After the NYC Marathon, I wrote a rebuttal to CNBC's Sports Business Reporter Darren Rovell, who felt that Meb Keflezighi was not "American enough" to deserve all the flag waving we were doing. I tried to make a valid, well thought out argument to counter Mr. Rovell's uninformed editorial. I think I did a reasonably good job, but all my efforts were a waste, because the epic efforts of my boy Paul Leone have put mine to shame. Check out Mebmerica.
Last week I was lucky enough to join Dr. Jordan Metzl and some of the area's top triathlon authorities at the 2nd Annual Amazing Night of Triathlon Education. The event, held at Rockefeller University, featured 10 minute talks on almost every subject relevant to Triathletes including training tips, nutritional information, injury prevention strategies, gear updates, sports psychology, and a roundtable of area triathlon coaches.
Check out the webcast of the event to see what you missed.
Last week we had a nasty little snow storm here in NYC. Kids got a snow day. Businesses closed. Folks hoarded milk as if a nuclear holocaust was imminent and they'd be locked in their bunkers for months. Still, our boy Paul Leone sent out the call on facebook at 2:44p at the height of the storm, "Snow Run 2010 is taking off from Chelsea Market at 4pm. Everyone is welcome. Shorts and sleeveless shirts encouraged but not required." And off they went. Paul was joined by City Coacher Scott Towle, as well as Ross McGraw, Erika, Old Glory, and a couple of other intrepid runners. You can read accounts from Paul and Scott on their blogs, but no matter what you do, don't miss the video, which is nothing short of epic.
So next time you're gonna skip a workout because of the conditions, derive motivation from our hearty, flag-waving, scantily clad runners, then cinch 'em up and get out there. I know I'll be thinking of them next week while I'm training in Curaçao.
I'm sad to report the death of Randi Rosenberg, co-founder of the Young Survival Coalition, which continues to support women under the age 40 with cancer. Randi is survived by her husband Matt (who introduced me to YSC and helped us arrange for the Race Across the Window to support the cause) and their daughter Alexandra.
To learn more about Randi, read this tribute at Livestrong. And please continue to support the YSC's Tour de Pink and other events.
If you're in Central Park, you may get to find out since one has been hanging out there lately. If you want to be safe, just run with a group. That's not to suggest that the coyote won't try to chase you down and have you for dinner – he will. But with a group around, you don't have to be faster than a coyote – just faster than the slowest person in the group.
It looks like the NYRR schedule has been posted. Among the highlights is the always mysterious Brooklyn Half Marathon. It;s set for 5/22, and it will once again begin in Prospect Park and finish at Coney Island.
In addition, the Run/Walk for Haiti, a 4-miler co-sponsored by NYRR and the Parks and Rec. Dept. is set for Central park on 2/20. According to NYRR "all entry fees will go directly to the NYC's Haiti Relief Fund, administered by the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City,
"An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity."
Every year, the very cool folks at Improv Everywhere organize a No Pants Subway Ride in an effort to elicit a reaction from unsuspecting straphangers. While we're not quite as edgy as all that, some of us have added a little twist to our Nike Run NYC Monday night runs. While everyone is toughing it out and running through the cold as part of our Winter Warriors program, a few of us have decided to run in shorts every Monday regardless of how cold it gets. Last week was decidedly unpleasant and tonight's not looking much better. Seemed like a good idea at the time.
Luckily for you, there's no pants prohibition for the masses, and you're all welcome to join us. The Winter Warriors meet every Monday at 6:30 at the NY Running Company in the Time Warner Center. Bag check and shoe trials are available, plus there are frequent runner incentives for those who come regularly.
No, I'm not talking about the track fantasy in which Lolo Jones greets me with open arms after winning Gold in 2012. I'm talking about fantasy running match ups. A while back the hotly debated topic of Kenenisa Bekele (5,000 meter WR in 12:37.35) vs. Usain Bolt (200m WR in 19.19) over an intermediate distance was reported in USA Today. My money says Bolt (who ran sub 45 for 400 meters as a teenager) would dominate at the standard distance of 400 meters, and by Bolt's own admission, Bekele would cruise in an 800 meter race. So at what distance would they be equal? Something in the 600-700 meter range would most likely be a fair fight.
Now, according to ESPN Chris Johnson of the NFL's Tennessee Titans wants to race Bolt. Johnson is probably the fastest player in the NFL, but there's probably a reason why he didn't run in the Olympics. Still, he did run an NFL-best 4.24 for 40 yards at the combine, which in theory is a little faster than Bolt came through at that distance when he set the 100m record. (Timing at the combine is usually a little generous and doesn't start until the runner begins, but they don't have the benefit of starting blocks.) If the story is accurate, Johnson's lobbying for a distance of less than 60 meters, by which point he has to realize that Bolt would blow past him. Is Bolt beatable at 40 or 50 meters?
