Road Runners Club of America: News

Peace Frogs Partners With Amazon Conservation Team for Annual Run for the Rainforest 5K

Wed, 15 May 2013 03:57:23 GMT

The race will be held June 23, 2013 in Arlington, Va. at the Marymount University 5K course.

Peace Frogs is dedicated to help protect the Amazon rainforest and pleased to announce a partnership with the Amazon Conservation Team’s (ACT) third annual Run for the Rainforest 5K.
ACT’s Run for the Rainforest will be held June 23 in Arlington, Va. at the Marymount University 5K course.

“ACT encourages communities all over the world to act locally and think globally,” said Catesby Jones, Peace Frogs Founder and President. “Peace Frogs hopes people will share positively peaceful vibes. Bridge those two missions together and we have an opportunity to enact some real change.”

The goals of ACT are to help stop climate change and environmental destruction. The Run for the Rainforest raised more than $40,000 in 2012, with a goal of topping $50,000 this year. All proceeds from the event benefits ACT’s efforts to protect the Amazon and its traditional culture.

Protecting the Amazon also means protecting the frogs that live within it.

“ACT was founded in 1996 right here in Arlington, and we are proud of our local roots,” said ACT President Mark J. Plotkin in a letter to partners about the event. “We are an international not‐for‐profit conservation strongly committed to the belief that the people who best know, use and protect the rainforest are the indigenous communities who live there.”

According to ACT, operations in Colombia, Suriname and Brazil have helped more than 30 tribes map, manage, and protect their territories.

“Community participation and engagement is essential to our work in the rainforest—and it is also critical to the success of our local annual race,” Plotkin said.

The Run for the Rainforest is expected to draw more than 450 runners, with more than 1,500 friends and family members gathered to support. Register for the Run for the Rainforest at www.actrunfortherainforest.org.

About Peace Frogs:
Established more than 25 years ago by Catesby Jones, the Virginia-based Peace Frogs apparel company promotes positively peaceful living. The apparel and gift products are featured online, in more than 800 specialty stores around the world and via an annual catalog. With 16 free standing stores and 20 licensees, the Peace Frogs brand grows in popularity each year.

Crowded Field Vies to Be First to Cross the (Red) Line

Fri, 10 May 2013 04:31:06 GMT

Washigton, DC - Over 30 members of Congress will lead teams in the annual ACLI Capital Challenge®, a three-mile road race. They join participants from all branches of government and the media and have been cautioned to run sensibly to avoid increasing the national oxygen debt ceiling. The race takes place on Wednesday, May 15, at 8:00 a.m. in Washington, D.C.’s Anacostia Park.

In the race will be several congressional committee chairs, agency heads, Admirals, Generals, FBI leaders, dozens of on-air correspondents, federal Judges, and print journalists.

Defending fastest female Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) will return, as will Senator John Thune (R-SD) who will be pressed to keep his Senate and fastest man in Congress title as he is nursing a foot injury. Several female members of Congress will seek the fastest female representative title, and 2012 male victor Rep. Dan Lipinski is returning.

On hand as official whistle blower (courtesy of John Hancock) will be Ryan Hall, who has the fastest marathon time by an American (2:04:58 at Boston) and is also the American Half Marathon record holder (59:43).

Team captains in this event are not honorary positions. Each must finish the three-mile course for his or her team to score. This event shows that even the busiest people can take time out to stay physically fit. All entry fees go to the Wounded Warrior Project®, as does an additional donation from the title sponsor American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI). Supporting sponsors are Guardian, ING, John Hancock, MassMutual, MetLife, Nationwide, New York Life, Prudential, RGA, Transamerica Corporation, USAA, Western & Southern Financial Group and Roll Call.

Competition for the prestigious Best and James B. Kenin Worst Team name honors remains intense.

