Amber on video. Good race.
Pete Magill: No Such Thing As A Perfect Race.
Amby considers yoga.
Hurt? Try RICE.
I don't much care about running shoes, and even less about socks. If the socks have no holes, I'm good-to-go. I didn't realize until recently how much others care. Compression socks seem to be sorta "in." Ditto Belega brand socks. (Belega sounds like a sausage.) Running Warehouse has good selection and prices on socks.
The Signal has the story (scroll down) on the Master's signing of Parkinson and Tockstein. Link.
Amber gets the silver. Link. And more.
Food rules. I probably shouldn't post on Super Bowl Sunday.
One of my favorite SCV races/events is the Knights of Columbus 5K under the gentle directorship of Mike McSkane. Don't miss it. See Read More.
Another truly outstanding don't-miss is The Train Run on February 21st. It's so much fun, a complete blast, and something you will never forget or regret. It's a Santa Clarita Runners event, and it's probably ok to do with them if you're a friend and not a member. They start at the Newhall train station at 7:30 a.m. They ride the train to Sylmar. The run starts with a few miles on the streets to get to Olive View Hospital. It's then a run up the mountain to Wilson saddle, down the Beast, back to the Newhall station. The total running distance is 13 miles, with 10 of it on dirt trail.
Track access is lacking in Flagstaff. Though I hadn't had any trouble in recent years, I was unable to access the Saugus High School track several weekends ago. And the tennis courts are also locked. Outrageous, I think. You can go to Hayward Field right now and run on the track.
Heads up. Mark your calendar now. The Santa Clarita Runners will sponsor a kinda new and improved 28th Annual Women's 5K, on the Lowe's Saturday course. The race starts at 8 a.m. Definitely a don't miss. It will be special and a lot of fun. All proceeds go to the Food Pantry.
At Surf City today, Kristin Schranz ran a 1:24:58 in the half, Danielle Harper clocked a 3:23:06 in the marathon.
Also:
Coach Kathryn Nelson !:38:44
Abigail Frankian 1:41:26
Pam Bercovici 1:41:55
Rachael Rush 1:45:25
Where are the guys? Who am I missing?
Shannon wins with a 4:49:24. See event #45. Link.
Going the distance with Anna (Willard) Pierce. Check those videos. She had an outstanding year. With Mahon and the altitude/strength base, 2010 will be ever better.
Hey, buy it, says Warren Buffett
Think young. Run young?
Boston Indoor mug shots.
Ultrarunner, photographer, rock climber, UCI professor, All-World scientist: Ian Parker. Gosh, what have you and Don done lately?
Arizona is closing most of its state parks. Story.
Slowing down is just not in race director's DNA. Story.
Jenny Barringer has a new coach. Story.
Genetic juicing set to replace steroids? Story.
Dog spray? David Flowers, my mailman and SCR marathoner, carries such on his rounds. I think a stick or, better, car antenna are effective. ...Years ago, before 9/11, along with two larger and beefy male friends, I would often run in the hills around Central Park. Any time there was a frisky unleashed dog about, it would head directly for me, furious, and completely ignore my presumably more juicy and nutritious mates.
Hill workouts. Along with longer runs, there is nothing better to make you better. Like 'em or not.
How medications affect your running. Link.
No free parking?
Worst/best dogs for running. Link.
Anyone you know who needs a cardiac check-up?
Want to live longer? Read/see video here.
Greg McMillan: Training Tweaks for 2010
Surf City expects 20,000 racers this Sunday. Link. Amazing. Three local 8th grade girls are doing the half, they being very fit, coming off a base phase, and want to get it in before track season. Sounds good to me. But, no, I won't be there.
Q&A with ultra guy Charles Corfield. Ultra people are different.
Some wise words from the generalist.
For the insider's scoop on Bailey Miller and other local high school news, you must go to Brando's Blog.
Check out the spikes at Running Warehouse. Some super deals.
Nick Willis, Olympic silver medalist, is wary of altitude. Story.
What is your most competitive weight? Story. On a personal level, I can't think of any runners who are too skinny.
Remember that place where you used to live? Visit here.
Is it legal to run on the streets and roads? Story. Anyone ever been stopped in Santa Clarita? I haven't experienced or heard of it. ...Years ago, we were doing the Saturday ten out of Granary. We were on the sidewalk on Lyons, near the apartments/Albertson's. A guy in a car was trying to exit the apartment complex and almost hit us. We stop and glare at him and he yells, "Hey, get off the g.d. sidewalk!"
Belinda Crawford, executive director
of the Santa Clarita Valley Food
Pantry, said demand at her food pantry
has soared 80 percent in the last
two years.
