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Lead Stories: Sunday, September 7, 2008

Sara Hall: Hello from Philly!
(Elite Athlete Blog - Entry #1)

Posted January 25th, 2008 at 3:00 PM by Sara Hall

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Elite Athlete Blogs, Sara Hall

Welcome to the official blog of U.S. middle-distance runner Sara Hall. Sara’s list of running accolades include being a former NCAA All- American at Stanford, the 2006 USA 5K road champion, 5th place finisher in the 1500m at the 2007 USA Track & Field Championships and the 2006 champion at the Continental Airlines Fifth Avenue Mile. Check back every other Friday for her latest entry!

Sara Hall Hello from Philly! I am staying out here in between east coast competitions for the next couple weeks with my training partners Jen Rhines and Kassi Anderson. Tomorrow we head to Boston for the Reebok Indoor Games, and then Jen and I will return before Millrose the following weekend. It has been fun getting to know the running community here in Philly and being reminded how running brings people together socially. I had this same impression in Flagstaff, Arizona prior to coming to the east coast. The running community in Flagstaff is made up of all kinds of people. From working the night shift at a pharmacy to taking a break from practicing law to recently graduating from college, all the runners come from different places, yet are brought together by this common passion.

These experiences, as well as some others I have had recently, have reiterated to me how life is all about relationships. It is so easy to get tunnel-vision as a professional athlete, and become so fixated on the goals you have in front of you and where you are in the process that it becomes all-consuming (especially in an Olympic year!).
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Podcast 85: SARA HALL on the Fifth Ave Mile, Olympics, parenthood, faith and more!

Posted October 1st, 2007 at 4:37 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Olympics, Special Features, Interviews, Podcasts

Episode sponsored by: Bill Rodgers Sportswear
After 21 years BR Sportswear is closing out their line of high -quality running apparel. Visit shopfest.com to take advantage of an unprecedented 50% discount on all in-stock items!

Episode 85 of TheFinalSprint.com Podcast features my interview with SARA HALL.

Hall capped off her 2007 running campaign with a third place finish at the Continental Airlines Fifth Avenue Mile and heads into the off-season with hopes of an Olympic bid – for both herself and her husband Ryan.

In the interview Sara talks about the Fifth Avenue Mile, racing in Europe, bouncing back from the disappointment of missing the U.S. World Championship team by less than a second and being inspired by Ryan’s breakthrough year.

Download the podcast to hear Sara discuss these topics, as well as, her NCAA career, how the recent birth of Dathan Ritzenhein’s first child has affected her own thoughts of parenthood and plans to adopt a child, the newest addition to the Hall family (a miniature Siberian Husky named Kyla), the importance of faith in her life & career, and much more!

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Host: Adam Jacobs | Guest: Sara Hall
Producer: Greg Cherniet
Musicians: Ryan Ahlwardt & Darnell Perkins
File Size: 9.03 MB | Length: 13:09 MIN

Episode sponsored by: Bill Rodgers Sportswear
After 21 years Bill Rodgers Sportswear is closing out their line of high-quality running apparel. Visit shopfest.com to take advantage of an unprecedented 50% discount on all in-stock items!

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Podcast 84: JON RANKIN, third at today’s Fifth Avenue Mile, reflects on his successful summer

Posted September 29th, 2007 at 8:20 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: Special Features, Interviews, Podcasts

Episode sponsored by: Bill Rodgers Sportswear
After 21 years BR Sportswear is closing out their line of high -quality running apparel. Visit shopfest.com to take advantage of an unprecedented 50% discount on all in-stock items!

Episode 84 of TheFinalSprint.com Podcast, the most listened to running Podcast in North America, features
my interview with emerging star JON RANKIN.

Rankin, a former UCLA All-American, had a lot of success in 2006 and has really improved since making the decision to work with Joaquim Cruz, the 1984 800m gold medalist, and after recovering from several stress fractures that plagued him in 2006. Earlier today, Rankin capped off the successful season by finishing third behind Alan Webb and Kevin Sullivan at the Continental Airlines Fifth Avenue Mile.

In the interview, Jon talks about today’s performance, what it’s like to be running in the lead with runners like Webb, highlights of the season and the source of his improvement, and the major focuses and goals in the months ahead.

Download the podcast to hear Jon discuss these topics, as well as, how former American mile record holder Steve scott, Coach Cruz and his agent Merhawi Keflezighi (brother to Olympic silver medalist Meb Keflezighi) serve as a phenomenal support system, their ability to assist with his mental preparation and self-confidence, and much more!

Listen In
[PLAY] (To Download: Right click and select “save as”)

[RSS] Add The Final Sprint Podcast RSS feed to your RSS reader to have the show delivered to you

Host: Adam Jacobs | Guest: Jon Rankin
Producer: Greg Cherniet
Musicians: Ryan Ahlwardt & Darnell Perkins
File Size: 23.7 MB | Length: 34:38 MIN

Episode sponsored by: Bill Rodgers Sportswear
After 21 years Bill Rodgers Sportswear is closing out their line of high-quality running apparel. Visit shopfest.com to take advantage of an unprecedented 50% discount on all in-stock items!

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Cont. Airlines 5th Ave Mile
Interview with Jon Rankin

Posted September 27th, 2007 at 4:45 PM by Jeanie Rebb

Section: News & Results, Special Features, Interviews

jon rankin ucla track cross country Jean Cann of MensRacing.com, a member of the New York Road Runners (NYRR) family of websites, recently did an interview with former UCLA All-American Jon Rankin about Saturday’s Continental Airlines Fifth Avenue Mile. Rankin, who is coached by 1984 800-meter gold medalist Joaquim Cruz and represented by Olympic marathon bronze medalist Meb Keflezighi’s brother Mahawi, will be competing against a tough race field that is led by Alan Webb and Kevin Sullivan.

Here is an excerpt from the interview:

Q. Let’s start off with the Continental Airlines Fifth Avenue Mile, since it’s coming right up. Why did you choose to include it in your racing schedule?

A. I got a slow start to my season after coming back from my injury—I had broken my fifth metatarsal at the U.S. Championships in 2006 and missed a lot of time. I decided to extend my track season all the way until around this time of the year and the Fifth Avenue Mile happens to be at this time. My coach and I figured it would be great to shoot for if I was still feeling good. It’s a great event and I haven’t done it yet; I’m so excited to give it a try.

To read the interview in it’s entirety, please visit: MensRacing.com

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