There is something special about the calendar years that contain either World Championships or Olympic competition. For three solid years,World Championships are held every other year, we are treated to amazing races, and athletes pushing beyond the bounds of what we conceive as human limitations. What is nothing but drudgery, is that year in between.
The reason why that year in between is so painful, is that it is not filled with racing, it is filled with world record attempts. In other words, many high paid pros go to races that offer rabbits, and it is essentially a time trial for the runner. As exciting as it is when someone drops seconds off a previously established record, the racing can tend to be dull. While Haile Gebrassaliasse going sub 2:04 was amazing, there was no drama at the finish. No one nipping at his heels, or forcing him to maybe even shave more time off of that amazing record.
Rewind back to Sydney 2000, where track and field fans were treated to what many still call the greatest race ever to be held on that 400 m oval. Kenyan Paul Tergat desperately wanted to win gold in the 10k, after finishing 2nd behind Geb in Atlanta. In fact, Tergat had been finishing second to Geb for quite some time. It was obvious that they were going to duel it out on the last lap, and with that, there would be no records. Tergat completely changed the way he raced and unleashed a brutal, well time kick that should have netted him the gold. Sadly for him, the Emperor's will would not be broken. In the last 3 meters, Geb leaned and barely edged out his fellow African companion for the win. I watch this race on youtube maybe every other week and still get chills from it.
World records are great. There is no denying, but the fact is that world records also fall when there is a great race. When whether or not you are going to make it to the Olympics or not is what is on your mind, you get great racing. When a large prize purse and international prestige are driving you, world records still fall.
That is what is so great about these three glorious years. Races become battles of will and wit. When to surge, when to hold back, when to escape the pack. Do you stick it to your competitor early in the race, or nail him with a lethal kick in the final 300m? When records fall while watching these things transpire, they are even sweeter. The combination of smarts, and ability are on full display at this point.
So this summer, and the next, and well the one after that, enjoy the fast times. Revel when records fall, but remember, these are races, and should be celebrated as such. These are events that put the sheer will of one person against that of a fellow competitor. It will be nice to not watch time trials all year long, but to watch guys gut it out through the finish line, and then collapse in utter triumph, or defeat.
Chances to watch these great races-
USATF National Outdoor Championships Eugene, Oregon June 23rd-26th
IAAF World Track and Field Championships- Dageau, South Korea August 27th-Sept 4th
USATF Olympic Marathon Trials- Houston, Texas January 16th 2012
USATF Track and Field Olympic Trials- TBD 2012
2012 London Olympics- August 4th- August 13th 2012
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Moving Forward
"The reality is that I am not going to qualify for the trails. The time simply does not exist, and my responsibilities are far too great. That being said, my passion for running is unparalleled compared to any point in my life at the moment, so I will continue to run, and continue to pursue even faster times."
This quote is the first thing I wrote when recapping my New York City marathon experience this past fall. How true it still is, in every aspect. I do not think I could qualify for the trails on a bike right now, much less on my own two feet. My responsibilities may end up being slightly less with the current trajectory of life, but that remains to be seen. I still cannot say that I will not try for 2016 (dropped 35 minutes in two years and 4 marathons), but the odds are pretty slim. Still, my passion for running is exploding out my ears. I have not run at all in two months, and yet, its as if I just ran New York yesterday.
I have read several books about and on running since being in the bed. I have finally gotten around to purchasing Prefontaine, and have watched it twice. I am all over running forums, and am streaming every live running event I possibly can. I am even beginning to write a workout book for myself, and whoever may eventually be interested in it. Fact is, I think God has made me a runner, and he has instilled a passion for it in me that will not go away. To that end I will continue to drive harder, and run faster, that is when I can walk again.
Now-to an actual physical update. I wish I could say I was walking, but sadly I am not. Still looks like March will be the date for that. The good news is that we are beginning to see the healing take place on my tibia. The fractures are what are called non union, which are the hardest to heal, but none the less, my body is fighting. I can now bear 20 lbs of weight on it, which is a start, if only I weighed 20 pounds total. My knee is doing fine, with the exception of one thing. Just below it, on the inside of my leg, there is a screw that is just sticking outside of the bone-not fun. The doctor is assuring me that it will be taken out as soon as the broken bone heals. Please heal soon! The best part about the progress of my leg is that I can ride a recumbent bike now, to start building my cardio back. The only time I have a chance to do that right now is at PT, as we just cant seem to pull the trigger to buy one for our own house. When you have no source of income, dropping 300 bucks is pretty tough to do.
The arm is doing amazing. Last Tuesday, I was given the go ahead to use my arm on my own. I still cannot really bear any weight on it, like use a walker or crutches, but I can actually use it now. I was measured in PT last week and could only raise my arm up 28 degrees forward. I did it again yesterday, and I have already improved to 84 degrees, with full range of motion being 180 degrees. Granted, it is still the most painful thing at the moment to workout, but I am really pushing it and we are beginning to see results, I am ready to do the same thing with running, just as soon as I am allowed.
