Month: June 2020

MOLLY HUDDLE BOOKS TICKET TO RIO WITH 10,000M Trials WIN
By Chris Lotsbom, @ChrisLotsbom
(c) 2016 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved

EUGENE,
OR (02-Jul) — Metronome Molly Huddle was at it again, magically
clicking off kilometer after kilometer to dwindle down the women’s
10,000m field and win her second straight national title and her first
USA Olympic Trials gold medal. Proving again that she is the most
consistent American distance runner below the marathon distance, Huddle
qualified for her second Olympic team after pulling away from Emily
Infeld and Marielle Hall in the final laps. Infeld finished second
today with Hall third. Both will be first-time Olympians.

From
the gun Huddle went to the front and controlled the pace, the most
experienced tactician in the field. Leading a train of contenders with
consistent 76-second laps, Huddle got into a rhythm and kept the pace
honest, but reasonable. All in tow waited for the next move to be made.

Things
were calm until the unthinkable happened 2.25 miles in, when someone
stepped on Kim Conley’s New Balance spike and dislodged her shoe.
Stopping to adjust the shoe, Conley tried to quickly slip it on; yet it
simply wouldn’t go.

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Sitting and pulling it tight, she lost
perhaps 50 meters (roughly 20 seconds) on the field. Though she tried
to catch up, Conley would never reach the lead group and ultimately
dropped out while in sixth position after 8000m.

Up front,
Huddle passed 5000m in roughly 16:09 before hitting 8000m in 25:38.16.
By that point only four women were with her: Infeld, Hall, Aliphine
Tuliamuk, and Kellyn Taylor.

Huddle continued to squeeze the
pace down even further in the subsequent laps, putting pressure on
those that followed. First Taylor dropped off, then Tuliamuk faded.
Finally there were only three: Huddle, Infeld, and Hall. With that, the
Olympic team was set.

“I tried to just keep pressing. It’s hard
up there alone. When you’re following someone it’s always just a little
bit less stressful. But when I looked up and saw that there were four
of us who’d broken away I thought ‘You just have to trust that this is
hurting them. Don’t get weak now,’” Huddle described, sporting her
medal, American flag earrings and nail polish.

Huddle and
Infeld have a tumultuous history dating back to last year’s IAAF World
Championships when Infeld nipped Huddle at the line for the 10,000m
bronze medal. Here today, Huddle made sure that Infeld would not steal
her glory, unleashing a 68-second final lap to solidify the title in
31:41.62. Infeld was second in 31:46.09, with Hall third in 31:54.77.

“With
a lap to go I just put everything I had into it and tried to stay calm.
It felt hard. I know it wasn’t a fast time but I wanted to make sure I
didn’t take any risks,” she said. “I think we have a great team going
to Rio.”

Huddle said that the plan all along was to get out
front and control the tempo, working to see if anyone could keep up
once it came to the race’s later stages. Using the stadium video boards
to her advantage, she gauged how the field was doing.

“I felt
like if I couldn’t break away in the first 5-K I wanted to wait until
the last 1200m [to really push the field] and that’s just kind of what
happened,” she said. “I tried to stay on the inside, but as long as I
was in the top three I think that took a lot of stress off of me.”

Not
having run any outdoor races this year prior to today, Infeld put any
injury talk to rest by staying up front. Smiling from the time she
crossed the line until the press conference’s conclusion, Infeld was
visibly giddy.

“I am just so happy,” she said. “Jerry
[Schumacher], this morning, we were having a chat before the race and
he said you’ve dreamed of this since you were a little girl. I was like
‘I know,’ but I didn’t even want to think of that cause I wanted to
think this was any other race. It’s crazy, cause I feel like I got into
that race mode and doing that, across the finish line, it was like it
really happened. We’re all going to Rio!”

All three athletes
said their intention is to return to the track for the 5000m prelims on
Thursday. Huddle ran both events in Beijing last year.

FAVORITES ADVANCE IN MEN’S AND WOMEN’S 800M SEMI-FINALS

Boris
Berian wasn’t leaving anything to chance in the men’s 800m semi-final,
going out hard in 49.73 for the first lap. Keeping the lead down the
backstretch, around the curve and into the homestraight, the Big Bear
Track Club star held his own despite tying up in the final strides.
With a time of 1:45.72, he was easily the fastest finisher of the round.

“I
didn’t really want to go out THAT fast, but when I see that on the time
I just said keep going, don’t slow down and use that momentum. It
wouldn’t be smart to lose that spot so keep going,” Berian said. “I was
[tying up] a little bit, but if anyone came up then I had a little bit
left.”

If the race had been another five meters, Erik Sowinski,
Cas Loxsom, and Isaiah Harris may have caught Berian. The trio all
broke 1:46 with times of 1:45.82, 1:45.93, and 1:45.95, respectively.

