TheFinalSprint.com - Track & Field, Marathons, Racing News, Training Advice, Elite Athlete Blogs, Interviews, Podcasts, Videos and More!

Lead Stories: Sunday, October 12, 2008

Olympian Jon Brown Changes Allegiance to Canada

Posted November 14th, 2007 at 6:30 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Olympics

Jon Brown, twice fourth at the Olympic Marathon wearing the vest of Great Britain, has switched his allegiance to Canada. A long-time resident of British Columbia, Brown had already possessed a Candian passport but still ran for Britain.

“I no longer will be representing Great Britain in athletic competition,” said the 36 year-old athlete in an e-mail message sent to the Race Results Weekly office. “Instead I will now be running for Canada.”

A three-time Olympian for Britain, Brown still holds the British record for 10,000m, 27:18.14, set in Brussels in 1998. His best times at the standard distances are 7:45.41 for 3000m, 13:19.03 for 5000m, 61:49 for the half-marathon and 2:09:31 for the marathon.
Read the rest of this entry »

One comment, add yours | Permalink

TFS News Briefs: 11/02/07

Posted November 2nd, 2007 at 2:38 PM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: Marathons, Track & Field, Olympics, Drugs In Sports, TFS News Briefs

TFS News Briefs
Day in the Sun for U.S. Olympic Trials Men’s Marathon
Google News, like most news sites, is not know for covering running or track & field on most days. So when the U.S. Olympic Trials Men’s Marathon makes their sorts page, that’s news in itself. As of publication time, the number of stories devoted to the trials is 41.
Read more at: [Google News]

Former Olympian Disagrees with Headphones Ban
Former Olympian and world championships marathon bronze medalist Steve Moneghetti disagrees with the newly-imposed headphones/mp3 player ban, saying, “I find that bizarre they would be banning them.” Read more at: [Sydney Morning Herald]

Sydney Olympic Medals Jones’ Medals Set To Be Redistributed
The IOC is deliberating about the redistribution of Marion Jones’ 5 Sydney medals (3 gold, two bronze), including whether or not to award doping suspect Katerina Thanou of Greece the 100m gold. Read more at: [BBC Sport | Athletics]
Read the rest of this entry »

One comment, add yours | Permalink

Don Kern breaks record by running marathons on seven continents in 35 days

Posted March 22nd, 2007 at 9:57 AM by Hariz Siddiqui

Section: News & Results, Marathons

On 18 February 2007, “Marathon” Don Kern completed his attempt to break the Guinness World Record “Marathon on each continent - Shortest duration to complete (Men)”.

He succeeded in this feat by running in organized marathons on each of the seven continents in 35 days. The attempt began on 11 February 2007 in Birmingham, Alabama.

The marathons included in the “world tour” were: Mercedes Marathon in Birmingham Alabama (North America), Egyptian International Marathon in Luxor, Egypt (Africa), Maraton Popular de Valencia in Valencia, Spain (Europe),
Read the rest of this entry »

Comment on this post | Permalink

Podcast 30: Follow-up with Don Kern on his Guinness WR-setting marathon journey

Posted March 21st, 2007 at 10:24 AM by Adam Jacobs

Section: Special Features, Interviews, Podcasts

Episode 30 of The Final Sprint Podcast features my follow-up interview with Don Kern; an avid adventure runner and race director for the Grand Rapids Marathons, who just completed an incredible, around-the-world marathon journey.

By completing his quest in a mere 35 days, Don was able set a new Guinness World Record for running a marathon on each continent in the shortest duration of time. The previous record was 99 days.

Don is now back home in Michigan after running more than 183 miles and traveling on a plane for over 84 hours (not to mention all of the time he spent in airports and traveling within each country). Fresh off setting a new WR, Don will hit another milestone in April when he runs the Boston Marathon; marking the 50th consecutive month that he will run race of at least marathon distance!

Download the podcast to hear Don describe his adventure, the physical wear-and-tear of the feat, eating “raw fish and beer” the night before his final marathon in South Korea, the warm reception by fans around the world, and some possibilities for future, endurance running adventures!

Listen In
[PLAY] (To Download: Right click and select “save as”)

[RSS] Add The Final Sprint Podcast RSS feed to your RSS reader to have the show delivered to you

Host: Adam Jacobs
Guest: Don Kern
Producer: Greg Cherniet
Music: Ryan Ahlwardt & Darnell Perkins
File size: 11.7 MB
Length: 00:17:10

Check out every episode of TFS’s Podcast in iTunes!

Interested in featuring The Final Sprint Podcast on your site, blog or My Space page? Click here to learn how!

Read the rest of this entry »

One comment, add yours | Permalink

Podcast 12: Interview with Don Kern on his record-setting attempt to run a marathon on each continent in 35 days

Posted February 11th, 2007 at 2:30 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: Special Features, Interviews, Podcasts

Yesterday I had the pleasure of interviewing Don Kern; the adventure marathon runner who is attempting to break the Guinness World Record for running a marathon on each continent in the shortest duration of time. The current record is 99 days and he hopes to shatter it by completing the feat in a mere 35 days.

Don, who is also the race director of the Grand Rapids Marathon, ran the Mercedes Marathon today in Birmingham, Alabama; the first of the seven marathons he intends to complete. His “world tour” will also include marathons in Egypt, Spain, Antarctica, Argentine, Australia and South Korea.

Download the podcast to hear Don discuss his record-breaking feat, the affiliated charities, his past adventures (such as running in the inaugural marathon on the South Pole with Dean Karnazes) and much more!

Listen In
[MP3] Direct Download (Right click, select “save as”).
[RSS] Add The Final Sprint Podcast RSS feed to your RSS reader to have the show delivered to you

Host: Adam Jacobs
Guest: Don Kern
Producer: Greg Cherniet
Music: Ryan Ahlwardt & Darnell Perkins
File size: 14.8MB
Length: 00:21:38