Marathon/Running News: 12/18/07 - 12/25/07

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News From: Tuesday, December 25, 2007
	Houston Marathon
		Pre-Race Review/ Lineup
		Time to fine-tune marathon mechanics (The Statesman) With three weeks to go before Houston and nearly seven weeks before Austin, marathon runners should be fine tuning their tempo work and focusing emphasis on posture and low knee lift for a more efficient marathon.
	Knoxville Marathon
		Human Interest Story
		Run for your life: Clayton team prepares for Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon (Life Times) Margie Kidd, director of the Clayton Homes Inc., hopes to increase from the 42 people on the running team last year. The goal of completing the 26.2 mile race on March 30th, 2008. Many of the team members completed the 1/2 marathon held on Kiawah Island earlier in December.
	Odds And Ends
		Human Interest Story
		A Marathon of a Movie: Spirit of a Marathon (The Sun) The movie follows 6 runners as they prepare for the Chicago Marathon. The film, produced by Loma Linda won the audience award in October at the Chicago Film Festival. The movie will debut on January 24th in California.
	Xiamen International Marathon
		Pre-Race Review/ Lineup
		Banned star runner, Sun Yingjie back for Xiamen marathon (People's Daily) After a two year doping ban Sun Yingjie will compete in the Xiamen Marathon. The last attempt for her to make the 2008 Olympic Team. Her coach has played down her chances of nabbing a spot on the team.
News From: Monday, December 24, 2007
	Dubai Marathon
		Pre-Race Review/ Lineup
		Kipligat Has Calf Strain, Not Knee or Ankle Injury (Race Results Weekly) Lornah Kiplagat dropped out of the women's 6 km race a the Brussels Lotto Cross Cup due to a calf strain. Although she is taking a few rest days, outlook for the Dubai Marathon on Jan. 18 remains unclear. A calf strain prevented her from participating in the 2007 IAAF World Championships.
	Olympics 2008 (Men)
		Pre-Race Review/ Lineup
		Fearnley Set for Beijing Marathon (The Australian) Following an incredible year of racing, Kurt Fearnley is set to defend his Paralympic Games gold medal in Beijing on September 16, 2008. Fearnley will compete in two marathons before focusing specifically on the games in April 2008.
News From: Sunday, December 23, 2007
	Dubai Marathon
		Human Interest Story
		Dubai Sports signs five-year marathon deal (Arabian Business) The 2008 Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon signed a five year contract with the Dubai Sports Channel for live broadcasting rights. Dubai Sports will provide outside broadcast facilities for Ethiopian legend Haile Gebrselassies world record attempt in Dubai on January 18, 2008.
	Odds And Ends
		Post-Race Review/ Results
		Satya Prakash defends Indian Open title successfully (Earth Times) Satya Prakash won the Indian Open Marathon in a 2:17:53, but failed to meet the A standard qualifying times for the Olympics. The 'A' standard qualifying time for Olympics was 2:15 and to date India's top marathon runners could only come close to 'B' standard qualification time of 2:18. Rina Das won the women's race.
		Non-Marathon/ Other Running
		An utterly unforgettable year for Kenya (Nation Media) 2007 was an incredible year for Kenyan runners. Two notable performances were Samuel Wanjiru's new world half marathon record of 58.33 and Martin Lel won the London Marathon in 2:07:41.
		Human Interest Story
		Respecting rules makes sport safer (The Washington Times) Following USA Track & Field's no-headphones rule for USATF-sanctioned road races as a safety precaution, running organizations are beginning to impose rules banning headphones, strollers and dogs at road races. Road Runners Club of America has already discouraged these at RRCA-sanctioned races.
		Former UF runner, now a celebrated author, John L. Parker Jr. has taken quite a journey (Gainesville Sun) John L. Parker Jr., author of 1978 novel "Once a Runner" about a track and field star at the fictional Southeastern University in Kernsville, Fla., has written the novel's sequel, "Again to Carthage," in which the main character returns to Kernsville to recapture dreams of his youth. Parker, now sixty years of age, almost never saw his book hit the shelves when he went into a coma due to myocarditis. Parker who had to learn how to walk again is recuperating in Maine and High Springs.
		European Endurance Athletes 2007 year in review: Men's Road and Walks (European Athletics) Switzerland's Viktor Röthlin started the year off with his 2:08.20 victory in the Zurich Marathons. That time smashed the 33 year olds previous best of 2:09.56 Swiss Record. Many European runners faired well in the heat of Osaka to challenge the normally dominant Kenyan contingent.