Big Sur Marathon Kicks Off Weekend of Events, Honoring Boston

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 05:36:15 GMT

Race Welcomes Boston2Big Sur Challengers; Offers Opportunities to Honor Those Affected by Boston Events
The Big Sur International Marathon kicks off this weekend with two day Health & Fitness Expo, a 3500-participant JUST RUN 3K kids fun run, and the iconic marathon along California’s scenic Highway One. Nearly 9,000 runners and walkers are registered to participate in six different distance events - marathon, relay, 21, 10.6 and 9 miles and a 5K - on Sunday morning.

Since 2010, the Big Sur Marathon has welcomed a special category of runners within its marathon – those who take the challenge of competing in the historic Boston Marathon followed directly by the scenic Big Sur Marathon, either six or 13 days later. This year’s Boston 2 Big Sur (or B2B) Challenge has taken on even greater significance, as the race truly unites runners between the two coasts.

Four hundred runners signed up for the challenge which sold out several months ago. Even though many weren’t able to finish last Monday’s Boston Marathon, they will still receive a B2B finisher’s medallion, finisher’s jacket and will gain admittance into the B2B tent following this week’s race, Sunday, April 28. This decision was welcomed by dozens of runners.

“I am thrilled with your decision,” posted Michele MacLean of Gardiner, Maine, on the Big Sur Marathon Facebook page. “I am running Big Sur marathon for my 3rd straight year…this one as part of B2B, which after this past Monday is a special honor. I was fortunate to finish Boston just before the first explosion and hoped you would grant all that weren’t able to finish the opportunity to still run. Your decision makes me especially proud to be a part of B2B running crowd!!”

In an effort to honor those affected by the events in Boston, the Big Sur Marathon will be providing opportunities for all runners to unite and pay homage to victims, runners and the entire Boston community.

At the Big Sur Marathon’s Health & Fitness Expo, race organizers are planning a special Boston Tribute area. Here, runners will have an opportunity to write messages on a large banner and to share stories of their experiences. Donations to The One Fund Boston charity established for the victims of the Boston bombings can also be made in this location. The Big Sur Marathon will be welcoming Ron Kramer, Senior Event Director from DMSE, the Boston Marathon’s race organization, who will greet runners in the Boston Tribute area and throughout the weekend.

Additional weekend outreach includes observing a moment of silence at the start of each race (marathon, 21, 10.6 and 9 Milers & 5K), and providing a limited supply of “4.15.13 - Runners United” tribute pins. At the expo, runners can choose to purchase a “Runner’s United” tech fabric shirt or custom race bib shirt with proceeds donated to The One Fund Boston.

Race organizers anticipate many additional personal tributes via signage, personalized shirts and more. One marathoner will be running alongside the 4:15 pace team with a sign to honor victims of the Boston explosions.

Not surprisingly, given the resilience of marathon runners, there have been few cancellations to this year’s race following the Boston tragedy. Big Sur Marathon race director, Doug Thurston, said, “Actually, it’s the other way around. We are receiving many requests for entries into our long-sold out event for those who want to show their support.”

On race day, there will be heightened security throughout all aspects of the event. Already, the race maintains a high level of safety precautions and communications due to the difficult logistical challenges of the course. Multiple agencies are working collectively to ensure the highest level of safety for the runners and the community.

Race weekend activities begin Friday at noon with the commencement of the Health and Fitness Expo. The expo is open to the public and includes more than 60 vendors showcasing the latest in running gear and apparel, along with nutrition items, other race events and informative race clinics. Hours of the expo are noon to 6 p.m. Friday, April 26 and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday. The JUST RUN! Just Kids 3K race takes place Saturday morning at 8 a.m., welcoming 3,500 children, parents and teachers to the fun run along the waterfront in Pacific Grove. On Sunday, the full marathon, along with five additional distance events along Highway One, will get underway at 6:45 a.m. with a finish time of 1 p.m.

STEAMBOAT MARATHON CELEBRATES 32 YEARS OF SCENERY AND SMALL TOWN CHARM

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 06:23:14 GMT

SERVES AS QUALIFIER FOR BOSTON MARATHON

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, Colo. – April 10, 2013 – The vistas and wide-open spaces unique to Northern Colorado offer a unique setting for sightseers and road warriors, but to tackle a marathon – or half-marathon – in this section of the state instills a lasting impression. Northern Colorado’s distinctive scenery and ranching heritage take center stage for the Steamboat Marathon, providing the perfect opportunity for a personal experience. The course winds down country roads, follows the fast-moving Elk River and finishes in historic downtown Steamboat Springs. The Steamboat Marathon, Half Marathon and 10K take place on Sunday, June 2, 2013 and the marathon a certified Boston Marathon qualifier.

