of the slots are reserved, such as the top 10 male and female finishers from the previous year's race, runners who have unsuccessfully applied for two straight years, and a handful of sponsored athletes who are given automatic entry. Another automatic category called "pioneers" includes the now-legendary Ainsleigh, the man who started it all. Now in his 60s, he still lines up at the start line each year, and has finished the Western States course more than 20 times. In December, the lottery "winners" — honestly, that's the word we use — are notified, and immediately spend the next six months preparing for the hardest day of running they will ever encounter. They do so with equal parts excitement and overwhelming fear, knowing the challenges that await them on race day. A short list of potential dangers includes altitude sickness, treacherous snowpack in the high country, furnace-like temperatures in the lower canyons, waist- deep river crossings, wildlife encounters (mountain lion and bear sightings are not uncommon), and 10 or more hours of night running. That's in addition to all of the medical complications that can derail a runner on race day. [END]. I have got to post my take on ultrarunning as I am sick and tired of hearing this type of bullshit - framing of the race as some Herculian task from these guys. I don't know Donald Buraglio but he's very typical of the ultra scene. Note his language: "Toughest, Grueling, Psychological & Physical Challenges, Unforgiving, Ferocious, "Sounds Crazy", "Hardest day of running they will ever encounter" (NOT TRUE, especially to Badwater Ultra Runners and I can name several other races that make the WS100 look like a cakewalk - this speech is just part of the bullshit & hype of Ultrarunning - which I shall blog about shortly).

David Horton, "The Runner" or "The Wing Nut" ?

2008-03-23T14:36:00.009-04:00

Okay - the guy in this video above is David Horton, not sure if he's still teaching but he used to be a professor at the late Jerry Falwell's Liberty University. He's also an ultrarunner - one of the better known ultrarunners....and a bit of a nut to me -I can give you a ton of quotes he's dished over the years....but just look at the video of a very polished film one of his former students made about him called "The Runner" - the visuals are extraordinary! beautiful...however Horton is a nut with a lot of Timothy Treadwell "The Grizzly Man" persona exuded...- you know..the looney guy that lived with Bears in Alaska...until they ate him?...remember him?...that film...well David Horton here will remind you of that guy. This move/film is filled with religious icon imagery visually & in dialog - it is extremely over the top in that department. Note the angles of sun ray shining - the dialog is ridiculous (just count the number of times he says the words: pain & suffer - is their no limit to "hamming it up"?). etc. the music, the build up, the screaming, etc....and again, he's one of the more better known ultrarunners - this old guy. In this video you'll see he likens himself to a "Jesus like" figure - suffering, having a cross to bear, ....it's all a bit much for me. But I love how he miraculously "snaps to it" and can speak free and clear of tearing emotion when it comes to listing all his race achievements! Isn't that brilliant! There he can speak without tearing and crying....how and why is that?....he just whips them right off with no hesitation whatsoever! I am going to blog about the world of ultra running - but before that - I will frame much of it by the personalities that very much represent the general mindset of the endeavor.

Bosnian Serb Marathon Runner & His 900K Protest

2008-03-23T08:32:00.004-04:00

Sometimes this "Marthon Runner" stuff can go deep, as in the case of the Bosnian Serb marathon runner who covered more than 900km in less than nine days to take part in a protest yesterday against Kosovo’s declaration of independence. “I wanted to sympathise with you and to inform you about support from Republika Srpska,” Zeljko Blagojevic (there on the right) said after completing the epic journey. Republika Srpska is the Serb-run part of Bosnia, a semi-independent entity with its own president, government, parliament and police force.“This is a way to show that we (Serbs) are one soul, both in Republika Srpska and Kosovo,” he said.Wearing a T-shirt saying “Kosovo is Serbia”, Blagojevic was mobbed by hundreds of anti-independence demonstrators on arrival in the northern Kosovo town of Kosovska Mitrovica.The marathon runner left the Bosnian Serb town of Banja Luka on March 14 and said he had passed through 17 towns before reaching Kosovo, which broke away from Serbia last month.Most Serbs, who consider Kosovo a cradle of their history and culture, are fiercely opposed to the unilateral declaration of independence made on February 17 by the majority ethnic Albanian government in Pristina.More than 30 countries, including the US and most European Union states, have recognised the move, but others including Serbia’s main ally Russia have strongly opposed it.Bosnia was divided into Serb and Muslim-Croat entities after the former Yugoslav republic’s 1992-1995 war.

Get Out of the "Girl Box" - A Place to Get Girls Involved in Running Early!

2008-03-23T08:27:00.008-04:00

Girls on the Run founded in Charlotte in 1996 by marathon runner and Ironman triathlete Molly Barker. It now has more than 140 locations in the U.S. and Canada. The program's target audience is girls 8 to 12 years old, but not because of their budding athleticism. Their focus is helping them establish themselves as a whole person, to discover why she is, her values, and to establish healthy lifestyles." Or, as the Girls on the Run mantra goes, "to help get them out of the girl box." The 8-to-12 audience is key. Girls on the Run hopes to get girls into a healthy frame of mind before they encounter the incivility of the mean girls of middle school. Different lessons are covered each week, from keeping promises and valuing what's really important to handling gossip and bullying to listening and cooperating. The above links are to their national chapters, the Manhattan (NYC) chapter can be reached here (looks like they have locations at public and private schools throughout Manhattan including a couple in Harlem -cool). The goals of Girls on the Run are to empower each girl to: *Develop a positive self-image* *Respect others and build teamwork**Assert herself in a healthy manner**Strive to achieve personal goals**Improve health and physical fitness**Have Fun!* - Check the video! If there's not a place near you, start one!

