Earlier at the gym; (after a run in the park where we saw Rachel P from TRD (doin’ a sess sur la Rez) and did some 800’s) the ads are playing on the little screen TV’s as me and a line of funk girls are bopping along on the Ellipticals.. and this guy comes on saying, "Do you want AB’s like this?" (Exposing a stomach that looked like a plastic washboard complete with fake tan).. to which four of the girls simultaneously yell out, ""No way... yuck!" Doesn’t the advertising world know low-pants are the ‘in thang’ at the gym? We nearly fell off the machines with the next girl’s comment.. but that is unprintable, of course.
Seen at the gym was Partime, "I feel like a wimp knowing you guys did a workout last night…" yep a bunch of hardy heroes are my Wednesday Night troop! the money is on Partime not being there next week, but we can hope....

And more on the 60m!
Stefan Holm the ace high jumper ran a personal best for the distance of 7.33. in his first comp. Of the year indoors in Sweden!

The Captain and I did a speedwork session that took us zooming along the park roads to Jackson Hole for breakfast (Well I had 2 breakfasts actually though their idea of a stack of pancakes was rather minuscule in height!)…. Anyway The Captain always entertains me with great tales and today we reminisced about milk; y’know when you are young and you drink the stuff that goes down your throat in gulps and clogs up the pipes? I mean 1% was an unemployment rate not something printed on a milk bottle….
My first introduction was a product in Iceland called Undarenna which is less than 1% fat, then when I lived in Sweden I started drinking MiniMjolk which is the world’s skinniest milk - 0.01% fat! It is blue almost in coloring. I remember one day my Father came to Stockholm to visit, he likes the full 4% fat milk, and I only had the Minimjolk in the fridge. He poured the milk into a bowl staring as though a trickle of water had appeared in the bowl, he was not a happy camper at all!

A cold Rez Night:
R2 was throwing off her jacket, Shawn too, and then Cre undressing… luckily to keep a foot of sanity in the group Jonnie, who just flew in from Toronto, kept his on! Leola came bundled up, as did Don ("Staying afloat"), Laura was using a pair of old socks over her gloves to fight the (lack of) farenheits, Becky made it - fresh from her Celeb spotting in Central Park on Saturday, Terry rolled in with Estelle who got lost last week ("It’s okay, I’ve bought her a map of the park!" he said.) Don’t worry Estelle I used to get lost in Central Park too! DandaDog was merely smiling, some might say stoned smiling - Yep he’s going to see the Grandpa’s of RnR….. Da Stones.
Anyway… The Queen of The Harriers turned up a slice later to complete the second half - she’s racing tomorrow, as is Terry…. Chris-Amex was back on form today with a fine focused session, as was David Lucas who was strangely silent "I’m keeping focused on the training.." Wow, I was so happy to hear that!
And in passing we saw Alem who really must be wishing he was back in Addis, Monsieur Mileage who never ever complains about the cold, and Joseph from CPTC, actually Chris too from the club. It was a rum night indeed! Bonus prize? Becky for her ballerina like movements in the boot camp.

"Runyan, 34, who is legally blind, originally finished fifth in the Nov. 3 race but was moved up to fourth place upon the disqualification of third place finisher Olivera Jevtic due to a positive drug test, to equal the best finish by an American woman in the five-borough race since Kim Jones in 1996. Three other top 10 finishers from the NYC Marathon were also named to the Track and Field top 10 marathon list - Milena Glusac, Sylvia Mosqueda and Kim Fitchen-Young.

"On the men's side, another marathon rookie Meb Keflezighi, 27 grabbed the No. 4 spot in the rankings after finishing ninth at New York with an gutsy 2:12:35 clocking." That press release from Richard Finn of the NYRR.

I actually was very impressed with Meb’s run in NY - he encaptured the spirit of true racing, as did Milena. Both took active steps to try and win the race, that in itself is very commendable.

In fact he was 1988 World Junior silver medallist over 1,500 and had also run some (not many) 5,0000s prior to Mt Sac. The ATFS Annual for 1991 (covering the 1990 season) lists an 89 PB of 13:56.25. Not brilliant compared to what Kenyan 19 year-olds are now running but he definately knew what 12 1/2 laps of the track looked like. He was also a useful XC runner, having finished 9th in the 88 World Junior XC (over 6km in those days).

His assertions about Dixon not having basic speed are also a bit dodgy but that's enough for one night!

Below is Morceli's 1990 Mt Sac performance (cut and pasted from the T&FN), not quite as fast as your correspondent suggests, but it remains the JUCO record as he was still enrolled at Riverside when he ran the race.

5000.............13:25.20........Noureddine Morceli' (Riverside)...........Walnut, California............4/21/90

BTW This is the mark that Obed will be out for in the next two years. Obed will be effectively two years older than Morceli was when he set the mark but it will still get a few headlines if he gets it (I am quietly confident he will)." Thanks!!

Lornah in Asics… a scandal photo! This is as close as the running world gets to paparazzi press! Actually the jacket is the classic Allan 'The Pope' Steinfeld's jacket - he was being a gentleman as Lornah was cold. (Ed's note: Our intrepid reporter obviously did not volunteer his own jacket!)

The Spaghetti will, if he goes to Kenya to train, return in Sub 2:10 shape. The current big names of Kenyan running know and fear The Spaghetti and like myself are in wonderment to how he has managed to stay so good whilst barely getting serious with his training.

Zola Budd-P. won the women’s division and she is training for her big M debut in London.

So anyway I got up to the track, the Armory, and it was like a family reunion - I saw loads of people up there! Mgee, Mike Anderson, Monsieur Mileage, RLX of WS, and actually Mgee is going to run the 2-mile race on Thursday, "I won’t be running 9:02 like the last time…" That was a classic race where I was #3 behind the Millrose winner (forgotten his name) and Mike who won that night. I remember when Mike passed me (rather early on actually) and I thought at the time, ‘This guy’s the winner,’ he was flyin’ that night…

CPTC were there en masse - no comment about standing in lanes 1, 2, 3 & 4, waiting to start your intervals….. Drums was up there - he’s Boston bound later this spring, as was Grasshopper "Hey, you’ve put on weight!" 100 pole vaulters for some obscure reason, the Millrose team….
And my session? I got outvoted - we ended up doing a more realistic 6 x 400, 6 x 200…. Okay, no ultras for me this January!

Here is the home that Lornah Kiplagat was brought up in at Kipkabus. Famous neigbors? William Kiplagat, Benjamin Limo….

Elldo Lise, "Flu hit on friday, just in time for the weekend...drag as I had a lot of stuff planned. Feeling a lot better today. All my girlfriends were raving about this movie Amelie, so rented it this weekend- must have missed something as I thought it was just okay."

Speaking of something beginning with an ‘A’ I got told off at a store on Fifth (named A something) for trying to light a candle in the place… Oh well, that’s what happens when you try to be helpful, and it was a waste of a good match too!

Unfortunately American Saunas are typically a little too cold for my liking, but a huge step better than the sauna I once went in in London where I was shivering for a coat… So today I was in the Sauna and a guy starts programming his cellphone(!) His ringer, that sounded each time he entered a new number, rang with a dong of a housing estate doorbell.. hardly relaxing… BUT things got worse when two women came in with a tub of carrot cream, "Oh if you use this every day you’ll look so young when you get to my age…" Well she must have been past her sell by date as the woman was obviously deaf as she spoke at a tone that pierced all but her own senses…. She only started ‘whispering’ (read normal level) when telling her female companion about how she used the cream to stop her toes from being ‘scaley’…. Just what you want to hear whilst reposing at ease…. I could not wait to get out of there!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Contact: Carolyn Stewart

(212) 366-2203

cstewart@penguinputnam.com

The New York City Marathon is the world’s largest and most prestigious marathon. More than 100,000 people from around the world apply to run each year, yet only about 30,000 people may enter. THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO RUNNING THE NEW YORK CITY MARATHON (Perigee; February 2003; $14.95), by Toby Tanser, is a practical "how-to" guide that takes the stress out of planning for the marathon and helps to ensure a better race-day experience. Tanser, an elite runner and trainer for many New York City marathon runners, offers plenty of helpful hints for runners and spectators alike.

Now is the time to begin training for this year’s marathon. This guide provides the details on how to enter, how best to train, what to wear, where to stay, the best pasta restaurants, how to volunteer, and much more! Where are the best places to run in New York? What should runners know in

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Anyway basically what has happened; 13 athletes failed drug tests from the US team in the Sydney OG Squad in 2000. The USA TF then cleared those names without letting anyone know the details, names, or the whatevers. The IAAF took the USATF to court on the subject, and some high powered, and paid, lawyers did what NO other country in the world would be able to do….. To paraphrase old Bob, "They shall not be released…"
Who are the winners? The 13 athletes who failed the drugs tests. The losers? I think every single athlete who looks into this case can answer that one - my vote says the USATF.
Sad? A huge step backwards for T&F in the fight against doping. In fact I should delete the word fight and write promote instead; it seems federations… I think I should shut up here!!

All I can say is that it WOULD NEVER happen in Japan. The Japanese athletes are perhaps the World’s best for a record in respect to the ethics of true sports. A shining example to the rest of the world, and proof that hard work will be rewarded.

Sorry to harp on about how wonderful the NYRR actually is, but I counted up over 500 races I have run in the last 12-years (frightening huh? Though a lot of them were track races) and I have never found an organization that consistently puts on as good races as the NYRR do. One blaring thing is forgotten; When you write to me and tell me how wonderful the Flirty Five K village race up in Sticksville remember that this race is probably the one race put on per season by the organizers? Can you imagine if the NYRR piled all its talents into just one race?

Look at the Marathon week - you have the 5-miler with about 5,000 being one of the smoothest races in the State, the day before the race you have the Friendship run that although is just that is bigger than 90% of the World’s races with up to 15,000 runners - Can you comprehend giving a full breakfast to that amount of runners as the NYRR do, and getting the permits to block all the roads the day before the actual Marathon?? The mind boggles…. And then the folloowing day - the world’s most prestigious marathon of all marathons.

But the result was…. Kenya's Joseph Kahugu wins the Dubai Marathon clocking 2h09'33" ahead of Ethiopia's Gashaw Melese Asfaw and Habtamu Bekele.

I had the pleasure of meeting Wilson this time last year when we were driving with William Kiplagat up a Kenyan dirt road. W came across two guys strolling along the road, one of whom was Wilson. Hence we loaded him up in the car and drove to William’s house to eat a goat, as one does.

Houilles, France, Corrida Pedestre Internationale de Houilles 10-K: Men - 1. Sammy Kipketer, KEN, 28:02; 2. Paul Kosgei, KEN, 28:05; 3. Luke Kipkosgei, KEN, 28:45. Women - 1. Ines Monteiro, POR, 32:42.

Anyway at the gym I met Tom who is an actor (on HBO and was in NYPD) and an avid runner, he loves the treadmill and I have been unable to persuade him to get out and into the park….. then I was talking to an author called Robert Stewart who told me, "I live on 89th St by the park.. and you can’t have my apartment because it’s rent controlled and I pay nothing for it…" In one sentence of introduction….. strange days indeed!

Then it was off to meet Laura at Starbucks who came down the road calling out, ‘Hey I’m only ONE minute late!’
Well I was not even thinking about such things, and a good job because after we arrived Downtown my superdooper knowledge of the Avenues led us entirely in the wrong direction…. I think it was something to do with listening to Godzilla the Vietnam war veteran on the tube way asking for contributions to his whiskey fund…. So we did the smart thing and asked some tourists for directions….
Finally we ended up at La Belle Epoque on Broadway. Brunch at this French Restaurant is served on a buffet type set up… I say this only to illustrate that my three plates worth of pancakes, French toast, zucchini bread, muffins, fruit, cheese, croissants, salmon quiche were so heaped that after the first round somebody looked at my plate and said, "Food for a table?"
These lower Manhattanite’s don’t understand appetites.. too many skinny actors on Broadway.

And congrats to CenturyMan for completing the Disney Marathon for the Umpteenth year in 4:23

PS: Lornah wins @ Egmond! More news tomorrow!

Second prize must go to the Nordic track treadmill with a ‘rebound’ bed supposed to "make running easier." So what is the point? I man if you want to make running more easy then slow down!

Just as good is the Kenyan story of the Birir brothers - same Mother (on that they swore) but with birth dates within six months of the same year!

Olympic & World Champ Noureddine Morceli? - want to know what he is up to? Check out Michiel’s Euro News page by clicking on the link above!

Here is a picture from last week’s Swedish visit to the home of Sweden’s best long distance runner. Anders "2:12" Szalkai.

Anders was the first runner I ran with when coming to Stockholm in 1993, he took me for a run and confirmed my belief that joining Stockholm Sparvagen (the club he then ran for) was the right choice.

Over the years in Sweden I ran many times with Anders, he was a great training partner and a huge inspiration to all of us distance runners at the club. Over the last ten years he has ruled the Marathon distance in Sweden and has possibly the most consistent record in the Stockholm Marathon in the history of the event - always a top finisher.

That he was the club’s first ever winner of the event, and that we would always stand on the streets with the hundreds of thousand other supporters, illustrates why this man is a true Urban Legend.

We split up into small groups to share apartments, I hooked up with Per ‘Zigge’ Synnerman (a 3:42 1500m runner), and Anders Szalkai. Immediately we disconnected the telephone, and furthermore the doorbell - we were serious and wanted no disturbances (the latter disconnection would cause no end of grief from the others who patiently waited outside thinking the bell functioned!)

The second trip was to the Supermarket to stock our fridge. It was like an out-take from the three goons; firstly Per would grab a food product and throw it in the trolley, I then scrutinized the substance for Fat levels, then Anders gave the product his level of nutritional testing. Needless to say after circling the store twice we left with more than plain bread, pasta and tomato sauce. Oh yes, we did get water.

Anders was the Marathon star as I have mentioned above hence he was the group leader for the training. Well actually we had an afternoon group session with Ulf Kalin the club’s trainer and all the other guys, but we averted from the instructions to do an ‘easy morning jog’ and inserted a mean schedule that for Anders and I often included three workouts a day.

There was a loop that Anders worked out was about 10km that became our morning run. Anders told us because Marathon races often started very early in the morning we should start off hard from the go. We also decided to put a little wager on who would run the fastest time over the training camp for this loop - something like $1 (yes just one) each - as you can see we were not heavy gamblers.

The run would start and immediately we’d be silent, never any talking. Zigge, a middle distance man who was rather skeptical about this form of training, usually only hung with us for the first Km. We ran hard. My memory fails me here but I seem to remember that we finished together nearly every day except the one when we went for the bucks, I was on form that day and ran 32:00 with Anders half a minute behind. After this run I doubted the measurement of the course as it was way off from being flat, I was thinking it must be 9.5 surely… Well Anders went out and measured the course, and low & behold it was 10.2-km.

