10/07/11 The world as I see it; I mean I wake up and wonder what needs charging, so I must be united with the world right? Anyway a couple of days gone and Steve Jobs is more alive than ever; it is amazing how he touched the world, not only with his products but with his values of life. Everyone I talk to keeps on quoting him and reflecting on their own life's through his being - weird, well if the salad girl does then the world truly is bizarre.
10/06 Sadly Edna Kiplagat is out of NYC, it begs the question, can a top runner do 3 marathons a year? Especially before the Olympic year... ho hum.
On that note much has been talked of the pre-selection for Kenya. I was pleased to see the World Champs getting a good reward for their loyalty as Kenya has often not fielded the strongest team for the Worlds. The Makua Vs Mutai is a very tough one - G. Mutai wins Boston, 2:03 & P Makua wins Berlin 2:03 - that is a close call as if you ask anyone in Kenya right now who the top marathoner is most would tell you Mutai. Well lots can change, BUT remember back in 2003 Tergat got pre-selection for the Olympics after running sub 2:05 in Berlin so please, please don't tell me this is something new and unprecedented.
Was at the Cornell Club for lunch yesterday - great food and service there - as I said when I was leaving 'makes me wish I had gone to school so I could be a member.' Came home and worked on Shoe4Africa till midnight; again some really, really cool stuff going on that I don't want to jinx! At 9:30pm the phone; I was talking to John, "Are you going out tonight?" The truth of that is I rarely do anything these days bar charity work - if I got paid I'd be a millionaire the hours I put in. Even the Cornell was Achilles stuff, albeit the enjoyable stuff.
10/05
"Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life because almost everything—all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure—these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important... There is no reason not to follow your heart." Steve Jobs, RIP.
10/04
Very kind of the people of Ridgefield to get together and hold this Shoe Drive at last weekend's Pamby Half Marathon run.
We had six shoe4africa runners go out to have fun on the run and afterwards we had a little party at an amazing place; the 200-acre land of Mr. George Landegger. Thank you thank you - the place was surreal, imagine having a 200-acre garden in a town!Steve Cain hosted us up there and we also went to a party at Tom & Susie's house. So I ask Tom what are his interests and he tells me that he likes to play the guitar. After another couple of sentences, "Well you may have heard of some of the people I played with... Chuck Berry, The Who, Frank Zappa..." Wow! I also met Anton whose son used to live in Nairobi and his wife Ann - more really interesting people. It was really was a nice weekend!
09/30 Kenya names Makau & Kirui to the marathon team for 2012 as reward for the WR and the WC - Kiplagat get a txt too. [link]Got a VIP ticket to the Black Eyed Peas in Central Park (Thanks Tone). I am so out of the loop when Ap le & Fergie came on I thought there were a warm-up band with a Mr T. and Jane Fonda theme... I was hoping Obama would come out and do the famous Will I am song... sigh...
For those of you who knew Art Hall, his memorial service - Friday,September 30th – 2:00pm
Unity Chapel
2352 Frederick Douglass Blvd (8th Ave bet 126th & 127th Streets)
New York, NY 10027
(212) 666-8300
"Former NYRR board member Art Hall passed away last week at age 64 in his home in Staten Island. A perennial age-group winner at NYRR races, Hall finished fourth, fourth, and sixth in the earliest New York City Marathons, when the race was run entirely in Central Park. He won the 1975 Penn Relays Marathon, ran 2:22 in Boston, and still holds Staten Island records at five distances. He founded the North Shore Track Club in the 1980s. A gregarious storyteller, Hall enlivened any run with a stream of anecdotes. He entertained several generations of Staten Island runners, who will all remember him fondly."
"When I joined the NYC running community in the late '70s and early '80s, Art Hall was the one standout from the early '70s who was still competing locally on a regular basis. I knew him by name and reputation and felt that even running anywhere in his vicinity was adding to the stature of what I was accomplishing. From the very beginning, Art couldn't have been more welcoming. He made you feel significant. He was unfailingly nice and encouraging. Honestly, to me the three great fixtures of Staten Island were the Verrazano Narrows Bridge, the Ferry, and Art Hall."
—Peter Gambaccini
09/29
I am learning about zip codes in GA - Barbara Rose is a great fund raiser for me so she sent about thirty checks, so I have to fill out all the addresses in our google docs, about 25-checks done I know every single Zip code in that area!I was touched today -- looking for an Office for Shoe4Africa, well the Achilles really do not have space, they are so over-crowded already YET the President Dick Traum kindly offered to share his office with me! What a true gentleman, really I am humbled. I tell you in the charity world you are constantly shocked in many ways and this was a big plus!Dick Traum - a true hero, wherever I go in the world people hold him in awe and know who he is... Here is a picture of him running with the President of the USA. Back in the day of course. One thing to bear in mind; before Dick no amputee ever ran in the marathon -- and remember, there for fortune tomorrow a car accident [like what happened for Dick], fate or otherwise...The NYRR announced that Mary Keitany and G. Mutai will run the NYC Marathon, ING, this November - should be a great race as Geoffrey is on fire! As for Mary.. I want to see a head to head with Florence Kiplagat & Mary, should be great and could be London 2012! Both live in Iten of course... with World Champion Edna Kiplagat - speaking of which - welcome to the S4A Women's Race there on Dec. 24th! Where you can meet many of these stars, at the race and whilst out running.
09/28 Gosh, getting a couple of hours sleep does you in, am taking caffeine shots to keep the eyelids up. Caffeine really is a savior to many problems, like a X-factor to a situation.Central Park was a traffic jam last night, many running groups causing jams east, west and south. Good to see my Dutch friend, who has a blog called the Running Dutchman come back to training albeit not yet running. I lost my entire group - not the best when you are the coach.In the S.A. news - "Nairobi – Kenyan athletics authorities said on Monday the selection of the marathon team for next year's London Olympics would be extremely difficult considering the number of elite runners who have qualified.
"Over 50 women and 150 men, led by the new world record holder Patrick Makau, have attained the marathon qualifying marks." Love it. But the dumb thing is why Oh why in the marathon can we not see countries like Kenya field more runners as it makes the Olympic Marathon a race with less depth than a race like Rotterdam. In the REAL Olympics the Greeks invited the best in the world based on performance and I know the TV right etc don't want to see 8-Kenyan Steeplechasers with one French Moroccan and a Qatari, but in the marathon it is lame - take for example the Olympics of 2004; the winners of Berlin, London, Rotterdam, Boston and Chicago were NOT in the field of the Olympics... solely because of selection issues!
09/25 Next stop NYC for Mary - Women @ Lisbon -
1. Mary Keitany KEN 1:07:54
2. Helena Kiprop KEN 1:08:57
3. Caroline Kilel KEN 1:10:03
4. Rita Jeptoo KEN 1:10:34
5. Desiree Davila USA 1:11:27
6. Magdalene Mukunzi KEN 1:11:54
7. Salina Kosgei KEN 1:11:55
8. Hellen Kimutai KEN 1:12:29 -- One of these days has not trained in Iten, Kenya, just one... Go to the land of Train Hard, Win Easy.Can't believe it that some parts of this world are so antiquated! Saudi women, who are not allowed to drive, are finally allowed to vote - woo, progress, albeit 100-years later than progress should have been, well at least 50 then! Article
Florence Kiplagat, who won Berlin today in a sterling 2:19.
I really should get back into journalism & running. Mentioned here on this web and elsewhere I was telling people the woman to watch in Berlin for a fast time was Florence Kiplagat -- Boom, she wins in 2:19 - reminds me of 2009 I tried to get Edna Kiplagat in the NYC Marathon, they did not want her. Boom she wins LA, then they want her. Still she was not even listed as a favorite in the media guide! I was talking to Allan Steinfeld & Ian the Voice of NYC the day before the race, I tell you, she is going to win... Boom.
So happy to see Planet Paula come back and run great, a huge stepping stone and she has now placed herself in the ring. For my money Paula did not look like she went deep today, it looked as if she could have gone into another gear, and you know she is the most gutsy dig-deep runner out there on the globe. This is a total positive because she qualified, easily, and now will have a great recovery as opposed to having run a couple of minutes faster, maybe running a 2:20 or better, but would have been recovering in November.
The Kenyan team? It has to be Florence K., Mary K., and Edna K., on paper... right? The men's team - gosh, Makau, E. Mutai, G. Mutai, W. Kipsang, A. Kirui, M. Lel... too many to pick from!Stephen Chemlany of Westchester TC placed second at Berlin!!! Congrats to Coach Mike.Meanwhile unnoticed in Holland: Philip Langat in the Utrecht 10km, winning in a amazingly fast time of 27.28...
09/24 In the chapter of it could only happen to me... Yesterday I went to see Sally Kipyego, Haron Lagat, and Boaz Lalang. They were staying at a hotel in mid town. By perchance I happened to wear a jacket with Qatar... As I tried to enter the hotel I got pulled aside by security guards. "Why are you wearing a Qatar jacket?" "Well, urm, it fell off the shelf." "Why do you want to enter the hotel?" "Just to see friends." "Pretty strange a blonde man wearing a Qatar jacket don't you think?" "Pretty strange being asked these questions, have I done something wrong?" Then I was allowed in. So I sit down and chat and we chat some more and some more, then Bernard Lagat comes over we talk more, about Sally & Haron going to the same school, about Kenyan politics etc...
