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Lead Stories: Sunday, September 7, 2008

Ryan Hall: Perseverance
(Elite Athlete Blog - Entry #1)

Posted January 18th, 2008 at 5:00 PM by Ryan Hall

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Olympics, Elite Athlete Blogs, Ryan Hall

Welcome to the official blog of top U.S. distance runner Ryan Hall as he begins his quest for Olympic gold! Check back every other Friday for Ryan’s latest entry.

These past three weeks I have been shown what it means to persevere in the face of hard times. Sara and I arrived in Flagstaff on December 30th to stay with our friend, Alicia Shay, with the goal of helping her in whatever way we could through the recent loss of her husband. However, as is the case so often when we try and help others, we are the ones who get blessed from the experience. I guess this is why Jesus said it is more blessed to give than to receive.

Alicia showed me what it means to get up every day and face her troubles with courage and strength. I am sure a lot of people are proud of how Alicia has endured this hard time. I am certainly very proud and inspired by her ability to just plain get up everyday and choose to live a life of joy, even though she certainly has the right to be bitter, angry and frustrated.

Perseverance is a trait that I have had to learn a lot about during my running career.
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Field For Sunday’s P.F. Chang Rock ‘N Roll Races Named

Posted January 10th, 2008 at 9:32 AM by Jeanie Rebb

Section: News & Results, Marathons

The fifth annual P.F. Chang’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona Marathon & Half-Marathon on Sunday, January 13, 2008 will host an Ethiopian dominated professional field and shine the spotlight on 39 American women from 19 states who are “Running Down a Dream” as they race for a position at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Women’s Marathon.

Without Terefe Yae, the 2007 men’s champion, in this year’s field, Ethiopian Dejene Yirdawe, 29, who finished third at the 2007 Dublin Marathon in a personal best time of 2 hours, 11 minutes, 8 seconds, represents the fastest time in this year’s Arizona field.
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Note on the News: Fagan Turned Back at USA Border

Posted December 13th, 2007 at 12:00 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Cross Country

Writing for the Irish Examiner, Brendan Mooney reported yesterday that former Providence College star, Martin Fagan, was refused re-entry to the United States after competing in the SPAR European Cross Country Championships on the weekend. Fagan is based in Flagstaff, Ariz., where he is coached by Greg McMillan.

Read the full story here:

http://www.irishexaminer.com/

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NCAA West Regional Cross Country Preview

Posted November 8th, 2007 at 5:21 PM by Martin Kennedy

Section: News & Results, Cross Country, College

The University of Oregon proudly welcomes one of the top cross country meets on U.S. soil to Track Town, USA as the NCAA West Regional Championships make their first trip to the Springfield Country Club, Saturday, November 10.

On that day, Eugene-Springfield is one of nine host sites across the nation that automatically advance the top two team finishers and top four individuals from non-qualifying teams to the NCAA Championships, scheduled for Monday, November 19 at Indiana State University’s LaVern Gibson Championship Course in Terre Haute, Ind.

Another 13 at-large teams and two at-large individuals will be added from across the nation to the 31-team, 255-runner M&W NCAA fields on the evening of Sun., Nov. 11. At-large team selection criteria is based on teams’ head-to-head records against other actual and potential NCAA qualifiers.

MEN’S RACE PREVIEW

In 2006, the Oregon men scored their first regional men’s team championship since 1989 thanks to five top-20 finishers – four of which return in ’07.
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Olympic Medalist John Woodruff Passes Away

Posted November 1st, 2007 at 6:48 PM by Martha Jones

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Olympics

According to The New York Times, National Track & Field Hall of Famer John Woodruff died Tuesday in Fountain Hills, Ariz. He was 92.

Best known for his amazing come-from-behind victory in the 800 meters at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, Germany, Woodruff died of atrial fibrillation and chronic renal failure.

Of the 12 American men who won gold medals at the 1936 Olympics, Woodruff was the last survivor.

While only a freshman at the University of Pittsburgh in 1936, Woodruff took the track world by storm by finishing second in the 800 meters at the National AAU meet, then winning the Olympic Trials.

