A Passion for Running

one last link (I think!) for my sidebar menu. This post is very much in draft form right now. I will complete it shortly.
————-
Running Heroes

1. Ed Whitlock: Ed Whitlock is over 75 years old and running 3 hour marathons. This just astounds me. He is #1 on my list of running heroes because he is the perfect example of what sustained fitness can do for us into our later years. The other reason I am inspired by Ed is because he runs 2 to 3 hours a day. No, that was not a typo. The guy is the perfect example of what running lots of miles can do for you. Ed: If you ever read this, please know that I am in complete awe of you. You rock! Oh! Did I mention Ed is Canadian?
2. Emil Zatopek: I’m not sure exactly why but I’ve always been drawn to Emil Zatopek. Maybe it’s because he defines what hard work and determination is. Maybe it’s because he listened to his inner voice. Maybe it’s because he won the 5000 meter, 10,000 meter and Marathon all in the same Olympics. Wow.
3. Steve Prefontaine:So much has been written about “Pre”. He is a compelling historical figure because he flat out refused to put forward anything other than his best. I think, more so than most people we see in athletics.
4. Hicham El Guerrouj: They call him the King of the Mile - because he is. He’s the mile world record holder (3:43:13) and every time I see him running on video, I’m mesmerized. Poetry in motion. More than anyone, watching him makes me want to run fast.

Inspiration

1. My Family: In my hierarchy of needs, fitness is very important. Why is it important? Well, as much as I want for myself to be fit into my old age like Ed Whitlock, I also want to be fit so I can be a good role model, inspire and do stuff with my kids. Every parent has moments that they remember forever - moments that define the relationship we have with our kids. One moment for me was running around a track with my then four year old daughter just prior to the start of a marathon I was to run on my 35th birthday. That moment was special. I hope Cassandra and Christopher pick up running because it would be so great to run with them in their teen and adult years.
2. The Running Blog Family: (Coming!)

Much is being said within running circles about Lance venturing into the world of running.

The big question seems to be around how well Lance will run. Is he a 3:00 hour marathoner, a 2:30 marathoner, a 2:20 marathoner - or might he be even better than that? In other words, does he have world class potential?

A lot has been made of Lance’s stratospheric VO2 max, lactic acid threshold and lung capacity. While those things are undeniable, it may also be safe to say that lance has used up his best years on the bike.

Can we count him out based on age? I’m just not sure.

I’ve also read some people’s assertion that the pounding miles of running will inflict will be harder on Lance than even he can imagine and that, because he is not a ‘lifer’, he’ll break down and suffer from injury before he can attain running greatness.

I’m not sure where Lance will end up, but I think it will be impressive. My guess is he could pull off a 2:30 in fairly short time if he really trained for it. (edit: how’
s 18 months training sound?)

Why? Because I think Lance will run in such a way as to minimize the pounding on his body and take full advantage of his strengths.

And how will he do that? By having something many runners do not have - incredibly high cadence.

My guess is that Lance will quickly become an expert in proper form. Not only that, I believe he will naturally adapt the high cadence that set him apart on the bike to the run.

High cadence = less time on the ground = less impact on the body = less injury = greater chance of success.

Lance will be nimble, Lance will be quick, Lance will break through the finishing tape.

I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to see what this guy can do.

If you’ve read my 100 things post, you know Wayne Gretzky is one of my heroes. But I’m a fan not just because of Gretzky’s sports accomplishments - I also think very highly of him because of the way he treats people, because of his generosity and grace.

Wayne’s mother has passed on and I just want to express my sadness for the Gretzky family because through the years of following him and his family, I know Gretzky got his outstanding personality traits from his parents. His mother was a wonderful lady.

To the Gretzkys: Take care during this time and please know that others are thinking of you.

My roger bannister beats lance armstrong on sport feat list post got some neat feedback. The last comment was from Eric who told me about the amazing Kenyan runner, Daniel Komen. All I have to say is WOW!

My Roger Bannister post from the other day got me thinking about legendary runners and that lead me to Running past - a terrific website that exists to honor those legends. It’s got facts, figures, photos and video clips of some pretty awesome running legends including Steve Prefontaine, Billy Mills, Emil Zatopek and more. Check it out!

Forbes recently came out with a list of what it believes are the top 20 athletic achievements of all time. At the top of the list is Sir Roger Bannister - famous for breaking the 4-minute mile barrier. To be sure, Bannister’s achievement is legendary but I wonder if it belongs at the top of the list. Personally, I might choose Lance Armstrong’s 7-time domination of the Tour de France (2nd on the list) over Bannister’s record, simply due to how long I think Armstrong’s record will stand compared to Bannister’s. What do you think?