Then a couple of hours later I leave. I go to the lamp post where I left my bike and it is gone. I re-walk, did I forget, check on the adjoining street, but no, it is gone. As there is so much security presence I go up to a guard, "Did you see someone steal my bike?" "Why are you wearing that jacket?" Gosh not again, I point and say, "Ask him," and then I go and ask another security man. This one talks, "Yes, we removed it, it posed a security threat." My bicycle, to whom? They clipped the lock!
It all started to make sense when guess who arrived next? The Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad... long story cut short (like my chain), I finally got the bike back, and retained the jacket.
09/22 Out and about - Blaggards for lunch, I can order without looking at the menu... nice Guinness too! On 38th, a little midtown Irish, then the evening it was Girasole - a classic on the UES. A tip, go with the house Pinot Noir, it is really good. The service & food at this place is always excellent; always gets my best ratings.
Going to the swimming pool with the kids from the P. Chege Orphans home. The little guy is called Baby G and he loves cars!
5th Ave Mile -- rooting for my friends, Sally Kipyego & Haron Lagat!!Mixed race? Running? Paula Radcliffe's 2:17 'becomes' the new world record? No, her 2:15 is the world record; it is all understood when you realize that London Marathon promoted the women's only races, then added male pace makers to confuse matters... maybe if they had not made the noise in the first hand "We'll get Joyce Chepchumba and cut a hole in the floor of a bus and drive with her in the middle if other marathons continue to have male pace makers..." Anyway all runners know that Paula ran her time and that is that. I wish the World Majors would do something useful like try to get their winners wild cards in the Olympics so we have a better, or should I say deeper, Olympic Marathon.It is Berlin this weekend - one of the fastest courses in the world, or can we say the word Boston.. oops, no we can't.
09/20
Really, really happy about this one, a big honor and a sign we are going in the right direction! A full color free page Ad in Forbes Magazine! Woowee. I am really, really happy about this.
Last night I went to a talk given by the St Kitts writer Randall Robinson at the Hue Man Book store. "Children are raised by love, not by money, it is the most important thing..." Sounds like Gandhi! Also, whilst I am at it - here is our slideshow from the KIBERA project, gives you a brief glimpse of what we were doing in Kibera: [Link is here - click]
09/19 Great race from Matthew Kisorio - 58:45 in Philly... seemed like one of those days that 'everyone' popped a good time. Good comeback for Kitwara in second, a second or two back... Some odd splits too! Meanwhile over the pond Lucy Kabuu, who changed training groups of late, had a fab win in 67:06 & another Kenyan won the men's, Martin Mathathi, in 58:52... the newspapers had concern that E. Mutai, training for NYC was a minute behind, however when training for a marathon you are not always at your speediest, look at Felix Limo for that! More of concern was his citing of back stiffness.Back myself from Syracuse, I had to get up at 4 am to make a flight and got back to VCP to see the FIT-sters run their races on a great sunny morning. Missing a run myself I ran home, what a boring course down Broadway!
But back to Syracuse, I was talking at an event with Dr. Randal Pinkett, a very talented man with a zillion degrees and a winner of the Apprentice show. I met a bunch of really nice people - too bad for me just as I was going up to the stage to talk someone asked me, "Can you cut your speech short as we are running way over time..." Now I can tell you that is a hard ask and discombobulated me a little as I had to re think a new speech in a nano second.
Back to NYC I got to see Tahari-Ferrari again; always great to see him!
Team F. I. T. 2011, or at least 2/3rds of them!
09/17 Got a new promotion at the Achilles International [Track Club] - Vice President! Woowee. Thanks.In the running biz- Kenenisa Bekele is back in Biz with the world's fastest time for the 10,000m winning in Brussels last night, 26:43, and a stunningly great performance by Galen Rupp of America in 26:48 -- looking exciting for London 2012!
Right now up at Syracuse, at the DoubleTree. It has been many years since I was last here - this time I am a honoree at the Mary Nelson function this weekend, last time was to run for NY State. Thanks to Edgar for taking me out last night to Ruby Tuesday's [nice cheesecake]. It is cold up here, winter comes.Sad news, heard from Norb Sander, 'Art [Hall] was both a gifted long distance runner and also a true gentleman. I recall many “nip and tuck” races against him in the 1960’s & 70’s which early on went heavily in my favor and then as Art matured saw him narrow the gap little by little. The evolution came full circle during a spirited 10K in Central Park after we were both close to our best. Art shadowed me until the final 200 yards, drew even and put on final burst in the last 10 meters to win it. I think I began chasing after him since then except for the marathon where his feathery perfect stride and slight habitus sometimes couldn’t support the additional distance. 'We felt a bond from these races much like two boxers who give it their all and respect each other for it. Art loved running and the running world. He gave back to it with his work on the NYRR Board of Directors and his commitment to Staten Island running and individual coaching. He has been taken from these worlds far too soon.'
09/15 "The Ethiopian dominance continued in the women 5,000m event where Sule Utura Gedo won ahead of compatriot Emebet Anteneh Mengistu. The Ethiopian won in a time of 15:38.70, while the runners-up finished in a time of 15:40.13. Kenyan Pauline Chemning Korikwiang was third in a time of 15:40.93." Ethiopians are taking revenge at the African Champs albeit with the Kenyan B team... whose up for 2012?Meanwhile NY-ers should be gearing up for the Tune-Up coming in over a week, a step towards the marathon day.And.. coming next weekend: Jenny Simpson, Bernard Lagat, Shannon Rowbury, Hannah England, Sally Kipyego, and Alysia Montano to the 5th Ave Mile... once upon a time that race used to have premier TV coverage, world interest and a Mercedes for the course record...
We need better sponsorship of key NYRR races - the Mini, the NYC Half and the 5th Ave mile?
Britain says goodbye to a Batty Legend. LINK
09/14
Purity & Ester who came and helped out at the Maruge Cup for us!
A big shout out for Jody Crabtree who is fund raising for Shoe4Africa over in the states and will be running the marathon for us.
A big shout out for Haron Lagat too who ran 8:15 in the steeplechase, a PR for him - he's been pacing this summer over in Europe. I promised him a goat for when he weds Irene! I will hand deliver it too...
The NY Flyers out running in central Park last night, up and down the hill like good disciples... I get the local scoop from them, apparently the Philly Half is this weekend, one of America's fastest half marathon courses.Locally there is the Fitness 4-miler... I was thinking of jumping in there till I remembered I am in Syracuse!
09/13
Very happy to see Novak won the US Open! Sad to see Serena lost it. Just saw the results on google. Smelly Kelly will be sad on the first count - when, a couple of tennis matches ago, I happened to mention that I wanted Novak to beat Nadal Smelly Kelly got annoyed, "You only are saying that because we're all cheering for Nadal." The room (at Tony's house) was full of Nadalites. Not true at all, but there is no arguing with a harassed fan. Smelly is a LA Camera girl... makes sense.
Another memory from this summer, Simon Biwott and I sitting at Maruge's former school. Simon was one of the first Kenyan athletes I helped with shoes and equipment back in 1995, a few years later he made it winning Rotterdam, Berlin, Paris etc and losing the World Champs marathon by one second!
In fact Steve Cram who is rarely wrong when commentating called Simon an Ethiopian when commentating on this year's world champs - I was listening at George and Shay's in Sun Valley as they watched college football, Boise State.
This weekend I am going to SYRACUSE, talking college, to be the Chair at a fund raiser for Mary Nelson, a woman who does some incredible things for kids and education. READ MORE - www.youthdaybarbeque.com.
09/12
Nice article picture in the Daily Nation of the Maruge Cup.
Very pleased to hear that in the next edition of Forbes, on page 62, in full color.. is a SHOE4AFRICA Ad coming soon!Met Global Kobal for bagels the other morning - he was shooting a memories of 9/11 video with a fab new cam. Check it out at www.mikekobal.comRunning wise David Rudisha once again showed that Maasai's rule the 800m and edged into the 'barrier breaking zone' at Rieti with a strong 800m win. let's hope the Kenyan team can keep up the power till London 2012Next points race in NYC is the 5th Ave mile, we hear a former #1 middleweight contender of the world is coming to run! Thought of it as I saw Matt 'Shiney' Chaston today, who should win his age group -- he is my neighbor and tells me that the local Cafe Laite place is the place to be... so to speak, especially I am looking for a new place as my fave last place closed down over the summer.Talking the local scene I bumped into John Honerkamp the other night; he's going to run Berlin and by all accounts should pop a good one. Sad that Wilson K. is not going to run Berlin as he would stand a good chance of getting the record based on his Frankfurt performance last year... and in Berlin watch out for Florence Kiplagat who I think will run sub 2;22 -- how much sub I am not sure as I have not seen her for a month, but I can tell you that this one can fly!
09/09 Congrats to Sally Kipyego - 14:30 in Zurich, #2 to World Champ Vivian! Linet was #3, and #4 was Sleepy!Over in Kenya the second project this summer was going to the school where Kimani Maruge attended, meeting up with Jane Obinchu who stood up to accept Maruge into her school against many terrible things, and put on a peace resolution event.
It is actually a longer story... excuse me if I have repeated it. Back in 2007/08 when I was in Kenya during the clashes I went to the refugee camp where Maruge was living in a white canvas tent, having been forced to move from his home in Langas (the slums of Eldoret) for fear of losing his life. The camp was not so nice; a lot of disease, dirty water and not much food.
