Marathon/Running News: 3/18/08 - 3/25/08

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News From: Tuesday, March 25, 2008
	Boston Marathon
		Human Interest Story
		Former Presidential Candidate Running Boston Marathon (The Boston Channel) Former Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee will be running the 2008 Boston Marathon as part of the Team Hoyt charity team. Huckabee shed over one hundred pounds after being diagnosed with diabetes in 2003 when he was governor of Arkansas and since he has run four marathons with a personal best time of 4:26:05 at the 2006 Little Rock Marathon.
		Site gets run for its money (Boston Herald) Running enthusiasts across the globe will be able to watch this years Boston Marathon by traveling no further than their computers. The Boston Athletic Association has sold the Internet rights to the April 21 marathon to the World Championship Sports Network, which will showcase the race online at WCSN.com.
	Capital City Marathon
		Human Interest Story
		Marathon's motto: quality over quantity (The Olympian) The Capital City Marathon has been listed among the top thirty Boston Marathon qualifying races under a category titled "Most likely to qualify" in a list published by MarathonGuide.com. Capital City Marathon is the only race in Washington State. The race will offer a polyester running pant by Asics in place of the standard T-shirt and take home water bottles along with paper cups along the race course.
	Fargo Marathon
		Human Interest Story
		Marathon entries way up (In-Sports News) The Fargo Marathon had 6,150 entries as of Monday up significantly from the 3,400 about this time a year ago. Knutson said 1,200 are registered for the marathon, abut 2,300 for the half-marathon, 1,100 for the marathon relay and 1,300 for the 5K. A goal of having all 50 states represented, which was reached last year, is short just Delaware and West Virginia.
	Isle of Man Marathon
		Human Interest Story
		Enter the Isle of Man Marathon (IOM Today) Registration has opened for the 2008 Isle of Man Marathon and Half Marathon set for Sunday, August 10. The race will be celebrating its thirtieth anniversary. Race entries will be accepted on race morning at an additional fee of £10.
	Knoxville Marathon
		Human Interest Story
		Knoxville Marathon sponsor is long term (Knox News) Following a press conference with Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam discussing the Knoxville Marathon, Tony Spezia, president and CEO of Covenant Health, said the Knoxville Marathon can count on long-term sponsorship from his company. Covenant Health is in the first year of a three-year deal (through 2010) to sponsor the Knoxville Marathon. It didn't officially become the primary sponsor until the second year in 2006 when the marathon became known as the Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon.
	Marathon of Utrecht
		Post-Race Review/ Results
		Chumba wins bitterly cold Utrecht Marathon in 2:12 (IAAF) Kenyan Sammy Chumba outkicked fellow kenyan Raymond Bett to win the 8th Jaarbeurs Utrecht Marathon in 2:12:07 despite the cold winter-like conditions. Bett clocked 2:12:14 for second place. A third Kenyan, Mariko Kiplagat, the winner of 2007 with a course record of 2:11:14, came home third in 2:13:31. The women's race was won by Irene Cherop of Kenya in 2:41:44. She was nearly fourteen minutes ahead of Lithuanian Justtina Jasulyte who clocked 2:55:04. Cherop, 22, finished seventeenth overall.
	Olympics 2008 (Women)
		Human Interest Story
		Takahashi to run in all 3 big marathon races (Daily Yomiuri) Failing to qualify for the Japanese Women's Olympic Marathon Team with a disappointing race at the 2008 Nagoya International Women's Marathon, Naoko Takahashi said she will run in all three of Japan's major marathon races next year, starting with the Tokyo International Women's Marathon. Takahashi was the champion of the 2000 Sydney Olympics and finished in nineteenth place at Nagoya. the thirty-five year old has made no further statement about retiring.
	Two Oceans Marathon (56km)
		Post-Race Review/ Results
		Gold for Libode marathon champ (Daily Dispatch Online) Libode-born Mluleki Nobanda who finished fourth at the 2008 Two Oceans Marathon received a heros welcome upon his return home. Champion of the 2003 event and thirteenth place finisher for the 2007 event, the police sergeant was leading for most of the race with winner Zimbabwean Marco Mambo until fellow South Africans Mzwanele Maphekula and Simon Peu passed him near the end.
News From: Monday, March 24, 2008
	Boston Marathon
		Human Interest Story
		UNC doctor trains for Boston marathon (The Daily Tar Heel) A competitive swimmer for most of his life, Dr. Charles van der Horst qualified for the 2008 Boston Marathon with a 3:26:44 at the Bizz Johnson Trail Marathon. The fifty-six year old is recognized as one of America's best in HIV/AIDS treatment and research.
