The middle schools had their annual meet yesterday. The results are in Read More. Thanks, Dan Cota.
If you love track, it's your big date tonight at the Oxy High Performance. ...Ken Goe story.
Hints and technique uphill and downhill running. Here. ...Don's tip for COC's Killer Hill. Don't attack the hill. It's bigger than you. Maintain even effort.
The New Yorker: The Running Life.
Sports Illustrated: About the Lord and legend. Ready, Set, Coe! Lotsa words and tasty tidbits.
Greg McMillan: I Love Quarters. From Running 101. Basic and sound stuff for those who race well.
Swimmer Dana Torres, 45, is doing amazing workouts preparing for another Olympics. Story. Admirable. The aging athlete needs to take charge, being innovative and fearless. ...Also in the Post, check out the story on Matt Centrowitz.
The latest buzz on coffee. Story. Extending and enhancing life.
Abdi Abdirahman is Going for Gold -or Whatever.
What the fell? An Introduction to Hill Running. When in doubt, run uphill.
Allyson Felix says the United States lacks an adequate sized facility to host the World Championships. Story.
Training helps us endure the pain, in running and life. More. Not mentioned, and it's kinky, but some welcome the pain.
Does foot strike matter? Link. The science is iffy. Keep running.
The wisdom of Ashton Eaton.
A high-fructose diet makes you stupid, UCLA study shows. More.
Dude insists it's OK to hug your bro. Link. OK, maybe when he cops a major PR, dog dies, bike stolen...
Alysia Montano Momentum video. Inspiring.
Why front running the 800 is actually a good idea. The Week That Was. Which reminds me. How can pro cyclists race 115 miles in heat and on multiple steep grades and then, with about 800 to go, launch an all-out furious sprint to the finish and, a second before the finish the winner sits up, raises his arms and gives a toothy smile and flashes a signal known only to dudes with rings and tatts.
Are dope charts mostly for dopes? Read. With so many track meets won by a few points only, the best coaches must do their own charts and endeavor to obtain the most from the team and entire school's talent. As to motivation, it must drive coaches into madness to see a runner not giving their all, passed near the finish, and losing the meet.
Fat is fast. It reaches your waist in three hours. Story. Includes the most obscene photo of the week. ...Possible solution in Gila monster spit. Link.
What running economy really is and what you can do about yours. Here.
On Marblehead's Shalane Flanagan. 120 mile weeks at Mammoth is helpful.
My goal has always been to slow down as slowly as possible. It's as simple as that. ~Frank Shorter. More.
Is your city bike-friendly? Check. Santa Clarita gets the bronze. What could Santa Clarita do to move up to the silver?
Consider San Diego for the World Cross County champs. Link.
New York Times: Can Runners Have Too Many Miles on the Tires? There is no compelling reason or evidence to think so.
Lashinda Demus on the record: “we know that we’re competing in a dying sport.” More.
Eugene: For runners, this is mecca.
What really happened in the first Olympic women's 800m. Here. Good stuff. A male conspiracy, maybe, but also the writers were not runners and have no understanding of what it's like to run the most important race in your life. Several years ago I was at the Olympic trials and watched the athletes leave the track within 30 to 60 seconds of finishing (they're shuffled off that quickly). For most, they were still wobbly, eyes glazed, having given their all and, as importantly, failed.
Why athlete's choke. Link.
His feet brought Marko Cheseto from Kenya to Alaska. Then a tragic run into his own private storm forced him to change course. Into the wild. Must read.
USA Track & Field: Shades of Gray
Quechua commercial. Video. Lovely.
Daily News has D2 Prelims photos.
How the Ducks exploit the home field advantage. Story. Imagine competing before 7100 moms and dads, siblings, relatives, neighbors, friends and team mates, with all of them screaming for you to dig deeper.
