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Lead Stories: Sunday, September 7, 2008

Josh Cox: Ad Finem
(Elite Athlete Blog - Entry #3)

Posted February 26th, 2008 at 12:15 PM by Josh Cox

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Motivation, Track & Field, Famous Quotes, Elite Athlete Blogs, Josh Cox

Welcome to the official blog of U.S. marathon runner Josh Cox.
Check back every other Wednesday for his latest entry and for more information about Cox, also please visit: www.joshcox.com

In ‘97 Cox ran and won a 50-mile ultra, in ’99 he ran his first marathon making him the youngest Trials qualifier. The following year he clocked 2:13, which opened the door for him to train with the world’s best in Kenya. Cox has tried his hand at Reality TV, been all over magazine covers and is a fixture in the sport.

Ad Finem – The Dream Carcass

Ad Finem – Latin: To the end/towards the end (of a page, a chapter, or a three-part, Latin-laced blog at TheFinalSprint.com)

The heights by great men reached and kept,
Were not attained by sudden flight.
But they, while their companions slept,
Were toiling upward in the night.

— Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

“Well, I wake in the morning,
Fold my hands and pray for rain.
I got a head full of ideas
That are drivin’ me insane.
It’s a shame the way she makes me scrub the floor.
I ain’t gonna work on Maggie’s farm no more.”

— “Maggie’s Farm” by Bob Dylan

“Don’t you let it all pass you by
Looking through life’s window pane
Don’t you sit around wasting time
That would be a crying shame

There’s a power that’s deep inside
And it burns just like a flame
Just believe and you’ll see that God
Will shower you like pouring rain

If you want it
You can change your world today
If you want it
Just break free and walk away”

— “If You Want It” by Lenny Kravitz

It’s closing time. Clear the dance floor and move toward the exits. Club Latin is shutting down. The night was fun, the music was great but everything with a beginning has an end. Temet Nosce, Carpe Diem . . . Ad Finem. The music has stopped, the lights are on, but as the bouncers usher you out I hand you a promoter’s card—don’t worry, it’s nothing scandalous, I’m like Kix®, kid-tested and mother approved. Well, most mothers . . .
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Team Running USA Athletes Shine in 2007

Posted December 15th, 2007 at 11:00 AM by J. R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Olympics

Led by Ryan Hall’s sub-one hour half-marathon in Houston, U.S. marathon debut record at London and Olympic Marathon Trials triumph in Central Park, Team Running USA athletes again distinguished themselves with world class performances, multiple national titles and U.S. records and USA Running Circuit Grand Prix titles.

“Since 2001, Team Running USA athletes have performed well nationally and internationally, and this year was no exception. Ryan Hall, of course, had an exciting, historic year, while Deena Kastor added 5 more national titles and two U.S. records, fellow Olympic medalist Meb Keflezighi took on Kenya’s best road racers this summer and Kate O’Neill had a wonderful marathon debut for third in the heat at Chicago,” said Basil Honikman, CEO of Running USA.
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TFS News Briefs: 12/06/07

Posted December 6th, 2007 at 2:23 PM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Cross Country, Track & Field, Olympics, Drugs In Sports, TFS News Briefs, Trail / Ultra, Masters

8 Athletes From Keene State Test Positive, Track Coach Not Surprised
According to the Keene State College website, 8 athletes tested positive for marijuana in a recent random test of 20 athletes, neither the athletes names nor their sport was revealed. The Keene State College track and cross-country head coach Peter Thomas said, “I was a college student. I’m not surprised.” Read more at: [KSC The Equinox (subscription), NH]

X-Man Arrested for “resisting arrest without violence”
Xavier “X-Man” Carter, in Gainesville, FL training for the Beijing Olympics, was arrested after he ran from police who were approaching him and two companions. The other two men had been involved in an incident at a Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwich Shop. According to this article, Carter’s attorney said he was confident his client wouldn’t face charges. Perhaps Carter was doing some sprint training at the time. Read more at: [Orlando Sentinel][TheTownTalk.com]

Ryan Hall Profiled on USA Today
USA Today features a profile of Ryan Hall, America’s current marathon King. Ryan is quoted in the article as saying, “”I know I can run considerably faster. There’s definitely more gears in there. I’ll get to test those in Beijing.” Read more at: [USA Today]

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Standards Tightened For Olympic Trials Marathon

Posted December 1st, 2007 at 11:00 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Olympics

On the heels of a very successful USA Olympic Team Trials - Men’s Marathon in New York City on Nov. 3, the USATF Men’s Long Distance Running (LDR) Committee voted today to tighten significantly the qualifying standards for the 2012 Trials.