I go back to the doctor on March 8th, and I am really thinking that I will be able to start walking then. With the bone stimulator, the loads and loads of milk I am drinking now, and the fact that I can put some weight on my leg, means that healing should really begin in earnest. I will say I wake up some mornings feeling like I am having growing pains on steroids in my lower leg, perhaps that is the beginning of the coming back together of the bone.
Thank you everyone for your wishes, and I hope you all continue to follow my recovery. Take care, and happy running.
This quote is the first thing I wrote when recapping my New York City marathon experience this past fall. How true it still is, in every aspect. I do not think I could qualify for the trails on a bike right now, much less on my own two feet. My responsibilities may end up being slightly less with the current trajectory of life, but that remains to be seen. I still cannot say that I will not try for 2016 (dropped 35 minutes in two years and 4 marathons), but the odds are pretty slim. Still, my passion for running is exploding out my ears. I have not run at all in two months, and yet, its as if I just ran New York yesterday.
I have read several books about and on running since being in the bed. I have finally gotten around to purchasing Prefontaine, and have watched it twice. I am all over running forums, and am streaming every live running event I possibly can. I am even beginning to write a workout book for myself, and whoever may eventually be interested in it. Fact is, I think God has made me a runner, and he has instilled a passion for it in me that will not go away. To that end I will continue to drive harder, and run faster, that is when I can walk again.
Now-to an actual physical update. I wish I could say I was walking, but sadly I am not. Still looks like March will be the date for that. The good news is that we are beginning to see the healing take place on my tibia. The fractures are what are called non union, which are the hardest to heal, but none the less, my body is fighting. I can now bear 20 lbs of weight on it, which is a start, if only I weighed 20 pounds total. My knee is doing fine, with the exception of one thing. Just below it, on the inside of my leg, there is a screw that is just sticking outside of the bone-not fun. The doctor is assuring me that it will be taken out as soon as the broken bone heals. Please heal soon! The best part about the progress of my leg is that I can ride a recumbent bike now, to start building my cardio back. The only time I have a chance to do that right now is at PT, as we just cant seem to pull the trigger to buy one for our own house. When you have no source of income, dropping 300 bucks is pretty tough to do.
The arm is doing amazing. Last Tuesday, I was given the go ahead to use my arm on my own. I still cannot really bear any weight on it, like use a walker or crutches, but I can actually use it now. I was measured in PT last week and could only raise my arm up 28 degrees forward. I did it again yesterday, and I have already improved to 84 degrees, with full range of motion being 180 degrees. Granted, it is still the most painful thing at the moment to workout, but I am really pushing it and we are beginning to see results, I am ready to do the same thing with running, just as soon as I am allowed.
I go back to the doctor on March 8th, and I am really thinking that I will be able to start walking then. With the bone stimulator, the loads and loads of milk I am drinking now, and the fact that I can put some weight on my leg, means that healing should really begin in earnest. I will say I wake up some mornings feeling like I am having growing pains on steroids in my lower leg, perhaps that is the beginning of the coming back together of the bone.
Thank you everyone for your wishes, and I hope you all continue to follow my recovery. Take care, and happy running.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
The Stars at Night....Deep in the Heart of Houston!
No one would generally expect the last week of January to hold so many insights and clues into the development of the 2012 American Olympic Marathon team, but this week has, and will as the weekend winds up. The Aramco Houston Marathon and Half Marathon will showcase some of the best distance talent in the United States this weekend. While no one who is expected to contend for a spot in London is running the full marathon, the full tilt will still boast some great international talent. Last year's winner is making another appearance, and he won crossing the tape in under 2:08, which for races in America not located in the windy city, is pretty descent.
Ryan Hall, who for the remainder of this article we will call the beard, will be making his return to racing. His last performance was at the Philadelphia Distance Run, where he finished 13th and days later withdrew from the Chicago Marathon. He sacked his coach in pursuit of his own training ideas (something that I consider as noble in this day of dependence on coaches, I do not think the Kenyans have coaches these days, maybe the ones training in Japan, but this is quite the run on parenthetical, so I will stop). Honestly I am going to go ahead and state that Hall is going to win, in fact I think Hall will win going away, he may even set an American record, especially if he is being pushed by others. (FYI-Ryan Hall has never raced with a beard before :))
(This is an edit. I was under the impression that Gotcher was running just the half. It is apparent he is running the full marathon. While I feel this is a mistake as he should run the half, and then run Boston or London in the spring to really face the giants of marathoning, it is a chance for an American to win a big race. I am giong to leave the rest of my thoughts on Gotcher as follows, as I feel that it is how it would play out if Gotcher was running the half)That main other, I believe will be Bret Gotcher. Gotcher American running circles last year by almost breaking 2:10 in his marathon debut in the same city. Gotcher has laid low since and has not made much noise. This I believe is wise. As we in the distance running community are rejoicing at our international resurgence, some of the guys we are lifting up are beginning to wilt. I am afraid of this with Dathan Ritzenhien who just yesterday withdrew from the London Marathon citing yet ANOTHER injury. Gotcher, I believe will nip the heels of the Beard for a good ways, and maybe even force Hall to jump his pace a little soon, but the Beard will pull away as I stated earlier, and win.