The Steamboat Marathon is a nationally recognized running race with a USATF-Certified Course that has earned accolades throughout the running community, though it is neither a big city race, nor a small trail experience. Aid stations are plentiful and well stocked, but not overdone so the peaceful solitude of this beautiful place is preserved.

The marathon starts at 7:30 a.m. in the lazy town of Hahn’s Peak Village at 8,258 feet – about 20 miles from the Wyoming border. The race start is a casual but exciting affair, punctuated by a “Ready, set, go” to start the runners. The course takes participants past fields and pastures blooming with the summer’s first wildflowers and dotted with grazing horses and cows. As runners near the City of Steamboat Springs, the snowy peak of Mt. Werner dominates the view and the crowds grow. The final approach into downtown is an exciting one, with supporters lining the main street – Lincoln Avenue – cheering runners until the last participant crosses the finish line. The marathon finishes at 6,728 feet, though that elevation is deceiving; runners will navigate several hills during the second half of the race providing a consistent challenge to the finish.

“The Steamboat Marathon, voted one of the most scenic marathons in the country by Runners World, has the cozy, friendly appeal that only a town like Steamboat can bring, but with the organization of a big city marathon,” said Cara Marrs, Steamboat Springs resident and distance runner. “It offers a challenge to the veteran or new runner and truly it’s a race where every runner is allotted their own experience and feels that they are celebrated.”

The Steamboat Half-Marathon course is also a USATF-Certified Course that begins at the mid-point of the marathon course, locally known as Moon Hill, at an elevation of 6,990’ and finishes at the same location as the marathon in downtown Steamboat Springs. The Steamboat 10K course begins and ends at the courthouse in historic downtown Steamboat Springs and takes runners on a scenic tour of town. Both start at 7:30 a.m.

The event also includes the free Honey Stinger Fun Run, open to children ages five years and older. The half-mile race starts and finishes at the courthouse in downtown Steamboat Springs, and begins at 10 a.m. All participants receive a ribbon and a cookie. The Fun Run is open to the first 200 kids to register.

For information about the Steamboat Marathon, visit www.steamboatmarathon.com.

About Steamboat Springs
Steamboat’s unique mix of warm sun, cowboy boots and friendly locals lends an inviting, laid back atmosphere to this historic Colorado resort town, where western heritage meets abundant outdoor adventure. Here, cowboys ride mountain bikes and summer adventure runs the gamut, with options ranging from biking along Steamboat’s Yampa River Core Trail to exploring the over 500 miles of single track and endless county roads; floating down the Yampa to soaking in one of many natural hot springs; golfing among the peaks and valleys to casting a line for rainbows, browns, brookies, and Snake River cutthroats; and above all, making the most of the long, summer days. Abundant outdoor dining options are perfect for people watching, and festivals and events crowd weekends with interesting options. Throughout the summer Steamboat blooms with activity from Lincoln Avenue to the mountain base and beyond. Get up here and discover an authentic Steamboat Springs summer.

Braun, Suver Break GO! St. Louis Half Marathon Course Records

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 07:19:09 GMT

Source: GO! St. Louis and Running USA
Date: April 8, 2013

Half-marathon winners each earn $10,000 victory paychecks, Geoffrey Kiprotich and Autumn Ray take first in marathon.

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (April 7, 2013) – GO! St. Louis Half Marathon winners Aaron Braun and Mattie Suver rewrote the course records Sunday, while Geoffrey Kiprotich, who also set a course record, and Autumn Ray captured the marathon portion of GO! St. Louis Marathon Weekend.

