Marathon/Running News: 12/13/07 - 12/20/07

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News From: Thursday, December 20, 2007
	Chicago Marathon
		Human Interest Story
		Bank of America to keep Chicago Marathon (Chicago Sun Times) Bank of America plans to continue sponsoring the Chicago Marathon despite the problems the race encountered in 2007. Bank of America made the announcement at a press conference donating five million dollars to nonprofit groups that help locals pay heating bills, avoid home foreclosure, get job training and placement and learn financial literacy.
	Odds And Ends
		Pre-Race Review/ Lineup
		Burka Returns to Edinburgh Cross Country in Search of Three-Peat (Race Results Weekly) At age twenty-one Kenyan Gelete Burka who has one IAAF World Cross Country Championships title on her resume will attempt her third victory at the BUPA Great Edinburgh International Cross Country 6.7K. Kenyan Vivian Cheruiyot, runner up in the 5000m at 2007 IAAF World Championships will be returning as well.
		Training/ Health
		Risk of Death During Marathons Lower than Commonly Believed (Marketwire) Researchers at the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre discovered that the risk of death while running a marathon is low and that marathons save lives by reducing automobile fatalities. The study analyzed marathons in the United States from 1975 to 2004. Out of 3,292,368 runners there was a total of twenty-six sudden cardiac deaths and forty-six total crash deaths were prevented on marathon days due to road closures.
		Marathons Prevent Car-Crash Deaths (MedPage Today) Recent studies by Donald A. Redelmeier, M.D., and J. Ari Greenwald, of the University of Toronto state that marathons could be saving lives by reducing the number of automobile fatalities. The researchers examined 750 marathons staged over the past thirty years in twenty-six locations. The researchers try to place a "societal perspective" on the risks of marathon running.
	Osaka Int'l Ladies Marathon
		Pre-Race Review/ Lineup
		Fukushi To Make Marathon Debut in Osaka (Race Results Weekly) Kayoko Fukushi will debut in the marathon at the 2008 Osaka International Ladies Marathon. Fukushi who holds the Japanese records in the 3000m, 5000m and the half-marathon distances will attempt to qualify for the marathon team at the Beijing Olympics. Other elite runners set to compete in Osaka are Constantina Tomescu-Dita, Mara Yamauchi, Yumiko Hara, Tomo Morimoto and Yuri Kano.
News From: Wednesday, December 19, 2007
	Arkansas Marathon
		Human Interest Story
		Huckabee's Little Rock Marathon: From Rotund to Runner (ABC NEWS) Former Arkansas Govenor Mike Huckabee was scared straight into a massive weight loss when he was diagnosed with type II diabetes. The once rotund governor has made some significant lifestyle changes and embraced a completely different diet and exercise routine.
	Dubai Marathon
		Pre-Race Review/ Lineup
		Fagan targets Dubai marathon in Olympic bid (Irish Examiner) Martin Fagan will make his bid for Olympic Glory at the Dubai Marathon on January 16, 2008. He was scheduled for the Houston Marathon but a visa problem after the European Championships prevented him from re-entering the U.S. for the race.
	Mumbai Marathon
		Pre-Race Review/ Lineup
		Mumbai Marathon on world athletics map with an IAAF Silver label award. (The Times of India) The 2008 Mumbai marathon has been awarded the silver label for its January, 2008 edition of the marathon. The award is given by the IAAF to any marathon with more than 5 elite males having recorded a marathon time faster than 2:12 in the previous 24 months. It also awards the Silver Label for marathons with 5 or more entered women having run 2:32 within the past 24 months.
	Odds And Ends
		Human Interest Story
		Jones, Powell make headlines for different reasons in 2007 (International Herals Tribune) Even though the world record in the marathon was lowered by Haile Gebrselassie to 2:04:26, Marion Jones admission to her use of steroids has stolen the limelight. Even Meseret Defar's new female two-mile world record of 8:58.58 at the Van Damme Memorial on Sept. 14 was buried under Jones' admission of guilt.
