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Lead Stories: Friday, August 29, 2008

Running Film Festival to Premier During Olympic Trials; Support Ryan Shay Memorial Fund

Posted May 28th, 2008 at 9:30 AM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Announcements, Marathons, Cross Country, Track & Field, Resources, Olympics, Trail / Ultra

RFF Release: When nearly 200,000 athletes and fans converge on Eugene, Oregon, for the 2008 U.S. Track & Field Trials, there is no doubt they will enjoy the beautiful scenery and the competitive spirit of “Track Town USA.”

However, when they leave Hayward Field for some well-deserved down time, hundreds will head to the movies. That’s right! Hollywood comes to Eugene, as the city plays host to the first film festival ever devoted to the subjects of track & field, marathon running, and cross country: the Running Film Festival (RFF), scheduled for July 3 – 5 on the University of Oregon campus.

RFF is the brainchild of running enthusiasts and industry entrepreneurs, who formulated the idea after assessing the vast, yet underexposed, collection of celluloid devoted to the sport. The festival signed a title sponsor to join presenting sponsors TheFinalSprint.com and Running Times, and a great event was born. A portion of the proceeds from the RFF will be donated to the Ryan Shay Memorial Fund
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“Running Film Festival” in Eugene Sure to Be An Unforgettable Experience

Posted May 25th, 2008 at 3:30 PM by Jesse Squire

Section: News & Results, Announcements, Marathons, Cross Country, Track & Field, Olympics, Trail / Ultra, High School

I’m going to this summer’s Olympic Trials—my first-ever Trials trip—and I’m getting pretty excited. Not just about the meet, but everything else as well. It seems like everyone in Tracktown USA is going all-out to make it an unforgettable experience.

The community at large is putting on a massive “Eugene ’08 Festival” complete with a temporary sports bar, music stage, kids’ activities, and excursions to sites like Pre’s Rock and the Nike campus. The whole effect is like the NCAA basketball tournament combined with the Newport Jazz Festival and the Ann Arbor Art Fairs, with the Tribeca Film Festival on top.

In fact, one entry from Tribeca will be shown in Eugene. Without a doubt, the biggest off-track happening during the Trials will be the upcoming Running Film Festival (RFF)– where a percentage of ticket sales will benefit the Ryan Shay Memorial Fund. Entries are still being accepted, but the schedule of feature-length films, documentaries and shorts currently includes the following:
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Film Festival to Complement Olympic Trials in Eugene

Posted May 21st, 2008 at 3:30 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Cross Country, Track & Field, Olympics, High School, Road Racing

After spending hours at the track watching the 2008 USA Olympic Team Trials - Track & Field in Eugene, Ore., this summer, track fans can retreat to the cool darkness of a movie theatre to take in the inaugural Running Film Festival, presented by Nissan and sponsored by TheFinalSprint.com and Running Times magazine.

“Everyone knows ‘Pre,’ ‘Without Limits,’ and ‘Chariots of Fire,’ but there are dozens of other movies and documentaries that runners will enjoy,” said Adam Jacobs editor-in-chief of TheFinalSprint.com. “We created an event that brings together great films, talented directors, elite athletes, and people who simply love the sport. Movie makers have the chance to screen their films for appreciative audiences with entertainment that fits seamlessly with the spirit of Eugene 08.”

Jacobs said that while the festival would include some world premieres, the core of the festival would be established running films like “The Long Green Line,” “Spirit of the Marathon,” “Run For Your Life,” “Indulgence,” “Run Like Hell,” and “Showdown.” The entire line-up will be posted at http://www.runningfilmfestival.com.
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Makau Wins, But Ritzenhein’s Record Still Stands

Posted May 17th, 2008 at 12:09 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Road Racing

Given that it was his first trip to the United States, Patrick Makau wanted to make sure it was a memorable one. So, on a glorious spring morning in Central Park here, the silver medalist from last year’s IAAF World Road Running Championships bolted from the start of the 4th annual Healthy Kidney 10-K to attack Dathan Ritzenhein’s one year-old course record. A $20,000 bonus awaited him at the finish line if he could break 28:08, a very solid mark considering the difficulty of the course.

“The course record is not so hard,” Makau said at the pre-race press conference last Thursday.

The 23 year-old Kenyan from Ngong rocketed through the first mile –which is uphill– in 4:23, instantly opening up a big gap on the field. Makau didn’t let up, running the second mile in 4:24 and the third (which includes a significant climb in the north end of the park) in 4:31. By the time he hit the 5-K in 13:51 he was 23 seconds up on Ritzenhein’s record.
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Marathon Ace Goumri Added to Healthy Kidney 10-K

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

Section: News & Results, Road Racing

One of the world’s top marathon runners, Abderrahim Goumri of Morocco, has been added to the field of next Saturday’s Healthy Kidney 10-K, the New York Road Runners announced today. Goumri, who turns 32 on May 21, was the #2 ranked marathoner in the world last year according to Race Results Weekly, finishing second at both the Flora London and ING New York City Marathons.

“Abderrahim returns to New York and the center stage against this formidable field for another step in a career that has been steadily on the rise the past few years,” said NYRR president and CEO Mary Wittenberg through a prepared statement.

