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Lead Stories: Saturday, August 30, 2008

Ultra Runner Dean Karnazes to Carry Olympic Torch

Posted April 9th, 2008 at 12:00 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Olympics, Trail / Ultra

According to his new blog entry at RunnersWorld.com,“Ultramarathon Man”
Dean Karnazes has been selected to carry the Olympic torch while it passes through his hometown of San Francisco, CA.

Karnazes, an elite (and at times controversial) ultra endurance athlete, is coming off of an impressive victory at the grueling Atacama Crossing, a 275-K race across the Atacama Desert in Chile. He was also the recipient of ESPN’s 2007 ESPY Award for “Best Outdoor Athlete”.

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Gatorade Expands Player of the Year Awards to XC

Posted November 7th, 2007 at 12:23 PM by Jeanie Rebb

Section: News & Results, Nutrition, Hydration, Cross Country, High School

In its third decade of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, in partnership with RISE Magazine, today announced the addition of boys and girls cross country to its celebrated high school awards program.

The program recognizes athletic excellence in conjunction with high standards of academic achievement and exceptional character displayed on and off the field. One boy and one girl in each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia will be honored as the Gatorade State Cross Country Runner of the Year from among more than 400,000 high school cross country runners nationwide.

From the pool of state winners, one boy and one girl will be honored as the Gatorade National Cross Country Runner of the Year — the nation’s best all-around high school student-athletes in their sport. RISE works with nationally-focused sport-specific experts to evaluate the athletic, academic and extra-curricular resumes of the 102 candidates. Each national winner becomes eligible for the program’s culminating honor — the Gatorade High School Athlete of the Year award, presented at a ceremony prior to The ESPY Awards in July.
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Inspirational DVD Review:
“The Jim MacLaren Story”

Posted September 27th, 2007 at 7:00 PM by Valerie Cerami

Section: News & Results, Motivation, Movies, Success Stories

I am imbued with pride to have this brightly hued, clear as blue sky rubber wristband, embedded with the words Choose Living dangling from my wrist. This little circle of hope looms large - in spirit, courage, inspirations and realizations. It emotionally, powerfully, figuratively and literally represents the circle of life – as truthfully as the geometric shape it holds. Wearing it - and believing in it - helps support the foundation that touches the world: The Choose Living Foundation.

The foundation’s spokesperson and founder, Jim MacLaren, has come full-circle in his aspirations, accomplishments and never-ending optimism – with a dash of wisdom added to the mix (and what a mixture of circumstances he’s encountered). Jim does it all with a smile and indefatigable love of life and the simple things we all take for granted.
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Podcast 83: DEAN KARNAZES on the ESPY, 24-hr record, and criticisms from Scott Jurek

Posted September 26th, 2007 at 6:17 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Special Features, Interviews, Podcasts, Trail / Ultra

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 83 of The Final Sprint Podcast features my interview with “Ultramarathon Man” DEAN KARNAZES: the recipient of the 2007 ESPY for “Best Outdoor Athlete”.

In the interview Dean talks about the ESPY award, raising money for charity and his attempt to break the 24-hr. running record in Times Square, and the North Face Ultra-Trail du Tour du Mont-Blanc.

Dean also responds to the critical comments made by Scott Jurek in a recent Endurance Planet interview. Jurek’s comments included: “I’m not winning races and performing, I shouldn’t be gracing the cover of magazines, getting a title, or even being okay with accepting a title such as Outside Magazine’s “America’s Best Outdoor Athlete”. I would feel ashamed to have that title.”

Download the podcast to hear Dean discusses these topics, as well as his continued to efforts to inspire others and hopefully increase exposure and available sponsorship money for trail and ultra running, the conflict between his desire to train/compete and a multitude of marketing and promotional obligations.

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Host: Adam Jacobs | Guest: Dean Karnazes
Producer: Greg Cherniet
Musicians: Ryan Ahlwardt & Darnell Perkins
File Size: 12.5 MB | Length: 18:13 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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Felix, Gay, Richards, Wariner nominated for ESPY Award

Posted July 6th, 2007 at 12:00 PM by Hariz Siddiqui

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

Four of America’s finest track and field athletes have received ESPY Award nominations for the Best Track & Field Athlete Award. The 15th annual ESPY Awards, which celebrate the top moments, most emotional stories and best performances from the past year in sports, will be televised Sunday, July 15 at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN.

2006 Jesse Owens Award winners Jeremy Wariner and Sanya Richards are nominated for the Best Track & Field Athlete Award after dominating the world last year in men’s and women’s 400m competition. Additional nominees include Allyson Felix, the #1 world ranked women’s 200m runner in the world, and men’s star sprinter Tyson Gay, who began this season ranked #1 in the world at 200 meters and #2 globally at 100m.
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Podcast 55: JIM MACLAREN
TFS’s June 2007 Success Story and the Epitome of Courage

Posted June 7th, 2007 at 1:30 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: Motivation, Success Stories, Columns, Success Stories, Special Features, Interviews, Podcasts

TFS is proud to present our monthly Success Story award to individuals who have overcome tremendous obstacles, changed their own lives and/or the lives of others through running, sports or fitness. Past award recipients have included female running pioneer
Kathrine Switzer, former Arkansas Governor and presidential candidate Mike Huckabee, and double amputee runner Oscar Pistorius.

I am proud to announce that TFS’s June 2007 Success Story and my guest on Episode #55 of The Final Sprint Podcast is The Epitome of Courage: Mr. Jim MacLaren.

Jim, a former Yale University All-American football and lacrosse player, was hit by a bus at age 22; an accident that forced doctors to amputate his leg. However, Jim persevered, beat the odds and became a marathon runner, Ironman triathlete world record holder and earned the title: “The Babe Ruth of Amputee Athletes”.

Eight years later, Jim was once again the victim of a tragic accident; hit by a van while competing in a triathlon and left as a quadriplegic after sustaining serious spinal injuries.

Never the one to give up, Jim once again proved that his spirit was strong enough to surmount even the most unthinkable of adversities. Jim has gone on to become a motivational speaker, founder of the “Choose Living Foundation”, and as Oprah said at the 2005 ESPY Awards in presenting him with ESPN’s Arthur Ashe Courage Award, Jim has “given new life to those around the world who need it most”.

Listen In
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Host: Adam Jacobs
Guest: Jim MacLaren
Producer: Greg Cherniet
Music: Ryan Ahlwardt & Darnell Perkins
File size: 18.5 MB
Length: 27:05

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

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