That, I am pretty sure, will be the one two punch. Third place, well not sure on that one. There are several guys who have done great things, but we still just do not know what they are fully capable of.
Jorge Torres
Abdi Abdirahman
Jason Lehmkuhle
All three of these guys have had top 10 marathon finishes in the past year or so. Abdirahman represented the US in Beijing in the 10k. All three though, with this past year being a non championship year, and a non Olympic year, simply did not make any splashes. Look for one of these three men to take the third spot.
Because of the deep competition, I do not look for any unknown stealing the spotlight, of course this is what racing is always about. Who is good on what day?
In order to follow the Houston Marathon, your best bet is to follow Runner's World Amby Burfoot as he follows the each race live on www.runnersworld.com.
Enjoy the race, and watch, the Beard wins, and bests his own Half Marathon record.
Ryan Hall, who for the remainder of this article we will call the beard, will be making his return to racing. His last performance was at the Philadelphia Distance Run, where he finished 13th and days later withdrew from the Chicago Marathon. He sacked his coach in pursuit of his own training ideas (something that I consider as noble in this day of dependence on coaches, I do not think the Kenyans have coaches these days, maybe the ones training in Japan, but this is quite the run on parenthetical, so I will stop). Honestly I am going to go ahead and state that Hall is going to win, in fact I think Hall will win going away, he may even set an American record, especially if he is being pushed by others. (FYI-Ryan Hall has never raced with a beard before :))
(This is an edit. I was under the impression that Gotcher was running just the half. It is apparent he is running the full marathon. While I feel this is a mistake as he should run the half, and then run Boston or London in the spring to really face the giants of marathoning, it is a chance for an American to win a big race. I am giong to leave the rest of my thoughts on Gotcher as follows, as I feel that it is how it would play out if Gotcher was running the half)That main other, I believe will be Bret Gotcher. Gotcher American running circles last year by almost breaking 2:10 in his marathon debut in the same city. Gotcher has laid low since and has not made much noise. This I believe is wise. As we in the distance running community are rejoicing at our international resurgence, some of the guys we are lifting up are beginning to wilt. I am afraid of this with Dathan Ritzenhien who just yesterday withdrew from the London Marathon citing yet ANOTHER injury. Gotcher, I believe will nip the heels of the Beard for a good ways, and maybe even force Hall to jump his pace a little soon, but the Beard will pull away as I stated earlier, and win.
That, I am pretty sure, will be the one two punch. Third place, well not sure on that one. There are several guys who have done great things, but we still just do not know what they are fully capable of.
Jorge Torres
Abdi Abdirahman
Jason Lehmkuhle
All three of these guys have had top 10 marathon finishes in the past year or so. Abdirahman represented the US in Beijing in the 10k. All three though, with this past year being a non championship year, and a non Olympic year, simply did not make any splashes. Look for one of these three men to take the third spot.
Because of the deep competition, I do not look for any unknown stealing the spotlight, of course this is what racing is always about. Who is good on what day?
In order to follow the Houston Marathon, your best bet is to follow Runner's World Amby Burfoot as he follows the each race live on www.runnersworld.com.
Enjoy the race, and watch, the Beard wins, and bests his own Half Marathon record.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Cross Country Dreaming
Perhaps one of the greatest disappointments since being hit by a the car, is having to sit out the Winter Cross Country Series. Truly, a great disappointment. Every year, The Memphis Runners Track Club puts on a four race Cross Country series spanning January and February. The distances are varied, 3k, 5k, 8k, and 10k, but the results are always the same-everyone crosses the finish line with a smile and looking very muddy. In the past I had generally just run the 8k, or the 10k, and both times placed in the top 5. This was to be the year where I ran them all, and tried to win the overall series. So, instead of actually getting to run those races, I am going to opine over the great and pure sport that is Cross Country.
Thank goodness for the game Hares and Hounds played in 19th century England. It was the birth of cross country running. The game was simple, the first group, the hares, would set out and leave a trail of paper behind them, to be followed by the chasers, or hounds. Eventually, people simply decided it would be fun to race over hill and dale. Because of the game that it grew from, the runners became known as Harriers. That name has more or less stuck, at least to those who love the sport as I do.
Think about it. The largest cross country race, generally large invitational meets hosted by high schools, often have 300+ runners participating. When the gun sounds, they have go from that wide and sprawling starting line to a space about the width of a large hallway in roughly half a mile or sometimes less. If you fall in that start, thats it. Your mother will be in tears, the medics will find you quickly, and your day will end in an ER. I have seen it, and actually caused it, and its not pretty. Cross country runners are not generally wearing normal running shoes, but shoes that are light, and equipped with painfully sharp spikes to better grip the terrain. The last thing you need is 100 sets of those churning over your crumpled body.