Goumri was added to the field in the wake of defending champion Dathan Ritzenhein’s withdrawal due to injury. The speedy Moroccan hold’s his nation’s record for the marathon which he set last April when he finished third at the Flora London Marathon in 2:05:30. He’s no slouch at the 10 km distance, either, also holding his nation’s 10,000m record of 27:02.62. He’s also run 28:34 on the road.
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Injury Forces Ritzenhein Out of Healthy Kidney 10-K

Posted May 8th, 2008 at 3:30 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Road Racing

Defending champion and event record holder Dathan Ritzenhein has been forced to withdraw from the 4th annual Healthy Kidney 10-K scheduled for Saturday, May 17, in New York City.

“We’re very disappointed not to be able to return to New York for the Healthy Kidney 10-K,” Ritzenhein told reporters on a conference call today hosted by the New York Road Runners, the founders and organizers of the race. “With a whole array of ailments, it hasn’t come together in time for me to take on the great field that’s been assembled for the race. Knowing that it might set back my preparation [for Beijing], it was with regret that we made the decision to withdraw.”

Ritzenhein, 25, of Eugene, Ore., said that the injury to the third metatarsal of his left foot, which he sustained at the USA Cross Country Championships in February, has persisted.
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Star-Studded Meet At Stanford Tomorrow Night

Posted May 4th, 2008 at 11:30 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

Just 18 miles north of this San Jose suburb, one of the most important meets for distance runners held in the United States will take place at Stanford University. Packed with talent, the Peyton Jordan Cardinal Invitational turns the running industry on its head: top stars actually pay entry fees to compete and there are no appearance fees or cash prizes.

So what’s the draw? Perfect weather for achieving all-important Olympic Games qualifying times. When the sun sets at this time of year in Palo Alto, the winds calm down and the temperature drops, becoming comfortably cool. There is already very low humidity.

The key races are the top sections of the men’s and women’s 5000m and 10,000m, led by double world champion Bernard Lagat. Although he won the world titles last summer at both the 1500m and the 5000m, he doesn’t have an Olympic Games “A” standard time in the longer distance: 13:21.50. Working with other coaches, managers and the New York Road Runners, the men’s 5-K will be set-up by pacemaker Christian Hesch for a 13:10 to 13:20 finish time.
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Torres, Flanagan Victorious at Central Park Challenge

Posted March 15th, 2008 at 12:50 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Road Racing

At the inaugural Central Park Challenge here today, which incorporated the U.S. Men’s 8-K Championship, Jorge Torres (Pictured) and Shalane Flanagan won their respective races convincingly. But the paths taken to their titles were completely different.

In the men’s race, all eyes were on U.S. mile record holder, Alan Webb, running in only his fourth professional road race and his first race of 2008. Webb was on the lead with Christian Hesch at the first mile (4:36), and was right behind Andrew Carlson at the two mile mark (9:05). Carlson began to push the pace in the third mile (13:37), but Webb and Christian Hesch surged through the 5-K mark (14:10) where primes were awarded for the top-3 men (Webb was first with Hesch just behind).
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Jorge Torres Edges Andrew Carlson for USA Men’s 8K Championship

Posted March 15th, 2008 at 11:30 AM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results

Building on a strong, second-place performance at the USA Cross Country Championship, Jorge Torres outlasted Andrew Carlson to win today’s USA 8K Championship in Central Park.

Torres earned the 8K national title with a time of 22:41.2, finishing 0.7 seconds ahead of Team USA Minnesota’s Andrew Carlson (22:41.9). Jason Hartmann (22:48), James Carney (22:52.5), and Fasil Bizuneh (23:02.1) completed the top five.

Alan Webb (23:31.3) finished a disappointing 16th in what was only his fourth professional road race and 2008 racing debut. However, David Monti reports that Webb was sick on Thursday night, probably the result of food poisoning. He and his coach, Scott Raczko, considered scratching him from the race, but Alan decided to start. There is little doubt that it affected his performance today.
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Hall puts on stunning display, Wins Olympic Trials in men’s marathon

Posted November 3rd, 2007 at 3:27 PM by Jeanie Rebb

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Olympics

All the chatter about the resurgence of American distance running came to fruition in powerful fashion Saturday, with Ryan Hall leading Dathan Ritzenhein and Brian Sell onto the 2008 Olympic Team. Competing at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Men’s Marathon in Central Park, Hall tamed what had been thought of as a slow and very difficult course, breaking the Olympic Trials record with his winning time of 2:09:02. Ritzenhein was second in a personal-best time of 2:11:06, with Sell third in 2:11:40.

A 25-year-old Californian, Hall has been looked to as a future star since he was a national cross country champion in high school, and in 2007 he broke the American record in the half-marathon (59:43) and posted the fastest American debut marathon in history in placing eighth at the Flora London Marathon (2:08:24).

But Hall on Saturday served notice to the world that he is not just a star of American distance running, he has the capacity to be a major player on the global scene. After leisurely opening miles in which the main pack came through 2 miles in 11:00, the pack finally caught up with earlier leader Michael Wardian at 7 miles, after a 5:19 mile split. From that point on, however, the hammer was down, and Hall made it look frighteningly easy.
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