The funny thing was that we were handling the evening group sessions with absolute ease! Even to the point that when there was no room in the communal cars to drive back from the track we’d run the 12-km…. Yep those were the days.

Seen in passing Monsieur Mileage who I must see before he next goes to France (Redundant Francs to spend), Stop n’Chat who of course did just that hence reducing the speed of her ‘easy run day’ to digits alike the national debt, Joseph from CPTC who was full of cheer, and last but not least Il Pirata who stopped to give me some Egg Rolls from CA - What a gent! PS: How to get in my good books for life…..

And from Il Pirata who has hopefully returned to the world of sanity, "...a pirate ship, in search of hidden gold, on ocean waves that swim away and sail around the world," Kiet. (Hm, well those Egg Rolls sure were tasty!)

News from Albuquerque, "I started running three weeks ago since Khalid Khannouchi arrived here with two other guys." That comes from Zack Haki.

Boo’s of 2002, The English Press.
"SVEN-GORAN ERIKSSON, for failing to take England that crucial step farther." Blaming the manager for England’s failure to advance in the WC 2002.

Drug talk: Violeta Kryza winner of the City of Pittsburgh Marathon has been stripped of her title and suspended for two years.

The plane has been delayed hence I am sitting in the aforementioned drinking Sweden’s finest (which is DAMN good, Swedes take their coffee seriously. The coffee at Anders’ house was rated 10+ out of a possible 10 by the Intrepid Reporter who stalks the bean the world over). Anyway with some time to kill I thought I’d try out my atm card just to keep it oiled (it was last used three years ago and that was by a friend who borrowed the card) well low and behold out comes a message, "This card has expired. Please go in to your local branch for details." Hm I wonder if Handelsbanken have a local branch in Manhattan!

Big thanks to my friend Jon; The morning of my departure was a public holiday, and to my horror the Muffin Shop was scheduled to open an hour after I had to leave for the airport. Well Jon, determined that I should not leave without ‘en muffinsmak’ went down to the store and rapped on the door till they let him in! Only in Sweden, or should that be never in Manhattan!

Swedish Marathon News: We hear; Ake Erikson is definitely out of the running to be a MasterBlaster. The former Houston Marathon winner, and 2:10 man has hung up his running shoes and now resides studying da books in Halmstad.

Ake is famed in Albuquerque for teaming up with The Intrepid reporter and forming the Team Sweden beer drinking mob that hammered the French, Belgian, Russian, and Canadian teams… further more they then stole an electric wheelchair in a supermarket and drove the thing straight through the store, into the back, along the wrong side of the serving counters whilst using the electric power to shoot by people’s trolleys stealing their shopping…. That night turned into an all-nighter (after we rescued Ake from pulling his pants down in the High St singing songs about the talents of Canadian Ice Hockey Players)…. The Belgian Squad insisted that we stopped at a building site and strip the place of fire wood for an open fire, then we partied till the wee small hours, and the aforementioned Ake danced in his red underwear asking all not to tell this story to his wife! Well we won’t.

Claes Nyberg, one of Europe’s top XC runner’s, shall test the Marathon in Hamburg this year.. and Mustafa Mohammed (another Swede) will also turn to the distance after showing good form with a fast 10k and a runners-up spot in the Lidingoloppet. (The L-Loppet for those who do not know is Sweden’s International XC race of 30-km!)

Former national Steeplechase champion, Jonny Petren, is off to the South of Spain for a three month training camp… 2:15 Marathoner Idris Ibrahim, Sparvagens reserve marathoner in the 90’s, is reportedly not in training, and a touch on the plump side now - he’s joined da club.

And finally we hear from Sweden’s adopted 2:17 Marathoner, Oleg E. and his wife Tatiana, who won a bronze in the Olympics 800m and ran 1:55(!)
"Vi hade varit i Ryssland och hälsat på föreldrar och kompisar och firat jul och nytt år där borta."

No doubt Mr. Z will have fun translating that into jive - as he did my last page!

The saga of the first run of the year, in street clothes, and to date the only run of the year!
Sweden; I needed to make a phonecall when I arrived. I soon discovered that every phonebooth required a phonecard, non accepted coins. So I went to the store to buy a card and found that the cheapest denomination card to make my one phone call was $10. Ouch - welcome to Sweden!

The major purpose of my flying visit to this country was to get some stuff from a former girlfriend of mine. I arranged to pick up the keys to the storage loft at 8 AM the following morning before she left to the University. I was staying about a mile away at a friend’s house. So I jumped out of bed early dressed incorrectly fore the minus 15 degree weather and grabbed a bottle of Vodka to take as a gift and set off. The snow was so cold that it was not at all slippery and I jogged along the road in the direction I thought would take me to the road to her house. It did not.

I got hopelessly lost in a small neighborhood of windy roads. My glove-less hands were frozen solid and I had to swop the bottle from hand to hand every five steps to keep any feeling in the hand. My eyelids froze to my head, and at this time I thought it was a good idea to ask someone for directions.

There were not that many people around to ask actually at that time in the morning, and those who were soon disappeared when they saw me running at them with a bottle of vodka in my raw red hand. At this point I should mention I have yet to see a hat-less Swede, and one without gloves - forget it! Swedes wrap themselves up like Father Christamas and the Michelin Man. Only the insane are seen running in the streets in a lightweight summer running jacket.
Finally, when I caught up with an old man who could not escape, from me he pointed in the opposite direction…. It was going to be one of those mornings…The next person I asked told me the opposing direction to that of the old man.

When it became clearly apparent that I had missed my chance to get the keys I thought it best to get home asap. Well that was a challenge! Nobody to ask, and also the stores wee all closed so no luck there. My only lead was that I was standing next to a store called ‘Konsum’ which was bad news around the because the closest store to the place I was staying was called Konsum too hence I knew that the company would not have two stores within a street or two.

In fact this is a long winded explanation of how I began running in 2003. It had been my New Year’s resolution to run something every day for January to get me going again. But on the first I went to the Blue Lagoon in Iceland and sat in a natural health spa sulpher water pool and never got running. On the second something else happened, yeah I visited a friend or two…. On the third I was traveling to Sweden. So we had arrived at the fourth and fate finally made me run by leaving me lost in a Swedish neighborhood in the freezing cold! Welcome to 2003, I sense it is not going to be a vintage performance year for myself.

Back one step to Iceland; I was very happy to see all my running friends doing well there. They are building up a running group and having success as a new breed of runners is coming through.

SAO PAULO, Dec 31 (Reuters) - Results of the 15-km Sao Silvestre road race through the streets of Sao Paulo on Tuesday:
Men's race 1. Robert Cheruiyot (Kenya) 44.59 2. Marilson dos Santos (Brazil) 45.06 3. Paul Kirui (Kenya) 45.16 4. Sileshi Sihen (Ethiopia) 45.35 5. Alan Wendel (Brazil) 45.36
Women's race 1. Marizete Rezende (Brazil) 54.02 2. Adriana de Souza (Brazil) 54.29 3. Maria Zeferina Baldaia (Brazil) 54.38

Later that day I was on the way to my favorite Swedish shop - The Muffin Maker (muffin fabriken på svenska) and I noticed that I was finally getting accustomed to the weather, I wore a t-shirt (as the trip was only a few hundred meters) and did not feel the cold....

Am yet to run, more of that later - I did jog in street clothes to keep warm the other day... Oophs, Am trying to give an update on Swedish Running: Hm, grim. The standard here is not so hot at the moment. It seems the balloon explosion of talent did not encapsulate the distance runners, all other events are doing fab here. The Spårvägen training group I ran with, when our team ruled Sweden with a plastic rod, has now disabandoned... anyway soon I will write a page on the Spåret story so I'll shut up for now! The good news is I have accomplished my mission of clearing out an old girlfriend's attic of boxes of running clothes. It pained me to do so but I threw out about ten large black plastic sacks of nike clothes - I was ruthless, all my collection of race T-shirts from exotic events in South America and Europe, Africa, & Asia also.... all my poems that were going to make me into Wordsworth Mark II... alas, alack, oh woe is me.....

Soon I will be back in NYC, and I hope to see y'all at the Fred Lebow Classic. I won't be running, but I'll be the fat man cheering with chocolate/banana muffin crumbs all over his face!

1/03
It is Minus 16 celsius here in Sweden, and I have a pulse! Believe it or not Iceland was warm with no snow at all!

From The Chubby Boss & Titanium the Intrepid Reporter.

Wishing Everyone a very happy New Year - New York Style!

12/27

Paul Tergat, One of only two men ever to run a sub 2:06 Marathon. The only man to have held the WR for the 10,000m, ½ Marathon, and be a 5-time World Champion over the XC, and also a World Champion over the ½ Marathon distance. Did I mention he is also one of the World’s fastest ever 5,000m runners too?

Remember tonight is the Year End party at the Store. Come on down if you are in town at 6pm.

So this is it for 2002! I leave this weekend for the Nordic Circle (after the party of course!), but will return the second week in January - hence this page will resume 8th Jan 2003. Can we recommend that you visit sir/ Roland’s site in the meantime, or Sam’s site, or indeed Alison’s.

If I am to leave you with a thought this year it is an introspective one; A quote from a famous writer, John Lennon.
"And so this is Christmas, and what have you done? Another year over and a new one’s just begun."
And with that I would like to thank all the people who made a difference with either the Obed fund, or the Shoe4Africa fund. You can say, "Yes, I made a difference in 2002." And Thanks from the depths of my heart for doing so. In the words of Bob Dylan, "May you stay forever young."

Brunch at French Roast yesterday was fine but for one factor; weak coffee. If I have one critic of the NY-restaurants it is that the standard of coffee sucks. For a restaurant that names itself after a blend of Coffee one expects a bit better. It is little wonder that Starbucks does so well huh? A funny thing; I used to go to a place called the BagelZone down in the village. The Coffee there was as strong as a wet paper bag, and one day I happened to mention it to the owner. The next time I went in he came over with a cup of coffee, "This is how I brew it for myself, but all my customers find it too strong."
As they say in Sweden it was ‘lagom’ (just right). So I guess I have my own taste buds to blame and should just go with da flow!

The former world 10,000m champion has been suffering from an illness and the Ethiopian has returned to Addis Ababa to recuperate. Get well soon!!

The athletics season in Kenya kicked off with the cross-country events last month and the track programme is expected to start three months from now.

In a sport dominated by a handful of individuals, Bernard Lagat and Paul Kosgei were the only athletes who came close to joining the exclusive club of Tim Montegomery, Hicham El Geurrouj, Marion Jones and Paula Radcliffe who were the high fliers of 2002. 

Kosgei won the world half-marathon, lifted the Commonwealth 10,000 silver and capped his impressive season with a bronze medal at the world cross-country championships.

Lagat won the Africa and World Cup titles and was only overshadowed by the indefatigable Hicham El Geurrouj. 

Whether the two Kenyans will last another year or become statistics in the country's high number of athletes who suffer from early burn out only time will tell. Kenya has churned out a large number of one-day wonders who come and disappear in a twinkling of an eye and there is really no one currently who can measure up to the great Paul Tergat, now in his twilight years.  (WHAT ABOUT THE KENYAN WHO BEAT HIM IN CHICAGO - DOESN'T DANIEL NJENGA GET A MENTION??)

For the fourth year running, El Geurrouj continued to exert total domination in the 1,500 metres and the mile, winning 11 races. Only Lagat tried to upstage him but in vain. The rest of the Kenyans merely made up the numbers. (KENYA HAD THREE OTHER RUNNERS UNDER 3:31 VERSUS THE REST OF THE WORLD THAT HAD HICHAM EL G & RUI SILVA... YEAH, "merely made up the numbers")

Ethiopia's Haile Gebrselassie, who lost to Charles Kamathi at the world championships in Edmonton last year, has indicated he would be back next year for his fifth world championships. (YOUR POINT?)

And so will Cathy Freeman, the heroine of Sydney 2000 who took a sabbatical since. Gebrselassie's marathon debut in London earned him a third place behind his great rival Paul Tergat and American Khalid Khannouchi.

He was later to win a cash prize of Sh80 million after setting a new 10km road race of 27 minutes 2 seconds in Doha, Qatar. The old mark of 27:04 was clocked by Joseph Kimani in 1996.

Tergat continued with his quest for greatness in road racies after finishing fourth in the Chicago Marathon. 

In other distances, Kenyans continued to play second fiddle and an expected sweep of the medals at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester never quite materialised.  (HERE WOULD BE A GOOD PLACE TO MENTION THAT KENYA ACTUALLY DID SWEEP THE MEDALS AT THE M10,000 COMMONWEALTH, OH AND LAWDY CLAUDY THEY SWEPT THE M5000 TOO... SHOCK, HORROR, THEY ALSO SWEPT THE STEEPLECHASE MEDALS TOO!)

Although Joseph Mutua showed promise in the two-lap event, Andre Bucher of Switzerland ruled in this race. (URM IT WAS KENYAN BORN WILSON KIPKETER WHO WAS RANKED #1 FOR THIS EVENT, WON THE EURO'S, AND HAD THE FASTEST TIME FOR 2002.......)

Kenyans were even locked out in their speciality, the 3,000 metres steeplechase whose record they conceded to a Moroccan. Although some will argue that the world record of Moroccan Brahim Boulami was not fairly attained since he was caught cheating two months later, to erase it will remain a tall order as no Kenyan has bettered Bernard Barmasai's time of 8 minutes, 57 seconds set five years ago.

(LET'S HOPE THE 8-MINS WAS JUST A TYPO, BUT THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE THE SECONDS WRONG TOO WORRIES ME; RESEARCH, COULD IT BE SUGGESTED?  ps: I THINK I WOULD BE AMONG THE 'SOME THAT WOULD ARGUE' MOB ABOVE!)

In cross-country, the Moroccans have come out strongly since the defeat of Tergat by Mohammed Mourhit, the naturalised Belgian who like his countryman Boulami fell into the drug trap two years ago. 

Kenyans no doubt took a low profile, snatching victories here and there but no one emerged strongly as a number one contender in anything. (TOOK A LOW PROFILE?  WHY NOT MENTION THAT THE KENYAN MEN WON THE TEAM GOLD FOR THE 'NEAR TO BE' 20TH CONSECUTIVE TIME.. PERHAPS YOU COULD MENTION THAT THEY ALSO WON THE SHORT COURSE MEN'S TEAM, AND THE SENIOR WOMEN'S LONG, TITLE TOO.  OR WHY NOT THROW IN THAT THEY WON BOTH THE JUNIOR GIRLS & BOYS TEAM RACES... 

WHAT ABOUT MENTIONING THE FACT THAT THEY ALSO HAD THE OVERALL WINNER IN THE JUNIOR WOMEN, AND FOR THE SENIOR WOMEN SHORT COURSE.. WHAT WAS THE LOW PROFILE?  PERHAPS THAT KENYA ONLY GOT THE SILVER IN THE SENIOR WOMEN'S RACE & THE MEN'S JUNIOR RACE?

