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Lead Stories: Saturday, May 17, 2008

2008 Women’s Collegiate Dual-Meet Rankings

Posted May 7th, 2008 at 3:00 PM by Jesse Squire

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, College

On Monday I posted the men’s dual-meet rankings. Here are the women’s rankings, following the same rules and formats:

#1. Southern Cal
The Trojans beat UCLA, and that’s all they needed to be ranked at the top.

#2. Minnesota
The Golden Gophers won the four-team Pepsi Collegiate Challenge by a single point over Oregon.

#3. Oregon
The Ducks took a narrow second at the Pepsi Challenge, defeating Penn State and Washington. (Next year they are expected to join in the revived men’s dual meet with UCLA.)
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Fast Milers Headed to Minneapolis

Posted May 6th, 2008 at 2:15 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Road Racing

Thursday’s Medtronic TC 1 Mile will give 2600 citizen athletes a chance to test themselves at the sport’s classic distance, while a much smaller group of elite athletes will be running all-out for significant cash prizes. It will be the fourth annual edition for Minnesota’s most important road mile.

The venue will be Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis. A mass wave of about 1000 runners will start things of at 6:50 p.m., followed by age-group and championship waves beginning at 7:53 p.m. The elites, running for a $25,000 prize money purse, will bring the show to a rousing close. A special $10,000 bonus is on the line for the first man to break 4:00.00 and the first woman to break 4:28.00.

Steve Sherer (Pictured)leads the men’s entry list. The 27 year-old athlete and former Michigan State Spartan, ran 3:56-flat during the indoor season, and finished third in the AT&T USA Indoor Championships at 1500m.
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Grandma’s Marathon Sells Out

Posted April 7th, 2008 at 1:29 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

For the 14th consecutive year, Grandma’s Marathon has reached its field capacity and registration for the June 21 event has been closed, organizers announced today.

Over 9700 runners have registered for the flat and scenic race from Two Harbors to Duluth, Minn., which recorded 6898 finishers last year.

Moreover, the two companion races organized for the same weekend, the 18th annual Garry Bjorklund Half-Marathon and the 15th annual William A. Irvin 5-K, are also sold out.
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Special Half-Marathon Entries To Benefit Fallen Marathoner

Posted March 27th, 2008 at 3:00 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

The officially sold-out Garry Bjorklund Half-Marathon, which is held in conjunction with Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth, Minn., will offer additional entries through an online auction to benefit the family of the fallen marathoner, Wesly Ngetich, who was killed during the violence in Kenya earlier this year. Ngetich won Grandma’s Marathon twice in 2005 and 2007.

“Wesly was a great champion for our event, so assisting his family is the very least we can do,” said Scott Keenan, executive director of Grandma’s Marathon. “Our donations can’t bring him back, but hopefully they can bring some financial relief to his family members as they struggle through this difficult time.”
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TFS Running Podcast 131:
Andrew Carlson

Posted March 23rd, 2008 at 12:15 PM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Olympics, Special Features, Interviews, Podcasts

Today on Episode 131 of The Final Sprint Running Podcast I am joined by Andrew Carlson, the 2008 15k US National Champion who runs for Team USA Minnesota. Andrew has embarked on a career-defining season in 2008, kicking it off on New Year’s Eve with a course record in the New York Midnight 4-mile Run, then winning his 1st national championship in the Gate River Run 15k, then placing second in the 8k national championship in the Central Park Challenge.

In the interview, Andrew talks about his expectations for the 2008 season and his place within the resurgence in American distance running. He discusses his favorite events and what his plans are for the rest of the season. He also talks about Team USA Minnesota and the types of community outreach activities he does with them, what he meant when he said he revamped his training in 2008, how he got his start in running, when he plans to tackle his first marathon and much, much more!

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Host: Jimmie Markham
Guest: Andrew Carlson
Producers: Greg Cherniet, Adam Jacobs
Music: Ryan Ahlwardt & Darnell Perkins
File size: 15.0 MB | Length: 00:21:55

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Medtronic TC 1 Mile Adds Big Prize Money Purse

Posted March 7th, 2008 at 12:15 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

Milers have a new earnings opportunity for 2008 thanks to the generosity of the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon.