Somewhat
overlooked entering these Trials, Sowinski is comfortable where he’s
at. He is the reigning World Indoor bronze medalist.

“I feel
like I’m in the same position as last year,” he said, referencing when
he made the World Championships squad. “I don’t really pay attention to
anything outside of my race plan. Coach will sit me down and we’ll go
through the same plan, be top three at 600, 700 and the last 100 we’ll
see what happens.”

Clayton Murphy won a tumultuous second
section, biding his time before striking 150 meters from the line. The
former Akron Zip put himself in good position before sprinting away to
the victory in 1:46.97, avoiding a tangle-up that involved Joseph
White, Craig Engels, and Shaq Walker. Engels fell, got up and finished
sixth in 1:55.40, but was advanced to the final by officials.

“I’m
still adjusting to going out in 24 but I felt a lot better than I did
yesterday,” said Murphy. “I just kept pushing to see what happened.

“I
feel like if I’m there, I don’t like to get beat the last 100 meters.
As long as I’m there with 200 to go I give myself a decent shot.”

Brenda
Martinez sent a message to the women’s 800m field that she’s not
messing around, winning her heat in 1:59.64 ahead of Molly Ludlow
(1:59.81) and Alysia Montano (2:00.20). Though Ludlow and Montano led
at the bell, Martinez moved hard on the backstretch and shifted into
the pole around the curve.

“Any time I do the rounds I race to
win just to be safe. You don’t want to take the last couple spots
because someone can just take it,” said Martinez, the clear winner. “I
know I have to be aware of where they are at. I didn’t want to be too
far away from the front and I wanted to be on the outside, not break my
rhythm, and felt good with 250 and that’s where I wanted to be
aggressive and push.”

Martinez knows that it’ll take a fast
time to make the top three in the final, and wanted to get the legs
moving today. She feels confident in her ability to close and seeks her
first Olympic spot.

Ajee’ Wilson and Kate Grace went one-two in
the first section, running 2:00.81 and 2:00.94. Chrishuna Williams was
third in 2:01.29, while Chanelle Price was sent packing after her fifth
place spot (2:01.94).

PHOTO: Marielle Hall, Emily Infeld and
Molly Huddle on their way to the podium at the 2016 USA Olympic Trials
10,000m

Nike Breaking2
Autodromo Nazionale, Monza, ITA; Saturday, May 6
Distance: 42.195 km; 17.5-lap, 2.4 km course measured by IAAF “A” measurer David Katz (USA) who also observed the race to make sure the athletes covered the course as measured
Finishers: 3
Prize Money: None reported
Weather: Cool (about 52F/11C) with 80% humidity
(By David Monti/Race Results Weekly) (Photos by Victah Sailer/PhotoRun)

 

In this carefully planned exhibition, designed to hold as many variables stable so one man could attempt to break the two-hour barrier for the standard marathon distance, an electric car set the pace while shining green lasers on the roadway behind it to help a rotating group of pacemakers form a 6-man “V” ahead of three African protagonists, Eliud Kipchoge (KEN), Lilesa Desisa (ETH) and Zersenay Tadese (ERI). 

Only Kipchoge, the reigning Olympic Marathon champion, could come close to holding the necessary sub-2:51/km pace into the later kilometers.  He ran remarkably fast splits (see below), and only after 35 km was he far enough off of the pace that getting under two hours had slipped his grasp. Nonetheless, Kipchoge clocked an eye-popping 2:00:25, well under the IAAF and ARRS-ratified world record of 2:02:57 (Dennis Kimetto, Berlin, 2014).

However, Kipchoge’s mark cannot be ratified as a world record, at least under IAAF rules.  The rotating group of pacers –who came in and out of the competition in shifts– plus the delivery of fluids by motorbike (Kipchoge didn’t take any fluids from the mortorbike but from a designated fluid table) made recognizing Kipchoge’s run as an official world record impossible.

Nonetheless, it was a fantastic athletic achivement.  Moreover, it was an epic marketing ploy by Nike, watched via live streaming over many platforms by perhaps tens of millions of people (nearly 5 million on Facebook alone).  Most major news outlets picked up the story, both before and after the race, and fan interest was strong, leading to hot debates about what Kipchoge’s result actually meant.  The opening day of the IAAF Diamond League in Doha was completely overshadowed.

Breaking2 definitely generated new and interesting questions for marathon running in the future, like:

. Will Kipchoge attempt an IAAF world record in a sanctioned competition in the future, and how fast can he go?

. What was learned during the Breaking2 build-up about training, nutrition and fluids which could be valuable to helping marathoners go faster in the future?  Will Breaking2 share that research with others, or is it proprietary?

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. How relevant were Nike’s new lightweight racing shoes with a carbon-fiber plate to Kipchoge’s time, and will the IAAF approve them for official competitions in the future?