I held a peace race there and it was absolutely spectacular. I invited John Ngugi [Olympic & Multi World Champ] to represent his tribe, the Kikuyu's who were the dominant tribe in that camp, and also I invited Ben Jipcho [another very famous athlete] to represent the Kalenjins, they walked in arms with others such as Matthew Birir & Moses Kiptanui [more world class athletes] with a school of Kalenjin kids to run with the Kikuyu kids in the camp where 20,000 lived.
Well Maruge was not able to run, of course, and sadly died shortly after this event. So I promised to hold an event to memorize his legacy... anyway... here is the video: LINK
Talk about one foot in one world... last night I met the designer Gilles Mendel, well in fact I did not know who he was until after a girl kept on trying to get him away from our conversation to get a picture from him... and yards away from him was a row of sable coats and I happened to glance upon a price tag and wouldn't you know I found out something new, I thought I had misread, it was a $78,000 price tag, so I looked at the next 'fur' inline to see... and that one was $98,000 - ouch! Recently back from a part of the world whose overwhelming population (92%) live on a dollar a day it did give some food for thought...
09/07 Great night last night at Don Pedro's, great music and a lentil soup, and a little Heineken...
For the first time today I went to Burger Heaven in midtown off Madison Ave at 50th - the waitress asked Tony if he was a Colombian Soap Opera Star as another waitress thought she recognized him from 'back home'. Odd huh? He is probably dubbed in that country! We were going to see someone re S4A for a change...
FASHION is PASSION: Many stores/designers are busy with Fashion Week now and a big shout out for Mendel on Mad at 63rd for giving a percentage of the night's takings to a very worthwhile charity; The Patrick Chege Orphanage in Nakuru Kenya... y'know when you wear a dress for a few thousand dollars it is kind of nice to think that some of the, less fortunate [in terms of wealth], will benefit - good for Mendel.Thanks to the Jersey Girls 4 Africa for getting this press [LINK] for us.
09/06
Janeth's Shoe4Africa school... in the making. Very nice of Janeth to mention it in her post race press medal winning performance speech in Daegu.
Back to NYC and the weather is terrible, rainy!
09/04 Congrats to Janeth & Mo - great endings to a great champs!! very nice of Janeth to mention the Shoe4Africa School in her post race speech... and another medal for her; every champs since 2007 she has medaled - congrats also to her coach Claudio Berardelli!!
This is the hike we did close to Sun Valley, Sawtooth National Park up to the Alpine lake... just back from Ciro's in Sun Valley where I had the Idaho Trout, and a great Beet Salad washed down with a Belgian Beer. Nice light open restaurant in the heart of town, last night it was Rico's where I had.. what was it? I am eating so much right now...
Since the Sea to the Stars run of last November I have not run more than 9-miles in total at any single time. Well I was determined today to change that, and we went out to the Harriman Trail... it was freezing to start, 29-degrees and my arms were shivering... I was determined to make it a long run, anything over 12 would be a success but I hoped for "20" - so I was super happy when I hit 22, plus felt great for it, I think I still have the stamina residuals from 2010!
09/03 Watching Abel Kirui win the world champs with Gabriela Andersen. Her husband Dick is watching football(!) Great performance.
Walking to room 206... at the Sun Valley Lodge, most famous for the dwellings/writings place of Ernest Hemingway... "Ernest stayed there for an entire winter in room 206 where he wrote the novel, "For Whom The Bell Tolls"09/02 Super happy to see Ezekiel Kemboi win another world champs Gold. For a long time he has been the man to deliver on the day in championships; Commonwealth, African, World's & Olympic Gold.... who can match that? He was also awarded the Order of the Burning Spear in Kenya. Ezekiel has also been a great supporter of Shoe4Africa, helping with events and marching for peace during the clashes at our events. VIDEO.
Now it is fingers crossed for the 5000m & the 800 for the Kenyan ladies!!! Let's hope Janeth can repeat her Osaka magic.
In Sun Valley it was cold this morning - I went for a run, something of a rarity for me these days... am barely getting out to run!Fashion night out in NYC next week - I got an invite to the Armani party, and of interest to the philanthropists, one to the Mendel party on Thurs supporting the Patrick Chege Orphans Home!
08/31 Back in America, after a brief pause in NYC for 12hrs, then it is off to Idaho, to the land of Sun Valley... Kenya was sublime, as it always is, and hard to leave as ever. Plenty of new leads and hopefully an eventful September/October!Great to see David Rudisha win what really already had has name on it... The Maasai tradition started by Billy Konchellah continues!
08/29 Got back to Nairobi, went shopping at the supermarket and bumped into Robert Cheruiyot again... small world...and on the other side of the world I read the weather is bad. Hurricanes and earthquakes on the East Coast? It is actually freezing here in Nairobi but the whole of Kenya is jumping up and down watching the world championships - and who would have guessed that Kim Collins would have got a Bronze! Great to see Mo 'more fire' Farah get a silver, I mean a year ago who would have guessed it - a true world championship performance... and now he is the legit challenge for London 2012. Super impressed.
08/27 The village of Iten is jumping up and down. So far Six medals have been awarded at the World Champs and the village has taken four of them! We have just been watching the 10,000 and were Super happy to see Sally Kipyego take the Silver; Sally has been training here this summer, and it was her national debut for Kenya...
And what about the marathon - unbelievable!
08/26 RIP Mel Batty, a great Brit legend from the 50's and a visitor to Kenya of late.
08/25 Finally met Lornah & Pieter yesterday -- this is the world-record amount of time I have been in Kenya without seeing them. Lornah is training for Amsterdam and should qualify for the Olympics 2012 which will be here before you know it, and she will join Hilda [who I also bumped into yesterday]. We hear that Lornah's Passion [passion fruits] are now available in Holland -- want to import to your country? I am sure Starbucks can do it.
I booked my flight on jetlink to go from Eldo to Nairobi then Starbucks told me, "We dropped about 1,000m, I thought we were going to crash, the last time I flew jetlink..." Yikes!
Also if you want to stay at the High Altitude Training Centre this year then book early as the year is filling up we hear!The timetable link for the world champs. The marathon will be run at 2 a.m. Nairobi time - is it worth going to sleep first or? The other way round - staying up! Remember root for Priscah! Then I am looking for the 10,000!
08/24 Running all about - Nairobi, Nakuru, Eldoret - today in the hospital talking to the acting director... am really hoping we get this going, the hospital building, by this fall at the latest. All is going fine but the funds are slow as usual.
A visit to the school was great though and we are eager to start school number three... driving through Naivasha we bumped into Ezekiel Kemboi the reigning world champion at the steeplechase and Kenya is ready for an exciting world's starting next week -- I predict it will be one of their best as they have a great team with a strong morale also.. it all starts with the women's marathon on Saturday - I hope they show it live on Kenyan TV...
08/19 Kenya - at breakfast with Daniel Komen this morning, we had pancakes! I also met Nick in the car park by coincidence. I had a nice talk with Sally Kipyego who is competing on the first day of the world's in the 10,000m, and also with Nancy J. Langat who is in the 1500m. Then also with Janeth, who is in the 800 - she has just been named the new face of the drink Milo - a Kenyan milk drink. Janeth is hitting great form... I am also going for a dark horse(s) in the marathon -- it would be great if Benjamin & Priscah both win!!Today I went to Nairobi Women's Hospital, more research on the job... got another good lead as well!
08/17 In the Nairobi Star - [link Shoe4Africa Maruge cup].Thanks also to the East Africa Standard & the Daily Nation for posting stories!
Burst radiator, drove through the dark Nakuru, Naivasha to Nairobi - what an experience; potholes, cruel roads, cars with no lights, zero street lights, cars on full beam, drops off the Rift Valley... this is Kenya! Back in Nairobi -- missed Starbucks as he came from Nrbi to Iten.
08/15 Sitting with Claudio and the brother of Gezahenge Abera, Olympic Champ, in Eldo - also Benjamin Kiptoo & Priscah who will run the World Champs for the Kenyan team, marathon, in about ten days.A big success yesterday at the Maruge Shoe4Africa event - thanks to the World Champs Moses Kiptanui, Ben Limo, Simon Biwott, Commonwealth Games Champ John Kelai & Chris Cheboiboch for coming and supporting the event.... we had a huge field of kids for a fun day... little video to follow.
08/13
Sunday the 14th, the First Maruge Cup. An event to celebrate the life of Maruge Kimani and promote peace in Kenya.
Maruge fought for Kenya's independence, yet spent his last year living in an internally displaced person's camp after the Kenyan clashes.
When I held a peace race in that refugee camp Maruge was one of the 20,000 inhabitants... I promised I would hold another event, so boom - we have over 800-kids coming for a morning of sports including Siamanda Chege's orphans home driving up from Nakuru. If you are in the region.. of course, welcome!
Just back from visiting Brother Colm in Iten. AS I walked in he was talking about me to a journalist who was visiting. Great as always to catch up with one of the world's most prolific and successful coaches - you can learn so much from Brother Colm.Yesterday we got stuck in the mud, the roads are so muddy, then there was a soft road with soil and a ditch... guess who slid in? Katui Kipkemboi had to come and get us out.The Shoe4Africa Janeth Jepkosgei school is going very well - we had a site visit and checked out the status, they are at roofing.At the Iten stage we met Godfrey Kiprotich - Godfrey was one of the best pacemakers in the 90's pacing two marathon world records and also a fine runner himself representing Kenya in the world champs... of late known for his involvement in the Kimbia projects.Tomorrow is the Shoe4Africa MARUGE Cup to honor the life of Kimani Maruge, the world's oldest pupil. We were at his former school checking out the site... you mjust watch the film, the First Grader - great story.
