Marathon/Running News: 2/20/08 - 2/27/08

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News From: Wednesday, February 27, 2008
	Albany Marathon (formerly the Snickers Marathon Energy Bar Marathon)
		Human Interest Story
		'Racy' weekend planned for Snicker Marathon (The Albany Herald) Paired with a large cycling race, the Albany Snicker's Marathon Energy Bar Marathon should draw a large crowd to the city for the weekend. Lisa Riddle of the Albany Convention and Visitors Bureau said that the 800 runners, 400 cyclists and spectators should draw in well over 1 million in revenue for the city. With 850 participants registere
	Boston Marathon
		Pre-Race Review/ Lineup
		John Hancock Financial Announces Top Male Contenders for 2008 Boston Marathon (Fox Business) The 2008 Boston Marathon has an elite roster that includes three-time champion Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot, 2007 Chicago Champion Patrick Ivuti and 2007 Boston runner up James Kwambai. Cheruiyot is attempting his fourth win, something a Kenyan has never done. Also in the field are Gashaw Asfaw, Christopher Cheboiboch, Abderrahime Bouramdane and Shadrack Kiplagat.
	Malta Marathon
		Post-Race Review/ Results
		Marathon of Records: Jonathan Balzan is Malta's fastest ever (Di-ve Sports) The 2008 BMW Malta Marathon and Half-Marathon saw a number of records from a record number of registrants to Joshua Kipchumba's new course record win in 2:19:08. It was also a record for local Jonathan Balzan who garnered the fastest time of any Maltese athlete with his finish of 2:26:29. Women's race winner Carmen Hili won in a personal record of 3:01:48.
	Mercedes Marathon
		Human Interest Story
		Homewood, Mountain Brook could be left off future Mercedes Marathon course (The Birmingham News) Mercedes Marathon event organizer Valerie McLean may be rerouting the Mercedes course to make it faster. The course winds through Homewood and Mountain Brook where there are significant climbs that impede a faster time. In a day where races are boasting fast times Mercedes seems to be wanting to keep in stride to attract more runners.
	Napa Valley Marathon
		Pre-Race Review/ Lineup
		Queen of marathons (Napa Valley Register) Olympic gold medalist Joan Benoit Samuelson who will be a keynote speaker at the 2008 Napa Valley Marathon has advice for those running the race to get a qualifying time for the 2008 U.S. Olympic Womens Team Trials. She advises to run within yourself, to pass rather than be passed and to have a strong finish. Benoit Samuelson will run in her seventh consecutive Womens Olympic Marathon Trials race in Boston. Instead of competing for a spot on the U.S. Olympic team, however, Benoit Samuelson will aim for a 2:50 finish.
	New York City Marathon
		Human Interest Story
		Run for your life in New York City (The New Zealand Herald) In 1970 the first New York City Marathon opened its doors to 55 male runners. This year more than 39,000 males and females are expected to fork over the 100 dollar plus entry fee. Which is less expensive than a divorce and seems to be more enjoyable. The cost of the adventure allows you to see New York City from Staten Island running through Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Manhattan. This up close and personal view comes only once a year and to a select few.
	Odds And Ends
		Non-Marathon/ Other Running
		Stars in town for Zayed Marathon (Gulf News) The 2008 Zayed Half Marathon in Abu Dhabi will feature top stars in their 21km and two other 7km and 4km events and a rpize purse of $2 million USD. Current Half Marathon record holders Lorna Kiplagat and Sammy Wanjiru are ready to take on the United Arab Emirates. Kiplagat is especially eager after not finishing the 2008 Dubai Marathon. Both will be chasing the $200,000 incentive bonus for a new record in the Half Marathon distance.
		Pre-Race Review/ Lineup
		Marathon Year for Otago Runner (Taranaki Daily News) Sarah Chisnall finished second in the women's race at last year's Taranaki Mountain to Surf marathon. Since that time she has run a few more miles including the win at the Christchurch Marathon with a personal best of 2 hours 43 minutes and 17 seconds. A win in New Zealand on a mountain course earned here a travel pass to the world championships. Last year she finished two degrees and is looking forward to the mountain marathon this Saturday.
		Prokopcuka Leads Paris Half Marathon Field (Race Results Weekly) Two-time champion of the New York City Marathon, Jelena Prokopcuka, prepares for the 2008 Paris Half Marathon before heading to the 2008 Boston Marathon. With a personal best of 1:08:11 from the 2005 Great North Run, Prokopcuka will be going up against Linah Cheruiyot and Genet Getaneh. The men's field include Wilson Chebet, Shadrack Kiplagat, John Kales, David Langat and Jackson Kirwa.
		Training/ Health
		Olympians face tough opponent: pollution (Guardian.co.uk) As the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games approach, some of the strategies suggested to athletes in order to cope with the pollution problem plaguing the city have been to eat an orange, wear a face mask or train elsewhere and fly in at the last possible moment to compete. U.S. teams expect Beijing's air to reach a "safe and suitable standard for elite competition" and will not wear activated carbon filtration masks. Another issue to contend with will be the severly hot weather temperatures of 80 degree sixty percent humidity.
