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Lead Stories: Wednesday, December 3, 2008

World Marathon Majors Fall Season Set Open in Berlin

Posted September 17th, 2008 at 9:02 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

With the Olympic Games results now in the books, the World Marathon Majors is set to open the Fall season at the real,-BERLIN-MARATHON on Sunday, September 28. Six athletes are still in the running for a half share of the $1,000,000 annual prize.

On the men’s side, Kenyans Martin Lel and Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot are the last two athletes in contention for the 2007/2008 title. Lel has 76 points to Cheruiyot’s 55. Lel has already scored in four events (the maximum number allowed in a two-year scoring period). Should he choose to race again, Lel could still improve his score by improving upon his 5th-place finish in the Olympic Games because an athlete may have his best four results count. For Cheruiyot to defend his championship he will first have to recover from the injury which forced him to withdraw from the Olympics. Then, only a victory –coupled with Lel failing to add to his lead– would give Cheruiyot the title.
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Sunday’s Weather Forecast for New York City Marathon

Posted November 3rd, 2007 at 6:28 PM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Conditions: Mostly Sunny
High: 59°F
Precipitation: 0%
Wind: WNW 15 mph
Max. Humidity: 54%
UV Index: 3 Moderate
Sunrise: 6:29 AM ET
Avg. High: 58°F
Record High: 78°F (1975)

While these aren’t ideal conditions for a marathon (which would be 47-49°F, overcast, no wind, slight drizzle) they are certainly more than adequate for a good race tomorrow.

To see the complete forecast for tomorrow’s race: [The Weather Channel]

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A Cornucopia of Running News

Posted November 2nd, 2007 at 7:30 PM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Marathons

It’s a great weekend to be a running fan, what with the U.S. Olympic Trials Men’s Marathon and the ING New York City Marathon both taking place. The media has noticed, too, because there is a cornucopia of news coverage and blogging about both events that are taking place in the Big Apple (no pun intended).

U.S. Olympic Trials Men’s Marathon
News | Blogs

ING New York City Marathon
News | Blogs

Sources: [Google News][Google Blog Search]

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A Textbook Marathon

Posted November 1st, 2007 at 5:00 PM by J. R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Marathons

To protest the high cost of college textbooks, Andre Ditto, a 47-year-old vegan personal trainer, plans to complete the ING New York City Marathon on November 4 carrying a backpack loaded with textbooks equivalent in weight to 16 bricks. In return, CaféScribe, a web site that promotes electronic textbooks, will pay for a year’s worth of textbooks for Ditto’s daughter, a biology major at Howard University.

Most people consider the marathon, at 26.2 miles, to be the ultimate test of endurance. Of the 38,000 runners who compete in the ING New York Marathon on Nov. 4, the majority will be happy just to finish.

But for NYC native Andre Ditto — a 47-year-old vegan personal trainer — 26.2 miles by itself just wasn’t hard enough. He plans to complete the race wearing a backpack loaded with 30 lbs. of books (The equivalent of a backpack loaded with nearly 16 bricks!). In return he has persuaded a web site that sells e-textbooks, CaféScribe to pay for a year’s worth of textbooks for his daughter, Blaize Buckley, a biology major at Howard University. A year of textbooks can cost students $1,000 or more, and textbook prices have risen at twice the rate of inflation.
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New York City Marathon 07:
Elite Men’s Preview

Posted November 1st, 2007 at 2:15 PM by Jared Markowitz

Section: News & Results, Marathons

The men’s race at the 2007 ING New York Marathon will be a battle between several major marathon champions hoping to emerge triumphant in the Big Apple. The competitors will traverse a course with three major hills and overall rolling terrain in front of one of the largest spectator groups in sports. The weather for the event is supposed to be cool and dry, further adding to the possibility of another classic New York finish.

Leading the way on the men’s side will be 2006 New York champion Marilson Gomes dos Santos (BRA), who won last year’s race with a tactically brilliant move in the 18th mile. None of the better known competitors covered Santos’ surge, choosing to wait until later to reel him in. This never happened and Santos ran unchallenged to the finish, winning in 2:09:58.
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New York City Marathon 07:
Elite Women’s Preview

Posted November 1st, 2007 at 1:00 PM by Jared Markowitz

Section: News & Results, Marathons

The women’s race at the 2007 ING New York Marathon can best be described as a clash of the titans. Arguably the strongest women’s field ever assembled for this race, this contest should not be short on drama, especially with the inaugural World Marathon Majors Championship still in doubt.

The battle for the first World Marathon Majors title has been narrowed to two runners, Latvia’s Jelena Prokopcuka and Ethiopia’s Gete Wami. Prokopcuka is looking to win her third straight New York Marathon, but only boasts a 2:22.56 PB (Osaka WC, 2003). Wami, on the other hand, has a PB of 2:21:34 and has won the Berlin Marathon twice. Wami has defied conventional marathon wisdom by even attempting this race; her most recent victory at Berlin came only five weeks before New York. Can she maintain her peak to become the World Marathon Majors champion or will Jelena Prokopcuka’s Big Apple dominance be too much to overcome?

Complicating matters for Prokopcuka and Wami will be the world’s two fastest women’s marathoners- Britain’s Paula Radcliffe and Kenya’s Catherine Ndereba.
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