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Lead Stories: Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Dutchwoman Kibet Is First at 37th New York Mini 10-K

Posted June 7th, 2008 at 1:20 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Road Racing

In hot and sticky conditions, the Netherlands’ Hilda Kibet won the 37th edition of the NYRR New York Mini 10-K, adding her name to the list of stars who have won what is the oldest and most famous all-women’s road race in the world.

Kibet, who just qualified for the Dutch 10,000m team for the Beijing Olympics at a race in Utrecht last Saturday, was in a group of four women through the half-way mark on the winding and hilly course in Central Park (16:12). Kenya’s Everlyne Lagat was the first to fall back from this group, then a little injection of pace in the seventh kilometer put USA marathon record holder Deena Kastor a few steps behind.

Kibet was then left to battle with Mexico’s Madai Perez for the last two kilometers. With 800m to go Kibet pushed one more time, and it was enough to secure her second New York City road racing victory in her last two starts (she won the NYC Half-Marathon presented by NIKE last August).
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BUPA Great Manchester Run Set for Sunday

Posted May 13th, 2008 at 10:30 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Road Racing

The BUPA Great Manchester Run boasts the fastest 10-K course in Great Britain and organizers have assembled a top-flight field of athletes to take advantage of it. Elite athletes manager Andy Caine has invited world marathon champion, Luke Kibet of Kenya; seven-time European cross country champion, Sergey Lebid of Ukraine; and former European 10,000m champion, Chema Martinez of Spain, to lead the men’s field.

The women’s field is just as strong, featuring three-time European Cup medalist and defending champion Jo Pavey of Great Britain; two-time world marathon champion, Catherine Ndereba of Kenya; two-time Olympic gold medalist Derartu Tulu of Ethiopia; and road running ace Anikó Kálovics of Hungary, who finished second in Manchester last year.
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Marathon Ace Goumri Added to Healthy Kidney 10-K

Posted May 12th, 2008 at 6:00 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Road Racing

One of the world’s top marathon runners, Abderrahim Goumri of Morocco, has been added to the field of next Saturday’s Healthy Kidney 10-K, the New York Road Runners announced today. Goumri, who turns 32 on May 21, was the #2 ranked marathoner in the world last year according to Race Results Weekly, finishing second at both the Flora London and ING New York City Marathons.

“Abderrahim returns to New York and the center stage against this formidable field for another step in a career that has been steadily on the rise the past few years,” said NYRR president and CEO Mary Wittenberg through a prepared statement.

Goumri was added to the field in the wake of defending champion Dathan Ritzenhein’s withdrawal due to injury. The speedy Moroccan hold’s his nation’s record for the marathon which he set last April when he finished third at the Flora London Marathon in 2:05:30. He’s no slouch at the 10 km distance, either, also holding his nation’s 10,000m record of 27:02.62. He’s also run 28:34 on the road.
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Dathan Ritzenhein Returns to Action to Defend Title at 2008 Healthy Kidney 10K

Posted April 29th, 2008 at 12:00 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results

U.S Olympian Dathan Ritzenhein will return to the roads of Central Park to defend his title in the Healthy Kidney 10K on Saturday, May 17, it was announced today by New York Road Runners president and CEO Mary Wittenberg.

Ritzenhein will face stiff competition from an international field that includes ING New York City Marathon 2006 champion Marilson Gomes dos Santos of Brazil and 2007 IAAF World Half-Marathon Championships silver medalist Patrick Makau of Kenya.

Race sponsor Embassy of the United Arab Emirates has once again established a prize-money purse of $23,500—$7,500 for the champion—plus a $20,000 bonus for breaking the Central Park 10K record of 28 minutes, 8 seconds, which Ritzenhein set at last year’s race. Ritzenhein donated his 2007 first-place check of $7,500 to the National Kidney Foundation.

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Gerry Lindgren: The Self-Proclaimed “Wimp” Who Revolutionized Running

Posted March 25th, 2008 at 1:34 PM by Stephanie Lowe

Section: News & Results, Motivation, Track & Field, Olympics, Special Features, Interviews, College, High School

Despite protests of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, President George W. Bush recently stated that there will not be a boycott from the United States. According to CNN, Bush believes the Olympics “should be about the athletes and not necessarily about politics.”

