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Lead Stories: Sunday, May 18, 2008

Josh Cox:
Forgotten Number Four
(Elite Athlete Blog - Entry #7)

Posted April 17th, 2008 at 12:00 PM by Josh Cox

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Elite Athlete Blogs, Josh Cox

Welcome to the official blog of U.S. marathon runner Josh Cox. Every other Wednesday visit http://joshcox.thefinalsprint.com for Cox’s latest blog entry and for more information, also please visit: www.joshcox.com

“Friendships born on the field of athletic strife are the real gold of competition. Awards become corroded, friends gather no dust.”
–Jesse Owens, 4 time Track and Field Gold Medalist at the 1936 Olympic Games

“Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art… It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival.”
–C. S. Lewis

“You have been my friend. That in itself is a tremendous thing. I wove my webs for you because I liked you. After all, what’s a life, anyway? We’re born, we live a little while, we die. A spider’s life can’t help being something of a mess, with all this trapping and eating flies. By helping you, perhaps I was trying to lift up my life a trifle. Heaven knows anyone’s life can stand a little of that.”
–Charlotte the spider in EB White’s “Charlotte’s Web”

I get loads of email from strangers. When you write blogs, have Myspaces, Facebooks and a contact button on your website, it comes with the territory. My latest “Miracles” installment solicited a Santa sized bag of digital mail. For every public comment I receive, another five appear in the inbox. If a common theme arises I address it in the comments of the blog – years of blogging tells me this is the best course of action. This way the popular, pertinent issues get addressed. If I’m busy this doesn’t always happen. So before diving into this entry I’ll let the mail senders know I’ll be answering their questions and keeping the comment section of the last blog alive and kicking.
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Abdirahman Defends US 10K TItle

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

Section: News & Results

Abdi Abdirahman of Tucson, Ariz., defended his U.S. 10-K road racing title by winning today’s Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10-K in Richmond, Va. Crossing the finish line in 28 minutes and 32 seconds, Abdirahman defeated Dan Browne of Beaverton, Ore., by four seconds.

“I like this course,” Abdirahman told race organizers after his victory. “It’s a flat course, very fast. I’d like to come back and race it again.” His victory was worth $7500.

Fasil Bizuneh of Flagstaff, Ariz., finished a distant third in 29:03.
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American Men Battle For 10K Title In Richmond On Saturday

Posted April 4th, 2008 at 6:31 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results

One of the fastest growing road races in the United States, the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10-K in Richmond, Va., has added a new dimension to their race this year: the national 10-K road running championship for men.

Defending champion Abdi Abdirahman of Tucson, Ariz., who last year’s national title at the Peach Tree Road Race in Atlanta, Ga., is expected to compete for the $7500 first prize. His key rivals will be Alan Culpepper (right) of Lafayette, Colo.; Dan Browne of Portland, Ore.; Fernando Cabada of Boulder, Colo., and Fasil Bizuneh of Flagstaff, Ariz. A $25,000 prize money purse is at stake.
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Abdirahman Set To Defend USA Men’s 10km Title

Posted April 3rd, 2008 at 5:34 PM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Road Racing

2007 USA Men’s 10 km champion Abdi Abdirahman (Tucson, Ariz.) will defend his title against a field that includes two fellow Olympians at the USA Men’s 10 km Championship in Richmon, Va., this Saturday. This year’s championships are hosted by the Metropolitan Richmond Sports Backers in conjunction with the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10K.

Abdirahman will face challenges for the title from the likes of 2004 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials champion Alan Culpepper (Lafayette, Colo.), 2004 10,000 and marathon Olympian Dan Browne (Portland, Ore.); and USA 25 km champion and record holder Fernando Cabada (Boulder, Colo.).

Additional contenders for top-ten finishes will include Matt Gabrielson (Minneapolis, Minn.), Fasil Bizuneh (Flagstaff, Ariz.), Andy Smith (Boulder, Colo.); Josh Moen (Readlyn, Iowa); Josh Eberly (Gunnison, Colo.); and Macharia Yuot (Chester, Pa.).
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Kastor Could See Sizeable Payday in Jacksonville Tomorrow

Posted March 7th, 2008 at 1:30 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results

Deena Kastor could see a sizeable payday at tomorrow’s Gate River Run in Jacksonville, Fla., which serves as the U.S. 15-K championships for both men and women.

Already the U.S. record holder for 15-K (47:15), Kastor will be looking for her sixth title in Jacksonville, worth $12,000. However, she may pick up an additional $5000 should she finish ahead of the first man (the elite women are given a five minute headstart). That seems likely given that the men’s field is not as strong as in previous years.
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TFS Running Podcast 128: 2004 Olympian DAN BROWNE Sets His Sights on Eugene

Posted February 25th, 2008 at 3:00 PM by Jimmie R. Markham

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

Welcome to Episode 128 of The Final Sprint Podcast, the most listened to running podcast in North America. Today we’re joined by Dan Browne, a 2004 Olympian in the marathon and the 10000m and a graduate of West Point.

In this interview, Dan walks us through his gutsy performance at the Olympic Trials marathon and talks about how things have gone since he hooked up with his new training group, Team Running USA. He splits his time nowadays between the US Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, CA and Mammoth Lakes, CA for his altitude training. He also talks about his recent illness and his plans for the rest of the 2008 season, including running the USA 15 km Championships that will be held on March 8th in Jacksonville, FL.

Download the podcast to listen to Dan talk about this year’s Prefontaine Classic 2 Miler, his fondness for the Army 10 miler and his military service with the Oregon National Guard, the strong faith he shares with his teammates and much more.

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Host: Jimmie R. Markham | Guest: Dan Browne
Executive Producer: Adam Jacobs
Producer: Greg Cherniet
Musicians: Ryan Ahlwardt, Darnell Perkins
File Size: 11.6 MB | Length: 17:01 MIN

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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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USA Half-Marathon Titles
Up for Grabs in Houston

Posted January 13th, 2008 at 8:30 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

With deep fields but no clear favorites, Sunday’s USA Half-Marathon Championships hosted by the Aramco Houston Half-Marathon look to be wide open races. Most athletes are only in the base phase of their training cycles, either recovering from, or in the early stages of preparing for, important marathons. Expectations amongst the top entrants are modest, despite the $12,000 winner’s purse.

“I was in the same boat last year at this time,” said defending women’s champion Elva Dryer in a telephone interview last night from Houston. Prior to last year’s championship, Dryer was just restarting her training after running the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon in October.

This year, she’s had even less recovery time after placing sixth at the ING New York City Marathon last November. However, Houston offers her a good chance to see where her training stands for April’s USA Olympic Team Trials - Women’s Marathon in Boston. A two-time Olympian at 10,000m, Dryer has an excellent shot of qualifying for her first Olympic marathon.
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Hall, Abdi, Ritz, Meb and Browne continue to look strong after 12 miles

Posted November 3rd, 2007 at 8:39 AM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Olympics, Special Features, Live Race Coverage

The leaders have passed the 12 mile mark; running the 12th mile in 4:59.

The race has essentially gone down to a 5 man race: Ryan Hall, Abdi Abdirahman, Meb Keflezighi and Dan Browne. All of these elites are running free and easy.

Josh Cox and Khalid Khannouchi made moves to try and catch up the lead pack, but are staggering. Behind Khannouchi and Cox are Culpepper, Sell, Gilmore and a pack of about 5-6 others.

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