Kosgei may have won the world half-marathon, but claiming a world title at cross-country would have earned him a higher ranking and greater recognition. (ACTUALLY THIS MIGHT BE A GOOD TIME TO TELL YOU THAT KOSGEI DID NOT GET THE THIRD YOU CREDIT WITH HIM IN THE THIRD PARAGRAPH.. WHY NOT THOUGH DWELL ON THE FACT THAT INSTEAD KENYA HAD ALL IT'S TEAM SCORERS BEATING ANY SINGLE WORLD ALL-STAR TEAM THAT COULD HAVE BEEN PITCHED AGAINST THEM - ALL THE SCORERS WERE IN THE TOP 8 PLACES!)

Instead, a youthful Ethiopian, Bekele Kenanisa, won overwhelmingly against the Kenyans at cross-country before he was withdrawn from international competition due to injury.  (DON'T WORRY HE IS NOW BACK, AND IN FACT WON LAST WEEK)

Ethiopian athletics federation coach Richard Nerurkar of Britain said in an interview that Kenya's high level of burn out could be because there is no centralised control of athletes.  (WHO IS BURNING OUT?  MOSES TANUI?  WORLD CHAMP TEAM IN 1987 - WINS WIEN IN 2:10 THIS YEAR?  TO STAY AT THE ABSOLUTE TOP OF ANY SPORT IS RELATIVELY UNKNOWN FOR ANY ATHLETE BAR EXCEPTIONS - CASE IN POINT; LOOK AT THE WOMEN'S MARATHON, A NEW STAR EVERY COUPLE OF YEARS, TEGLA, CATHERINE, 2002 WAS RADCLIFFE, BUT WILL SHE BE WINNING IN 2013?  personally I hope so!)

In Ethiopia, the athletics federation controls all athletes who are managed by a single agent, Jos Hermes, and he follows the federation's instructions implicitly. (NOT TRUE.. RESEARCH, LET'S START WITH 'A' FOR ABERA, CURRENT OLYMPIC & WORLD CHAMP nice example, AND RUNS FOR MARK WETMORE OF BOSTON.  SHOULD I GO ON?  NEXT A IS FOR ALEMAHYU - ALSO RAN IN THE WORLD'S 10TH, & OLYMPICS RUNS FOR GIANNI DEMADONNA...).

Recently Nerurkar and the federation organised the Great North Run for international and local athletes who could become world beaters even if they are only a handful. Athletes like Gebrselassie, Assefa Mezghebu, Derartu Tulu, Gete Wami and Fatima Roba came from this kind of background.  (YES, THERE ARE A FEW RACES ORGANISED IN KENYA TOO BELIEVE IT OR NOT.....)

Unfortunately Athletics Kenya does not have much control over its athletes who are managed by many agents with different goals. (SO WHY NOT ASK THE ATHLETES WHY?)

Outside the track, Catherine Ndereva also lost the marathon world's best time.  (NDEREBA DID BECOME ONLY THE SECOND WOMAN EVER TO RUN TWICE UNDER A SEEMINGLY UNBREAKABLE 2:20 BARRIER... SHOULD WE NOT COMMEND HER FOR THAT?)

Tergat set a new Kenyan record of 2:05.48.

Kenya's women marathoners - Joyce Chepchumba, Susan Chepkemei, Margaret Okayo and Lorna Kiplagat - did not perform as well as the men who won in Boston, New York, Rotterdam and good finishing in Rotterdam, Berlin and Chicago. (HERE I FALL OFF THE CHAIR!!  JOYCE WON NEW YORK & WAS 6TH IN ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST COMPETITIVE EVER FIELDS @ LONDON, SUSAN WAS FIFTH IN THE ABOVE RACE, MARGARET WON BOSTON IN A NEW COURSE RECORD, AND REBOUNDED TO WIN MILANO IN A NEW COURSE RECORD TOO AFTER A SUBPAR, FOR HER,  6TH IN NY, AND LORNAH BECAME THE FIRST AFRICAN WOMAN EVER TO WIN THE OSAKA MARATHON IN 2:23 - THAT APART FROM HER WORLD RECORD 10-MILE RUN, AND HER 30:32 PEACHTREE WIN....

Rogers Rop won the New York Marathon in November in a time of two hours, eight minutes and seven seconds.

He won a three-way Kenyan battle between himself, Christopher Cheboiboch and Laban Kipkemboi to finish just short of Tesfaye Jifar's year-old record. (WHY NOT MENTION HERE THAT KENYA SWEPT THE PODIUM WITH THE BEST EVER AMALGAMATED TIMES FOR 1, 2, & 3... OR THAT CHRIS DID THE DOUBLE 'SILVER' AT BOSTON & NY, OR THAT LABAN DID NICELY WITH HIS MARATHON DEBUT.....)

Nelson Mandela did a great job highlighting the sporting success of his country, and the people started in believing in themselves for his efforts.. I may be a bit OTT on this one but I could write a book on Kenyan successes for the 2002 season - surely then a Kenyan Citizen could manage a better article for the people of that fantastic nation? They deserve better.

This is a picture of the working home of Felix Limo (see below under road world records’). Simple, plain, a bed & no luxury - perhaps that is why he has run faster than anyone else in the world for 15km…..

Happy Boxing day!

Sonia O'Sullivan intends to compete in both the World Indoors and World Cross Country in March.

WOMEN
10 Km 30:29 Asmae LEGHZAOUI MAR 08.06.02 New York, USA
15 Km 46:57 Elana MEYER RSA 02.11.91 Capetown, RSA
20 Km 1:03:26 Paula RADCLIFFE GBR 06.10.01 Bristol, GBR
Half Marathon 1:06:44 Elena MEYER RSA 15.01.99 Tokyo, JPN
25 Km 1:22:31 Naoko TAKAHASHI JPN 30.09.01 Berlin, GER
30 Km 1:39:02 Naoko TAKAHASHI JPN 30.09.02 Berlin, GER
Marathon 2:17.18 Paula RADCLIFFE GBR 13.10.02 Chicago, USA

I was happy to read your frustration with runners cutting the course. I am a middle of the pack runner that nearly gets bowled over at a few select locations during races in Central Park every weekend. While I try to obey the rules & regulations of staying in the recreation lane set forth by the NYRRC, (printed on every race application I fill out) people constantly run right across me at the turns, 102nd St. transverse & West Drive is the largest problem area that I have noticed. Would it be possible to install fencing in that area to force the runners to stay on the course? If that is not feasible how about a race Marshall on the problem areas to record bib numbers of the serious offenders in order to disqualify said runners. If these people want to act like children, they should be treated that way. I also agree with the gripe of runners lining up in pace positions that they are incapable of maintaining for the entire race, it makes for a very unsafe condition at the start. And lastly, runners wearing headphones are out of control, perhaps if some of these people were disqualified maybe everyone would wake up to the fact that all the rules are meant to be followed for everyone's safety. Anonymous

3000m Steeple- IAAF WORLD RANKINGS - as of 17 Dec 2002
Position - Name - DOB - Country - Points
1. Brahim BOULAMI** 72 MAR 1420 2. Stephen Cheruiyot CHERONO 82 KEN 1368 3. Wilson Boit KIPKETER 73 KEN 1366 4. Reuben KOSGEI 79 KEN 1354 5. Ezekiel KEMBOI 82 KEN 1340 6. Paul KOECH 81 KEN 1336
** Pending a hearing, but one can safely say it is a Kenyan top five.

5000/10,000m - IAAF WORLD RANKINGS - as of 17 Dec 2002
Position - Name - DOB - Country - Points
1. Paula RADCLIFFE 73 GBR 1388 2. Berhane ADERE 73 ETH 1385 3. Gabriela SZABO 75 ROM 1382 4. Edith MASAI 67 KEN 1361 5. Tatyana TOMASHOVA 75 RUS 1327 6. Sonia O'SULLIVAN 69 IRL 1324

The Undisputed Best Coach in the Entire World - Brother Colm. "My first athlete was a chap called Hussein. He won Boston a few times, and Honolulu, oh and New York..."

No coach in the world has the medal haul that Colm's athletes have. Wilson Kipketer? yes. Reuben Kosgei? Yes. Wilson Boit Kipketer? Yes. Stephen Cherono? yes. Lydia Cheromei, Rose Cheruiyot, Vivian Cheruiyot, Viola Kibiwott, I could keep going for over a 100-names no kidding!

Although our main focus remains centered upon Africa, and specifically Arusha, we sometimes spread Shoe4Africa a little wider in the field, and hence we are happy to announce that;
Shoe4Africa expands to Sri Lanka - our first box will be sent from Madrid; thanks to Phil!

Happy Birthday tomorrow to the 3x winner of the Columbus Marathon, a couple of Cal. Int’l wins - Abderzack Haki of Albuquerque via Morocco, and today to ‘Ngugi’ Ingvarsson of Sveg Sweden who cooks a great pasta and meatballs dish. Quirks, of amazing quirks; Just as I was writing this an email came, and it was the man himself; hence we have his update, "Here comes some christmas greetings from a snowy and very cold Sveg. Me and Elisabeth has bought a house and in April we will be parents! I can´t hardly believe it myself!"

Mike writes:
"I'm glad to see you highlighting what amounts to a form of poor sportsmanship by many of our running brethren - your race gripe #1 - the manner in which the slower among us line up front and center at the race start. Were it only the neophytes, I'd be more understanding. It's much more disappointing to see that its many of the NYC race veterans - male and female - that steal the front lines (several deep), then merely clutter the roadway for the rest. It seems they know the game and they play it too well.

There are quite a few of the guilty who could be named by just skimming the results list on the NYRR website. Compare the official and net times and you'll see what I mean. There are 8 minute milers out there standing on the front line - check it out. Why does NYRR bother to place the min. per mile pace signs?! The disregard by so many (literally hundreds) is blatant, as any moderately experienced road racer can easily ID the offenders before the gun goes off.

I experienced it personally in last week's Joe K. 10K, as I ventured in from the 'burbs for my first race in CP since many Corp. Challenge races in the 80's and early 90's. I found myself quite a few rows deep at the start (despite my own semi-heroic efforts to squirm forward), a few seconds back of the chip mat, and doing some form of the Central Park Shuffle for nearly 800m of the race. While finishing 11th, I'd guess I was maybe outside the top 100 at 600m!

Interestingly, the CPTCers seemed to be generally better behaved in this regard, with the exception of several of the leading women (including category award winners). I marveled at how well NYRR managed so many other race aspects - from the many, many volunteers helping at race # pickup, the baggage area, the start/finish, the split timers, and even the charming older women who wrestled my chip off post-race ("How are you today honey? Did you have a nice race?")! Where do they get all these great people?!

If you can do anything to bring the race start logistics to this same level of quality it would be appreciated. How 'bout this as a proposal - with the chip technology now in place, you could require the slower runners to have a gap in chip and gun times - i.e. anyone slower than 6 min./mile must be at least two seconds gap, 7 min./mile at least five seconds, 8 min./mile at least ten seconds, etc. This guideline, or something like it, could be posted along with all other info. in the race rules that is on the NYRR site."

And concerning the Race Cutting: From Kevin,
"I don't have a strong feeling about the propriety (not to mention morality) of running tangents "outside the cones" in a race, though I did have to supress a chuckle half a mile into the Kleinerman, as a pillar of righteousness shouted something about "cheaters" to my pack as we drifted into the car lanes at the bottom of the first hill.

But I was a bit surprised by your uncompromising stand on the matter. I seem to remember our first conversation, during a leisurely (for you, anyway) Res workout with CPTC, in which you seemed baffled by American course-sticklers, mentioning how pros in Europe think nothing of cutting past sidewalks, over hedges, and through front yards to gain advantage.

"Have the past 2 years in the NYC inpsired a conversion to US-style conservatism and fastidiousness? Or am I misremembering your earlier perspective? I figure that as long as you're on the road, you're OK.."

In response:
Firstly thanks for the feedback. Now comes the answer; the conversation you refer to was when I was mentioning that I was running a race in Texas running in a straight line inside a group of three with a Russian and a Kenyan. The Russian cut the Kenyan off and he was forced to run around one of the centerlane cones onto the left hand side of the straight road as opposed to the right side. The infringement was noted by the USATF official who shouted out from the back of the lead truck with a megaphone.

THAT I found odd as no benefits were gained - in fact he ran further, and it then I said that in Europe people are far worse… but I was not implying a subjective view on the matter of course cutting.

That you ‘chuckled’ as I called out Cheat to you at the Joe 10km is your vote. What you call ‘drifting out’ to me is a polite way of saying I was cutting the course because it is quicker to do so. It is the same as us running a lap of a 400m track and reaching the bend you cutting across the in-field and rejoining the race at the start of the back straight. You are cutting about 4-seconds from your time, and personally I think it is insulting to your competition when you are following somebody who is running inside an exceeding well marked course (How can you NOT miss double white painted lines on the road??), that bend ( a 90-degree sweeping turn) allows for a huge cut!. If you did that in a cross country or track race you’d be rightly disqualified.

Furthermore I simply do not believe that someone who cuts the course at that point would not cut again at the BoatHouse when even more time can be ‘cut’ and again at East 97th coming into the home stretch.

I guess it is an ethics thing. When I used to run in Iceland as a nipper I would often glance back and see people cutting corners, and you know what - I pushed on harder and said, "Let me win today because that person will never be a winner…" and in those days it used to work!

Perhaps it is better to put my point across in a picture!

The picture clearly shows that the Rec lanes are very visible and the runner to the left is clearly abusing the race regulations that say the runners must stay inside the rec lanes.

Whilst you are chuckling imagine the scenario; you are coming to the finsihing straight and the runner to your right is clearly running outside the course to take the most direct line to the finishing line.

This course cut is absolutely nothing compared with how much a runner can cut on the Laskers Pool bend (where I called out Cheaters) but since I had the picture I thought it would be good viewing and also illustrate to those not familiar with the park how clear the course marking is!

I give this runner the benefit of the doubt as he is actually in front of the runner who is keeping to the course, but to Kevin (whose letter we noted above) you have no excuse as you were following a runner who was correctly following the course before you cut the course.. I know, one man one vote; but If I did not voice my opinions this web page would be a pretty boring read… (Ed’s note; What are you on about? It is always a boring read anyway!)

Is it annoying to see someone cheat when you are running the course? Probably. I was glad to hear affirmation from someone who is on the verge of pcking up an age group award, he said, "Yes it annoys the hell out of me to think there are people up there running less distance than me, thus recording faster times, by cutting the course." So it is not a solo gripe!

Women (6350m course)
1 Ayabei Jepkorir (KEN) 21:59 2 Elvan Abeylegesse (TUR) 22:23 3 Viola Kibiwot (KEN) 22:46 - Junior WC, 4 Iris Fuentes-Pila (ESP) 23:09 5 Alessandra Aguilar (ESP) 23:22 6 Monica Rosa (POR) 23:38

This may be the start to the Ethiopian attempt to wrestle the World XC title from the Kenyan Men for 2003…. Kenyans are losing out week in week out in the men’s division to their mighty neighbors!