The Forbes list is here and I’ve provided the remaining of the top six achievements below:

-Jesse Owens: Four World Records In 70 Minutes
-Nadia Comaneci: Seven Perfect 10s
-Joe DiMaggio: 56-Game Hitting Streak
-Muhammad Ali: Three Heavyweight Titles

Did ya know Paula Radcliffe has a website? She even has a blog!

Yeehaw!

He’s not Superman, not Batman, not Spiderman, not Captain Kirk and not Rocky Balboa. In fact, he isn’t a hero of the fictional variety at all. My new hero was an actual person. An american runner named Steve Prefontaine.

It’s 11:50 p.m. and I’ve just finished watching Without Limits - a movie about the tragically short life of a truly great runner and a man of indomitable spirit.

Without Limits inspired and overwhelmed me. I’d heard the story and read short snippets about “Pre” but this movie brought the man to life and gave me a lot to think about.

He was the embodiment of tenacity. He refused to quit. He hated doing anything less than his absolute best and he fought tooth and nail for every step of every race he ran.

The movie was produced by Tom Cruise so you know the production is top-notch. Plus, there are some other great stories in it in addition to Prefontaine’s. Most notably, the character of Bill Bowerman (played by Donald Sutherland) is quite compelling. Bowerman was Steve Prefontaine’s famous coach (he coached many other runners), and the man who eventually founded Nike.

I really wish this post could do the movie and Steve Prefontaine justice but it can’t so I’ll just say this: If you like being inspired - especially when it comes to running and reaching your potential, do yourself a favour and see this movie because it’s GREAT!

“Pre” joins Zatopek on a list of runners I admire. I wonder who will be next!

Emil Zatopek is the guy you see in my new header so I thought I’d take a moment to explain why he’s displayed there so prominently.

Zatopek was an unbelievable runner who achieved great great things. He was nicknamed The Locomotive because of his relentlessness, laboured form and (chug chug chug) heavy breathing but, even with those “deficiencies” he defied odds and accomplished the impossible.

Ever since I began running seriously (definition please!) I’ve been drawn to Zatopek and not solely because of his accomplishments. This was a guy who went against the grain. He had an inner voice that told him to train differently and work harder and THAT’S why he won - he had a winning attitude!

If you read my blog frequently, you know I believe in synchronicity. For some strange reason, there are synchronicities going on right now between Chris and I. Something’s in the air. The other day as Chris was buying a Batman hat, I was making him a Batman logo. Yesterday I was making my new Zatopek header and was surprised to see Chris talking about interval training. Guess what? Zatopek is widely regarded as the granddaddy of interval training. In fact, he was famous for pounding out ONE HUNDRED 400 meter intervals (in one session!) during his marathon preparations!

Zatopek ROCKED. No question about it.

Zatopek Quotes

“Why should I practice running slow? I already know how to run slow. I want to learn to run fast.”

“When a person trains once, nothing happens. When a person forces himself to do a thing a hundred or a thousand times, then he certainly has developed in more ways than physical. Is it raining? That doesn’t matter. Am I tired? That doesn’t matter, either. Then willpower will be no problem.”

“A runner must run with dreams in his heart, not money in his pocket.”

“To boast of a performance which I cannot beat is merely stupid vanity. And if I can beat it that means there is nothing special about it.”

“What has passed is already finished with. What I find more interesting is what is still to come.”

“There is a great advantage in training under unfavorable conditions. It is better to train under bad conditions, for the difference is then a tremendous relief in a race.”

“If you want to win something, run 100 meters. If you want to experience something, run a marathon.”

Emil Zatopek describes his marathon win at the Helsinki Olympics,
“I was unable to walk for a whole week after that, so much did the race take out of me. But it was the most pleasant exhaustion I have ever known.”

When asked about his tortured expression during races, Emil Zatopek said, “It is not gymnastics or ice skating you know.”

Emil Zatopek on Interval Training, “Everyone said, ‘Emil, you are a fool!’ But when I first won the European Championship, they said: ‘Emil, you are a genius!’”

“It’s at the borders of pain and suffering that the men are separated from the boys.”

“He does everything wrong but win.”
Larry Snyder, Ohio State track coach, about Emil Zatopek’s contorted style of running.

“Great is the victory, but the friendship is all the greater.”