David Goggins : Ultrarunner - Revisited & Respected

2008-03-22T11:53:00.012-04:00

Last week I lampooned the guy in the video above, David Goggins who earned 5th place in the '06 Badwater 135 mile ultra race, and gave him some pretty hard shots.....(you all have to know this was on par with talking junk on the basketball court if you will) - he got it.....we're cool - and he's a great sport. I appreciate him checking-in & and contributing his voice to Harlem 26.2 - he did not have to do that. It's of great value to me to share with my readers that men like him are out there - countering the prevailing notion that Black Americans don't do distance. Very few people are familiar with the world of ultrarunning and I am proud to know a Black man is out there doing it on a level another Black man, Ted Corbitt (founder of the sport) would admire. I challenged David because I hold him to higher standard in this running game we all do. He's good - but could be great (on the Ultra circuit) - and he strikes me as a person who answers and rises to a fairground challenge. However distance running is not fair- no one cares about your BMI - David Goggins is not a little guy. Keep in mind when a guy like David runs an ultra like Badwater - in the desert sun - the toll he takes - due to his body mass alone- absorbing heat / carrying mass - 6'1" 195 .lb and muscle. It's much harder for this guy than the rest of the field - to handle the elevation gains, etc. - however this guy doesn't complain - he's a "no excuse" guy - he just deals with it and presses on - forward. Enjoy the video - and get a feel for the man he is. If he had a fan site or a place where you can keep up with him - I would post it - if you know of one - please post it. Is this guy really so humble that unlike Jurek and Ferg Hawke and Karno and Pam Reed....he does not have his own fan website? Can that really be?.....no myspace or facebook or anything? How do you keep up with him then? Check out this podcast interview David did last Summer too - very impressive man and I am happy I can expose him to a new audience. Have a great day.

Canadian Marathon Stories, Something Old, Something New & Meet Thomas Longboat, Man of Color - Marathon Star of the World

2008-03-22T07:09:00.014-04:00

Five years ago, Linda Rainville Wagar ran her first marathon. "It completely changed my life," she said. "I just thought if I could do that, I could pretty much do anything." After crossing the finish line in New York City, Wagar knew she wanted to give back to a community that had helped her get that far. "When something so significant happens to you, you want to give back," she said. The Sudbury native, who now lives in Ottawa, returned home and launched a website called Canadianmarathonstories.com. Her goal was to compile a series of short stories written by marathon runners, about marathon runners. The stories come from people in all walks of life, she said. She didn't want to stop there. "My vision was to publish the best stories," Wagar said. It didn't happen for her right away. But like her marathon running, she kept at it until she achieved her goal. When Wagar first started running eight years ago, she had no idea the path it would put her on. "I couldn't run around the block at the time," she said. "I just thought I would learn to run as an activity that I could do for a half hour every other day. It developed into a love of distances." [END]. Having share that - whenever I think of Canadian & Marathoning I am mindful of that historic figure, that man of Color, an Onondaga Indian from the Six Nations Grand River Reserve in Canada, Thomas Longboat (that's him below). Few Americans know the story of Tom Longboat - it's great The Ottawa Citizen's Charles Enman summed it up best, "
He was a world champion long-distance runner - King of the marathon world, at a time when marathoning was only second to boxing, in terms of world attention. His native origins made his bursting forth into public attention all the more remarkable, since international sport was, at the time, a white man's game. And when the trajectories of his career and life turned downward, that was simple proof for many in those racist times An Onondaga fromthat his earlier celebrity was a distortion of the native person's destiny. Even newspapers referred to Mr. Longboat as ``the Injun'' and ``Heap Big Chief.'' In 1906, at age 19, he entered the 20-mile Hamilton Bay race, an utterly unknown entrant who didn't impress the onlookers. One writer described Mr. Longboat on that day, before the race, as cutting ``a pathetic figure in a pair of bathing trunks with cheap sneakers on his feet, and hair that looked as if it had been hacked off by a tomahawk.'' Some of the bookmakers had put Mr. Longboat down at 60 to 1 odds, and one lucky bettor even managed to place a $2 bet at odds of 500 to 1. That day, his running style didn't initially impress, either. Most runners of the time ran with arms high, pumping the elbows. Mr. Longboat kept his just above the waist, a more natural form that most runners use today. He won the race and the next several Canadian races. Mr. Longboat, unknown only months before, was now the odds-on favourite at the Boston Marathon in April of 1907. Sports reporters hailed him as ``The Speedy Son of the Forest'' and ``The Indian Iron Man.'' His chances of winning were considered so strong that bookies were leery of accepting a bet on him, at any odds. He crossed the finish line at 2:24:25, setting a new course record that remained unbroken until the course was made easier.

