tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77177310890174714662024-02-21T01:01:12.980-05:00Speaking of Running....Dave Watthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00397022537954661249noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7717731089017471466.post-90202189797217672072009-09-04T13:44:00.007-04:002009-09-04T13:58:28.535-04:00100m, the Mile, and the Marathon<p class="MsoNormal"><i style=""><span style=";font-family:";font-size:14pt;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:lucida grande;font-size:180%;" >Could these three races be the key to Running & Track TV programming?</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";font-size:8pt;" ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 0, 0);font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal" ><span style="font-size:100%;">Quick, name 3 athletes in track & field?<span style=""> </span><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">OK, <span style="font-style: italic;">Usain Bolt is easy</span>.<span style=""> </span>He just became another rarity in running:<span style=""> </span>someone from this sport on the cover of Sports Illustrated®.<span style="font-family:lucida grande;"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:lucida grande;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:lucida grande;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Before Bolt exploded into our living rooms during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, the 100m “dash” has always drawn attention beyond track and running circles.<span style=""> </span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ1aDuPBCnGycZaqcbgGef3X2cttw5JSq84l19c4pnEg35Lz2UgdbKpRKmWth8qiIYRMHNok1KzOpX-LbC9vPaXRA0tqr_Czct6n4_PrrkjlXyzC82owjiOs0ebj2ZMv7-LzfkU_GML1U/s1600-h/2009+VA+AAA+T%26F+CHAMPS+195.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ1aDuPBCnGycZaqcbgGef3X2cttw5JSq84l19c4pnEg35Lz2UgdbKpRKmWth8qiIYRMHNok1KzOpX-LbC9vPaXRA0tqr_Czct6n4_PrrkjlXyzC82owjiOs0ebj2ZMv7-LzfkU_GML1U/s200/2009+VA+AAA+T%26F+CHAMPS+195.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377670378815785682" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0); font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">The 100m sprint</span> at the Olympics defined who was the “fastest man or woman”.<span style=""> </span>That title alone gave this event the spotlight.<span style=""> </span>That bright light also brought with it the lure of drugs, the performance enhancing types.<span style=""> </span>The watershed event that put the doubt in our minds about a sprinter’s ability to run a new world record was the DQ of Ben Johnson of </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style="">Canada</span></st1:place></st1:country-region></span><span style="font-size:100%;"> at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.<span style=""> </span>Johnson had crushed </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style="">USA</span></st1:place></st1:country-region></span><span style="font-size:100%;">’s Carl Lewis and won both the Gold and a new world record.<span style=""> </span>This setback has not deterred the public’s fascination on just how fast a man can go.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:lucida grande;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:lucida grande;"><span style="font-size:100%;">That’s one event with staying power and name recognition.<span style=""> </span>What else fascinates the public on the track or roads?<span style=""> </span>What distance is still referred as the standard for measuring speed?<span style=""> </span>It is neither the meter nor the yard.<span style=""> </span>It is <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">the mile.</span><span style=""> </span>Every moving object both motorized on land and air has its speed measured in miles per hour.<span style=""> </span>The mile.<span style=""> </span>It was another standard that measured man.<span style=""> </span>In track it was considered to be the purest distance to measure speed and stamina.<span style=""> </span>The dawn of the modern Olympics in 1896 also brought with it the drive to attempt to run a 4 minute mile.<span style=""> </span>Physicians and physicists believed in the early 1900s that such a feat-------a mile in 4 minutes flat or less------- was impossible.<span style=""> </span>Some even stated that a man could possibly die trying.<span style=""> </span>It became a quest in the post World War II era.<span style=""> </span>Runners actually thought they could do it.<span style=""> </span>One such runner analyzed how to train for the 4 minute mile and began to believe.<span style=""> </span>He may have been studying to be a physician but he sure sounded like he understood the power of visualization that sports psychologists use today to assist pro athletes.<span style=""> </span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK8YUO6YE0HHkd0YYYVSVe77taSvAjFgZUqTbuSfVo7-X-28N0IguNYC4Bu8kUvh3inW3cFtnF3h4uNXMgk7TM0wpWWWFakssWDswHJXnP8qjqiQeoohxcGWpFV6oij7rLbeSraz4jWaU/s1600-h/ElGuerrouj+w-Bannister-2001j.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 163px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK8YUO6YE0HHkd0YYYVSVe77taSvAjFgZUqTbuSfVo7-X-28N0IguNYC4Bu8kUvh3inW3cFtnF3h4uNXMgk7TM0wpWWWFakssWDswHJXnP8qjqiQeoohxcGWpFV6oij7rLbeSraz4jWaU/s200/ElGuerrouj+w-Bannister-2001j.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377670853395158114" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;">That man was <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Roger Bannister</span>.<span style=""> </span>He achieved the first sub 4 minute mile and opened the door for several hundred milers since that day in May 1954.<span style=""> </span>Since that famous race in </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><st1:city><st1:place><span style="">Oxford</span></st1:place></st1:city></span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style="">England</span></st1:place></st1:country-region></span><span style="font-size:100%;">, the mile has still been a pillar of track and field.<span style=""> </span>It was Jim Ryun followed by Marty Liquori who rose the mile to new heights in the </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style="">U.S.</span></st1:place></st1:country-region></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=""> </span>Their epic battles culminated in the “Dream Mile” in </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><st1:city><st1:place><span style="">Philadelphia</span></st1:place></st1:city></span><span style="font-size:100%;"> that was nationally broadcast.