Tuesday, May 20, 2008 04:32 PM A smashing new world record in the mile, flashing news from the New Balance Maine Distance Festival, eating red meat, beating the heat and upcoming weekend events.
Wednesday night in Rome saw a seismic event in the world of running. Reigning world champion Hicham el Guerrouj of Morrocco defeated up-and-coming Noah Ngeny of Kenya over one mile, but had to run a new world record to do it. el Guerrouj and Ngeny ran 3:43.13 and 3:43.40, respectively, to become the fastest and second-fastest milers ever. El Guerrouj runs 3:43.13
The long weekend saw more record action in the U.S. as Regina Jacobs set her second American Record at the New Balance Maine Distance Festival on Saturday evening, this time knocking two seconds off rival Suzy Hamilton's 1000m mark. At the same meet, Marla Runyon scored a 4:06 1500m to join Jacobs on the U.S. team for the world championships.
Khalid Khannouchi, former teammate of el Guerrouj, dominated the Peachtree 10-K in Atlanta on Sunday, defending his championship and knocking two seconds off his best time for the distance.
The most important factors for success in improving your 10-K times are your desire and willingness to follow a training program in which you mix intensity and volume. Proper rest is also important, particularly before you race. -- From Hal Higdon's How to Train, p. 41 You can buy this book.
Straighten up: If you suspect that your gait is interfering with your ability to run smoothly, ask a friend to videotape you running. Then review the tape with a trainer, suggests David Agerter, M.D., a Mayo Clinic family practice doctor and high school team physician. Adjusting your stride can alleviate ankle and foot problems and improve performance.
Red meat off the hook: A new study has found that you can eat up to 6 ounces of lean red meat a day and still keep your arteries clear. In the study, people ate either lean red meat or lean white meat. Both groups had nearly identical decreases in low-density lipoproteins (the bad cholesterol) and increases in high-density lipoproteins (the good cholesterol).
Got pain? If so, you're not alone when it comes to running ailments. Whether it's numb feet, heat exhaustion or dehydration, our forum readers give great advice. Check in with our Injuries Forum and share your knowledge on various type of running injuries.
Irish runner Breeda Dennehy-Willis won the 5000m last Saturday evening at the New Balance Maine Distance Festival, while Andre Williams won the 5000m race for the men. Runner's World spoke with both runners.
Saturday, Midnight Madness 10-K, Ames, Iowa: Team competition is big in this race, big expo, post-race party and downtown finish are some other highlights.
Saturday, Spirit of Gettysburg 5-K, Gettysburg, Pa.: Another scenic run on a historic Civil War battlefield. Web site:
Saturday, Vytra Long Island Women's Run 5-K, Farmingdale, New York. One of the East Coast's major women's 5-K. Web site
Sunday, The Chronicle Marathon, San Francisco, California: The latest entry covering 26.2 miles of the city by the Golden Gate. Web site
Sunday, Utica Boilermaker 15-K, Utica, New York: One of the premier 15-K races in the country. Beautiful but tough course with lots of hills and it's usually hot. Web site:
Last week we explained how to use our web site to find races in your area. But what if you're a race director who wants to have your race listed in our calendar? No problem: drop by <>. Here you can submit your event to the calendar and gain access to the rest of our Race Sponsorship program. If you're a race director, you can’t afford to miss this!
When temperatures soar over 90 this summer, try to run in the early morning. It's so nice (not to mention healthier) to get it done in the relative cool of dawn, and you'll feel good about it all day long. -- Adam Bean, managing editor
Running is a statement to society. It is saying 'no' to always being on call, to sacrificing our daily runs for others' needs. When we run we are doing something for ourselves. -- Phoebe Jones, runner
barry Tuesday, May 20, 2008 04:32 PM