The whole city of Toronto acclaimed him when he returned. As David Blaikie wrote in Boston: the Canadian Story, ``A sea of celebrating humanity engulfed Longboat as he stepped from the train. The champion was placed in an open car, a Union Jack about his shoulders, and taken to City Hall in a torch light parade. Young women gazed at Longboat in rapture as bands played and fireworks exploded around him. A gold medal was pinned to his chest and the mayor read a congratulatory address, highlighted by an announcement of a 500-dollar gift from the city for his education.'' Would Mr. Longboat turn professional? Doing so had appeal. In the first decade of the century, races between professional racers were drawing large sellout crowds in arenas around North America. The purses were large -- and Mr. Longboat's winning potential was now a matter of record. There was only one consideration. The 1908 Olympics were approaching, and Mr. Longboat was the odds-on favourite to win the marathon event. But he could only enter the Olympics as an amateur. In 1907, the New England Amateur Athletic Union declared Mr. Longboat a professional, banning him from returning to Boston in 1908 to defend his marathon victory. The 1908 Olympic Marathon was supposed to be Mr. Longboat's most shining moment, but destiny had other plans. He was in second place when he collapsed at the 19-mile mark. All sorts of rumours immediately began to fly. Some people suggested that Mr. Longboat must have been drugged so certain crooked bettors could rake in huge winnings on his upset loss. There were even suggestions that Mr. Flanagan, his manager, had had a hand in it. Howard Crocker, the manager of the Canadian Olympic team, stated flatly: ``Any medical man knowing the facts of the case will assure you that the presence of a drug in an overdose was the cause of the runner's failure.'' Nothing was ever proved. Racist assumptions weren't held only by Mr. Longboat's detractors. Lou Marsh, a famous Toronto Star writer, once described Mr. Longboat as ``smiling like a coon in a watermelon patch.'' And while delivering that kind of condescension, Mr. Marsh was a friend and later became Mr. Longboat's manager. Racist stereotypes were so entrenched as to be invisible, often even to people of good motivation. Mr. Longboat's first important race as a professional was in December 1908 at Madison Square Gardens in New York City -- a two-man race, against Dorando Pietri, [on the left is what these kind of events looked like at the start, and of course Dorando is the great Italian runner who I blogged about this week, the 1908 Olympics, being drunk, drugged, and carried to the finish line, later disqualified]. Mr. Pietri and Mr. Longboat were each guaranteed one-quarter of the gate receipts, amounting to $3,750 apiece. The race, on a circular track, was for the full 26-mile 385-yard distance of the official marathon. Mr. Longboat let Mr. Pietri lead for much of the first 25 miles. But for the last mile, he surged ahead, using the strong kick that had become his signature finishing strategy. [END].

Jogger Mugged in Central Park Thursday Night

2008-03-21T21:05:00.004-04:00

March 21, 2008 -- Thursday night Two vicious muggers stabbed and slashed a 23-year-old man in Central Park last night after grabbing his wallet and iPod, police sources said. The attack occurred at about 8:40 p.m. when the duo accosted the victim at 102nd Street and Park Road near Central Park West, the sources said. After the thugs, wearing dark hooded sweatshirts, stole the man's wallet and iPod, one of them stabbed him once in the upper leg and slashed him on the arm, the sources said. It was unclear if the victim had resisted. The attackers fled. The victim, who was not immediately identified, was taken to St Luke's Hospital, where he was in stable condition. Dozens of cops fanned out to find the punks. Drew Keller, 28, who was walking his pit bull and Schnauzer dogs in the park, was surprised at the violence. "Wow, that's crazy," he said. "I'm here at all hours, even at 3 a.m. "I would never expect this would happen in this area." [END] I am an anti-impaired (no ipod) advocate - and run in the park all the time at very late hours - have never had a problem - but I would think a mugger would think twice about taking me on - runners - be aware out there in the late evening hours.

New Balance New Marketing Strategy for Runners...WTF?

2008-03-21T15:18:00.006-04:00

Staphanie Kang of the Wall St. Journal put some running spotlight on New Balance. With the country teetering on the brink of a recession, sport-shoe company New Balance is doubling its marketing budget in hopes of winning over more young consumers. But can a company that built a following through low-key marketing ramp up its promotional engine without alienating loyalists?

New Balance is putting more money into marketing; above, a scene from a new TV ad

For years, New Balance has been an anomaly in the sneaker world, spending little on marketing in a business dominated by splashy TV campaigns starring big-time athlete endorsers. Now, under a new chief executive, the company is taking a page from its rivals' playbooks. As part of a broader overhaul, New Balance is tripling its ad budget and doubling its budget for things like consumer research.

The first evidence of that marketing offensive will come next week, with a new brand campaign kicking off during the NCAA basketball tournament. Focusing on the company's sweet spot, running, the television, print and online ads use the tagline: "Love/Hate. This is the New Balance." It riffs on the idea that most runners have a rocky relationship with the sport; sometimes it's good, but there are rough patches too, including breakups. In one TV spot, called "Bench," a man who has recently "broken up" with running sees other runners everywhere he goes. In another, "Party," a young athlete returns from his workout while his peers party. New Balance says the campaign will appeal to young consumers by talking to them honestly. The "Love/Hate" theme came from consumer research that looked at dozens of diaries of runners from around the world, says Bill Bruce, chief creative officer at Omnicom Group's BBDO, New Balance's advertising agency. "The unifying idea was simple: running is hard," he says. "People aspire to it because it's not easy." Mr. DeMartini says New Balance's new "Love/Hate" campaign gets the company back to basics by focusing on running. "It's not going to sound like the others". [END] This ad? Are you kidding? All that talk and this is the ad? I think young people connect to those that inspire them...but Nike's got Ryan Hall, etc. New Balance needs to hand pluck some up and coming talent in the U.S. and put them in their shoes, maybe they can sign up David Goggins or something.

