20  Apr 2011

Kara’s Many Miles to Boston

Posted by Kane Peterson | Tags: Boston

For Boston, Kara Goucher Put in More Miles Than Ever Before
I was looking through my log book over the past 13 weeks and I averaged over 110 miles a week, notes Goucher, whos returning to the marathon with Mondays appearance in Boston. That’s a lot of mileage, but it’s been good. Shes encouraged by her third place performance in last months NYC Half-Marathon. The race in New York was all about getting in a race and running hard and competing and running against some of the best people in the world, which is precisely what Kara Goucher will be doing as she proceeds from Hopkinton to Boston against a remarkable womens field headed by defending titleist Teyba Erkesso of Ethiopia and 2:22:43 marathoner Sharon Cherop of Kenya. Goucher was contending for the victory until the late stages in Boston in 2009, and was hard on herself for not pulling out a win. When I was finished with the race, I was so disappointed I couldn’t forgive myself for losing that opportunity, Goucher recalls. But time gives you perspective, and now looking back at it I know I did the best I could in that moment and it’s all about having more opportunities. That’s why I really wanted to come back there. (photo of Kara Goucher by Lisa Coniglio/Photo Run) More and More

Boston Marathon Brings $132 Million to the Area
That estimate comes from the Greater Boston Convention Visitor Bureau President and CEO Patrick Moscaritolo. Mondays race has 26,923 official runners including 4,307 runners from 66 countries outside the United States. The bureau estimates 500,000 spectators along the Hopkinton to Boston course. The spending impact of the 115th Boston Marathon is the equivalent to our region hosting the NCAA Final Four. It is a huge economic benefit for our visitor industry and it kick starts our Spring tourism season, states Moscaritolo. More than 1,000 members of the media from 200 outlets across the world will cover Mondays Marathon. More

Todays Brief Chat
is with Joan Benoit Samuelson the 1984 Olympic marathon gold medalist who won the Boston Marathon twice, once in what was then a world record time. Shell be racing again in Boston on Monday. Click Here to read the Chat.

Tsegaye Kebede Targets a World Record in London
The article linked at More actually starts out with a discussion of the Japanese runners who were accommodated by Sundays Virgin London Marathon after an earthquake and tsunami resulted in the cancellation of a pair of their own countrys top marathons.  But scroll down a bit to read about Kebede, who won in London a year ago in 2:05:19 and affirms of course I will try to improve my time and maintains its possible to run 2:04 if the weather is nice and 2:04 is not my limit. I believe you can run 2:03 or 2:02. I am very confident of winning again. I think someday I will run a world record. Someday could be Sunday. (photo of Tsegaye Kebede by Victah Sailer) More

Liliya Shobhukova Is Looking for a Sub-2:20 in London Marathon
The Russian won in London a year ago in 2:22:00 and improved to 2:20:25 with her October victory in Chicago, so her goal may not be out of reach. Of course it will depend a lot on the weather, but with the quality of the field we have here, I think I can run sub-2:20, she affirms. My training has been going really well, in Portugal and at home in Russia, so I am confident. A track star before turning to the marathon, Shobhukova tells us every day in my training I run fast for the last few kilometers so that I can do the same in the race. And she adds moving to marathon running has changed my life. Its exciting, and now I only have two races in a year and can spend more time with my family. More and More

Is Martin Lel Healthy Enough to Contend in London Again?
He himself doesnt sound so sure. Lel is a three-time London Marathon champion ( the quickest victory was in 2:05:15) and was probably the worlds best at 26.2 miles when he was at the top of his game but hes been injury-prone in recent times. The body is different after being out of racing for two years, admits Lel. I have told myself, Let me go and try. I can only say I am happy to be here. I did not lose hope (because) I could feel in my training that I still have potential. He declares for me, my (goal) is to feel I tried my best on Sunday. More

Could Catherine Ndereba Win a 5th Boston Marathon?
The Kenyan superstar is now 38 and her first Boston triumph has back in 2000, but remember that was an Olympic silver medalist as recently as 2008. Definitely it is possible to win if my body holds well. My training is as good as ever. As always, I will run my own race and see how I feel, affirms Ndereba, who is also a two-time World Champion in the marathon and tells us I still do intense interval training and that in races I can set my mind, and I believe I could break 2:20 again. More

Russell Brown and Molly Huddle Run Fast Times at Mt. SAC Relays
Brown  bested Chris Solinsky in a 1500 on Friday at the Relays in Walnut, California in 3:35.70, a personal best and a meet record. Solinsky was next in 3:35.89 and Miles Batty of BYU was third in 3:36.25, the fastest collegiate time of 2011. The womens 5000 developed into a two-person battle before American recordholder Molly Huddle managed to pull away from Jenny Simpson for the victory, 15:10.63 to 15:11.49. Shalane Flanagan, moving way down in distance, edged Villanova star Sheila Reid in the womens 1500, 4:11.67 to 4:11.85. Aaron Braun, known primarily as a steeplechaser, was first in the mens 5000 in 13:27.01, with Jorge Torres second in 13:27.58. (photo of Russell Brown by Victah Sailer) More (Results)