News From: Tuesday, February 26, 2008
	City of Los Angeles Marathon (L.A. Marathon)
		Human Interest Story
		City of Los Angles Marathon will be a long strange race. (L.A. Times) Dennis Marsella will be dressed in a heavy coat and long pants regardless of the weather at this Sundays L.A. Marathon. If his wing tip shoes and tie don't set him apart, perhaps the cake he carries above his head will. "Coat Man" as he is affectionately called will join pancake man and juggling man as a marathon finisher. Marsella has finished nearly 100 marathons and says he stays balanced by spinning himself around 16 times in the morning to ensure his "neuro-plasticity". What a strange race indeed.
	London Marathon
		Human Interest Story
		Run-in with death doesnt stop Bert (Scotsman.com) Three years ago Bert Logan was crushed between two forklift trucks in a horrific accident and barely survived due to heavy blood loss. Today, fifty-one year old Logan who suffered a cracked pelvis and trapped nerves in his legs is training for his twenty-third marathon at the 2008 London Marathon. Having been told that he would never run let alone walk again, Logan, whose personal best is 2:45, was determined to beat the odds.
	Napa Valley Marathon
		Human Interest Story
		New Yorker to use the NVM to train for Boston (Napa Valley Register) Michael Arnstein who is scheduled to run the 30th annual Kaiser Permanente Napa Valley Marathon is not your average marathoner. With a 2:34:19 personal best, Arnstein aims to be top five in Napa Valley and go on to run a 2:27 finish at the 2008 Boston Marathon. The Napa Valley Marathon has been selected by the Road Runners Club of America as its National Marathon Championship.
		Lifespring Health Sponsors the 30th Annual Napa Valley Marathon (The Earth Times) The 30th Annual Napa Valley Marathon, also known as "the biggest Little marathon in the west" is being sponsored by Lifespring Health. The Napa Valley Marathon has grown in popularity due to its runner support, attention to detail, and the beautiful point-to-point course that runs the length of the famed Napa Valley wine-growing region. Lifespring will have a booth at the marathon expo to encourage fitness and healthy lifestyles.
	Odds And Ends
		Human Interest Story
		Chepkemei Sanctioned for Doping Violation (Race Results Weekly) Four-time IAAF World Half-Marathon medalist Susan Chepkemei returned a positive result for Salbutamol, a medication commonly prescribed for breathing problems, usually asthma. Following a bout of pneumonia, Chepkemei was given the medication by a doctor in a Nairobi hospital where she was receiving treatment. Athletics Kenya has imposed a sanction of one year of ineligibility, from Oct. 19, 2007, through Oct. 18, 2008, and all results achieved by Chepkemei from Sept. 10, 2007, to the present will be annulled. Chepkemei is also five months pregnant.
		Asics Wants More Than Runner's High (Business Week) More than 50% of the finishers in New Yorks Marathon had an Asics Logo on their shoe. But considering they are only ranked fourth in the shoe industry, behind Nike, Adidas, and Puma it should be somewhat surprising. With only 2.1 billion in yearly sales the company is about one tenth the size of shoe giant Nike. Within the U.S. market Asics has it's shoes on wrestler, volleyball players, snowboarders and a few basketball stars. But nearly all of it's oversea shoe sales are going to runners.
	Seattle Marathon
		Human Interest Story
		Seattle Marathon loses UW as title sponsor (The Seattle Times) The University of Washington Medical Center is withdrawing as title sponsor of the Seattle Marathon; but will continue to contribute some money, as well as medical care and water for runners. Speculation states that this may have been a consequence of The Seattle Times article that reported that less than 1 percent of the marathon's $1 million-plus revenue goes to charity. The UW Medical Center was to have paid $140,000 to help stage this year's event; but will pay $70,000 instead.
News From: Monday, February 25, 2008
	Albany Marathon (formerly the Snickers Marathon Energy Bar Marathon)
		Human Interest Story
		U.S. troops overseas will run Snickers Marathon (WALB News) As hundreds of runners prepare for the 2008 Snickers Marathon and Half-Marathon, 34 troops and six volunteers registered to participate in Iraq. It all began when a reservist who is stationed Baghdad contacted the race director.
	Alpharetta Marathon
		Human Interest Story
		Alpharetta Marathon returns this weekend (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution) More than one thousand runners calling Ohio, Wisconsin, New Jersey and Missouri will line up for the second annual Alpharetta Marathon this Sunday at 7 am. The event kicks off Alpharetta's 150th Anniversary and prizes to the pace of $150 dollars will be doled out during the day.