<span style=""> </span>The first milers out of </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><st1:place><span style="">Africa</span></st1:place></span><span style="font-size:100%;"> were led by Kip Keino.<span style=""> </span>At the international level, the mile had become the 1500m yet anyone who excelled in this distance was called a miler and the race was called the “metric mile”.<span style=""> </span>In the </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style="">U.S.</span></st1:place></st1:country-region></span><span style="font-size:100%;">, the mile caught new wind in 2000 when a young high school boy from </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><st1:place><span style="">Reston</span></st1:place></span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><st1:state><st1:place><span style="">Virginia</span></st1:place></st1:state></span><span style="font-size:100%;"> broke Jim Ryun’s high school mile record and ran an unthinkable </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><st1:time minute="53" hour="15"><span style="">3:53</span></st1:time></span><span style="font-size:100%;"> mile as a high school senior.<span style=""> </span>Alan Webb joined the list of mile heroes.<span style=""> </span>His career is currently in transition and hopefully we will see him get back to his record setting mile performances.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:lucida grande;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:lucida grande;"><span style="font-size:100%;">The other distance that has fueled the rise in running participation or led to two “running booms” is <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">the marathon.</span><span style=""> </span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCdCLbcE2rcaxdNHyrq-zazugFe4YPO4cDO75CWIgBmzNb3LSbvSizoLBuQqUQaExOnEl9IWgHV1Lfq8q6NbrQugoNY1V5M6xVzKQIwoVQpwPzDiUSrmjTlfA2MN9DJzsueLFMFl11xes/s1600-h/Boston+Start+2009-+B-blog.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCdCLbcE2rcaxdNHyrq-zazugFe4YPO4cDO75CWIgBmzNb3LSbvSizoLBuQqUQaExOnEl9IWgHV1Lfq8q6NbrQugoNY1V5M6xVzKQIwoVQpwPzDiUSrmjTlfA2MN9DJzsueLFMFl11xes/s200/Boston+Start+2009-+B-blog.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377671161860963410" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;">The marathon’s popularity started to rise soon after the 1972 Olympic Games in </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><st1:city><st1:place><span style="">Munich</span></st1:place></st1:city></span><span style="font-size:100%;">.<span style=""> </span>Frank Shorter of the </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style="">USA</span></st1:place></st1:country-region></span><span style="font-size:100%;"> captured an unexpected Gold medal.<span style=""> </span>Until that point, the marathon had been dominated by European runners.<span style=""> </span>The current domination of the marathon by the African continent’s men and women was not even contemplated in the 70s.<span style=""> </span>Shorter’s win seemed to be a tipping point to more interest in distance running.<span style=""> </span>Jim Fixx’s nationwide best seller “The Complete Book of Running” fueled more growth in the late 70s.<span style=""> </span>The 76 Olympic Games added to the interest in the marathon.<span style=""> </span>Shorter followed up his 72 Gold with silver in </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><st1:city><st1:place><span style="">Montreal</span></st1:place></st1:city></span><span style="font-size:100%;"> in the 76 Games (albeit a controversial race won by Cierpinski of East Germany whose athletes were later found to be part of major doping program).<span style=""> </span>The New York City Marathon led the surge with its transformation by Fred Lebow in 1976 from a 6 loop event in </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><st1:place><span style="">Central Park</span></st1:place></span><span style="font-size:100%;"> to a 5 borough city tour.<span style=""> </span>His NY Road Runners Club had the wisdom to lure runners from </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><st1:place><span style="">Europe</span></st1:place></span><span style="font-size:100%;"> to “run </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><st1:state><st1:place><span style="">New York</span></st1:place></st1:state></span><span style="font-size:100%;">”.<span style=""> </span>The NYC Marathon’s global marketing made the marathon an international event, not just a 26.2 mile race for Americans.<span style=""> </span>Women’s growth in marathoning began with Joan Benoit (Samuelson).<span style=""> </span>Joanie’s win in the 84 Olympic debut of the marathon was a watershed event.<span style=""> </span>No longer could men say that the marathon was dangerous to women’s health.<span style=""> </span>Participation levels in marathons by women jumped each year following the 84 Games.<span style=""> </span>New marathons were born in the 80s.<span style=""> </span>By the late 80s, the number of finishers in marathons in the </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style="">U.S.</span></st1:place></st1:country-region></span><span style="font-size:100%;"> had doubled in less than 10 years.<span style=""> </span>Women had joined in the competition of the marathon but still lagged in overall numbers to male marathoners.<span style=""> </span>It was the Fall 1994 marathon debut by Oprah Winfrey that caused another ripple in marathon participation.<span style=""> </span>Now the marathon could be conquered by the average woman who may have been deemed “unathletic”.<span style=""> </span>If Oprah can shed 80 pounds, get in running shape and run a </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><st1:time minute="29" hour="16"><span style="">4:29</span></st1:time></span><span style="font-size:100%;"> marathon, than anyone can do it.<span style=""> </span>To this day, many pack runners use Oprah’s </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><st1:time minute="29" hour="16"><span style="">4:29</span></st1:time></span><span style="font-size:100%;"> as a “must beat” standard.<span style=""> </span>As the 90s came to a close, women’s participation numbers in the marathon had doubled from the late 80s.<span style=""> </span>As the 21<sup>st</sup> century hit running, the marathon added a new twist:<span style=""> </span>the charity runner.