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Lead Stories: Saturday, May 17, 2008

TFS Podcast 140: Brian Sell Looks to 25k Title Defense for Barometer of Olympic Fitness

Posted May 9th, 2008 at 6:00 PM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Olympics, Special Features, Interviews, Podcasts, Road Racing

Today on Episode 140 of TheFinalSprint.com Running Podcast, I had an opportunity to chat with Brian Sell, the third place finisher in the US Olympic Trials Men’s Marathon who, along with Ryan Hall and Dathan Ritzenhein, will represent Team USA at the Olympic Marathon in Beijing.

Brian talks about the adjustments he has had to make after turning 30-yrs old in April, future plans for his running career - including what he hopes will be continued success in the marathon, why that is his ideal distance, the importance of not dwelling on his qualifying performance at the Trials, and how the conditions in Beijing ‐ especially the heat and humidity ‐ are going to affect his training and racing.

Download the podcast to hear Brian discuss these topics, as well as, competing on Saturday for his third title and trying to gauge the progress of his Olympic preparations at the USA 25k Championships, his teammates at the Hanson-Brooks Distance Project, his hobbies, advice for young runners and much more!

TO DOWNLOAD: Right click here and select “Save As”

Host: Jimmie Markham | Guest: Brian Sell
Producers: Greg Cherniet, Adam Jacobs
Music: Ryan Ahlwardt & Darnell Perkins
File size: 19.5 MB | Length: 00:28:25

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Jon Rankin:
Somewhere Only We Know
(Elite Athlete Blog - Entry #11)

Posted May 1st, 2008 at 10:30 AM by Jon Rankin

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Olympics, Elite Athlete Blogs, Jon Rankin

Welcome to the official blog of rising U.S. track & field star Jon Rankin; the inaugural member of The Final Sprint’s Elite Athlete Blog Series. Be sure to check back every other Wednesday for Jon’s latest entry at http://jonrankin.thefinalsprint.com/

It’s the end of April and the weather here in San Diego is getting hotter and hotter. I’m grateful for the warm weather, but boy, anything over 90 degrees makes things a little tough for training. However, as hot as it has been I do believe that it must be a blessing in disguise because I’ve been told that the weather in Beijing, China is particularly warm . . . Well, all of the athletes living here at the ARCO Olympic Training Center here in Chula Vista, California are adjusting and making the most of everyday no matter the weather conditions.

I’ve actually been on the opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to weather conditions. For nearly eight days a small group of track and field athletes from the Chula Vista ARCO Olympic Training Center travelled to Eugene, Oregon for a sneak peek at the Olympic Trials venue at Hayward field on the University of Oregon campus.
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Kate O’Neill: Make Way for Ducklings and Runners
(Elite Athlete Blog - Entry #7)

Posted April 22nd, 2008 at 1:22 PM by Kate O'Neill

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Elite Athlete Blogs, Kate O'Neill

Hi, this is my blog in TFS’s Elite Athlete Blog Series. Bookmark kateoneill.thefinalsprint.com and check back every other Monday for my latest entry as I strive for the 2008 Summer Olympics!

For the first time in my life, I dropped out of a race yesterday. I had been eagerly anticipating the Women’s Olympic Marathon Trials since October 8th. That was the day after the Chicago Marathon. For the first 24 hours after the race, I was too exhausted to even contemplate running another marathon, but once I had had a full day to recover, I began dreaming of the possibilities and felt eager to test myself over the 26.2 mile distance again. The thought of racing at the Trials in my hometown in front of my family and friends made me even more excited. I struggled for the first few months of training after Chicago, but by Christmas time training was on an upswing and I could see improvements every week.
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Nick Symmonds: Teammates
(Elite Athlete Blog - Entry #11)

Posted April 22nd, 2008 at 12:45 PM by Nick Symmonds

Section: Elite Athlete Blogs, Nick Symmonds

Welcome to the official blog of elite American middle-distance runner Nick Symmonds. Be sure to check every other Monday at http://nicksymmonds.thefinalsprint.com/ for Nick’s latest entry! For more information about Nick, also please visit: www.nicksymmonds.com

Most mornings I wake up excited at the physical challenges I have planned for me that day. Whether it is an intense set of 200s, a grueling day of mile repeats, or just an easy jog followed by some lifting, I usually roll of out of bed anxious to start my workout. Today however, I woke up and was literally dreading my morning session. On the schedule I had a 5 mile tempo run averaging 5:05 pace. As an 800 meter runner this is a difficult workout, but I’m usually able to key off my teammates and literally let them drag me down the marked bike path that runs along the Willamette River. Today however, I did not have the pleasure of working out with any of them and was left tackle this 5 mile monster by myself.

I am part of a very unique training group here in Eugene, Oregon; there is no other running team in the United States as talented or as deep as the Oregon Track Club Elite. It is a group that has been carefully selected by the great coaching minds of Frank Gagliano and Vin Lananna as well as the higher ups at Nike. We have guys who have run 45 seconds for 400 meters, guys who can run well under 13:30 for 5000m and guy who can race the lights out of any distance in between. It is an honor to be part of this group and sometimes I forget just how important my teammates are to me and how much more difficult and less enjoyable my life would be without them.
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Negative and Even Splitters in Olympic Trials Marathon Deserve “Runner Know Thyself” Award

Posted April 21st, 2008 at 5:00 PM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Marathons, SoundOFF, Columns