Running into New York Governors

2008-03-20T17:02:00.013-04:00

Okay - now for the political round-up.: Yes, I used to see former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer running in Central Park - all the time, however not in the last 2 years - but he used to be a regular - I'm guessing Spitzer used to clock probably about 30 miles / week between the whole 6 mile loop and the reservoir - he mainly hit the reservoir though. In fact Spitzer was interviewed 2 year ago in Runner's World wherein he talked about his running while he ran for Governor of New York, in that interview he said, “With this campaign, my days are longer, but I still have to run,” Spitzer disclosed. “My wife doesn’t mind when I slip out at 5 a.m. She just asks that I don’t turn on the lights.” Yup, that's a direct quote. On to the new Governor and my neighbor David Paterson. Okay, since it's "out the bag now" I don't mind speaking on it - but David & Michelle have been my neighbors for a long time - I only know Michelle (his wife) in passing - however when I used to work out at New York Sports Club - a local gym - she would come in there looking gorgeous - I had no idea at the time she was involved in an affair(s) with men other than David (her husband)....however David? Now that's another story - I'm not speaking out of school here now...and since it's out - everybody knew David was screwing women left and right - he was on the prowl big time for a while there - common knowledge here were we live. In fact, hey look there above...it's a runner..and not just any old runner, that's 1988 U.S. Olympic Sprinter Daine Dixon.....errr...and also one of my neighbor's (David - the Governor's) "jump offs". For the White people a "jump off" is a "Hook-Up, a friend with "privileges", a Fuck Buddy, etc. Now I've seen Michelle (David's wife) in person a ton of times - and I see Diane Dixon above, one of David's "other women". No offense to Diane but she's not exactly Naomi Campbell. In fact at first I thought she was Saturday Night Live's Tracy Morgan in a wig. You got Michelle over here, and Diane over there, and David, you are screwing Diane?.....Damn....What can we conclude? Let there be no doubt in anyone's mind.......David Paterson is clearly blind.

Irving Berlin, Harlem, The Marathon, The Olympics, Drunk As Hell & Explaining Why 26 Miles & 385 yards

2008-03-20T06:15:00.016-04:00

Though he composed "Harlem On My Mind", I can't say I am a fan of the historic American composer Irving Berlin - that guy on the right below - why?...he did a lot of "minstrel Black face" crap. However it was his decision one time to include black performers in a performance. At the time, the US military armed forces were segregated, and as a result of Berlin's insistence, the performance This Is the Army show review unit became the only integrated US military company in uniform. To give This Is the Army the contemporary feel Berlin devised a new song for his black soldiers, something, he declared, "with a real Harlem beat." One endless night he played the melody for "Puttin' on the Ritz"--his ode to high-fashion blacks strutting along Lenox Avenue [Where I run & Ted Corbitt before me] --over and over again, and gradually the song evolved into something new: a different melody with the same tempo. When completed he said, "I finally got the number for the colored guys--'That's What the Well-Dressed Man in Harlem Will Wear." That was the name of the tune and what you see those men on the left in uniform above rehearsing. Now let me take you back a little bit. London, 1908 Olympics and THE MARATHON. The race distance was extended in order to please the British royal family: they wanted the race to start just outside one of their official residences, Windsor Castle, located just west of London. Although there was no standard distance yet, the previous marathons had been between 25 and 26 miles (or 40 to 41.6K). In London, the 26-mile maximum distance would have ended the race at the entrance to London's White City stadium. But there would be greater dramatic effect if the runners circled the stadium and ended up in front of the royal box at the stadium. So another 385 yards were added. So when you see the length of the race described as 26 Miles 385 yards....this is why. Now in 1908 during the race Londoners offered to the runners along the route "spirits" - happens even today - bars commonly offer beers to marathoners in a race - if the bar is along the route/course. In this case, beer, champagne - it all flowed to the runners, many were drunk during the race - however in 1908, one accomplished little Italian named Dorando Pietri was leading the race....but a little tipsy - he was drunk. Pietri had, according to one of the British competitors, been consistently drinking brandy offered from the generous onlookers. During the marathon race when he staggered into the stadium he seemed not to know which way to turn and promptly fell over - stone cold drunk. Some say he was simply exhausted. Others that he was "shit faced". That photo above on the right is of him "shit faced drunk" during the race. The British crowd soon realized that his closest pursuer was an American [who they despised] and urged Pietri to his feet. Suddenly a medical official rapidly administered a dose of a drug, strychnine, which quickly perked him up. Eventually Pietri was even then helped across the line by officials before the American [Johnny Hayes], could win the race. They carried him a distance to rousing cheers (photo on the left), Pietri was declared the winner which, since he had been given an illegal stimulant and then carried across the line, gave the Americans cause to protest - which they did. Justice prevailed when Pietri was disqualified, but at the end of the Games he was presented with a specially-commissioned gold cup by Queen Alexandra, who had watched his plight, according to the press, "With tender, womanly sympathy - and tears." Back to Irving Berlin, one of America's greatest popular composers, had his first big hit with the song 'Dorando', named after the Italian runner I have spoken to - The song is about an Italian-American barbershop owner who bets his shop on Dorando winning a running race at Madison Square Garden here in New York City. Dorando falls and loses, the lyrics go, "Dorando he's a drop! / Goodbye poor old barber shop." And the reason Dorando does not win, according to Berlin, is that the day before he eats Irish beef stew instead of spaghetti. Ironically, Johnny Hayes, the American who was declared the winner of the 1908 Olympic Marathon was the son of Irish immigrants. There you have it - now I jam packed this blog entry just to shut down the game (culture/sport/international/ethnicity) - some real history and connecting points you will not find anywhere - all put together here on Harlem 26.2. This blog is soon coming to an end - but let it be known far and wide - Harlem 26.2 knows this running game inside and out - back and forth - and can connect & flip it in ways few knew existed. Have a great day!

