I did not know Adam very well (we traded one email long ago), but it was fun watching him build The Final Sprint from a tiny little place on the web to a great running resource that featured some terrific podcasts (hosted by Adam), and blogs by well known US distance runners such as Sarah Hall.

Please join me in passing on heartfelt condolences to Adam’s family and friends.

About 20 years ago, I remember stumbling across a novel about three runners vying to be the first to break two hours for the marathon. At the time, Alberto Salazar had run 2:08:13 in New York (a world record later decertified). Even after that performance, I still thought breaking two hours was next to impossible. Now I’m not so sure. Haile Gebrselassie ran 2:03:59 in Berlin last month, an absolutely stunning performance. Track and Field News caught up with him after his race. Allan Wells discusses whether that barrier will ever be broken. The Science of Sports anaylzes the data from the race. Gebrselassie tells the Guardian that he can go even faster.

Hey Paula!

Paula Radcliffe, who owns the women’s world record for the marathon, explains how she battled back from injury to compete in Beijing. She tells Runner’s World exactly what happened leading up to and during the Beijing Marathon. She also discusses the relationship between age and performance with Eurosport and tells the Times how she’s running the New York Marathon for love, not redemption.

Book Reviews

A number of books related to running have recently been released. Haruki Murakami, the famous Japanese novelist, has written “What I Talk About When I Talk About Running.” Liz Robbins has released “A Race Like No Other,” about the New York City Marathon. For those still basking in the Olympic glow, there is “Rome 1960: The Olympics That Changed the World,” by David Maraniss and “Boycott: Stolen Dreams of the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games,” by brothers Jerry and Tom Caraccioli.

“A View from the Trenches”

Terrence Mahon coaches four elite American runners: Deena Kastor, Ryan Hall, Jen Rhines (who is also his wife), and Ian Dobson. In Running Times, Mahon analyzes what happened to Hall and Dobson, as well as Kastor and Rhines in Beijing.

Quick Hits

Hana Hou, the in-flight magazine of Hawaiian Airlines, has a terrific article on a little race in Hawaii they call the Ironman Triathlon. Badger Beat, a source of information for all things related to sports at the University of Wisconsin, has a great piece on Suzy Favor Hamilton, the American middle distance runner. Gina Kolata of the New York Times describes how she is dealing with a foot injury while training for the New York Marathon. The National Post summarizes some of the more recent research related to older runners. The New York Times studies the key role that relaxation plays in athletic performance.

I can’t begin to highlight all of the articles related to the Olympics. The printed media are full of articles related to the environmental conditions in Beijing. It’s also difficult to keep up with last minute withdrawals and suspensions. There are three worth noting, however.

According to the Daily Telegraph, Mizuki Noguchi, who won the 2004 Olympic marathon, has withdrawn from Sunday’s race with a thigh injury. World record holder Paula Radcliffe, who dropped out of the Athens marathon, has decided to compete in Beijing. She has been recovering from a stress fracture in her left femur. According to Eurosport, Radcliffe says she wishes she had more time to recover, but she still feels better than she did in Athens. Finally, a clutch of Russian athletes have been suspended for doping violations. One of the most notable is Yelena Soboleva, who was a favorite to win a medal at the 1500 meters. This will benefit Shannon Rowbury, the top U.S. runner at that distance. Look for Rowbury to win a medal.

Some people treat U.S. wins almost as a given, as though Michael Phelps is sure to win eight gold medals. Many people thought Michael Johnson’s gold medals in the 200 and 400 meters (two very different kinds of races) at the 1996 games were a sure thing. Some even treated Carl Lewis’s four gold medals as a lock. We should remember that in many events, the Olympics frequently demand peak performance over two or more heats (e.g., sprints and some middle distances), or sometimes on a single day (e.g., the marathon).

