Marathon/Running News: 12/5/07 - 12/12/07

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News From: Wednesday, December 12, 2007
	Austin Marathon
		Pre-Race Review/ Lineup
		Seton signs on again for AT&T Austin marathon (Austin Business Journal) Seton Family of Hospitals signed on as the 2008 AT&T Austin Marathon. The group of hospitals will provide medical support and 200 volunteers for the February 17th race in Austin.
	Honolulu Marathon
		Post-Race Review/ Results
		Improper use of timing device foiled Marathon (The Honolulu Advertiser) The Honolulu Marathon's race organizers delve deeper into runner timing issues at the thirty fifth marathon. Investigations have led mmarathon officials to believe that the heavy showers that short-circuited generators connected to remote chip-readers caused most of the problems, but Honolulu Marathon Association president Jim Barahal and David Simms, co-founder of SAI Timing and Tracking (the company contracted to handle timing of the race) stated that many runners may not have been tracked due to improperly fastening the timing transponder to their shoes. From 2000 to 2006, the Honolulu Marathon used ChampionChip plastic discs, for 2007 the new device is a small paper timing strip to be attached to their shoes.
		Michigan Company's System Goofs Up At Honolulu Marathon (MLive.com) The missing time of roughly 3,000 runners at the Honolulu Marathon was due to glitches in the timing system of Michigan-based SAI Timing and Tracking.
	Houston Marathon
		Pre-Race Review/ Lineup
		Houston Marathon officials opt against new timing system (Chron) Following the SAI timing chip problems at the 2007 Honolulu Marathon, race organizers of the Houston Marathon have opted against using the SAI Timing and Tracking electronic timing system. SAI Timing and Tracking was founded by Mike Simms, one of the people who introduced the ChampionChip to the United States. ChampionChip was first used in the US at the 1997 Houston Masters Sports Association's 25K. Houston Marathon would have been the fourth marathon to use the system.
	Mississippi Blues Marathon
		Pre-Race Review/ Lineup
		Governor Barbour hopes to run in Mississippi Blues Marathon in Jan. (The Clarion Ledger) Gov. Haley Barbour says he plans to support the "Let's Go Walking - Mississippi" Campaign by participating in the Mississippi Blues Marathon on January 5th in the capital of Jackson. The prize purse is set at 30,000 dollars for the top finishers.
	Odds And Ends
		Pre-Race Review/ Lineup
		Indian Marathon Loses Appeal: Fatter Purse Yet To Translate into More Runners (India Express) Despite doubling the prize purse for the winners of the Mwana Sugars Indian Marathon only 200 runners have registered for the December 23 race. The popular Rath Marathon from a decade ago was revived in 2006 and has not caught on with the local running community.
		Human Interest Story
		Ted Corbitt, 88, Pioneer in American Distance Running, Is Dead (NewYork Times) Ted Corbitt, 88, who was considered by many, including the late Fred Lebow, to be the Father of American distance running, passed away Wednesday in Houston, Texas. He was a member of the 1952 USA Olympic Marathon team and had 199 marathons or ultramarathons winning 30 of those contests.
		Distance running inspiration Ted Corbitt passes away at 88 (IAAF) Ted Corbitt, a distance running legend, first President of the Road Runners Club of America and third President of the New York Road Runners Club, Ted passed away at the age of 88. Corbitt debuted at the marathon at age 32 with a 15th place finish in the 1951 Boston Marathon and two marathons later was selected for the 1952 US Olympic team. With a running career which lasted into his fifties, Corbitt ran just under 200 marathons and ultra marathon races.
News From: Tuesday, December 11, 2007
	California International Marathon
		Human Interest Story
		Blind Folsom Man Qualifies For Boston Marathon at the California International Marathon (EDH Telegraph) Richard Hunter completed the California International Marathon in 3:18:49 to qualify himself for the Boston Marathon.
	Dallas Marathon (formerly the Dallas White Rock Marathon)
		Post-Race Review/ Results
		Resident Reaches Deep to Finish First Marathon at the Dallas White Rock Marathon (The Colony Courier-Ledger) Local resident Michael Hundt completed his first marathon at the Dallas White Rock Marathon.
