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Lead Stories: Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Podcast 96: MEB KEFLEZIGHI Pre-U.S. Olympic Men’s Marathon Trials Interview

Posted October 19th, 2007 at 5:20 PM by Adam Jacobs

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

Episode 96 of The Final Sprint Podcast features my pre-U.S. Olympic Men’s Marathon Trials interview with 2004 Olympic silver medalist MEB KEFLEZIGHI.

After nearly 20 years on U.S. soil, Meb remains focused on realizing his dreams through faith, hard work, a unique appreciation for life and having the utmost respect for his competitors.

In the interview, Meb talks about taking one day a time, the 20 year anniversary of when his family came to America from war-torn Eritrea, overcoming his recent calf ailment and staying confident despite a rough year of health concerns and bad luck.

Download the podcast to hear Meb discuss these topics, as well as, his race strategy and preparation for the arduous Marathon Trials race course, lessons learned from his 2004 second place finish, his reputation for having a “reserved personality”, pacesetters, advice for young Olympic hopefuls, and much more!

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Host: Adam Jacobs | Guest: Meb Keflezighi
Producers: Greg Cherniet, Adam Jacobs
Musicians: Ryan Ahlwardt, Darnell Perkins
File Size: 11.5 MB | Length: 16:45 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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Tadesse, Wanjiru Cautiously Optimistic In Udine

Posted October 13th, 2007 at 2:23 PM by Bob Ramsak

Section: News & Results

When the gun sounds the start of Sunday morning’s men’s race at the 2nd IAAF World Road Running Championships, it will also set off one of the finest road battles of the fall. But the chief protagonists, defending champion Zersenay Tadesse and world half marathon record holder Samuel Wanjiru (Pictured), don’t necessarily view it as a two-horse race.

“I’m not predicting anything,” said Tadesse, whose victory over 20 kilometers in Debrecen, Hungary, last year was the first world title of any kind for Eritrea. “I’m feeling good, but there many strong athletes here.”

Wanjiru, who lowered the half marathon standard to 58:33 at The Hague last March, echoed Tadesse’s sentiments. “Tomorrow I think will be very hard and tough. There’s a half dozen who can make the race interesting. The Kenyan team is really tough.”
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Is the World catching
up to the Kenyans?

Posted August 9th, 2007 at 8:50 PM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

With headlines such as “Current Crop of Runners Not Up to Task” and “Change Tact[ics] Or Sink”, recent articles published by Kenyan journalists have been harshly critical of Kenyan distance running. Among other concerns are that Ethiopian and Eritrean athletes are closing the gap. But are these reports accurate?

Not according to statistical evidence, which shows that Kenyan running is as dominant as ever – if not more so. I broke down the statistics into all the middle-distance and all the long-distance performances from 1997-2006. I grouped all elite (world-class) performances for middle-distance (800m, 1500m, Mile, 3000m and 300m SC) into one chart and all elite performances for distance (5000m, 10000m) into another chart. I also broke it down even further, analyzing the top 100 performances of all time for both the middle-distance and the distance categories.

The Kenyans have dominated both the middle-distance and the distance categories, both in the elite and the top 100 of all time performances. In fact, in the middle-distance category, Kenyan runners have run more top 100 all time performances tham the rest of the world combined.
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Podcast 40: Interview with Olympic medalist & running hero Meb Keflezighi

Posted April 21st, 2007 at 5:45 PM by Adam Jacobs

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

Episode 40 of The Final Sprint Podcast features my interview with running hero and 2004 Olympic marathon Silver medalist Meb Keflezighi; who is currently in London preparing for Sunday’s marathon.

Meb, who is currently in London preparing for Sunday’s marathon, captured the national 15k championship earlier this year, has won two Olympic marathon trials, finished second and then third the next year at the NYC Marathon, and, among his many other accomplishments, holds the American 10,000m record.

In the interview Meb talks about tomorrow’s London Marathon, his race strategy, trying to set a PR, the incredible field of competitors and what to expect from fellow Team Running USA member Ryan Hall in his debut.

Download the podcast to hear Meb discuss these topics, as well as, last week’s Boston Marathon; last year’s frustrating NYC Marathon; Coach Bob Larsen; the benefits of training with Deena Kastor, Hall and the rest of Team Running USA; looking forward to the 2008 Beijing Olympics; his family’s incredible journey from war-torn Eritrea; and much more!

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Host: Adam Jacobs
Guest: Meb Keflezighi
Producer: Greg Cherniet
Music: Ryan Ahlwardt & Darnell Perkins
File size: 15.0 MB
Length: 00:21:55

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Tadesse Replaces Gebrselassie as Top Road Runner in the Latest IAAF World Rankings

Posted October 27th, 2006 at 4:00 PM by Martha Jones

Section: News & Results, Announcements

PRESS RELEASE: Just over two weeks ago, Zersenay Tadesse became the first athlete from Eritrea to win a World title in any major sport when he triumphed at the inaugural IAAF World Road Running Championships in Debrecen, Hungary.

This week, the 24-year-old became the first athlete from the east African nation to head any Event Ranking in the IAAF World Rankings. Tadesse replaced Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) at the top of the Men’s Road Running – Marathon Event Rankings after the former World and Olympic 10,000m champion from Ethiopia dropped points and slipped into second place, after his win from last year’s Amsterdam Marathon (2:06:20 - 1376 points) became out of date. Read the rest of this entry »

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RESULTS: Inaugural IAAF World Road Running Championships

Posted October 9th, 2006 at 4:46 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results

Zersenay Tadesse, from Eritrea, Africa and the 2004 Olympic 10,000m bronze medallist, won the inaugural men’s title at the IAAF World Road Running Championships. His time in the 20km race was 56:01.

Although he had been on pace to set a new world record, he ultimately fell just short (13 seconds) of surmounting Haile Gebrselassie’s record.

His gold medal victory was his first and led the way to Eritrea’s first ever medal. The Eritrea team finished with the silver behind Kenya and just ahead of Ethiopia.

Lornah Kiplagat, born in in Kenya and now a citizen of The Netherlands, won her first international tittle and also set a new world record in the 20km. Her time of 1:03.21 defeated the old record, set by Britain’s Paula Radcliffe in 2001, by five seconds.

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