Olympic history is filled with athletes who came out of nowhere to win the gold, often by defeating better-known favorites. That’s part of what makes the Olympics so compelling. At the 2000 Olympics, wrestler Rulon Gardner defeated Alexander Karelin, who had not been defeated in the previous 13 years. Remember Sarah Hughes who won the gold medal in figure skating at the 2002 games in Salt Lake City? She skated the performance of a lifetime and beat Michelle Kwan, the heavy favorite. Many will remember the much-hyped 3000 meter final at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. The race featured two of the most famous athletes of the day: Mary Decker and Zola Budd. Decker tripped, fell, and was unable to finish the race. She talks with the New York Times about what has happened since then. Jim Ryun fell at the 1972 Munich games and never won an Olympic medal. Vanderlei de Lima of Brazil was leading the 2004 Olympic marathon at 22 miles until a crazy spectator tackled him. The New York Times looks at how Brendan Hansen, who has won multiple medals in swimming, but never a gold medal for an individual race, is dealing with his fourth-place finish in the 100 meter breaststroke.

Bottom line: a lot of crazy things can happen at the Olympics, so the pre-race favorite isn’t always the winner.

So What Does Running Do For You?

A couple of studies on running came out recently. A Stanford study observed that middle aged runners in a running club were half as likely to die over a 20-year period than non-runners. It seems that any form of vigorous exercise is beneficial. You can find an abstract of the study from the Archives of Internal Medicine here. U.S. News and World Report summarizes the major research, including studies related to heart attacks and skin cancer. The New York Times has another piece on the question of whether stretching is beneficial.

Quick Hits

The Los Angeles Times considers whether protein supplements are beneficial for athletes. The LA Times also looks at a strange group of people: athletes who smoke. The New York Times examines the pollution that athletes will have to endure in China. U.S. News and World Report studies elite athletes in order to identify lessons for recreational athletes.

The Olympics are less than two weeks away. Track and field events don’t start until August 15. (You can find the schedule of events here.) I can’t tell you who will win every event, but I will predict that athletes from Ethiopia will likely win a lot of medals in the distance events. Running Times takes a look inside the Ethiopian system. But don’t count out the United States. The Scripps News Service traces the rebirth of U.S. distance running. From the nadir in 2000, the United States struck back to win two medals in the 2004 games. The Times of London interviews Sebastian Coe, who spearheaded the effort to secure the 2012 Olympics in London. Lord Coe reflects back on his epic rivalry with Steve Ovett. Sports Illustrated profiles Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell, two of the favorites in the sprints. The New York Times looks into how Jamaica produces so many great sprinters. Asafa Powell tells the Times of London not to count him out just yet.

One storyline that will dominate these games is the pollution. The Ottawa Citizen takes the International Olympic Committee to task for staging the games in such a polluted place. The Wall Street Journal considers how the image of athletes wearing masks could damage China’s image. The Los Angeles Times looks at just how bad it can get.

Deaths During Triathlons

Since the New Year began, eight athletes have died during triathlons. According to USA Triathlon, all of the deaths in the last two years have happened during the swimming portion of the event. The New York Times seeks to understand why.

Who’s Number One?

First it was New York vs. Los Angeles, now it’s Boulder vs. Eugene. Boulder has Frank Shorter and altitude training. Eugene has Salazar and Nike. The Daily Camera (of Colorado) examines the rivalry between the two running towns.

Quick Hits

The New York Times asked a mountain bike guide to field test hydration backpacks. The Los Angeles Times explains why the push-up is the near-perfect strength-building exercise. The Toronto Globe and Mail profiles Kathy Tremblay, a Canadian triathlete, and shows how cross-training can benefit all athletes. The New York Times charts the growth in popularity of half-marathons. The Arizona Daily Sun profiles Jack Daniels, one of the greatest running coaches of all time.

The Thrill of Victory
The Olympic Trials ended last week and there were a number of great stories. In my opinion, the top three were the effect of requiring athletes to meet the Olympic A standard no later than the end of the trials, the magnificent performances by Bernard Lagat, and the big question marks behind two of America’s great hopes (Tyson Gay and Jeremy Wariner). USAToday surveys the state of track and field as we head towards Beijing.

..and the Agony of Defeat

How do world class athletes deal with defeat and disappointment? Flotrack has a terrific interview with Carrie Tollefson, who was a member of the 2004 Olympics, but failed to make the team this year. Tollefson addresses the tough questions openly and gracefully. It’s fascinating to hear her talk about how she assesses her future. USAToday spoke to Alan Webb, who made the team in 2004, but finished fifth in the 1500 meters trials this year. He tries to pinpoint what went wrong. Finally, Runners World spoke to Adam Goucher as he waited for his wife Kara to finish signing autographs. Kara qualified for the Olympics in both the 5000 and 10,000 meters, while Adam failed to make the team in either event.

