TheFinalSprint.com | Premier Running Destination for Marathons, Track and Field, Race News, Podcasts, Training Advice and More! - TheFinalSprint.com is the Premier Running Destination for Marathons, Track and Field, Race News, Podcasts, Training Advice and More!

Lead Stories: Sunday, July 20, 2008

Autopsy: Enlarged Heart, Natural Causes Led to Tragic Death of Runner Ryan Shay

Posted March 18th, 2008 at 5:07 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Marathons, TFS News Briefs, Trail / Ultra

The following information was just released to the media and general public regarding the cause of death for Ryan Shay, 28, the U.S. distance runner who tragically collapsed and died during the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials on November 3, 2007:

“Cardiac arrhythmia due to cardiac hypertrophy with patchy fibrosis of undetermined etiology. Natural Causes.”

The release was made by Ellen Borakova, the Director of Public Affairs of the New York Chief Medical Examiner. The full report of findings from the official autopsy will be made available exclusively to Shay’s family.

Ryan’s father, Joe Shay, told the The New York Times that all of the toxicology reports came back negative and that the family would make a statement later in the day to address the report’s findings.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Alicia and the entire Shay family. May Ryan’s memory, kind soul, and endearing spirit live on forever in our hearts.

3 comments, add yours | Permalink

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).
Read the rest of this entry »

Comment on this post | Permalink

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.
Read the rest of this entry »

Comment on this post | Permalink

Shalane Flanagan Dominates Field at Women’s Invitational 8K

Posted March 15th, 2008 at 10:15 AM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results

At today’s Central Park Challenge in New York City, Shalane Flanagan continued her early season dominance and won the Women’s Invitational 8K in 25:40.

Katie McGregor finished second in 25:56 and Molly Huddle rounded out the top three (26:07).

Official Results (Top 10 Finishers):

1) Shalane Flanagan - 25:39.7
2) Katie McGrego - 25:55.7
3) Molly Huddle - 26:06.1
4) Amy Rudolph- 26:24.3
5) Carmen Douma-Hussar - 26:27.7
6) Erin Donohue - 26:28.0
7) Firehiwot Tesfaye - 26:31.9
8) Liliya Shobukhova - 26:33.6
9) Aziza Aliyu - 26:43.6
10) Julia Lucas - 26:45.2

Comment on this post | Permalink

Overcast Skies, Chance of Rain for U.S. 8k Champs in NYC

Posted March 15th, 2008 at 8:00 AM by Martin Kennedy

Section: News & Results

Weather.com is forecasting cloudy skies, temperatures around 43 degrees Fahrenheit, and 15mph winds for this morning’s 9am start time of the Central Park Challenge in New York City.

Hosted by the New York Road Runners (NYRR’s), the event includes the U.S. Men’s 8k Championship and a separate Invitational Women’s Race.

The top entrants in the men’s national championship are Alan Webb, who will be making his season debut, Jorge Torres, James Carney, Andrew Carlson, and Fasil Bizuneh. Shalane Flanagan comes in as the favorite for the women’s contest, but will face challenges from notables such as Team USA Minnesota’s Katie McGregor and Carrie Tollefson.

A total prize purse of $70,000 will be on the line, with $10,000 going to each race winner.

Comment on this post | Permalink

Over 300,000 Entered
NYRR Races Last Year

Posted January 16th, 2008 at 9:18 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

The New York Road Runners are celebrating their 50th anniversary this year, and the group of about 40 runners who founded the organization dedicated to improving the world through running and walking back in 1958 could never have imagined how it would have grown. The nonprofit NYRR now has 45,000 members, and last year 309,003 runners signed up for their year-round calendar of 62 events. 230,702 athletes of all ages and abilities finished their races.