08/09 Great two page article today in the Daily Nation on the story of Sleepy Sylvia Kibet! She is going for gold in a couple of weeks, running the 5000m at Daegu!
Timo Meyer, who has joined our Shoe4Africa Team, won the Mongolia Ultra this past week - big shout out to him!
We will also have a small exclusive team at the Ridgefield Pamby Half Marathon, October 2nd, in CT, should you wish to help Shoe4Africa and run for us.
Also the most famous Kenyan model, AJUMA [see right], will be running for Shoe4Africa in this year's ING New York City Marathon - she is married to Gustav, a Swede, so there is a great connection.
Right now in Nairobi and just back from a meeting with Professor Ruth, who is the chairman of the Moi Referral Hospital. Before that it was a meeting with Cantar, and then to Kibera to pick up the kits for the soccer match [coming on Sunday], and then before that it was a meeting with Jane Obinchu, the lady who is solely responsible for the 'First Grader' story happening with the World's Oldest Pupil fame. We were discussing the budget for Sunday's event... on the shopping list is a bull... we have one thousand guests coming. Also on the shopping list is 100-kgs of rice and a host of other things. Does anyone in the Eldoret area have a PA to rent out?
08/07
One of our team; meet Luna! Running for Shoe4Africa this year in November.
In Nairobi & going to a famous restaurant to meet a man who bought one of my books over a decade ago... he sent me a nice email and said that he'd hoped to catch up, but missed me in Iten.
Glad to read that Mo won the 3000m in the London GP this past weekend... The Kenyan squad is training here in Nairobi.
08/06 Went on a road trip to a place with no Internet! I went running with a group of Orphans from the Patrick Chege Orphanage; there were some really good running peeps there and they are training hard with soccer and Netball for our next event on the 14th. Right now back to Kibera to pick up uniforms for that team.Got an email from Becky doing great things collecting gear for Somalia... Heard from Tony, he's learning to fly down on the African coast in Lamu... Douglas has a Kibera running group tomorrow, but we must be there at 6 am [yikes]... and all is good.
Claudio called the second school should be finished soon... all good... And Here's a pic of stuff that Becks is collecting;
08/02 Sitting at Java with Douglas Wakiihuri discussing business, sports & life...
Cold in Nairobi today! But a good cold. I ate a plum this morning that was sitting on a cutting board with chili's...
We went to a car dealers yesterday, the lady was telling me she sold Sammy Wanjiru his last car... odd as we had just been to a house that was for sale, and guess why? Sammy had bought that house but only paid a deposit...Geoffrey Mutai continues the onward march - winning in fine style in Bogota, by a proverbial mile in front of Merga of Ethiopia. I've ran in Bogota and it is a fab, fab city. I have done a lot of races in Colombia, back in the late 90's and each race was followed by great parties. ten more points anyway for Mutai as Runner of 2011... right now there is no second place.
Meanwhile Emmanuel Mutai will run the Great North Run.. along with Shoe4Africa Ambassador John Kelai, the reigning commonwealth games marathon champion.
Great to see: Mo 'more fire' Farah wins the UK 5000m champs but will only run the 10,000 in the world's... currently the world's best distance runner.
08/01 Visiting Robert Cheruiyot in Nairobi yesterday, he is in hard training for a fall marathon right now. Glad to see the Kenyan 5000m record has been reduced with Vivian Cheruiyot in Stockholm, the Kenyan newspapers are writing that she will break 14-minutes next year.. but that is quite a step, from 14:20 to sub 14. great job by Sally Kipyego to come number two.
We went to a race yesterday in Karura Forest - it was not a typical Kenyan race at all; the gun went and people jogged off the line. A very beautiful course and most of the competitors were the non-elites. They had a corporate challenge element and was run in aid of the forestry commission. The medals were tree branches cut into slithers.
Just back from Kibera where we did a women's make up project - thanks to Jeanine Lobell and Siamanda Chege for being the stars. Jeanine got the make up and Siamanda made the women up and showed them how to use the various items... More news coming soon, with pictures.
07/27
The best road race in Italy, Castelbuono had a clash of the top marathoners - 1. Geoffrey Mutai (Kenya) 29:05
2. Gebrehegziaber Gebremariam (Ethiopia) 30:13
3. Matthew Kisorio (Kenya) 30:14
4. Geoffrey Kusuro (Uganda) 30:30
5. Rachid Kisri (Morocco) 30:37
6. Emmanuel Mutai (Kenya) 30:48... we need more clashes to create media rivalries and at the moment Mutai is the man of the moment... but can the other Mutai be the marathon winner of the year, so far I think his London CR is pretty damn good in the bonus points arena.Nairobi is in winter right now, nice and cool weather. Going to Kibera today. Getting ready for a couple of things, plus there is a race on the weekend - Boomerang is the race organizer, should be good, we're going as VIP's... thank goodness not as runners!A month away from the world champs - Russia is not sending the big guns in the women's marathon: Margarita Plaksina... expect Shobukhova in C-town.
07/25 Nairobi, Nairobi. I went running today, in the field where people run, and there is a huge huge poster of Haile Gebrselassie with Johnny Walker whiskey, the poster reads, "Haile used to run to school, now he runs for Gold, Johnny Walker Gold." Not quite the running poster Nike or Adidas might post...
Had a couple of good meetings, including one with the teacher who was the Head Teacher portrayed in the film the First Grader; that is Shoe4Africa action - we see the film in April, then do the next step in August - more news coming soon.
Kenya is abuzz that it so so nearly got the steeplechase world record back to Kenyan soil - although it is a Kenyan born and bred who holds the record under the flag of Qatar. Brimin, whose real name is Frimin, looks certain to get it at the next record attempt - 7:53, and how great to see my friend Ezekiel get the #2 spot in a new PR of 7:55... and Haron was the pacer!! There is much feeling here that the record must be brought home to Kenya, like when Wilson Kipketer, another Kenyan, took the record to Denmark.
07/22
A couple of friends - Stephen, far left, and Sammy Wanjiru, far right bar one [blue mizuno]. I was supposed to go to the Rwanda Peace Marathon with Sammy, it still seems surreal he was gone. two Shoe4Africa Ambassadors have sadly passed, and so close together - Grete & Sammy; both larger than life characters. Grete became an ambassador for us in 2008 and Sammy in 2007.
Watch out - 110 Fahrenheit in NYC is a-coming. Last night I could not sleep it was so hot in my apartment. It always reminds me when people tell me stories about how in the third world production is not as fast as in the West. Well I can tell you if you turn off the air conditioner then you can start to get your answers. One day I will get an air conditioner, but then again I have been saying that for the last ten years. I don't mind suffering, and now anyway I am in transit to go Africa where at least it will be cooler. Don't get me wrong, I am not complaining as I LOVE the heat; I really could do without the Dec- April NYC weather I can tell you.I was just about to win a trip to Punta Cana; it was weird, I was eating these yogurts and under the lid is a letter, and if you spell PURIST you won a trip to Punta.. anyway, the first yogurt was a letter I, the second an S, the third a P, the fourth a R... I was smoking... then I went to get my next yogurt and when I got back the waiter had cleared my table!! Aiyah, I am scared to lift up the lid to see what letter it is...
Should I go and start a re-run, can I eat ten more yogurts, well that bit is for sure... mh; I am putting it down to fate.
07/21
Harldy something to shout about - 'A star-studded U.S. squad made up of Trell Kimmons, Michael Rodgers, Justin Gatlin and Walter Dix cruised to a new world seasonal best of 37.90' that was over in Italy... here was me thinking that Justin Gaitlin was banned for life no? Oh no, he was caught in 2001, he was again caught in 2006... and then got an eight year ban.. all this math does not add up, and certainly not to putting him on a relay team where everyone else's hard efforts can get nullified. What an example to lead... but usually these 'track stars' do 'indeed' run so much faster after 'not' taking drugs... Ok, so America has its own Dwain Chambers.Last time I was in Kenya Daniel Komen threatened to start training again to run a marathon. When I asked him, "How fast?" he replied, "Faster than you!" Well with at least 10kgs strapped to his chest more than when he ran 7:20 fort the still standing world record in the 3000m I am going to challenge him to run the ING NYC marathon this year. Douglas Wakiihuri too, the legend that won NYC 20-years ago, won London, won the World's, won the commonwealth, won the world cup, got Olympic Silver... but Douglas might have to give us a handicap!
Seriously another guy I would love to see run, to coincide with the release of a fab book about his life coming out this November [written by my pal Elias] is Kip Keino! I am sure he could get round the course and what a great journey it would be too - the father of Kenyan running as we know it.
Speaking of Kenya so much... I am off to Kenya! Sorry if this site updates get dodgy, but they will be brought to you from the shores of another continent. As I don't have air conditioning where I work [my apartment] I am glad to hear that the weather in Nairobi is missing the humidity that is suffocating NYC.
I have some fab projects coming up... starting with the 'Great for a Date' project at the end of this month in Kibera!