This Week’s Must Read

If it’s summer, then it’s time for articles about running in hot weather. The New York Times examines how performances decline as the heat rises, and how runners can cope. The Times also studies whether it’s better to run in the morning when the temperature is at its lowest, but humidity is high, or in the evening, when it’s cooled off slightly, but humidity is lower.

Where are They Now?

Sports Illustrated‘s annual “Where are They Now?” issue includes a piece on Bill Rodgers, four-time winner of the Boston Marathon and four-time winner of the New York Marathon. Now 60, Rodgers still has You can find a classic article about Rodgers from 1979 here. The issue also catches up with John Carlos, who raised his fist in the Black Power salute at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, and Wyomia Tyus, who won gold at the same Olympiad.

Sharpening the Edge

The U.S. Olympic Trials are over, but athletes continue to train and compete in preparation for the Olympics. Usain Bolt, who broke the world record for the 100 meters last month, recently ran the fastest time this year for 200 meters, 19.67 seconds. Yelena Isinbayeva broke her own world record in the pole vault, clearing 16 feet 6 inches. Two of the favorites in the 100 meters are Asafa Powell and Usain Bolt, both of Jamaica. They are just the latest in a long line of sprinters from that country. How is it that a small island natiin of just under 3 million produce so many great runners? The Christian Science Monitor takes a look.

Advice for the athletes in Beijing: lanes matter. According to an article in the New York Times, sprinters at the 2004 Olympics in Athens who were closest to the starter’s pistol took off faster. The Los Angeles Times reviews bike repair kits. Paula Radcliffe is recovering from a stress fracture, but still hopes to compete in the marathon in Beijing. The Toronto Globe and Mail looks at the importance of strengthening your core muscles. Following Dara Torres’s performance in the Olympic swimming trials, a number of publications have reported on older athletes. USAToday examines what it takes to be successful in middle age. People around the world (not just in the United States) are getting fatter. But why now, as opposed to 30 years ago? The Los Angeles Times devotes the health section to this questions. Experts weigh in (no pun intended) with their theories.

We’ve reached the halfway point in the Olympic track and field trials. You can find the television schedule here. Readers will undoubtedly have their own favorites, but to me the three most interesting stories are Tyson Gay’s astonishing 9.68 seconds for the 100 meters (which would have been a world record except for the wind), Allyson Felix’s fifth place finish in the women’s 100 meters, and Amy Begley’s mad sprint to snag third place in the women’s 10,000 meters.

Gay’s performance will help silence some of the murmuring that arose after Usain Bolt beat Gay in New York last month, setting a new world record in the process. Gay’s time at the trials was the fastest ever recorded for a human, regardless of wind. Allyson Felix, who was shooting for four medals, was the subject of a gushing profile in Sports Illustrated. Felix will still compete in the 200 meters, of course. Maybe she was another victim of the “Sports Illustrated Jinx.”

The women’s 10,000 meter final was a nail-biter to the end. The two favorites, Shalane Flanagan (the U.S. record holder) and Kara Goucher (who won a bronze medal at the distance at last summer’s World Championships) took the top two spots. The question was who would take the last spot. It wasn’t necessarily going to be the woman who crossed the line in third place. In order to qualify for Beijing, runners also had to meet the “A” standard for the distance, 31:45. If the third place finisher had not met the “A” standard, but a runner who finished back in the pack had, then the second runner would get the ticket to China. Amy Begley, who was in the lead pack for much of the race, had not yet met the “A” standard. The slow pace of the race made it look like Katie McGregor, who had already met the “A” standard, would take the final spot on the team. As the bell rang for the final lap, however, Begley showed incredible determination. She unleashed a 70 second final lap to cross the finish line in 31:43.60, taking third place and meeting the “A” standard by less than two seconds. McGregor finished fourth. The image of the day is Goucher and Begley, training partners and friends, jumping up and down together, celebrating their achievements. Meet Begley here and Goucher here.