David Goggins: The Prettiest MotherF*%#@er in Running

2008-03-19T18:11:00.004-04:00

David Goggins - holding down the ultrarunning scene for the brothas.....and what a pretty motherfucker we have here, chiseled 6'1" 195 pounds, Navy Seal, Badwater, on and on. Oh Snap!...what's this? A 3:29:35 in last months LA Marathon? David, is that you?.... a 59.6% AG grading? WTF? What happened? I'm suspect, did you really run at 2:56 Boston? and that 3:08 Las Vegas qualified you? Qualifying for Boston at age 32 by 95 seconds.....tsk tsk....hummm...I don't know....my man...all the Ultra stuff is nonsense in my book, quit hiding in those weak field events and step up to the real game brah.......but know you're going to have to get your weight up if you even think about coming to New York City, that sub 60% AG grading on a flat marathon course in LA ain't gonna cut it my man. You've never cut a time to qualify you for the New York City Marathon - yes, I have some strings I can pull, but I'm sure you can earn your way in, no? Holla back when you're really ready to get down - that's right, I'm talking New York City - if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere - but be forewarned...it runs through Harlem....where you gotta go hard, or go home. For my female readers - I present to you David Goggins, the prettiest motherfucker in running. Have a great day!

White Runners Charged With Too Much Ass & The Mathematics of a Black Woman

2008-03-19T08:40:00.011-04:00

Breaking News! A jogger charged after allegedly revealing too much ass? I don't make this stuff up.....An instructor at the International Junior Golf Academy is accused of jogging along William Hilton Parkway with his pants pulled down, according to a Beaufort County Sheriff's report (Coastal Carolinas). The 35-year-old was leading a group of males jogging on the bike path around midday Monday, and had his "entire buttocks" exposed, the report stated. By the time the officer returned to the area, the runner had his pants pulled back up to a "proper position," authorities said. He told the officer he was just fooling around because they were on an "Indian Run." He was arrested on a public disorderly conduct charge and was taken to the Beaufort County Detention Center, where he was later released on a $258 bond. [END] Runners behaving badly, I'm shocked! This foolishness makes me think of Alenka Bikar - you might not be familiar with Alenka but that's her on the right above, a Slovenian 200 meter sprinter, a very nice resume of her sprinting & international competitions can be seen over at the IAAF - like the jogger in the Carolinas above - Alenka has become notorious for having too much ass - imagine that, a White woman charged with having too much ass. Her ass looks pretty Captain Fantastic to me, be careful White women, keep running and you might end up with an ass like Alenka's. I am not joking about this..if you go to Wikipedia where she is listed - it says, " She is currently training. She has a loyal youtube following due to her ample backside". That's it. Not another thing else about her is said, her entire claim to fame is that ass. Now don't get me wrong, she's got a very nice ass, but it's pretty much standard fare on a Black woman's scale from my Black man's point of view. And look there, Bo Derek on the left, hooked up in braids and suddenly she's a "10". Oh my, look at those "full" lips there on the right, the wonders of collagen injection....and does not every town in America have at least 1 Tanning Salon? Manhattan's got 2 on every other block....where people go year round to get...eeerr......."dark". Shall we review? : 1 great ass + braids + 2 full lips + dark skin = a Black woman, does it not? Hell after that all you need to do is get a subscription to Essence and vote for Obama and you're good to go! Have a great day!

The $175 Newton Running Shoe v. The Old School Runner

2008-03-19T03:52:00.007-04:00

I am now seeing 3 or so different runners, per week in a pair of the $175 Newton Running shoes in Central Park. Believe it or not if I spot a runner in this shoe I will often run adjacent to them and conduct my own interview. I am intrigued and curious of the obvious question, are they worth it? Like here in this article from Ultra Adventures they explain the Newton shoe has ‘actuator lugs’ under the forefoot that are intended to absorb impact more effectively than simple foam. There are a number of minor features of Newton shoes, such as light weight, highly breathable, but it is the forefoot that is the reason for buying them. Initial impressions running in the Newton is very different to other shoes. The forefoot is much thicker, so you naturally land on your forefoot. Standing in the Newton puts your toes slightly higher than your heal, the opposite of most shoes. I am a midfoot runner, but the Newton shoes make me a pure forefoot runner. I enjoyed my first few short runs (3 miles or so), but I found that my calves were not used to the strain. I also felt that the Newton shoes had a forefoot that was too thick, making me feel a little unstable. This is make worse by the fact that the ‘actuator lugs’ are not the full width of the forefoot, increasing the feeling of instability. A cheaper alternative? Having run in the Newton shoes for a while, I got to thinking how I prefer the Nike Free [the shoe on the right], but like most shoes, the Free has a thicker heel than forefoot. So I found an old pair of Frees and took a knife to them, hacking off the heal and part of the midfoot. This gave me a very light weight shoe with a similar feel to the Newton, allowing me to run on the forefoot very easily. The free is much more flexible and lower than the Newton, which I greatly prefer. I think that forefoot running is much more natural form of running, and removing the heel excess heel from the shoe makes forefoot running much easier. However, taking a knife to an old pair of shoes is rather cheaper and maybe more effective. [END]. This is actually the best review of this shoe I've ever seen. I've been running for over 30 years - I'm "old school", we do things like this - radically alter a brand new shoe and perfect it for us. Us old school runners drill pencil size holes in our shoes' soles right out the box so the shoe retains less water and drains (running in rain), we drill screws in the shoe for winter and icy roads / better grip and traction, we cut off the ankle collar of a brand new pair of shoes rubbing and causing friction - we do all sorts of unconventional things to shoes, to "perfect them for us". The guy who wrote this is an "old school" runner and I have love for that! Now having said that - on to the Newton Shoe. I am a forefoot runner and most runners are not aware how fatiguing it is to race a 5K forefoot/toe striking. You have to be very strong - I've worn lots of shoes that "nest" the heel cup lower than the forefoot, this is a common design of New Balance racing flats, the NB RC 750 and NB950 shoes are like this, even the classic NB 150 was like this - it's a great design - however you have to be strong to race middle distance in these shoes, exceptionally strong to go a Half or full Marathon in these shoes, properly, forefoot striking the whole distance - few can do that. I suspect the Newton shoe is best suited for the less than advanced runner - if the words of this reviewer are valid. Meaning - seasoned advanced runners don't need a shoe to force us to forefoot strike - we'll do that in whatever shoe we wear. As I said last week, I can get a pair of Asics Ohana racing flats for $70 landed - that's a mighty hard value to top. However having said that - the Newton shoe might be a fit for you - and I say anything that enables you to run better is worth it - I just am not sure this shoe enables the advanced runner to run better, in other words, for the advanced runner, the shoe may not be a solution as it presumes a problem that does not exist for that runner - however I am guessing that runner accounts for less than 3% (people who train in flats and light weight trainers) of the running shoe market and the vast majority of runners need correction of some kind - just an opinion.