07/20 Sunset and Suds 5km on THURSDAY night - call the store, 212.828.1906 for details - tech socks, free beer and a free beer glass, evening start - kids races at 6:30 and adults at 7pm on the UPPER WEST side, riverside park.
Perhaps the only woman in history to run the last 5km of the Boston Marathon faster than that men? The sport needs aggressive female runners who go out and get it, like Mary Keitany in London this year, like Paula, like Margaret Okayo used to... in order for women's marathon running to become the marketable force we know it is...
Rita Jeptoo hopefully will be back again, in fact she lives in a village called Mosoroit that translates as 'Good Hope' -- I know looking at the Kenyan team for the World's this year there is going to be a lot of good results! We hear Sally Kipyego has now left Kenya for Fort Romeau where Mo 'more fire' Farah has been working out. Speaking of Margaret Okayo the last time I saw her was in Nairobi where she was doing ok. She still holds the course record at Boston & NYC and that is quite a feat... has anyone else, in recent history, done that?
The long training run coming up in Central Park this weekend which is a great Op for runners to get serious with kick starting their marathon training... My friend Shmuel forwarded a NY Times article about hard/soft surfaces... whilst going for the latter I still think a percentage of your long runs should be on the hard stuff... although 90% of Kenyans do their long runs on dirt roads.
07/19
Charity! Celebrating 1995 to 2011 for Shoe4Africa... and after all this time this is still my "company car" used for all deliveries, collections... and company use. Yesterday I bought two huge bags from bagman, and piles of sports goods for an upcoming competition in Kenya and for the second time in as many days went wobbling up the road, Way way over loaded... As Bob Dylan says, 'You have to play your harp till your lips bleed...' Anyway, thanks for all the many people who have helped along the way... it has been a truly great ride.
Talking today about percentages - do you know what percent the RED campaign gives to charity from sales, even worse, out of the $1.85 how much do you think Starbucks gives to Africa from the well promoted Ethos water... get your single digit guesses ready. It is down the people, don't expect the biz corps to make the move... I heard that Toms shoes gives a pair away for each pair they sell, then someone told me what quality the giveaway pair is... not like the ones you just bought...
PS: talking Starbucks; I bought a packet and was just about to throw the bag away and then I read, 'take this empty packet to starbucks for a free cup of coffee' and all this time and I never realized...
Charity, a place called permanent bliss. Anyway, I promised myself for the upcoming year I was going to turn into a diplomat so I should be pressing the erase button.Meanwhile, something good to shout about - 'great for a date' project coming to Kibera, the last Sunday of July! by Shoe4Africa. Can't wait, should be a hoot. Big thanks to Jeanine Lobell for donating the make-up and Siamanda Chege for donating the talent [she will be making up the ladies, wait for a fab video to come here].
07/18
Round America in 80-hours came to a grinding stop and back to NYC, unexpectedly early this weekend; meant a few hours on my hands otherwise not planned before I leave again, later this week! Yesterday a nice brunch, late brunch, at the Barking Dog on Third Ave at about 94th - like that place, I had a good Greek Salad and a few Heinekens and half a sandwich that was hot as advertised [we can spice it up for you and they did].
Most of the running action this weekend went to the Kenyan trials of course where our faves got through - so happy that Nancy, Janeth, Sally, Sleepy Sylvia, Linet, Alfred, Rudisha, Ezekiel, Abel, aiy... all of them!! got through. What a fab team. Interesting Linet & Vivian are both going for the double... I would advise one of them to go for only one...
The Simba is in Switzerland training for Amsterdam, a marathon she has already won - a nice feeling to go back to a place where you have won as you definitely run more relaxed there, that is for sure.One thing I like about NYC is on the escalators people stand to the right and walk up the left side... not so in London, they stand and stand.. drives me crazy. Not that I am in London that often though...A friend posted this as his profile pic, I liked the picture and said Good Photograph to which he pointed out I had taken the shot, forgot about that!
Hugh Jackman and Francis, and Janis from Urban Athletics in the background
07/16 Congrats to the Kenyan Daegu Provisional Team
Men-
Anderson Mureta, Mark Mutai (400m), Vincent Kiplagat (400m H), David Rudisha, Jackson Kivuva, Alfred Yego (800m), Silas Kiplagat, Asbel Kiprop, Nixon Chepseba (1500m), Isaiah Kiplangat, Thomas Longosiwa, Eliud Kipchoge (5000m), Peter Kirui, Wilson Kiprop, Martin Irungu (10,000m), Brimin Kipruto, Richard Mateelong, Abraham Chirchir, Ezekiel Kemboi (3000m Steeplechase), Eliud Kiptanui, Abel Kirui, Vincent Kipruto, Benjamin Kiptoo, David Barmasai (marathon), David Kimutai, Josphat Sirma (20km Race walking), Anderson Mureta, Mark Mutai, Vincent Mumo, Vincent Kiplagat, Jackson Kivuva, Julius Kirwa, Jonathan Kibet (reserve) (4x400m relay).
07/15 [updated] Left NYC, flew 5 1/2-hrs, arrived in LA, drove around LA for about the same time, stopped at a couple of stores, Ate at the Hilton LA - Shrimp and angel hair - tasted awful, went to a teamlife line talk, starving went to a restaurant and ate kosher Chinese food at the Shanghai Diamond... actually it was very good food - I ordered spring rolls and spicy fish that was a tad not spicy sadly.. then got to the hotel and crashed [it was now 2:30am NYC time].
Kind've a shame as we both got upgraded rooms into three-roomed suites... nice hotel albeit for 6-hrs... Woke three hours later, slept, woke. Went down to the lobby to meet my friend, he was a little delayed, we set off to the airport late, missed the flight, got re-booked, sat for three hours, then there was only one seat - I went and he tried to fly with another airline...
Then just before Denver we got re-routed and told to land elsewhere... so we flew 45-minutes to elsewhere, landed, sat in the plane for over an hour, finally the pilot told us to leave and go and get some food... we did, then we were recalled to the plane... finally arrived in Denver having missed the next meeting... today I fly to Chicago - can't wait... right. supposed to have a lie-in, got a call at 4:15 a.m., "Jump out of bed, the flight goes at 6 a.m." Aiyah, so I dived out of bed and scrambled to get all my things together to fly to Chicago.. got to CHI-town, after 50-minutes jumped on a plane to NYC... I slept well on Friday night, like the living dead! Did not feel to get up on Saturday morning to go racing in CP...
07/13
Sharon Cherop - in a Shoe4Africa race, before she became a 2:22 marathon runner. One of the many nice things about our races.. seeing athletes come up through the ranks!
Brother Colm says David Rudisha is firing on 4-cylinders, you'll see the other two work in the Worlds... Fingers crossed for Mo 'More Fire' Farah!! Unbelievably fantastic right now.In the park last night, only 90-degrees, so I cut the speed work from the planned 7-miles to 6.2-miles with a chase Eric finish up... Chris tells me Leon Ware has his own nightly podcasts... Leon is going to one day write the Shoe4Africa song - he wrote Let's Get it On for Marvin Gaye and told me he'll be the voice for S4A....
On that note a big thanks to Stila's founder Jeanine Lobell for donating a big bag of make-up! Last night I went to see Tony and picked it up for the next project; Shoe4Africa's Great for a Date -- we're making up ladies from Kibera, and giving them a Make-up kit courtesy of Jeanine. She'll actually be in Kenya at that time, but down on the coast.
Talking of coasts -- it is out to the West Coast today! I don't know my destinations but it begins with LA and ends with NYC...
07/12 From Urbs over in London - "A PB for Delilah" see-
http://www.diamondleague-birmingham.com/Live-StartlistsResults/Overview/Womens-3000m-Steeplechase/ And... Mo had the killer kick, medal in Deague?
Let's hope so Urbs!
Meanwhile I forgot a restaurant review - at The Parlor on the East side, at 90th St -- this used to be Carnegie Hill Brewery - a great place and the first bar I ever went in when I came to NYC for the first ever time as a tourist in the 90's... anyway I had brunch there there other day, great service, really polite and nice staff, good food too and not bad coffee... the company was the best.... gets a big thumbs up!
07/11 With an upcoming Kenya focus... this is what a movie house/theater (cinema theatre) looks like in Kibera slums - a little mud hut and they run movies all day long...
Almost the middle of July, it'll be labor day before you know it.Interesting to see at the World Youths [check out the Ethiopian youth in the men's 800, did I write men's?], as I was saying - the Maasai tribe are now coming strong and inspired with a new winner, 1:44:08 at the age of 16... David Rudisha's impact will be very strong in the area... almost like when Turkana's Paul Ereng won gold in 1988 - the next day all Turkana's believed they could run; the dirt roads of Lodwar were full of people realizing that maybe they could not.
Adharand Finn is now writing a book that will come into publication next year based on the 'Born to run' of the world's truly Born to Run individuals [one man one vote] and the Maasai story is an interesting one.... in my book, More Fire, I talk about the Maasai, who, under observation from British Settlers, were the ones everyone thought would be Kenya's greatest runners -- there are reasons to why certain things happened, but also there are reasons why nearly every single Maasai great runner has been only a middle distance runner.
I heard Delilah DiCrescenzo made the USA team for the World Champs this summer - big congrats there, and a Upper West Side woman to boot. Very few athletes had lived in this city and made it to that level from the distance running perspective... some athletes 'say' they live here, whilst training elsewhere in a more conducive setting... Good job Delilah!I nearly made the race this weekend, I was actually extremely close to Central Park, yards away, but somehow did not get there -- in fact I ran once in three days... slipping!