	Olympics 2004 (Women)
		Pre-Race Review/ Lineup
		Radcliffe aiming to run in 2012 Games (Setanta Sports) Paula Radcliffe will hope for gold in Beijing in the marathon after a calf injury forced her out of contention for the Athens 10,000 meter and marathon races. She is still hopeful to make the 2012 London games as well. In an interview Radcliffe stated that plenty of 38 year old marathon runners have great races and she hopes to be one of them.
	Osaka Int'l Ladies Marathon
		Pre-Race Review/ Lineup
		Fukushi to make marathon debut in Osaka (The Daily Yomiuri) The Japanese record holder in the 5000 meters and half marathon will make her bid for the Olympics by racing her first marathon on January 27th. Fukushi who has run 1 hours and 7 minutes will try to earn her place on the world stage by taking one of the last places available on her country's Olympic Team
	Seattle Marathon
		Post-Race Review/ Results
		An abusive executive. Contract conflicts. No audit. Is this any way to run the Seattle Marathon? (The Oregonian) The University of Washington, the principal sponsor of the Seattle Marathon, wants to bail. The bad news occurs on the heels of rumors that the races executive director Louise Long admitted to verbally abusing employees. The are also reported conflicts of interest on her part with companies doing business with the marathon, and board members quitting after she resisted attempts to have an audit done. This also occurring at a time when the races financial statements are falling under scrutiny.
		Benson suffers heart attack amid Seattle marathon, lives to tell the tale (KOMO News) Mike Benson collapsed 30 yards from the finish line at the Seattle marathon in front of fans and his wife, Serita. Amidst a year of tragedy in marathons, Mike would be one of the great survival stories to live to run another day.
News From: Tuesday, December 18, 2007
	Chicago Marathon
		Post-Race Review/ Results
		CEO Chicago marathon among year's best for running. (The Post Standard) While the Chicago marathon may have caused an uproar and the fiasco that it was ruined some runners dreams, the best story comes from a group of 10 company CEO's who took the challenge head on to finish the race. It was a bet that led all the CEO's to finish and re-commit to running again next year to improve their time.
	Dong-A Seoul International Marathon
		Post-Race Review/ Results
		Dramatic Victory in Seoul Marathon Signals New Beginning for Lee Bong-ju (The Donga) Most considered Lee Bong-ju a long shot to win the Seoul Marathon. At 37 years of age and well past the average prime for running , Lee pulled off the upset against 21 formidable Kenyan runners. Bong-ju was over 30 meters behind Paul Kiprop Kirui at the 38K mark and surged past Kirui to pull of the upset and inspire a nation. The tv ratings soared above any other previous mark by any other Koren aired television program.
	Taipei International Expressway Marathon
		Post-Race Review/ Results
		ING Taipei Marathon winner to buy farm with earnings (China Post) Winner of the 2007 Taipei Marathon Kenyan runner Hillary Bett told the press that he planned to buy a farm with his winnings. The 27-year-old farmer was top level amateur marathoner who turned professional earlier this year.
	Tucson Marathon
		Human Interest Story
		South Arizona Roadrunners sell marathon to Pam Reed (Arizona Daily Star) Pam Reed, best known as a top competitive ultra marathoner, has purchased the ownership rights of the Tucson Marathon for $20,000. Reed has been a race director for eleven years.
News From: Monday, December 17, 2007
	Dubai Marathon
		Pre-Race Review/ Lineup
		One Month to Go Until the 2008 Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon (Dubai City Guide) With one month to go, a few of the world's top elite runners including Haile Gebrselassie and Lornah Kipligat, along with around 10,000 participants are getting ready for the 2008 Dubai Marathon. Race officials and sponsors have prepared an entertainment filled event hoping to generate a community spirit among the residents of Dubai. The race offers a 10km race and a 4km charity fun run for all ages.
	Honolulu Marathon
		Post-Race Review/ Results
		Honolulu Marathon takes a stumble (Star Bulletin) For over 35 years the Honolulu marathon has prided itself with being runner friendly and organized. But one week ago this lustrous image was marred. All 24,000 times will have to be checked for accuracy due to a severe timing malfunction.
	Jacksonville Marathon
		Post-Race Review/ Results
		Jacksonville Marathon Good race in the long run (The Florid Times Union) Sammy Nyamongo and Sharon Hathaway both entered the Jacksonville Marathon with high hopes and a sparkle for an Olympic dream. Their age and humidity may have slowed all times in general but both runners would claim victory along.