Catherine Ndereba running XC in Kenya earlier this year.

Don’t rule Catherine the Great out for an upset at London ’03. It is shocking how quickly the world moves focus, and how after a mere 2:19 in Chicago ’02 Catherine is a forgotten woman. Flippin’ typical!

How is Sweden’s Top Marathoner getting along? We read that his mileage is creeping up, and he is knocking off tempo runs that’d win races here in the USA. Let’s hope Anders Szalkai is soon back where he belongs - chiseling to break the 2:10 Marathon barrier, he is a tantalizing two minutes away!

Further groans we hear that the IOC is going along with the AAFI and Sunita will be cleared…
Is this a clear case of Sweden’s infamous Ludmilla Enqvist? Cleared for a doping offence "I don’t take drugs’ takes Olympic Gold, gets caught years later?
Is this a case of "The drugs testers are way behind the times…." Russian un-named Olympic athlete?

We read that the Bushman took #14 at the Singaporian Marathon. Jackson Kabiga KEN 2:31:29 - the event record is held by Swede Tommy Persson’s at 2:18.. Tommy also holds a CR here in the States, some seven minutes faster though. Singapore is not the #1 Fast Running destination.

Why Sorry?
5.5 is nothing, a mere featherweight! From somebody who ate 8-bagels on a cool down run of 2.5 miles after a race in the park before going to eat breakfast... from the guy who bought a special of 18 bagels at the SC's local bagelry then ended up eating 16 at the coffee shop on the way home... from the guy who once ate 5-liters of ice cream in an Icelandic ice cream eating comp and could not continue as was not delegated any more supplies... oh yes, when I set my slices of pizza record (in a comp against the Paris Mara 2002 winner) I warmed up with three muffins, a plate of pasta as he started with his slices... 37 slices…
No need for sorries on the dietary cutting board…

But as threads go… On Friday night, prior to R2’s party we were at the Michael Jordan SteakHouse at the Grand Central Station. Wow, that place is good; the food (as Steakhouses go) was excellent. I was on a mission to eat lots thus I would not be tempted by the finger food at the party, and with the quality of the food I was not disappointed. A filet Mignon, Idaho creamed potatoes, and steamed Broccoli was a near 10/10. The following cheese cake was also sublime. It is rare in New York to get a meal that ran along the line of perfection from seating to leaving, but the Michael Johnson SteakHouse made it. The temperature of the food, the taste, the timing, yep - all excellent.

I always try to before going to a party; I find that one (read me) tends to eat at functions out of ‘being’ rather than hunger.

Well as I drank two large bottles of Perrier sparkling water, ontop of Coke, and coffee, I was feeling rather bloated when I finally got to the party later that night… and sure enough I ate not a morsel from the table. In fact I could hardly move I was so stuffed. However the practice really works as after leaving MJ’s I ate nada and sipped only a gulp or two of beer!

A special thanks to Mark P. from the NYH who we ran into at the party for his great Shoe4Africa efforts in rounding up a bundle of running shoes to send to Africa! Mark, famed for his extensive TV coverage at this year’s NYC Marathon (did we mention that after 10km he was in 43rd place?) is a member of the Upper East Men’s Drinking Club (but we won’t hold that against him as Yours truly is too). Mark’s theme for the night was ‘quitting in a race’ and he said, "You are not defeating your team, rather yourself…" when talking about such tactics as calling it a day.

By the way: Vodka, as a drink, is going to be 500-years old next year! I think a few Russians will be drinking to that. I think the average Russian drinks 4X more Vodka than anyone else from around da globe. No surprises there!

Cross-Country Skiing - Germany's Alex Teichmann wins men's 10+10km World Cup event at Ramsau while Norway's Bente Skari claims women's 5+5km victory.

Alpine Skiing - France's Antoine Deneriaz claims men's downhill at Val Gardena. And Michaela Dorfmeister of Austria clinches her first win of the season in women's downhill at Lenzerheide.

Germany's Michael Schumacher and Croatia's Janica Kostelic are voted European athletes of the year by the European Sports Writers Union.

At the races:  Today's event was called, aptly, the Holiday Classic.  The day was started late, a brief chat with Bernie Coooper (Chairman of the Boiard of the NYRR) then off went the horn.  Has anyone noticed how promptly the races start?  Y'know the majority of this city just loves to grumble about the NYRR.. that is till they leave the city and experience the real world!

Since I have been elected the Chairman of the Race Quality Control I have been closely monmitering the competitions to see how well they are run.  It is simply tremendous what a job the NYRR do.  And if you don't believe me please visit any other state and see they manage to get 3,000 - 5,000 people orderly and ready to run in a park filled with cyclists, rollerbladers, rubber-necks.. Y'know I wonder how many of the NY-runners have actually thanked the race staff that do this excellent service....

So the race started promptly.  First gripe; Why do people line up on the front row who are simply unable to hold a pace beyond the first lampost we encounter?  After dodging the sick, junior, outta-shape, outta this world, mobs we round the first corner.. it is a large group, dawdling!  I had this grteat tactic idea after last week's failure to hang back today.... Since last week's race I trained just the one time and felt absolutely no better (in fact I struggled to make it the 1/2-mile from my house to the starting line) but, with all that said, I simply could not bare to run when the race was turning into a stroll...

Doing a surge not seen since John Ngugi's Olympic plunge in '88 I made up 100m in 150 and took the lead.  I fooled nobody, but it worked and the race opened up.  I flew backwards like a backfiring cannonball.  Arsenio looked the best, Monsieur Mileage also looked on the pace, but for the name of '03 I saw Michael Anderson as the best of the rest.  Michael, a former Fat Tuesday star, is just getting back into running and his stride was one that was saying...'just wait till the spring...'<P>We missed the first mile split as the guy had his back to the oncoming group, and seemed more interested in talking to a passer-by.. can't blame him.....  And as far as the second mile split I am sorry to say our Intrepid Reporter was so far out of the race it really was immaterial.

We saw Stace-The-Ace giving a full vocal support and Sir Roland was always appearing from a passing bush, or an over hanging branch.. And Queen Mary of the NYRR was running against the race with a baby stroller faster than we were running down it!  Gripe #2; Every single race So many runner srae cutting the course!  C'mon guys, you would not do this for a track race huh?  Blatent amounts of road are being cut, and I am really going to try and get something done about it; I am going to request that someone stands on the bends and DQ's the offending runners.

MIA was The Boss.. well at least that put me a place further up the standings....We did see MGee running watching the race again at a pace faster than the race itself- Is this a phenomina only to running races where the Spectators move faster than the competitors?  AS I ran into a barrier rounding the last bend and cut open my hand (which later swelled to the size of South Dakota) we did see RLX Pascarella out supporting his team.....

The women's race; To be honest I saw nothing of it!  Glancing at the results I did notice that a 12-yr old was second, and a 15-yr old was third.. Wow.  And the winner was Yumi from CPTC.  R2 ran a PR despite stopping on the WestSide to tie her shoe laces.. that'll teach her to mock my shoelaces that remained tied... (ED's note; one needs to be a regular reader to remember that way back when R2 once told the Intrepid Reporter he had girlie shoe laces because they sparkle with silver).

So well done to R2!  For a warm down I ran from the finish line to the West Side, about 300 meters, to tie up a high mileage week of under 7-miles.. hey that's a mile a day!

Soonafter we met the famous 100-man and it was brunch at Cafe Lalo.  Now where was 100-man at the race?  Let me see, this is the man who once gave me hell for missing one race this year - Brooklyn.  100-man, who has now missed more races than he has run (hic), missed the train for the second time in four days... Ouch, hmmm.  Anyway the brunch at Cafe Lalo was a 6/10 in food & quality.. the muffin was rather small & not special, but reasonably tasty, the eggs salmon thing was okay - more bland than anything else, and rather lacking in pi-zazz, and as for the coffee.... Utch!

However the company was good, nice to catch up with Century (Ed's note; That's not what he was saying about you after you were teasing him for trying to buy a too small T-Shirt)... Next stop we met George Milic the WSX ace, and congratulated him on his fab result running and winning the 10k up state in 29-mins on the roads.  George is coming in for the Xmas brunch run... then we popped by to say Hi to the SC's (scoffed lots of Ali Baba bagels, and drank lotsa very strong coffee - phew!).

Lee from Amex ran well in the race too, we hear that Pizza made it down to the race also.. and what wonderful weather we had for a change!  It was like spring again.

Double world champion Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia won the Brussels IAAF cross-country race on Sunday.

He finished a comfortable 34 seconds ahead of Ukraine's Sergei Lebid with Uganda's Boniface Kiprop in third place.

The women's race was won by Russia's Galina Bogomalova ahead of Merima Denboda of Ethiopia and Lenah Cheruiyot of Kenya.

Senegal's Lamine Diack will bid to extend his term as president of International Association of Athletics Federations next year, an IAAF source said Friday.

Diack, who had been IAAF acting president after the death of Primo Nebiolo in November 1999, was the sole candidate when unanimoulsy elected to the post last year.

Speaking during a meeting between the world athletics governing body and Golden League organizers here the source said that Diack will seek a new four-year mandate during the IAAF congress which coincides with the world athletics championships in Paris next August.

Diack, who has been president of the African Athletics Confederation (CAA) since 1973, will announced his retirement for this body next April during its congress in Cairo.

Shoe4Africa works! Tokyo winner, last month, collects her shoes last year.

No race in Kenya is ever easy, and you can be sure that any one of these athletes could step on an airplane and win virtually any international race. I remember the year that Komen stormed the globe with WR performances… back in Kenya he was in the pack, and way back!

One might argue that yes he was in hard training, but still if you are in 7:20 (3000m) & 12:39 (5000m) shape one would guess you would still manage to get in the top forty places in any given race…. But not so!

And World champions Brazil will face European champions France at the Stade de France in May 2004 to mark the 100th anniversary of FIFA.

And don’t be surprised to see more Brits in the Oz Open. It is not an upsurge in talent but politics.
Two British players have been awarded wildcard entries for next month's Australian Open as part of an exchange with Wimbledon. That seems hardly fair to a country such as, let’s say Spain, that has far more deserving Wild Card players than Britain, but no wild cards to trade with!

In fact whilst we are on the subject can anyone name a country with a Gran Slam tournament that has worse players than Britain?
I mean the chances of a British player ever winning a GS is a one in a million right? In the days of wooden rackets and under arm swings Virginia Wade took the title in the 70’s, and before that it was Fred Perry in the 50’s!!

Funnily enough the consensus in the British press this Summer seemed to be, ‘Tim Henman would win if he did not have all the pressure from the home crowd poor chap.’ Well I would beg to differ - please let me know of a major tournament where he fairs any better than at Wimbledon!

Great to see Paul Koech coming back into tremendous form! He will make a great debut I am sure when he eventually turns to the Marathon - his foray onto the roads so far has been sublime; WC ½ Marathon, WR 10-miles point to point.

Palmermo Marathon
1 Paul Kanda KEN 2:14:13 2 Matteo Palumbo ITA 2:15:15 3 Benson Mbithi KEN 2:16:09 4 Yuriy Chizhov RUS 2:16:43 5 Charles Kwambai KEN 2:17:16

Both Paul & Charles are in the first edition of THWE….

More from Lisa,
5. DID I SAY THAT??? Police in Los Angeles had good luck with a robbery suspect who just couldn't control himself during a lineup. When detectives asked each man in the lineup to repeat the words: "Give me all your money or I'll shoot," the man shouted, "That's not what I said!"

6. ARE WE COMMUNICATING?? A man spoke frantically into the phone, "My wife is pregnant and her contractions are only two minutes apart!" "Is this her first child?" the doctor asked. "No!" the man shouted, "This is her husband!"

The series opens Feb. 1 with the Boston Indoor Games at the Reggie Lewis Center. That's followed by the Millrose Games at New York's Madison Square Garden on Feb. 7, and the Tyson Invitational on Feb. 15 in Fayetteville, Ark.

The finale will be the national meet March 1-2, when the U.S. team for the World Indoor Championships will be determined.

The tour, in its fifth year, will be televised on NBC and ESPN2.

And last night on the Rez… a good session was had by all!
We were honored to be joined by The RunDoc, and Shelley - one of NYC’s absoluto-pluto best triathletes. We had a new comer, welcome Shawn. Then passing we saw Monsieur Mileage, and later Sherlock - first time in a long time. Then the crew; Laura, who ran with Elizabeth at the weekend and is subsequently fixed for brunch a month from now, DandaDog - I’m sure Dan won’t mind me mentioning that he scrambled to put together ten men for the past Sunday’s race thinking that Double Points meant you had to have a double amount of scorers… someone said, ‘Don’t write about that on the web site, so we won’t, but I’d love to know the logic on that one… speaking of the don’t mentions… R2 turned up sober, and shock of all shocks Beth turned up! KingCre, who is know as the rock of the club by myself, is safety a Manhattanite now and doesn’t want to go and live in someone’s pool house (that is better kitted than a 5th Ave Mansion "The neighborhood of Greenwich" sagas), CenturyMan got the night’s dedicated athlete prize, "I missed the train, stopped the next one, leap from the train at 98th & Park (Yep, no official stop there), banged my head climbing over a fence, and got to the park."

Phew, Terry turned up, "I’ve just come from the Plaza…" Whether he meant that his run started there, or whether he is domiciled there was never discovered. Another dedication prize came in the way of Jonnie who rushed straight through the airport after being in another state today to make the session.. one could say he had plane state of mind intentions… Amex Chris was the speedy wheels of the session, thus we can presume his sore ankle is now a thing of the past, Leola with a Winter jacket befitting the night was full of smiles as usual, and Snapper Don came with a developed picture from Sunday’s race already (the film in my camera dates from over a year ago), Becky proved who is the athletic gymnast in the group, she put the rest to shame.. and that was The Wednesday Club!

Due to Xmas there will be no group meeting officially, BUT if enough people email we may meet for an informal morning run and breakfast to follow. And last but not least - Urban party at the Store the following Friday (27th) starting at 6 pm. Whilst we are on the note of reminders; those of you who RSVP’d to R2, it is her bash on Friday coming.

Pink Floyd sung, 'Wish you were here' This is using top gears.. then hanging on for the next 11,800m! Glad I'm not there!

An article in the magazine 'New York' again raves about the trend towards a High Fat Low Carb diet. ‘Laborious low-fat’ is swung against ‘gleefully dropping pounds while gorging on steak and bacon.’

You wanna lose weight? Step One; Don’t over eat, simple. Step Number Two; Exercise with regularity. Step Three; Veg & Fruit are packed with nutrition and should be the mainstay of any diet.

Sad to see in a publicity stunt that the Mayor of New York is giving away the bicycle he bought last week.

