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Lead Stories: Saturday, September 6, 2008

2008 Beijing Olympic Preview: Women’s Marathon

Posted August 16th, 2008 at 2:45 PM by Jesse Squire

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Olympics

Women’s Marathon

The Schedule: Sunday, Aug 17 (live on NBC, Saturday Aug 16 at 7:30 p.m. EDT)
The Americans: Deena Kastor, Magdalena Lewy-Boulet, Blake Russell
The Contenders: Zhou Chunxiu (CHN), Catherine Ndereba (KEN), Gete Wami (ETH), Paula Radcliffe (GBR), Zhu Xiaolin (CHN), Reiko Tosa (JPN)
The Stats: Records, 2008 List, 2007 Worlds, 2004 Olympics
The Medal Picks: T&FN - Zhou, Ndereba, Wami;
SI - Zhou, Wami, Ndereba
The Story: Big recent news: Defending champ Noguchi is not running. Less big, less recent: Paula Radcliffe is in.

The universal favorite is China’s own Zhou Chunxiu, and personally I don’t see anyone else jumping out at me as someone else to pick. On the other hand, Ndereba beat her at last year’s Worlds where both had to deal with the same kind of heat and humidity nearly guaranteed in this year’s race. And her recent win in the NYC Half Marathon can either be viewed as proof of top condition or an energy-sapping effort too close to the big race. I just don’t know what to think.
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3-Time Champ Loken to Lead Trio of Elite Masters Women at More Marathon on Apr 6

Posted March 28th, 2008 at 10:00 AM by Martin Kennedy

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Masters

more magazine marathon logo A trio of leading women over the age of 40 will headline a field of more than 7,000 runners expected to compete in the More® Magazine Marathon + Half-Marathon on Sunday, April 6, in New York’s Central Park, it was announced today by Mary Wittenberg, president and CEO of New York Road Runners. The fifth-annual event is the world’s first marathon exclusively for women over 40.

susan loken masters marathon runner Two-time Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier Kelly Keeler Ramacier of St. Paul, MN, will take on the hills of Central Park for the first time in the marathon. Three-time defending More Marathon champion Susan Loken of Phoenix, AZ, will put in her final miles before competing in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Women’s Marathon on Sunday, April 20. Loken will team with reigning USA masters cross country champion Jody Hawkins of Frisco, TX, in the half-marathon. Runners will be vying for a $12,000 total prize purse, with the marathon winner and the top half-marathon team each earning $2,000.
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New York offers trials women chance to upgrade status

Posted June 22nd, 2007 at 7:00 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

American women who have achieved the “B” standard of two hours and 47 minutes for next spring’s U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Women’s Marathon in Boston are being offered a special chance to advance to the “A” standard of 2:39:00 through a program announced here today by the New York Road Runners (NYRR).

The NYRR will provide a cash incentive of $2500 to any U.S. woman who improves from the “B” to the “A” standard during the 2007 ING New York City Marathon on Sunday, Nov. 4, according to president and CEO Mary Wittenberg. To increase the likelihood of success, the NYRR will be offering travel and lodging assistance to up to 30 American women who have met the “B” standard.

So far, 120 women have qualifed for the Trials, but only 16 have met the tougher “A” standard. “A” standard athletes will have their travel, housing and meals paid for at next spring’s Trials, while “B” standard athletes must pay their own race-related expenses.
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Podcast 37: Interview with the legendary Kathrine Switzer

Posted April 9th, 2007 at 12:00 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: Columns, Success Stories, Special Features, Interviews, Podcasts

TheFinalSprint.com’s monthly Success Story selection aims to highlight remarkable and factual accounts of runners who have overcome major obstacles and/or changed their lives, or the lives of others, through running and fitness.

I am proud to announce that TFS’s April 2007 Success Story and my guest in Episode 37 of The Final Sprint Podcast is the legendary KATHRINE SWITZER!

Kathrine, who was called the “Susan B. Anthony of running” by fellow running great Joan Benoit Samuelson, broke the gender barrier in 1967 when she became the first woman to officially enter and complete, what was at that time, the all-male Boston Marathon.

She also won the 1974 NYC Marathon, was a driving force behind the inclusion a women’s marathon in the Olympics, received an Emmy for her work as a sports broadcaster and remains one of the most courageous and inspiring runners in history.

Download the podcast to hear Katherine discuss what led to her iconic run, little known facts about her “race gear”, attempts to forcefully remove her from the course, finding the inner strength to push forward, how the race forever altered the course of her life and the lives of all future generations of female athletes, her new autobiography “Marathon Woman” 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: Kathrine Switzer
Producer: Greg Cherniet
Music: Ryan Ahlwardt & Darnell Perkins
File size: 21.5 MB
Length: 00:31:25

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!

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Podcast 35: Interview with running pioneer Grete Waitz

Posted April 6th, 2007 at 1:27 PM by Adam Jacobs

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

Today’s podcast features a very special interview with Grete Waitz; the legendary Norwegian runner who, among her plethora of accomplishments, won a record nine New York City Marathons between 1978 and 1988, a silver medal in the first Olympic women’s marathon, five World XC titles and broke the world marathon record nine times.

Grete, a woman of incredible talent, passion, modesty and grace, has also been instrumental, through both her athletic achievements and tireless advocacy, in promoting equality for female athletes. In the interview Grete speaks about how things have changed since she first began running; describing the lack of opportunities in the 1970’s, the first Olympic women’s marathon in 1984, and the vast array of athletic opportunities available to women in today’s society.

Grete talks about her transformation into a marathon runner; the story behind her historic, debut victory at the 1978 NY Marathon and her special bond with Fred Lebow, the NYRR and people of NYC.

She also explains that running alongside Fred - her dear friend and the race’s legendary co-founder – as he completed the 1992 NY Marathon while undergoing treatment for the cancer that would ultimately take his life – was a very special experience; one that makes up for the 10th victory that Fred always wanted her to win.

Download the podcast to hear Grete discuss these topics, her own battle with cancer, being inspired by Lance Armstrong, and how Fred’s legacy continues to thrive through the NYRR’s efforts in America, around the world and via the NYRR Foundation.

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: Grete Waitz
Producer: Greg Cherniet
Music: Ryan Ahlwardt & Darnell Perkins
File size: 12.6 MB
Length: 00:18:26