TheFinalSprint.com - Track & Field, Marathons, Racing News, Training Advice, Elite Athlete Blogs, Interviews, Podcasts, Videos and More!

Lead Stories: Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Quote of the Day: 3/15/08

Posted March 15th, 2008 at 7:00 AM by Martha Jones

Section: Motivation, Famous Quotes

“The thing about Pre is that he ran as hard as he could every race, and if you were going to beat him, you were going to have to run harder than he did.”

- Bob Kennedy

One comment, add yours | Permalink

Quote of the Day: 3/14/08

Posted March 14th, 2008 at 8:30 AM by Martha Jones

Section: Announcements, Motivation, Famous Quotes

“When you are a up-and-coming runner in the U.S., and making some breakthroughs in distances, Pre is still the man that you are compared to. It’s always based on Pre.”

- Bob Kennedy

Comment on this post | Permalink

After Brilliant 2007, Tegenkamp Looks for Even More in 2008

Posted February 22nd, 2008 at 1:51 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Olympics

Matt Tegenkamp at Prefontaine Classic If you’ve been having trouble getting in your own training this winter because of the weather, Matt Tegenkamp feels your pain. In snowy and cold Madison, Wis., the fastest American ever over two miles has been counting the days until spring.

“It’s been a record-breaking year this year for all the snow,” Tegenkamp said in a telephone interview from his home yesterday. “I was actually in Tempe (Arizona) for December and January. I keep complaining about it. Maybe the warmer weather made me soft.”

“Soft” isn’t an adjective one is likely to hear when Tegenkamp’s name is mentioned. Under the tutelage of University of Wisconsin associate head track coach, Jerry Schumacher, the 26 year-old 5000m runner has blossomed into America’s #2 5000m man behind double world champion, Bernard Lagat. He’s coming off of a career year where he ran a USA best for the two-mile (8:07.07), and recorded U.S.-leading outdoor times for both 3000m (7:35.68) and 5000m (13:07.41). He also ran the #3 U.S. time for 1500m (3:34.25).
Read the rest of this entry »

Comment on this post | Permalink

“Kara Goucher’s
Husband Runs, Too”

Posted November 11th, 2007 at 8:45 AM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Track & Field, Olympics

Kara Goucher Here’s a great new article about the Goucher Family. Both see the marathon as their primary distance in the future, but both are focused right now on breaking some American records on the track. Adam is set on on running a sub 13 minute 5000m and “setting some American long-distance records.” Could he mean Bob Kennedy’s 12:58.21 and Meb Keflezighi’s 27:13.98?

Kara is focused on breaking Deena Kastor’s American 10000m record time of 30:52.32. Kara also talks about qualifying for Beijing as being “the most important goal of [their] lives” while Adam discusses his support role for 2007 as “Kara Goucher’s husband”:

“It’s a little bit weird,” Adam said from his home in Portland, Ore., three days after successful foot surgery. “You kinda see how fickle the sport is. Her having such an amazing year and me not having such a great year, people now ask me ‘Oh, you run too?’ The Sports Illustrated article, which came out last week, said ‘Kara Goucher, whose husband runs, too.’

Thanks to EPelle at Track & Field News Forum for the great find. Read more at: [Washington Post]

Comment on this post | Permalink

Greatest American Middle- and Long-Distance Track Runners of All Time

Posted November 10th, 2007 at 11:00 AM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

Steve Scott image courtesy of USATF.org In an earlier post I wrote about my ~~obsession~~ need to think about my favorite sport – Track & Field (specifically, middle- and long-distance events) – even during the off-season.

I went to my favorite statistics site, alltime-athletics.com, to gather some statistics for analysis. This time around, I want to take a look at American middle- and long-distance track events. What single American has run the most world-class times of all time in events ranging form 800m to 10000m? In the past ten years? In 2007? In each event? Some of the answers might surprise you.
Read the rest of this entry »

4 comments, add yours | Permalink

Podcast 88: KATHY BUTLER on the 2007 Chicago Marathon

Posted October 4th, 2007 at 3:45 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Cross Country, 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 88 of TheFinalSprint.com Podcast, the most listened to running podcast in North America, features my interview with former University of Wisconsin star KATHY BUTLER (who now competes for Great Britain) just days before she competes in the 2007 LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon.