	Honolulu Marathon
		Post-Race Review/ Results
		Honolulu Marathon runners' times vanish (Pacific Business News) Nearly 3,000 time were lost at the Honolulu Marathon and almost 6,000 finishers did not show up at all. SAI Timing has been used for the past 20 marathons and race director Jim Barahal said a new timing group will be in place next year. Correcting the errors will take well over 3 hours.
		Scoring errors mar Honolulu marathon (The Honolulu Advertiser) Timing errors at the 2007 edition of the race left many participants out of the final results.
	London Marathon
		Pre-Race Review/ Lineup
		Martin Lel to defend London Marathon title in April (Guardian Unlimited) Martin Lel goes for his third London Marathon title at the 2008 race.
		Human Interest Story
		Hospice Seeks Experienced Marathon Runner for London Marathon (Bexhill On Sea Observer) St. Michaels Hospice earned a free entry into the London Marathon and seeks an Experienced Runner to represent them.
	Odds And Ends
		Human Interest Story
		Paula Radcliffe Claims Award (Sporting Life) Paula Radcliffe won the European Athlete of the Month award after her victory of the NYC Marathon in November.
	Rock 'n' Roll Marathon
		Human Interest Story
		Matthew Turnbull to Recruit For Rock 'n' Roll Marathon, Carlsbad 5000 (The Mercury News) Matthew Turnbull was hired as the new elite athlete coordinator for Elite Racing replacing Mike Long who passed away this summer.
News From: Monday, December 10, 2007
	Charlotte's Thunder Road Marathon
		Post-Race Review/ Results
		Aldrink wins after nearly switching races (Charlotte Observer) While Mike Aldrink, Columbus, Ohio, was feeling ill and considering switching to the half marathon the long trip to his former state of residence told him otherwise and it proved to be a smart decision. With perfect weather condition Aldrink went on to win in 2:39:58 making this his 8th marathon win in 11 outings in 2007.
	Everest Marathon
		Post-Race Review/ Results
		48-year-old Singapore competes in Everest Marathon (Channel News Asia) Lok Bahadur of Nepal led all runners with a 4 hour and 12 minute winning time. He paced the race with the top 4 spots going to Nepal natives. The 48 year old Steven Wong completed the race in 9:15 which started at 5,000 meters altitude.
	Honolulu Marathon
		Post-Race Review/ Results
		Nearly 28,000 started the Honolulu Marathon at the Ala Moana Center in Waikiki at 5 am. (The Molokai Times) The on and off again showers and the 5 am start did not stifle the runners at the 35th annual Honolulu Marathon. Fireworks led the runners at the starting line while the rain eased off. Nearly 2/3 of the race population was made up of Japanese natives.
		Ethopia's Tolossa wins second straight Honolulu Marathon (International Herald Tribune) Ambesse Tolossa of Ethiopia takes his second consecutive victory of the Honolulu Marathon over Kenyan Jimmy Muindi who had been the previous five-time winner of the marathon. Tolossa finished in a 2:17:26 and Muindi who was suffering from stomach problems at mile 20 was runner up in a 2:18:53. In he women's race, Russia's Alevtina Biktimirova won the women's race in 2:33:06, beating Japan's Akemi-Isige Ozaki by more than a minute.
	Odds And Ends
		Post-Race Review/ Results
		Yahuza streaks ahead in marathon at the Southeast Asian Games (The Jakarta Post) Indonesia's Yahuza ran to victory at the Southeastern Asian Games in a finish of 2:23:46. Bunting Hem of Cambodia on 2:26:28 and Eduardo Buenavista of the Philippines on 2:27:21 placed second and third respectively. Newly married, Yahuza's prize earns him a gold medal along with Rp 200 million (about US$21,600) as a cash bonus from the government. In the women's marathon, Thailand's Sunisa Sailomyen triumphed after clocking 2:43:33 followed by Pa Pa of Myanmar on 2:44:11 and Jho Ann Banayag of the Philippines on 2:44:41.