However, its the terrain that separates this from all other running genres, except maybe trail ultra marathons. There is no smooth, well measured, and orderly asphalt track to compete on. Cross country is just that, cross country. Courses are often laden with lung busting hills that come at the worst times, and often do not have a downhill on the other side to recover on. There are even sandpits, logs, and ditches to be hurdled and cleared. At times, the grass is far thicker than you want it to be, and at the other end of the spectrum, the ground can be as dry and hard as concrete. When this happens and there are 300 people charging over the course, a throat choking dust bowl develops. Lest we forget the weather. Unless Zeus himself is throwing bolts of lightning down, the race is always run. In fact, my first overall victory on a cross country course came in a blinding rain. The cross country season, for high schoolers and collegiate athletes begins in the blazing heat of late summer, and often ends in the bone chilling cold. It does not ever matter though, the race is almost always run.
It is sad that Cross Country kind of fades away after runners leave college. There are several cross country races on the international stage that are run during the months of January and February, but often times, the worlds fastest are resting up and preparing for another track season. It is disheartening, but speed sells. The fact is that world records will not ever fall on a cross country course, and for that reason, athletes cannot earn their salaries while getting muddy and charging through snow storms. There is a debate about allowing cross country into the Olympics, but at this point that does not seem likely.
Cross Country is so pure. Its runners vs other runners vs nature. Sure a trail may be have been carved out for them to compete on, but generally the terrain is still quite rugged. There are not officials all over the course to make sure you do not raise your spikes a little high to graze the knee of the guy following a little too closely. They are not out there to keep you from giving the guy that just will not let you pass, though you are faster, a little bit of a shove. It will never be raining too hard, snowing too much, or be to hot or cold. Its raw human talent and mother nature often times unleashed. How could one not possibly want to be a part of this. It is this form of racing and running that I feel is the most pure, and requires even the heartiest and fastest of runners to really check themselves. Sure the marathon is a 26.2 mile grind, and ultra marathons test the ultimate bounds of human ability. But cross country forces you to maintain a 5 minute mile or faster over a quarter mile long muddy hill. Cross country is running as it was ment to be.
Thank goodness for the game Hares and Hounds played in 19th century England. It was the birth of cross country running. The game was simple, the first group, the hares, would set out and leave a trail of paper behind them, to be followed by the chasers, or hounds. Eventually, people simply decided it would be fun to race over hill and dale. Because of the game that it grew from, the runners became known as Harriers. That name has more or less stuck, at least to those who love the sport as I do.
Think about it. The largest cross country race, generally large invitational meets hosted by high schools, often have 300+ runners participating. When the gun sounds, they have go from that wide and sprawling starting line to a space about the width of a large hallway in roughly half a mile or sometimes less. If you fall in that start, thats it. Your mother will be in tears, the medics will find you quickly, and your day will end in an ER. I have seen it, and actually caused it, and its not pretty. Cross country runners are not generally wearing normal running shoes, but shoes that are light, and equipped with painfully sharp spikes to better grip the terrain. The last thing you need is 100 sets of those churning over your crumpled body.
However, its the terrain that separates this from all other running genres, except maybe trail ultra marathons. There is no smooth, well measured, and orderly asphalt track to compete on. Cross country is just that, cross country. Courses are often laden with lung busting hills that come at the worst times, and often do not have a downhill on the other side to recover on. There are even sandpits, logs, and ditches to be hurdled and cleared. At times, the grass is far thicker than you want it to be, and at the other end of the spectrum, the ground can be as dry and hard as concrete. When this happens and there are 300 people charging over the course, a throat choking dust bowl develops. Lest we forget the weather. Unless Zeus himself is throwing bolts of lightning down, the race is always run. In fact, my first overall victory on a cross country course came in a blinding rain. The cross country season, for high schoolers and collegiate athletes begins in the blazing heat of late summer, and often ends in the bone chilling cold. It does not ever matter though, the race is almost always run.
It is sad that Cross Country kind of fades away after runners leave college. There are several cross country races on the international stage that are run during the months of January and February, but often times, the worlds fastest are resting up and preparing for another track season. It is disheartening, but speed sells. The fact is that world records will not ever fall on a cross country course, and for that reason, athletes cannot earn their salaries while getting muddy and charging through snow storms. There is a debate about allowing cross country into the Olympics, but at this point that does not seem likely.
