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Lead Stories: Friday, March 12, 2010

Jon Rankin:
Facing the Next Step [Part 1]
(Elite Athlete Blog Entry 22)

Posted December 24th, 2008 at 10:13 AM by Jon Rankin

Section: Elite Athlete Blogs, Jon Rankin

Welcome to the official blog of rising U.S. track & field star Jon Rankin, the inaugural member of TheFinalSprint’s Elite Athlete Blog Series. Check back every other Wednesday for his latest entry at http://jonrankin.thefinalsprint.com

The year 2005 marked the moment in my life when I would enter what’s known to all soon-to-be graduating college seniors as “the real world.” No, I’m not talking about the MTV show The Real World. Even though that would have been a lot more fun post-graduation, it’s as far as you can get from anything like the real world I’m talking about (sorry real world fans). I’m talking about the world where financial aid is no longer student loans (that’s what I had), college scholarships (that’s what I didn’t have) or grants (didn’t have any of these either), but a job that you have to find. Where your living situation is no longer a dorm room, but most likely a small, dirty, really old apartment in a location furthest from where your job is located. Going into my 5th and final year of college I was faced with the inevitability of the bubble that college creates for all 18-22 year olds bursting and having to create a similar situation all on my own once that diploma touched my hands. To say the least, I was staring in the face of the real world and I was uncertain about my future with less than twelve months of school left.
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Jon Rankin:
We Can All Be Heroes
(Elite Athlete Blog Entry 21)

Posted December 11th, 2008 at 11:00 AM by Jon Rankin

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Elite Athlete Blogs, Jon Rankin

Welcome to the official blog of rising U.S. track & field star Jon Rankin, the inaugural member of TheFinalSprint’s Elite Athlete Blog Series. Check back every other Wednesday for his latest entry at http://jonrankin.thefinalsprint.com

Last night, December 5th, 2008, I attended the Nike high school cross country event called the Nike XC Cool Down in Hollywood, California. I had the best time hanging out with all who attended, from the Nike LA Reps, the local high school cross country runners, their coaches and their parents. Along with my training partner, Alysia Johnson I had the joy of being a “celebrity” guest for the event. The event had a little bit of everything: good food and music, running videos, even a dance contest. Unfortunately, I couldn’t compete in the dance competition, but if I did I think I could have given the high school kids a run for the win and bragging rights!

The night provided a rapidly aging runner like me—I know I’m not old but it feels that way sometimes–an opportunity to reminisce with the young audience about my high school experience and what it meant to me looking back now. I have to admit that as I described my high school running experience I felt nostalgic. I hadn’t realized in quite sometime how much I missed the pasta parties. One of my fondest memories from high school cross country was the nicknames that we had for each other, many we still shamelessly use to this day. My nickname was “Rankdog.” I know, I know, “Rankdog?” I’m not even going to try and explain it. All I can say for the name was that I, I mean we thought it was cool at the time…..
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Jon Rankin: Being Human
(Elite Athlete Blog Entry 20)

Posted November 7th, 2008 at 10:06 AM by Jon Rankin

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Elite Athlete Blogs, Jon Rankin

Welcome to the official blog of rising U.S. track & field star Jon Rankin; the inaugural member of The Final Sprint’s Elite Athlete Blog Series. Be sure to check back every other Wednesday for Jon’s latest entry at http://jonrankin.thefinalsprint.com/

The summer is now far behind us and as the fall quickly fades away I find joy in the coming and going of the seasons. I know I haven’t communicated much with the great Final Sprint audience but all of you haven’t been too far from my mind or heart. In fact, I’ve spent a great part of my summer reflecting upon the journey we went through together this past Olympic year and I realize we’ve had “conversations” of great depth: conversations about my fears and dreams, my triumphs and my failures. And as I now reflect upon those conversations I sit here feeling a profound sense of gratefulness for your ears and your kind words. As we move towards a new season of training and racing I look forward to picking up where we left off, only this time our journey will be bound for a destination in Europe–Berlin, Germany for the 2009 World Championships.
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Team Rankin Asks Supporters to Help Them Raise Funds for Soles4Souls