By following steps 1 2, & 3 the weight will come down. However there are larger issues at steak here! Steps 1 & 2 don’t really sell articles, nutrition, or create a hope that stuffing the body with the ‘stuff that smells good’ actually helps your body.

Take Protein - is there any doubt that protein is the most expensive of the food products? We are continually being told in Sports Magazines how much extra protein a sports person needs. Do we? Take a look at the photo above; it depicts a running race in Kenya. Many Kenyan Athletes eat a diet with less than 20% of their caloric balance coming from protein. How come the Kenyans perform so much better than Western Athletes on so little protein?

In fact studies at the Moi Air Base Training Camp (training base of a slue of World Class Athletes in the long distance events) found that most of the runners had, when growing up, eating a staple diet of: Breakfast - Porridge made of ground maize and water. Tea with milk.
Lunch & Dinner - Ugali (maize meal) and dark green vegetables such as Kale.

Fruit was perhaps taken twice a week on average. Meat - (read bacon, never), Once a year Mark Yatich’s family would eat meat at Christmas. For the rural Kenyan Meat was an expensive commodity that would be eaten by choice but was seldom eaten for economic reasons. Yatich’s example was the extreme, most families had a form of meat once every two weeks. The piece of meat they ate was typically very small.

It is rare in New York to find a restaurant that serves a plate where the protein element is not smaller than the vegetables. Does this make sense? Why should the piece of chicken be triple the size of the potatoes and spinach.

The average meal at a NYC restaurant is FOUR times greater in caloric needs of a normal diet than it should be. Why is fatness in abundance in America? Don’t go looking for miracle cures, pills, or some trendy diet. Just follow steps 1, 2, & 3.

Mid Morning snack: A banana.
Lunch: Salad sans greasy dressings (use mustard, and a small smattering of the dressing), a wholewheat roll with butter.
Snack: A bagel with jam/jelly.
Dinner: Grilled Salmon, broccoli, carrots, red peppers and boiled potatoes. A red grapefruit. A glass of milk.

EldoLise’s diet & exercise plans seem rather like mine, so to illustrate another side of the coin;
"So a friend has asked me to help her get in shape...what me? I say as I'm chowing down on junk food and looking at my not -so used running shoes these days. So I find a plan- boot camp for 6 weeks (I think you need to be unemployed to be on this plan b/c of the amount of exercise), then I figure get on a maintenance plan after that. I decide to start tonight and go for a run...5 minutes into it- the torrential downpour starts, with thunder and me with no ballcap, a not so waterproof walkman...so 15 mins into it just as I think this rain could possibly not get worse- yep it does. At about this time, I discover that I have a great knack of hitting every major puddle that is ankle deep - now past the completely drenched stage, hoping the walkman doesn't short circuit on the way home in my ear- I pass 2 power wires that have collapsed in the storm and are lying on the street. Time to call it a night.

"Next it's on to this same friend's place to help her bake cookies for this xmas exchange she has- she is recovering from food poisoning and no one wants her to make the cookies. Once I heard about the triple chocolate recipe, I naturally volunteered out of the goodness of my stomach. We watched a documentary on e-coli, salmonella et al at the same time as her company had produced it and she wanted to find out more on food poisoning, etc. Good way to curb one's appetite-esp. the part about when cows get infected and their e-coli infected intestines or whatever end up passing fecal matter thru the process and into our meat (hamburger) yum!" Thanks to Lise for some decent writing on this page!

It may be remembered that Charlie Francis was charged with pumping Ben Johnson with large amounts of steroids. It is surely an athlete’s position to steer clear of this man with such a reputation if only to give a stance on the Anti-Drugs campaigns.

Personally I think it shocking to leave a coach when you are at the stage of being the best in the world. Reminds me of the Peter Snell story. Peter won Olympic Gold’s, left his coach, lost his form, reunited with his coach, and started winning again.

That’s Dutch! What it says is that Julius Maina now has the world’s best time for 10-miles after running 45:20 in the Kosa Road Race in Japan! Second place was Simon in 45:48! Thanks to Michiel from A’Dam! This was a loop course, and not point to point like Paul Koech’s Dam to Dam 44:45 ‘world’ record. 22 runners were under 3 min/per km pace for the race (47:43)!

What’s in the box of Lornah Kiplagat has balanced on her head?

"It is an informal suggestion," Flora London Marathon spokesman Mark Warne told BBC Sport Online. "We haven't spoken to Paula yet. It's just an option we're considering."

London has staged separate men's and women's races since 1986 and wants records set in women's-only races to be treated in the same way as records set in mixed races."

Surely Not! Talk about setting yourself to knock a milk cart down! That would be a marathon backward step in women’s running if only because of what has been said by the London Office!!

Women (6000m course)
1 Merima Denboba (ETH) 19:02 2 Selina Kosgei (KEN) 19:20 3 Ana Días (POR) 19:24 4 Marta Domínguez (ESP) 19:42

And more Internationally afield - "Susie Power, perhaps Australia's most talented track distance runner, has entered the London marathon as an experiment she hopes will lead to an Olympic medal in Athens.

Power, 27, won the 10,000m bronze medal at the Manchester Commonwealth Games but then ran the world's second fastest time this year for a half-marathon in Britain's Great North Run at South Shields in October. "My half-marathon was a fairly good time and I felt quite comfortable. I think that sort of pace suits me and I don't enjoy the speed training on the track," said Power, who showed she is still on track by winning the Zatopek 10,000m on Saturday night. "Moving up to the marathon is a big move because it's the final move, but if my training over the next 12 weeks goes to plan I think I need to give it a shot.

Total mileage this week remains at 600-meters for the week! Still have not got the spark.. to think we once trained three times a day.... (the only time in my life I ever lost my appetite and just wanted to sleep instead of eating....)

12/17

Happy Birthday Paula Radcliffe!

---

Miss Milla Petrova, "I never wanted to run the marathon."

Gebsa speaks, "Yes I am planning to enter politics once I quit the athletics scene," Gerbrselassie told AFP on Thursday, a day after he broke the 10km road race world record in Doha and pocketed a million-dollar jackpot.

The four-time world and twice Olympic champion over 10,000 meters is so distressed by the plight of famine-stricken Ethiopia that he feels its only through politics that he can solve some of the problems faced by his country.

"The situation back home always plays on my mind," said 29-year-old Gebrselassie after he set a new world record of 27min 02sec to shave over 9 seconds off the previous mark of 27:11 held by Kenya's Sammy Kipketer.

"Ethiopia has a lot of problems but nothing is worse than the prospect of seeing millions die because they can't afford or don't have access to simple food," Gebrselassie said.

Gebrselassie feels the iconic status he enjoys in his country would help him reach a position in politics that he can use to alleviate the suffering of the starving masses.

The Spaghetti Kenyan will also be lining up, and my money is on Paul taking the race’s overall prize. Mike Mykytok was supposed to be coming in for the race too, but no word from him as of late.

This morning, after meeting a slightly inebriated R2, I decided to go for a run. I met Partime who is super motivated right now and saw her putting in 110% effort. I jumped on the treadmill, ran 200m and decided to quit.

After pressing the stop button I got doubts. So I reset the machine (and boy that is a process) and began to run again. This time I made 400m before stepping off the machine.

Total mileage for the day = 600 meters! I think I need a reinvention - what about business?

Business Saga: Not by me!
A Japanese company and an American company decided to have a canoe race on the Missouri River. Both the teams practiced hard and long to reach their peak performance before the race. On the big day the Japanese won by a mile.

Afterward, the American team became very discouraged and morally depressed. The American management decided the reason for the crushing defeat had to be found. A "Management Team" made up of senior management was formed to investigate and recommend appropriate action.

Their conclusion was: The Japanese had 8 people rowing and 1 person steering, while the American team had 8 persons steering and one person rowing.

So American management hired a consulting company and paid them an incredible amount of money. They advised that too many people were steering the boat, while not enough people were rowing.

To prevent losing to the Japanese again next year, the rowing team's management structure was totally reorganized to 4 steering supervisors, 3 area steering superintendents and 1 assistant superintendent steering manager.

They also implemented a new performance system that would give the 1 person rowing the boat greater incentive to work harder. It was called the "Rowing Team Quality First Program," with meetings, dinners and free pens for the rower. "We must give the rower the empowerment and enrichments through this quality program."
The next year the Japanese won by two miles

12/16
At the races; Joe K 10km, Central Park. A great turnout of the local runners saw the conclusion of the NYRR Club Series with Warren St men, and Central park TC Women winning both the day’s team, and the year title.

Margaret Angell of CPTC ran a stunning new PR to take the women’s race overall clocking a superb 35’ 10k! and Paul Mwangi, The Spaghetti Kenyan, easily took the men’s title. After the race said Paul, "I was bored out there - there was absolutely no competition, it did not even feel like a race." Indeed his margin of victory was over two minutes in front of The Rope, and Prisco Huerto both now running for WS. The Master’s title battles were won by Alayne Adams, who has had an excellent solid year, (And is our #3 over all NY Legend Runner ‘02), and for the men, Mike Kohlbrenner running unattached 33:47 at 44-yrs old. Faces; Luke McGuinness, one of the smoothest track runners in the city took #7, Arsenio Ortiz #12 - a long season! Amador Ybanez #14 - a true statesman of the circuit and a fab year, arguably the City’s Best Master Period aged 46 but better than all over ‘younger’ master’s, #19 Not acclimatized yet to the weather and from Brazil Emerson Silva, Within Seven seconds Armando Oliveira, Alan Ruben, & Kevin Arlyck wrapping up the chunk of CPTC’s scoring 20-22, Peter Heimgartner the Austrian Clipper in 26th, one notch in front of VinylJim powering along, Nick T (of the cookies fame) in 29th, and The Boss clinched the last top thirty spot wheezing his way past the pack of twenties he smoked to get to the park. Just outside the top 30 we should mention Laurent Van Hassel of GNY, the youngest runner in the field at 17 and definitely the name of the future for the Tri State Running.

The Surprise of the field was to see Supremo Pizza out there! The Judge made it too, as did Century, Amex Chris, MikeyNikey, Giamo’ & Buffalo. Did I mention Sir Roland’s very natty Nike Shoes?

Over to the fairer sex: Another Brazilian not used to the cold, and with a couple of kids came in for second behing Margaret. Maria Alve Vieira was full of laughter after the race, she will run faster when the Sun comes out she says. Margaret Schotte grabbed a great #5 for CPTC, Former winner of this race Beth W of MCNY took #7, (The Gazelle, who won this race 2-yrs ago is on her way to the West Coast for the holidays), a great race in #9 for Pitcher Jean of WS, a clip in front of Flyin’ Fiona of UATH and the amazing Gillian Horovitz in #11, in #24 was Stopn’Chat whose birthday is today ‘Happy Birthday,’ and three places back we welcome Shula of CPTC back into the racing scene Now if she can run a race with her eyes wide open the sky’s the limit! A special mention to Christina Bilsky in #33, MCNY, who gets her Angel wings for helping the Shoe4Africa fund this year!

Modest quote of the day came from Ramon Bermo who recently took second place running his first ever Ultra!! "Ah, there is nothing to running it…" And the ‘IT’ was 37-miles on the undulations of Central Park!

And that was the Kleinerman 10km. The race was dedicated this year, by Joe, to the late Eddie Coyle. A nice touch, and on the roads of Central Park Eddy will not be forgotten, that is for sure. That leaves us with one remaining question - what happened to the fate of Comfy Ed and our Intrepid reporter? See the picture below.

The Dead Center of Eldoret!

This was actually a funny day. I was asking if I could climb inside one of the coffin’s to try it out. The seller would not let me. "You don’t fit the requirements." He told me.
"What do you mean?" I responded.
"You’re not dead."
"Well how can I buy one when I am dead? That does not fit my requirements!"

The poor guy stuck to his guns and seemed rather surprised I wanted to get in a coffin. Photo credits go to Eldo Lise, who is very much alive too.

WC 100m star Zhanna Pintusevich-Block will compete in the Norwich Union Grand Prix in Birmingham next year.

Other sprint news:
Marion Jones is splitting with her long time coach Trevor Graham - there has been no word if Tim Monty will follow suit and split also. She will start work with a Canadian coach.
I can’t but think this is a big mistake.

According to Julie Matiba of Alliance Hotels and Resorts, Ndereba will take part in the 10-km road race alongside Teresia Wanjiku, currently ranked fifth in world road race, Peter Githuka and Joseph Kariuki. The event will be in aid of the Diani Children’s village situated South Coast, 30-km of Mombasa Diani area.

AND… MY, My, my Deliliah!
Former renowned road runner Delilah Kemunto Asiago yesterday emerged from many years of inactivity when she won the Great Lakes marathon women’s title in Kisumu. Asiago and Stanley Ongiri Kagura reigned in new course records in the lake side city. Last year’s records were set by John Rono of Chemelil Sugar and Grace Chebet. Rono and Chebet ran 2:16:23 and 2:51:35 to win last year’s titles. Kagura yesterday won the race in 2:15:35 thereby erasing the old mark. Asiago beat seven female competitors to win the race also in a new time of 2: 51:10 seconds. A total of 88 men and seven women participated in this event in its fourth edition. The race started at Awasi trading centre in Nyando district and ended at the Imperial hotel in Kisumu.

Ingredients
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 2 eggs 3/4 cup packed brown sugar 1/2 cup orange juice 1/3 cup cooking oil 1 cup dried cranberries, dried tart cherries, or snipped pitted dates 1/3 cup dried blueberries or raisins 1/3 cup chopped hazelnuts or pecans Brandy 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Directions
Prep Time: 15 minutes Cooking Time: 45 minutes Grease bottom and sides of three 4 1/2 x 2 3/4 x 2 inch or four 4 1/2 x 2 1/2 x 1 1/2-inch loaf pans. Set aside.
Stir together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and cloves in a large mixing bowl. Beat eggs in a medium mixing bowl; stir in brown sugar, orange juice, and cooking oil. Add to flour mixture, stirring just till combined. Stir in cranberries, cherries, or dates; blueberries or raisins; and hazelnuts or pecans. Spoon about 1 cup of the batter (for larger pans) or 3/4 cup batter (for smaller pans) into each pan, stirring batter often.
Bake loaves in a 300° F oven for 45 to 50 minutes (for larger loaves) or about 40 minutes (for smaller loaves) or till a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool loaves in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove loaves from pans. Cool thoroughly on racks.
Wrap loaves in brandy-moistened cheesecloth. Overwrap with foil. To mellow flavors, store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Re-moisten cheesecloth with about 1 tablespoon brandy once each week or as needed. Slice to serve.

Women 10 000m
1, 83 Power, Susie, Vis, 31:58.43. 2, 107 Thompson, Anna, Vic, 32:48.27. 3, 28 Gibbs, Serena, Vic, 34:06.64.

