It has been since the mid-1990s since Tamrat Ayalew ran a 2:12 marathon, the Hoffa International Marathon.
Now 33, Ayalew has slowed considerably over the years but he was fast enough Sunday to earn the Middendorf Trophy, the top prize for winning the 32nd Marine Corps Marathon. He crossed the finish line ahead of 21,226 starters and over 20,600 finishers in 2 hours, 22 minutes, 20 seconds, exactly two minutes ahead of his nearest competitor, two-time defending champion Ruben Garcia of Mexico City.
Ayalew has been racing the roads of America for the past two years as a member of the Foot Solutions Racing Team out of Atlanta as he seeks political asylum from his native Ethiopia. His ultimate goal is to become an American citizen; Sunday’s goal was to be triumphant in the nation’s fourth-largest 26.2-mile race.
“I didn’t do well last year,” said Alayew, who ended up eighth here last year and became only the second Ethiopian to capture Marine Corps. “I decided after that race that I wanted to win.”
Kristen Henehan of Silver Spring, Md., meanwhile, approached Marine Corps as more of a fun run. She did turn serious, however, with a half-mile remaining, pulling away from her nearest competitor and friend Lisa Thomas for a 2:51:14 in her marathon debut. Thomas, who said she was “very disappointed,” followed her across the line just 26 seconds later in a personal-best performance by more than three minutes.
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The buzz is beginning to begin in the Washington, DC metropolitan area about an upcoming athletic event - the Marine Corps Marathon (MCM). As someone who resides in the area, I frequently see competitive runners and athletes out on the streets of DC, many lining trails along the Potomac as they train for the big upcoming event.
The Marine Corps Marathon will begin at 7:50 a.m. on Sunday, October 28, starting with the wheelchair and hand cycle participants. Runners will start at 8:00 a.m. and the MCM10K will kick off at 8:20 a.m.
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“The Marine Corps Marathon, A Running Tradition” is a new book which captures the history of the Marine Corps Marathon through the individual stories of previous runners.
Written by George Banker, the race historian, the book is “written from the heart and by those who have a personal connection to the race,” according to promotional material received at the Race Results Weekly office.
The book is available directly from the publisher, Meyer & Meyer Sportverlag at this link:
http://www.m-m-sports.com/shop.php?r=1,4&object_id=3256
It’s time to put on your running shoes! The charity marathon team, Team Running Strong has opened its registration for a limited number of guaranteed spots in the 2007 Marine Corps Marathon™.
Runners (and walkers!) who plan to participate in this year’s marathon are competing just to register. There are fewer general marathon spots available which makes joining the 4th Annual Team Running Strong a great option for an entrant to consider.
Team Running Strong is the only charity team raising funds and awareness for the future of American Indian youth. Running with the support of Olympic champion Billy Mills (Oglala Lakota), participants receive training support, an official race day singlet and other perks.
Billy Mills, National Spokesperson for Running Strong for American Indian Youth®, said:
“Running with Team Running Strong is the chance to help America’s forgotten children. Together we will help American Indian families meet their immediate survival needs – food, water, and shelter.”
In today’s podcast, I am joined by Billy Mills - a true hero of running and a compassionate warrior.
At the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Billy set an Olympic record and won a gold medal in the 10,000m; becoming the first and still the last American to win a gold in the event.
After his successful running career, Billy has channeled his love for running into a passion for fighting against poverty and discrimination as the national spokesperson of Running Strong for Native American Youth. He is also the subject of the 1983 movie “Running Brave”.
Download the podcast to hear Billy to discuss what has been called the “biggest upset in Olympic history”, running in borrowed shoes, how he has felt and been treated as a Native American athlete, teaching younger generations the importance of “Global Unity Through Global Diversity”, the possibility of him entering the 2007 Marine Core Marathon and much more!
Listen In
[MP3] Direct Download (Right click, select “save as”).
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Guest: Billy Mills
Producer: Greg Cherniet
Music: Ryan Ahlwardt & Darnell Perkins
File size: 24.0MB
Length: 00:35:04
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This is part four of the 5-part series: “BILLY MILLS: Overlooked Hero of Running” (Links to the other installments in this series are located at the conclusion of this article).
Running serves a different purpose for everyone. For some, it is solely a method of exercise; others find it to be a means of escape. In Running Brave, a 1983 film showcasing the life and career of Billy Mills, we find that running can also be a way of life. it certainly is for Mills, who states: “Running has been my freedom; my happiness.”
The struggles that Mills (played by Robby Benson) endures throughout the film revolve around his life as an American Sioux-Indian and his use of running to both fit in and remain sane in a seemingly uncontrollable world.
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This is part three of the 5-part series: “BILLY MILLS: Overlooked Hero of Running” (Links to the other installments in this series are located at the conclusion of this article).
For nearly 50 years Billy Mills has channeled his love for running into a passion for fighting against poverty and for encouraging Native American youth to believe in the power of their dreams.
As we mentioned in Part 2 of this series, Mills is a descendant of the Oglala Lakota (Sioux) tribe and grew up on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. After losing his parents at the young age of 12, he brought athletics into is life.
Since his historic 10,000m gold medal victory at the 1964 Olympics, Billy Mills has used his fame to help children that face the same poverty and rejection that he battled throughout his own life.
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