TheFinalSprint.com | Premier Running Destination for Marathons, Track and Field, Race News, Podcasts, Training Advice and More! - TheFinalSprint.com is the Premier Running Destination for Marathons, Track and Field, Race News, Podcasts, Training Advice and More!

Lead Stories: Friday, May 16, 2008

Josh Cox: Miracles 50
and A Boy Named Sue
(Elite Athlete Blog - Entry #8)

Posted May 1st, 2008 at 4:00 PM by Josh Cox

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

Welcome to the official blog of U.S. marathon runner Josh Cox. Every other Wednesday visit http://joshcox.thefinalsprint.com for Cox’s latest blog entry and for more information, also please visit: www.joshcox.com

“I believe in miracles.
I believe in a better world for me and you.
Oh, I believe in miracles.
I believe in a better world for me and you.”
-The Ramones,
I Believe in Miracles

“Son, this world is rough
And if a man’s gonna make it, he’s gotta be tough
And I know I wouldn’t be there to help you along.
So I give ya that name and I said good-bye
I knew you’d have to get tough or die
And it’s that name that helped to make you strong.”
- A Boy Named Sue
(A song written by Shel Silverstein made famous by Johnny Cash. A song about a dad who names his son Sue and leaves - the son vows to exact his revenge for his awful name. He finds his dad, fights him, his dad gets up, smiles, and explains why he named him Sue. )

“The secret of man’s being is not only to live but to have something to live for.”
-Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Russian literary giant & Casino fiend

Somewhere around 41 miles, in the high hills of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains the race came undone. I could no longer run; a humbling experience for a self-assured 22-year-old college senior who, several hours earlier, had thought running a 50-mile race was a good idea. For the first time in my life I wished I were jogging – oh the horror – anything but the “J-word.” But alas, I was doing the S-word. Shuffling. Shuffling is what we runner’s do, we bypass the jog and enter straight into the shuffle. It’s part of the unwritten code – run slow, shuffle, but never, ever jog.
Read the rest of this entry »

18 comments, add yours | Permalink

Ultra Runner Dean Karnazes to Carry Olympic Torch

Posted April 9th, 2008 at 12:00 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Olympics, Trail / Ultra

According to his new blog entry at RunnersWorld.com,“Ultramarathon Man”
Dean Karnazes has been selected to carry the Olympic torch while it passes through his hometown of San Francisco, CA.

Karnazes, an elite (and at times controversial) ultra endurance athlete, is coming off of an impressive victory at the grueling Atacama Crossing, a 275-K race across the Atacama Desert in Chile. He was also the recipient of ESPN’s 2007 ESPY Award for “Best Outdoor Athlete”.

Read the rest of this entry at our partner site: TrailFit.com

Comment on this post | Permalink

Netshifhefhe, Biktagirova to Defend Two Oceans Titles

Posted March 18th, 2008 at 1:00 PM by Bob Ramsak

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Trail / Ultra

The 39th Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon, to be run over 56 km this Saturday, March 22, in Cape Town, South Africa, will be momentous for a number of reasons. Foremost among these is that the event will have a new race director for the first time in 28 years, with Rowyn James succeeding Chet Sainsbury, who retired after last year’s Two Oceans, which is always held the Saturday before Easter.

The race also has a new technical sponsor in PUMA, while both defending champions, Bethuel Netshifhefhe and Madina Biktagirova, will be returning.

Almost 19,000 runners have entered the ultramarathon and the accompanying half-marathon, which will be held for the 11th time. The shorter race has attracted a record field of 11,213, making it South Africa’s biggest half-marathon.
Read the rest of this entry »

Comment on this post | Permalink

Podcast 112: Two-Time Spartathlon Champion & Premier Ultramarathon Runner SCOTT JUREK

Posted January 7th, 2008 at 7:15 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Special Features, Interviews, Podcasts, Trail / Ultra

Episode 112 of TheFinalSprint.com Podcast, the most listened to running podcast in North America, features my interview with America’s dominating ultramarathon runner and premier vegan athlete SCOTT JUREK.

In the interview Scott evaluates his historic 2007 season, including a course record despite an ankle injury at the Hardrock 100 and his second-consecutive victory at the legendary Spartathlon.

Download the podcast to hear Scott discuss these topics, as well as, his 2008 racing plans, the mental aspects of successful ultra-running, pain perception and tolerance for endurance athletes, Sri Chimnoy’s Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race, his volunteer work and passion for the sport, potential post-athletic career plans, and much more!

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: Scott Jurek
Producer: Greg Cherniet
Musicians: Ryan Ahlwardt, Darnell Perkins
File Size: 22.4 MB | Length: 32:38 MIN

Episode Sponsored By: Nike +

Long Live Running!
Nike Plus will improve the way you run. Get feedback from your iPod on pace, time, distance and calories burned.

Log into Nikeplus.com to track your progress,
set goals and challenge friends.

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 67:
Lisa Smith-Batchen sets-out for her 2nd consecutive “Badwater DOUBLE”!

Posted August 3rd, 2007 at 2:00 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: Special Features, Interviews, Podcasts

Episode 67 of The Final Sprint Podcast was done in conjunction with TrailFit.com; a comprehensive trail running, ultra- marathoning, and adventure racing publication and the newest member of the TFS media network.

Today’s guest is ultra-endurance runner and coach Lisa Smith-Batchen, n incredible ultra-endurance runner who posses seemingly endless athletic ability, courage and perseverance, as she takes aim at completing a second consecutive Badwater DOUBLE. Lisa’s resume also includes victories at the 1997 and 1998 Badwater Ultramarathons (regarded as the most grueling footrace in the world) and becoming the first American woman to ever win the grueling Marathon des Sables.