Men 800m
1, 37 Hane, Michael, SA, 1:51.23. 2, 86 Ridgewell, Ross, Act, 1:52.07. 3, 53 Lewin, Simon, Vic, 1:52.17.

Men 5000m
1, 59 Martin, Blair, Nzl, 14:08.49. 2, 19 Dyson, Brad, Tas, 14:11.15. 3, 9 Byrne, David, Nswis, 14:14.67.

Men 10 000m
1, 113 Troop, Lee, Vis, 28:03.01. 2, 12 Cavuoto, Dean, Actas, 28:32.38. 3, 70 Moneghetti, Stephen, Vic, 28:33.68

Very few people walk = many people are over weight. IS there a correlation? Sorry to rant on with this one, but the amount of people I see who are active, zippy people are the people full of zest and energy. Those ‘Can’t’ people are also the people with less zip than a glass of animal lard.

"What are You looking at?" Another who is this? Can you turn your clocks back many years to the start of the 90’s?

Seemingly every time she gets into her comeback mode she runs a world rac race or two, makes a World Championship team/Olympic final, then retires again. This picture shows Lydia at home in her garden just outside of Eldoret where she is currently studying computers, and not training very much.

Pre-starvation conditions are harbingers of economic breakdown and worsening misery, Oxfam's research shows. Collapsing export earnings have forced drastic cuts in health and education budgets, undermining the benefit of aid and debt relief. Ethiopia's income from coffee exports dropped by US$110 million, nearly double the US$58 million it received in debt relief last year. Oxfam's bid to forge systemic solutions to the coffee crisis won the endorsement of TransFair, the Canadian agency that certifies fair trade coffee. "Canadians are shocked to know that farmers receive only 2 cents for a cup of coffee that costs us $1.50," said Caroline Whitby of TransFair. "Fair Trade guarantees a decent living for producers. Consumers have the power to make trade work for coffee producers."

To download the new Oxfam report MUGGED: Poverty in your coffee cup, please visit: http://www.maketradefair.com

and/ she finishes with this delightful tipper:
And on a lighter note: Latest on Whitney Houston: She scoffed at reports that she was a crack addict: "First of all, let's get one thing straight. Crack is cheap. I make too much money to ever smoke crack. (classic!)" Thanks Lise!

So the workout was 5.1-miles with various bits of fast running, and slow bits. I selected a group, after asking the time zones, that would befit my return - I thought I’d run with the 37-39 10-k runners.

So Tony the Coach sets off the respective groups, and gets to my group, "You lot all run together." Together meant that the faster runners would now join the 37-39 mob.. Oh well, I tried! We trundled off and blase banter was marathons and the amount people had run, personally I have not a clue how many I’ve run - probably over 20 and under thirty, but there was someone called Chris who has run 49 in the space of a young age, 24-yrs.

Oh and I forgot to mention we were testing these new running tights (CXWS or something) that were advertised to give an extra spring in your leg (certainly light of pocket, the things cost $80+). So I was running along wondering why these tights felt absolutely no different from any others when the first pick up came along… unfortunately I realized the pack had long since disappeared and raced off into the horizon. To cut a long story short that was the last I saw of them, and after 3.8-miles my auspicious return to running ended with 29:28 of running. Roll on the race!

Some tourists to Kenya go and look at animals, others join in the hunt

More complete results from yesterday’s astonishing 10km:
Results Men 1. Haile Gebrselassie (Eth) 27min 02secs, 2. Hailu Mekonnen (Eth) 27:39, 3. Francis Kiprop (Ken) 27.49, 4. Shadrack Hoff (Rsa) 27:50, 5. James Kipketer (Ken) 28.39), 6. Felix Limo (Ken) 28:46, 7. Assefa Mezgebu Woldeyes (Eth) 28:50, 8. Driss El Himer (Fra) 28:55, 9. Million Wolde (Eth) 29:01, 10. Abdellah Behar (Fra) 29:10.

Women 1. Derartu Tulu (Eth) 32min 23secs, 2. Geta Wami (Eth) 32:27, 3. Kutre Dulecha Ware (Eth) 32:29, 4. Benita Johnson (Aus) 32:31, 5. Fatima Yvelain (Fra) 32:38, 6. Zahara Quaziz (Mar) 32:54, 7. Hafida Gadi (Fra) 33:05, 8. Workenesh Tola Biru (Eth) 33:24, 9. Ayelech Worku Bikila (Eth) 34:35, 10. Saloua Quaziz (Mar) 34:42.

Take it from someone who has suffered on skis - 1.4km is not a sprint in any sense of distance!

We turn to Bagel news from Steven Paddock,
"Tal Bagel has been ousted from the top of the tree by The Bagel Works (1st Ave between 66th/67th). They actually have the water frying machine there in front of you and the bagels are just spot on. The right texture and weight (non of these airy bread type)."

The women's marathon world record holder has set her sights on the Paris 10,000 meters after years of frustration on the track where she has invariably lost to African opposition at major championships. "Definitely if things go well in Paris, then it makes the decision easier for Athens -- to choose the marathon in Athens," Radcliffe said in an interview on Monday.

"Normally you think the track at the Olympics is a little bit more important. But then you think that Athens is the home of the marathon. "It will be a very difficult decision to choose between the track and the marathon."

Did that make him a better runner, did that make him slower? The fact of the matter is that a HR is a great training tool if you stick with your own digits. When you are used to anothers’ training, know their pace, you can guesstimate the workout from their levels, but it is very unreliable and not recommended. For instance I would train with a guy called Leonid Shvetsov and on our long runs he would wear a HR monitor, just a simple one that gave out a basic HR reading. I would ask him what his HR was only because then I knew whether we were going to go up with the tempo, or remain at that level. However the most useful thing I found for HR equipment was the Rusko Test one performs first thing in the morning.

Here’s The Rusko Test;
Reading A = Your resting morning pulse.
Stand up from the bed and take reading B.
After 1-minute take reading C.
This is the simple version. The time that it takes for reading C to return close to reading A is the freshness of your body’s state that day.
EG: resting pulse 40, stand up, goes to 75, after 1-min down to 51 = pretty fresh and fit. If after 1-min the pulse is in the 60’s then the body is pretty tired…..
But you set your own figures after a period of a few days… One man, one heart…. Beat on!

The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency said Tuesday he tested positive for ephedrine. The 27-year-old runner from El Paso, Texas, also was issued a warning. It was his first offense. Settle was competing in Memorial Athletics Championship in Istanbul, Turkey.

Today, running legend Haile Gebrselassie from Ethiopia, broke the 10K World Record in Doha, Qatar. In reasonable conditions (24 degrees Celsius / cloudy / little wind), Gebrselassie managed to run a time of 27.02, the fastest time ever.

Before the race, there had been some discussions about who was the owner of the 10K World Record. The fastest time recorded until today was 27.04 by Joseph Kimani (KEN) ran on a point-to-point course (1996, Peachtree Road Race, USA). The fastest time recorded on a loop-course was 27.18 by Sammy Kipketer (2001, Parelloop, NED). With Gebrselassie running 27.02 on a certified loop-course, he now is the undisputed record holder for the 10K-distance.

The race, announced as the '$1.000.000 Road Race', was run today at 3.00 p.m. local time. The athletes had to run 2 laps of 5km. After the first lap Gebrselassie, Hailu Mekonnen and Francis Kiprop were still together in the lead, clocking 13.39. After 6.5km Gebrselassie increased the speed and managed to run away from his rivals. Mekonnen finally finished 2nd (27.39) and Kiprop 3rd (27.49)

Results:
Men: 1. Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) 27.02 World Record 2. Hailu Mekonnen (ETH) 27.39 3. Francis Kiprop (KEN) 27.49

Women: 1. Derartu Tulu (ETH) 32.23 2. Gete Wami (ETH) 32.27 3. Kutre Dulecha (ETH) 32.29

Are you ready to race?
This Sunday, The JoeGo 10km - Central Park.

The initiation of the Liberty 10km over the Labor Day weekend will ultimately give the City a high profile 10k (and the results this year were promising), and of course the Women’s Mini - One of the World’s finest 10k races!

As far as the local clubs go, with double points, the JoeGo is as good as it gets. This year we should see Warren St and Central Park TC taking the top honors for Men’s & Women’s respectively for the year long series, but who will win on the day? My guess is that Central Park will take both titles. In writing such I hope it promotes runners, of opposing teams, to hitch up their email lists and get everyone out there!

I received an email from a friend of mine called Frida Run. Frida is a great Icelandic runner (who studied here in the States and ran track). She was talking about how her team, IR (Athletic Reykjavik), were hoping as the Country’s Champion team to go to the Euro Clubs Champs. It reminded me that it is always nice to have a goal to work towards. Hence it would be nice if the Champion Teams of NY State were given the chance to enter some sort of larger race as an incentive to get through the year with a focus.

"Gebreselassie, double Olympic 10,000m champion, is making his comeback after surgery to a foot following the London Marathon in April.

He must break Kenyan James Kipketer's course record of 27-minutes, 11-seconds to cash his million dollar check while O'Sullivan has her sights set on British runner Liz McColgan's 30:39 standard.

Gebreselassie's strongest opposition should come from Kenyan Felix Limo and Moroccans Ibrahim Lehlafy and Ali Zeine.

O'Sullivan will have to fend off the challenge of Algeria's Benida Merah and Morocco's Zahra Ouaziz." SportServer
Funny we thought Asmae’s 30:29 was the WR, and then again we also thought that it is Sammy Kipketer, not James… And furthermore (nitty pity) the Course record at Doha is not 27:11…. C’est la vie! Do we trust the Stock Server (run by the same company)?

But Nicola Coe's friends have told British newspapers that she blames Fleming, her husband's business partner. "Seb and Jane grew close and this has been a problem," one unnamed friend was quoted as saying. "Friends of Seb's have been saying that no-one else is involved and that has made Nicky furious. She's contacted Jane and told her exactly what she thinks of her."

Name the three famous athletes in the local road race.

A hint for the photo above; each one has held a World Best Time, and non have run slower than 68-minutes for a half marathon.

George pulls a stunner here and beats some huge RR names! Let’s be snipey - George runs in the park races, he ran the club teams, and the FRNY 5-miler. Yet another example of a local national class runner ignored by the last month comments infamous David Barrett - remember, "The present day runner’s aren’t as good as the good ol’ boys of Central Park Track Club…" Well excuse me but I, for one, think George’s performance is flipping fantastic - Well done!! Credit to to his coach Mike Barnow of Westchester TC.

Tecuta's first test after the marathon on Oct. 20 showed traces of anabolic steroids and her second test this week also showed signs of the banned substance.

The 31-year-old, who came fifth in the Amsterdam race, was a part of the Romanian team that won gold in the half marathon world championships last year.

And XC News: Catherine Ndereba , was yesterday relegated to the second place during the third Energizer cross country meeting in Nyahururu.

Ndereba was humiliated by Monica Wangari of Mfae Club who clocked 25minutes 05.3 seconds to win the 8km race. Ndereba returned 26:01.6. In the 4km senior women, Jackline Maranda was humiliated to the seventh place after returning 13:37.00. The race was won by Chemutai Rionotukei (12:43.00) . Peninah Chepchumba of Fila won the 6km junior women in 18:29.00. In the 8km junior men, Eliud Kipchoge of Fila emerged the winner in 22:45.00.

Barnabas Kosgei of Puma was second in 22:59.00.The 4km senior men title was won by Kiplimo Muneria who clocked 11:06.00. Paul Lagat of Puma came second in 11:09.00. Ibrahim Cherono won the 12 km senior men in 34:34.0 while Gilbert Okari of police (34:40.00.) came in second.

Moses Kiprotich won the 15km road race after returning 37.22. Lucy Kilunda from Kiganjo Police College won the women’s 15 km road race in 38.34

More seriously, we print an email from Robin,
"Given that you reach such a wide audience of NYC runners (and other places as well), could you please plead with all runners (but mostly the women!) to NOT run in off hours in Central park with headphones. It was horrifying to me to read the account of the Central park jogger rapist and how he systematically stalked her knowing she was not aware of him as her walkman was turned up so loud that HE could hear it!

After his account appeared in the paper over the weekend I was shocked to pass at least 3 women on my way to this morning's session (in the pre-dawn timeframe!) with MP3 players or walkman cranked up loud enough to identify the tune as I was passing them. C'mon gals -- let's use some common sense, shall we?" Very good points, thank you R2!

Results:
1 Elly Rono 2:11:56 2 Jussi Utrainen 2:13:10 3 Rod DeHaven 2:13:19 4 Bruce Deacon 2:13:20 5 Joseph Kariuki 2:14:48
We were very pleased to Jussi turn in a great result - he trained in Kenya for a while under Mike Kosgei, wanna know more? Read about it in Train Hard, Win Easy! Meanwhile Poor Joseph still does not get it right over the Marathon distance - Strange considering me can pace make up to 35-km at near World Record pace, held the World Best for the 25-km, and is an absolute demon road racer… and what can you say about Bruce D? Solid as a rock - an amazingly consistent Marathoner who does not get the credit he deserves. A great Canadian force, and has been since the mid nineties at least!

Later that day at the SC’s for great hospitality - Strongest coffee and ali baba bagels! Good to report that they are doin’ fine - Stace is concentrating on just ‘getting back’ and StuGlu has the Master’s Nationals to aim for.

However since I have not raced for an age perhaps I am not the best of people to pass judgement on this one.

Wise head, and surely this guy is the future of the 800m.

To that we present you with today’s picture!

The Guitarist from The Paper Tigers.

The history of the Paper Tigers; A very little known pop group formed in the 1980’s and dis-abandoned when the so-called musicians discovered something called constructive feedback, or in the case of the musical business - listening to a recording they had made.

Speaking about dates - Mark this Saturday for a Rae Baymiller promo at the Store.

The Gods are against me! That the weather was atrocious on Thursday did not matter as I really did not want to go to the CPTC workout anyway. So the following day I thought, ‘Perhaps I’ll do a lap of the reservoir…’ (it’s only 1.5-miles) as a starter-offer run. However I trod in an ice cold puddle with one foot and soaked my foot and sock - hence running was out, instead I slid into the gym and onto the stair climber machine. My comeuppance? The girl next to me thought herself a Mariah Carey with headphones! Such was her output that I could hear her over my own headphones… Ohmygoodness, I tried everything, loud coughs, mean stares…. I mean in Iceland there is not a millimeter of snow can you believe it??

Latest update - two runs and five miles in the bag! Six days to go, hm minus at least one day to taper I think.... I love the thought of tapering without doing the training to taper from!

One of the shockers of our sport is how people conceive the word hard, and what amount constitutes something worth tapering from; Believe me I have done all the experiments on the overload side - I once ran 50km two days before the National XC Championships in Sweden to really check out the long slow distance overload theory, I also PR'd on a treadmill to pr the following day over the distance of six miles.... Food for thought; Ngugi once ran a set of 1,000 repeats the day before winning the World X. And Benson Masya did an hour of hard, hard tempo running the day before winning City-Pier-City Half Marathon in Holland, I know because in both the training run and the race I was with Benson for the first five minutes! then there is the Naali brother in the Goteborg Half... but I'm rambling again!

