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June 3 Will Be National Running Day in USA
Posted April 2nd, 2009 at 7:30 AM by David Monti
Section: News & Results, Motivation, Health & Fitness, Exercise
In a grassroots effort to combat obesity and get recession-weary Americans moving, the first National Running Day has been organized for Wednesday, June 3, an unprecedented collaboration between some of America’s top running organizations.
“Everyone can run,” said New York Road Runners president and CEO Mary Wittenberg whose not-for-profit organization is one of the key backers of the event. “That’s the message of this day.”
Using social networking and the internet, organizers are encouraging Americans of all ages and fitness levels to get out and run on June 3, by hosting a variety of National Running Day activities, including professional athlete appearances, free running events, group runs, and clinics. The event has an official website, runningday.org, a Facebook presence, and the support of some of America’s top running organizations, including USA Track & Field.
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Opt for an outdoor run to chase away the winter blues
Posted December 27th, 2008 at 9:30 AM by Valerie Cerami
Section: Running & Training, Motivation, Training Tips, Health & Fitness, Exercise
Are you feeling lethargic? Craving carbs? Noticing sleep disturbances? Experiencing depression? Anxious? Gaining weight? Having difficulty concentrating?
If so, you’re not alone – and you’re not crazy! If you’re seemingly sad, you may be feeling (the effects of) S.A.D. The acronym stands for: seasonal affective disorder - a.k.a. the winter blues. A real condition we are all susceptible to.
Even a party animal like Mike Jagger sometimes needs to sing the blues … Take a gander at some lyrics from “Winter”, by The Rolling Stones
It’s sure been a cold, cold winter
And a lotta love is all burned out
It’s sure been a hard, hard winter
My feet been draggin’ ‘cross the ground
In fact, it’s not all that unusual to be affected by this affliction. You’re in good - and plentiful – company. SAD affects half a million people every winter between September and April, peaking in December, January, and February.
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Industry News: USATF Amends Headphone Rule
Posted December 23rd, 2008 at 2:50 PM by David Monti
Section: News & Results, Marathons, Motivation, Music, Road Racing
It has been a topic of hot debate on internet message boards, industry group convention floors and group runs. Battle lines were drawn and nearly everyone was asked at some point to take a side: do you support the ban on wearing headphones during running races?
The controversy stemmed from a little-known IAAF rule which prohibited top athletes from wearing radios which would allow them to receive instructions and advice from their coaches during competition. The spirit of that rule had nothing to do with recreational runners participating in road races who wanted to listen to their favorite tunes while they ran. Technically, this behavior was also banned, but only a handful of race organizers took action stop runners from wearing headphones. Other organizers openly flouted the ban, encouraging runners to “plug in” at their events.
Now, USA Track & Field has modified the rule governing the wearing of headphones so that it is narrowly limited to the sport’s most competitive athletes competing for important accolades or prize money.
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101 Track / Running Books To Read Before You Die
Posted December 20th, 2008 at 6:14 PM by Jesse Squire
Section: Motivation, Books
This is the second installment in a monthly series. The first installment can be accessed here.
A Cold Clear Day: The Athletic Biography of Buddy Edelen
Frank Murphy
Windsprint Press, 2000
Buddy Edelen was an American runner who didn’t become world-class until he moved to England. In 1963 he set a marathon world record, the first American to do so in over 50 years (Khalid Khannouchi being the only American man since). This slim biography was Frank Murphy’s first book–he has written another two–and it’s unusually good reading for a first-timer and for a sports biography.
C.C. Pyle’s Amazing Foot Race: The True Story of the 1928 Coast-to-Coast Run Across America
Geoff Williams
Rodale Books, 2007
In 1928, C.C. “Cash & Carry” Pyle put on an amazing road show called the Transcontinental Footrace. Pyle, the man who almost singlehandedly made Red Grange famous, was something like a combination of P.T. Barnum and Arli$$. This was a professional stage race from Los Angeles to New York, with runners going anywhere from ten to fifty miles per day.