	Kodagu Cauvery marathon race
		Pre-Race Review/ Lineup
		Kodagu Cauvery Marathon Approaches (Southern News - Karnataka) The 14th-annual Kodagu Cauvery Marathon-07 will be held here on December 23, 2007. Marathon course will pass through the Gandhi Maidan to Triveni Sangama at Bhaghamandala.
	London Marathon
		Human Interest Story
		Musician Pete Doherty to run 2008 London Marathon (Showbiz Spy) Rock musician Pete Doherty, former boyfriend of Kate Moss, is cleaning up his act following drug rehab. The Babyshambles staris believes running to be a great way to get back in shape.
	Odds And Ends
		Training/ Health
		Short exercise layoff means long comeback (Arkansas Democrat Gazette) Exercise physiologists state that training for a sport is exquisitely specific. But what separates the occasional athlete from the more competitive is the levels of in blood plasma. A runner whos been running doesnt need much time to maintain his performance, but the training needs to be almost like racing.
		Pre-Race Review/ Lineup
		Indian Open Marathon set for December 23, 2007 (India Times) The Indian Open Marathon, the first event on the route to be used for the 2010 Commonwealth Games, will host national elites Sunita Rani and Sunita Godra. The route is exactly the same except that the Games race will start from a stadium. The organisers are expecting around 2000 participants for the race.
	Taipei International Expressway Marathon
		Post-Race Review/ Results
		African runners win ING Taipei International Marathon titles (China Post) Kenya's Hillary Bett, a farmer and amateur runner, edged out Tanzania's Disdery Hombo and fellow Kenyan, Elijah Chemwolo, to win the men's race at the 2007 Taipei Marathon in 2:17:09. In the women's race Tabitha Tsatsa from Zimbabwe won in a 2:33:01. Race day included races of multiple distances along with the marathon and drew a record number of participants. 22,000 for the marathon and 110,000 for all the events which included a 21 km half-marathon, 9 km road run, 3 km fun run and 1 km run for children.
News From: Sunday, December 16, 2007
	Odds And Ends
		Human Interest Story
		Wanjiru, Kenyas next Marathon Great? (IAAF Athletics) Kenyan Samuel Wanjiru, winner of the 2007 Fukuoka Marathon set a course record as well as second fastest marathon debut with a 2:06:39. No stranger to setting records, Wanjiru holds the two fastest half marathon times in the world. With his quick progression of career successes, Wanjiru has been setting goals and achieving them from setting the world records in the half to making a 2:06 marathon debut.
News From: Saturday, December 15, 2007
	Dong-A Seoul International Marathon
		Human Interest Story
		50-Year-Old Marathoner Seizes Dong-A Marathoners Best Runners Award (Donga.com) Fifty-year old Kim Yeong-guk was awarded the Best Runner's Award in the Dong-A Marathoners Award Ceremony. Dong-A Ilbo, the sponsor of Seoul International Marathon in March, and the HiSeoul, Baekje Keungil and Gyeongju International marathons in the fall have chosen Kim from a group of eight finalists based on their record over a full race. In 2007 Kim had finish times of 2:47:25 at the Seoul International Marathon and finished in 2:27:10 at the Gyeongju International Marathon.
	Honolulu Marathon
		Post-Race Review/ Results
		All Marathon Times From The Honolulu Marathon To Be Reviewed (Honolulu Star-Bulletin) Honolulu Marathon Officials are taking on the task of analyzing video footage of 24,300 marathon finishes at the 2007 Honolulu Marathon due to timing result problems from the new electronic timing system. The race is implementing a system to review the video and compare the times with SAIs database. Race officials have also announced that they are not going to use SAI timing in 2008.
	Houston Marathon
		Training/ Health
		Get Ready Now If You Want To Run The Houston Marathon Later (Houston Chronicle) As the 2007 Houston Marathon approaches, runners who have spent months training are ready to run. Other than the miles they will need to cover, training also involves the ability to go into the race without injuries or waylaid by holiday festivities.