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Lead Stories: Friday, November 21, 2008

NYRR, Wittenberg Continue to Lead the Way

Posted September 14th, 2007 at 9:03 AM by Scott Bush

Section: Marathons, Columns, SPOTLIGHT

For the past few years, every major marathon seems to include a handful of pacemakers to take out the race and push the fields to fast times. While fast times look impressive on paper, they don’t always make for the best races and the public is generally unaware of the records and impressive times for elite marathoners. With that in mind, Mary Wittenberg, the race director for the New York City Marathon, announced Friday that there will be no pacemakers at this year’s race.

mary wittenberg “Our sport is full of great stars who thrive on competition and the purity of head-to-head racing,” Wittenberg said. “In the end, it is all about the thrill of racing and the pursuit of victory. Who cares what the clock says? We owe it to our best to put them front and center and let them race.”

This is great news for a variety of reasons. While hundreds of thousands run a marathon or two each year, few of those runners know more than a couple of the world’s best marathoners. Taking away pacemakers in the front of the pack allows TV commentators to focus on identifying athletes and build stories around them, creating more space for athletes to be showcased. No pacemaking also signifies a larger, more competitive field at the end of the race, instead of a strung out group, with no more than a handful of athletes in the lead pack.

The New York Road Runners build running environments in their city that are both creative and diverse, and with Wittenberg at the helm, NYRR consistently shows why New York City is the center of the second running boom. Dropping pacemakers from the elite race is a bold move. It suggests more head-to-head racing, but slower finish times. NYRR often gambles with ideas like this and continues to exude the creativity, confidence and ability to elevate their events and athletes that this sport so desperately needs.

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Podcast 5: Interview w/ Daniel Talbott, inventor of Velocy

Posted January 26th, 2007 at 12:00 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: Gear & Apparel, Running Shoes, Special Features, Interviews, Podcasts

I had the opportunity to interview Daniel Talbott, inventor and owner of Velocy footwear.

Velocy, a new manufacturer of running shoes, is attempting to revolutionize the industry with their “Forward Gravity” technology. Daniel and his team used this technology to develop running shoes that focus on the forefoot; unlike traditional models that concentrate on the heel.

Download the podcast to hear Daniel explain how Velocy’s radically different and innovative design can improve your performance, help prevent injuries and enable you to Move with Gravity!

Listen In
[MP3] Direct Download (Right click, select save as).
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Host: Adam Jacobs
Guest: Daniel Talbott
Producer: Greg Cherniet
Music: Ryan Ahlwardt & Darnell Perkins
File size: 8.74MB
Length: 00:12:43

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Best in Shoe: the R.W. International Shoe Summit

Posted December 9th, 2006 at 10:30 AM by Jenna Sumara

Section: Announcements, Gear & Apparel, Running Shoes

The Nike Air Pegasus 2006 took home the Shoe of the Year Award at the second annual International Editor’s Choice Awards. The awards were given at a special ceremony following the conclusion of the Runner’s World International Shoe Summit; the now annual four-day conference which features nine international editions of Runner’s World and manufactures of the world’s leading running shoes. These manufacturer’s also use the event as a time to announce and promote their upcoming product lines.
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