Sacramento Running News

Strictly speaking, the San Francisco Marathon isn’t a local race–but a lot of locals run it. For that reason, I’ll usually poke through the results to see if I recognize any local runners.

While I didn’t spot any familiar locals among the top finishers, I did notice something peculiar. There were a lot of ultrarunners in the top men and women.

The overall winner was Michael Wardian, who was only a few weeks off his 3rd place finish at Badwater.

Chris Knorzer, in 5th place, has also dabbled in ultrarunning and had run the Tahoe Rim Trail 50K on July 16th. (Actually, Knorzer can’t be a real ultrarunner because he doesn’t have a blog.)

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An auspicious day passed by without fanfare recently and I wanted to call your attention to it: June 29, 2011, marked the one-year anniversary of the Sacramento Running News.

Over the course of those twelve months, I’ve written around 160 posts or articles of varying length and quality. In the process, I have learned many things and met many nice and interesting people.

I have learned that there are more races in the area than one person can write about. At the same time, I’ve learned that every race has a story (or two) worth telling.

Before starting this project, I had zero history with track. I didn’t run track in high school, and I didn’t know anything about it. I still don’t know much about it, but I have learned that I really do enjoy watching it.

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Like most people, I have thousands of songs on my iPod, but one of the things I enjoy the most about it is being able to save and listen to audio books and interesting podcasts.

Recently, a friend sent me a link to Wisconsin Public Radio’s To the Best of Our Knowledge interviews and stories about running.

They include Christopher McDougall talking about the Tarahumara, Gretchen Reynolds on running myths, Jason Robillard on barefoot running, and Jim Fleming reading from novelist Haruki Murakami’s “What I Talk About When I Talk About Running.”

Tasty treats for your ears when you’re on long lonely runs, or on long airplane rides and would rather be running. Enjoy!

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This past week, South Africa’s Oscar Pistorius ran 45:07 for the 400, which was fast enough to make him the first amputee to run a qualifying time for the World Championships.

It was an inspirational feat, and the video is worth watching.

I have no doubt that he has worked very hard to achieve amazing things. But part of me wonders about the technology involved.

There are some pretty serious scientists who are quite confident that Pistorius has benefited unfairly by the use of these high-tech, carbon fiber wonders.

(Scientists) Weyand and Bundle said the lightweight blades allow Pistorius “to reposition his limbs 15.7 percent more rapidly” than five of the most recent world record-holders in the 100 meters.

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Every year, around late June, I begin noticing a special kind of cyclist on the American River Parkway. Their typical equipment is spotlessly new or, as often, coated with a year’s worth of garage dust.

These riders are strangely intense–hitting curves at speeds testing their abilities, their faces in full grimace. Runners, leisurely cyclists, and elderly bird watchers are often shouted off the pavement as these frenzied cyclists whoosh past.

Usually, after several encounters with these strangely intense riders, I slap my head in remembrance. Eppies! Of course.

And probably adding to their intensity is each day’s installment of Le Tour, waiting at home on the DVR.

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Grassroots Working Group representative Clyde McDonald explains the options to the County Board of Supervisors. (Photo by John Blue)

Tuesday evening, the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors voted to keep their options open for possible funding of the regional parks system.

The Sacramento Bee reports:

The Board of Supervisors directed staff to draft state legislation to allow a November 2012 election for a 0.1 percent sales tax increase.

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Tomorrow, July 19th, at 3:15, the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors will be hearing recommendations from the Grass Roots Working Group regarding funding options for the regional park system.

If the parks are important to you, especially the American River Parkway, then you should attend this meeting or call your Supervisor and let them know what you think.

The meeting materials, including the Grass Roots Working Group recommendations, can be found here. It is Item 65, and scheduled to be heard at 3:15.

Your Supervisor can be found here. Give them a call. They’d love to hear from you!

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Apparently, in Davis, a half marathon is only 12.2 miles. Well, maybe if it is the Change of Pace’s Davis Moonlight Half Marathon.

If you ran this race, hopefully you hadn’t been training for a long time for this distance and were just out there for laughs. Otherwise, you might be a little irritated.

Short races, cancelled races, and preventable screw-ups are all pet peeves of mine. However, I do give Change of Pace credit for taking responsibility and trying to make amends (from their letter to participants) :

Saturday night, as you know, the half marathon course was significantly off due to runners being mis-directed at an intersection that what we now feel should have been less confusing and better monitored. The wrong turn omitted runners from heading back to the finish line and completing mile six.

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Alberto Zanelli of Italy running the 3rd leg of the 4x100 relay.

After a 10-day run, the curtain has come down on the 2011 World Masters Athletics Championships.

Was it worth the hype? Was Sacramento a worthy host? Was it fun?

Yes, yes, and yes!

What About the Weather?

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Something we all enjoy.

Like mushrooms after a summer rain, signs are popping up on the Parkway announcing upcoming closures and detours.

The first one is actually on the Sacramento River, just up-stream of Old Sacramento and the I Street Bridge.

There is a bit of erosion encroaching on the trail and an unguarded drop off along the river side. This is posted to be closed starting on July 13 and be re-opened on July 17th. We’ll try to keep you posted.

The detour for this part of the trail is (from Downtown) to head up I Street as though you are crossing the I Street Bridge and turning right down Jibboom Street. This will actually carry you up and over the work-site.

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