Marathon/Running News: 7/29/08 - 8/5/08

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News From: Tuesday, August 5, 2008
	Odds And Ends
		Pre-Race Review/ Lineup
		Tamarindo Beach Marathon debuting this August 9 (Guanacaste Journal) IBP Pensiones Tamarindo Beach Marathon, certified by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), will feature 10 km, a half marathon, 30 km and the Tamarindo Beach Marathon. The race will have elite athletes such as Kenyan Benard Songoka, a 2:15 marathoner. This prize money race is a sanctioned Boston Marathon qualifier.
		Training/ Health
		Want To Run A Marathon? A New Exercise Pill Is All You Need! (ChattahBox) The Salk Institute for Biological Studies in California released the results of their study on exercise endurance in lab mice. A pill was given to mice and they were able to exercise 44 percent longer than control mice. A similar pill for human consumption may be just months away.
		Non-Marathon/ Other Running
		Olympian field lining up for Falmouth Road Race (Wicked local Yarmouth) Seventy-five internationally acclaimed runners will be lining up at the esteemed seven mile Falmouth Road Race. Runners such as 2004 Athens Games runner up Meb Keflezighi and one time world record holder Khalid Khannouchi will be joined by track star Kate ONeill and veterans Bill Rodgers and Joan Samuelsson at the start.
	Olympics 2008 (Men)
		Pre-Race Review/ Lineup
		From Big Bear to Beijing (Daily Press) Ryan Hall has wanted to go to the Olympics since he began his running career. The lanky Big Bear native earned his trip to Beijing with his record setting performance at the Olympic Trials. His 2 hour 6 minute and 17 second marathon race in London is the fastest marathon ever run by an American born runner.
		Human Interest Story
		Marathon runners train in Ngong Hills (The Standard) Robert "Mwafrika" Cheruiyot has been training in the dusty hills of Ngong and intensified his training over the last month prior to the Olympic Games. He joins Martin Lel and Samuel Wanjiru to lead Kenya's arsenal of runners to the 2008 Beijing Games. Martha Komu joins Catherine Ndereba and Salina Kosgei as the third female on the Kenyan squad.
	Olympics 2008 (Women)
		Pre-Race Review/ Lineup
		Paula Radcliffe confident of making marathon at Beijing Olympic Games (Telegraph UK) The world record holder for the marathon, Paula Radcliffe, who had been worried about her stress fracture injury preventing her from starting the 2008 Beijing Games has arrived at Britain's preparation camp. There have been other challenges along the way including a spider bite that required her to have emergency surgery and sidelining her for an additional four days. Radcliffe is determined to be at the start line and hopes other factors don't deter her from an attempt at a victory.
		Radcliffe to run in Olympics (KBC) Between the stress fracture and a recent spider bite, most of Radcliffe's hopes to run the marathon in the Olympic Games should have been dismissed. She has recovered and carried the torch through London and vowed to run the marathon in Beijing.
		Eyes on Ndereba as she goes for gold in Beijing (Business Daily Africa) World Champion and top marathoner, Catherine Ndereba, will join fellow Kenyans Martha Komu, Salina Kosgei and Rita Jeptoo Sitienei at the start of marathon at the 2008 Beijing Games. This four-time winner of the Boston Marathon stated that a gold in Beijing is her ultimate goal. Ndereba won silver in the 2004 Athens Olympics, contributing the loss following a victory at the Boston Marathon title.
		Beijing Olympics: Richie Boulet ready to fulfill vows, follow his wife through marathon (Marin Independent Journal) Richie Boulet told his wife in their wedding vows that he would follow her to the ends of the earth in victory and defeat. Lewy Boulet finished second in the women's Olympic Trials in Boston in April and her husband, Richie, will test the limits of his vows by flying to Beijing to support her passion.
News From: Monday, August 4, 2008
	Chennai Marathon
		Human Interest Story
		Registrations open for Chennai Marathon (New India Press) Indian sports star Karthi Chidambaram signed the first registration form for the Chennai Marathon. Several sports figures made an appearance to kick off the Thursday opening registration festivities. Chidambaram used the opportunity to talk about the dismal physical fitness levels in India and promote physical education in schools.
	Frank Maier Marathon
		Post-Race Review/ Results
		Record 170 Runners Fill Annual Frank Maier Race (Juneau Empire) Taxi driver Maria Miller expected to share Douglas Island's roads with "maybe 40" runners as she approached Savikko Park in her canary yellow van during Saturday's 17th annual Frank Maier Marathon. She didn't expect the stream of 170 contestants, a race record, that lit up the roadside with colorful shoes, shorts and identification bibs.