<span style=""> </span>Charity groups began partnering with marathon organizations in the mid 1990s and became a growth vehicle for many small to medium sized marathons.<span style=""> </span>Many of these participants were women and their running style and speed was not without controversy.<span style=""> </span>Many veteran runners felt that the charity runners were not giving back to running.<span style=""> </span>There was encouragement to the new marathoners to train and compete, yet there was also concern that these new runners would disappear once their “finish a marathon” goal had been met.<span style=""> </span>The marathon remains strong.<span style=""> </span>More sponsorship dollars flow to marathons than any other running event.<span style=""> </span>Professional distance runners are lured away from the track, because they see the money that exists in the marathon that is not as prevalent on the track.<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:lucida grande;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:lucida grande;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Today we have recently seen a huge breakthrough by another American Male runner in Dathan Ritzenheim.<span style=""> </span>“Ritz” as he is called broke the 13 year old American Record in the 5000 meters.<span style=""> </span>He is now hailed as another track hero and rock star.<span style=""> </span>Could other events in track become draws to the public like the 100m, the mile and marathon have done over the past 30 to 100 years?<span style=""> </span>Time is the telltale sign.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:lucida grande;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";font-size:11pt;" ><span style=";font-family:lucida grande;font-size:100%;" >In the meantime, let’s see if some enterprising event producers can find new exciting ways to get track events shown on TV.</span><span style=";font-family:lucida grande;font-size:100%;" > </span><span style=";font-family:lucida grande;font-size:100%;" >The world has new stars that have grabbed our attention.</span><span style=";font-family:lucida grande;font-size:100%;" > </span><span style=";font-family:lucida grande;font-size:100%;" >Let’s not let this gift of bright new stars fade away.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";font-size:11pt;" ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";font-size:11pt;" ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";" ><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Dave Watthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00397022537954661249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7717731089017471466.post-10188658202632275862009-05-06T16:23:00.018-04:002009-05-06T17:55:46.002-04:00Boston, Salazar, Bill and Penn--------more running stimulus<div><strong><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"><em>Seen and heard at the Boston Marathon...</em></span></strong></div><br /><div><strong><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:78%;"></span></em></strong></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;"><em>New Products bloom with Spring</em></span><br /></strong><span style="font-size:85%;">Each year we seem to receive emails or hear ads on TV and on the web about new or updated running-related products. This spring is no different than previous years. Everything from reusable ice packs, energy drinks, appetite suppressing energy bars to how-to training books have reached our desks. There are some trends.</span> </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:78%;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#3333ff;"><em><strong>Footwear:</strong></em></span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Brighter colors are creeping towards are feet. Maybe you can credit NIKE RUNNING for the NIKEiD™ program where anyone can pick the design and color scheme on select footwear. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMwvLZ7LjyR-oD1R-y8lcOoqYJxY1Vx_BLm7wy8xLXrFs6SIF0e9SZCZeOrAALXEWmmBG2R3AqBF1oM5i3U8e3QeSzmkKRjZ3YI0BiTdhH70t-iBD0gpugNF343MXmrg4W1g7g9CxaOAU/s1600-h/Kara-Goucher-and-elites--St.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332810851774634306" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 187px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMwvLZ7LjyR-oD1R-y8lcOoqYJxY1Vx_BLm7wy8xLXrFs6SIF0e9SZCZeOrAALXEWmmBG2R3AqBF1oM5i3U8e3QeSzmkKRjZ3YI0BiTdhH70t-iBD0gpugNF343MXmrg4W1g7g9CxaOAU/s320/Kara-Goucher-and-elites--St.jpg" border="0" /></a>Take a look at the bright neon pink and neon yellow shoes on the starting line of the elite women in the 113th Boston Marathon on April 20. The appeal seems to be matching apparel bright colors with the shoes. Fashion on the streets is now on the start lines of road races. </span></div><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;"><em><strong>"Wait, wait, wait, wait....SPRINT!"<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0rLbZuognI0WFVQkEHpmZXGrL8RgYdyviMr_LQqvydcLWsxBUtlAzu0SRkJAIhJFHBK_tISmqPf2fd_UOSt1vieMTsiE14xivV_OGnwj76G5QFky4tsjpO8TI-gBeJwJ8ZTWNv5mYWms/s1600-h/Kara-GOUCHER-pre-start-web.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332832188442549634" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 121px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0rLbZuognI0WFVQkEHpmZXGrL8RgYdyviMr_LQqvydcLWsxBUtlAzu0SRkJAIhJFHBK_tISmqPf2fd_UOSt1vieMTsiE14xivV_OGnwj76G5QFky4tsjpO8TI-gBeJwJ8ZTWNv5mYWms/s320/Kara-GOUCHER-pre-start-web.jpg" border="0" /></a></strong></em></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>...Kara Goucher when asked just before the gun on her<strong> </strong>race strategy for the Boston Marathon. Goucher put on a <strong>gutty performance</strong></em> on Marathon Monday in her debut Boston Marathon. The finish was the closest finish ever on the women's side. Three women were only separated by seconds on Boylston St! Kara Goucher gets my vote for best fresh face and competitor in road racing. </span></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Kara waited and took the lead after Boston College but the last sprint gear was not there and she finished a close 3rd-----just behind the first two finishers who were only separated by 1 second.