Cross Country is so pure. Its runners vs other runners vs nature. Sure a trail may be have been carved out for them to compete on, but generally the terrain is still quite rugged. There are not officials all over the course to make sure you do not raise your spikes a little high to graze the knee of the guy following a little too closely. They are not out there to keep you from giving the guy that just will not let you pass, though you are faster, a little bit of a shove. It will never be raining too hard, snowing too much, or be to hot or cold. Its raw human talent and mother nature often times unleashed. How could one not possibly want to be a part of this. It is this form of racing and running that I feel is the most pure, and requires even the heartiest and fastest of runners to really check themselves. Sure the marathon is a 26.2 mile grind, and ultra marathons test the ultimate bounds of human ability. But cross country forces you to maintain a 5 minute mile or faster over a quarter mile long muddy hill. Cross country is running as it was ment to be.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
The Real Bidders
Well, its obvious my dream of making the 2012 Olympic Trials is out. I had more or less made that decision following NYC, even though I was very pleased with my results. I had decided that 2016 could be realistic goal, then some punk got stoned and went for a drive one afternoon. We will see how that develops.
In lieu of me going to Houston prepared to compete, I think it is time, just a couple days less than a year until the gun goes off, for us to look at who may actually get one of those three coveted spots at the trials. Will it be the usual suspects? Will an upstart, or an unknown training secluded in the woods and racing rarely show up and dominate. The chances of the later are slim, but its worth thinking about.
Over the next week, I will highlight the top 9 men who could vie for those three spots to head to London. The first three are all the guys that most would think are shoe ins. The next three will be the men who have begun to show flashes of brilliance, and could have a chance to sneak in. The final three will be three guys who may not be on anyone's radar. Guys who have been great in the past, or guys whose talent has not yet reached its full potential. Next week, we will look at the women in the same progression.
The Easy Bets: Meb Keflezighi, Ryan Hall, Dathan Riztenhien, in that order.
Some may ask, why Meb ahead of Hall? The answer is simple. Meb has been winning. In NYC in 2009, he shocked the world by not only dominating the ING New York City Marathon, but doing so by forcing a crushing pace on runner up, Robert Cheriuyot of Kenya, that he simply could not match. It was an amazing moment of triumph for Eritrian ex-pat that some had thought had his best days behind him at the conclusion of the 2008 Trials held in Central Park where he also suffered the loss his close friend Ryan Shay who past away at mile 5 of the race. Meb has consistently ran well, and healthily since that result. Finishing top ten in Boston following his New York Victory, and sixth in this past year's installment. He has an Olympic medal under his belt, and seems the most poised to break the tape in Houston.
Ryan Hall is on a journey of sorts right now. He is trying to find a training regimen that best suites him and his beliefs. According to all social media outlets, he appears to be enjoying it. It shocked the running world when Hall finished a disappointing 13th at the Philadelphia Distance Run this past fall. It shocked everyone even more when he decided to withdraw from the Chicago Marathon a few days later where Hall had planned on setting a new American mark at the distance.
Hall has run fast in the past, and there is no one who doubts his ability. He won impressively in 2008 at the trials, and has found himself on the podium in Boston also in 2009. That unfortunately was the last time we saw a flash of brilliance from Hall. He missed out on third in Boston in 2010 because he was goofing down Boylston, and has done nothing else since. His plan was to hit the track this past summer to regain some speed he thought he may have lost, but that never panned out. No one is really going to know where he is at until he gets out on the road and competes. Currently his plan is to return at the 2011 Boston Marathon, as he currently has no plans of prepping anywhere else.
Dathan Ritzenhein is barely hanging on to this third spot, and is going to find himself in deep trouble if any of the next three guys we explore have career days in Houston. Finishing second in 2008 at the Trials, many thought this young man was just blooming and would do great things. He preformed well in Beijing, even finishing one spot ahead of Hall on an oppressive day in Beijing. Since then, he simply has yet to have a breakthrough performance on the roads. He is doing amazing things on the track, and even briefly held the American 5k record in the summer of 2009. However, his only other success on the roads came at the World Half Marathon Championships where he placed third. At the marathon distance, his only success, and the only marathon since the Olympics was the London Marathon in 2009 where he ran a 2:10, after a long campaign declaring this was the time he would dip under 2:10. It was the first marathon after leaving his longtime coach to switch to American marathon legend Alberto Salazar. It simply did not happen. His performance this past November in New York was a disappointment as much was made about his unorthodox training with Salazar. He had been fighting injury for a long time leading into the race, and they tried various methods to keep him healthy, even changing his stride. He finished 8th with American Meb Keflezighi ahead of him. It was his first marathon since spring 2009, and we will see again this spring in London if he is beginning to be the marathoner we all thought he would be back when finished second at the trials and 9th at the subsequent Olympics.
Next installment-we will look at Brett Gotcher, Jorge Torres, and Jason Lehmkuhle.
In lieu of me going to Houston prepared to compete, I think it is time, just a couple days less than a year until the gun goes off, for us to look at who may actually get one of those three coveted spots at the trials. Will it be the usual suspects? Will an upstart, or an unknown training secluded in the woods and racing rarely show up and dominate. The chances of the later are slim, but its worth thinking about.