Posted September 11th, 2008 at 8:55 AM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Columns, SPOTLIGHT

Press Release: Nashville-based charity Soles4Souls™ Inc., the global organization dedicated to providing free footwear to people in need all over the world, will host the Inaugural Soles4Souls 5K/10K Walk Run on Saturday, September 13, 2008 and are pleased to announce that, Jon Rankin, the United States Track & Field 2012 Olympic hopeful, along with Jessica Crate and Merhawi Keflezighi will run as Team Rankin to raise awareness and donations for Soles4Souls.

“The support of Jon and Team Rankin is very valuable to our mission and this event will help us provide new shoes for those in need around the world and most recently, those affected by Hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico,” said Wayne Elsey, Founder and CEO of Soles4Souls. “There are less than 400 American men who have ever been clocked running a mile in under four minutes, so we are excited to have Jon Rankin join us for our first running event,” Elsey said.
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Team Meb to Participate with Conviction in Nike+ Human Race, Support NineMillion.org

Posted August 28th, 2008 at 7:25 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Columns, SPOTLIGHT, Road Racing

Team Meb Nike+ Human Race Logo Press Release: This month the world watched as athletes from nations around the globe united in competitive spirit in one amazing city: Beijing. On August 31, that spirit continues with the Nike+ Human Race, the world’s largest sporting event, which will feature 10K races in 25 cities around the globe.

In Los Angeles, one group of family members, friends and fans of U.S. Olympic Silver Medalist Meb Keflezighi, will unite with professional runners, including Nike athletes Khadevis Robinson and Jon Rankin, and Team Running USA member Jacques Sallberg, to run the race and raise money and awareness for NineMillion.org, the United Nation’s program that supports refugee children around the world with access to education and sports.

Team Meb has a unique tie to the noble causes of NineMillion.org. Their team name sake and running inspiration, Meb Keflezighi, who also remains the reigning U.S. record holder in the 10k with an astonishing 27:13:98, not only supports the cause vigorously, but he lived it, as did his brother, Hawi Keflezighi, owner of HAWI Management, which manages both Rankin and Sallberg.
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Jon Rankin: Limitless
(Elite Athlete Blog Entry 18)

Posted August 24th, 2008 at 12:00 PM by Jon Rankin

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Elite Athlete Blogs, Jon Rankin

I believe the greatest feeling in the world is to know that we’re capable of more than we will ever realize in our lifetime. As I watched the men’s 100m final a few days ago there were a lot of things that went through my mind and my heart. I was in awe of the margin of victory and the ease with which the race was won. And I was inspired because the new world record was a testament to the fact that we’re capable of still going faster than we ever thought possible. Watching that performance motivates me to continue to set my sights high and never limit myself to a time. Such a performance warrants the thought of never being satisfied with my personal best until I stop competitively running. Until that day I must continue to push at the barriers that currently exist.
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Ryan Hall: The Team
(Elite Athlete Blog Entry 11)

Posted June 7th, 2008 at 11:30 AM 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 at http://ryanhall.thefinalsprint.com/

Eleven weeks to go. I go back and forth between thinking I have too much time before the games, and then feeling like there is not enough time. Eleven weeks sometimes feels like a long time to train at the intensity that I am now daily putting forth, but then when I think to myself that in two months I will be heading out to Beijing, I wish I could sneak in a few more weeks at altitude before then. I have found that it is usually a good sign to feel like I wish I had one or two more weeks of training. It is a sign that I am still fresh, still hungry, and still moving forward. Contrast this with my first marathon run at the 2007 London Marathon when I had been hanging on for a month after training for what seemed like an eternity.