</span> </div><br /><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">Energy <em>"Snack"</em> Bars</span>:</strong> <span style="font-size:85%;"><em>Pacific Health Labs</em> is out with an energy……err, snack bar and drink product that are intent on limiting the urge to overeat while providing good nutrition. It is called FORZE GPS. In bar form it is a 1.4 oz snack bar carrying 160 calories of which 50 calories are fat. Can one bar really suppress the body’s appetite? It does not seem plausible without some magic bullet ingredient. Pacific Health Labs is the company that has popularized recovery drinks with their leading sellers Accelerade and Endurox. Now FORZE GPS is here to help the aging athlete who may be a bit overweight and needs an assist in shedding weight while maintaining a workout or running regimen. I wondered how some blend of milk, peanuts and cocoa extracts could stimulate an enzyme “cholecystokinin” or CCK. This enzyme is key to making us feel less hungry. Can this really work for runners after a 5 mile run? Runners find it more difficult to shed pounds while actively running may check out this new snack. Time will tell.</span></span><br /></div><div> </div><div><span style="color:#3366ff;"><strong><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;">From the Heart...</span></strong> </span></div><div><strong><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Salazar thankful for Cardiac Event</span></strong>: <span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The</span> <strong><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">American Medical Athletic Association</span></em></strong> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">(AMAA)was privileged to host a special “doctor-patient” presentation by one of our new cardiologist members Dr Todd Caulfield and one of the greatest distance runners in U.S. history, Alberto Salazar. Back in June 2007, <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPHgzfkXMv7jCpt9HEg4KdbXMLZj46s7M8xPCVvxwtXOFYdTTTXDLLF1f7bPi_PoTQ_8LQRfYN_Hdkj4Qr7W1QRWJnxLLPBSTPdTB-c-DIsXhXLdkYcm6zLuuUH5Te2ETMCH71CGZemtA/s1600-h/Caulfield-SALAZAR--AMAA-09-.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332819720843383298" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 267px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPHgzfkXMv7jCpt9HEg4KdbXMLZj46s7M8xPCVvxwtXOFYdTTTXDLLF1f7bPi_PoTQ_8LQRfYN_Hdkj4Qr7W1QRWJnxLLPBSTPdTB-c-DIsXhXLdkYcm6zLuuUH5Te2ETMCH71CGZemtA/s320/Caulfield-SALAZAR--AMAA-09-.jpg" border="0" /></a>Alberto Salazar was on top of his new profession: professional coach. He had nurtured a new approach to distance training with the Oregon Project. Now, it was whittled down to a smaller elite group that included Kara and Adam Goucher and the young track distance phenom Galen Rupp. On the Nike campus in Beaverton Oregon, this day in June was supposed to be another normal track workout. It turned out to be a life-changing event for Salazar and his stable of athletes. Alberto Salazar suffered a near fatal cardiac event (*Dr Caulfield is still unsure if his collapse and heart stoppage was a heart muscle event or an electrical problem in the heart). Alberto was down for almost 28 minutes before normal rhythm was restored.</span></span></div><div><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"><strong>Hydration and running:</strong></span><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Our AMAA Sports Medicine Symposium had another passionate presentation by Dr Arthur Siegel of McLean Hospital in Greater Boston. Dr Siegel’s research on the effects of over hydration and runners dates back to the tragic death of Cynthia Lucero at the Boston Marathon in 2002. Since that date, his efforts along with several other prominent Medical Directors of marathons has shed light on why certain runners develop the dangerous case of exercise associated hyponatremia (over hydration). What have Dr Siegel and other leading physicians in the road race industry done to stave off deaths due to over hydration? Seven years later and we now know what triggers hyponatremia. We know that runners can accelerate the process hours after finishing a marathon. Race teams know how to identify both dehydrated runners and over hydrated runners quickly. Triage stations in finish line medical tents do the blood test that determines who to treat and how they should be treated. Today, medical teams at road races have hypertonic saline (3% solution) vice the standard 1% solution that can easily treat runners with heat exhaustion and dehydration. Local ERs in hospitals that serve marathons and other endurance events are included in pre-event planning.</span></span></div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><div><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Bill Rodgers</span></strong> returned to the Boston Marathon. One year ago Bill Rodgers got a jolt from his physician. He had prostate cancer. Rodgers, affectionately called “Boston Billy” after winning Boston 4-times, took the diagnosis on with full fervor. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjuROfW76sbgpvV04iQYULQWHUPMKLSRLVYHy5XxIOoluxXUcpsWHppAB0hfnpiWaP2T8fVpJHmJfy0DI20wuTOREXiFahz3VAFPQyaet5NCllq7sb7OKqoyUZuLK1o08C6QYlb5Vmils/s1600-h/Rodgers--Knights-Zeus---Fin.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332824195727792242" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 199px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjuROfW76sbgpvV04iQYULQWHUPMKLSRLVYHy5XxIOoluxXUcpsWHppAB0hfnpiWaP2T8fVpJHmJfy0DI20wuTOREXiFahz3VAFPQyaet5NCllq7sb7OKqoyUZuLK1o08C6QYlb5Vmils/s320/Rodgers--Knights-Zeus---Fin.jpg" border="0" /></a>He had surgery and then did what he does best-------go running. Rodger’s physician, Dr Ed Knights joined AMAA and ran the Boston Marathon with AMAA last spring. In his first Boston, he qualified to run the marathon again. So in 2009, Bill Rodgers gave Dr Knights something back: he told him he’d race Boston alongside Knights and promote a “Cure for Prostate Cancer”. The AMAA member M.D. and Bill had a great time running in the pack in just over 4 hours, along with Rodgers’ friend Zeus Estrada. </div><div><br /></span></span></div> <div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></strong></span></div><div><br /><br /><br /></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color:#3333ff;">More Runners' Stimulus -------another Jewel Event--<em><span style="font-size:180%;">PENN RELAYS</span></em>.</span><span style="font-size:78%;"></span></strong></span></div></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><div></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Two days after Boston, I ventured to another East Coast City and one of the great events in track & field, the <strong><span style="font-size:130%;">PENN RELAYS</span>.