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Team USA departs for Chiba, Japan today for the 2007 Chiba International Ekiden, to be held this Friday, November 23. In addition to Team USA, the marathon relay will feature teams from Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, France and Great Britain.
Ed Moran (Williamsburg, Va.); Ryan Sheehan (Rochester Hills, Mich.) and Josh Moen (Waterloo, Iowa), all members of last year’s third-place men’s team, along with 2006 women’s team-member Desiree Davila (Rochester Hills, Mich.) will return to Chiba to lead Team USA’s combined team.
Other members of the 2007 squad include Melissa White (Rochester Hills, Mich.); Stephanie Rothstein (Eugene, Ore.); Casey Owens (Des Moines, Iowa); and Scott Bauhs (Danville, Calif.). Read the rest of this entry »
People Burning Fat Productions has announced its latest relay run, the American Odyssey Relay Run Adventure, which will occur in the Washington D.C. area. The approximately 200-mile course will traverse Civil War battlefields and other historic locations. The event kicks off in Gettysburg, Pa. before weaving through Maryland and finishing near the Mall in Washington, D.C.
“Like our other relays, the American Odyssey will be a first-class destination event that attracts visitors from around the country and the world,” said Eric Lerude, president of People Burning Fat Productions. “This is our most ambitious effort to date, with an extraordinarily scenic course that showcases many attractions and historical points of interest.”
Read the rest of this entry at our partner site: TrailFit.com
World Outdoor silver medalist Brad Walker (Mountlake Terrace, Wash.) competes in the men’s pole vault and Team USA’s 4×100m relays go for the medal podium in Saturday competition at the 2007 IAAF World Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Nagai Stadium.
Competition in the men’s decathlon comes to a close, with 2003 World Outdoor Champion Tom Pappas (Knoxville, Tenn.) in fifth place after Day 1. American record holder Shalane Flanagan (Pittsboro, N.C.) [Pictured] and two-time Olympian Jen Rhines (Mammoth Lakes, Calif.) contest the women’s 5,000m final, and Kevin Eastler (Aurora, Colo.) opens the day by competing in the men’s 50 km race walk.
In addition to the sprint relay finals, the men’s and women’s 4×400m relays compete in first-round action.
The following race recap was written by endurance “joggler” Perry Romanowski; a unique and talented athlete who successfully juggles while running marathons and other long-distance events at competitive paces. For more information about Perry, “joggling”, and/or to support his current charity venture, please visit: JustYourAverageJoggler.com.
The Great Midwest Relay (GMR) is a two-day race featuring a 190-mile trek from Madison, WI through Milwaukee, WI to Chicago, IL. 2007 marked the third annual running of this team event which is the longest distance race of its kind in the Midwest. Relay teams of 6-12 people run 36-continuous segments along bike paths, wooded trials and streets following red arrows the entire way. Some of the proceeds from GMR are donated to the Special Olympics and runners of all skill levels are encouraged to participate.
This year, 120 teams started and 115 teams finished. The winning time was a blazing 19:55, but the average finishing time was just around 27 hours. It was the first year I participated, so this review is presented from the vantage of a newbie. Overall, it was an enjoyable experience. A few minor issues with the event organization were unfortunate but in the end, I’d recommend you try it if you have an inclination for team fitness events.
Read the rest of the recap at our partner site: TrailFit.com
The Blue Planet Run will cover 15,200 miles, across 16 countries and 4 continents, 24 hours a day for 95 days to deliver an extremely urgent and important message:
We can and must begin today to alleviate the catastrophic burden placed on over a billion people who, every day, must drink unsafe local water, or travel long distances on foot to search for safe water for themselves and their families.
Starting in New York City on June 1, 2007, a team of “20 ordinary male and female athletes doing extraordinary things” will run around the clock along a route that includes the U.S., Ireland, the U.K., France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Poland, Belarus, Russia, Mongolia, China, Japan and Canada. Each runner will sprint 10 miles a day. Batons will be passed at over 1,500 exchange points. The Run will end back in New York City, on September 4, 2007. Each exchange point and heartfelt moment will be captured in the media, fueled by well-organized events in major cities and an international PR campaign. The event will spare no expense to be Earth- and people -friendly. We imagine an event that comes to be known as “The Race without a Trace.” We are committed to partnering with corporations that have similar beliefs and goals.
Recently I participated in Relay Del Sol, an overnight team relay race that traverses nearly 190 miles through central Arizona. As if running and managing team logistics isn’t exhausting enough, I decided to punish myself even further by acting as a vendor and selling souvenirs all day at the finish line. That meant that while other participants had the privilege to go home, take a shower, and dive into the realm of slumber, I had to remain in the land of the living.
Naturally, I expected myself to be dragging a bit (to say the least), and searched for a convenient, portable energy drink to keep me going while I hawked merchandise. I preferred to stay away from some of the other rather noxious, sugar-laden drinks I’ve tried in the past, and coffee (although a favorite) just doesn’t pack well during an adventure race.
Then I found 5-Hour Energy, which comes in a convenient 2-oz, re-sealable bottle and claims to boost energy without sugar or a ridiculous amount of caffeine. It seemed like a good choice - so I decided to give it a try for the relay. Read the rest of this entry »