Run to Win

Jenny Barringer ran second place to Anna Willard at the Olympic Trials where Willard set the American record.

This week, though, they swapped places at a competitive meet in Belgium against top international talent. Barringer edged Willard by 0.03 seconds to run a new American record by almost 5 seconds of 9:22.73. The next runner was over 10 seconds behind the two women.

I am looking forward to the rivalry between these two continuing at the Olympic Games, where the women will be running in the first steeplechase. They’ve just shown that they can compete against top international talent and I hope to see one if not both of them come home with a medal.

Here’s a post race interview with Barringer following her win:

(More Info: Meet Results - Video Interview - Runner’s World)

After falling halfway back into the field in the 4^th heat of the opening round in yesterday’s 100m Olympic Trials, Tyson Gay had a lot of ground to make up. He did well for 70 meters, but then started to slow down. Only a late surge in the last 7 to 10 meters got him into the top 4 of his heat to allow him to continue on to the quarter finals.

In the quarter finals, he did not disappoint. Gay ran his second attempt in 9.77 seconds, breaking Maurice Green’s American record of 9.79 seconds and Olympic Trials record of 9.91 seconds. His performance also broke the Hayworth Field record of 9.81 seconds.

Jeff Demps followed Gay to the finish line in 10.01 seconds, breaking the American Junior record of 10.06 seconds and the American high school record of 10.08 seconds. He also tied the world junior record.

In the second heat, Travis Padgett broke the American collegiate record of 9.90 by running 9.89 seconds.

So far there have been 7 men who have run under 10 seconds. The US is going to have a formidable sprint team to send to Beijing in a month.

Update: Tyson Gay ran a wind-assisted 9.68 seconds today. He had a 4.1 meters per second tailwind. That’s a world’s fastest when disregarding wind assists.

(More Info: USATF)

This week last year was dominated by exercise related news, although there were a few less topical articles that were worth looking at.

• This week last year, there was a debate about whether or not you should refuel during a marathon or whether you should stick to water. I had to throw my 2 cents in. My opinion is basically the same this year as last year, although I should go back and update it with my latest opinions and experiments.
• Scott and I continued our series on alternate exercises by suggesting that you should walk everywhere. I just bought a new car, so regardless of how much exercise I want to get you had best believe that I’m parking in the least desirable areas where there will hopefully not be anybody else parking near me.
• There was a lot of news this week last year. Here are a few of the more interesting stories:
  • Bike activists create their own bike lanes.
  • 16 year old Windy Hagar married her 40 year old track coach.
  • Dean Karnazes missed setting the 24 hour treadmill record.
• This week two years ago, I suggested that you shouldn’t fall asleep in front of the television.
• This week three years ago, I reviewed the books Running with the Buffaloes and Eat to Be Fit. I also shared my Beef Jerky recipe and made on a suggestion on how to deal with migraines. Lastly, I recommended that you go for a good Beach Run.

Usain Bolt has proven to be the first person to break Asafa Powell’s mark of 9.74 seconds in the 100 meter race on a track.

He was up against American sprinter Tyson Gay (9.85 seconds) this weekend at the Reebok Grand Prix, and was aided by a false start that wasn’t called back until the runners were 20 meters down the track.

“I was glad for the first false start,” Bolt said. “My first start wasn’t that good. I knew if I got Tyson on the start, I’d get him.”

Gay said he knew it was over after he saw Bolt push out.

The Olympics this year should provide some great competition, which is as it should be.

Bolt is normally a 200m/400m runner, but his recent successes almost guarantee that he is going to stick with the 100m as his signature race in Beijing.

(Photo Credit: Victah Sailer courtesy of Runner’s World - More Info: AP)

Update: I crunched a few numbers about how fast Bolt was moving:

I now own a marathon course record.

• This week last year, I compared the pros and cons of running with headphones, which is always such a polarizing topic.
• Shani Davis broke his own 1500m speed skate record with a time of 1:42.32. He bested his own record by 0.36 seconds.
• Jim Snyder provided some information about the treadmill record from the week before, including providing a video of the event.
• How do you compare your workload from week to week when your training consists of multiple activities?
• This week two years ago, I began a weekly series on what I thought about the 20 new rules of lifting found in the book by the same name. I posted two rules per week, beginning this week with the list of rules and the first rule: use your muscles as they were designed. I also demonstrated how to do a swiss ball bench press with dumbbells, suggested that you always eat before and after working out, and wrote a review on Under Armour gloves. Unfortunately, I have sense lost that pair of gloves and replaced them with Sport Hills.

I never got around to writing a “this week last year” article last week, so here it is this week for last week. If that makes sense.

• Some folks decided to try and break the 24-hour treadmill world record by running as a team on the treadmill. Each of the people in the “relay” needed to average 22 miles in 2 hours while they were on the treadmill. They succeeded, smashing the former record by over 14 miles.
• The Irish Road Rover was last week last year; I did not run but I got out and took some photographs. This year’s race is tomorrow morning, and unless they need some extra help I should be there with my camera again.
• I offered a very important swimming tip for the guys. Always tie your shorts! Pushing off from the wall and discovering your shorts are around your ankles can be embarrassing. Or so I’m told…
• Something I am asked on occasion is, “How many pairs of shoes do you need to be a runner?” Technically, you don’t need any shoes. I tend to have a lot of shoes, though, between trainers and racers and such.
• Finally, I discussed a story where Terry Francona made a bet that he could stop chewing tobacco. I challenged Red Sox fans to challenge themselves as well, but nobody took me up on it.
• Last week two years ago, I demonstrated how to do an overhead triceps extension and suggested that you should space your hands evenly on the bar when you are weight lifting. I also wrote a review of the Mizuno Wave Rider running shoe. They didn’t work for me, but I do use a different type of Mizuno’s these days.

Haile Gebrselassie set the mark for the indoor 2 mile world record in 2003 at 8:04.69. Yesterday, Kenenisa Bekele broke that mark by 0.34 seconds in Norwich Union Grand Prix in Birmingham to set the new 2 mile world record at 8:04.35.

“It was not easy but I knew I could do it,” Bekele said. “Paul Koech was very close, but I knew I had a fast finish in me.”

Paul Koech was right on his tail throughout the race, but Bekele dropped him in the final lap. He has now broken Gebrselassie’s 3^rd indoor record, including the 2000m and 5000m.

(Further Reading: BBC - IHT - AFP)