Race Director Dave McGillivray Has Advice for Boston Marathoners
McGillivray competed in his first Boston Marathon at age 18 and declares although I have loved running in the race, nothing can compare to actually directing it. He considers it an honor and a privilege to direct the most prestigious marathon on the world. Click on More for his tips about running the Patriots Day Marathon. Heres just one: When spectators say, Keep it up, youre looking great, dont believe them. You arent looking great, or feeling great. But neither is anyone else in the race. If it was easy, everyone would do it. More

Nan Kennard Is Working Out the Kinks Enroute to Boston
Kennard, the mother of three who was third in the USA Half Marathon in January, blogs about finally starting to get really excited about Boston again after a couple of weeks of cross training and therapy. Shes spent a lot of time in the pool lately and reports my left leg and foot is feeling much better and my confidence is back, all of this after keeping my body sharp and fit while trying to stay mentally tough even without a lot of running. Nan Kennard learned that a breakthrough season with tougher training doesnt come without its setbacks. But, you know she sounds like shes in a good place for Mondays marathon. (photo of Nan Kennard by Victah Sailer) More and More

Its a Bummer That Brett Gotcher Cant Do the Boston Marathon
I did a workout and things just flared up out my control, explains Gotcher, a 2:10:36 marathoner whos coached by Greg McMillan in Arizona. It forced us to pull the plug. It was a bunch of stuff, mostly my hip. A disappointed Brett Gotcher notes I’ve never been to Boston. I was really excited to go there and have a good race. More

What Three Principles Govern Haile Gebrselassies Running?
The marathon world recordholder (2:03:59), whos running a half marathon in Vienna on Sunday, explains that the first ingredient is the drive and passion to win gold, to be a world champion, to succeed. Once you have commitment, you need the discipline and hard work to get you there. Gebrselassie emphasizes I just work hard. When I wake up at 5:00 in the morning is it just to jog? Definitely not, I give it all of my efforts. To read his second and third principles, youre just going to have to click on More. More Gebrselassie also reiterates I want to win Olympic gold in the marathon in London in 2012 but he realizes what a huge step it will be just to make the Ethiopian team. It is a serious issue to qualify the three fastest runners are going to the Olympics. I have to be in that group, he understands. (photo of Haile Gebrselassie by Andrew McClanahan/Photo Run) More

Even When the Topic Is Track, Carl Lewis Is Already a Politician
The nine-time Olympic gold medalist announced his candidacy for a New Jersey State Senate seat this week. On a trip to help boost 2012 London Olympic ticket sales, he was noncommittal when the topic turned to sprinting. He wouldnt say who he thinks will win the 100-meter dash at the London Games. Youre not going to get an answer out of me, Lewis laughed. Im not in the prediction game. If I predict anything, its a story. What if I say Tyson Gay is going to win the 100m? Then everyone will run up to Tyson and say: Carl says youre going to win the 100m. Then theyll go to Usain Bolt and say: Carl says Tyson is going to win. On the matter of that guy whose name we never mention whos been banned from the Games by the British Olympic Association, Lewis stated I dont  have an opinion one way or the other. He may be good at this politics thang. (photo of Carl Lewis by Giancarlo Colombo/Photo Run) More

Vienna City Marathon Has Strong Field and No No Fly Zone
A year ago, the eruption of an Icelandic volcano prevented several athletes, including Eliud Kiptanui, from getting to the Vienna City Marathon. Kiptanui later smashed the Prague Marathon course record with a 2:05:39. This Sunday, 32,000 runners will enter Viennas marathon and half marathon; Ethiopian legend Haile Gebrselassie is in the 13.1-miler. The marathon will still contain seven men with sub-2:08 credentials, so the Vienna record of 2:07:38 is vulnerable. That record belongs to 2009 World Champion Abel Kirui, who faces a threat from Paul Kirui, no relation, whose 2:06:44 is the fastest time in the field. Kenyans Isaac Macharia (2:07:16), Nicholas Chelimo (2:07:38), Patrick Ivuti (2:07:46) and Shadrack Kiplagat (2:07:53) are also in Vienna, as is Ukraines Dimitry Baranovsky (2:07:15). The class of the womens field could be two marathon debutantes,  Kenya’s Peninah Arusei and Portugal’s Ana Dulce Felix. The fastest of the veterans is Ethiopias Genet Getaneh, who has clocked a 2:26:37. For more information, go to  (photo of Abel Kirui by Victah Sailer)

Ten Athletes Get USATF Elite Development Grants
The USA Track Field Foundation has presented Elite Athlete Development Grants to ten athletes, recognizing the hard work of our Olympic hopefuls and we are pleased to provide support to deserving athletes, says USATF Foundation board member Antonio Manning. It’s about providing opportunities to compete. The athletes receiving $4,000 grants include 800-meter runner Karjuan Williams, 400-meter runner Jamaal Torrance, and 400-meter hurdler Tiffany Williams. More

Oregon Men Return to UCLAs Drake Stadium After 35 Years
The University of Oregon and UCLA men have a great tradition as rivals, with dual meets dating back to 1966. But those meets were replaced by invitationals with a larger number of schools until the dual tradition was revived in 2008. The last three meets were won by Oregon in Eugene, but on Sunday, the action returns to Los Angeles. More

Heres Todays Running Song of the Day
I didnt even know about this pick when I started compiling these songs, and its one of my favorites. And there are even a couple of clips of the lead singer, a bonnie Scottish lass, running. Youll thank me for this one. More

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