07/07
Well what a shock! I went into the Achilles Office today and Dick Traum waved to me with a newspaper, "Have you seen this?" Our first Wall Street Journal Ad - can you believe?
When you are a charity you get excited about such things. There was a day when I used to appear in newspapers and did not care about it. Not now, if Shoe4Africa is there then I am super happy... like in THIS month's Runner's World check out the picture of Hugh Jackman in his Shoe4Africa shirt.I was down in the East Village today talking to Global - did you know that Ursula who used to come to the track used to be part of the whole Patti Smith group, robert - sam world... strange because I was just reading that autobiography the other day...A 10k in the park this weekend; can I make it two races in two weeks? I have a number! And... I have signed up to run for a team, after not running for a team for ages upon ages.Harlem - road works last night till the wee hours... again where is Woody Allen when he is needed? Actually Harlem is super-quiet compared to where I used to live on 90th ST... but you have to love NYCNaples - restaurant review, at 200 park Ave, under the Met building - nice pizza, but boy that place gets noisy! [on that subject]... but a nice little mid town Manhattan place with ample seating if you are in that area and need a 'casual' place... I went there with Clogs & his nice Canadian buddies.. on Canada day.
07/06
One of a few classy Kenyans who ruled the roads at the shorter distances but never made the same step up to the marathon. James Kosgei, four times, Running Times Road Racer of the year. Kimani was another name...
Last night at a Sushi place on Amsterdam Ave after 82nd St listening to the problems that Clogs has trying to find the right width running shoes. Can anyone help him? His foot is as wide as it is long; his lightweights weigh in at 1-pound per foot...
The food was... so so. The Sapporo was so so... no dessert as I was with a bunch of athletes.
Nice drive back from CT, the traffic was not bad at all, and with my singing in the car the time went quickly, for myself. I met Luna who will be running on the S4A team this year, a friend of Tony's, and also Johnny whose father is launching Smash Burger...Quote at the Flyers workout: "These workouts are a lot harder than our high school work outs..." - what? They don't do 9 x 800 and 1 x 1-mile anymore at high school? -- thanks to Cotton Lloyd for providing the critical loaf of bread.swaps - American beautiful turquoise blue 1999 Fender Strat, never played, hard case - looking for a beautiful nylon strung.
07/05
If anyone knows Sharon's email please let me know so I can send her a higher res of this picture of her and Anthony at the H&P. She gave me an email but I can't read it...
Kenya has a Knockout team for the world champs this summer - Edna Kiplagat, the NYC Marathon winner, Rotterdam winner Philles Ongori, Paris champ Priscah Jeptoo, and Boston's third and fourth place finishers Sharon Cherop, and Caroline Rotich will be a killer squad... missing is Mary Keitany who will be racing in the fall's best marathon later in the year!Winning peachtree was Sammy Kitwara, one of the world's most highly talented racers who went through a dry spell last year after some amazing performances on the road. He trains near Iten, is a Marakwet (like Moses Kiptanui, Laban Kipkemboi, Richard Chelimo) and I think has a great marathon in him in a few years time... nowadays people are training for the 2:04 benchmark in Iten! And speaking of Iten we are super glad to see that Florence Kiplagat is back on the winning ways after problems at the Boston Marathon earlier this year with internal issues with a Sapporo 1/2M win in 70:29...I was up in Connecticut for a few days over this holiday long weekend at Tony's country house. As usual there was an array of interesting people including someone who does the 'fashion shoot set' set up for all the top fashion houses (he flew off to Italy to do a D&G piece on the 3rd) and also Angela, an actress who played Adam Sandler's girlfriend in the Wedding Singer. I ate non stop, from Saturday till Tuesday... extensively, and listened to Leonard Cohen...
07/01
Reflecting on a job well done
Kids hanging at the Kids races in Central Park, Achilles run - they are free to enter, they get T shirts n medals! Please stop by next year!
I still remember my first running influence... it was a kid, and running has taken me so so far!
Went to a nice little French place the other day 'Mon Petit Cafe' on Lex & 62nd ST. I had a great omelet, tasted like a French home cooked country style proper omelet... The coffee was so so, for being French I expected a tad better. The staff were great... in contrast an omelet at Nectar yesterday morning... the chocolate muffin was an afterthought and tasted much better! The coffee at Nectar (I tried both espresso & regular) was ropey - 79th & Madison.. we were going to Serafina but it was closed... Speaking food I went to see Tahari-Ferrari the other night, at his new place (well two years & counting) on West 87th - he has a great roofdeck where we sat and ate biscuits and a lobster dip, pizza, salad and a nice California wine...
Ah food, all food! Traveling soon - Los Angeles, Denver, Philly, and a couple of other places on a wild cross country dash as part of my job as the International running Coach of team lifeline... after flying to Kenya no flight is too long if you stay in America, even cross country.
Heard from Sally Kipyego, she is over in Iten for the first time and training well - I think this will take her from 14:39 to sub 14:30! Exciting stuff.
06/30
World WBA boxing champion, Yuri Foreman - came to America with $500 in his pocket.. and last year fought in the new Yankee stadium in a world championship fight... a really great guy and our newest Shoe4africa ambassador.
06/28 With Venus out of Wimbledon I am no longer interested... and the only other person I follow, Serena, is also out; so it is a double no go.
Many thanks to Armie Hammer who is going to play the Lone Ranger soon, and his wife Elizabeth Chambers, for coming to the Hope & Possibility... my goodness, you want to meet someone in NYC? Hang around!
Armie is such a nice guy, he told me he will be back next June if at all possible to come and support!Running round today like a headless chicken, I was pedaling one way, called another, went a different way... I was supposed to go to an event in the UN but I never got there, but I did get to the bank to deposit some Shoe4Africa checks and the like. Life is good right now, enjoying and pushing forward... also planning a few new projects which is always exciting... one to do with kids and Not a hospital.I simply can't believe it is coming up to be the July 4th weekend; a shocker, time flies. In July I will be going to Kenya, and that is another project I am working on right now - the Kimani Maruge Cup.Running wise good to see David Rudisha, the world's fastest Masai, is back in form after an injury - to come back with a 1:43 really shows that he is the Usain Bolt of the 2-laps and uninjured nobody can touch him.Again BIG thanks to all of you who supported the Achilles race, as I was standing on the finish line I got a chance to see most of you finish and I remember & thank you all... got a nice note today from a friend I used to coach, Hello Toby:
I raced yesterday but when I finished, instead of walking home with a smile on my face, I had tears in my eyes.
During the race I saw many participants with disabilities and I cheered for them with admiration. But one little boy made me lose it. He was 5 or 6 years old. Had the face of an angel and both of his legs were made out of metal. Tears started to roll down my face.
At the end of the race we got medals. I loooked around me and saw a young boy reclined on what appeared to be a mix between a big wheelchair and a bed. Apparently he could not sit on a normal wheelchair and could not participate on the race. He was with a group and perhaps waiting for friends.
I went to him, took his hand and handed him my medal. He smiled like he had just won a million dollars. I didn't know if he could see me well because his eyes where looking up and a little bit to the side. A gave him a hug and went to get water. When I passed back, in the middle of the crowd he extended his hand and with a loud voice, as if to make sure I heard him, said "I remember you!"
Thank you Toby for directing the Achilles race.
Sincerely,
Loredana Delucchi
A little note about Loredana, she is pretty special herself; when she was losing her job at Goldman Sachs the other year she was pressing hard working to get GS to accept Shoe4Africa as a matching Gifts charity... "I have to do this before I leave..." wow, that is the kind of person she is.. so thanks Loredana for being a fab person!
06/27
Anthony Edwards, Clogs & DJ.
Saturday: I was going to run the pride run with Mina, an old friend who is leaving NYC to go to Chicago to live. However, when I got to the race the loose arrangement of where to meet left me clueless with 5,000-people milling around. In fact I saw many friends, but no Mina. So I decided to run a bit faster [hm, was regretting that when I found out the course had changed and we had the Harlem hill & Cat hill loop]. Anyway, Tomster forwarded the pic -thanks!
My first race since running the NYC Half with Hugh Jackman! There after it was a coffee shop on Columbus Ave. In the evening I had dinner at the Union League Club where I had much better food than the night before when I had been in the same neighborhood and eaten at a Chinese restaurant called Evergreens [10 east 38th St] which gets the year's first 2/10 rating for all but its cranberry juice.
The Union League Club had a great buffet set up and when I returned with two overladen plates people got the message; this place is good! In fact I will be back there a week next Thursday.
On Sunday... The one day of the year I get up at 4 a.m. [ which of late has been my going to bed hour]. One of my privileges is to be the Race Director of the Achilles Hope & Possibility race in Central Park. Yesterday I had the honor of not just 5467-people signing up, with a kids race too, but, like last year when Prince Harry attended, I had some very special guests... namely Anthony Edwards [Goose], Jon Stewart [The Daily Show] and Armie Hammer [Social Network/facebook movie].
Me, Jon, and Peter Ciaccia. Moments before Jon jumped on the course to be a guide. Funny, I was at the Jon Stewart rally in Washington last October; I did not guess he'd be here at my race half a year later!
Of course the athletes were the real stars and I had many teary moments on the finishing line watching the incredible stories of Hope & Possibility as many athletes proved once again that disability does not mean inability.