</strong> Funny thing is that the Boston Marathon just completed its 113th running. The true granddaddy of running is the PENN RELAYS: 115 years and more popular than ever. A high school athlete can compete in front of 24,000 fans in preliminary rounds. If he or she is fortunate to run on Saturday in a finals event, they will be lined up on the start line with upwards of 60,000 fans screaming the Whoop-Whoop-Whoop call if you hunt down a competitor in the closing stretch of race. The PENN RELAYS brings together the best of high school, college and the professionals of track and field in a 3 day meet unrivaled in the world. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUt0l5KMlG1vdWvaSneCsFd698TgwpYy-4kPJuEE0TySFTnopHF7A9oUUZE0EwDjRP0Pf7PngHhrSJBwmkEoazwScC3q-jQIF4drtxzEIditOLBxmPVrqFdZdNHDl7iNke8QGZmiRLHSk/s1600-h/PENN-RELAYS--exchange-HS-09.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332823969364089058" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUt0l5KMlG1vdWvaSneCsFd698TgwpYy-4kPJuEE0TySFTnopHF7A9oUUZE0EwDjRP0Pf7PngHhrSJBwmkEoazwScC3q-jQIF4drtxzEIditOLBxmPVrqFdZdNHDl7iNke8QGZmiRLHSk/s320/PENN-RELAYS--exchange-HS-09.jpg" border="0" /></a>Philadelphia loves the Relays, as does Jamaica. On Saturday, the stands are split fairly evenly between Jamaican and American track fans. Many years ago, the Penn Relays Committee began a new era when Jamaican high schools and collegians were invited to compete in the PENN RELAYS. Attendance and interest took off and now has spurred a professional sprint dual meet series with Jamaica that kicks off in 2010. Give the Penn Relays credit for starting the US vs. JAMAICA rivalry. For high school track athletes in the U.S., the top teams to beat in 3 key relay events are Jamaican: 4x100, 4x400 and 4x800. Only the Distance Medley Relay (DMR) is still a U.S. dominated relay event. Over 26 high schools in Jamaica send their best relay squads north to compete. U.S. teams come to try and win the most coveted trophy in amateur track and field: the 2-3 ft diameter bronze CHAMPIONSHIP OF AMERICA Trophy. Ask any high school or college track team what trophy is most memorable and it has to be the <strong>CHAMPIONSHIP OF AMERICA Trophy</strong>.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;"><em>Word from Philly</em> is that all hotels for <strong><em><span style="font-size:100%;">PENN RELAYS</span></em></strong> weekend were fully occupied. Vendors and restaurants were smiling and track and field fans were obliging. Runners and track fans have the right answer: do what you love and pass it along to others.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;"><strong>Keep enjoying the run and spend a few dollars along the way.</strong></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><strong>--Dave</strong></span> </div><div></div><div></div>Dave Watthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00397022537954661249noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7717731089017471466.post-48200927448989895912009-02-21T20:32:00.004-05:002009-02-23T15:19:59.551-05:00Runners as a Stimulus<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbr6hNdBo8pZN4xqist2c4iUq_R6_ynkxdlmPXkDoPkgVzP_XnV4eqdE5Pv23ll1-rKDn3GoS5dNpKCQn4fBkIoz1Yb22WT1SAdlVPVVO0nmPrDb2CCiW8SdSpBc55IrOjr8DHV-6HnzU/s1600-h/Dave-Sam-AMAA-Boston-web-sm.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306089846299556482" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 199px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbr6hNdBo8pZN4xqist2c4iUq_R6_ynkxdlmPXkDoPkgVzP_XnV4eqdE5Pv23ll1-rKDn3GoS5dNpKCQn4fBkIoz1Yb22WT1SAdlVPVVO0nmPrDb2CCiW8SdSpBc55IrOjr8DHV-6HnzU/s320/Dave-Sam-AMAA-Boston-web-sm.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color:#000000;">Many of us in the running industry were keeping an eye on attendance figures at road races, notably marathons over the winter months. The big question: would races see a higher than normal no-show rate. Why? The hypothesis I pondered focused on runners’ commitments to their goals set forth in a training regimen that began weeks and months ago: Would runners cut back on travel to running events as the economy worsened?<?xml:namespace prefix = o /><o:p></o:p> </span></span><br /><span style="color:#000000;"></span><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:arial;">I first checked the results from the Marine Corps Marathon (<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 /><st1:stockticker st="on">MCM</st1:stockticker>). Nope. They seemed to be close to their recent historical trend of a 25 % no-show rate. Since the <st1:stockticker st="on">MCM</st1:stockticker> closes out in a matter of 3 days, this race has a higher no-show rate than other major events that do not sell out or take months to shut down registration. <st1:stockticker st="on">ARA</st1:stockticker>, specifically our medical group the American Medical Athletic Association (AMAA) has our annual fundraiser tied to the Boston Marathon. We were justifiably concerned that our sales of invitational entries into the Boston Marathon for physicians and other allied medical professionals would drop. Selling the “<st1:stockticker st="on">RUN</st1:stockticker> BOSTON WITH AMAA” has gotten a bit tougher as the number of charities / non-profits that obtain invitational entries to <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Boston</st1:place></st1:city> has climbed in the past 5 years. Our efforts to promote and advertise our program had to increase to get the word out there to more physicians that our program was unique and a great way to get some Continuing Medical Education (<st1:stockticker st="on">CME</st1:stockticker>) credits and run the famed Boston Marathon.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Christmas approached and our sales were ahead of the past two years by 10 runners. We were encouraged. Then January hit and cold weather running dampened many a runners’ spirits. So what did we see? Sales for <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Boston</st1:place></st1:city> picked up. More importantly, the Boston Athletic Association (BAA) put out a release stating that their registrations were running ahead of pace and they expected to sell out much earlier than their stated closeout date of late February. It came as quite a shock to runners who were attempting to qualify for <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Boston</st1:place></st1:city> in late January or February that any successful qualifying run would be for naught at <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Boston</st1:place></st1:city> in 2009.