. How will fans judge the outcomes of other marathons if the winners do not approach the two-hour mark?  Is a 2:05 mark now “slow?”

. How much of the two minute, 32-second difference between Kimetto’s world record and Kipchoge’s time can be attributed to the athlete, the pacing and drafting, the shoes, the carbohydrate drink, etc?  What time would Kipchoge have run on the same training in a standard race?

MEN (gun times) –
1. Eliud Kipchoge, KEN, 2:00:25
2. Zersenay Tadese, ERI, 2:06:51
3. Lelisa Desisa, ETH, 2:14:10

Pacemakers (partial list):
Chris Derrick, USA, DNF
Sam Chelanga, USA, DNF
Andrew Bumbalough, USA, DNF
Teklemariam Medhim, ERI, DNF
Nguse Amlosom, ERI, DNF
Aron Kifle, ERI, DNF
Dejene Debela Gonfa, ETH, DNF
Abayneh Ayele Woldegiorgis, ETH, DNF
Tadu Abate Deme, ETH, DNF
Collis Birmingham, AUS, DNF
Selemon Barega, ETH, DNF
Alex Korio, KEN, DNF
Gideon Kipketer, KEN, DNF
Stephen Sambu, KEN, DNF
Bernard Lagat, USA, DNF
Philemon Rono, KEN, DNF
Julien Wanders, SUI, DNF
Abdi Nageeye, NED, DNF

Kipchoge’s 5 km Splits:
5 km    14:14
10 km    28:21 (14:07)
15 km    42:34 (14:13)
20 km    56:49 (14:15)
25 km  1:11:03 (14:12)
30 km  1:25:20 (14:19)
35 km  1:39:37 (14:17)
40 km  1:54:04 (14:27)
Halves: 59:57 / 60:28

Boston Marathon Fundraising Raises $34.2 Million in 2017 Race

Boston Marathon participants who ran on behalf of more than 200 non-profit organizations raised $34.2 million for charity in the 121st year of the historic race. The fundraising total represents a twelve percent increase, or $3.6 million, over 2016’s results.  (Athlete’s Village photo by FayFoto)

Total funds include $17.96 million raised through the Boston Athletic Association’s Official Charity Program, $12.3 million raised through John Hancock’s Non-Profit Program, and $3.97 million from other qualified and invitational runners.

Most of the fundraising runners gained entry through the B.A.A. and John Hancock programs, which provide non-profits with guaranteed entries (“bibs”) that enable runners to fundraise for their organizations.

“As we reflect on this year’s race and the enormous fundraising it generated, we’re again reminded of the power of our community,” said B.A.A. CEO Tom Grilk. “While the race means so much to those who compete within it, it means just as much for the communities which surround it. We’re honored to be associated with such profound goodwill.”

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“For the ninth consecutive year, we set a new fundraising record in the John Hancock program, and we celebrate our non-profit runners for their commitment and generosity,” said Michael Doughty, interim President and Chief Executive Officer of John Hancock. “We are proud to continue to leverage our 32-year principal sponsorship of the Boston Marathon to provide meaningful support to our community partners.”

“We are extremely grateful to have been in John Hancock’s program for the past four years, and the Boston Marathon has quickly become one of our top fundraising initiatives,” said Dan Cummings, Executive Director of Journey Forward. “We raised $126,350 in 2017, which will help us purchase the appropriate high-tech equipment necessary to give our clients the best opportunity to improve.”

John Hancock again partnered with CrowdRise to offer a centralized online platform to capture Boston Marathon fundraising. The site (www.crowdrise.com/2017bostonmarathon) showcases all the 2017 partner non-profit organizations and features the personal stories of the runners who supported them.

Over the past 32 years, the official B.A.A. Charity Program and John Hancock’s Non-Profit Program have combined to raise more than $297 million for community-based organizations. More information on the programs can be found on http://www.baa.org/utilities/charities  and  https://www.johnhancock.com/citizenship/boston-marathon.html.

About the Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.)
Established in 1887, the Boston Athletic Association is a non-profit organization with a mission of promoting a healthy lifestyle through sports, especially running. The B.A.A.’s Boston Marathon is the world’s oldest annual marathon, and the organization manages other local events and supports comprehensive charity, youth, and year-round running programs, including high performance athletes and running club. Since 1986, the principal sponsor of the Boston Marathon has been John Hancock Financial. The Boston Marathon is part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, along with the international marathons in Tokyo, London, Berlin, Chicago, and New York City. The 122th Boston Marathon will be held on Monday, April 16, 2018. For more information on the B.A.A., please visit www.baa.org.

