Marathon/Running News: 5/21/08 - 5/28/08

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News From: Wednesday, May 28, 2008
	Coeur d' Alene Marathon
		Post-Race Review/ Results
		Marathon runners clean up in Coeur dAlene (Castlegarnews.com) There were two hundred seventy eight runners in the 2008 Coeur dAlene Marathon. Many participants are repeat runners.
	New York City Marathon
		Human Interest Story
		With Hectic Schedule and Two Young Kids, Road Runners CEO Wittenberg Learns to Pace Herself (Wall Street Journal) Mary Wittenberg, President and Chief Executive of New York Road Runners and Race Director for the New York City Marathon, measures how well she's doing her job by how many road races she runs. An ex-corporate lawyer and mother of two, Wittenberg has a running resume that includes a win of the 1987 Marine Corps Marathon finishing in 2:44 earning a place in the 1988 Olympic marathon trials. Although her professional running career was ended as a result of these knee injuries that kept her from the Trials, she still manages to run several races each year.
	Olympics 2008 (Women)
		Non-Marathon/ Other Running
		Johnson will have her work cut out at Freihofer's 5Km (IAAF) Two-time defending champion of the Freihofer's Run for Women Benita Johnson will go up against a strong African women's field. Many of her top competitors dominated the Bolder Boulder field which includes champion Millicent Gathoni and runner-up Amane Gobena. Event Director George Regan expects a fast race.
		Human Interest Story
		Star runner Sun disappointed by poor showing at Bird's Nest (China Daily) Sun Yingjie, former Chinese long distance running star returned from Olympic ban, failed to qualify for he 2008 Beijing Games in the 5,000 meters as she ran the Bird's Nest Race in China. In 2003, Sun became the first Chinese woman and fourth woman in the world to break the 2:20 minute time in a marathon, finishing the Beijing Marathon in 2:19:39. The veteran runner was crushed when she learned she could not run in the Olympics and when she heard she was out of the China Open as well.
News From: Tuesday, May 27, 2008
	Odds And Ends
		Non-Marathon/ Other Running
		Kogo and Mikitenko take 10k victories on Londons proposed 2012 marathon course (IAAF) Micah Kogo and 2008 London Marathon winner Irina Mikitenko won the inaugural 'BUPA London 10000' which utilized the last ten kilometers of the proposed 2012 London Olympics. Kogo beat Zersenay Tadese, the reigning double World Road Running champion and 2008 London Marathon men's race winner Martin Lel, winning the UK All-Comers Record for the distance in 28:08. In the women's race Mikitenko bested the lead pack consisting of Aniko Kalovics, Hungarian record holder over 5km, 10km and marathon, and Great Britain Olympic hopeful Mara Yamauchi to win the race in 32:02.
		Training/ Health
		China promises life bans for drugs cheats (Times Online UK) China has followed the United Kingdom's lead in imposing automatic life bans on athletes who use performance enhancing drugs and has gone farther banning dopers from taking part in all competitions, not just the Olympic Games. This was perhaps a reaction to previous allegations about doping in the past as well as recent news about poor coaching and dwindling optimism surrounding the 2008 Beijing Games.
		Triathlons/Marathons on the Rise, Due to Intensive Group-Oriented Training Programs (Mercury News) Despite the small number of competitors, interest in endurance sports is rapidly growing especially with a number of local clubs and organizations helping train and motivate competitors. One of the largest organizations that train athletes for endurance events is the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team in Training program, which is celebrating its twentieth anniversary this year. In exchange for offering between three to four months of training with expert coaches for a marathon, triathlon or bicycle century ride, participants raise money to fund blood cancer research and patient services.
	Olympics 2008 (Men)
		Pre-Race Review/ Lineup
		Swiss star Viktor Roethlin selected to run Olympic marathon (International Herald Tribune) Viktor Roethlin won a World Championships bronze in Osaka, Japan, last August and a silver at the 2006 Europeans in Goteborg, Sweden. The 33 year old will be going to his third games at the Beijing Olympics which will run from August 8-24. Roethlin ran 2 hours, 7 minutes, 23 seconds to win the Tokyo Marathon in February for his best time this year.
	Olympics 2008 (Women)
		Pre-Race Review/ Lineup
		Haining out on limb as Radcliffe battles injury (Guardian UK) With world Record Holder Paula Radcliffe's stress fracture on the minds of the British who remain hopeful to see a countryman medal, Olympic marathon women's team alternate Hayley Haining is on reserve should Radcliffe need to drop out. Radcliffe is attempting to train through injury, but Haining who resume her own day to day activities - testing the blood samples of sick animals in her job as a veterinary pathologist - has been quietly marathon training on the side.