The races worth watching in the coming days are the men’s and women’s 1500 meters, the women’s 5000 meters, and the men’s 10,000 meters. Will Alan Webb recover from a string of poor races this spring to make it to Beijing? The Washington Post had an interesting piece about Webb’s life off the track.

Murphy’s Law

It’s every runner’s nightmare. You train for months on end, in the cold, the rain, the heat. You register early to snag one of the coveted spots. You lay out your clothes the night before. Then there’s a breakdown on the train, or your car breaks down. Unfortunately, this happened to some 400 runners in the Seattle Seafair Marathon. They missed the buses from a park to the starting area.

Age Ain’t Nothing But a Number

NPR had a story about Haile Satayin, who, at 53 years old (or 48, depending on your source), will be one of the oldest athletes competing in the Beijing Olympics. Satayin emigrated from Ethiopia to Israel in 1991 and has a personal best of 2:14 for the marathon. Don’t count him out: he placed 20th in Athens in 2004. Jane Brody of the New York Times wrote about how exercise, including both aerobic and strength training, can delay, and perhaps even prevent, a loss of physical abilities into your 90s. Jeff Hartwig placed second in the Olympic trials for the pole vault at age 40. Dara Torres, who won an astounding nine Olympic medals, is shooting to make the Olympic swim team again. She’s 41. If she makes it, she would be the first American swimmer to compete in five games, this after sitting out two on her own.

Quick Hits

One of my favorite places to run is the reservoir in Central Park. But the park has more to offer than the cinder path. The New York Times asked runners to describe some of their favorite routes in Central Park. According to an article in the Toronto Globe and Mail, two upcoming studies seem to indicate that long term running does not cause a greater incidence of osteoarthritis in the knees. It should be noted, however, that the pool of runners studied was relatively small and may be subject to selection bias (they tended to run injury-free in the first place). NPR reported on ways to keep your feet happy. Not surprisingly, podiatrists find many fashionable shoes to be bad for your feet. The New York Times examined some of the leading foot ailments and the causes of each. Christian Vande Velde offers cycling tips for recreational riders in the New York Times.

This week we have two “must reads.” Father’s Day was a few days ago, but the Rocky Mountain News profiles Olympian Alan Culpepper and the effect that fatherhood has had on his running. It’s interesting to read how even world class athletes have to juggle the competing demands of training and family.

The New York Times examines how “grains of truth” regarding training and nutrition grow into training dictums. The article looks at what happens during physical exertion and how your body reacts.

Olympic Dreams

As we draw closer to the summer games, we see an increasing number of articles about athletes aiming for Beijing. The New York Times describes the special relationship between U.S. marathoner Blake Russell and her coach, Bob Sevene. The Register-Guard spotlights Bernard Lagat, who won both the 1500 meters and 5000 meters at last summer’s World Championships in Osaka. He may very well do the same this year in Beijing. The same paper also examines Nicole Teter’s attempt to make the team at 800 meters. The Portland Tribune looks at Kara Goucher’s career and her relationship with her coach, former marathoner Alberto Salazar. The Associated Press also has a piece on Kara Goucher. Alicia Shay, the wife of marathoner Ryan Shay, will not be going to Beijing. She injured stomach muscles while chasing her dog, according to the Arizona Republic. Husband and wife runners Ryan and Sara Hall have posted excerpts from their training logs. Ryan’s log is on Flotrack, while Sara’s appears on the New York Road Runners’ website. The Wall Street Journal takes a look back at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City to see what happened with some of the most famous athletes from those games, including Wyomia Tyus, Dick Fosbury, and Bill Toomey.

If you don’t know who Liu Xiang is, you will soon. He is the world champion in the 110 meter hurdles and one of China’s Olympic hopefuls. Liu is no longer the world record holder, however. Dayron Robles beat Liu’s record by one-hundredth of a second in Ostrava. Liu, on the other hand, was disqualified at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene and is recovering from a hamstring injury.

Some articles are devoted to the gear these athletes will be using. Both USAToday and the New York Times have articles on the Asics shoes designed by Hitoshi Mimura, the former marathoner turned shoe engineer. The soles are made of rubber and crushed rice, which supposedly provide better traction. They are designed to dissipate faster than normal shoes, which could be an advantage in China.