	Fox Cities Marathon
		Human Interest Story
		Kimberly man counts blessings until he can run again (Green Bay Press Gazette) Forty-five year old Ed Willenbrink, a 3:10 marathoner who ran at the University of Notre Dame, was an avid runner until he was struck by a car after two cars collided in February of this year. Willenbrink suffered a number of injuries which included a fracture to his leg in seven places, a broken pelvis and head trauma. With a bar placed into the length of the leg, Willenbrink is determined to get back to running and marathoning when the time is right.
	Odds And Ends
		Pre-Race Review/ Lineup
		Falilat Foundation Unveils Abuja City Marathon (This Day Online) Former Nigeria track and field star, Chief Falilat Ogunkoya-Omotayo will will unveil the first Abuja City Marathon to be held in Nigeria. The founder of the foundation, Falilat Omotayo revealed that the Minister of State in the Federal Capital will inaugurate the ten member committee that will see to the planning and execution of the Marathon, the first of its kind in Abuja. The primary sponsor of the race is the Falilat Foundation.
		Non-Marathon/ Other Running
		McGregor and Torres head USA team for 2008 World Cross Country (IAAF) Jorge Torres and Katie McGregor will lead the US Team at the 2008 World's Cross Country Championships in Edinburgh, Scotland. 2008 US Olympic Team marathoner and 10,000 hopeful Dathan Ritzenhein sidelined with an injury is focused on the 10,000 meter trials. Top female runner Shalane Flanagan has also opted to sit out of the championships in lieu of the US Olympic Trials.
	Olympics 2008 (Men)
		Pre-Race Review/ Lineup
		IOC president says Olympic marathon will be a success despite Gebrselassie withdrawal (International Herald Tribune) Despite the world record-holder Haile Gebrselassie's decision to skip the marathon event, Olympic officials state that this won't affect the quality of the marathon event or the 2008 Beijing Games. Pollution and the violence in Tibet and other human rights issues have been a major concern for China and the International Olympic Committee. IOC President Jacques Rogge said there is "no danger whatsoever" for athletes competing in high intensity events lasting under an hour, but athletes in endurance events longer than that such as the marathon, road cycling and triathlon could be affected by poor air.
	Rock 'n' Roll Country Music Marathon
		Human Interest Story
		Diamond Rio Preps for Country Music Marathon (Grreat American Country) Band Diamond Rio has raised $200,000 over the last three years with Team Rio's participation in the Country Music Marathon. Team Rio includes more than one hundred fifty members and will join Team McGraw at the 2008 Country Music Marathon Half Marathon to raise money for brain tumor research.
	Taunton Marathon
		Pre-Race Review/ Lineup
		Limbering up for Taunton Marathon (Somerset Country Gazette) More than 1,500 runners will have the chance to set a new course record for the 2008 Taunton Marathon and Half Marathon. The new route through Bishop's Hull over the last two miles means the course best times list is wiped clean and everything is up for grabs. The timing chips introduced last year are being used again to help with results for the mass of finishers between 1 and two hours, when well over half the shorter distance runners will come home.
	Vermont City Marathon
		Human Interest Story
		The road to the marathon is a long way to go (The Barre Times Argus) Commentator Mark Albury is preparing for the 2008 Vermont City Marathon. Armed with a marathon issue of Runner's World magazine, the 198 pound runner is starting to enjoy training and the opportunity to do a lot of thinking on training runs.
News From: Thursday, March 20, 2008
	2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Women's Marathon
		Post-Race Review/ Results
		With late race charge, Kastor takes U.S. Marathon trials title (IAAF) Although Magdalena Lewy-Boulet charged out to an early lead at the 2008 US Olympic Team Trials, favorite Deena Kastor closed an almost two minute gap starting at mile 15. Kastor passed Lewy-Boulet after mile 23 to win the race in 2:29:35. Lewy-Boulet was second in 2:30:19 and Blake Russell was third in 2:32:40.
	City of Los Angeles Marathon (L.A. Marathon)
		Non-Marathon/ Other Running
		ChronoTrack Systems and Impinj Bring RFID Technology to LA Marathon (Marketwire) Recently formed ChronoTrack Systems, Inc. today announced that the company's road race timing system, based on Impinj UHF Gen 2 radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, performed flawlessly at the 2008 Los Angeles Marathon. ChronoTrack's "D" timing tag allows race organizers to print an integrated bib and tag for each participant, encoding the runner's bib number into the tag's RFID chip at the time of printing. The peel-off, disposable portion of the bib becomes a tag that runners attach to their shoes.
	Danube Marathon
		Human Interest Story
		Bratislava to Host Third Annual Marathon (Slovakia Today) The 2008 Bratislava Marathon in its third year is expecting a record number of runners. The Korean and American ambassadors to Slovakia have registered for the relay run, while a number of politicians and famous personalities such as national tennis player Dominik Hrbaty have made surprise entries as well. Nearly 1,300 competitors in all have put their names down for the marathon event, which is expected to feature last year's winner Bogdan Dziuba and Artur Blasinski from Poland.