One of my favorite moments; two little girls, about maybe 6-years old, looking like identical twins in looks & dress except one had a prosthetic leg, crossed the finish line in a sprint. They turned to look at each other, leaned forward and hugged each other tightly, let go and walked to claim a medal... as if saying, 'Refusing limits!'
Then there was Andrea who cruised over the line, the lady who could not walk from one lampost to the next... at the sharp end we had Abiyot Endale continuing the Ethiopian streak of wins, and Alemtsehay Misganaw who ran the exact same time as she won in on Saturday! Performance of the day? Could be so many, but surely Jason Dunkerley, who is totally blind and needed 5-guides, should be mentioned for running 28:58 for 5-miles!
06/22 Big Engine, as his nickname is, will officially run Chicago - he kind of announced it unofficially, but now it is official and the goal is to improve... on 2:03:06 - wow. Moses Mosop is in town!Congrats to Ray Flynn, named as the race director of Millrose 2012 - a super smart move as Ray is admired not only for being a great man, superb athlete, but also a fab business man. For a long time a trusted, respected, and solid manager of athletes who has a proven record of having the athletes interest as his best interest.Wilson Kipsang and Gilbert Kirwa will return to Frankfurt Marathon - what a boon for that race... two great guys from Iten! Both helpers to Shoe4Africa; two of the best male marathoners on the globe right now!
You can still register at the NYRR, 9 east 89th for the Hope & Possibility race! Please come out on Sunday and support a great cause!Last night I went to an amazing Japanese restaurant, Inakaya -- if you want the real 'bar' experience of Japan, complete with traditions, a slue of great food, you have to go there... simply the best Japanese in central Manhattan, and the fresh fish [complete with eyeballs] was so succulent... and of course make sure you go with great friends! Fab.Chubbs, Danny, and I are going to run the Pride race this weekend... finally, the line up! Two years since the chubby challenge? And now he is training for Chicago... wow, I am up against it. Dollarman Danny, on paper, remains the favorite... However if Chubbs can hold the overall lead for 2-miles he wins.... hmm.
06/21 I laughed when I read this article, "All the favourite words of NGO-speak are now aired in the makeshift corridors and canteens of Juba, the fledgling capital. Top of the list are "empowerment", "capacity-building" and "stakeholder" (not someone actually carrying a stake). "Governance", "civil society", "facilitators" and "disadvantaged" follow fast behind. British NGOs have a fondness for "focal groups". Americans like anything that leads to "inclusion", especially of the "excluded".
Continued... Such terms’ joy is that they are nice and woolly, hard to define and harder still to contradict: who could possibly turn down the chance to enhance development practitioners’ facilitation skills for the capacity-building of gender-disadvantaged women?
Continued... "NGO-speak is particularly cherished and fostered in the grant applications that smaller NGOs have to file to the bigger ones. Using the right word is all. “If you don’t know the buzz words," says an NGO director, "you hardly have a chance to apply for funds."
Sadly, it appears to be very true - you have to be inside the club. My membership is pending, for too long... Check list, must learn to use these terms!
Brings me to the picture of today; from the 2009 Christmas feeding program, certainly one of the highlights of that year, when Shoe4Africa banded with Small Voices Foundation through our connection with Stacey Kelly. These little kids were so sweet. It is so simple to change their lives for the better by simply giving them the opportunities most of us took for granted, me certainly!
David's Bagels on First Avenue, somewhere in the high teens; great cinnamon raisin bagels, great! Thumbs up, there is an ingredient I can taste but not quite name? Cardemon maybe? Anyway, if you are around there, then check them out!
06/20
Becky Lyne, one of GB's finest 800m runners. Shoe4Africa Britain Ambassador, with the likes of Mo 'more fire' Farah!
Monday morning! A week to go till the Achilles Hope & Possibility race; please sign up to support the Disabled community athletes of NYC!
Yesterday I was at the self proclaimed "Best Diner in Manhattan" meeting my friend Kevin for breakfast. I must admit that this diner, on Broadway at 95th, actually had really good coffee for a diner, but the food was rather salty. I had the Greek Frittata, and forget the orange juice, although nice it was a virtual thimbleful! It was a glorious day and makes one remember that the weather in NYC is great from May till November.Then I went down to see Global-Kobal; he has changed the above video quite a bit, tightened it up. We were doing some passport photos, via the bagel shop!Glad to see Catherine Ndereba back on track after her stomach problems in Boston... she got third in the Prisons' championships 5000m in Nairobi... let's hope she keeps this amazing career going up to the 2012 Olympics... Speaking of which we see Gebrselasie is going back to Berlin after his disappointment in NYC Marathon last fall... yet his record when racing top class Kenyans remains poor and you would think that before the Olympics he would try and at least cement one run against the Kenyans to go into London with power -- the Marathon world record, in my opinion, means nothing... if Martin Lel had run in Berlin against Gebrselassie on that day then boom - no win for Gebrselassie. However people like Martin always line up at the biggest races, not Berlin.Clarence Clemmons: RIP; a mainstay of the E-street band. Bruce'll never sound as good live.
06/17
Shoe4Africa T shirts ONLY available at the Urban Athletics Store!
I fell out of a tree yesterday in Queens, in a forest - actually it was a long story but knee is killing me today. Worse yet I made myself fall out of the tree.... something to do with blood, a true... and....
Last night Don Pedros on 96th & 1st ave... it actually is a restaurant with a bit of a club feel. Amazing how the all-too loud music did not feel too loud after the meal and a bottle of wine when you are dancing round the tables.... I had the salmon and it was super-fab too. Wine? A bottle of Argentio... Life in NYC & up trees.
PS: Something new? Houdini is buried in Queens, obviously he could not get out of that one!
06/16
Filbert Bayi, one of the biggest legends of Tanzanian running, and one who suffered from the Olympic Boycotts. The way he ran was with More Fire - The African Way. Anyway here he is looking at some Shoe4Africa shoes from... 2008. I was thinking Tanzania as I heard from my friend Simon Mtuy who I ran up Kilimanjaro with; still the unaided world record holder of the ascent/descent. Simon is coming to America and doing some pacing of another Mountain -master, Killian, the Spanish guy... but it looks like I will connect with Simon in Nairobi.Restaurant - back to Nick's on Second Ave, in the 90's -- have not been there in years, but the food was just as good, they still have the warm spinach salad, and had a nice marbec wine there too... one of the best pizza places in NYCSpeaking Argentina; a new race this weekend in Central Park; the Portugal run, to compliment the Israel, Scottish, and the Japan runs.... waiting for the Swedish or the British Run as the Icelandic one is not going to happen!Got an email from Sally; she's in Iten training hard with Sleepy Sylvia -- let's hope they both make the national team for the 5000m worlds this summer!On the same day as the H&P, 26th please sign up... Up in Boston Mutai returns to run the Boston BAA 10km -- if he runs on three cylinders expect flying.... let's hope he is hungry! Often the one that wins is not as hungry as second place, and we have already seen #2 Moses get a world record, so why not Mutai in Boston?
06/15
Haron Lagat, winner of the Manchester Road Race, fast miler and currently setting the pace for the World's fastest, out on the tracks of Europe. Soon to be marrying Irene, and I am bringing a goat to their wedding... even if it is a twenty mile walk I'll make the goat do it...
Success - Betty from the Flyers, "Not only did I throw up, but I also ended up in the Medical tent..." after Saturday's Mini 10km. Finally my work ethic is rolling in; in fact it amazing how many of the group are running stronger and stronger... last night was Museum Mile on 5th Ave and of course there was a street musician playing right by us.. the contest was first, what song is he playing, then, in what language, then, what instrument... I shouted out, "Can you play over the hills and far away?" and he mistook it for a request. Pizza Ray turned up 50-minutes late, but gamely joined in for the last five minutes. Chi did not die. Sabrina inspired by exuberance, Chrisy told us she won all the prize money on Sunday, "There was wine too..." Shoot, Pat cost us dearly! Clogs was also MIA, and worse met Louiza is leaving to run a marathon in Brazil,and she is gone for 5-weeks, work that one out... how the lucky live... rain in NYC; surprise surprise.I met Bill Staab, from West Side Runners, in the park this morning; what a team he has these days - their club records are more like National records.. 2:23 last weekend for the marathon (and yes, from a She).Meanwhile if you happen to be a MEXICAN then Chubbs is selling official Mexico team singlets and matching shorts at Urban Athletic Uptown only [92nd & Madison].
06/14
This picture is a quiz, who is this? I'll give you a clue she was trying to pull a funny face and pulled her own... he he.
Answers tomorrow but a clue is she is probably the most successful road racer in the distance 5- 21.1 km the world has yet seen... especially on US roads, Peachtree five wins? Mini four, falmouth, worlds, everything...
So, with great investigative journalism I answered my own question below on Liliya Shobukhova! My first question to her was "How good is your English?" to which she replied in Russian; enough said. But the reason she felt, y'know I dislike these websites that give you speculations & 'expert' opinions, was she was only given two weeks notice to prepare for this race... "You need a much longer time to prepare for a race, and my manager asked ages ago if I could run here. No time to prepare with just two weeks..." And of course now she is off to properly prepare for the next time you will she her perform, much better, on the US roads this fall.