	Rocket City Marathon
		Post-Race Review/ Results
		Rocket City equals a fine 53rd birthday present. (The Huntsville Times) Skip Vaughn, 53, has run every year in the Rocket City marathon. His finish this year in 6 hours and 43 minutes was full of emotion as the race date fell on his 53rd birthday.
		Cherobon true pace setter in Rocket City Marathon win (The Huntsville Timesw) Janet Cherobon found some competition in Huntsville at least through 15 miles of her second marathon victory in as many years. She left the field at mile 15 and went on to win in 2:48:01
		Nyamongo's pass permanent in Rocket City Marathon win (The Huntsville Times) Sammy Nyamongo dedicated his race to his late mother who passed away from liver cancer in Kenya two weeks ago. His victory in 2:27 marked his second marathon in 8 days as he competed in Memphis last weekend. Happy to be finished Nyamongo said "I feel better, but running 26.2 miles twice in a week is not easy."
News From: Sunday, December 9, 2007
	Antarctica Marathon
		Pre-Race Review/ Lineup
		Britons prepare to run Antarctica Marathon (Telegraph) Some local runners from Brittian prepare for the running of the Antarctica Marathon.
	Cayman Islands Marathon
		Human Interest Story
		The Cayman Island Marathon Was Not Just About Glory (Caymanian Compass) Marathons mean many things to each participant. Although the focus tends to be on the fastest elites, sometimes there is more. As is the case for New Yorker Chris Solarz who came third place behind winner Scott Brittain and Eduardo Torres. Solarz celebrated his 121st marathon finish. Despite the heat and humidity of Cayman Island, Solarz ran close to his personal best, finishing in 3:11:45.
	Dallas Marathon (formerly the Dallas White Rock Marathon)
		Post-Race Review/ Results
		Marathon runners battle falling temperatures at the Dallas Whiterock Marathon (The Dallas Morning News) Although the rain stayed away from the 38th running of the Wellstone's Dallas White Rock Marathon. the start temperature of 48 degrees at race start dropped to the upper 30s with the wind chill. Despite tough conditions, the marathon saw two victories for Kenyans James Koskei and Emily Samoei. Koskei, fourth at the 2007 Boston Marathon , outsprinted fellow elites Matthew Koskei, Stephen Biwott, and Edward Kiptum at mile 24 to a finish of 2:15:12. Samoei who was unfettered by competition suffered from leg cramps at mile 25; but won in a 2:35:24.
		Kenyans reign, clouds drizzle at White Rock Marathon (Dallas Morning News) Light rain greeted the 12,066 runners in downtown Dallas. The heavy clouds grounded the jet flyover and seem to impede the men's and women's lead runners as well. Kenya's Emily Samoei won the women's marathon in 2 hours, 35 minutes, 25 seconds. The finishing time was 5:30 slower than last year's record. The men's race unfolded around mile 24 when James Koskei of Kenya broke away and went on to win 2:15:09. He had been training to run the 26.2 in under 2:10.
	Honolulu Marathon
		Post-Race Review/ Results
		Tolosa and Biktimirova splash their way to Honolulu victories (IAAF Athletics) The rainy and windy weather conditions in Honolulu cleared up just prior to the 35th Honolulu Marathon. In the men's race, returning champion Ambesse Tolosa of Ethiopia found himself once again stride for stride against previous five-time winner Jimmy Muindi of Kenya. Despite the cooler conditions, athletes were not pushing the pace. Muindi who had plans to go much faster was overwhelmed by stomach problems costing him a victory. Tolosa won in a time of 2:17:26 which was the slowest finish at the Honolulu Marathon in sixteen years. In the women's race, Alevtina Biktimirova of Russia, who was the favorite leading up to the race, faced slight competition from Akemi Ozaki of Japan, who ran a personal best 2:28:39 at Tokyo just three weeks ago. Ozaki was signed on to pace Japanese teammate Kaori Yoshida. Biktimirova was victorious with a 2:33:07, a finish which was almost one minute faster than Ozaki.