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306089980075622258" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 209px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiIoFVNyVjWUvv3fhEN9gYQ1yGOgglgcxTbQWNNteyxew7lBBdHlz7EuEfIBMaFZS4iqUOFik_X6yHxoN5dVBu2WfDsvNvL7ApSaiPPzB7G-mpGGuzuCmNdmzBa4Bu5v7RpG9_81moLTM/s320/DIllard--Boston-08--web-sma.jpg" border="0" /><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color:#000000;">Running takes commitment. Training for marathons takes that commitment a leap further. AMAA and major running events around the <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">U.S.</st1:place></st1:country-region> are experiencing a true stimulus in this winter of economic discontent. Men and women are clinging to their lifestyle of choice: running marathons. Maybe we’ll see less air travel to some endurance events, yet don’t count out runners from filling your entry slots.<br /><br /><o:p></o:p></span></span><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdQU8spa9jYlfSn2g4RlVRyhemALKxoEWxLumuABGcixcbfiz46Lx6rbNEyUs9fF8utfmj-QuHc7-wNXQ5eH8bHdrXMSPBAbnPgT57l5zp27-z7xZD7G566uQV84yFA7rlMqth4RuV0Fk/s1600-h/DIllard--Boston-08--web-sma.jpg"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000000;"></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000000;">The government at the national and state level should take note of the good economic news coming from runners. The message: if you provide an excellent service or product that fulfills the needs and desires of the public they will continue to buy even when their wallets get squeezed.<o:p></o:p><br /></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000000;">Just runners making a statement by commitment to lifestyle....</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><em><span style="color:#000000;">(Photos courtesy of Dexter Emoto)</span></em></p></div></div>Dave Watthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00397022537954661249noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7717731089017471466.post-71220961716288704722008-12-28T20:27:00.005-05:002008-12-28T20:49:13.733-05:00Seen and Heard on the Trails<strong>Neon is Making a Comeback</strong><br />Check with the teens in your house or neighborhood. Bright neon colors are making their way back into the hip clothing and running attire. Look for some wild colors to emerge in 2009. We test marketed some NEON tees this fall and both girl and boy cross country runners snatched them up!<br /><br /><strong>High School Girls Injured<br /></strong>Saw too many injuries among high school girls this fall in cross country. Why? There is not one single factor for girls running injuries. What is true is the the quality of girls running distance now has jumped in the past 10 years. Girls training has started to reach the level only previously seen with boys. When athletes train harder, more injuries will occur. What you will see is more attention to nutrition in girls and more attention to weight. Girls go through significant body changes in the high school years and these changes affect performance. Too often we see young girls fighting the inevitable weight gain with puberty. The result can be seen in stress fractures, anemia and fatigue. More on this subject in the next issue.<br /><br /><strong><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVvo-_fhdZjsBUDksq1UfuxqxcmrHTaE9Ab0C3PdZ1Zc6vN21z6QmzKiW-iIm7l2zqfHHMOZ3hdWYy8PEaKJgj3aZh7j6bQy830DOM937fAHaGDpJzho6VT-AAgRWm9QXTZMMvB7du7O8/s1600-h/Haile.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285021693439251746" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 149px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 173px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVvo-_fhdZjsBUDksq1UfuxqxcmrHTaE9Ab0C3PdZ1Zc6vN21z6QmzKiW-iIm7l2zqfHHMOZ3hdWYy8PEaKJgj3aZh7j6bQy830DOM937fAHaGDpJzho6VT-AAgRWm9QXTZMMvB7du7O8/s320/Haile.gif" border="0" /></a>The Fastest Boy Distance Runner in the U.S.<br /></strong>The 30th Footlocker National Championships took place on December 13th in San Diego. The Footlocker series has been the crown jewel in high school cross country post-season competition. Nike's Cross Nationals could be a threat to this long-standing national competiton that crowns the fastest boy and girl in the nation over the 5K course in Balboa Park. For now, Footlocker has not suffered in a dilution of the qualifying field. We had the privelege of watching the incredible undefeated run of Solomon Haile (left). Haile has been running in the United States for almost a year. This fall was his first cross country season. (He attends Sherwood High School, which is within 40 minutes of ARA's office.) Haile not only won every cross country meet he ran, he broke the course record in every meet. The two most notable course records he shattered were the 2.5 mile course in Van Cortland Park at the Manhattan College Invitational in mid-October and the 5K course in the same park in late November. Haile also stirred up issues of his age, as the birth records and calendar are quite different in Ethiopia than the U.S. Nonetheless, Solomon Haile set the local cross country scene ablaze with his long fluid stride and determined will to win.Dave Watthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00397022537954661249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7717731089017471466.post-74875151322253461822008-12-28T19:11:00.004-05:002008-12-28T20:21:43.409-05:00Pure Fun and XC-eptional Racing at NXN 08<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1rHGdIvhqsC-vMO9zryCeP7zB36vrQcV5ujW25lDnE5jNmRcGGkFkZ-aaC3VmVePG4rM8cxXQ9lGoIO9DvvebbT4Hpd7vhaa4T73GY_40uGDm0NqVK_YqzCm4bPcs30cymUdYZNauwhI/s1600-h/males_running2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284987399501477970" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 144px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1rHGdIvhqsC-vMO9zryCeP7zB36vrQcV5ujW25lDnE5jNmRcGGkFkZ-aaC3VmVePG4rM8cxXQ9lGoIO9DvvebbT4Hpd7vhaa4T73GY_40uGDm0NqVK_YqzCm4bPcs30cymUdYZNauwhI/s320/males_running2.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>(Week of December 10, 2008)</em></span><strong><br />Portland, OR.</strong> They call it pure. They say you have guts. Today, 44 teams and 90 individuals tested themselves to see who had more will, guts and drive to be the best cross country team or runner in the U.S. Four years ago, Nike launched its Team Nationals now called simply Nike Cross Nationals. It may have taken five years for John Truax and Josh Rowe’s dream of a NCAA-style national championship for high school cross country to come to fruition. In this fifth year, 90 individual qualifiers joined the 44 teams, 22 boys and 22 girls’ squads to do battle on the twisting and stomach churning 5K circuit inside the track at Portland Meadows. For the first time in these five years, the weather was not an element racing strategy. It was cold at the start of the Open 5K races, but there were clear sunny skies and no wind.