The Medtronic TC 1 Mile, scheduled for May 8, along Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis, is offering a $25,000 prize money purse, making it the second richest road mile in the United States behind the Continental Airlines Fifth Avenue Mile in New York City. In addition, the race is offering a very tempting $10,000 bonus to the male and female winners should they achieve fast times.
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Train for the Marathon With Olympic Trials Hopeful, Get Colllege Credit

Posted January 7th, 2008 at 10:30 AM by Jamal Walker

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Among the thousands of runners who will participate in running events during Grandma’s Marathon weekend this June, a few dozen will be there to take a final exam. Lake Superior College is offering its unique online marathon training course again this spring, providing an opportunity to train for and run Grandma’s Marathon or the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon for college credit.

The course provides race training and nutritional information in addition to history, etiquette, and basic skills. Course work is presented online through the Lake Superior College Virtual Campus, making it easily accessible to students at a distance. Enrolled students are guaranteed entry into the marathon or half marathon. They may also arrange to compete in a comparable race to meet course requirements.

Native Duluthian Katie Koski will teach the online physical education course. Koski is an elite runner who hopes to qualify for this year’s Olympic trials in Boston. She was asked to teach the online course for Lake Superior College because of her experience competing in Grandma’s Marathon. She has run in the event eight times, finishing in the top ten on several occasions.
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Podcast 103
JASON LEHMKUHLE Climbing the Marathon Leaderboard

Posted November 12th, 2007 at 4:48 PM by Adam Jacobs

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

Episode 103 of The Final Sprint Podcast, the most listened to running podcast in North America, features my interview with Team USA Minnesota’s JASON LEHMKUHLE.

Jason shattered his marathon PR and outperformed many of America’s most prominent runners to finish in 2:12:54 and come in an impressive 5th place at last Saturday’s U.S. Olympic Men’s Marathon Trials in NYC.

In the interview Jason talks about the keys to his success at the Trials, why the course was not as difficult as he expected, what it’s like to be running with and passing America’s most successful elite runners, the tremendous crowd support, dealing with the tragic lose of Ryan Shay, and how it makes (or should make) an athlete (especially one like Jason who knows they have a heart murmur) take extra medical precautions.

Download the podcast to hear Jason discuss these topics, as well as, his racing plans for the spring, his long buildup to the 10,000m U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials, his future in marathoning, what makes Minnesota an ideal place to live and train, his freelance graphic design work, helping younger runners, and much more!

Listen In
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Host: Adam Jacobs | Guest: Jason Lehmkuhle
Producers: Greg Cherniet, Adam Jacobs
Musicians: Ryan Ahlwardt, Darnell Perkins
File Size: 19.9 MB | Length: 29:04 MIN

Episode sponsored by:
Camelbak - the originator and leader in hands-free hydration.

To learn more Camelbak Elixir, their effective, easy-to-use and portable electrolyte beverage, as well as Camelbak’s running specific hydration systems, please visit www.camelbak.com.

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Wisconsin Badgers Capture Record Ninth-Straight Big Ten Cross Country Title

Posted October 29th, 2007 at 1:45 PM by Martha Jones

Section: News & Results, Cross Country

The Wisconsin men’s cross country team had five runners finish in the the top-10 to score 33 points and win its ninth-consecutive Big Ten Conference title Sunday at the Ohio State University Golf Course in Columbus, Ohio.

With the win, the fifth-ranked Badgers set a new conference record for consecutive conference championships. UW also held the previous record of eight straight titles between 1985 and 1992. No. 22 Minnesota finished second with 65 points while Ohio State was third with 91 points.

Wisconsin was led by junior Matt Withrow (Tinley Park, Ill.), who took home the individual title by completing the 8,000-meter course in a time of 23 minutes, 44.37 seconds. He finished more than three seconds ahead of second-place finisher Hassan Mead of Minnesota. Fellow junior, Stu Eagon (Portland, Ore.), finished fifth in a time of 23:55.35. Both Withrow and Eagon earned first-team All-Big Ten honors.
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Video: Marathoner Recovering
After Near Death Collapse
at Twin Cities Marathon

Posted October 11th, 2007 at 8:44 AM by Jamal Walker

Section: News & Results, Marathons

A Medtronic Twin Cities marathoner is recovering in intensive care after collapsing and nearly dying during Sunday’s race in Minneapolis, MN.

In the following video, CBS4 Wisconsin’s Esme Murphy reports on the runner’s current condition, how she is thankfully and lucky to be alive, and more:

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