"We're seeing a dramatic increase,"
Crawford said. "We are seeing a lot of
people who have lost their jobs and.
never thought they'd be in a position
of needing servces from a food pantry." More.
Amber Murakami Day!
Even a daily baby aspirin has risks. Story.
A Brief Chat with Bernard Lagat.
The Rev. and Ole, our friends and two of the better ultrarunners in SCV, are not running the American River 50, probably the 2nd best known CA ultra after Western States. Both races are more popular than even. AR sold out last year and will again this year. It has jacked up the price from $80 to $145 over the past few years. Have you noticed the popular marathons are getting pricey as well? A more reasonable and local ultra is worth your attention: Leona Divide 50. It's a lot tougher than AR, and it is run by a lot of our friends. I did it three times -or was it four?- and enjoyed it so much. If you can run a marathon, you can complete a 50 miler. Why not add that to your resume?
Which reminds me. I was running with this ultra dude who read my copy of Lone Survivor. Heckuva story, about his adventure in Afghanistan. But what struck the dude and Don is the author's account of becoming a Seal. Almost unbelievable what those guys endure in training and Hell Week. As runners, of course, we think we're tough. Dude once ran himself into near-unconsciousness. But we quickly agreed we would have quit Hell Week the first hour (if cold and raining hard, we're not there), and we don't know anyone in the running community who would have endured any longer. There is one former SCV runner, a former Army officer, who might have made it as a Seal, Nick Florio.
Week That Was
Q&A with Weldon Johnson.
More is better, study shows. Story.
And on those long, long runs and races, what is the best way to hydrate? Link. I agree with that. Best place for the water bottles is in the small of the back. Also, drink up like a camel before you even start.
Can running make you a better person? Story.
Ready for the PreQuiz?
Amby on Dipsea. Now that is one race I'd really like to do. I've seen the movie many times, On The Edge.
Amber Murakami is the third seed in the two mile at the upcoming California Indoor Invitational. For those junior and seniors hoping for an athletic scholarship, your race times are very persuasive, and it's not too early to pop one soon and then improve off that.
It's true, Shannon Murakami raced the UW Invitational, an indoor meet, and achieved a NCAA provisional qualifier in the 3000. Saugus alum Anne Randall came in 33nd place. Three time Olympian Jen Rhines was in the race. Results. ...Shannon is now coached by Forest Braden at UCLA, and that is in concert with her weekend/off-season work with Rene Paragas. ...And, yes, Amber Murakami blew away the two mile field in Riverside and will be a top qualifier for the the State Indoor Finals. Amber is completely healthy and injury free. Maybe the top Foothill distance runner this season? Could be. ...Anyone else doing early season races?
Shannon video.
Eamonn Coghlan: Every generation needs its heroes.
The New York Times, showing some love for the throwers, writes up the Millrose Games.
Volleyball is good, no question. But there are many more runners in Santa Clarita in need of a decent and dedicated cross country course, which would be used year around by runners and walkers. Have you ever seen City Council members at a cross country race? Video. I saw one about five years ago.
Jon Sinclair asks, Are we moving in the right direction?
Reality check. Mostly, kids do sports for fun. Story.
COC XC, 5K, July 10, 1986
1. David Walsh 16:43
2. Daren Stonerock 16:56
3. Dan Rattary 17:03
5. Mike Rattary 17:29
10. Rich Burns 18:02
16. Carl Fout 18:32
33. Tim Hampton 19:49
34. Glenn Deines 19:54
35. Don McLean 20:05
44. Jeff Boyd 20:59
49. Rich Cooper 21:15
61. Mike McSkane 21:57
64. John Swallow 22:14
90. Bob Kimmerly 23:45
113. Naz Arain 26:29
119. Karen Callahan 26:42
127. Marilyn Nobile 28:01
That course started and finished at the oak tree in the parking lot next to the soccer field. It was tougher and longer, with Sandhill and Corkscrew in addition to Killer, probably a minute slower than the present course. But we were tougher then, and, yes, a tad younger.
Music and Motivation
While I might miss Kobe and, later, Donovan McNabb, I do plan to see Walter Isaacson this afternoon at 3:45 p.m. Link. David McCullough is the better writer and historian, but Isaacson is an outstanding runner-up and easily All Writer's League with his bios of Benjamin Franklin and Albert Einstein. I have a 97 year old lady friend (summa cum laude at Bryn Mawr, class of '34); me giving her the Franklin book and she giving me the Einstein book. I finished and enjoyed the latter, even coming to understand the theory of relativity. I'd explain it to you, but the washer just stopped and I have to feed the dryer. ...Maybe later.
Brando's Blog As always, Brando is a fearless front runner. His site is being added as a permanent link on your right. Enjoy!