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Passport for the Track (and Running) Fan
Posted December 7th, 2008 at 7:23 PM by Jesse Squire
Section: Motivation
A little while ago I stumbled across ESPN’s Sports Passport, “the place to chronicle all the athletic events you’ve attended and recall the adventures, be they heartwarming or heartwrenching, or both.” ESPN invites the sports fan to “post the events and venues you’ve attended to earn Passport stamps and be ranked against other sports tourists, all while preserving your game-day memories”–because among sports fans, apparently everything is a competition.
It was tremendously dismaying to find that track & field (and cross country and road racing) are not among the ten sports the Passport lists. I guess I’ll just have to make my own low-tech version, and invite all of you readers out there in Internet-Land to play along in our Track & Running Passport.
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101 Track / Running Books To Read Before You Die
Posted November 21st, 2008 at 9:56 PM by Jesse Squire
Section: Motivation, Books
This is the first installment in a monthly series on good books about running and/or track & field.
Recently a display at a bookstore titled “101 Books to Read Before You Die” got me thinking about books dedicated to my burning passion, and I decided this was my new project. It’s deceptive; 101 books is a lot, and some of them are very hard to find. Let me just say I’ve gained an appreciation of America’s public library system; even the most obscure tomes became available to me at no charge through inter-library loan.
These books are presented in no particular order. Reference books are not included, nor are books mainly on coaching or training. So as important as Daniel’s Running Formula or Archie Hahn’s How To Sprint may be, they don’t belong here. These are books one would read for pleasure or inspiration, but not for instruction.
Here is the first group of ten titles. You may want to use this to start a Christmas list.
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Fred Lebow, NYC Marathon Documentary “Run for Your Life” To Be Screened Tonight in Philly
Posted October 25th, 2008 at 3:07 PM by Adam Jacobs
Section: News & Results, Marathons, Motivation, Movies, Columns, What To Watch
The critically-acclaimed documentary, “Run for Your Life: The Story of Fred Lebow and the New York City Marathon“, will screened tonight in Philadelphia, PA.
The documentary, which features rare footage, interviews with running legends and a killer soundtrack, was also shown earlier this year at the Running Film Festival in Eugene, Oregon and the Tribeca Film Festival in New York, NY.
It will be screened tonight as part of the US Sports Film Festival at 6pm in the Prince Music Theater (1412 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA). After the screening the audience will have the chance to speak with Emmy-nominated Director Judd Ehrlich during a Q&A and feedback session. For event info and ticket sales, please visit:
http://www.ussportsfilmfestival.com/run
Can’t make it tonight? No problem! The NYC Premiere and Theatrical Run begins this Wednesday, October 29th at the Village East Cinema (12th St. & 2nd Ave.)
In addition, the DVD Release (with nearly an hour of extras) from Universal Home Video & Screen Media Films will start on Tuesday, October 28th. To pre-order a copy, click here.
To watch the trailer, learn more about the film and/or purchase Fred Lebow t-shirts, go to: http://fredlebowmovie.com
Ryan Hall: Olympic Memories
(Elite Athlete Blog Entry 15)
Posted August 20th, 2008 at 12:52 PM by Ryan Hall
Section: News & Results, Marathons, Olympics, Elite Athlete Blogs, Ryan Hall
Welcome to the official blog of top U.S. distance runner Ryan Hall as he begins his quest for Olympic gold! Check back every other Friday for Ryan’s latest entry at http://ryanhall.thefinalsprint.com/
I have always dreamed about what the whole Olympic experience would be like. I have seen portrayals of the Olympics in many movies, the most memorable of which was “Cool Runnings,” but to experience it for myself has been both exciting and boring. I know that “boring” wouldn’t seem to be the adjective of choice when describing the Olympic experience, but the truth must be told that the Olympics is not all excitement, all the time for us athletes. I have been telling people that I want to go back to the Olympics sometime when I am not competing so I can get the full experience.
My journey started nearly two weeks ago when I left my hometown in Big Bear after an exciting send off party held in my honor where nearly two thousand people turned out to support me. Upon arriving in San Jose for team processing I was surprised to learn that I was the only athlete going through team processing that day. I had pretty much the whole staff waiting on me, which made a four hour process go by in a little under an hour. I was the last of the nearly six hundred US Olympians to pick up all my gear, which meant that I had to settle for some oversized items, such as some size 44″ cargo pants (I hope that I don’t fit into those anytime soon). Even though processing was pretty much empty it was still exciting to finally get the official USA gear. It was surreal to try on the opening ceremonies gear.