More on attending track meets. Here. Did you check the Oxy start list? Oxy is about 45 minutes from Santa Clarita. Forget the Lakers for one night. Take the family. It will be an experience you won't forget. Wonderful inspiration.
Missed this one earlier. Image of Sports photos: 2012 USC vs UCLA
Salukombo once fled Congo; now he’s going back to bring aid, hope. Athlete running to the rescue.
Matt McCue's Q&A with author of Running With The Kenyans. Yep, good genes and form. Mostly, though, it's a Darwinian struggle involving intense focus and dedication.
This just in. What has been missing in our training. Beets! A daily beet cocktail could get you to state finals, a scholarship, monster PRs. Details. Though overconsumption can lead to cardiovascular collapse, coma, and death. Stay turned. ...Though if you'd been eating your vegetables, like mom said...
Putin would not like you to read The Boy On The Bicycle.
This morning I was running with the buffaloes, sorta. On a long run, on Pre's Trail, I was meeting, or getting swiftly passed by runners from the University of Colorado, still in town following the Pac-12 Champs, maybe 35. There were many other excellent runners about, whippet-thin and, aerodynamically and aerobically, other-worldly.
Mark Covert has been named a CSU-Fullerton Legend. Video. Until today, I didn't realize Mark had been at Fullerton in 1970-71, the same time as Don, or that he was a national champion. He was a coach for the Santa Clarita Runners c. 1986, and a good and caring one too. I'll never forget, during every workout he would seek me (and probably everyone else) and ask, "So, howya feeling today?" He coached Zach Schroeder at AVC, and that caring touch is also so evident with Zach.
Brando: 2012 SCV Track Leaders
Brando: Remembering a champion.
Falco ran a 3:52 in the 1500 at Oxy. Video. Still packing that wicked kick. ...Along with Jordan Varak, former Master's star runner, Falco will be coaching a special xc summer training program for high schoolers. Check with the Los Angeles Running Company store for details.
Here and probably where you are, the Root channel will televise the Pac-12 champs on Thursday, 1:30 PM. ...No race video is available online. The Pac-12 conference refused permission to all. Fan friendly, eh?
Joey Gulino/Signal has Prelims stories here and here.
Prelims results: D1, and D2, and D3. The competition is suddenly keen and heartless. SS Finals next Saturday at Mt. SAC.
The Los Angeles Times did not cover the Pac 12 Championships. Your feature story comes from Eugene with a green hue. Here. Faith Anumba was 7th in the long jump and got two points for the Bruins. Merissa Kado was 19th, a tad off her best, and 4th freshman in the race. What an outstanding and rewarding year she had, e.g., racking some points for the Bruins against USC. ...Champs photo essay. ...And 683 more pics.
Did you see what Charles Jock and Ryan Martin ran at the Big West??? Video.
Special Mother's Day story. Nothing she wouldn't do.
Growing up in Tracktown, USA... Blog.
Track and field is the most intimate and simplistic of athletic endeavors, a bare test of desire, endurance and most of all, competitive spirit. Encompassing the essence of competition. I dearly love trails and cross country, but t&f is again a favorite of mine, as a spectator and competitor. You may think you're lacking track speed, as I surely am, but we're fast enough to do a 3000 or 5000 at the upcoming Hart High All-Comers. Maybe I'll see you on the line.
Still more Pac-12 photos. Most photogenic sport? T&F must be way-up in the championship round.
Faith Anumba gets 6th in the triple jump, 3 points, making 5 for the Bruins at the Pac-12 Champs. Faith scored more than the entire Oregon State women's team. Only a freshman. Oregon men and women win the championship titles.
Dan Watson/Signal has D2 photos. Here.
Pac-12 Champs, Day Two, from The Oregonian: Photo Essay
LetsRun: The Week That Was.
Texas prep 4X400. Lots of drama, especially in the anchor lap. Video.
Trail running tips from Michael Wardian.