About John Hancock and Manulife
John Hancock is a division of Manulife, a leading Canada-based financial services group with principal operations in Asia, Canada and the United States. Operating as Manulife in Canada and Asia, and primarily as John Hancock in the United States, our group of companies offers clients a diverse range of financial protection products and wealth management services through its extensive network of employees, agents and distribution partners. Assets under management and administration by Manulife and its subsidiaries were $1 trillion (US $754 billion) as at March 31, 2017. Manulife Financial Corporation trades as ‘MFC’ on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and under ‘945’ on the SEHK. Manulife can be found on the Internet at manulife.com.

The John Hancock unit, through its insurance companies, comprises one of the largest life insurers in the United States. John Hancock offers and administers a broad range of financial products, including life insurance, annuities, investments,  401(k) plans, long-term care insurance, college savings, and other forms of business insurance. Additional information about John Hancock may be found at johnhancock.com.

HUNTER, SIFUENTES CLEAR WINNERS AT B.A.A. INVITATIONAL MILE
By David Monti, @d9monti
(c) 2018 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved

BOSTON (14-Apr) — Gusting winds here this morning did little to slow Drew Hunter and Nicole Sifuentes who were both clear winners at the 10th annual B.A.A. Invitational Mile in 4:08.2 and 4:37.2, respectively.  Hunter, a 20 year-old from Purcellville, Virginia, was a first-time winner, while Sifuentes, 31, a two-time Canadian Olympian who lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan, won for the second consecutive year.  Both athletes won $3000 in prize money.

This morning’s race –held on a three-lap course in Back Bay with the start/finish area adjacent to the Boston Marathon finish line on Boylston Street– did not have the same favorable weather as the B.A.A. 5-K which was held three and one-half hours earlier.  Although the temperature remained the same, 48F/9C, a strong wind kicked up and the ample sunshine which warmed the 5-K runners was gone.  The athletes hustled to get into their warm-up clothes as soon as they finished running.

Hunter, who had never run a road mile before, worked with adidas teammate Sam Parsons to set the tempo in the early stages of the race.  Parsons led the first lap, and Hunter was comfortable keying off of him.

“So my teammate was like, I’m going to take the first lap,” Hunter told reporters.  “Then after that, I was just going to lead.”

Through the second lap, in about 2:52, Hunter was joined by the entire field: Pat Casey, John Simons, Daniel Herrera, Pat Casey, Parsons, Julian Oakley and Daniel Winn.  Already into a good rhythm, Hunter knew he could easily sprint off of the current pace which would put them well over the four-minute mark (the course record is 4:03.3 by by Nick Willis from 2013).

“It felt so comfortable,” Hunter observed.  “It felt like the entire time I had another gear.  It was great, great atmosphere having everyone cheering the entire time; it was incredible.”

When Hunter came down Exeter Street before making the final left-hand turn onto Boylston, he was already well in front.  Holding his form, he came through the finish with time to enjoy his victory, beating second place Simons by eight-tenths of a second.  Herrera passed Casey on the outside to take third, 4:09.2 to 4:09.7.  Parsons ended up fifth in 4:10-flat.

Hunter, who signed a professional contract with adidas straight out of high school and never competed in the NCAA, was pleased with his effort and thought it set him up well for the upcoming track season.

“It says I’m ready,” Hunter said of his performance here today.  “It says I’m ready to bring on the track.  You know, it’s really fun to start with a low-key race like this where time doesn’t matter and you can just race.  But, I think I’m in a really good place fitness-wise.  Mentally, I’m in a good place, too, confident and I believe in myself, believe in my coach and all of my training.  I’m very excited to go on the track and get some fast times now.”

While Sifuentes had two training partners in the race, Shannon Osika and Becca Addison, she only relied on herself for pace-setting.  She took the lead from the gun and quickly strung out the field.  After the first circuit, the seven women were already running single file.  Sifuentes knew exactly what she was doing.

“Honestly, I planned to approach it the exact same way I approached it last year, and I did, ” Sifuentes told the media while tightly clutching her silver trophy.  “Actually, last year there were a few more challengers than there were this year.”

Sifuentes gently upped the pace on the second lap, then went into high hear on Newbury Street in the second half of the final lap.  She made the final two turns before the short finish straight with the race well in hand.  Her winning time of 4:37.2 was well off of her course record 4:33.7 from last year, and she was relaxed enough to flash a big smile before raising her arms in victory.  Last year, she crumpled to the pavement, totally exhausted.

“Well, I ran slower this year, maybe in part that was due to the wind,” Sifuentes explained.  She continued: “But in terms of how I felt in the race, what I’m doing now (giving an interview), last year I was in the fetal position on the ground.  So, it wasn’t as hard this year.”

Osika, who like Sifuentes ran for the University of Michigan during her NCAA career, finished second in 4:39.3, while Lauren Johnson was third in 4:41.3, just edging Cory McGee by one-tenth of a second.

Sifuentes said that she used today’s race to help prepare her for a 5000m race at the Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational at Stanford University in Palo Alto, Calif., on May 6.  She’s not sure where her season will take her after that.