A year removed from her first Badwater Double, where she ran over 300 miles in death valley in average temperatures of 125 degrees and also raised more than $300,000 for AIDS orphans in Africa, Lisa has set out to complete the Badwater Double once again and to raise money for the MPD Foundation.

Download the podcast to hear Lisa discuss last year’s adventure and her decision to repeat it, this year’s charity benefactor, her battle with depression, aiming to complete 10 Badwater Marathons and much more!

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: Lisa Smith-Batchen
Producer: Greg Cherniet
Music: Ryan Ahlwardt & Darnell Perkins
File size: 25.1 MB
Length: 36:41

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 »

2 comments, add yours | Permalink

Ultra marathoners discuss epic run across Sahara Desert covering over 4000 miles in 111 days

Posted July 20th, 2007 at 10:11 AM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Marathons

“Achieving Success In Extreme Outdoor Sports Adventures”

Who: Ultra marathoners Charlie Engle and Ray Zahab (subject of the upcoming documentary Running the Sahara)

NOTE: Click here to listen to TheFinalSprint.com’s audio interview with Engle

What: Elite athletes Charlie Engle and Ray Zahab completed the equivalent of 2 marathons (55 miles) per day for 111 days straight covering six countries and over 4,000 miles across the Sahara Desert. The goal was to accomplish the impossible - to push themselves to the limit and learn about the people and places of the Sahara. The trip began in Senegal and ended at the Red Sea in Cairo Egypt. Engle and Zahab’s journey will be documented in the upcoming film Running the Sahara. Join Engle and Zahab during the Outdoor Retailer convention as they share their personal experiences from this remarkable journey and discuss how everyday enthusiasts can maximize endurance and incorporate technology like Magellan GPS to enhance their performance in extreme adventures.
Read the rest of this entry »

Comment on this post | Permalink

Dancing the Bear: A 100-Mile Journey of Personal Exploration (DVD)

Posted July 9th, 2007 at 4:00 PM by Paul Petersen

Section: Motivation, Movies, Special Features, TFS Reviews

Documentaries have become an increasingly popular and powerful movie genre, with a variety of titles such as “Super Size Me”, “Fahrenheit 9/11″ “Roger and Me”, and “Spellbound” gaining both cult status and mass appeal.

However, the special interests of runners have been largely neglected, and I’ve been left wondering, “Where’s my running documentary?”. My wait ended earlier this year with the release of “Dancing the Bear: A 100-Mile Journey of Personal Exploration“.

“Dancing the Bear”, created by Soul Focus Productions, is a 54-minute documentary that closely chronicles the experience of two women, Kelly Bradbury and Mary Workman, attempting to complete the 2004 Bear 100 Endurance Run. The DVD weaves its story through a cohesive string of interviews supplemented by beautiful video footage of the race, the people, and landscape.
Read the rest of this entry »

One comment, add yours | Permalink

Koerner ends winless streak; earns top honors at Western States 100mi Endurance Run

Posted June 25th, 2007 at 8:00 PM by Jessica Galvano

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Running & Training, Cross Training

Sixth time’s a charm. For Hal Koerner, a sixth attempt at the Western States Endurance Run brought a long sought after victory. A five-year streak without title ended for Koerner Saturday night as he crossed a finish lined with spectators. At 9:12 p.m., Koerner received a winner’s welcome from a host of camera flashes and a freshly star-studded sky.

Although he finished third in 2004 and ninth in 2003, Koerner has returned to the renowned 100-miler each year with an eye for first. In his previous races, Koerner had remained with the pack, matching their steady pace rather than setting his own. Saturday, however, the Oregon ultrarunner ran almost every mile without the company of his fellow competitors.
His 2007 strategy: run alone, take the lead and keep it.

Read the rest at our partner site: TrailFit.com

Comment on this post | Permalink

Kimball retains title at Western States Endurance Run

Posted June 25th, 2007 at 6:44 PM by Jessica Galvano

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Running & Training, Cross Training

Nikki Kimball, first place women’s finisher in the 2004 and 2006 Western States Endurance Run, approached the start of this year’s 100-miler with hopes of a third title. Despite her previous successes in California’s notoriously challenging ultramarathon, Kimball was not convinced of certain victory.

Like many of her peers, the Montana runner regards the Western States 100 as one of the most prestigious ultradistance events. As expected, this year’s female field boasted established athletes from across the United States and around the world. With fierce competitors all eager to be the first across a very distant finish line, not even Kimball’s years of experience could calm her pre-race nerves.

Read the rest of this race recap at our partner site: TrailFit.com

Comment on this post | Permalink

VIDEO: Koerner, Kimball win 2007 Western States 100 Endurance Run

Posted June 25th, 2007 at 10:41 AM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Running & Training, Cross Training

Congratulations to Hal Koerner and Nikki Kimball on winning one of the world’s most grueling, athletic events: the 100 mile Western States Endurance Run.

Koerner was able to top an intense challenge from Erik Skaden and edged out 2006 champion, Graham Cooper, to win in 16 hours, 12 minutes and 16 seconds. On the women’s side, Kimball blew away the competition and won in 18:12:38; two hours ahead of runner-up Karine Herry.

WS100 reports that nearly 300 runners battled through the weekend and successfully completed the legendary, ultra-endurance event.

WS100 Top Finishers [Name-Time(Age-Gender)]:

MEN:
1. Hal Koerner - 16:12:16 (M-31)
2. Erik Skaden - 16:36:49 (M-35)
3. Graham Cooper - 17:11:41 (M-37)

WOMEN:
1. Nikki Kimball - 18:12:38 (F-36)
2. Karine Herry - 20:12:38 (F-39)

Watch a video of the top finishers crossing the finish line and much more at our partner site: TrailFit.com

One comment, add yours | Permalink