Coming Soon: A Film of a Chinese Ultra Marathoner - 100 miles in the Yunnan Mountains

2008-03-18T21:18:00.006-04:00

I've traveled throughout most all of China, however I've never been to where you see there on the left - the Yunnan Mountains - that looks to me like quite the risky path to travel...no thinks....however China based producer Jay Rothstein said Tuesday that David Ren will direct his next project, "Distance Runners" - there in the Yunnan Mountains. "Distance Runners," a $2.4 million co-production between Rothstein's China Venture Films and Yunnan Minority Film Studio, is the story of a Chinese ultra-marathon runner who tries to tackle a 100-mile run through the mountains of Yunnan."I wanted someone bilingual, experienced and who understands both cultures," Rothstein said. "I also wanted someone I felt had his heart and soul in the film. David's very passionate."Ren, who directed "Shanghai Kiss" in 2007, was born in Shanghai but grew up in New York City. There are only a small handful of movies on ultrarunners - I'm glad to see this in the works!

Meb Keflezighi: Stick A Fork In Him, He's Done!

2008-03-18T20:27:00.004-04:00

As predicted by Harlem 26.2 on February 3, Meb Keflezighi, that guy below, is lost, stick a fork in him - he's done. Runnersweb is now reporting, "Short of conditioning, reigning Olympic Marathon silver medalist Meb Keflezighi has withdrawn from next month's Flora London Marathon. In a statement released by his brother and manager, Merhawi, confirmed "Meb Keflezighi has decided to pass up on the 2008 Flora London Marathon," and read the statement. "Meb is short of the conditioning he and Coach Bob Larsen would like before racing in one of the finest and competitive marathons in the world. Meb and Coach Larsen feel it would be too risky to rush the workout preparation for London, during an Olympic year. While Meb is disappointed he will not have a chance to set a significant personal best in London, he realizes it is better to be cautious during the Olympic year. Meb will now give his complete focus on preparing for the USATF Olympic Trials." This is the second time Keflezighi, 32, has had to withdraw from London. The first time was in 2005 when an injury forced him out of the race. He started the race in 2007, but dropped out in the 16th mile (26th km) when an Achilles injury combined with a huge blister on the bottom of his foot made finishing the race too risky. In his last marathon at the USA Olympic Team Trials - Men's Marathon last November in New York City, Keflezighi finished a disappointing eighth in 2:15:09. He was hampered in that race by a hip injury, the recovery from which has been slower than expected leading to his decision to bow out of London. By finishing out of the top-3 at the Trials, Keflezighi lost his chance to run the Olympic Marathon in 2008. Keflezighi still has a good chance to make the Olympic team at 10,000m when the USA Olympic Team Trials in track and field open in Eugene, Ore., on June 27. [END]. I like Meb - but as I said last month - he's lost - this professional runner has unstated, undisclosed reasons as to why he is withdrawing - no injury - just "short on conditioning? WTF? Give me a break - this is your full time job....please - your done Meb, sad to see.

Wind: 2, Olympic Trials: 0. The Wind Wins

2008-03-18T08:03:00.008-04:00

That on the left is a photo from last weekend's Shamrock Marathon in Virginia Beach, VA - and the runners faced a tough opposition - a driving wind gusted most of the day, slowing times and costing a few runners a chance at running in the Olympic Trials - one being Long Island's Jessica Allen who clocked an impressive 2:48.59 - unfortunately that was 2 minutes too long for an Olympic qualifying slot next month in Boston. Despite not reaching her goal Jessica Allen won the race - no small feat and is already looking forward to the 2012 Olympic trials. She said, "This just makes me want to go harder, to do it in four years,". And to close the loop on someone I've been mentioning, Amy Palmiero-Winters fell shy of the Olympic Trials qualifying mark with a 3:23:26 or 7:46 min/mile - nonetheless still a great job! I don't mind racing in rain or even snow - however wind is a killer. Sometimes when you're chasing a goal - in a race...you really need the stars to fall in alignment - and when they don't - it makes the going pretty tough - The wind got the best of everybody on that course that date no doubt - and both these Long Island, NY woman runners did an awesome job - winning a friggen marathon?...that's unbelievable...and I have to give'em their props on that, kudos! Have a great day.