		Yamauchi Hopes for Home Comforts (SportingLife) Mara Yamauchi has revealed she has asked UK Athletics if she can train at home in Tokyo instead of heading to the Olympic preparation camp in Macau. Yamauchi, a former Foreign and Commonwealth Office diplomat who is married to a Japanese native, became a full-time athlete two years ago. Yamauchi won the Osaka Marathon earlier this year and is the second fastest female runner on Great Britain's Olympic Team.
	Ottawa Marathon (National Capital Race Weekend)
		Post-Race Review/ Results
		New women's course record, new Canadian champions at Ottawa ING Marathon (Ottawa Citizen) Asmae Leghazoui won the women's marathon title in her first marathon on the ING Ottawa Marathon course. She finished with a commanding five minute win over the second place finisher, and a new course record. Leghazoui's new course record was set with a time of 2:28:43. The previous record, established by Lioudmilla Kortchaguina in 2006, was 2:29:42. Cheruiyot won the mens ING Ottawa Marathon in 2 hours 10 minutes and 59 seconds.
News From: Monday, May 26, 2008
	Edinburgh Marathon
		Post-Race Review/ Results
		Edinburgh Marathon man leads home from the front (The Scotsman) Paul McNamara, an Irish professional cross country champion, won the 2008 Albert Bartlett Edinburgh Marathon in his first serious attempt at the distance in a 2:25:06. Nathaniel Williams was runner up in a 2:25:33 and Michael Green was third in 2:26:18. Pauline Powell won the women's race two minutes ahead of Karen Hazlitt who took second in 2:47:57. Gill Laithwaite took third in 2:52:24.
	Med-City Marathon
		Post-Race Review/ Results
		Personal best brings glory for female winner of Med-City Marathon (Post Bulletin.com) Kara Arzamendia won the women's race of the 2008 Med-City Marathon in a personal best time of 3:12:24. It was a family affair for Arzamendia. Her cousin ran the marathon and two cousins, her husband and father teamed to run the four-person relay. Arzamendia finished eighth overall.
	Odds And Ends
		Post-Race Review/ Results
		Mutisya wins Mombasa race (The Daily Nation) Peter Mutisya in his first victory won the Mombasa Marathon in 2:12:46. Motira Dismas finished second in a 2:13:35 and Patrick Wachira was third in 2:14.13. In the women's race Phyllis Chelagat won in 2:49:16, Sylvia Chemeli finished second in 2:49:18 and Susan Chemtai was third in 2:54:33.
	Olympics 2008 (Men)
		Human Interest Story
		U.S. runner slams Canadian Olympic criteria (London Free Press) Following the Ottawa Marathon, American Jon Little criticized Athletics Canada for sending faster runners who were more recently naturalized as citizens rather than sending qualified individuals to represent the country at the Beijing Olympics. Canadian men marathoners needed to run a time of 2:11:31 in either 2006 or 2007 (the "A+ standard") or 2:11:38 (the "A standard") since Feb. 28, 2007 to qualify for Beijing. There is also a B standard of 2:14 mentioned in the general qualifying criteria, but it does not apply in the specific rules for qualifying for Beijing. Women needed to run an A+ standard of 2:27:35 or an A standard of 2:29:08.
	Rock 'n' Roll Marathon
		Human Interest Story
		Heart attack during marathon doesn't deter runner from returning to race (North Country Times) John Spangler is ready to run the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon once again this year despite the heart attack he suffered after crossing the finish line at last year's marathon. Spangler at forty-eight years old unknowingly suffered the heart attack shortly after crossing the finish, describing the pain as a heartburn with the first symptom being a cramping in his biceps and a burning sensation in the chest that spread from shoulder to shoulder. His wife insisted they stop by the emergency room, where heart surgery saved his life.
News From: Sunday, May 25, 2008
	Bayshore Marathon
		Post-Race Review/ Results
		Reader sets record in Bayshore (Record Eagle) Defending Champion Marybeth Reader broke the Traverse City State Bank Bayshore Marathon course record by over two minutes 2:46:23. Surprised with her performance after battling plantar fascitis recently, Reader will use her winnings and time bonus to send her daughter to summer camp. Runner-up Janet Becker finished in a 2:59:17 and Val Thomasman was third in a 3:05:24. In the men's race Nick Allen defended his title to win in 2:21:46, followed by Matt Fecht in 2:23:39 and Kyle Baker in 2:33:02.
	Buffalo Marathon
		Post-Race Review/ Results
		Ethiopian stars win Buffalo Marathon (The Buffalo News) Habtamu Bekele won the Buffalo Marathon in 2:26:05. Jason Lokwatom was second in 2:26:21 and Paul Simboli was third in a 2:27:06. Meserte Kotu took the womenâs race in a course-record time of 2:43:10. Champion Jessica Allen was second in 2:54:48 and Jennifer Boerner was third in 2:58:14.