“I had a good time out there today,” Sifuentes said.  “I’m not thinking too long-term yet, because I’m really focused on running and preparing for a 5-K in a couple of weeks out in Palo Alto.  May 3rd is kind of what I have been gearing my spring training towards.  So, I’m pretty focused on that right now, and after that we’ll regroup and see where I want to head for the rest of the season.”

PHOTO: Drew Hunter winning the 2018 B.A.A. Invitational Mile to the delight of tape-holder Dr. Michael O’Leary, the president of the Boston Athletic Association (photo by Jane Monti for Race Results Weekly)

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Following the 25th Annual Corrib Pub 5K in W. Ro0xbury, MA on Sunday, June 4

Open Women (Top 50 Score)
 

 
 
 
 

1.   Holly Madden
146
 

2.   Kristin Shaw
139
 

3.   Emily Larson
131
 

4.   Heather Spinney
129
 

5.   Eileen Cakouros
125
 

6.   Elizabeth Bugbee
124
 

7.   Marge Bellisle
105
 

8.   Jennifer Stewart
100
 

9.   Amanda Watters
99
 

10.   Victoria Bok
94
 

11.   Katrina Martyn
89
 

12.   Mary McNulty
85
 

13.   Claire McManus
75
 

14.   Joanne Hill
60
 

15.   Katie Fobert
37
 

16.   Kate Maul
35
 

17.   Andrea Leverentz
24
 

18.   Kerri Coady
23
 

19.   Joan Butterton
20
 

20.   Christine Booth
17
 

21.   Robin Shor
13
 

22.   Nicole Hart
11
 

 
 
 
 

Masters (Top 10 Score)
 
 

1.   Jennifer Stewart
25
 

2.   Eileen Cakouros
19
 

3.   Katie Fobert
15
 

3.   Kerri Coady
12
 

12. Andrea Leverentz
7
 

13. Christine Booth
5
 

17. Gwynn Burdell
1
 

 
 
 
 

Seniors (Top 10 Score)
 
 

 
 
 
 

1.   Holly Madden
30
 

2.   Victoria Bok
26
 

3.   Mary McNulty
22
 

4.   Joanne Hill
17
 

5.   Kate Maul
9
 

5.   Eileen Cakouros
9
 

7.   Joanne Jack
5
 

 
 
 
 

Veterans (Top 8 Score)
 
 

1.   Marge Bellisle
24
 

2.   Claire McManus
20
 

3. Joan Butterton
14
 

4. Deborah Lynch
8
 

5. Joanne Morris
2
 

5. Marianne Withington
2
 

 
 
 
 

Super Vets 70-79 (Top 4 Score)
 

1   Jan Holmquist
8
 

2.   Mary Tyler
3
 

2.   Regina Wright
3
 

 
 
 
 

80+ (Top 3 Score)
 
 

1. Ann Marie McDonald
6
 

 
 
 
 

 

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BHZ Pre-Game Race Day on Super Sunday brought no Polar Vortex (just departed), nor did it bring tropical breezes, BUT at 30˚ with no wind and a cloud cover for the 9:30 am start hard by the Barrel House Z Brewery in S. Weymouth, it did offer prime racing conditions…and for the many just looking for a fun time while hedging the latter day calorie count, optimal conditions to gear up in Patriots regalia.

 

Photo: Generational Team Spirit! photo by MickFoto/NERunner

This second pre-Patriots Super Bowl appearance featured the same course as the first friendly and fast edition, now USATF certified (MA18011JK).

 

Both course records were crushed.

 

We had called former Bentley NCAA D2 All American and 2018 Providence Marathon winner Caitlin Fahey, 27, as the women’s pre-race favorite, but we weren’t expecting defending men’s champion Patrick Bugbee, 35, of the mighty Cambridge Sports Union to be relegated to 6th!

 

“I’m getting smoked,” yelled Bugbee at the Holly Hill turnaround. In the lead was the BAA’s Andy Gardiner, 53 (yes 53!) with former Brandeis ace Mike Stone, 31, of E. Falmouth, on his heels.

 

Photo: Any Gardiner closely pursued by Mike Stone. Photo by FitzFoto/NERunner

 

In third—and the first to be wearing a Patriot’s jersey—was the pride of the Norwell Marathon Sports store in Norwell, Dan Joyce, 27.

 

Gardiner, USATF’s pick as the top 50+ runner in the country, arrived back at the brewery in 16:07 to take down Bugbee’s previous CR of 16:35.

 

Stone also cracked the previous course best in 16:15. “It was a good joust,” offered Gardiner, a native of the UK with dual citizenship. “He put up a really good race.”

 

The women’s race was a runaway as S. Weymouth resident Fahey, 27, clipped along at a 5:51 pace to crack the top 10 (9th) overall while chopping the women’s CR of 19:35 down to 18:08.

