It looks like Lance Armstrong has finally decided to take this running thing seriously and hire a coach.
And, I guess if you are Lance Armstrong and you want a running coach, you can get trained by Alberto Salazar.
Lance’s goal for the marathon? He wants to run 2:50 to 2:55–in an Ironman Triathlon.
It seems the endless stormy weather is impacting yet another northern California race. This week, Big Sur International Marathon organizers announced:
On March 16th a forty foot section of Highway One collapsed making the road impassable between Carmel and Big Sur. We have created an alternate “out and back” course similar to what we did in 1998 for the Marathon, Relay and 21-Miler.
If you have questions about how this will affect your run at Big Sur, you should check their Course Q&A Page.
Believe it or not, it will eventually be spring and then soon enough we’ll be complaining about the oppressive heat of summer. Until then, be strong.
Unlike other major, big city marathons, the LA Marathon is not steeped in history, known to be particularly fast, or to draw the excitement of top national and international talent. But like so much of LA it is simply bursting with an excess of excess.
There was the new world record set for the heaviest marathon finisher. (Although, with a 9:48 finish time, I can’t really call it “running” the marathon. Most marathons have packed up well before then.)
They are celebrating the “McRunner” who ran a 2:36 after training on a 100% McDonald’s diet. Maybe all those running nutrition books aren’t worth their weight in oat fiber.
Los Angeles is supposed to be warm and sunny. Why were thousands of runners evaluated for hypothermia, with two dozen being hospitalized?
As I’ve noted previously (here and here), Discovery Park is under water. Unfortunately, the River City Marathon and half marathon planned for this coming weekend was supposed to finish in that park.
The word is out that the event has been re-routed, and the marathon is now an out-and-back between Negro Bar State Park and William Pond Park.
The half marathon will now be run from William Pond to finish at Negro Bar State Park.
See the event website for details.
This morning, I had the opportunity to run on the upper Parkway (upstream of Hazel Ave to Beals Point) and found it to be in quite good shape. State Parks folks were out keeping an eye on things and there was only a small amount of debris on the roadway.
The only standing water worth noting is just on the west edge of Negro Bar.
I felt that the most dangerous section was along the bluffs just downstream from Negro Bar. The new, cement retaining wall has already been put to work this winter, but you should still be alert to rocks and debris falling down on the trail while the hills are saturated from the endless rain.
Never underestimate the curative power of a trail run!
In my mind, I keep an on-going “not to do” list. I find it a lot more fun than keeping a “to do” list.
Here is something I’ve recently added to this list: Don’t run a race if you’re collecting Workers Comp for injuries that make it difficult for you to walk.
If you must run the race, I suggest you go with the tried and true: use a fake name.
You’re welcome.
All the gates are open at Nimbus Dam (on the American River at Hazel Ave)
In case you weren’t already aware, the rivers are running quite high. As a result, much of Discovery Park is underwater, making the American River Parkway impassable at that point.
There are reports of flooding at the 0.5 mile mark (near the archery range), just past the 1 mile mark, and along the creek where the trail passes under Northgate Blvd. (between the 2 and 2.5 mile marks).
I am also getting reports this morning of flooding on the upper end of the Parkway, near mile marks 20.5 and 21, or Sunrise Blvd. (An alert reader tells me there is a well marked detour at this point.)
While the race website still has no mention of it, the race directors for Saturday’s Rucky Chucky Roundabout sent out an email on Wednesday canceling the event. The email included the following apology:
We are sorry for the inconvenience that this may cause. We had already received the race shirts and had already shopped at Costco for race food today before we received the call.
The question of refunds has come up, but so-far all that race management is offering is a free entry to another of their races.
We are willing to offer a free entry to another one of our 2011 races(except Rock’n River 50).
I have more than a little sympathy for the race directors in this situation, but this has happened once before. Perhaps it’s a little too early in the season for this race at this particular location. (more…)
Plan ahead!
It may be hard to believe, but registration for the California International Marathon opens up on March 21st.
It seems awfully early, but the race does sell out and they are offering a significantly cheaper rate for those of you willing to commit to a marathon well before you start to train for it.
The $85 rate is good until June 1st, when it goes up to $105.
Last year’s race filled up in October and there is no reason this year will be much different. However, the CIM folks are hinting of some alternative entry process. A recent email from the race says, (more…)
The sun is out, the trees are blooming, the birds are chirping, and there is a buzz of excitement around here as 6,000 runners prepare to take on a couple of the area’s largest events.
Tony Lafferty and Rory Bosio take a break from volunteering at registration to check out a map of the new WTC course.
This year’s Way Too Cool 50K will be run on what is anticipated to be a faster, new course featuring around 1,000 feet less climbing and no more two-way traffic. (Sorry folks, it’s still 50Km.)
With nearly 700 registered runners, this will easily be one of the largest trail ultras in the country, and the