Former U.S. Olympian Gerry Lindgren, 62, agrees. He thinks China will benefit from hosting the Games.

“I think they need to leave politics out of it,” he said. “China has made some great strides forward in the last few years.”

Lindgren recalls backlash of the 1980 U.S. boycott of the Moscow Olympics. He did not plan to compete in Moscow, but he knew how disappointed the U.S. team was to miss out on the Olympic experience. Lindgren said he was upset with former President Jimmy Carter’s decision and said the Olympics should have been “the only avenue in the world that wasn’t political.”
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Registration Begins for 2008 Beach to Beacon 10K

Posted March 15th, 2008 at 9:15 AM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Road Racing

Earlier today registration officially opened for the 11th TD Banknorth Beach to Beacon 10K. This year’s edition of race in Cape Elizabeth, ME is set for 8AM on August 2..

It should be noted that race organizers decided to eliminate paper applications this year because of financial and environmental concerns; making it the first road race in America to go completely “paperless”.

As a result, all athletes must register online at: http://www.beach2beacon.org/

Founded by U.S. marathon legend and women’s running pioneer Joan Benoit Samuelson, the Beach to Beacon 10K is a fan favorite that attracts runners from all parts of the U.S. and elite athletes from around the world. In 2007, the race featured over 5,000 runners and drew more than 10,000 spectators.

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Big Race Registration Numbers on Both Coasts

Posted February 28th, 2008 at 10:30 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results

Two large U.S. road races are seeing soaring registrations, further evidence that the second running boom is going strong.

On the east coast, the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10-K in Richmond, Va., host of the U.S. Men’s 10-K Championship, has already surpassed last year’s early March registration figure of 25,000. The race, scheduled for Saturday, April 5, has capped entries at 30,000 this year. Organizers expect registrations to remain strong because there will be a price increase on March 1 from $30 to $35.

On the west coast, the 32nd annual Lilac Bloomsday Run in Spokane, Wash., is also reporting strong entries. The May 4 event is already the world’s largest 12-K, and online registration has been nearly double what it was at the same time last year, suggesting that there may be an upsurge in Bloomsday attendance for 2008.
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Beach to Beacon 10-K Registration to Go Paperless

Posted February 11th, 2008 at 10:30 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Road Racing

While nearly every USA road race offers online entry, the TD Banknorth Beach to Beacon 10-K in Cape Elizabeth, Me., has become the first to completely eliminate the paper application, requiring all athletes to register via the Internet for the 2008 edition of the race on August 2.

“The printed applications really had grown obsolete with such a vast majority of runners preferring to register using the online process,” said David Weatherbie the race president. “It just stopped making sense to continue to print and mail applications. The money and time expended can be better utilized in other areas.”

Weatherbie also cited the environmental cost of printed applications, many of which are eventually discarded. Many races have been attempting to “go green” with many of their race practices.
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USATF Fills Men’s 10-K Championship Void

Posted January 30th, 2008 at 8:04 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Road Racing

When their annual convention closed last December in Honolulu, USA Track & Field had a noticeable void in their national championships calendar: there was no 10-K road championship for men. That competition was hosted successfully last year by the Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta, Ga., but because the Peachtree takes place every year on July 4 — right in the middle of the U.S. Olympic Trials — hosting the championship there was a non-starter for 2008.

Enter the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10-K in Richmond, Va., one of the fastest growing road races in the United States. Last year’s edition saw 20,587 finishers, an increase of 25% from a year earlier. USATF announced today that they had awarded the 10-K championship for men to this event, which will be held for the 9th time on April 5.
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Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k to host USA Men’s 10 km Championship

Posted January 29th, 2008 at 10:30 AM by Jamal Walker

Section: News & Results, Road Racing

USA Track & Field has announced that the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k will host the 2008 edition of the USA Men’s 10 km Championship on April 5, in Richmond, Va.

The fourth-largest 10 km in the U.S., the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10K had more than 25,000 runners in 2007 and will feature a total of $25,000 in prize money with $7,500 for the champion. Top U.S. men. including Olympian Dan Browne, are expected to join the 2008 field.
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