 

Photo: Caitlin Fahey crushing the women’s CR. Photo by MickFoto/NERunner

Five-time US Olympic Marathon trialist Mimi Fallon, 53, reprised her silver medal performance from a year ago in a new W50 record of 19:40. While Fallon is a past champion of the NER Pub Series women’s division, Whirlaway’s Heather Spinney, 31, was 7th in 2018 and the bronze medalist here in 20:05.

 

Post-race featured great craic, BHZ liquid elixir, numerous awards and a costume contest highlighted (in our humble opinion) by the woman in Patriots gear (natch) but with an “old school” leather helmet.

 

Come on down and join the merriment on June 23 when (over the same course) the BHZ 5K will be stop No. 3 on the 2019 NER Pub Series.

Photo: In a row, Whirlaway’s Paul Hammond (3rd M50), Heather Spinney (3rd woman) and Dave Wessman (1st M60). Photo by FitzFoto/NERunner

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BOSTON – The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) today announced the addition of Samuel Ellison and Christian Harrison to the B.A.A. High Performance Team roster. Ellison and Harrison both are familiar faces to B.A.A. fans, having proudly competed as members of the B.A.A. Racing Team in recent years. Both Ellison and Harrison will continue to be coached by Ricardo Santos.

Christian Harrison – Photo by Kevin Morris

“Sam and Christian have sported our B.A.A. unicorn logo to great success,” said Wayne Levy, Director of Athletic Performance for the B.A.A. “They chose the B.A.A. Racing Team to hone their skills on the track, and their performances have showcased each athlete’s growth and potential. We can’t wait to see what they do with the full force of the B.A.A. High Performance team support.”

As part of the B.A.A. High Performance Team, both Ellison and Harrison will receive advanced support and coaching from the B.A.A. and will travel with the team to training camps throughout the year. The objective of the B.A.A.’s High Performance team is to support American runners on their way towards making international teams, with the goal of competing at the highest level: the Olympic Games and IAAF World Championships.

The B.A.A. is sponsored by adidas, which provides comprehensive support for the running club, Team B.A.A., and its events.   “Joining the B.A.A. High Performance Team has been a dream of mine for a long time,” said Ellison. “I am looking forward to representing the B.A.A. in this greater capacity.”   Originally from Dresher, Pennsylvania, Ellison is a graduate of Villanova University and the University of Birmingham (UK). He was a six-time NCAA All-American on the track.

Sam Ellison, Photo by Kevin Morris

Ellison has seen post-collegiate success on the track, including a runner-up finish at the 2019 USATF Indoor Championships in the 600m (1:15.20, a personal best). Ellison also placed third at the 2019 Millrose Games 800m in a lifetime best of 1:46.13 and was second at the 2018 SC Track Fest 800m in 1:46.20. Ellison held the 2018 world lead over 500 meters indoors thanks to his 1:00.92 performance at the Boston University Scarlet & White Invitational in February. Away from the track, he most recently held the role of Senior Administrator at The Partnership, Inc. Fans of Samuel can follow his training at @SamuelRWEllison on Twitter.

Christian Harrison shares Ellison’s enthusiasm on joining the B.A.A. High Performance Team. “I am very excited to continue my professional running with a great group,” said Harrison. “I have great training partners to run with, a great coach to train under, and great support from the B.A.A.”

Originally from Glenarden, Maryland, Harrison attended North Carolina A&T and graduated from the University of Georgia in 2016. An NCAA All-American, he is a 2016 Olympic Trials Qualifier and five-time U.S. Championship Qualifier. Harrison’s lifetime bests include a 1:46.69 for 800m and 1:46.83 for 800m indoors, the latter set last year en route to winning the Boston University Last Chance Qualifier meet. During the 2019 indoor track season, Harrison set a personal best of 2:23.12 for 1000m indoors at the USATF Indoor Championships.

Fans of Christian can follow his training at @ChristianCash on Instagram.   In addition to racing as part of the B.A.A. High Performance Team, both Ellison and Harrison have taken part in the B.A.A.’s various youth and community engagement initiatives to help spread the importance of healthy lifestyles.

To learn more about all B.A.A. athletes, follow @teamBAA on Instagram and on Twitter.   A full list of B.A.A. High Performance Team Members can be found below.

Trevor Dunbar  –  Samuel Ellison –  Dana Giordano — Kaitlin Goodman — Christian Harrison — Lauren Johnson — Erika Kemp — Katie Matthews — Samantha Nadel  — Elaina Tabb — Jacob Thomson

ABOUT THE BOSTON ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION   Established in 1887, the Boston Athletic Association is a non-profit organization with a mission of promoting a healthy lifestyle through sports, especially running. The B.A.A.’s Boston Marathon is the world’s oldest annual marathon, and the organization manages other local events and supports comprehensive charity, youth, and year-round running programs. Since 1986, the principal sponsor of the Boston Marathon has been John Hancock. The Boston Marathon is part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, along with international marathons in Tokyo, London, Berlin, Chicago, and New York City. More than 60,000 runners will participate in B.A.A. events in 2019. For more information on the B.A.A., please visit www.baa.org. For more information on the B.A.A. club, Racing Team and High Performance group, visit www.teambaa.org.