Over the next week, I will highlight the top 9 men who could vie for those three spots to head to London. The first three are all the guys that most would think are shoe ins. The next three will be the men who have begun to show flashes of brilliance, and could have a chance to sneak in. The final three will be three guys who may not be on anyone's radar. Guys who have been great in the past, or guys whose talent has not yet reached its full potential. Next week, we will look at the women in the same progression.
The Easy Bets: Meb Keflezighi, Ryan Hall, Dathan Riztenhien, in that order.
Some may ask, why Meb ahead of Hall? The answer is simple. Meb has been winning. In NYC in 2009, he shocked the world by not only dominating the ING New York City Marathon, but doing so by forcing a crushing pace on runner up, Robert Cheriuyot of Kenya, that he simply could not match. It was an amazing moment of triumph for Eritrian ex-pat that some had thought had his best days behind him at the conclusion of the 2008 Trials held in Central Park where he also suffered the loss his close friend Ryan Shay who past away at mile 5 of the race. Meb has consistently ran well, and healthily since that result. Finishing top ten in Boston following his New York Victory, and sixth in this past year's installment. He has an Olympic medal under his belt, and seems the most poised to break the tape in Houston.
Ryan Hall is on a journey of sorts right now. He is trying to find a training regimen that best suites him and his beliefs. According to all social media outlets, he appears to be enjoying it. It shocked the running world when Hall finished a disappointing 13th at the Philadelphia Distance Run this past fall. It shocked everyone even more when he decided to withdraw from the Chicago Marathon a few days later where Hall had planned on setting a new American mark at the distance.
Hall has run fast in the past, and there is no one who doubts his ability. He won impressively in 2008 at the trials, and has found himself on the podium in Boston also in 2009. That unfortunately was the last time we saw a flash of brilliance from Hall. He missed out on third in Boston in 2010 because he was goofing down Boylston, and has done nothing else since. His plan was to hit the track this past summer to regain some speed he thought he may have lost, but that never panned out. No one is really going to know where he is at until he gets out on the road and competes. Currently his plan is to return at the 2011 Boston Marathon, as he currently has no plans of prepping anywhere else.
Dathan Ritzenhein is barely hanging on to this third spot, and is going to find himself in deep trouble if any of the next three guys we explore have career days in Houston. Finishing second in 2008 at the Trials, many thought this young man was just blooming and would do great things. He preformed well in Beijing, even finishing one spot ahead of Hall on an oppressive day in Beijing. Since then, he simply has yet to have a breakthrough performance on the roads. He is doing amazing things on the track, and even briefly held the American 5k record in the summer of 2009. However, his only other success on the roads came at the World Half Marathon Championships where he placed third. At the marathon distance, his only success, and the only marathon since the Olympics was the London Marathon in 2009 where he ran a 2:10, after a long campaign declaring this was the time he would dip under 2:10. It was the first marathon after leaving his longtime coach to switch to American marathon legend Alberto Salazar. It simply did not happen. His performance this past November in New York was a disappointment as much was made about his unorthodox training with Salazar. He had been fighting injury for a long time leading into the race, and they tried various methods to keep him healthy, even changing his stride. He finished 8th with American Meb Keflezighi ahead of him. It was his first marathon since spring 2009, and we will see again this spring in London if he is beginning to be the marathoner we all thought he would be back when finished second at the trials and 9th at the subsequent Olympics.
Next installment-we will look at Brett Gotcher, Jorge Torres, and Jason Lehmkuhle.
Monday, January 10, 2011
We Band of Brothers
(Kind of stealing from Running with the Buffaloes, and Shakespeare, but stay with me)
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition;
And gentlemen in England now-a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs’d they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day.
From Henry V, Act IV, Scene III
I am currently reading Chris Lear's fascinating documentary about the 1998 University of Colorado men's cross country season. It provides a detailed look into the minds of the coaches, athletes, and observer's over the course of that fall that produced a national championship for the team. This famous bit of monologue was just mentioned in the book, and something the team used to fire themselves up throughout the season. It got me thinking, and some of the events of the past few days, as it relates to the accident and it has the wheels in my brain turning.
Have you ever watched the number 4 and 5 runner on a cross country team run side by side in a race willing each other on to keep passing guys so that they can raise the other team's score and lower theirs? They are not going to win the race as an individual, and achieve glory for themselves alone, but everything they are working for will bring glory to their brothers in arms.
Surely you have also heard the stories, of runners slowing their own pace, setting aside their own goals, to help fallen runners in races, or while out on the trails. They are willing to give up their desires to aide another who suddenly needed the aide of someone who cared while on the course.
How many of us have gone out on those initial runs with friends, who are much slower, and just starting their running journey, but simply did not want to start alone? Of course, the pace lacks, and it gets a little testy when our friends are new to the running world, its lingo, its intricacies, and etiquette, but none the less we do it, because we have all been there before.