My twentieth trip to Starbucks in ten days today, actually I went with Starbucks as Simba was lost in NYC... she came back later, "I never feel bored shopping in NYC, there are so many people around..." No kidding!Two weeks only; please sign up and support the amazing Achilles race in Central Park. Natalie Morales was at ANOTHER charity event and she got confused, she started praising the Achilles Athletes in the NYC Marathon that inspired her so much... I think it was at the Challenged Athletes Foundation dinner at the Waldorf Astoria! Go Natalie!
Meanwhile, quite possibly the best football goal [yes Football a la the rest of the world, not North America's version played with hands and an oval ball] ever soccer in the history of the game - little argument and much explanation. [link].
Talking football, was in the Kinsdale Arms on Third the other day, and a bar called Azaa... was with great company!
06/12 ON the way to the Harvard Club.. who did I spot? I jumped in front and made Edna jump.
Edna Kiplagat, winner of the ING NYC Marathon, with husband Gilbert.
In fact wherever I walked I saw everyone. A lot of people in town. We took Lornah shopping, in fact after the Harvard Club, which was a charity thing.
Speaking of which a few, more than a few, people emailed in to ask 'what happened to Lornah?' in the Mini. This was the first Mini I have missed watching, but of course we met up after the race with Starbucks and that night we went to the Olive Garden first then Uncle Mario's - yup. Anyway, Lornah was invited to come just as a "celebrity" runner and barely being in shape after taking some time off was expecting to run 33-minutes, which she did. Besides everyone knew that a clear winner was always going to be Linet "the ice" Masai who glided round the park in such a majestic way the win was never in doubt... Iten is the home to most of the Kenyans who were in town this weekend and Linet is right now the second best in town, but with Vivian Cheruiyot not in NYC then it was not a question that she would win. Shobhuka (spck) was running a split that would not even bring her to her marathon best, not sure what that was about, but the 35-minutes from Deena was a good step back from her childbirth earlier this year. I did hope my friend Emily Chebet would come second, but....
On Sunday I was supposed to do a race myself, the Eddie Coyle Millrose relay. I have not done a race since June 2010, anytime I always have no motivation, but I thought 'ok, with a team' and wouldn't you know it I got up on Sunday, checked the inbox and Clogs sent me an email to say Pat the Piper was sick... Oh well! Good timing actually as it meant I did not have to rush after the race as I wanted to meet with Sally Kipyego before she left NYC for Iten. Sally is the Ambassador for my training education program; she has a wonderful story and is a great athlete to boot. She used to be in the Kapcherop camp I used to support through Moses Kiptanui!
Then I was off to watch Formula One with Tony at his house; beers and sushi and Mark Webber, who donated to Shoe4Africa, got on the podium beating Michael Schumaker! Brill!I met Jack Waitz in the street with Grete's brother Jan; they are going down to Florida today -- so sad still. There was an event for Grete the other night, I rsvp'd yes but could not get myself to go... because I still think of Grete and somehow I could not think of her going there, or liking the attention she would have got... I know, drifting thoughts.
06/09
Out and about last night; at the French restaurant Soup on 55th ST -- we actually wanted somewhere else, but the somewhere else was something something -- a very nice risotto and a beer from Cape Cod or something... the bread, and believe me I had to fight with Simba for the bread, as we caught up on all our joint news... Of course afterwards we had to go to Starbucks with Starbucks!
Met Linet Masai and Emily - both looked really in shape -- should be a great race!I love NYC in the Summer; lots going on in many directions!Lunch was at Ess-a with Global, we had a fun time and let me tell you the talent this man has with a creative lens is unmatched! If you ever want to check out cool stuff on VIMEO go and search Mike Kobal then hire him!! He makes a killer cup of coffee too!
06/08
Janeth's School coming along, the walls are getting complete, the roof is coming soon!
This is School number two, we hope to also get cracking with School #3 in the Summer, this summer with Nancy.
The restaurant (that begins with an A) that is on 81st St between third and Lexington has a name I can never remember. Tony and I went there for lunch today. Avocado salad main dish slowed cooked salmon with Brussels sprouts (very recommended) with Chocolate mousse. Super lunch and it was thumbs up with great service too. It was a great day and very productive. New legal counsel with Jones Day. Wow a great firm who have a firm understanding of International law. We also had a great meeting with Paul and maybe offered office space two blocks from Central Park. Looks like I am finally going to get a meeting with the Kenyan Ambassador to the USA on Saturday after a couple of misses. Africa is opening up with new avenues of business and of course although a hospital is a bit askew it is on every bodies must do list.We had some good hard working runners at the Flyers speed work in the evening. And speaking speed I got a really nice email from my friend Simon Biwott in Kenya. Simon is an amazing marathon runner who has won many top marathons and we will do a project together this summer. Talking marathons my goodness our marathon team is full now with 54 ace runners and you will get to know them on this page so get ready to meet Team Ace.PS: Great floor pattern at the Mark hotel, off Madison! Stripes are back in black.
06/07
Once upon a time I used to be in and out of Europe like a yo-yo. Motorcycles, hitch hiking, I had a little tent that I got from eating numerous boxes of a certain cereal and off I would go. 95% of the time traveling alone, but I would go into a town without even knowing its name, go to a cafe, sit down and light a marlboro, drink a coffee and within minutes I would be sitting talking to people. Not sure why but people would just come up and ask who I was, what I was doing, where I was going.. so of course my address book expanded. I guess there is a time in your life when this lifestyle is, and then is no longer, possible. Today as I spent most of the morning in the bank and in the Post Office I was thinking about those far removed days. Not that I really miss them, but they were so much fun! I wonder what all those people are doing now...Mini Marathon headliners this weekend: Deena Kastor, Edna Kiplagat, defending champion Linet Masai, Lornah Kiplagat, and Liliya Shobukhova... Get out to the park to watch the ladies zoomalong! Then of course in the afternoon is the big event out at Icahn Stadium! Shoe4Africa Ambassador Sally Kipyego is coming to town hot from a 14:39 in Eugene! One of the world's very best 5000m runners this year~
06/06 Well I am so happy that Starbucks and Simba are coming to town this Tuesday, to take part in the Mini Marathon (Well Simba of course). I feel I have not seen them for months and months. Hm, April, not so long but it feels it.
Lots of good running this weekend not least the amazing run that Mo 'more fire' Farah did in the 10,000m setting a new European record en route and defeating the best in the world right now... things are looking great for 2012, and of course later this year. Then also one of the oldest records, one rarely attempted, but done in incredible style - 'Big Engine' as he is known, Moses Mosop taking down Tosihiko Seko's record in the 25,000 & 30,000, and putting it in a safe place. Tosihiko is still the biggest name in Japan even though he has not ran since the 1980's... he was one of those few athletes that captured the world's (Asian) imagination. He was introduced a couple of years ago at the start of a big race in Tokyo and literally the crowd would not stop chanting his name to a crescendo that could not be controlled. Unfortunately his English is not that good so the couple of times I have met him it has been a small conversation. Once I interviewed him for Runner's World.
Talking Sports, we hear that Yuri ran the Israel run in Central Park, a world champion boxer - he ran sub six minute pace too. Nope, he does not want to run the marathon - but he may well be running a half...I was at a restaurant called The Dish, the table bread was so hard it was called a baseball. The waiter, god bless him, "I'm sorry, it has been out all day (and it was a baguette)." My friend, Jason, said, "Have you ever thought of then just saying you don't have any bread, instead of serving this?" Obviously not. I had to eat cheesecake to soften up the crumbs.
06/03 Heat is here in NYC; I don't have air conditioning, so when the humidity arrives I notice it; but bring it on, I hate the cold.
Wow, so a fun night it was; I met so many nice people and it was as always great to catch up with the legend Bart Yasso. Desiree is really nice too and expressed an interest to come to Kenya with me to help. She is a trained teacher and wanted to do something meaningful if she comes across - how nice is that.
I did not realize that she was #2 in the Kona Hawaii Ironman! What a star. Anyway, it was also sweet I got my own postcard to sign! And a wonderment that people actually wanted it... thanks.
They asked me to send in a head shot. I guess I did not read the instructions.
Later that night I went to a restaurant with a few friends on 16th St - Leong, Steve, Phil & Ray. The waitress was a hoot. I was drinking mad hat is it called beer?
In fact I went to lunch with Tony at Orsay, a great place on the UES. I had stella Artois there with a salmon thing and chick pea french fries (if you can believe). I was trying to order a dessert but the waiter was not on the ball. The coffee was so good that afterwards, when we went to buy a blender, and got offered free expresso in the store I did not wish to change the taste in my mouth.
Things changed when we went strawberry shopping at Eli's! It has been a long time since I went for a run with Eli, I wonder how he is doing...
Later that night it was to Circus, and then to Serafina... great night.
I saw a good film too -- it is the first film to come out of the Congo for 20-years. African actors, directors, everything... let me tell you the cinematography was very much like the City of the Gods - outstanding stuff. It is a love story, and a good one with gangster tie ins, very Africa, very superb, and I am sorry the "typical" audience may not like the ending... Gosh such a relief, go see it, rush to see it Viva Riva. The lead actress, Manie Malone may well get some international exposure after this REALLY well acted film. Go Congo; go see it - Viva Riva 22 east 12th
One thing to bear in mind; before Dick no amputee ever ran in the marathon -- and remember, there for fortune tomorrow a car accident [like what happened for Dick], fate or otherwise...