<br /><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4zasQe8bZrsgghtmkOgCc63m1AjIkM95fqd89UJEMUD09Y7rAUNb2Y33h91idEKTxgR1q1yX46db0HZ1H_UoLcA3hKBqcFvnWZ6zEJhl0x_wIMZxyvZPhKIANIolKqjHrBZEj3FC8BIQ/s1600-h/kenyans2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285009480314516482" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4zasQe8bZrsgghtmkOgCc63m1AjIkM95fqd89UJEMUD09Y7rAUNb2Y33h91idEKTxgR1q1yX46db0HZ1H_UoLcA3hKBqcFvnWZ6zEJhl0x_wIMZxyvZPhKIANIolKqjHrBZEj3FC8BIQ/s320/kenyans2.jpg" border="0" /></a></p>We wondered if anyone could stay with the Kenyan National Champion high school teams in the Open 5K races. The Kenyans came to show their incredible ability in more of a demonstration than a race. Teams or clubs who paid their way to race in the Open race came to prove to themselves that they may deserve a spot in the invitational 5K field. Some also came to celebrate their own team’s success this fall. The young Kenyan high schoolers just raced with smiles and glided to the finish with ease. This was their celebration. Winning the Kenyan National Championship earned them the all expenses paid trip to the U.S.<br /><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEMAAJgYsspd9Rt1tj6WlnH2mr5gq7Rqvn021n9qBWgvAkP2WShQFBZdOg88q0u1yUuoSARLP8XKgcbUwXereRubGhRjf6NM1GgsHm650zGnVigbRf0g4SPeiEenYSe3ca_qk3qc8T3SU/s1600-h/girls_running2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285009865959601250" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 176px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEMAAJgYsspd9Rt1tj6WlnH2mr5gq7Rqvn021n9qBWgvAkP2WShQFBZdOg88q0u1yUuoSARLP8XKgcbUwXereRubGhRjf6NM1GgsHm650zGnVigbRf0g4SPeiEenYSe3ca_qk3qc8T3SU/s320/girls_running2.jpg" border="0" /></a></p>Today, we also wondered how the Seeded 5K races would unfold with the addition of top individuals who qualified without their in-season teammates. Some of the individual qualifiers opted to forgo the longstanding Footlocker Cross Country Nationals. Some made it when their teams fell short at the Regional qualifying races. Yet we did wonder if the added speed would make the races a bumpy ride on the tight turning course at Portland Meadows. Winners were also crowned today. As expected, the individual qualifiers had a major impact on the races up front. Take the top 25 finishers in each of the championship 5K races. In the girls race, 14 of the top 25 finishers were individuals not on teams. The boys race had a similar split: 13 of the top 25 were non-team individuals.<br /><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdu4Tv_pLU4kEqYx1fNDFADxVoX33U39ZErP3jvuADC1Qe7YeurknBluIA2cbYAcxM_01UbGhM0STuOK1f_Ysngs8np78tKp4lMplP6hPf9E73hT6b6WtRhBX02ttJ2ugzWYhgczn92Oo/s1600-h/girls_hugging2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285012034049700482" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 229px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdu4Tv_pLU4kEqYx1fNDFADxVoX33U39ZErP3jvuADC1Qe7YeurknBluIA2cbYAcxM_01UbGhM0STuOK1f_Ysngs8np78tKp4lMplP6hPf9E73hT6b6WtRhBX02ttJ2ugzWYhgczn92Oo/s320/girls_hugging2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></p>The big team winner creating all the buzz came through with a three-peat: Manlius XC Club (Fayetteville-Manlius HS from the upstate power region of New York. We spotted the Manlius XC girls walking on the lake trail on the Nike Campus on Friday. They repeated their bold start strategy of past big meets and quickly had the team lead in the first 1K. The NY girls team win was never in doubt after the strong start.<br /><br /><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6vwsKfn2yY-FDYWmgtV8ntP7GaGinhxUD_iKObKMLTKoAqJuPVrkf7Vxx9fvCcmIKJBgvVl1xt4jSGJakAJPGZJ8xZOW32cS9Wf8V1kTnI9CERjwX25-jRgNGmnXVINO5JAwQt3MJzW8/s1600-h/finish2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285012518416242482" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 173px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6vwsKfn2yY-FDYWmgtV8ntP7GaGinhxUD_iKObKMLTKoAqJuPVrkf7Vxx9fvCcmIKJBgvVl1xt4jSGJakAJPGZJ8xZOW32cS9Wf8V1kTnI9CERjwX25-jRgNGmnXVINO5JAwQt3MJzW8/s320/finish2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>Chelsey Sveinsson of Addison Texas wins the Girls Crown</em></span><br /></p><p align="left">The boys team winner was still in doubt even after the live results were shown. North Spokane Washington’s club and the Elmhurst XC team were trading the lead right up until the final 400m. A late surge by the North Spokane XC club was the final effort to bring home the Championship crown to a West Coast team for the first time in Nike Cross Nationals history.<br /><br />Today was a day to relish a pure and gritty effort by 394 boys and girls in a sport they call cross country. They all traveled across the country to compete. Up and down the humps but smiling all the way.</p><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-_0e3F0aEF1mL0JEfzb1in36PDvGuxJoAVfTL2QSqfJt8dEa29jq-36feJ_ExaD3wsAB_LlYRE6QTe2zZq38DoaLE4tXOUQGcBifROSMWROFozeQwfYZEUYZIQ6USkIyJrXjQjEBd5SE/s1600-h/medal2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285013052447545474" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-_0e3F0aEF1mL0JEfzb1in36PDvGuxJoAVfTL2QSqfJt8dEa29jq-36feJ_ExaD3wsAB_LlYRE6QTe2zZq38DoaLE4tXOUQGcBifROSMWROFozeQwfYZEUYZIQ6USkIyJrXjQjEBd5SE/s320/medal2.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><br /><br /><p align="left"></p>Dave Watthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00397022537954661249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7717731089017471466.post-1791428929639816292008-12-28T19:05:00.003-05:002008-12-28T19:09:33.892-05:00Cutting the Meat, Not the Fat: The Wrong Approach<em><span style="font-size:85%;">(October 2008)</span><br /></em>Promoting running for youth is at the tip of the spear in the ARA campaign to improve the physical activity levels of America’s Youth. The sport of Cross Country is one of our platforms to showcase how running can make you more fit, a better student and help you set lofty goals. So when I read that another college administrator could be sharpening the budget axe to let it fall on the men’s’ cross country and track & field programs, it makes me fume. I’m not an alumnus at Delaware. I am not an alumnus of James Madison University (JMU) in Harrisonburg VA. I was just as perturbed and dumbfounded two years ago, when the Board of Regents at JMU decided to drop 7 men’s sports, notables being men’s’ cross country , track & field, and swimming. These are life sports. That’s what we call running and swimming. They stay with you for life and can form a basis of vigorous exercise well into your senior years.