Braun (right, courtesy GO! St. Louis), 25, from Flagstaff, Ariz. set a new GO! St. Louis Half Marathon record, with a time of 1 hour, three minutes, 13 seconds. Braun, was closely followed by Jordan Chipangama, 24, also a Flagstaff resident, in 1:03:22. Josphat Boit of Little Rock, Ark., finished third in 1:03:52.

On the women’s side, first time GO! St. Louis Half Marathon champion Suver, 25, from Colorado Spring, Colo., established a new women’s half-marathon course record, posting a time of 1:12:22. The mark handily eclipsed the previous record set by Serena Ramsey (Burla) of 1:14:13, in 2007. Tera Moody, 32, from Boulder, Colo. finished second with a time of 1:12:34. Sara Kiptoo, 23, of Santa Fe, NM finished third in 1:12:51.

Braun and Suver both secured the $10,000 top prize in the half-marathon. Second place finishers in the men’s and women’s divisions both received $5,000, while third place received $2,000.

In the Marathon race, Geoffrey Kiprotich, 34, from Sylvania, Ohio, outlasted the field, posting a 2:20:00, another course record. Kiprotich broke Zac Freudenburg’s previous record of 2:23:57, set in 2009. He was followed by second place finisher Mark Chepses, 36, who posted a time of 2:20:49. Finishing third in the marathon was Mario Macias, 31, from Manitou, Colo., with a time of 2:21:59. Macias is a former GO! St. Louis Half Marathon champion (2010).

In the women’s marathon race, Autumn Ray, 33 from Tuscon, Ariz. was the first women to cross the line with a time of 2:51:28. Ray finished ahead of Tia Accetta, 37, also from Tuscon, and third place finisher Karen Meraw of Shelby Township, Mich.

The GO! St. Louis Family Fitness Weekend is an event that was created for all ages and fitness abilities and features a marathon – presented by Mercy, half marathon– presented by PNC Bank, Marathon Relay – presented by Lockton Companies, 5K Run/Walk- presented by Mercy, GO! St. Louis Read, Right and Run Marathon® - presented by Express Scripts, Children’s Fun Runs and a Mature Mile. The GO! St. Louis Marathon & Family Fitness Weekend is Missouri’s largest fitness event.

Bawcom Sets American Record To Win USA Women’s 10 Mile Championship

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 02:38:12 GMT

Dramatically Close Finishes Define both Men’s and Women’s Races at 41st Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run

April 7, 2013, Washington, DC: U.S. Olympian Janet Bawcom ran 10 miles in 53:28 this morning to set the single-sex American record at the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run. In doing so, Bawcom from Flagstaff, AZ, claimed her third consecutive USA Women’s 10 Mile Championship, and led three other American women under the former record time of 54:38, set by the late Sally Meyerhoff in the 2009 Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run. (Bawcom was the RRCA’s 2011 Road Runner of the Year.)

But Bawcom’s record run was certainly not the only story among elite competitors. The finish of the men’s race was initially too close to call; judges ultimately awarded the victory to Kenyan Daniel Salel over countryman and defending champion Allan Kiprono. Salel’s winning time was 46:06, well off the course record of 45:15 Kiprono set last year. And in the women’s race, Kenyan Caroline Rotich and Ethiopian Belaynesh Oljira broke away from a large group of women over the last three miles of the race, with Rotich prevailing for a three second victory in 52:46. Bawcom ended up fourth overall in the women’s race, just behind Kenyan Risper Gesawba, who ran 53:22.

In her post-race comments, Janet Bawcom credited the highly competitive international field of women for helping her break the American record, and said “this victory gives me a lot of confidence going into to the track season.” (Bawcom placed 12th in the 10,000 meters, in a time of 31:12.68, in the London Olympic Games.)

While Bawcom can now look ahead with confidence, Caroline Rotich drew upon the confidence gained from her recent win at the NYC Half Marathon as today’s race unfolded: “With three miles to go, I didn’t want the race to come down to a sprint with Belaynesh Oljira, who is a 10K runner, so I kept pushing and pushing, knowing I had a lot of strength in my legs.”