We runners, all of us, truly are like a band of brothers and sisters. That goes for the age group warrior all the way to the one and done marathoner. Now that we own a new computer, and I have been able to start posting to the Runner's World forums again, my eyes have been opened as to how we as runners share in each others suffering.
After posting in three groups, I have had no less than 40 or so comments over only a couple of days time, encouraging me. People I do not even know are sending condolences, prayers, and good thoughts my way. I have even tweeted Chris Solinsky about my situation, and he, the current American 10k record holder, responded wishing me well. All because we share a passion for this one great act of the human body, running. It has touched me deeply and has created an even deeper love for this great act.
There is even a group that is now forming to run a local half marathon and 5k in March, to benefit me and my family. How amazing is this? It includes numerous members from ours and several local churches, but they are also runners at heart, and more from the community are even interested in joining alongside. It goes beyond my ability to express gratitude or to be able to put into words what this does for myself and my family emotionally.
We all sweat and pound out the same running routines. We suffer through oppressive summers to nail that fall marathon. We freeze all winter to take our stab at something in the spring. We suffer the painful oxygen debt of the summer 5 and 10k's. These and so many other things we share as a group. There are very few foreign concepts between runners, and that helps bond us. May the running community forever share together in its triumphs and defeats. May we all soar to the peaks of glory together, and provide a shoulder to limp on in the pits of misery. May we always be as a band of brothers, willing and able to carry the flame and togetherness of our sport.
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition;
And gentlemen in England now-a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs’d they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day.
From Henry V, Act IV, Scene III
I am currently reading Chris Lear's fascinating documentary about the 1998 University of Colorado men's cross country season. It provides a detailed look into the minds of the coaches, athletes, and observer's over the course of that fall that produced a national championship for the team. This famous bit of monologue was just mentioned in the book, and something the team used to fire themselves up throughout the season. It got me thinking, and some of the events of the past few days, as it relates to the accident and it has the wheels in my brain turning.
Have you ever watched the number 4 and 5 runner on a cross country team run side by side in a race willing each other on to keep passing guys so that they can raise the other team's score and lower theirs? They are not going to win the race as an individual, and achieve glory for themselves alone, but everything they are working for will bring glory to their brothers in arms.
Surely you have also heard the stories, of runners slowing their own pace, setting aside their own goals, to help fallen runners in races, or while out on the trails. They are willing to give up their desires to aide another who suddenly needed the aide of someone who cared while on the course.
How many of us have gone out on those initial runs with friends, who are much slower, and just starting their running journey, but simply did not want to start alone? Of course, the pace lacks, and it gets a little testy when our friends are new to the running world, its lingo, its intricacies, and etiquette, but none the less we do it, because we have all been there before.
We runners, all of us, truly are like a band of brothers and sisters. That goes for the age group warrior all the way to the one and done marathoner. Now that we own a new computer, and I have been able to start posting to the Runner's World forums again, my eyes have been opened as to how we as runners share in each others suffering.
After posting in three groups, I have had no less than 40 or so comments over only a couple of days time, encouraging me. People I do not even know are sending condolences, prayers, and good thoughts my way. I have even tweeted Chris Solinsky about my situation, and he, the current American 10k record holder, responded wishing me well. All because we share a passion for this one great act of the human body, running. It has touched me deeply and has created an even deeper love for this great act.
There is even a group that is now forming to run a local half marathon and 5k in March, to benefit me and my family. How amazing is this? It includes numerous members from ours and several local churches, but they are also runners at heart, and more from the community are even interested in joining alongside. It goes beyond my ability to express gratitude or to be able to put into words what this does for myself and my family emotionally.
We all sweat and pound out the same running routines. We suffer through oppressive summers to nail that fall marathon. We freeze all winter to take our stab at something in the spring. We suffer the painful oxygen debt of the summer 5 and 10k's. These and so many other things we share as a group. There are very few foreign concepts between runners, and that helps bond us. May the running community forever share together in its triumphs and defeats. May we all soar to the peaks of glory together, and provide a shoulder to limp on in the pits of misery. May we always be as a band of brothers, willing and able to carry the flame and togetherness of our sport.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
First Trip to the Ortho
Over the past few years as a runner, I have learned that one of our greatest allies, also happens to be one of our greatest enemies. When we roll our ankle on the trails or when we feel that horrific stinging pain of a stress fracture, our first trip is to vist the most trusted orthopedic doctor we can find. While this is the best thing we could ever do for our bones, it is by far the worst thing we could do to our phsyche. I was reminded of this yesterday.
I was actually filled with a fair level of excitement heading in. I have had several trips to different doctors since the accident but this was the first of any significance. I was actually going ton see how my bones were healing and get to ask questions of the man who was one day going to give me the okay to run again.