In the interview, Kathy talks about bouncing back from a DNF at last April’s Flora London Marathon, the keys to her success at Sunday’s Chicago Marathon, qualifying for the Beijing Olympics, and which events she’ll focus on in 2008.

Download the podcast to hear Kathy discuss these topics, as well as admiring the work ethic of runners like Bob Kennedy, wanting to compete in the 2008 World XC Champs in her hometown of Edinburgh, and how moving between America, Canada, and Great Britain has helped her to feel at “home” when racing in different countries, but also made her yearn for stability when she decides to eventually retire.

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: Kathy Butler
Producers: Greg Cherniet, Adam Jacobs
Musicians: Ryan Ahlwardt, Darnell Perkins
File Size: 12.9 MB | Length: 18:49 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!

Read the rest of this entry »

2 comments, add yours | Permalink

Podcast 69: ABDI ABDIRAHMAN on the NYC Half, Osaka & beyond

Posted August 7th, 2007 at 4:59 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Special Features, Podcasts

Episode 69 of TheFinalSprint.com Podcast features my interview with American Olympic distance-runner Abdi Abdirahman.

Abdi, who earlier this summer won his second consecutive 10,000m National Championship, finished second behind the legendary Haile Gebrselassie at last Sunday’s NYC Half-Marathon

In the interview Abdi discusses his performance at the NYC Half, the upcoming IAAF World Championships in Osaka, and his preparation for and the field of competitors running in November’s U.S. Olympic Men’s Marathon Trials.

Download the podcast to hear Abdi discuss these topics, as well as, why he believes the U.S. will earn the more medals than ever before at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, looking up to Billy Mills and Bob Kennedy, the special and important place in his heart for his native Somalia, and his deep, heart felt love for being an American.

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: Abdi Abdirahman
Producer: Greg Cherniet
Music: Ryan Ahlwardt & Darnell Perkins
File size: 9.9 MB
Length: 13:23

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

Read the rest of this entry »

One comment, add yours | Permalink

Quote of the Day: 5/25/07

Posted May 25th, 2007 at 6:00 AM by Martin Kennedy

Section: Motivation, Famous Quotes

“The thing about Pre is that he ran as hard as he could every race, and if you were going to beat him, you were going to have to run harder than he did.”

- Bob Kennedy

Comment on this post | Permalink

Quote of the Day: 5/23/07

Posted May 23rd, 2007 at 6:00 AM by Martin Kennedy

Section: Motivation, Famous Quotes

“When you are a up-and-coming runner in the U.S., and making some breakthroughs in distances, Pre is still the man that you are compared to. It’s always based on Pre.”

- Bob Kennedy

Read the rest of this entry »

Comment on this post | Permalink

Podcast 50: Interview w/ Univ. of Oregon phenom Galen Rupp

Posted May 17th, 2007 at 1:21 PM by Adam Jacobs

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

Episode 50 of The Final Sprint Podcast features my interview with Galen Rupp; the University of Oregon’s standout distance runner and one of the most exciting young athletes in America.

At the Cardinal Invitational on April 29th, Galen won the 10,000 meters in 27:33:48; the fastest time ever for a U.S. born collegian. In the process, he climbed to #7 on the all-time U.S. list, surpassing two-time Olympian Bob Kennedy.

Then, while leading the Ducks to yet another PAC-10 Championship, Galen became only
the second athlete to complete a PAC-10 Conference 5000m and 10,000m double in Oregon history, joining his coach Alberto Salazar who accomplished the feat in 1981.

In the interview Galen talks about these incredible performances, his plans for NCAA’s and the rest of the year, and the growing rivalry between himself and Chris Solinsky.

Download the podcast to hear Galen discuss these topics, as well as, why he decided to finish school and delay becoming a professional, how training with and being mentored by Alberto Salazar, Adam Goucher and a host of other U.S. legends has been a “blessing”, how he handles the spotlight and being dubbed “the next Pre”, 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: Galen Rupp
Producer: Greg Cherniet
Music: Ryan Ahlwardt & Darnell Perkins
File size: 8.84 MB
Length: 00:12:53