From a total pool of $65,000 in prize money and bonuses, Daniel Salel and Caroline Rotich each won $8,000, while Janet Bawcom won a total of $9,000 ($1,500 for her fourth place finish overall, $5,000 for the USA Championship, and $2,500 for setting the American record). Three other American women placed among the top-ten overall to “double-dip” in prize money: Brianne Nelson (Boulder, CO) placed 8th /2nd U.S. and earned $3,300 total; Sarah Crouch (Blowing Rock, NC) placed 9th /3rd U.S. and earned $2,600; and Kellyn Johnson (Flagstaff, AZ) placed 10th /4th U.S. and won a total of $2,000.

Three-time U.S. Olympian Jen Rhines (Mammoth Lakes, CA) took home $1,000 for her 5th place among American women; Katie DeCamillo (Providence, RI) earned $800 as 6th place American; Heather Cappello (Boston, MA) was 7th and earned $600; Ladia Albertson Junkans (St. Paul, MN) earned $500 for 8th place; Stephanie Pezzullo (Charlotte, NC) placed 9th and earned $300; and Clara Grandt (Morgantown, WV) earned $200 as 10th American woman.

Top-placing American men were also able to take home both overall and top American prize money, though the American prize money was limited to just the top-three: Tyler McCandless (Boulder, CO) placed 8th and won a total of $1,700, Patrick Rizzo (Boulder, CO) placed 9th and earned $1,100; and Chris Kwiatkowski (Chevy Chase, MD) placed 10th and earned $750.

On the fundraising front, a total of $483,000 was raised for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals this year, with $115,000 of that raised directly by Credit Union Cherry Blossom runners. Since the Credit Unions became the title sponsor of the race in 2002, over $6 million has been has been raised for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

This year’s event – the Runner’s Rite of Spring® – took place on the third weekend of the National Cherry Blossom Festival®, the nation’s greatest springtime celebration. The 2013 Festival, March 20 – April 14, commemorates the 1912 gift of 3,000 cherry trees from Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo to the city of Washington, DC. The gift and annual celebration honor the lasting friendship between the United States and Japan and the continued close relationship between the two countries.

The Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile Run is a proud member of the Professional Road Running Organization (PRRO) Circuit, and is the only truly elite road race held in the Nation’s Capital. PRRO is an alliance of race directors who together organize and the PROO Circuit, a nationwide series of premier non-marathon road racing events. Circuit events include the World’s Best 10K in San Juan, PR, the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile, the Lilac Bloomsday 12K in Spokane, WA, the Boilermaker 15K in Utica, NY, and the AJC Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta, GA. A trip to the PRRO Race of Champions at the 2013 AJC Peachtree Road Race on July 4, 2013 will be awarded to the first local man and woman.

About the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile:
The Credit Union Cherry Blossom is known as “The Runner’s Rite of Spring®.” The staging area for the event is on the Washington Monument Grounds and the course passes in sight of all of the major Washington, DC Memorials. The event serves as a fundraiser for the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, a consortium of 170 premier children’s hospitals across the United States. Since the Credit Unions became the title sponsor of the race in 2002, over $5.5 million dollars has been donated to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. About one-third of the funds raised support Washington, DC’s own Children’s National Medical Center (“Children’s Hospital”). The event also funds two $5,000 Road Runners Club of America Roads Scholar grants designed to support up-and-coming U.S. distance running talent.

Four Team USA Minnesota Runners to Compete at Stanford Invitational Track Meet on March 29

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 07:38:43 GMT

Minneapolis/St. Paul – March 28, 2013 - Four Team USA Minnesota distance runners – Meghan Peyton (2011 Roads Scholar), McKenzie Melander, Jamie Cheever and Jon Peterson - will open their 2013 outdoor track season at the Stanford Invitational in California on March 29.

Peyton, Melander and Peterson will compete in the 10,000 meters with Cheever running in the 5000 meters at the meet that will be held on the Stanford University campus at Cobb Track & Angell Field.

Peyton has a best in the distance of 32:59.11 and Melander has posted 34:29.83 – a mark she set when she was second at the Big Ten Championships in 2012 when she ran for the University of Iowa. Peterson has run 28:50.45 in the 10,000, which made him the school record holder in the event at the University of California Davis where he graduated in 2012.