<br /><br />Do you know what it costs to operate cross country and track & field year-round at a mid-major university? Would you be surprised to know that the figure at Delaware is less than $100K? When administrators explain their budgetary reasons behind a sports program’s cut, the convenient excuse or punching bag is Title IX. The landmark 70s education guidelines have had their positive effect on the growth of women’s sports. Those of us who competed at the earliest stages of Title IX would agree that it has greatly expanded sports participations for girls in high school and women in college. Unfortunately, Title IX is the fall guy when it comes to collegiate athletic department cuts. Why does Title IX even get brought into the discussion when a college or university wants to adjust, cut or move around budgeted monies in an athletic department?<br /><br />Football is often the answer. If a college or university wants to expand its program and lure more alumni donations, increased spending is inevitable. If the decision is made to upgrade the football program and there is no endowed fund to cover the non-revenue sports, then out comes Title IX to assist the Athletic Department in making the necessary budget adjustments.<br /><br />As advocates for running for both boys and girls, men and women, American Running is firmly in favor of equal opportunities to run. Cross country, indoor track and outdoor track. Nothing is more pure with such a wide open door for participants. Let’s not let the non-runners dictate points of access for the boys, girls, men and women who want to compete in a sport that is a life sport.<br /><br />Put away your axe Delaware. Find ways to raise funds to keep the cross country and track programs going. That’s the way to keep a sport alive.Dave Watthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00397022537954661249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7717731089017471466.post-62106984569230412722008-12-28T19:04:00.002-05:002008-12-28T19:10:02.195-05:00Newton’s Laws<span style="font-size:85%;"><em>(October 2008)</em></span><br />Have you heard of the POSE method of running? Picture yourself leaning forward and lifting your legs with your quads versus your hamstrings. Try to shorten your stride and plant your feet flat. Now that may be an oversimplification of the POSE method but it is part of the reason for the emergence of a specialty running shoe that incorporates the POSE method in its sole. NEWTON running shoes are moving beyond their Boulder Colorado beginnings and have landed in some smaller retail establishments. I caught up with the co-founder Jerry Lee at his booth at the NYC Marathon. I have to admit, an old guy runner like me is not the target market. The colors of the shoes are vibrant and the structure and engineering are solid. They also have a few elite athlete endorsers now. In the booth that day was Josh Cox. He talked about the initial awkwardness of running in the Newtons. We also talked about training barefoot and how the way we run barefoot is exactly how you would run in the Newtons. It makes sense. The one area that may hurt Newtons is the price of entry. Shoes range from $140 to $175. Word has it that the Newtons sold well at running event Expos. Upon my return to Bethesda MD, I happened to check out the new City Sports retail store. It did not take long to spot the Newtons on the shelves with their bright vibrant colors. I also heard that Newton execs tried for years to sell their concept to the few large running shoe companies and got the polite no thanks. Now that some elite runners are wearing Newtons and winning in these shoes (check out the shoes on this fall’s IRONMAN race winner), more shoe industry experts may take notice.Dave Watthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00397022537954661249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7717731089017471466.post-10887071588648360312008-12-28T19:03:00.005-05:002008-12-28T20:24:28.114-05:00Expanded Partnerships at American Running<span style="font-size:85%;"><em>(October 2008)</em></span><br /><a href="http://www.youthrunner.com/">Youth Runner </a>(YR) and <a href="http://www.americanrunning.org/">American Running </a>(ARA) are gearing up to share more stories and information as both entities move into more web-based offerings. Youth Runners’ Dan Kesterson has beefed up this magazine with a slick, attractive e-Youth Runner magazine. His company’s website has moved to a more powerful web platform that will greatly add more features to pages for youth teams and groups. ARA will post content and share sports medicine information while Youth Runner will provide pages for clubs, teams and school groups. ARA’s Walk-Run training programs will be made available plus the free sports medicine information. YR and ARA will promote the 2nd year of “National RUN A MILE Day” in May.Dave Watthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00397022537954661249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7717731089017471466.post-17393528781278445032008-12-28T19:03:00.003-05:002008-12-28T19:10:34.770-05:00Wave Starts<span style="font-size:85%;"><em>(October 2008)</em></span><br />It started in Boston and now it is reaching the NYC Marathon: The Wave. It’s not quite like the “wave” in baseball or football stadiums. The basic wave start concept is to split the race field into two halves. The first half is the faster of the two halves. The second wave will typically start 30 minutes after the first wave. If you have run a marathon with a wave start, it’s no big deal given the commonplace use of the timing chips or RFID (radio frequency ID) timing devices. The one downside is the continued desire by some race directors to increase the field size of their marathons. Why? The simple answer is to satisfy the demand. Well, what would happen if you keep the race field capped and still incorporate the Wave start? Don’t you think your runners would be happier, medical personnel would be less stressed and sponsors still happy? It’s time to stop growing the already mega-sized marathons. The wave works> Just don’t let it be the reason to allow more runners to fill your crowded streets.Dave Watthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00397022537954661249noreply@blogger.com0