	Austin Marathon
		Human Interest Story
		After sixty five marathons, runner finally reaches under three hour goal (Austin-American Statesman) Frank Livaudais determined to break the three-hour marathon mark has finally accomplished this feat at the 2008 Austin Marathon with a 2:28:15. It has taken Livaudais six years and sixty-five marathons. Considering he averages a marathon a month as his long run and only gets in thirty miles a week Livaudais finds the greatest pleasure in running marathons all over the country in his attempt at fifty marathons in fifty states.
	Carlsbad Marathon
		Human Interest Story
		Kyle Gallagher: The Next Marathon Man? (Hesperia Star) January 20th may have seen the birth of the next marathon man. Kyle Gallagher, at the age of 18, set out on a quest to run a relatively fast marathon before he graduated high school. His time of 2:44 was good enough to earn him sixth place at the Carlsbad Marathon. Gallagher who was usually over shadowed by another lead runner from his high school recorded the fastest time in the marathon for his school by over one minute from the previous record of two hours and forty-five minutes set by 2004 grad Stuart Patterson.
	City of Los Angeles Marathon (L.A. Marathon)
		Pre-Race Review/ Lineup
		Runners: Get ready, get set for the L.A. Marathon (LA Times) As the marathon approaches, author of "The Marathon Method", Tom Holland, and legendary Katherine Switzer give their advice on what to do in the last week leading up to the big race. Along with taking rest days and sleeping more than usual, stretching and the beginning of carb loading are ultimately key. Switzer also reminds one to clip their toenails before the big day.
		Human Interest Story
		L.A. Marathon: Run for it! (LA Times) The 2008 Los Angeles Marathon celebrates its twenty-third year with 26,000 participants preparing for race day. Runners like Pete Banuelos, Alice Perlowski, Dawn Vonderheide, Lou Briones and Radell Hutchen detail their experiences and have lots of advice from pre-race rituals to strategies to share.
	Five Points of Life Marathon
		Post-Race Review/ Results
		Russian wins Five Points of Life Marathon (The Gainesville Sun) 27-year-old Russian Denis Zhalybin moved to Gainesville two months ago. Originally from southern Russia, Zhalybin moved to the U.S. to run marathons. His plan seems to have worked well as he cruised to the victory in just over two hours easily besting Brett Howell of Gainesville who ran the 26.2 mile race in two hours thirty-six minutes and fifty-seven seconds.
	Hyannis Marathon
		Post-Race Review/ Results
		Duclos sets Hyannis marathon record (Cape Cod Times) After suffering a stress fracture in her foot as well as tendonitis, Kim Duclos won the 2008 Hyannis Marathon in 2:56:06, breaking the twenty year women's course record by seventeen seconds. Nicholas Watson won the men's race in 2:41:26. Both champions were surprised but their successful finishes.
	Kilimanjaro Marathon
		Human Interest Story
		Vodacom to Splash $23,000 On Prizes at Kili Marathon (All Africa) While the 2008 Kilimanjaro Marathon has so far registered a record number of over 320 foreign athletes, there will be extra incentive to run the event's 5K race. Vodacom has announced that it will spend $23,000 to award different winners in the forthcoming Kilimanjaro Marathon's 5km fun run. Some of the event sponsors are Vodacom, TBL (42km), Kilimanjaro Drinking Water, Air Tanzania and the Standard Chartered Bank.
	London Marathon
		Human Interest Story
		Twin sisters have London Marathon Target (Cheshire) Emily and Elizabeth Hoyle will run London and in doing so hope to raise £3,000 for the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign. Both have gone above traditional methods and started to help pack grocery bags and even sell chocolate truffles to raise money.
	Napa Valley Marathon
		Pre-Race Review/ Lineup
		Last chance tag makes NV Marathon first-rate (Napa Valley Register) The thirtieth annual Kaiser Permanente Napa Valley Marathon has a field of women running for a last chance qualifying attempt to make the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials Womens Marathon. Of the 2,300 runners entered in this years Napa Valley Marathon, forty five percent are women. Legendary Joan Benoit Samuelson plans to accompany Napa Valley Marathon participants partway through the race as a training run in preparation for her last Olympic Marathon Trials.
	New Orleans Mardi Gras Marathon
		Post-Race Review/ Results
		The Mardi Gras Marathon offered a new course... (Times Picayune) The 2008 New Orleans Mardi Gras Marathon celebrated its forty-fourth running with a new course that took runners for the first time into the heart of the French Quarter down Bourbon Street, Rampart Street and St. Charles Avenue. 2005 and 2007 champion Meyer Friedman won the men's race in 2:25:52. Autumn Ray won the women's competition in 2:58:42.
	Odds And Ends
		Post-Race Review/ Results
		Idris wins Bahrain Marathon (Gulf Daily News) MOHAMMED Idris won the 31st annual Bahrain marathon with a time of three hours and 48 seconds. He outlasted the field from start to finish and defeated second place by nearly fifteen minutes. Myrna Saliba was the quickest woman of the two women field. She finished 11th overall in 4:01:48. Riana Rousseau was her challenger finished 17th in 4:36:14.