St. Partricks' Day? The GREENING of the Running Industry : TrailRace Denial, & How Green is the New York Road Runners?

2008-03-17T07:49:00.004-04:00

Linda Honikman, Running USA has written a briefing so to speak on the "Greening of the Running Industry" - I will share - and comment; "The Running Industry is beginning to respond to this new eco-sensitive community by developing green products and events. In the short term, green efforts offer promotional benefits and over a number of years, events, vendors and manufacturers are seeing significant energy and cost savings associated with sustainable practices. But in the long run industry entities hope their collective efforts will result in clean air and attractive natural areas to fully support the low energy, health-improving activity of running, the most natural of sports. Greener Events Becoming More Popular: Bolder Boulder Race was one of the first major road races to implement resource conservation efforts although race director Cliff Bosley acknowledges that initial efforts in the mid-90s were informal and modest. In 1999, Bolder Boulder began tracking the amount of waste that was collected along the course and at the finish area. Every year as the field and spectator numbers have increased, the amount of non-recyclable garbage has decreased. With the help of the University of Colorado Recycling Program, an environmental impact report is produced after each race and recommendations are made for ways to improve. Fifteen years ago the local bus service began offering a park-and-ride service which about 27% of the Bolder Boulder entrants used in 2007. In 2003, race organizers began using a usable lunch bag for post-race refreshments and items are selected that have minimal packaging. Over the last five years, the entry form has been reduced from 8 to 4 pages and the online registrations have increased from 15% to 50%. All unused food and drinks, averaging about 10,000 lbs. per year, are donated to the Boulder Community Food Share. At last year's event, 15,906 lbs. of race day garbage were recycled, a 41% increase from 2006. The result of their conservation efforts saved the equivalent of:

* 37 forty foot Douglas-fir trees
* 41,300 gallons of water
* 332 million BTU energy
* 7 Metric Tons of Carbon Emission (MTCE)
* 3,000 gallons of gasoline

Bosley believes that a mindset of minimizing waste and saving resources not only is the right thing to do for the environment, but can help an event's bottom line. Trail runners didn't need Al Gore to bring home the importance of minimizing our ecological footprint so the first 'Green Running Event' was probably a trail run. Nancy Hobbs, executive director of the American Trail Running Association, (AATRA) says the organization is very supportive of the green event concept. "We hope that race directors stage their races with the environment in mind. Of utmost importance is to use eco-friendly course markings such as flour, and at the very least to remove any and all markings once the event is completed. We like to encourage runners to carry their own water and / or fill up their bottles at aid stations rather than using paper cups. These are just a few ways to mitigate the impact to our natural resources." One candidate for the first authentic green race is the Keweenaw Trail Running Festival which began in 2000. The director, Jeff Crumbaugh has been improving his pro-environment efforts every year. In 2006, there were no garbage bags to take to the landfill after a 2-day event that included a meal for 300 runners. Finishers are served a breakfast featuring organic, locally grown foods that minimize use of fossil fuels required for transportation. Real dinnerware replaces Styrofoam cups and paper plates. Bringing in real dinnerware and refilling participant water bottles is not going to work very well for the typical road race. But running events of any type and size can get cost effective promotions by taking some modest eco-friendly steps. [END]. FYI to my readers - there's a new site Runner's World new pro-environment web community where running/races and ecology is the focus!

First of all "Trail Races" are highly suspect events and the author failed to address the real issue behind them which is basically, "capacity" per condition which changes DAILY. Normally Race Directors seek to pack as many entry fee paying heads into an event as possible to maximize the revenue. However most trail races have a capacity, a limit, I've seen them as large as 1000, as small as 75 (runners allowed). Not all have this self governing and it's all pretty much self-policed (which never works). But Trail Racing has a serious impact on the the environment - 500 runners = 1000 feet trampling a trail in an hour for example (or if it's 2 loops of the same course, double the trampling). The dirty secret? If it rained before the event the environment is even more fragile and prone to erosion (from the weather condition alone!) - now add to the equation 1000 feet to inflict more damage to the trail and the environment has little to no chance of having a fair voice to counter in real time. There are not enough environmental authorities out there to inspect & evaluate conditions, as they change, as the race hour looms. Yes, there have been trail races that have been canceled due to authorities determining the event will have a permanent deleterious effect on the trail (due to the rain that softened up the trail and primed the course for erosion). However canceling these events is rare, it's only happened 2 or 3 times in the U.S. to my knowledge. So Trail Race Directors like to bring your focus on litter - when the real question is one of trail erosion and how weather before the event compounds the damage of runners on the trail. This changes daily right up to the moment of the start of the race. A Saturday trail race might be permitted to have 300 runners, capped to limit environmental damage - did not factor in weather - an ever changing variable. In the real world if it rains that week or night before or day of, etc. the trail is primed for erosion and it might only take 100 runners to have the impact of 300,.....300 runners might now have the impact of 900. The Trail Race business does not want to concede or come to terms with this reality - they don't even want it probed - they want unrestricted use per their allowed capacity limit regardless of weather the day of, night or week before.