Of the 124 women who finished the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials Women’s Marathon, only 4 had negative splits. The most notable one, of course, was Deena Kastor who ran the second half of her race 2.28% faster than the first half. The other three were Megan Hepp (-0.48%), Casey Smith (-0.24%) and third place finisher Blake Russell (-0.22%). Since two of the three women who made the Olympic team had negative splits, this would seem to be the wisest strategy to have had going into the race. Another twenty women, including the now-famous trail blazer Magdalena Lewy Boulet (+0.70%), ran “even” splits, meaning the 2nd half was no more than 1% slower than the first half. The incomparable Joan Samuelson ran her 2nd half just 0.63% slower than her first half.
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The Fan’s Perspective on the USA Olympic Women’s Trials Marathon

Posted April 20th, 2008 at 6:15 PM by Jesse Squire

Section: News & Results, Marathons, SoundOFF, Columns

I’m a new contributor to The Final Sprint. Most of my writing has been at my blog under the moniker of “The Track & Field Superfan”, and that’s the perspective I’ll bring to TFS Media Network. So here are my thoughts on this morning’s Trials race…

#1. Put It On (Live) TV

I’m part of a relatively narrow age group that always saw marathons on TV. Not just the races in the Olympics and the Olympic Trials, but also ABC’s annual live coverage of the New York City race. I’d have to say it had a great influence on who I became; seeing thousands of people run through the streets of New York made distance running seem right at home in the gritty urban environment where I grew up. And for years, whenever it was a cool rainy day and I was running in the local city park, I imagined I was Rod Dixon chasing down Greg Meyer. In fact, I have to admit I still do that.

There are thousands of young American girls who could have been inspired by today’s race, and likewise pretended to be Deena Kastor chasing down an imaginary Magdalena Lewy-Boulet…if only they had seen it on television.
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With Comeback Run, Kastor Wins Olympic Trials Marathon

Posted April 20th, 2008 at 12:08 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Keeping her cool after Magdalena Lewy-Boulet had built up a one minute and 56 second lead through the 14th mile, Olympic bronze medalist Deena Kastor zipped through the second half to win today’s USA Olympic Team Trials - Women’s Marathon in 2:29:35. For Kastor it was her third Olympic team berth and her second as a marthoner.

“It was a tough race,” Kastor told NBC Sports’ Ed Eyestone after the race. “I was panicking out there.”

Kastor’s panic was caused by Lewy-Boulet’s brave front run which began right from the Boyleston Street starting line in Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood. Although Lewy-Boulet was not running particularly fast, around a 2:30 marathon finish time, the pack did not chase her. By the 14th mile, her lead had fattened to nearly two minutes.
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Kastor Powers Away From Lewy-Boulet and Wins the US Women’s Olympic Trials Marathon

Posted April 20th, 2008 at 10:33 AM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Marathons

With less than 6 miles to go in the 2008 USA Women’s Olympic Marathon Trials, Magdalena Lewy-Boulet couldn’t have any way of knowing this, but Deena Kastor was trying to reel her in. She was now only 70 seconds back. This certainly wasn’t her plan going into the race, but Lewy-Boulet hadn’t left her any options. She had taken the race from the gun and had opened up a gap of almost 2-minutes. Lewy-Boulet had just run a 5:57 mile and was laboring a little. Blake Russell’s form looked a little forced back in third place. She still had several seconds on Desiree Davila. Kastor was 55 seconds ahead of Russell in 2nd place.

At 21 miles, Kastor was only 1:03 behind Lewy-Boulet. Had Lewy-Boulet done enough work to hold off Kastor for the last 5 miles? The lead was now down to 40 seconds. Blake Russell had kept Davila at bay and had now opened her gap on Davila. Lewy-Boulet’s last mile was 5:54. With 3 1/2 miles to go, she was now in danger of being caught by Kastor.

Lewy-Boulet was willing herself on, but she was obviously hurting. Kastor was powering along, looking smooth, steadily eating away at Lewy-Boulet’s lead. She was closing the gap at faster than 20 seconds per mile. It was now just a matter of time before Kastor passed her.
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Kastor Tries To Bridge The Gap on Lewy-Boulet

Posted April 20th, 2008 at 9:33 AM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Marathons

In the 2008 USA Women’s Olympic Marathon Trials, the race was now for third place. Magdalena Lewy-Boulet had a 1:47 lead over Deena Kastor, who had closed the gap a bit. Blake Russell, who finished a heartbreaking 4th at the 2004 trials, was neck and neck with Mary Akor. Suddenly, Russell began to pull away from Akor and soon opened up a gap of 50 yards.

Kastor had a 7-second lead on Russell. Up front, Lewy-Boulet reeled off another mile in 5:38 and her form was still looking good. The Olympic team seemed to have chosen itself at this point. Lewy-Boulet had taken the lead from the gun and was way up front, 1:43 ahead of Kastor. Kastor had a 10-second lead on Russell. Desiree Davila passed Akor for 4th. Akor seemed to be done.
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Lewy-Boulet Maintains Huge Lead, Kastor Breaks Away From Pack

Posted April 20th, 2008 at 9:03 AM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Ten miles into the 2008 USA Women’s Olympic Marathon Trials in Boston, the temperature was now 51°F. Magdalena Lewy-Boulet had just passed the hairpin turn again, so she was able get a good look at the trail pack. She looked down at her watch to check her time, maybe in disbelief that she had a minute and a half on Deena Kastor and was in first place, on pace for a 2:29:38 marathon.

Through 11 miles, which was passed in 1:02:46 (2:29:36 marathon pace) Lewy-Boulet had increased her gap to 1:40. She was on her way to a $50,000 pay day, which is the prize for the winner of the 2008 USA Women’s Olympic Marathon Trials. In addition, she would get a $10,000 stipend from the USOC to travel to Beijing. That, of course, was her primary goal and she was well on her way and having the race of her life. She has run her last mile in 5:32, on pace to a 2:29:14 marathon.
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