Under the new scheme approved by delegates today, there will no longer be separate “A” and “B” qualifying standards where “A” qualifiers have their travel, lodging and meal expenses paid by the event, and “B” qualifiers do not. Instead, athletes achieving any of the following performances in the marathon, half-marathon or 10,000m in a still to be determined qualifying period will simply be labeled “qualifiers,” all of whom will have their expenses paid:

Marathon: 2:19:00
Half-Marathon: 1:05:00
10,000m: 28:30
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TFS News Briefs: 11/09/07

Posted November 9th, 2007 at 12:20 PM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Cross Country, Track & Field, Olympics, TFS News Briefs

Australian Marathoner Emphasizes Severity of Conditions in Beijing
Australian marathoner Lee Troop, who qualified for his third Olympic Marathon on the strength of his 6th place performance of 2:10:31 at the Berlin Marathon, is contemplating the severity of the conditions he will be facing in Beijing, saying that, “It’s going to be very hard to replicate the exact conditions of Beijing because the conditions over there are going to be so oppressive with the heat, humidity and smog.” Read more at: [Geelong Advertiser, Australia]

Meb Keflezighi Still In Shock Over Death of Friend Ryan Shay
Meb Keflezighi, who was friend and training partner to Ryan Shay for more than 7 years, is still shocked by his friend’s death, saying, “One minute we’re trying to get ready for the Olympic Trials. I’m sitting with him on the bus. We’re talking, then he’s no longer with us. It’s unbelievable, hard to imagine.” Read more at: [San Diego Union Tribune]

China Downplaying Their Possible Beijing Medal Count
Cui Dalin, Vice President of the Chinese Olympic Committee, seeking to relieve some of the pressure on Chinese athletes, said in a recent press briefing, “We have never said that we wanted to take the first position of the gold medal table.”
Read more at: [Xinhua, China]
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Olympic Marathon Trials ‘07:
The Race Has Begun!

Posted November 3rd, 2007 at 7:35 AM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results

The U.S. Olympic Trials Men’s Marathon has begun! The weather at race time:

46°F
Cloudy
Wind: NE at 12 mph
Humidity: 61%

Event Coverage 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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Team Tactics To Decide Olympic Marathon Team?

Posted November 2nd, 2007 at 8:45 PM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Interesting article in The Detroit News today about the Hansons-Brooks Distance Project, whose team members will make up about 10% of the U.S. Olympic Trials Men’s Marathon field tomorrow. This elite running team from Michigan was created with some lofty goals in mind:

1. Create an opportunity for successful college athletes to continue training beyond their college years.
2. Provide an environment in which training can be the focus of those post-collegiate athletes (without the financial necessity of working full time or chasing after money in road races).
3. Develop a center for those athletes to train together as a team.
4. Incorporate the team members in local community activities to foster an excitement in the sport of distance running, and motivate future distance runners.
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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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Could Tomorrow’s Trials Be The Slowest Race Ever?

Posted November 2nd, 2007 at 6:30 PM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Here’s a look at the U.S. Olympic Trials Men’s Marathon winners since 1968 when a single race determined the composition of the U.S. Olympic Team. The list is sorted from the slowest winning time (George Young’s 2:30:48 at altitude in 1968 in preparation for Mexico City’s altitude) to the fastest winning time (Tony Sandoval’s 2:10:19 in 1980). Tomorrow’s wicked weather (rain with wind speeds of 25 to 35 MPH and gusts of up to 45 MPH) could play a key role in making it the slowest marathon in nearly 40 years:

1968 George Young 2:30:48 Alamosa, CO 08/18/68 (altitude)
1971 Kenny Moore 2:16:49 Eugene, OR 06/06/71
2000 Rod DeHaven 2:15:30 Pittsburgh, PA 05/07/00
1996 Bob Kempainen 2:12:45 Charlotte, NC 02/17/96
1992 Steve Spence 2:12:43 Columbus, OH 04/11/92
1988 Mark Conover 2:12:26 Jersey City, NJ 04/24/88
1976 Frank Shorter 2:11:51 Eugene, OR 05/22/76
1984 Pete Pfitzinger 2:11:43 Buffalo, NY 05/26/84
2004 Alan Culpepper 2:11:42 Birmingham, AL 02/07/04
1980 Tony Sandoval 2:10:19 Buffalo, NY 03/24/80

Source: [Runner’s World]

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Mother Nature Imposes Upon NY Marathon Weekend

Posted November 2nd, 2007 at 5:25 PM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Here is the weather forecast for New York for this weekend, which threatens to put a damper on the U.S. Olympic Trials Men’s Marathon. Pay particular attention to the expected wind strength on Saturday (25-35 MPH with gusts up to 45 MPH). Sorry about the all-caps thing. That’s how our government does things:

TODAY
SUNNY. HIGHS IN THE UPPER 50S. NORTHEAST WINDS 10 TO 15 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 25 MPH.

TONIGHT
MOSTLY CLEAR IN THE EVENING…THEN MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A SLIGHT CHANCE OF RAIN AFTER MIDNIGHT. BREEZY WITH LOWS IN THE LOWER 40S. NORTHEAST WINDS 10 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 30 MPH…INCREASING TO 20 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH LATE. CHANCE OF RAIN 30 PERCENT.

SATURDAY
PARTLY SUNNY. A CHANCE OF RAIN IN THE MORNING…THEN A SLIGHT CHANCE OF RAIN IN THE AFTERNOON. VERY WINDY WITH HIGHS IN THE LOWER 50S. NORTH WINDS 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH. CHANCE OF RAIN 30 PERCENT.
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