Now on to the NYRR: Okay - they've cut a deal with Toyota and now the official car of the NYC Half and Full Marathon are these "Hybrid" vehicles. Okay - that works - but what else are the NYRRs doing to become green? And like the Boulder Bolder Race - it seems to me the NYRR should document similar figures, no? Seriously, after every event right along with race results, statistics, photos, etc. the NYRR can include the "ecology or green" report of that race? Why not? Document the .lbs of garbage, how much of that is of paper cups that will be recycled, etc. and place it in a context of savings as the Boulder Bolder Race has done. Should NYRR Central Park races be capped at 5,000? (exceptions only for the Half and Full Marathon?). Is Central Park limitless? Just tossing out these questions. I'll believe the NYRR is serious about "Greening" and "Ecology" when they offer on the entry forms the standard Option to "Opt In" or "Opt Out" the Shirt for the race - as many races do (and lower your entry fee by $5 or whatever in the process). Do you hear that Mary Wittenberg (President). Just think, 1,000 people might "Opt Out" causing less manufacturing, chemicals, energy to ship those shirts, etc. - everything has a footprint, right? Will Mary progress to this standard common with many Race Events? (and kiss goodbye $5,000 cash per race in the process.....I'm not holding my breath......and I say that feeling that she is a great great Race Director - the best in the world). Have a great day!

Running into Toby Tanser & Shoe4Africa

2008-03-17T06:31:00.006-04:00

One thing about running in Central Park - you get to recognize the "regulars" - of which there are hundreds. But there are a few that kind of stand out above and beyond even being a regular runner - but almost have a "fixture status" on the Central Park running scene - I happen to know most of those people - but one that I don't and I have no excuse not to - is that guy on the right - Tob y Tanser. I last saw Toby a week ago running in the park, everybody recognizes Toby - he has that long hair flowing in the wind - some my recognize his name in reading running publications as he's published articles all over the place - he's on the board of directors of the NYRR and the Achilles Track Club in fact - however not everyone might know all the good things and change Toby makes for people's lives - through running. He's quite the dynamic guy - to my awareness he's one of the very leading figures behind the shoe4africa campaign in the U.S. I note this today as I saw an article wherein the success of the program's event held on Saturday said, "Never at a Kenyan race has there been such a galaxy of International stars from past, present & future. It was a day of joyous celebration on Saturday in Iten, Kenya at the Shoe4Africa Peace run. Over 560 school girls came out to run a 4km peace run powered by Leppin. The story of the day was the amazing turnout of Kenya’s international stars who, led by Douglas Wakiihuri and Luke Kibet, World champions in the marathon, walked through Iten town on an athlete’s parade of peace with all the children singing and dancing behind, walking behind shouting Amani Kenya (Peace in Kenya) Shoe4Africa Run for Peace. All were dressed in yellow T-shirts. There was hugging, crying and dancing not only from the children, but also from the athletes, many of which had not seen each other in decades. Priscah Jepteling was the winner of the girls. Chris Cheboiboch & Timothy Cherigat, a Boston runner-up and a Boston winner, were rabbits to lead the girls on pace. As the runners passed the finish line, all the stars handed a pair of running shoes to all of the runners, exercise books and pencils too. At the awards ceremony Amos Biwott, the man who won the first steeplechase Olympic Gold handed out a new windows vista laptop computer to Kiptingo Primary school, money for books went to the second prize school. All the international athletes introduced themselves as the crowds sang. [END]. And I saw in the photo above Toby Tanser there on the left recording the event - which I imagine he will have on his website shortly. Good job by all. Have a great day.

The Fred Lebow Movie: Run For Your Life - The Creation of the New York City Marathon

2008-03-16T12:06:00.007-04:00

Here in New York City we have the Tribeca Film Festival - and there is a movie premiering there about the legendary "Fred Lebow" called Run For Your Life, directed by Judd Erlich. It's a fun, loving, and inspirational tribute to the late Fred Lebow and shows how his imagination, determination, and love for running created one of the world's most popular sporting events, The New York City Marathon. Not to diminish the story of Fred Lebow at all.....but I've been told from a couple of people who were there at the time - not the best of stories about Fred Lebow (may I politely say) in terms of his relations with Ted Corbitt. I'm told once he was diagnosed and aware he had cancer, a kinder Fred Lebow emerged - a new leaf turned over...in his relations with Ted Corbitt and few others.

Running Into Etienne-Jules Marey - First To Analyze The Running Motion

2008-03-16T07:42:00.004-04:00

Was out in Central Park yesterday to watch the USA 8K Championships - most of the male Olympian stars pulled out of the race before the start - but the women were there in full force - runners at this caliber make it look so easy - and when I look at these people running - their bodies in motion - how they flow - I am reminded of the person credited with first examining bodies in motion - running, " Etie nne-Jules Marey" - of France. Marey hoped to merge anatomy and physiology in studying human locomotion. That image on the right is an illustration of how he would have a runner wear an elaborate apparatus intended to register his different paces. Keep in mind this was in the late 1800's and the devices (polygraphs, sphygmographs, dromographs and other myographs - stuff that measured physiology, blood pressure for example) were recording instruments that ultimately produced graphs. He succeeded in analyzing man running and demonstrated the walking motion of humans (and horses, the the flight of birds and insects). That above on the left are 2 chronophotographics (Marey's imaging process) of a runner taken from overhead in 1887 . Marey’s chronophotographs were the first images that attempted to explain exactly what happens when the body moves. Now if I can only get my body moving like those Olympians I watched yesterday in Central Park....Have a great day.