Cheever, whose primary focus is the steeplechase, has run 15:56.77 in the 5000 meters.

About Team USA Minnesota
Team USA Minnesota is based in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis/St. Paul. Formed in 2001, the purpose of the training center is to improve the competitiveness of post-collegiate American distance running and to develop Olympians. The athletes are coached by Dennis Barker, head cross country and track coach at Augsburg College in Minneapolis. Team USA Minnesota’s major sponsor is Life Time Run (www.lifetimerun.com) and its silver sponsor is Twin Cities In Motion (www.tcmevents.org). It is also supported by the New York Road Runners and the USA Distance Project. For more information, visit the team’s web site at www.teamusaminnesota.org.

RRCA UT State Championship Recap

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 08:29:53 GMT

The Salt Lake City Track Club held its 35th annual Winter Running Series on January 26, February 9, and February 23, and this anniversary edition of the series lived up to the “WINTER” part of the name.

For the 11th consecutive year, the races were held by the historic Great Saltair, just on the south end of the Great Salt Lake. Unlike what even the club’s old timers remember, every race had severe winter weather. The 5K took place during the annual temperature inversion, with constant fog and almost zero visibility along the course. The skies cleared up before the 10K, but then a snowstorm blew in that morning, turning the race into a Winter Wonderland. By the 15K, all participants were crossing their fingers for better weather, which seemed to be the case until one hour before the start of the race. At that point, high winds and a fast-moving winter storm came in. This year’s finishers truly deserved the medallions awarded to runners after the 15K race.

The 10K and 15K races were recognized as RRCA state championships, and in addition to this, the 10K race was also recognized by USATF Utah as the first event in the 2013 Long Distance Running (LDR) circuit. The LDR is a popular series throughout the year in Utah, where runners earn points in their age categories for finishing anywhere between 1st and 10th in their respective groups. Partly because of these recognitions, the 10K race included a fast field, with a course record-tying finish time in the men’s race.

Special thanks go out to our title sponsor for the series, New Balance Salt Lake. Not only did they provide gift cards to the overall winners, they also provided and operated the chip-based timing equipment with their own volunteers and provided many of the raffle prizes. Thank you to Scott Spurrier, the owner of New Balance Salt Lake and a long time supporter of the local running community.

Thanks also go out to our other sponsors Great Harvest Bread and Beans & Brews for providing bread, coupons, and coffee for each of the races. Special thanks as well go to the students and parents of East High School, who volunteered at the aid stations for both the 10K and 15K state championship races, braving the snow and wind. And of course we appreciate all of the club volunteers who contributed their time on race day and beforehand for what was described simultaneously as “worst weather conditions ever” and a “blast”.

The club wishes to congratulate the overall division winners for each of the races, including RRCA state champions in the 10K and 15K races:

5K (287 total finishers):
Open Division - Men: BJ Christenson, 15:32
Open Division: Women: Devra Vierkant , 18:18
Masters Division - Men: Walter Brown, 16:55
Masters Division - Women: Chrystel Christenson, 22:38

10K (285 total finishers):
Open Division - Men (tied course record): Riley Cook, 31:46
Open Division: Women: Kassi Harmon , 37:43
Masters Division - Men: Walter Brown, 34:50
Masters Division - Women: Sue Pope, 48:26
Grand Masters Division - Men (50+): Jules Magda , 41:51
Grand Masters Division - Women (50+): Hilary Jacobs, 52:55
Senior Grand Masters Division - Men (60+): Lloyd Hansen, 42:15
Senior Grand Masters Division - Women (60+): Linda Walker, 1:00:01

15K (170 total finishers):
Open Division - Men: BJ Christenson, 56:22
Open Division: Women: Devra Vierkant, 1:01:38
Masters Division - Men: Mahmood Taha, 1:01:36
Masters Division - Women: Chrystel Christenson, 1:16:26
Grand Masters Division - Men (50+): Norlando Gomez, 1:24:32
Grand Masters Division - Women (50+): Sue Pope , 1:19:38
Senior Grand Masters Division - Men (60+): Ray Workman, 1:20:16
Senior Grand Masters Division - Women (60+): Linda Walker, 1:42:23

Happy spring running and we look forward to your participation next year in the 36th annual running series. May the weather oracles be on our side this time!