		Non-Marathon/ Other Running
		A year of the fast and the fictitious (The Sunday Independant) 2007 marked an incredible year in running history. Marion Jones admitted to doping and stripped of her Olympic medals. Bernard Lagat won both the 1500m and the 5000m at the World Championships. Haile Gebrselassie broke the marathon world record with a 2:04:26 at the Berlin Marathon. Paula Radcliffe won the New York Marathon after giving birth to a daughter nine months earlier.
	Olympics 2008 (Men)
		Human Interest Story
		No Indian marathoner for Olympics in Beijing. (Earth Times) Lalit Bhanot stated that the 28 year drought for Indian marathon runners in the olympics will continue. The secretary of India concluded that most Indian born runners do not have an adequate training program and most start entirely to young and are burned out by the time the reach a mature enough age for marathon running. Bhanot stated that age restrictions will be implemented and event entries will only be allotted to two or three per year.
News From: Saturday, December 22, 2007
	Odds And Ends
		Non-Marathon/ Other Running
		Marion Jones' drug use detailed (Daily News Wire) Ledgers gathered in the BALCO steroid investigation reportedly outline the detailed doping schedule of ex-track star Marion Jones. The ledger which names several other athletes suggest the extent of doping by BALCO clients and document Jones' use of the steroids norbolethone and tetrahydrogestrinone, as well as the oxygen-boosting drug EPO, human growth hormone and insulin. The records were made public as part of the government's case against Jones who will be sentenced in January 2008.
		Human Interest Story
		Runner passes the torch (The Star Phoenix) At age 61, Rick Hanna, one of the greatest marathon runners in Saskatchewan's history, is battling with Huntington's disease. The disease slowly causes the death of cells in the parts of the brain that control body movement, decision-making, memory and emotion.. A 2:25 marathoner in his forties, Hanna awarded the first annual Rick Hanna Leadership Award established by the Brainsport Running Club.
	Olympics 2008 (Men)
		Pre-Race Review/ Lineup
		Athletes eyeing Olympic berth in Indian Open Marathon (Earth Times) Indian marathoners will attempt to qualify for the Beijing Olympics at the Mawana Sugars Indian Open Marathon. The marathon will follow the 2010 Commonwealth Games route. Favorites for the race are Satya Prakash, Vikram Singh and KC Ramu.
	Seattle Marathon
		Human Interest Story
		Seattle Marathon donors' right to know where the money is (Seattle Times) The Seattle Marathon, known for being a primary fundraiser for the University of Washington Medical Center's Patient and Family Housing Fund. The marathon has agreed to an audit of finances following unease as the University of Washington Medical Center who spent $125,000 as a race sponsor received a check for $8,346 from a marathon that raised more than $1 million.
News From: Friday, December 21, 2007
	2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Men's Marathon
		Post-Race Review/ Results
		Ryan Hall Running for Ryan Shay (Sports Illustrated) Ryan Hall experienced the best day of his life and the worst day of his life when he won the 2008 US Men's Olympic Trials Marathon and learned that one of his closest friends had died during the same race. Hall and his wife were teammates with Ryan Shay's wife when they were at Stanford University. Hall who is one of the three runners representing the US in Beijing is dedicating his run for Olympic gold to Shay.
	Dong-A Seoul International Marathon
		Pre-Race Review/ Lineup
		Lee Bong-ju Has Sights Set on 2008 Dong-A Marathon (DongA IIbo) Korean runner, Lee Bong-ju, is set to run the 2008 Dong-A Seoul International Marathon. At thirty-seven he feels he just may attain a 2:07:20 finish, the Korean record which he set in 2000.
	Odds And Ends
		Non-Marathon/ Other Running
		Bernard Lagat and Lornah Kiplagat Recognized for Championship Performances (Race Results Weekly) Bernard Lagat and Lornah Kiplagat have been selected the Race Results Weekly 2007 Runners of the Year. Lagat is the first to win the 1500 and 5000 meters at the same World Championship Games. Kipligat won the 2007 IAAF World Cross Country Championships and the 2007 IAAF World Road Running Championships setting world records in the 20M and the Half Marathon distances.
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
		Training/ Health
		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.
		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.
		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.
	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.