		Bekele, Kotu win Buffalo Marathon (The Buffalo News) Ethiopians wont he men's and women's races at the 2008 Buffalo Marathon. Habtamu Bekele won in 2:26:05 followed by Jason Lokwatom second in 2:26:21. Meserte Kotu took the women's title in a course-record time of 2:43:08. Kotu was more than 10 minutes over defending champion Jessica Allen.
	Edinburgh Marathon
		Post-Race Review/ Results
		McNamara wins Edinburgh Marathon (RTE Sport) Paul McNamara won the 2008 Edinburgh International Marathon in 2:25:03. McNamara, a former athletics scholarship student at Providence College in America having recently returned to Ireland and competitive racing, was aiming for a sub 2:20 time.
	Madison Marathon (2000 and prior)
		Human Interest Story
		Madison Marathon has a ring to it for one couple (The Capital Times) The time was right for romance at the Madison Marathon finish line Sunday when Dan Hogan met Gaby Canseco with a small jewelry box and a big question: "Will you marry me?" Hogan chose the finish line of their first race together after the couple tried time and again to run past races only to be thwarted by one thing and another. On Sunday, he raced to the finish line to be there waiting for her and she said yes.
		Post-Race Review/ Results
		Reusser repeats as Madison Marathon winner (The Capital Times) Ricky Reusser won his second straight Madison Marathon in a 2:31:42 just under three minutes ahead of runner-up Eric Pilling. Aimee Kurion, wife of the defending champion and fifth place male finisher, won the women's marathon in a 2:39:16.
	Med-City Marathon
		Post-Race Review/ Results
		Med-City winner's method unorthodox but effective (Post Bulletin.com) Despite partying until eleven o'clock the night before the marathon, Mark Ott won the Med-City Marathon in 2:54:34, the second slowest winning time in the thirteen year history of the race. Ott runs a marathon per month and has won two of his last three races. Ron Giles finished second in 2:58:46 while Stephen Weigand was third in 2:58:58.
	Olympics 2008 (Women)
		Pre-Race Review/ Lineup
		What next for Paula? (BBC Sport UK) World Record Holder and Great Britain's favorite to medal at the 2008 Beijing Games suffered a blow upon the discovery of a stress fracture of her femur. Having been sidelined from a toe injury earlier this year, many wonder if Radcliffe has had adequate training going into the Olympic marathon, a competition she dropped out of at the 2004 Athens Games. Radcliffe will follow doctors regimens, but seems determined to push through the pain.
	Ottawa Marathon (National Capital Race Weekend)
		Post-Race Review/ Results
		Cheruiyot Completes Hat Trick at Ottawa Marathon (IAAF) Defending champion David Cheruiyot won the the 2008 ING Ottawa Marathon in a 2:10:59 to earn US $15,000. Solomon Molla was runner-up in a 2:11:04. In the women's race Asmae Leghazoui debuting in the marathon distance finished in a 2:28:43.9 collecting $15,000 prize money. Elsa Kireeva was second in 2:33:45 and Kebebush Haile was third in 2:33:47.
	Salt Lake City Marathon
		Human Interest Story
		Organizer says Salt Lake Marathon on solid ground (Salt Lake City Tribune) Despite recent media coverage detailing the financial problems of the Las Vegas Marathon, the Salt Lake City Marathon also owned by Devine Racing does not have the same problems as the other races says the event management company president Chris Devine. Devine has mentioned the sale of two significant assets owned by Devine racing. The deals are expected to close by mid-June.
	Vermont City Marathon
		Post-Race Review/ Results
		Pelletier wins third at Vermont City; Chewolo tops Westerling (The Rutland Herald) Matt Pelletier accomplished his three-peat in the men's race in a 2:20:44. Michael Wardian once again took second in 2:23:28 while Hilary Lelei in his first year racing the Vermont City Marathon came in third at 2:24:27. Caroline Chemwolo outsprinted Atalelech Asfaw to win the women's race in 2:47:38. Asfaw finished eight seconds behind in 2:47:46 and two-time defending champion Heidi Westerling was a disappointing third in 2:50:00.
News From: Saturday, May 24, 2008
	Med-City Marathon
		Human Interest Story
		Former Med-City Marathon director will have new view of the race (Post Bulletin.com) Wally Arnold, former race director of the Med-City Marathon, will be running the Med-City Half Marathon if not the relay for the marathon. The Arnolds founded the race 13 years and nursed it along through many course changes and all types of weather conditions. The YMCA has taken over, with Teresa Byland as the new race director.
News From: Friday, May 23, 2008
	Med-City Marathon
		Pre-Race Review/ Lineup
		Bank on it: There will be a new Med-City Marathon champion (Post Bulletin.com) Med-City Relays and Marathon in their thirteenth year will have a new winner of its men's race. Never in the 12-year history of the race has a champion repeated in back-to-back performances. With defending champion Nick Payne who won last year in a 2:41:15, battling a leg injury, he opted for the half instead of the full marathon.