B.A.A. at 125: The Colorful History of the Boston Athletic Association

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 01:53:52 GMT

In American sports history, there are but a handful of athletics clubs that can date their pedigrees back into the middle and late nineteenth century. One of the most historic, and colorful, is the Boston Athletic Association. It is a fact that the B.A.A. had nine of the fourteen US athletes who competed in the 1896 Olympics, the first of the modern Olympiad. It is a fact that the B.A.A. founded the first marathon in the U.S., in 1897, and it is a fact that the start of the modern health club benefitted from B.A.A. club, then located in the Back Bay.

The B.A.A. at 125 is much more than a book of facts. John Hanc ably describes the sports world, and the contempory world, over the 125 years of the evolution of this modern sports club. The Boston Marathon, founded by the B.A.A. is the most iconic marathon on the globe. In 1986, the B.A.A. accepted the sponsorship of the John Hancock Financial Services Company, and took the Boston Marathon, and the sport, into a new era.

And the characters of the B.A.A.? A more colorful lot of athletes, coaches, officials would be hard to collect. John Hanc, the author, over the 114 pages and one hundred photographs, does a yeoman’s job at giving the reader a real feel of the Boston Athletic Association. This is a must read for any sports fan, and especially, if one runs or follows the sport of athletics…

Brooks Inspiring Coaches Program: Nominate your coach TODAY

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 02:20:46 GMT

Does your high school track or cross country coach INSPIRE you to RUN HAPPY? Do they deserve an AWARD for everything they do? Now here’s your chance to salute them ... and earn new gear for your team!

Check it out: Brooks just kicked off the third year of the Brooks Inspiring Coaches program, which gives you the opportunity to HONOR your track/XC coach for the TIME, ENCOURAGEMENT, DEDICATION, and MOTIVATION they give you and your team. This year Brooks is continuing its commitment to the unsung heroes of running by again honoring 25 finalists in 2013.

Think your coach deserves the crown? All you have to do is nominate them.

Then what? We’ll read all the entries, pick the 25 most stirring stories, and eventually crown the 2013 Inspiring Coach of the Year. But it’s more than dishing out bragging rights. We’re awarding coaches who INSPIRE their athletes and others in their communities to RUN AND BE ACTIVE with great prizes like running gear and cold, hard cash to help keep their programs strong.

What could your coach win? The top 25 finalists will each receive:
$5,000 in Brooks performance running footwear, apparel, and accessories for their team
$500 cash for team expenses (paid to the school athletic department or booster club)
Membership into the Brooks Inspire Daily (I.D.) program for 2013

And the winner? The 2013 Inspiring Coach of the Year will receive all of the above PLUS:

Another $5,000 in Brooks gear
An Additional $2,000 cash for team expenses (paid to the school athletic department or booster club)
A trip for two to the 2014 Brooks PR Invitational in Seattle
What do we need from you? Just your amazing stories! Fill out our Inspiring Coaches nomination form explaining why your coach rocks your running world and encourage others who’ve been inspired by your coach to do the same.

Do you have to be a high school athlete to nominate a coach? No way! We also encourage parents, other coaches, former athletes, school administrators, store owners ... anyone who’s inspired by a high school track or XC coach can nominate. Check out the full rules here.

Brooks accept applications through May 19, 2013. In June, Brooks will announce the top 25 finalists and profile them here. You’ll then have the opportunity to vote for your favorite coach. The 2013 Inspiring Coach of the Year will be chosen from the group of finalists and announced in August.

*To qualify, nominees must currently coach high school track and field and/or cross country in the U.S.
Nominate your coach today!

(This is a project of Brooks, please do not contact the RRCA about questions pertaining to this contest. You can find additional details at Brooksrunning.com)