A new world record, Oprah runs Race for the Cure, why you shouldn’t run if you’re tired, chunky soup, running jargon, and advice from Arthur Lydiard.
What was it we said last week about Khalid Khannouchi's 1997 Chicago win being fourteenth on the all-time list? We take it back. Khannouchi's '97 time is now sixteenth, but Khannouchi himself now has a much more uncompromising position: the fastest man ever to run a marathon, anywhere, anytime. Khannouchi closed a thirty-second gap opened by veteran Moses Tanui in the final four miles of last Sunday's Chicago Marathon and went on to open a thirty-second gap of his own, finishing in 2:05:42 to Tanui's 2:06:16. Tanui set a Kenyan national record (the old record, set in Berlin, was barely a month old) and the third-fastest ever, and Khannouchi needed a world record to beat him. Then Khannouchi thanked his adopted homeland and expressed his desire to run for the U.S. in the Sydney Olympics - a move which could cost him nearly six figures of income should he skip Boston and Chicago for the Olympic Trials and Olympic Marathon. All of which nearly overshadowed the rest of the race: a new American record by the surprise David Morris in fourth, and a down-to-the-wire sprint for the women's race between defending champion Joyce Chepchumba and debutante Margaret Okayo.
In a weekend that also saw the Marine Corps Marathon, it's not too surprising to see a glut of news. But the more unusual headline was that Oprah Winfrey, five years after her Marine Corps finish, was back on the racing trail. Oprah showed up and ran at the Race for the Cure in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to show support for breast cancer research.
A heart rate monitor is a great way to keep tabs on your race effort and ensure that you're not overextending (or underextending) yourself. Some athletes even set the monitor to sound a warning beep if the heart rate strays above a designated point, which would indicate that they're burning valuable reserves too early. -- from Scott Tinley and Ken McAlpine's Winning Guide to Sports Endurance, page 82. You can buy this book at: http://rodalepress7.cam-colo.bbnplanet.com:8080/Unity/UrlView/7/10/34/2/4141
Stay full all day: If you eat a chunky, vegetable-rich soup as your first course at lunch, you'll eat less all day, according to a recent study from France. In the study, those who had chunky soup ate 150 fewer calories at lunch and nearly 100 fewer calories at dinner.
Fatigue hurts: The more fatigued you feel when running, the more shock your body absorbs, which can lead to injuries, according to a study done in Israel. As runners fatigue, they usually decrease their stride rate, which increases the shock.
Unlike other sports, running requires only one real piece of equipment---running shoes. But it's important to remember that choosing the perfect pair for your foot type is crucial. Whether you're an overpronator, and underpronator or have flat feet, shoe expert and Runner's World deputy editor Bob Wischnia can help you find the perfect shoe. Visit our Shoes forum at < http://proxicom.rodalestore.com:8080/servlet/AppServer?t=login/login_rw >.
Takayuki Inubushi finished second in the Berlin Marathon last month with a time of 2:06:57 (a five-minute PR). In the process he became the sixth fastest performer of all-time (at the time) as well as the Japanese national, and Asian record holder. Runner's World spoke with Inubushi: < http://www.runnersworld.com/dailynew/archives/1999/October/991026.html#chat >.
Saturday, Tulsa Run 15-K, Tulsa, Oklahoma. The best masters runners in America will be here as part of USATF national masters championships competition. Web site: < http://www.tulsarun.com >.
Sunday, Avon Running Championships 10-K, Cincinnati, Ohio. More than a 1,000 women are expected to gather for the second edition of the Avon Championships.
Sunday, Cape Cod Marathon, Falmouth, Mass. Beautiful, one-loop scenic course. Web site: < http://www.capecodmarathon.com >.
Sunday, Silicon Valley Marathon, San Jose, California. This flat, fast course is expected to draw over 3,000 competitors. Web site: < http://www.svmarathon.com >.
As the days grow shorter, remember visibility on the road. Wear a reflective vest, and consider carrying a small flashlight "upside down" in your hand (so the lens faces back when your arm is at your side). The flashlight will look like a blinker to cars approaching from behind because of the swing of your arm. – Parker Morse, RW electronic editor
Most of us don't know how good we could be until we train systematically on a balanced program for about three years. There will be improvement in the first year and even greater improvement in the second, but the third year's results are likely to be quite marked. You tend to jump ahead at that stage and then maintain a steady rate of improvement. -- Arthur Lydiard, New Zealand's most famous coach