2019 B.A.A. Boston Marathon. Photo by FitzFoto/NERunner

 

 

BOSTON—The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) has been meeting regularly with city and state officials to discuss all updates related to the coronavirus (COVID-19). Governor Charlie Baker declared a state of emergency on March 10, 2020. In consideration of this and guided by Boston Mayor Martin Walsh along with state and municipal government leaders at all levels to undertake all possible measures to safeguard the health of the public, the B.A.A. understands the city’s decision that the Boston Marathon cannot be held on April 20, 2020. We offer our full support to take all reasonable efforts to postpone the 124th Boston Marathon to Monday, September 14, 2020.

“On matters of public health and safety we take our guidance from the officials entrusted with protecting the public in this area,” said Tom Grilk, C.E.O. of the B.A.A. “We understand our role, along with our partners, in ensuring a safe environment for all participants, volunteers, spectators, and supporters that meets the standards set by those officials.”

 

The B.A.A. has been cooperating with municipal leaders across the eight cities and towns through which the marathon course runs to coordinate the September 14 date for the 124th Boston Marathon. The B.A.A. 5K, which draws a field of 10,000 participants, will also be rescheduled to a later date.

 

“The B.A.A.’s mission of promoting health through sports, especially running, has guided our organization for more than a century. In collaboration with our many partners, we look forward to welcoming the world to Boston in September in celebration of the 124th Boston Marathon,” Grilk said.

Registered participants and volunteers will receive additional information in the coming days. As this is a rapidly evolving situation, further details will be forthcoming.

ABOUT THE BOSTON ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION (B.A.A.) 

Established in 1887, the Boston Athletic Association is a non-profit organization with a mission of promoting a healthy lifestyle through sports, especially running. The B.A.A. manages the Boston Marathon, and also supports comprehensive charity, youth, and year-round programming. The Boston Marathon is part of theAbbott World Marathon Majors, along with international marathons in Tokyo, London, Berlin, Chicago, and New York City. Since 1986, the principal sponsor of the Boston Marathon has been John Hancock. For more information on the B.A.A., please visit www.baa.org.

You Will Run Your Best Race When You Run Your Pace: Valuable Lessons learned in Washington …

photo by On the Run Events

Travel—it’s one of the sweetest perks about participating in a nation-wide race series. So far this early season, I’ve experienced the red slickrock slabs of Moab, Utah, tripped over the rocky and rooted trails of Reading, Pennsylvania, and finally, discovered the obstacles in Olympia, Washington.

I arrived to cloudy skies with a light drizzle when my plane landed in Seattle, Washington. With my face glued to the airplane window on the descent, I hoped to score a glimpse of impressive Mount Rainer. No such luck.

I was driving my rental car south towards Olympia 30 minutes later, cruising at a mach speed of 20 miles-per-hour, eyes peeled for my homestay. Bingo! I would be stationed in downtown Olympia with a Brooks-sponsored road-running stud, across from a park where they filmed Prefontaine. Hello motivation!
Race day weather included overcast skies (again) and strong 20-mile-per-hour winds, making the 42-degree temp feel 10 degrees colder. I knew I would warm up after the first mile or so, and that the wind would decrease substantially within the trees. Conditions would be perfect.

After climbing the first 1.5 miles up a cinder fire road, we turned onto Rock Candy Trail, which at first glance was a pleasant singletrack. The tall pines created an amazing canopy and the bright green flora popped up in places where the light could shine through.

Getting lost in the forest’s beauty, I stepped right into a four-inch deep mud puddle.  … Couldn’t I have at least made it two miles before soaking my feet? I focused more intently on my foot placement and began to notice very frequent mud and puddles on the trail. The farther I ran, the more gunk I encountered.

So, to keep things fun and relaxed, I bounded off of rocks and logs to avoid the deep mud and murky water. I was feeling great and having the time of my life.

Through all my goofing, I was slowly creeping up on the lead female, Christina Bauer (second place at Moab’s Red Hot 33K, and my fellow LaSportiva Mountain Cup competitor). I was confident that I could catch her, but was in no hurry to do so. It was a completely foreign though for my miler’s mind, but after bonking (hard) at the Red Hot 33K, my number one race goal, was to run my race at my pace.

I must have splashed through a dozen knee-deep snow melt puddles (no way to avoid them) before I was on Bauer’s heels. I stuck behind her enjoying a comfortable pace and was debating on when I should make a move. Just after mile four, she stopped to tie her shoe, and I took off in hopes of creating a serious separation on the windy trail. Since we were friends and both experiencing challenges on the trail, I made sure to say “good work” as I passed Bauer.

