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Lead Stories: Wednesday, December 3, 2008

U.S. Women Converge on Akron for 8-K Championship

Posted September 25th, 2008 at 8:45 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Road Racing

Nearly 30 American women have entered the U.S. Women’s 8-K Championship in Akron, Ohio, on Saturday, USA Track & Field reported today. A $23,500 prize money purse is on the line with $7,500 going to the winner.

The top contenders for the title include two-time national 10-K champion Katie McGregor, two-time Olympian Elva Dryer, reigning national 20-K champion Jill Steffens, two-time national 8-K champion Amy Rudolph, Olympic steeplechaser Lindsey Anderson, and former NCAA 10,000m champion Sara Slattery.
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Event Preview: USATF Junior Outdoor Track & Field Championships

Posted June 18th, 2008 at 10:25 AM by Jesse Squire

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, High School

The USATF Junior Championships will be held this coming Friday through Sunday in Columbus, Ohio in Jesse Owens Stadium on the campus of Ohio State University. On the line is a trip to July’s IAAF World Junior Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland. (No, I can’t pronounce that, either.) Yours truly, the Track & Field Superfan, will be on site for all three days.

The meet is open to all athletes who are teenagers for the entirety of the 2008 calendar year, and that means all high schoolers and many college freshmen. Unfortunately, USATF was caught in a scheduling bind–some of the biggest states (New York, Ohio and others) had late state championships, pushing Nike Outdoor Nationals a week later than usual, while the Olympic Trials caused the Junior championships to be held a week earlier, and the result is that the two meets are on the same weekend.
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Be True To Your School

Posted May 18th, 2008 at 11:30 AM by Jesse Squire

Section: News & Results, Cross Country, Track & Field, College

“I got a letterman’s sweater
With a letter in front
I got for football and track
I’m proud to wear it now
When I cruise around
The other parts of the town
I got a decal in back

So be true to your school now
Just like you would to your girl or guy
Be true to your school now
And let your colors fly
Be true to your school”

I did not go to a track meet this afternoon.

This is an unusual situation for me on a Saturday in May. There’s always a meet going on somewhere, and my previous blog wasn’t written under the name of “The Track & Field Superfan” for nothing. But this wasn’t just any Saturday, and not just any track meet that I didn’t attend.

I ran at Bowling Green State University in the early 90s, and while I wasn’t particularly good for a college runner I thoroughly enjoyed taking on the extreme physical challenge of training and competing in the NCAA’s highest division. I liked my experiences in Bowling Green so much, I remained in the town for fifteen years after graduation, only leaving six months ago when my wife’s career took us away. I bled burnt orange and seal brown.
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VIDEO: High Schooler Crawls to Cross Country Finish Line After Breaking Leg

Posted November 16th, 2007 at 10:00 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Cross Country, High School

A high schooler in Ohio, Claire Markwardt, sustained multiple broken bones in her leg in the final few meters of the Ohio State cross country meet two weeks ago. Not to let down her team, she crawled to the finish line.

Read the incredible story at ESPN.com and/or watch the video below.

WARNING: Please be advised that the video accompanying this story of Claire Markwardt’s fall might be unsettling for some viewers.

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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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Akron to host 2008 USA Women’s USA 8 km Championship

Posted September 27th, 2007 at 2:35 PM by Martha Jones

Section: News & Results

The women’s Long Distance Running Committee of USA Track & Field (USATF) has announced that Akron, Ohio, has been selected to host the 2008 USA Women’s 8 km Championship. The championship will be held as part of the Road Runner Akron Marathon next September and will be organized by the Akron Marathon Charitable Corporation.

Marking the return of the 8 km distance to the women’s USA Running Circuit (USARC) schedule for the first time since 2005, Akron, which has formerly played host to the North American Men’s Relay Championship (2003-’04), will host the event on September 27, 2008.

“The Leadership of the Akron Marathon Charitable Corporation is excited and honored to be awarded this opportunity to host the 2008 USA Women’s 8 km Championship race,” said Dave Hunter, spokesman for the Akron Marathon Charitable Corporation. “We look forward to working closely with USATF to stage an outstanding and competitive championship race for the elite athletes, the fans, USATF, and our community.”
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Cox Gets U.S. Olympic Trials Qualifying Time in Solo Run

Posted September 16th, 2007 at 12:39 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Olympics

Josh Cox qualified for this third USA Olympic Team Trials - Men’s Marathon today with a solo victory at the 11th United States Air Force Marathon at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio.

Cox, 32, clocked a course record 2:19:29 to finish more than 11 minutes ahead of runner-up, Chuck Engle. His performance was well under the “A” qualifying standard of 2:20:00 which will guarantee him an expenses-paid trip to the Trials in New York City on Nov. 3, just 49 days away.

At 24 Cox was one of the youngest qualifers for the 2000 Trials held in Pittsburgh. He finished 18th in 2:22:30. After that race he started to train under Italian marathon coach Dr. Gabriele Rosa in a special Fila program to discover marathon talent in the United States. The relationship appeared to pay off quickly when Cox ran a surprising 2:13:55 personal best at the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon in October, 2000.
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