Today I will be repeating the same workout I ran two weeks ago before I left for Bolder Boulder—a ten mile tempo run. Last time out it didn’t go so well. Waking up to snow was my second sign that I was going to have a tough day, with the first sign being my cranky ankle that had been bothering me after doing an hour and a half run on a rocky—yet beautiful—single track trail in Big Bear. So between my cranky ankle, snow falling, and being out there all by myself without my shuffle (which I forgot at home) I set myself up for a long day. Let’s not get too much into the specifics; we can just leave it at that I went out slow and came back even slower. Not to mention picking up my bottles off the ground didn’t seem to speed things up any. I left for Boulder concerned.
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Ryan Hall: I Can Be Beaten, But Not Defeated
(Elite Athlete Blog - Entry 10)

Posted May 23rd, 2008 at 12:00 PM by Ryan Hall

Section: Elite Athlete Blogs, Ryan Hall

While on a run a couple of days ago I found myself laughing at Kai (our miniature Siberian Husky) as she tore off through the woods in hot pursuit of yet another squirrel, only to be left at the bottom of the tree peering up as the hot- tempered squirrel rattled off some expletives in its native tongue. I thought to myself, ‘why does she keep wasting her energy flying after squirrels when she has chased thousands of squirrels during her short life, yet has never, ever, even been close to catching one?’ But as I contemplated her spirit I realized that our spirits aren’t really any different. I have been trying to run with the best runners in the world ever since I was able to enter the same race in which they were competing, and while I have never won a race that would give the honor of being crowned “the best in the world,” I still find myself tearing off after the world beaters as if I have never been unsuccessful in beating them. When I watch Kai’s eyes as she spots a Squirrel I can see her come to attention as I though I put a fat sausage in front of her nose and then I see her wheels turning. I know exactly what she is thinking because I have thought the same thing a million times, “I am going after it.” Then the trigger is pulled and we are off to the races. I think this is what Coach Vigil means when he says that all that matters on the starting line is having big eyes. I love that saying. All that matters on race day is being ready to go after it, to go to war.
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Ryan Hall:
More Precious Than Gold
(Elite Athlete Blog - Entry #9)

Posted May 10th, 2008 at 6:15 PM by Ryan Hall

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

With three months to go before the Olympics begin I am now putting the finishing touches on a vision that birthed 10 years ago during a long, slow, painful, fifteen-mile run around the lake. Now, after all I have been through I have just 105 days to pour myself into my training and prepare for the biggest opportunity of my life. All the training, all the discipline, all the depression, all the sacrifice, all the joy, it was all part of the journey that has prepared me for August 24th.

I love the Olympics. I always have. Growing up I had Olympic rings scribbled all over my text books. I find the symbolism of the rings to be quite dramatic with the five rings representing the unity of man from each of the five continents. There is something powerful about the unity of man.
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TFS Podcast 126: U.S. Olympic Hopeful JON RANKIN

Posted February 7th, 2008 at 8:03 PM by Adam Jacobs

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

jon rankin at 2007 continental airlines fifth avenue mile Episode 126 of TheFinalSprint.com Podcast, the most listened to running podcast in North America, features my interview with U.S. Olympic hopeful Jon Rankin as he prepares for next weekend’s USA Cross Country Championships.

Rankin, who ran two early season races in Bermuda and California, overcame injuries to finish strong in 2007, continues to stay healthy, and reports great, injury-free results throughout his recent training.

In the interview Rankin talks about his early season travels, his pursuit of at least a top ten finish at the XC Champs, how he enjoys training for and racing these longer distances, and that down the road he may even pursue such events up to the marathon.

Download the podcast to hear Rankin discuss these topics, as well as his success with Hypocxico’s altitude tent and being able to “Train High, Live Low” without ever leaving San Diego, his new charity organization “Shoes 4 the Soul”, and his responses to TFS’s newest podcast segment: “Rapid Fire Questions”.

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Host: Jimmie R. Markham | Guest: Jon Rankin
Producer: Greg Cherniet
Musicians: Ryan Ahlwardt, Darnell Perkins
File Size: 17.2 MB | Length: 25:05 MIN