Health News

The Los Angeles Times dedicated an entire section to losing weight. Different articles looked at new strategies, the role of education, and what really happens on reality television. The San Francisco Chronicle studied the basics of your body’s metabolism.

Quick Hits

The Los Angeles Times looks at the growth in popularity of recumbent bicycles. The Times also has an article that could only be written in the City of Angels: a local tour company organizes running tours designed to catch glimpses of celebrities. The Washington Post considers the relationship between Washington mayor Adrian Fenty’s exercise regimen and his governing style. Even though he logs 12-hour work days, he recently set PRs for 10 miles (65 minutes) and the marathon (3:40). Devine Racing Management, which staged both the Los Angeles and Las Vegas marathons, has had some financial problems recently. Last week the company reached an agreement to sell the Los Angeles marathon to raise cash to pay off creditors. The Daily Record ran a story on the most dangerous race on earth: the Basra Half-Marathon. Never mind the heat and bugs—how about running under the threat of rocket and mortar attacks? Fifty-two soldiers recently took on the challenge to raise money for charity.

Can you believe it? The Beijing Games are just about 60 days away. The shortest and longest distances in track and field are the 100 meters and the marathon. There was big news in both events.

He has the perfect name for a sprinter: Bolt. Usain Bolt of Jamaica broke the world record in the 100 meters, running 9.72 seconds in New York City this past weekend. (You can watch it on YouTube here.) It’s a sign of the times that within days of his achievement, people were already speculating whether he was clean. An editorial in the Toronto Star hopes for a clean drug test. The Times of London examines how his burst into prominence upsets conventional thinking about the 100 meter race. Sports Illustrated has a helpful chart that tracks the 100 meter record through the years.

Paula Radcliffe has won every marathon she has entered, save for one: the 2004 Olympic Marathon in Athens. Recently she revealed that she suffered a stress fracture of the left femur, but is still 90 to 100 percent likely to compete in Beijing. Specialists have told her that it is “impossible” for her to be fully fit, but she refuses to give up. The Guardian (UK) has a fascinating profile. The Daily Telegraph reports on how her injury affects the rest of the British team.

One of the U.S. hopefuls in the women’s marathon will be Magdalena Lewy Boulet. The New York Road Runners Club interviewed her after her surprising second-place finish at the Olympic Trials. The NYRR also interviewed Japanese marathoners Reiko Tosa and American Blake Russell.

Keep it Down

Grunters are on notice. Maria Sharapova, whose shrieks punctuate every shot, was bounced from the French Open this weekend. On Monday, a New York jury acquitted a man of assault for shaking the stationary bike of a fellow gym patron. The defendant was fed up with the other man’s incessant grunting and yelling during spin class, so he lifted and dropped the man’s bike. A few days prior to the verdict, the New York Times looked at the question of grunting, including profane language.

This Week’s Must Read

Running has a few basic training rules. One of them is to alternate hard and easy days. The body needs rest to recover from a strenuous workout. The New York Times examines the physiology behind rest and how you can help your body recover.

Quick Hits

The New York Times tested five blister remedies. USA Today reviews the seven cites who are vying to host the Olympics in 2016. The list will be whittled down to three or four on Wednesday. The Toronto Globe and Mail has blogs by two Canadian athletes preparing for the Olympics. The CBC program “Inside Track” includes an interview with Dr. Harry Edwards, the catalyst behind the black power salute at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City. The Los Angeles Times devotes an entire section to weight loss, including stories on drugs, surgery, and physiology. Sports Illustrated has an excerpt from Rome 1960: The Olympics That Changed the World, by David Maraniss. The 1960 games featured a number of famous athletes: Cassius Clay, Wilma Rudolph, Rafer Johnson, and of course, Abebe Bikila, who won the marathon running barefoot.

Fundamental Principles of Olympism

• Olympism is a philosophy of life…Olympism seeks to create a way of life based on the joy of effort, the educational value of good example and respect for universal fundamental ethical principles.
• The goal of Olympism is to place sport at the service of the harmonious development of man, with a view to promoting a peaceful society concerned with the preservation of human dignity.
• Any form of discrimination with regard to a country or person on grounds of race, religion, politics, gender or otherwise is incompatible with belonging to the Olympic Movement.