Sunday Times Sportswoman of the Year Paula Radcliffe will run in January's Great North Cross Country in Newcastle.

Speaking of the New Year I fully intend, barring what the airlines call an act of the gods (and the Nordic circle is full of that I can tell you), being in Icey Iceland to celebrate the coming of yet another year.

I go to Iceland every year and am leaving it late for 2002. Although I shall be there for a short time I intend on doing 1,000 things - I am giving a talk to the running community, dining with all da old friends, and did I mention my dear Ma is reaching 60-yrs old on that day (My father is 5-days her junior). She is still pleased about her free bus pass, though my poor Dad has to wait an additional five years to claim his - Sexist? You bet!

On a further note, before Woman’s Realm attacks me the first ever magazine I appeared in was called Woman’s Own…. I was so proud when my photo came out in the magazine with a sweet little article, I think I was ten at the time…. In those days I was easy to please.

Hot names include Jimmy Muindi (2:08 this year), Hellen Kimutai (2;26 same race - Berlin), and Mbarek Hussein who was well up at this year’s Boston Marathon. Francis Robert Naali (see pic on the Shoe4Africa) is also running his first marathon since winning the Commonwealth Games Gold. Also the NYC marathon runner-up ‘Luba’ will competing with many of her countrywomen.

The event which concludes the European athletics year bring together again some of the strongest middle and long distance runners as well as medal winners from the past SPAR European Cross Country Championships and this year's European Championships in Munich.

Two names are closely connected with the eight year history of the SPAR European Cross Country Championships. Paulo Guerra (POR) won the title in 1994, 1995, 1999 and 2000 and is aiming for a fifth gold medal. Defending champion Sergiy Lebid (UKR) could achieve his third victory after his wins in 1998 and 2001 and his fifth medal in total. With a third place at the European Championships in Munich in the 5000m race he finally proved his abilities on the track too.

With Jonathan Brown (GBR) another former champion (1996) is on the entry list. But there are other, probably new names which in the end could be in front. Kamiel Maase (NED), last year's silver medalist and the European season leader at 10000m, Vaysl Matviychuk (UKR), the 2001 junior champion, Mustapha Essaid (FRA) and El Hassan Lahssini (FRA).

A very strong team will represent Spain: José Manuel Martinez, the European 10000m champion, Roberto Garcia, 4th at the European Championships at 5000m, and Alejandro Gomez, 6th in the Marathon and silver medalist at the Cross Country Championships in 1995. Mainly the 5000m and 10000m runners are expected to dominate this event.

In the Women's race Portugal seems to have the strongest team on the starting line. Analidia Torre, the silver medal winner in 2000, Analidia Rosa, the 2000 World Student Champion, Jessica Augusto, the Junior Champion in 2000 and Ana Dias are all among the candidates for a top ranking.

Olga Romanova (RUS), last year's runner up, and Elvan Abeylegesse (TUR), the 2001 Junior Champion and 5th at the European Championships in 5000m, are other favorites. And Anita Weyermann (SUI) the Champion in 1999, will also compete in Medulin.

And also with a Parisian pointing…
Triple Olympic champion Marie-Jose Perec is back in training and aiming to run in next year's world championships in Paris, according to reports in France. The 35-year-old French star has been training in Los Angeles, Chicago and her Caribbean home of Guadeloupe, reports Le Parisien newspaper.

A decision is to be made at the end of February about a proposed switch of dates for the 2008 Olympic Games. China has asked the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to put back the start of the games by several weeks because of the hot summer weather in China. The Games are currently due to begin at the end of July or the beginning of August - Should not the OLY. Committee thought about that a few years ago, or is Global warming really hating things up?

Athletics in the UK Rocks! I am referring to running of course (known as Athletics the other side of the pond):
"Birmingham, UK – With only 100 days to go to the start of the 9th IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics (Friday 14 March 2003) at the National Indoor Arena (NIA), the three day meeting which is the climax of the indoor season, looks set shortly to sell the last remaining spectator tickets, with the stadium already full on both Saturday (15 March) and Sunday (16 March)."

Travels - we hear that EPO-Berko is on the move - he is going to spend a month in the land of OZ. The self proclaimed King of the Roads should make a hit on the road racing circuit in Melbourne over the Winter IF he gets round to entering the races - his last 5-mile race was a 23:30, and that off virtually no training. Natural Talent? This guy is full of it.

Who remembers this guy?

When David Bowie sung, "I’m an alligator," I don’t think he was serious.. hence all that is in print is not necessarily true.

What is true though is that (drum roll) an ant is 100 times stronger than itself! Wow. Should we now be eating ant’s blood?

Kosgei, who was third in 2001, set a new race record beating the previous mark which his compatriot William Musyoki, who was fifth (2:28:52) yesterday, set in 2001. (Just for another coincidence Musyoki also won the race the year I ran this race).

In the women’s race, Fátima Silva took first place in 2:35:07, which in the process secured the Portuguese national title by quite a distance from the second place Hermínia Silva in 2:56:12. "It was hard because I run the last 20 km all by myself, "said Fátima. "I had problems at the 30 km, but I manage to go on for the victory." Fatima also won the race in 2001. And my last note about this race - they never gave me my prize money, albeit the scubby amount it was!

Women (6050m course) 1 Selina Kosgei (Ken) 20:13 2 Lidia Chojecka (Pol) 20:17 3 Yesenia Centeno (Cub) 20:35 4 Eveline Chelaga (Ken) 20:47

Abera was supposed to have run this past Spring but canceled due to injury - His Marathon was the only race this year he competed in! Talk about a 100% record! And, furthermore, Deena will run London too!

Kim Goff extended her record for most consecutive victories at the same marathon, when she won her tenth straight Run Barbados Marathon in Bridgetown on Sunday.
What a ledgend - I had the pleasure of playing dominoes with Kim, and eating pizza, in Kingston a couple of years ago - a delightful lady.

Hugh Jones, another legend, finished second in the men’s race. The10K was taken by Joseph Kariuki (KEN) in 28:41, with Joseph Nderitu (KEN) 2nd in 28:47 and Moses Macharia (KEN) 3rd in 30:33. Those were the weekend’s Caribbean snappy performances.

Lioudmila Kortchaguina (RUS) won the women’s 10-km in 34:50. (Half Marathon had Pamenos Ballentyne (TRI) and master Gitte Karlshøj (KEN) 1st in 68:14 and 78:34, respectively.)

Rigaudo, who is ranked third in the world this year in the 15-kilometers walk, failed the test after an Italian club meet on September 22. Both the A and B urine samples showed traces of the drug.

This man improved his best from a 2:14 Marathon to a 2:06 effort, he backed up the result with a 59’ Half Marathon. This photo shows him on top of the world, okay the Rift Valley! Mr. William Kiplagat.

The 35-year-old 1992 Olympic champion, who retired from competition in October last year, failed a doping test twice - in 1999 and 2001. Sotomayor won an Olympic silver medal in 2000 after having a two-year suspension reduced to one for testing positive for cocaine at the 1999 PanAmerican Games. The athlete denied taking the anabolic steroid nandrolone for which he tested positive at a meet in Tenerife, Spain in July 2001."

"I was born on September 7, 1965,(5-pts) in Leipzig, a beautiful city in former East Germany (4-pts) where I lived until I was four. My parents, both medical doctors, then changed their job location and moved with my younger brother and me to the countryside outside of Berlin. (3-pts) My biggest influence during my childhood was my parents, who instilled in me a Faustian love of learning and a tremendous capacity for doing difficult work. Germans have the reputation of being hard workers. Well, reporters said of me, "...that she continued that effort on her way to becoming the top women's (2-pts)distance runner of the early/mid 90's and the model of the new kind of female runner of the future." (1-pt)

Did ya guess who it was? I hope so!

Nicolas Cage has filed for divorce from Lisa Marie Presley after less than four months of marriage. Cage cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split. Presley responded with this statement: "I'm sad about this, but we shouldn't have been married in the first place. It was a big mistake." This was Presley's third marriage and Cage's second.

Dumb? Bidding for Eminem's boyhood home in Detroit has passed the $13 million mark on eBay. The modest three-bedroom crib was recently appraised for around $100,000. The auction ends Dec. 14.

Character actress Frances Bay, 83, best known for her role as Adam Sandler's grandmother in Happy Gilmore, remains in critical condition after being struck by a car in Glendale, Calif., on Thursday. Bay's right leg had to be amputated below the knee. Bay also appeared in a memorable Seinfeld playing an elderly woman mugged by Jerry over a loaf of rye bread

On Amazon we noticed the price for Train Hard, Win Easy - The First Edition has gone up to $155!

"So the chicks go to check out this strip joint that is being touted as " the place": high end, with great shows, for women and men and where all the "celebrities" go when in town. Why there- just something different to do and I've never been to a strip joint. Our verdict: it is no vegas show and if that's the best in Vancouver...then sad. Sure, the gals had all the assets, but the shows were super boring and on top of it all they had no rhythm or couldn't dance! I'll give them one thing- they sure can hang upside down on those poles with minimal effort-I should get their upper arm workout routines. Anywhoo...can cross that off my list of been there, done that."

"We then head off to a bar where the women's bathroom provided way more entertainment that the strip show- complete chaos with all the gals primping in their barely nothing outfits. I can't remember the last time I went to a club in this town, but even though we had a blast, I'm not missing anything!"

‘Train hard and win easy’ Millions of dollars have been spent researching why Kenyan athletes excel in distance running. Omulo Okoth argues that the money had better be used in more deserving areas because these athletes just train hard ATHLETICS
Many theories have been advanced to explain why Kenyan athletes dominate middle and long distance running. The more familiar one was that because Kenyan athletes, and especially Kalenjins who dominate the sport, ran for some 15 or 20-kilometres daily to and from school, they transform naturally into athletics champions.

Wrote journalist Philip Hersh for the Chicago Tribune in 2001: "The mythos surrounding Kenyan distance runners turns them into products of an assembly line, even if that machinery is the forces of nature rather than something man-made. "They are, as the story frequently goes, shy children from mud huts in the high altitude areas of Kenya whose foundation in the sport comes from chasing animals on the family farm and running two or four or six or eight miles to and from elementary school. "From there, they jet into track programme at a Church-run high school and are soon beating their peers world-wide in junior cross country and track events." This line of argument is the most famous in the West.

But educational institutions have since increased so much that there are as many as two primary schools within a radius of 4-kilometres in most villages in the Kenyan countryside.

Yet, they have not stopped dominating races abroad. In the run-up to last year’s Chicago Marathon, five-time world cross country champion Paul Tergat appeared to disabuse this notion. In his interview with the Chicago Tribune, Tergat said he did not have to run to and from school. In any case, they had a family car. His CV rates him among the world’s best runners of all time. The other explanation given by so-called experts on Kenyan athletics was that the Kalenjin drank raw blood and milk. It was from this school of thought that it was said that among the top pastime of Kalenjins was chasing wild animals, mostly antelopes, from family farms. Then came the oft-quoted reason of living and training at altitude. The experts say training at altitude where there is thin air puts Kenyan athletes at an advantage when they compete at sea level. However, Kenya is not the only country at altitude, as Ethiopia, Morocco, South Africa, Switzerland, Mexico and some parts of United States are located at altitude, but Kenyans still beat them.

Two years ago, another research work established that Kalenjin athletes have a different type of fibre in their veins, which creates very special type of genes, which makes them good athletes. At a recent world media conference on globalised sports society in Copenhagen, another research was presented by Dane Dirk Lund Christensen which, in a nutshell, attempted to trace the dominance by the Kalenjins of distance to their past social practices i.e. cattle raiding and night running.

Henrik Larsen of the Copenhagen Muscle Research Centre (see another story on this page), also presented a paper at the same forum which, inter alia, said: "The reasons for this dominance are still not known but factors that may play a role are genetic endowment, upbringing and training," he says.

In his book: Train Hard, Win Easy, The Kenyan Way, respected American journalist/author John Manners research is as blunt as the title of his book reads. Having witnessed some of their training regimen in the Rift Valley Province, there is hardly anything to add to Mr Manner’s findings. Kenyan athletes just train hard and are a disciplined lot. "Self-denial, disciplinary traits acquired from the disciplined forces where most of them work are the secret behind their success," Ayoki Onyango, a seasoned newspaper commentator, said. The 1988 Seoul Olympics 800 metres champion Paul Ereng and 1991 world 5000 metres champion Yobes Ondieki are not surprised that another theory has emerged explaining Kenyan athletes’ success.

"They used to talk of running to and from school. Some said African athletes didn’t have the brains to finish, let alone winning, a marathon race or the tactical ability to run the 800 metres well," the two athletes said last week.

"Why have Kenyans emerged as good marathon and 800 metres runners, if they did not have the brains? The West will always look for excuses to apologise for their failures," they said. Kenyan young runners see the successes realised by their role models and train hard to achieve it. Hunger or poverty can not be ruled out as everybody strives to avoid them like plague. If athletics pursuit can catapult one to a higher economic bracket in a country where annual per capita income is $360 (Sh 28,440), according to World Bank figures, so be it.

Pioneer champions like Kip Keino travel the world over like kings. Winning major city marathon races like Boston, New York or London, where Kenyans have almost made their preserve, earns them approximately $85,000 (Sh7m) winner’s purse plus almost similar amount appearances and bonuses. According to Tim McLaughlin of Reuters, this is almost a king’s ransom. Researchers tend to ignore this important factor and delve into very irrelevant areas. Kenyans just train hard. Period.

Women: 1 Margaret Okayo (Ken) 2:24:59 2 Alice Chelangat (Ken) 2:28:16 3 Simona Staicu (Hun) 2:29:59

What a comeback from the legend herself, "I did not want to end my season on a losing note." Okayo said after her disappointment of NYC. For me this ranks Okayo second on the year’s ranking after Paula Radcliffe. Okayo, as Radcliffe did, beat last year’s number one, Ndereba….

And yes the men’s finish was extremely close - a sprint!

Janne Holmén won this year’s edition of the Kanonloppet - the featured race a month or two ago on this page. He ran 1:05:17 for the 20-km Cross Country Race. Janne won the European Marathon Championships earlier this year Anna Björklund took the women’s event in 1:25.

Kavan has already planned his ambush on the Boss, it will be on Dec 08th @ Prospect Park Holiday 5-miler…. Costanza, citing his bad knees, will not be running. Also we learn that Boon used to live in Venezuela - it is amazing what you can find out at the Store! Other talk, Kavan’s parents come in, "Can I get you a drink? We have whisky or Kahlua?" Hm the typical drink you get at a running store is water! Not at Urban Athletics! New to the store - perhaps Brooks and Adidas - watch this space!