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Ryan Hall:
A Bad Case of the Mondays
(Elite Athlete Blog Entry 14)
Posted July 31st, 2008 at 12:26 PM by Ryan Hall
Section: News & Results, Marathons, Olympics, Elite Athlete Blogs, Ryan Hall
Welcome to the official blog of top U.S. distance runner Ryan Hall as he begins his quest for Olympic gold! Check back every other Friday for Ryan’s latest entry at http://ryanhall.thefinalsprint.com/
I could write a whole book on the lessons I have learned from marathon training. I feel like every time I build up for a marathon I get a whole life’s worth of wisdom from just three grueling months of training. These past couple of weeks has been filled with ups and downs. One day I will be doing a 13-mile tempo run feeling strong and filled with energy. The very next day I will be doing close to two hours of running (split between two runs) and feel like I couldn’t take on a recreational jogger. Deena has routinely been dropping me on my easy runs, but its OK, I can take it, she is a bronze medalist after all.
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Ryan Hall: Olympic Trials and Running Shoes [Part I & II]
(Elite Athlete Blog Entry 13)
Posted July 18th, 2008 at 12:00 PM by Ryan Hall
Section: News & Results, Marathons, Olympics, Elite Athlete Blogs, Ryan Hall
Welcome to the official blog of top U.S. distance runner Ryan Hall as he begins his quest for Olympic gold! Check back every other Friday for Ryan’s latest entry at http://ryanhall.thefinalsprint.com/
PART I
This past Tuesday I returned to Mammoth Lakes to put in my last hard month of altitude training after spending a week in Eugene to watch Sara compete in the Olympic Track and Field Trials. Watching the trials was one of the most emotional week-long experiences of my life. Watching some of my teammates and friends qualify for the Olympics kept me up late at night as a result of my excitement for them. However, my heart broke with my wife and some of my other teammates who failed to qualify. I could feel their pain as my own. I know all too well what it feels like to dream big, invest everything, and come up short. It is a risk we all take as athletes and when it all comes crashing down there is really very little one can say in the face of shattered dreams.
When I was a senior in high school I had a huge dream to run a sub-four minute mile. I can remember very clearly my last crack at it.
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Who had the more impressive Boston Marathon debut?
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Page 2 Articles
- Quote of the Day: 4/22/08
“I dont run to see how fast I am. I run to see how far I can go.”
- Loyal TFS Reader - Quote of the Day: 4/21/08
“It is the mind that rules the body.”
- Sojourner Truth - Quote of the Day: 4/20/08
“Some people create with words, or with music, or with a brush and paints. I like to make something beautiful when I run. I like to make people stop and say, “I’ve never seen anyone run like that before.” It’s more then just a race, it’s a style. It’s doing something better then anyone else. […]
- Quote of the Day: 4/19/08
“Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.”
- Steve Prefontaine - Quote of the Day: 4/18/08
“A man can fail many times, but he isn’t a failure until he begins to blame somebody else.”
- Steve Prefontaine - Quote of the Day: 3/23/08
“Don’t bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself.”
- William Faulkner - Quote of the Day: 3/22/08
“Over the years, I’ve given myself a thousand reasons to keep running, but it always comes back to where it started. It comes down to self-satisfaction and a sense of achievement.”
- Steve Prefontaine - Quote of the Day: 3/15/08
“The thing about Pre is that he ran as hard as he could every race, and if you were going to beat him, you were going to have to run harder than he did.”
- Bob Kennedy - Quote of the Day: 3/13/08
“It is a rough road that leads to the heights of greatness.”
- Seneca - Quote of the Day: 2/29/08
“Pain is only temporary,
Pride is forever,
Pain passes with time and Time passes,
therefore Pain is just a strain on the Brain without Refrain,
and that’s why Cross Country runners are Insane.”
- a t-shirt
The Final Sprint
On February 9, 2010
ko19ELLIE said:
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