	Olympics 2008 (Men)
		Human Interest Story
		NBC aims for marathon Olympics (Financial Times) NBC Universal who has purchased the rights to air the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing will feature an astounding 3,600 hours of coverage over the seventeen days of the games. NBC's owners General Electric paid a grand sum of $894 million for the rights. Although many are hopeful that viewership will be increased for this Olympics, rumors are circulating that GE may try to unload NBC Universal after the games.
		Pre-Race Review/ Lineup
		Hall gets Olympic send-off (Inland Valley Daily Builletin) The community of Big Bear Lake, California gathered to give top U.S. marathoner Ryan Hall a farewell ceremony prior to his departure to Beijing where he will compete in the marathon at the 2008 Olympic Games. Hall and family will not be in attendance for the opening ceremony, but will watch from the Olympic village before flying to the coastal town of Dalian to begin his training leaving him some days to train prior to the men's marathon on August 24th.
		Human Interest Story
		Smog smothers Beijing (Evening Standard) A heavy blanket of smog covers the sky in Beijing just days before the opening ceremony of the 2008 Olympic Games. Visibility was down to a minimum and locals were adorned with face masks to protect their lungs and eyes from the thick stinging air.
	Olympics 2008 (Women)
		Pre-Race Review/ Lineup
		Olympics-Athletics-Radcliffe says fit for Beijing marathon (Reuters) Despite the stress fracture in her femur, marathon world record holder, Radcliffe will race on August 17 in the Beijing Olympic Marathon. Radcliffe had yet to win an Olympic Medal and hopes that her intense cross training over the last several months will allow her to put together a great performance.
		Long way to go for Zhou Chunxiu (China Daily) Zhou Chunxiu has high expectations for the Olympic Marathon in Beijing on her home soil. She won last years London Marathon in a time of 2 hours and 20 minutes and recorded the fastest time of the year for the marathon. Her many accomplishments over the past several years are noteworthy considering she walked away from running in 2000 only to return several years later.
		Farmer's daughter Zhou Chunxiu ready to take Olympic gold (Times Online UK) Born to peasant farmers in one of the poorest Chinese provinces, top elite marathoner and a top contender at the 2008 Beijing Games marathon, Zhou Chunxiu is the best hope China has of winning gold in a women's track event. Zhou, who was raised in a home without indoor plumbing, runs over one hundred twenty miles a week in training sessions and won the 2007 London Marathon, and runner-up at the 2007 World Championships in Osaka becoming the first Chinese marathon runner ever to win a World Championship medal. Expect Zhou to be a top performer among the likes of Paula Radcliffe, Catherine Ndereba and Mizuki Noguchi.
	San Francisco Marathon
		Post-Race Review/ Results
		2 Californians Claim Top Finishes At SF Marathon (CBS 5) The San Francisco Marathon posted more than 19,000 registrants that represented all 50 states and 56 countries. Chad Worthen was the first man to cross the finish line with a time of 2 hours, 31 minutes and 52 seconds. Lauren Gustafson was the first woman to finish the race with a time of 2 hours, 52 minutes and 33 seconds. It was the first win for both local Californians.
	Siberian Int'l Marathon
		Post-Race Review/ Results
		Bryzgalov and Yadzhak win Siberian International Marathon (IAAF) Andrey Bryzgalov and Liliya Yadzhak, both from the Russian city of Cheliabinsk, won the 2008 Siberian International Marathon finishing in 2:15.29 and 2:33:41 respectively. Bryzgalov outsprinted Yevgeniy Bozhko in the last six kilometers. Bozhko crossed in 2:15:49 and Rik Ceulemans came third in 2:28:13. In the women's race Yadzhak employed the same strategy as Bozhko outkicking her competition with 10k to go. Tatyana Pushkareva was second in 2:34:55 and Iraida Pudovkina was third in 2:37:19.
	The San Francisco Marathon
		Post-Race Review/ Results
		Marathoners Tough It Out On Streets of S.F. (San Francisco Chronicle) Chad Worthen and Lauren Gustafson recorded their first marathon victories with their wins at the 2008 San Francisco Marathon.
		Local Runners Win San Francisco Marathon (KTVU) A Sacramento and Millbrae native won the men and women's races at the 2008 San Francisco Marathon.