	Marathon des Sables
		Human Interest Story
		McGrath preps for marathon; Mountaineer ready to take on Sahara Desert (The Sudbury Star) Meagan McGrath, who has climbed to the top of Mount Everest and has conquered the Seven Summits, will challenge herself against the heat of the Sahara Desert in the 2008 Marathon des Sables. The seven-day, 245.3-kilometre footrace is a feat forcing competitors to deal with extreme heat, different types of terrain, sandstorms and insects and animals in the desert. Runners must carry all of their food and supplies for the duration of the race in a bag on their backs and are required to bring certain items with them, such as anti-venom kits. Water is provided by the organizers, as well as tents for shelter at night.
	Odds And Ends
		Post-Race Review/ Results
		Team Kennet athlete wins UKs toughest marathon (Newbury Today) Mark Shepherd clinched his second long distance success in just eight days when winning the event billed as the UKs toughest marathon. Shepherd completed the 26.2 mile event at Wendover Woods, Buckinghamshire in a course record breaking time of 4:14:30. Competitors faced an arduous examination of their durability with a 21-lap circuit of Wendover Woods that included a 6,000 feet near vertical climb that even needed the help of a rope, before a 6,000 descent. He went on to win the Welsh Championship at the Barry 40 mile track race.
	Two Oceans Marathon (56km)
		Human Interest Story
		Brave runner takes on Two Oceans for charity (IOL.co.nz) Darryl Howe who was born with cerebral palsy will be competing in the 2008 Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon after having completed eight marathons in the past seven years. Known as "Daz" to his friends, he said his disability was limiting him in terms of the amount of intense training he could do, but maintained that he ran between up to thirty kilometers per week and woke up as early as 3am to train. Daz has been granted an hour head start for the race and is confident that he will complete the fifty-six kilometer marathon in good time
News From: Wednesday, March 19, 2008
	Knoxville Marathon
		Humor
		Ellington making marathon leap in Knoxville (Go Volsxtra) Former four-time All-American distance runner at the University of Tennessee, Stewart Ellington, is keen on winning the 2008 Knoxville Marathon. Ellington, a 5K trck star, has been running about ninety miles per week in preparation. He has run the half marathon three times, but never with competition in mind.
	Olympics 2008 (Men)
		Pre-Race Review/ Lineup
		Gebrselassie claim about Beijing Olympics purely personal (China View) The Ethiopian ambassador, Haile-Kiros Gessesse, to China made a statement about the world marathon record holder Haile Gebrselassie's announcement declining to compete in the Beijing Olympic marathon is a personal decision made without consulting the country's Olympic committee. Gessesse said only the Ethiopian Olympic Committee could decide who will play and who will not and the committee has not yet decided the final list of athletes attending the 2008 Olympic games.
	Olympics 2008 (Women)
		Pre-Race Review/ Lineup
		Rwandan Nyirabarame Qualifies for Beijing Olympics (allafrica.com) Epiphanie Nyirabarame beat the minimum qualification mark for the Games as she clocked 2:41;33 to finish eleventh at the 2008 Rome Marathon. So far, Nyirabarame is one of two athletes to qualify for Beijing from Rwanda. The Rwanda Athletics Federation technical director Emmanuel Murenzi told Times Sport yesterday that he expects more athletes to qualify for the Beijing Games during the African Championship due to be held in Ethiopia in late April.
	Two Oceans Marathon (56km)
		Human Interest Story
		City to partner Two Oceans Marathon (Athlone) The City of Cape Town is, for the first time, a partner of the Two Oceans Marathon. As one of the top events in International Athletics, the city has agreed to lend aid to the race on many levels. Some of which include covering the cost of traffic services for the International Friendship Run, providing buses for the transport of athletes, providing volunteers to shadow marshals as part of the City's volunteer capacity building programmes, covering the cost of the road closure signs and waiving the cost for the hiring of the Good Hope Centre for the expo.
		Marathon fever to hit the Tygerberg (TygerBurger) Hundreds are preparing for the 2008 Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon. The cut-off time for the 56 km ultra-marathon is seven hours and three hours for the half marathon.
	US Men Olympics Trials
		Human Interest Story
		Mystery lingers in Shay's case; runner's heart failed, but reason unknown (Detroit Free Press) It has been four months of testing on Ryan Shay's heart tissue samples following his sudden collapse and death at the 2008 US Men's Olympic Trials in New York. Experts are still not certain what exactly the cause of death is. The toxicology report came back 100% clean.
		Marathoner Shay's death ruled due to natural causes (Chicago Tribune) Ryan Shay's death during the 2008 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials was because of natural causes linked to an irregular heartbeat and an enlarged heart stated the New York City Medical Examiner. Joe Shay, father of the marathoner, confirmed that the toxicology report dating back to December was negative. Joe Shay said the evidence in the autopsy report should lead many other runners, especially older runners, to be more attentive to their health.