These are grand words and ideals, but will they ever be a reality? Is there (gasp!) hypocrisy in the Olympic movement? (At this point you may also wish to conveniently forget about any bribery scandal involving a previous Olympics games. But I digress.)

Beating athletes repeatedly over the head with the most readily accessible blunt instrument (see Rule 51 section 3) so they don’t take matters into their own hands is currently fashionable and I get the point. They are there to compete, and from a completely selfish perspective, being apolitical probably makes an athlete more marketable if and when endorsements and sponsors come calling.

However, if the spirit and principles of the Olympics are being violated by the host nation, should any action be taken? Is this a mandate of the IOC or the nations participating? Is this the venue for the IOC to promote “…a peaceful society concerned with the preservation of human dignity”? Or are these just hollow words getting in the way of China’s coming out party as an economic powerhouse?

China and the IOC want to put on an extravaganza for the entire world to see. What they don’t want anyone to notice is the darker side of the new kid on the superpower block. (My mother, who is a Chinese immigrant, still remembers the village executions she had to watch as an eight year old when the Communists were eliminating anyone with wealth or education back in the 1950’s.)

To China, whose government wants to showcase its progress on the worldwide stage called the Olympics, you had to be incredibly naïve not to realize that your country would be under the intense public scrutiny that accompanies an Olympics. If you decide to play on the world’s biggest stage again, here’s an old adage: “If you can’t stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen!”

To the IOC, whose flowery prose proclaims it a moral authority on respecting “universal fundamental ethical principles,” deeds speak louder than words, and without deeds to back up words, you risk becoming irrelevant, hypocritical and ideologically bankrupt. Remember- you picked China, and you didn’t have to.

There are no simple solutions to letting China know its human rights abuses are not tolerable. The Olympics may or may not be a suitable venue to air these concerns. Only time will tell if any action will be taken.

A number of periodicals covered the decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport to allow Oscar Pistorius of South Africa to compete in the summer Olympics. Pistorius, a double amputee, runs with carbon fiber prosthetics, called blades. In order to run in the Olympics, however, he’ll have to meet the Olympic “A” qualifying standard of 45.55 seconds for 400 meters, or at the very least, the “B” standard of 45.95 seconds. He holds the Paralympic world record in the men’s 400 meters with a time of 46.56 seconds. You can find the story from the L.A. Times here and the New York Times story here.

Paula Radcliffe of the UK has won every marathon she has entered save for one, the 2004 Olympic Marathon. She has to be considered one of the favorites for Beijing. Now the BBC reports that Radcliffe has suffered a muscle pull that is causing her pain in her left hip. The Times of London has an extended story that delves into the aftermath of Athens, training, and cheating.

Training News

The New York Times investigated what it means to have healthy muscles. The key is to engage in regular training, both cardiovascular and with weights. According to the article, healthy muscles “are those that have been worked, stressed and pushed to their limit so that they have enough power and strength to get you through life, especially as you grow older.”

Up Close and Personal

Nike has introduced “The Loop,” a talk show with the finest runners in the world. First up is middles distance runner Alan Webb. Stay tuned for Shalane Flannagan, who recently broke the American record for 10,000 meters. NBC Sports profiles Shannon Rowbury, who is looking to compete in the 1500 meters in Beijing.

This Week’s Must Read

Gina Kolata of the New York Times writes about the specificity of training. Triathletes benefit from cross-training, but in order to excel at a particular sport, then your training must focus on that specific activity. In other words, if you want to be a good runner, then run. According to one researcher, the training that “facilitate[s] performance for one event may actually undermine performance in another event.”

Quick Hits

The Los Angeles Times described exercises to keep the knees flexible. The L.A. Times also spotlights cargo carriers for bike travel. The sad story about Tim Montgomery, who went from Olympic champion to convicted criminal, also made news this week. He was recently sentenced to 46 months for fraud and faces additional charges for dealing heroin. The Las Vegas Marathon has received a lot of bad press. The 2006 was criticized for poor logistics and last year’s race lost money. According to KSWT, the race organizers have taken to selling assets to pay its bills. Finally, a columnist for the Ottawa Citizen describes his quest for an elusive PR.