Almost immediately my mental state changed from enjoying the chase to fear of being hunted down. My pace quickened. It was an out and back course, so I could gauge my lead after the turnaround. And, I wasn’t as far ahead as I had hoped. Luckily, it was mostly downhill … my favorite direction to run!

With one mile to go, I still felt strong enough to run another five. Then, with 200 meters to go, I still felt cloud-high. The course rounded a corner and I gave a quick look to see if second place was going to engage in a full sprint-battle to the finish. No one was there. I kept my pace and headed into the shoot as first female.

No doubt running relaxed and having fun helped me win the race. By finding a positive mental state, I felt like I could conquer anything that was put in my path. It is truly amazing what the mind can do.

photo by On the Run Events
The author striding to the finish.

After a successful day, I decided to indulge in some celebratory drinks at Fish Tails Brewery with fellow racers Jared Scott, 2011 LaSportiva Mountain Cup winner and World Mountain Championship competitor, Christina Bauer, 2011 GORETEX Transrockies podium finisher and Robert Krar, Flagstaff resident and GORETEX Transrockies winner. We talked and laughed and drank good beer … how the end of a good trail race should be.

Next stop, Jemez Mountain Half Marathon in Los Alamos, New Mexico.

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Ithaca’s Cayuga Trails 50 will host 2014 USATF 50-Mile National Championship

Start of the 2013 Cayuga Trails 50. Photo by Steve Gallow

Within the first few miles of the Cayuga Trails 50 Miler, runners know exactly what they are in for. When race director Ian Golden blows his traditional Norwegian ram’s horn to signify the start of the race, runners follow the Gorge Trail for two miles and emerge from the woods at the first aid station, nestled above Lucifer Falls, located near an old rustic mill.

The on-course waterfall—one of many—is aptly named, as the Cayuga Trails 50 is a devil of a course. Tucked away in the beautiful trail town of Ithaca, New York, with almost 10,000 feet of elevation change, the Cayuga Trails 50 is serving as the United States Track and Field (USATF) 50-Mile National Championship race this year. This means runners have the opportunity to compete with some of the giants of the sport of trail ultrarunning.

Photo by Steve Gallow

At the Lick Brook water crossing. Photo by Steve Gallow

As the local saying here goes, “Ithaca Is Gorges”—runners will traverse many gorges of Ithaca while crossing Fishkill Creek, running through the mist at Buttermilk Falls, and then along deceptively named Comfort Road, which in reality offers no reprieve to weary runners as it rolls up and down.

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“The scenic rock gorges and waterfalls make a really unique experience,” says last year’s winner, Sage Canaday, 28, of Boulder, Colorado. “I went to college in Ithaca and there are not many trails like this anywhere else.”

Photo by Steve Gallow

Ian Golden, an avid runner and owner of Finger Lakes Running Company, feels a strong affinity for the trails on which he placed the race. Golden says he finds the waterways calming, the climbs challenging, and never stops enjoying the picturesque views the park provides.The course has runners climb and descend the aforementioned gorges while tackling creek crossings and singletrack during each 25-mile loop. Pacers are not allowed.

While the elites will be gunning for a National Championship, Golden has developed some in-race motivational prizes for everyone else. The first runner to miss a time cutoff has the opportunity to win the “Second Wind” award by getting to the next aid station under the next cutoff. If the runner carries on from there, he or she has a chance to secure the “Earned It Back” award, which refunds an entry fee if the runner makes it to the next aid station under the cutoff.

Along the course, runners will also be trying to spot six wire hangers that will be planted in the ground with laminated photos of delicious-looking pie on them. The first six runners who pick up and drop off the hangers at their next aid station will win homemade pies from Mrs. Eddy, of the nearby, family-owned Eddydale Farm Stand.

Golden says he defines success not just by the elites but by the last finisher and last runner on the course. He has even developed an award he calls the “Comin’ In Hot” award—an award, as he describes it, “for the entrant, who while finishing their first lap, is able to out-kick the winner as they are finishing the race.”

Photo by Steve Gallow

With all the fun going on in the actual race, Golden was sure not to leave out families and spectators. The race is planned around “Ithaca Fest,” a local food and music festival to keep everyone fed and entertained all weekend long.

Photo by Steve Gallow

What: Cayuga Trails 50 Mile Race

When: June 1, 2014

Where: Ithaca, NY

Registration is open now at www.cayugatrails50.com

Eric Eagan, Co-Founder of #TrailsRoc, is an avid trail runner living in Greece, NY. When Eric is not running, he is hiking the Adirondack Mountains, the Finger Lakes Trail, snowshoeing the trails and hills of Western NY or canoeing the waterways of New York State.

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