Run to Win

This week last year saw a varied range of topics on the site with a good mix of tips and news.

• I began the week by looking at dancing as an alternative exercise. Unfortunately for my wife and I, we haven’t been out dancing too often since she went to law school.
• The UCI came out with an anti-doping charter, and I felt that cyclists would be foolish to sign it. On the surface, anything to discourage doping is a good thing. I just felt that this particular measure took away too many of the athlete’s rights.
• In running news, the IAAF changed their stance on Oscar Pistorius so that he could compete until they decided if he had an advantage or not.
• On the track and in a headwind, Tyson Gay ran the 2^nd fastest all-time 200m race in 19.62 seconds, about 3-tenths of a second behind the 1996 mark set by Michael Johnson.
• I reviewed Trails.com and put together a video demonstration of what you get with the website.
• This week 2 years ago, I suggested that you never go to bed hungry. During the Western States 100 (which was unfortunately canceled this year), Brian Morrison was disqualified for receiving some help from the crowd near the end. I also discussed research about whether or not bonking during training was a worthwhile pursuit or not. Two years ago was centered on marathoning, such as a book review and a website review, my list of marathon candidates for Autumn, and my discovery that I was near meeting the requirements to join the 50 States Marathon Club. I also won the Literacy 5k, which I believe has since folded.

Tyson Gay followed up his gold medal in the 100 meters with another gold in the 200 meter race yesterday in Osaka. Usain Bolt of Jamaica came on hard after a bad start, but Tyson Gay was able to keep a lead of about 2-hundredths of a second to win the goal.

Jeremy Wariner took in the gold in the 400 meter race as he led an American sweep despite being the last person off of the line. He ran a personal best 43.46 seconds, which is the fastest on a track so far this year. LaShawn Merritt and Angelo Taylor took the silver and bronze medals.

Yesterday at the U.S. Track & Field Championships, Tyson Gay ran away from Wallace Spearmon to run 200 meters in 19.62 seconds, a meet record and second only to the world record 19.32 that Michael Johnson set in 1996.

“The time was excellent. The race was excellent, too,” Gay said. “I wasn’t thinking about any time. I was trying to get away from Wallace Spearmon as fast as I could.”

Tyson Gay ran about 22.8 miles per hour in his win. I hope that his season continues to go so well and that we see a new mark set some time in the near future. Hopefully, the entire field of the fastest sprinters will be healthy at the next competition.

(Source: ESPN.com)

This week last year I was paying a lot of attention to the World Championships in Helsinki and to the latest preseason NFL news.

• In NFL news last year, Rich Gannon retired, Ty Law signed with the Jets, and Terrell Owens continued his dog and pony show.
• At the world championships in Helsinki, Kenenisa Bekele won the 10,000m, Bershawn Jackson won the 400m hurdles, and the United States took the top 4 in the 200 meters final.
• I reviewed my casio wristwatch and the book, Run Fast: How to beat your best time every time.
• Red Sox pitcher Bronson Arroyo performed in Portland this week last year as well. My girlfriend listened to him play; I went home and played with the cat instead.

I borrowed the book from my girlfriend (who I am going to marry in about 12 hours, by the way), and I have since given her the watch. I really need to get around to reviewing my new watch that I used to replace that watch.

The 200m Men’s Final was run earlier today in Helsinki, Finland at the world championships. The United States swept the field by taking the top four positions. Justin Gatlin (USA) is only the second man to take the 100m-200m double at the world championships, which was last done in 1999 by Maurice Green (USA). Gatlin won the event in 20.04 seconds. He was followed by teammates Wallace Spearmon (USA) in 20.20, John Capel (USA) in 20.31, and Tyson Gay (USA) in 20.34. Capel was the first off the line, followed by Tobias Unger (GER).

Gatlin is also competing in the 4×100m relay tomorrow. The final for the 4×100m relay will be on Saturday.