Once the X-Rays were done, my wife, brother, and I waited patiently for the doctor to arrive. Now before I go any further let ,me clear the air by saying that I am not crazy. I have a few screws loose, yes, but I am not nuts. I understand full well that I have a long road to recovery ahead of me, and that the days of winning 5k's and always qualifying for Boston may be behind me, but I am going to run again, just watch.
Well the doc walked in, and introduced himself, and seemed like a pretty nice guy. This was the doctor who had actually performed my shoulder surgery, so that was fairly comforting. What ensued next was nothing short of demoralizing. We found out that there was no way that we would be able to tell how I was healing yet. Then came the news that I may even have to have a surgery if one of the bones in my leg fails to set properly, but it was too soon to tell. Also, that it would be three months before any weight at all could be put on my leg. That, and we were looking at 6 months before I could return to my job. Then he decided to drop the atomic running A-bomb.
"Not to be grim reaper," he said, "but you may need to find some other form of endorphin achieving sport such as cycling or swimming, to meet those needs. It is going to be hard, running may never feel the same to you, and it is no secret that ortho doctors fell that running long distances is the worst thing one can do to their body."
What!?!?! So let me get this straight. I live in one of the least cycling friendly cities in America, and he wants me riding a bike, that can achieve much faster speeds than running, and the slowest most simple fall can crack my collar bone. Swimming? Swimming? I feel like Jim Mora, playoffs, playoffs? The doctor had just told me that I would most likely never have full range of motion in my shoulder again, so why on earth would I want to do that?
He ended the conversation with telling me that though getting back to running was not impossible, it may take more than I was willing to give, and it may not produce the same results, oh and orthopedic doctors think running is one of the worst things you can do to your body. He was encouraging and told me he would help me achieve what ever goals I had and that we would become close friends, and that if I returned to running he would be there, but still, his obligatory you may never this or that again had done their trick.
After that, my 40 or so stitches and 25 staples were removed, which emded up being much more tedious due to the fact that I had scabbed over almost all of the stitches, but I got through it.
I will say my mental resolve was still pretty strong,but there was still a fair amount of worry I was dealing with, and then a good friend, and local elite ultra runner shared some very encouraging words to me
After telling him what the doc said, he responded, "whatever, human spirit is much stronger than any 'tangible' componet medicine can measure. You're gonna be just fine. You can count on that. X rays don't show what's in the heart."
Amen to that brother, amen to that.
I was actually filled with a fair level of excitement heading in. I have had several trips to different doctors since the accident but this was the first of any significance. I was actually going ton see how my bones were healing and get to ask questions of the man who was one day going to give me the okay to run again.
Once the X-Rays were done, my wife, brother, and I waited patiently for the doctor to arrive. Now before I go any further let ,me clear the air by saying that I am not crazy. I have a few screws loose, yes, but I am not nuts. I understand full well that I have a long road to recovery ahead of me, and that the days of winning 5k's and always qualifying for Boston may be behind me, but I am going to run again, just watch.
Well the doc walked in, and introduced himself, and seemed like a pretty nice guy. This was the doctor who had actually performed my shoulder surgery, so that was fairly comforting. What ensued next was nothing short of demoralizing. We found out that there was no way that we would be able to tell how I was healing yet. Then came the news that I may even have to have a surgery if one of the bones in my leg fails to set properly, but it was too soon to tell. Also, that it would be three months before any weight at all could be put on my leg. That, and we were looking at 6 months before I could return to my job. Then he decided to drop the atomic running A-bomb.
"Not to be grim reaper," he said, "but you may need to find some other form of endorphin achieving sport such as cycling or swimming, to meet those needs. It is going to be hard, running may never feel the same to you, and it is no secret that ortho doctors fell that running long distances is the worst thing one can do to their body."
What!?!?! So let me get this straight. I live in one of the least cycling friendly cities in America, and he wants me riding a bike, that can achieve much faster speeds than running, and the slowest most simple fall can crack my collar bone. Swimming? Swimming? I feel like Jim Mora, playoffs, playoffs? The doctor had just told me that I would most likely never have full range of motion in my shoulder again, so why on earth would I want to do that?
He ended the conversation with telling me that though getting back to running was not impossible, it may take more than I was willing to give, and it may not produce the same results, oh and orthopedic doctors think running is one of the worst things you can do to your body. He was encouraging and told me he would help me achieve what ever goals I had and that we would become close friends, and that if I returned to running he would be there, but still, his obligatory you may never this or that again had done their trick.
After that, my 40 or so stitches and 25 staples were removed, which emded up being much more tedious due to the fact that I had scabbed over almost all of the stitches, but I got through it.
I will say my mental resolve was still pretty strong,but there was still a fair amount of worry I was dealing with, and then a good friend, and local elite ultra runner shared some very encouraging words to me
After telling him what the doc said, he responded, "whatever, human spirit is much stronger than any 'tangible' componet medicine can measure. You're gonna be just fine. You can count on that. X rays don't show what's in the heart."
Amen to that brother, amen to that.
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