Despite his inexperience, he was quickly established as the favorite at the Berlin Olympics. He didn’t disappoint, though he had an anxious moment in the final when he found himself boxed in. He pulled a tactical coup, virtually slowing to a stop and waiting until the entire field passed him, then moving into the third lane and sprinting from last to first. His winning time was 1:52.9.
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Tucson Marathon Offers Discount To Chicago Runners

Posted October 22nd, 2007 at 11:23 AM by Jeanie Rebb

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Due to unseasonably high heat and humidity in the Mid-west over Columbus Day weekend, many competitors in the 2007 Chicago Marathon were unable to complete the event, or compete to the best of their ability. It is unfortunate that so many athletes did not realize their goal at a world-class, elite event such as the Chicago Marathon

Due to these circumstances, race officials for the Tucson Marathon Events have decided to offer a $10 discount to all competitors who registered for this year’s Chicago Marathon. This offer is valid through November 22, 2007 and can be applied on-line through www.active.com using a special discount code. Please send an email to request additional details: info@dreamchaserevents.com

The Holualoa Tucson Marathon will be held on Sunday, December 2, 2007 and is run along the base of the Santa Catalina Mountain Range in beautiful southern Arizona. Known for its point-to-point, fast, downhill course, the event is certified by USATF and is a Boston Marathon qualifier, with qualifying times being good for two years. The Tucson Marathon typically sees around 1,200 competitors and is run concurrently with the Damascus Bakeries Half Marathon and the Jim Click Marathon Relay.
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First athletes selected for McMillan Elite running team

Posted July 9th, 2007 at 12:09 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results

McMillanElite is proud to announce the first athletes for this new post-collegiate running team. Female athletes include Brianna Torres (US Olympic Trials Qualifier from the University of Colorado).

Male team members are Brett Gotcher (All-American from Stanford, US Junior 10K Champion and Junior Pan Am Games Gold Medalist at 10,000m), Mike Hanlon (Three-Time Patriot League Champion from Colgate University), Andrew Middleton (All-American from the University of Texas), Ben Rosario (US Olympic Marathon Trials Qualifier from Truman State University) and Mike Smith (All-American from Georgetown, Junior Pan Am Games Bronze Medalist at 5,000m).

Full bios on each athlete can be found here. Athlete recruitment will continue throughout the year.
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USTFCCCA names Dix, Arnold as Men’s Athletes of The Year

Posted June 14th, 2007 at 7:16 AM by Jeanie Rebb

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

In sweeping all of the major titles in front of them, Walter Dix of Florida State University (FSU) and Jake Arnold of the University of Arizona are the 2007 NCAA Division I Outdoor Men’s Athletes of the Year.

Dix is the Men’s Track Athlete of the Year while Arnold is the Men’s Field Athlete of the Year, the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced today.

Dix set a collegiate record in the 200 meters and won three events at last week’s NCAA Division I Outdoor Championships in Sacramento. With his win in the decathlon, Arnold became just the second decathlete to win successive NCAA championships.
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Podcast 32: Interview with Susan Loken; the reigning USA Masters Marathon Champion

Posted March 29th, 2007 at 7:00 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: Special Features, Interviews, Podcasts

Today’s podcast features my interview with Susan Loken; an ageless and elite masters marathoner.

Susan, a mother of three who first began running in her 30’s, is coming off of her third consecutive More Magazine Marathon title and is the reigning USA Masters Marathon Champion.

Her personal best time of 2:41:31 is only about two and half minutes above the Olympic qualifying A-standard time for women; a benchmark she is poised to reach in the coming months.

Download the podcast to hear Susan discuss the More Magazine Marathon; why/how she started running; finding time to train, work a full-time job and take care of her three sons; coaching the Foothills Sports Medicine Running Team; and her advice for others looking to get back in-shape and/or improve their lives through running.

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

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Host: Adam Jacobs
Guest: Susan Loken
Producer: Greg Cherniet
Music: Ryan Ahlwardt & Darnell Perkins
File size: 7.80 MB
Length: 00:11:21

Check out every episode of TFS’s Podcast in iTunes!

Interested in featuring The Final Sprint Podcast on your site, blog or My Space page? Click here to learn how!

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Race Recap: P.F. Chang’s Rock ‘N’ Roll Arizona Marathon

Posted January 16th, 2007 at 8:00 PM by Kevin McGinn

Section: News & Results, Marathons

January 14, 2007 marked the 4th annual P.F. Chang’s Rock n’ Roll Arizona Marathon. The racing event consists of a full 26.2 mile marathon as well as a 13.1 mile half-marathon. Live music is also another major component of the event, with bands stationed at each mile of the course. Over 70 bands show-up to entertain the crowd in addition to 40 high school cheerleading squads for over 30,000 runners each year. The occasion has been named, by Governor Janet Napolitano, Arizona’s best special event.

Terefae Yae has taken back the crown this year after losing to fellow Ethiopian, Shimelis Mola, in his previous appearance. Yae, finishing with a time of 2:14:13, was barely able to edge out second place finisher Fikadu Degefu, clocking in at 2:14:16, by making his move during the final sprint of the race and snatching up victory. Andrei Gordeev was not far behind in third, ending the race with a time of 2:14:27.
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