2012 State of the Sport Part I: Growth of Women's Running. Santa Clarita needs some women's only races.
Pac-12 Champs today. No live TV, though Fox promises 2 hours. Some day. Form Charts: Men's and Women's. Early results here.
Lopez Lomong video.
The California Tour will be televised, maybe two hours daily, on NBCSN starting tomorrow at 2 pm. Sweet.
Sweat Studies 101. Here.
Flash mob in Copenhagen Metro. Video. Thanks, Darcy.
Sarah Sumpter, a Junior at UC Davis, won the Big West Championship 10,000 by a huge margin. Doing well after a tougher challenge. Video.
4:53 1600M unofficially for Golden Valley's Chelsey Totten at the CIF SS Prelims!!
Partial results from today's Santa Barbara Wine Country Half Marathon in Read More.
Chris Low repeats as Southern California Community College 800m Champion with a winning time of 1:50.20.
Coming up:
CIF Prelims on Saturday, D1 at Trabuco Hills High School, D2 at Moorpark High School.
COC at SoCal Finals, Saturday, Mission Viejo
Master's at NAIA National Championships, May 24-26, Marion, Indiana
Gatorade National Runner of the Year Molly Seidel says Wisconsin's tradition of 4K races for girls and 5Ks for boys is based on "an old-fashioned theory that a girl can't run as long a distance as a boy can." More.
Ryan Hall dominates press conference atop the Empire State Building. Here. Dyed-hair?
National Geographic: Runner's HIgh Hardwired in People -And Dogs. ...In other news, a Duke University study projects 42% of Americans will be obese by 2030.
A runner's guide to the new generation of sport taping. Link. Apparently, there is no evidence it does any good, but you can get some nice color coordination with the pretty and pricey tapes available.
...a track suit dimpled like a golf ball. Only after I get the hair dyed and pretty color taping.
Best Race Signs. Some very funny stuff. Naughty too.
La Nada is coming! Story.
The Pac-12 Championships start tomorrow at Hayward Field, Eugene. The performance list is here. Of the SCV alums, we see Merissa Kado and Faith Anumba, both frosh and doing very well.
It's official. New CIF rule makes it easy for a transfer without change of residence. Story.
Lauren Fleshman is sprinting and swimming. More.
Meditation may be a bench press for the brain. Story.
Some people worry that their aerobic workouts lessen the benefits of their strength training. Don't. More. Sprinting, slow running, swimming, hills, rowing, lunges, leaps, cycling, track racing, altitude, long runs, Beast, healthy food, naps... It all counts.
Mo Farah says he's about focus, hard work, and rest. More.
L.A. stinks.
Dare to live a moral life—and encourage your kids to do the same—but remember that moral decisions aren't always clear-cut. More.
Five tips from Deena Kastor.
Must read. Brooks Johnson profile.
Joey Gulino/Signal story on the college commitments by Kristian Martinez, Juan David Garcia, Aaron Nguyen, Carlos Lopez. Link. In cross country, they ran as a pack, and will continue some of that in their college years. ...Whistle and stomp and cheers, please, for coaches Rob and Chris Evans.
Pal Joey also reports on the versitile Vike, Clint Gingrich. The scoring machine.
City trail website appears to boost shoe sales. Story. ...No site link? It's here. ...And more hikes/hill trail aqui.
Brando: Foothill League Championship Recap
Oldie-but-goodie. David Halberstam's I Still Cherish The Olympic Ideal.
Pete Magill asks, What's the right way to view cross-training for masters runners? Link. Your choice, but off the couch and out the door.
Very cool: Running at the edge of the world.
Instagram: Scott Jurek
Is there cancer in your water bottle? Link. That aside, hope your day is going well.
It's Bike to School Day. It wasn't cool in my day, and is obviously less cool now. Too bad. What if some of the best runners biked to school? ...I remember a runner who biked. Dave Hartman.
Tim and Adam aver and swear: There is No Such Thing as Slow
Meb update.