		SF: Sacramento Man And Millbrae Woman Win San Francisco Marathon (CBS 5) Chad Worthen, of Sacramento, and Lauren Gustafson, of Millbrae, won the 2008 San Francisco Marathon
News From: Sunday, August 3, 2008
	Odds And Ends
		Training/ Health
		Former Olympian McColgan claims today's athletes don't train enough (Scotland on Sunday) Liz McColgan, silver medallist at the 1988 Seoul and Commonwealth Games gold medallist, claims that the latest generation of British runners have been overpraised for running slower times than the finishes twenty years ago. McColgan believes that athletes have been hindered rather than helped by trendy training techniques and an emphasis on psychologists and nutritionists.
	Olympics 2008 (Men)
		Pre-Race Review/ Lineup
		Ritzenhein, haunted by 2004, eyes Olympic medal (Michigan Live) At twenty-five, Dathan Ritzenhein, will be attending his second Olympics competing in the marathon distance at the 2008 Beijing Games. Believing that long distance runners can only compete well through their mid-thirties, Ritzenhein hopes that there will be four Olympic appearances in his future if he stays healthy. Complications from a stress fracture in his left foot prevented him from finishing the 10,000 meter track event that the 2004 Games, but after successful races following the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials, Ritzenhein is looking forward to Beijing despite earlier setbacks in the year from hamstring and foot problems and anemia.
		Kenya's Marathon coach inspired as training intensifies (East African Standard) The Kenyan marathon has stepped up their training as Boston Marathon winner Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot and Selina Kosgei have intensified their long runs and speed work in Soy, soon will be joined by London Marathon Champion Martin Lel and team alternate World Champion Luke Kibet. World Champion Catherine Ndereva and Half Marathon World Record Holder Samuel Wanjiru are training in the UK and in Nyahururu.
News From: Saturday, August 2, 2008
	Odds And Ends
		Non-Marathon/ Other Running
		Marathon legend Rodgers slower, but still running at 60 (The Sun Journal) Bill Rodgers, the former American record holder in the marathon with times of with a time of 2:09:55 in 1975 and 2:09:27 in 1979, is best known for his victories in the Boston and the New York City marathons in the late 1970s. Rodgers is still running. Having set the Age-50 record at the Beach to Beacon in the race's first year by running a 32:55, the race will a have an award for the seniors division for runners over fifty.
	Olympics 2008 (Men)
		Pre-Race Review/ Lineup
		Athlete managers warned to keep distance (CBC Sports) Athlete manager Jos Hermens, manager to Haile Gebrselassie and others elite runenrs, denied reports he has been suspended by the Ethiopian Athletics Federation over unwanted intrusion into Ethiopian Olympic team preparations. Hermens represents all three men competing in the 10,000 meters at the 2008 Beijing Games - Haile Gebrselassie, the current world marathon record holder, and Kenenisa Bekele, 5,000 and 10,000 meter world record holder, and Sileshi Sihine who won silver medals at both the 2004 Olympics and the 2007 IAAF World Championships. The rumors circulating were caused following the Ethiopian Federation made changes to the Olympic team replacing athletes already named to the team with alternates, which Hermens says he has nothing to do with.
	Olympics 2008 (Women)
		Pre-Race Review/ Lineup
		German Mikitenko ruled out of Olympic marathon (Guardian UK) German Irina Mikitenko, winner of the 2008 London Marathon, will miss the Beijing Olympics because of a back injury. Mikitenko, who was preparing for Beijing at a training camp in Switzerland, decided to pull out after a complex injury to her back and pelvis spread to her foot. Mikitenko is still new to marathoning, as this former Kazakhstan Olympic 5,000 meter runner debuted in her first marathon last year in Berlin finishing second. The women's Olympic marathon takes place on Aug. 17.
		Training/ Health
		Beijing Olympics: Women athletes are going hungry for success (Telegraph UK) Susan Ringwood, the chief executive of Beat, a British charity that helps bulimics and anorexics, who has worked with athletes and coaches about how to spot the signs of eating disorders has made a statement that a hidden epidemic of sportswomen either starving themselves or repeatedly binge-eating and vomiting. While research has shown that a fifth of elite female athletes are suffering from an eating disorder, Ringwood estimates that around forty percent of the female athletes at the Beijing Olympics could be at risk of an eating disorder with pressure to perform and look good being a driving factor behind this.
News From: Friday, August 1, 2008
	Odds And Ends
		Pre-Race Review/ Lineup
		Yokohama to stage women's marathon to replace Tokyo (Daily Yomiuri) Yokohama will host a major women's marathon in 2009 as a replacement for the one in Tokyo whose run will end this November stated the Japan Association of Athletics Federations. the new race will be held in November and plans to invite international elite athletes. The Tokyo women's race will be discontinued after this year to incorporate women into the expansive Tokyo Marathon, which is looking to stake a place among the major marathons of the world like London, Boston and New York.