By far their biggest event was the ING New York City Marathon. Over 100,000 runners requested entry, but only about half that number were accepted through a system of lotteries, guaranteed entries based on performance and participation in other NYRR races, charity groups, and international tour groups. Through the normal process of attrition, entries dwindled to around 40,000 by race week, and 38,607 actually finished the 42.195 km event from Staten Island to Manhattan. That made it the largest standard marathon in history.
Read the rest of this entry »

3 comments, add yours | Permalink

Ethiopians, BAA, Shoe4Africa Win Big at Mayor’s Cup Cross Country Races in Boston, MA

Posted October 29th, 2007 at 8:59 AM by Allyson Rosen

Section: News & Results, Cross Country

Blustery winds, blue skies, and temperatures in the lower 50s created the quintessential New England cross country backdrop for the 782 finishers in Sunday’s Mayor’s Cup Cross Country Races, presented by adidas and the Boston Athletic Association, and directed by USA Track & Field (New England Association) and the Boston Parks and Recreation Department in conjunction with Boston Centers for Youth and Families.

Westchester (New York) Track Club repeated its feat from last year, sending both the male and female champions to the winner’s circle, and Aziza Ayilu – an Ethiopian residing in the Bronx – became the first female to win back-to-back since the legendary Lynn Jennings successfully defended her title in 1994-’95.
Read the rest of this entry »

Comment on this post | Permalink

Video: Preview the Highly-Anticipated Third Season of chasingKIMbia

Posted September 20th, 2007 at 6:30 AM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Olympics

40K at Magnolia. Ugali and Chicken. Table Mountain. CNN and Fox News. Trips to Wal*Mart. Yep, it’s that time of year again. Welcome to Season Three of chasingKIMBIA; a video blogumentary detailing the lifestyle and training of some of the world’s best marathoners.

The Chicago and New York City Marathons are fast approaching, and the athletes have been getting fast. Season Three kicks off next Monday from Boulder. You’ll meet some new athletes this season, like Christopher Cheboiboch, who has a PR of 2:08 and has finished second in both New York and Boston. You’ll also see some old faces, like Baba (New York) and James Koskei (Chicago).

But the biggest change this year will be the addition of an American to the group. Fasil Bizuneh is an up-and-coming American marathoner. His half-marathon PR of 1:02:20 came in the US Championships where he finished second to Ryan Hall, and ahead of Olympic silver medalist Meb Keflezighi and he’s been training with the guys in Boulder since the end of August in preparation for the November 3rd US Olympic Marathon Trials in NYC.

Play the video trailer below for a sneak-peak of chasingKIMBIA’s highly-anticipated third season!

Click To Play

Read the rest of this entry »

Comment on this post | Permalink

NYC Half-Marathon releases elite fields; NYRR once again draws world’s best

Posted August 1st, 2007 at 4:33 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

The New York Road Runners released the elite fields for Sunday’s second annual NYC Half-Marathon presented by NIKE. NOTE: TheFinalSprint.com will feature videos of every pre- and post-race press conference, one-on-one video & audio interviews with top elites, and of course, LIVE coverage of the race itself!)

Led by two-time Olympic gold medalist, Haile Gebrselassie, the men’s field has three athletes who have broken one hour for the half-marathon distance, and a total of 11 men who have run 62:23 or better.

Catherine Ndereba, the 2003 world marathon champion who won the inaugural NYC Half-Marathon last year, headlines the women’s field. She’s just one of seven women who have broken the 71 minute barrier (three have run sub-70 minutes).

Former world marathon record holder, Khalid Khannouchi, was forced to withdraw from the race citing a mechanical problem in his stride which had been causing a burning sensation in the ball of his right foot, race officials reported. He and wife Sandra have flown to Barcelona to see an orthodics specialist.
Read the rest of this entry »

Comment on this post | Permalink

Death of young runner linked to over-use of muscle creams

Posted June 12th, 2007 at 1:01 PM by Courtney Albon

Section: News & Results, Gear & Apparel, Track & Field, Sports Medicine

The sudden death of 17-year-old Arielle Newman, a cross country runner at Notre Dame High School in Staten Island New York, has been linked to a chemical contained in common muscle creams such as Ben Gay and Icy Hot.

Doctors said that the award-winning cross country runner died from absorbing too large an amount of methyl salicylate, an anti-inflammatory found in muscles creams that many athletes use to reduce pain before and after an event.

The medical examiner claimed that the level of Methyl salicylate found in Newman’s body at the time of death was six times the safe amount. Because Newman was running, her body absorbed the chemical at a faster rate.
Read the rest of this entry »

Comment on this post | Permalink