For the majority of the clubs this ripple in the rule book will hardly be noticeable, but it is very interesting to note that the depth of women’s races is yet to match that of the men’s. Case in Point; The Club Team Race where all the best team runners come to represent their club: The men’s field the top 26-spots all were over 80% whereas the women’s top three barely crept over 80%. Food for thought.

Amby Burfoot, The Boston Marathon Champion, Me - Not a Champion, and Tom Fleming, The New York City Marathon Champion. Amby and Tom are two East Coast legends, I knew them in name only before coming to America, but since living here have had the pleasure to get to know both gentlemen and have found them to be befitting of their Champions’ status.

Today’s race started in near ideal conditions of 14C and a cloudy sky, but the sun soon broke through and temperatures started to rise. Armand Quintanilla of Mexico and Eliud Lagat of Kenya led the pace making chores. (15:17 for the first 5Km, and 20 runners passed 10Km in 30:18).

Takayuki Inubushi, a former national record holder at 2:06:57 who was already in trouble by 10Km, dropped out with an upper leg problem just after 15km.
After passing the half marathon in 1:03:57, the pace started to slacken off, and after the pace setters dropped out, the pace wheezed down a notch further still.

Next year, Abera will have a chance to join Frank Shorter and Toshihiko Seko as the only four-time winners on December 7. Both Toshinari Takaoka, an Asian marathon record holder (2:06:16) and Atsushi Fujita, a former Asian record (2:06:51) holder have already announced their intention to run in their attempt to make a Japanese Olympic marathon team.

Results (Unofficial): 1) Gezahegne Abera (ETH) 2:09:13 2) Tsuyoshi Ogata (JPN) 2:09:15 3) Eric Wainaina (KEN) 2:10:08

To win this race three times in this era is a wonderful achievement, and considering this was Gezza’a first race of the year… the mind boggles!

The reason why I am writing this is I was searching for the Manchester Road Race results the other morning and came across a message board with all kinds of odd names, and an attack upon one female athlete who had appeared in a running web site article.

She responded to the stupid messages in a very articulate and introspective way; I hope the ‘posting people’ took note (Not that they would be the kind of people who would read my site…..) But it does in itself light up an interesting issue. Everyone has a view, but few are prepared to put their name under anything in the slightest controversial.

Her response, "I just saw this thread. Thanks for your posts. Certainly, there are always people who feel the need on bashing on others. If I may say this, I believe that exactly those are the ones who are not happy with their own lives and maybe they should find the guts to make changes and improve their lives. It is not easy, I know; but instead of pretending to be so tough, so all-and-everybody knowing, they should look at themselves and think about their own behavior as well as identity.
The problem is that most people do not dare to vocalize their thoughts and feelings. Well, they do, but only under pathetically stupid names like so many people on this message board. I have no secrets. I stand behind the things I say and think. I am not afraid to vocalize them and take the consequences for my actions. But obviously there are not that many people who do that... unfortunately!" Excellent.

Although keen to take his place in the squad, the 1996 champion felt a calf injury, which forced him to drop out of the New York Marathon at the beginning of the month, wasn’t sufficiently healed to do himself and the team justice.
However over the weekend Brown, third two years ago when leading the British side to the team medals, has answered a late plea for help from the selectors after the withdrawal through injury of Sam Haughian.

And the Irish Team for the above race
Men Seamus Power Kilmurry/Ibrickane Fiachra Lombard Leevale Mark Kenneally Raheny Shamrocks Cathal Lombard Leevale Alistair Cragg Unattached Gareth Turnbull St Malachys Reserve: Dermot Donnelly Annadale Striders

Women Ann Keenan Buckley North Laois Maria McCambridge DSD Sinead Delahunty KCH Breda Dennehy Willis Bandon Annette Kealy Raheny Shamrocks Valerie Vaughan Blarney/Inniscara

And for something different - Mark your calendars for this race next March!
Little Cow Harbor 4 Mile Run
March 1st 9:30am
Location is at Old Field Middle School
Greenlawn, NY

Course record
Mens 19:37
Women 23:1_7

Cash is for breaking the record
Men $250\
Women $250

Sign up and find about the race from
active.com
nrcrun.org

Contact William Fodor if you want anymore information at
wfodor@leviton.com

You can take the train to huntington station, there are cabs readily
available  to drive to the location (three miles away)

Amy’s boyfriend, Mark Carroll, is of course recovering from his recent 2:10 @ NYC Marathon.. the Spaghetti grabs a good comeback from injury Fifth, and Andrew Letherballs (his own nickname, not a name I gave!) takes a great first place - Andrew, from Ozland, had a stunning breakthru this year to take a medal in the Commonwealth Games Marathon. It is nice to see Nolan in third, he was here in the Spring for the 8km champs and can dunk a basketball no less! Interesting to look at the nationalities - not your typical AfroSweep!

According to press reports, Romania defender Cristian Chivu is almost certain to leave Ajax for Real Madrid after this season.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) have postponed a vote on dropping modern pentathlon, softball and baseball from the Olympics Games.

Hilde Gerg of Germany takes Super Giant season opener at Aspen, Croatia's Janica Kostelic finishes second.

Not again…. Washington Wizards' Michael Jordan made it clear that he's playing his final NBA season.

I mean can you imagine in golf, or motor racing, the same thing?

Sadly it seems that participation has overtaken the ethics of noted performance. The Race Directors cater for the masses and its effect is that a new generation of runners are being born dreaming of just ‘taking part’ in running events. Reminds me of a quote from the Swedish guy Par Wallin who had a range of 1:50/800 up to a 2:13 Marathon. Par, who is the Sparvagen record holder in the 5000/10,000 (13:34/28:30) noted, "When I began running we trained to win races. Today people don’t train to win anymore."

In the Oskahlid Race, one of the very first I ever ran, I won the race and a plastic trophy, and the raffle, a pair of Nike running shoes… I was booed when I went up for the raffle prize - I offered to give the plastic trophy back, but nobody wanted that!

A most entertaining night - I picked up some very useful swimming tips from a swim teacher called Julie, a guy called Arthur told me that the best ethnic restaurants are in Jackson Heights, Sherlock stunned us all with magic tricks and solving the rubriks cube in a mind boggling 40-seconds.. yes twas a very nice night, and I thank all the participants for it! (PS I found out where the Gypsy’s meet on their All-Saints day, and loads of other trivia that I will no doubt share in the weeks to come)….

Coming up - a photo series. Number One is a promised picture of Benjamin Kimutai Kosgei. Unfortunately the picture we have of him outside the HATC is yet to be scanned but first we have one of him in the background. A more natural shot of Benjamin. He is the Kenyan whose 2:07:26 DEBUT may have reaped more media coverage save for the fact that the press mistook him for a 2:14 Kimutai Kosgei named John! You see it is a common name. Here in the photo Kosgei, (in blue to the left), has his arm aloof.

More Kenya news:
Olympic 800m champ from 1988 Paul Ereng has started his own club, Eldoret Track & Field. Ereng says, "a man rearranges his priorities as life continues." Hence his farming duties will now take a back seat.

I am having similar luck myself! Even not running I think I have a cross training injury now!
Oh boy, it never rains, but pours! Despite running three times, and racing just once, this month - A Lifetime record since I began running as a scrubby cigarette smoking skinny 22-year old….
Anyway I can not even pedal my bike with my left leg right now, only the right, which is causing some major traffic scares… I think I ‘went out’ too hard, if one could, on the Elliptical Trainer. It all began when a lady came on the machine next to me, set up an office on the blinking equipment with a PDA, cellphone, text book, and some kind of MP3 player that looked like a rastablaster from the 80’s, then proceeded to step with the speed of a snail suffering from rigor mortis.

To make matters worse she began talking into a hidden dictaphone making notes on certain passages from the text book…. When her phone rang and she became engaged in a "Yeah I’m working out, at the gym…" speech I’d had enough. So I preceded to step with the turnover of a maddened limpet heading away from an erupting volcano to block out the drone of her monotonic voice that was over-riding even my headphones…. And the result?

Yep, looks like Injury #354 for the year. Did I mention the sauna I had later that day with the Russian guy who was complaining about Mercury coming from my magazine and into his zone? At least he got up and left!

Thanks to all who have supported the Shoe4Africa Fund.

At least Paula got what the world knew she deserved. Yes El G is great, undefeated, but 2002 was not a sterling year for him - he did not even win the Overall Gran Prix! Oh well, in my eyes The Khannouch IS the runner of 2002!

11/27
Three more boxes of used running shoes made their way today across the Seas! For once there were no issues at the PO - I had done everything correctly. Typically there is an old address, or label, on the box that causes amazing amounts of grief, or I have to sit on the box to squash it the inch down to regulation size…. Y’know the gripes of the everyday life!

We saw Partime who is looking very well, though suffering from her injuries still… and on that note we hear that Amex Chris twisted his ankle at the race on the weekend - We hope every one gets super fit soon!

Our own NYC Ethiopian Legend, Alem Kahsay, is now back in training - he hopes a comeback is imminent!

Other movements: The Boss is off on a mini-holiday, down South to the land of the flying Tequila….

The next store event, social, will be in December.

Here’s the top 10-marathon times:
2:07:13 Steve Jones 20 Oct 1985 Chicago, USA 2:08:33 Charlie Spedding 21 Apr 1985 London 2:08:36 Richard Nerurkar 13 Apr 1997 London 2:08:52 Paul Evans 20 Oct 1996 Chicago, USA 2:09:08 Geoff Smith 23 Oct 1983 New York, USA 2:09:12 Ian Thompson 31 Jan 1974 Christchurch, NZL 2:09:16 Allister Hutton 21 Apr 1985 London 2:09:24 Hugh Jones 9 May 1982 London 2:09:28 Ron Hill 23 Jul 1970 Edinburgh 2:09:28 John Graham 23 May 1981 Rotterdam, NED

Women:
2:17:18 Paula Radcliffe Oct 2002 Chicago 2:25:56 Veronique Marot 23 Apr 1989 London 2:26:51 Priscilla Welch 10 May 1987 London 2:26:52 Liz McColgan 13 Apr 1997 London 2:28:06 Sarah Rowell 21 Apr 1985 London 2:28:38 Sally-Ann Hales 21 Apr 1985 London 2:28:42 Marian Sutton 24 Oct 1999 Chicago, USA 2:29:29 Sally Eastall 8 Dec 1991 Sacramento, USA 2:29:43 Joyce Smith 9 May 1982 London 2:29:47 Paula Fudge 30 Oct 1988 Chicago, USA

Who is this mystery 32-min US 10k runner?

What about V&T’s Pizzeria on Amsterdam & something-up-high. We hear that Stace-the-Ace, Madame Mileage, and Devon think it is a good idea - what about you? Women’s Appreciation Day. V&T’s make a great pizza too.

The Great Weight - Okay, I quit running a while back but thanks to the Stair climber/ Elliptical trainer the pounds have begun to be shed. Madame Mileage, "You go on the Tush fat butt machine?" Yep ma’am - along with the wigglers we are there stepping away to the funky disco beats.

My plan is to start running on the 7th of December - Why? Because this is the date of one of my fav races, The Hot Choc 15km… so as that is way too long for a novice like myself I thought I should START jogging on this day to ensure I don’t compete.

Competing will begin exactly one week later - Why? Because this is a tried and tested Tanza formula! In 2000 I had six weeks off, started running again, and one week later ran 20:48 for the 4-miler in Central Park.. will it work again? Probably not as I was exceedingly fit going in to that six week lay off whereas this time I was quite the opposite. However, in the words of Philias Fogg, "It is an experiment worth trying out!"

Cherigat kicked with two kilometers remaining in the 42km race to finish 24sec ahead of his compatriot David Busenei. Willy Cheruiyot, who completed a Kenyan clean sweep of the first three places, crossed the line third in 2:10:32.

Kenyans filled the first eight places and another Kenyan, Margaret Atudonyang, won the women's race. Cherigat, 26, whose best previous result was finishing 10th in last year's Boston Marathon, took advantage of perfect conditions to smash his personal best by nearly five minutes

Results: 12-km men: 1. John Korir (Nanyuki) 33:05, 2. Gilbert Okari (Kiganjo) 35:08, 3. Geoffrey Siele (WOO) 35:33, 4. John Korir (Kapchoro) 35:42, 5.John Kirui (Nanyuki) 35:45. 4-km senior men; 1. Elkana Agweni (ESMI) 13:04.7, 2. Suleiman Simoto (Police) 13:06.8, 3.Lord Torome (Nanyuki) 13:08.7, 4. Ken Maiyo (ESMI) 13:10.7, 5. Pius Muli (Kwanthanze) 13:16.7. 6-km women; 1. Peninah Chepchumba (Fila Kapsait) 21:01.1, 2. Teresia Wangui (MFAE) 21:90.4, 3. Ann Waithera (Individual) 22:07.1, 4. Esther Chemtai (Hidden Talent) 22:15.4, 5. Jane Muthoni (MFAE) 22:15.4.

8-km senior women; 1. Rahab Ndunge (OAC) 27:21.78, 2. Catherine Ndereva (Prisons) 27:29.92, 3. Monicah Wangari (MFAE) 27:51.78, 4. Anne Wambui (ESMI) 27:55.70. 8-km junior men; 1. Denis Kipkirui (Bondeni) 23:56, 2. Hosea Machariany (Fila Kapsait) 23.59, 3. Isaac Kinyua (MFAE) 24:06, 4. Zakayo Mose (Isiolo) 24:15. 4-km senior women; 1. Nancy Wambui (MFAE) 15.14, 2. Jennifer Chesinono (Addidas) 15:17, 3. Maria Busienei (ESMI) 15:26, 4. Loise Kiptoo (Fila Kapsait) 15:41. 21-km road race; 1. Paul Korir (CDR) 1:06.31, 2. Onesmus Nyerere (Individual) 1:06.33, 3. Onesmus Kilonzo (WCM) 1:07.33, 4. Josephat Ndeti (Individual) 1:07.56. Women; 1. Syombua Muthoka (Kwanthaze) 1:30.53, 2. Wandii Wambua (Kwanthanze) 1:30.54, 3. Wambua Mwanzia (Kwanthanze) 1:30.55.

I have run this race myself - it is a tough loops course, and is very hot in Machakos! I can tell you that the course is a short one - really, no kidding!

Women: From Texas, 1 Lisa Spenner 28 TX 29:27 29 #2, and first master, Catherine Stone 40 GNY NJ 29:56 #3 Yumi Ogita 41 CPTC NY 31:04

And in Belgium’s Loot XC: A Swede conquers!
1 Nyberg Claes SWE 0:28:15 2 Kipgolat Kosgei James KEN 0:28:19 3 Van Hooste Tom BEL 0:28:24
Women: 1 Baouf Fatiha BEL 0:22:11 2 Smolders Anja BEL 0:22:24 3 Offergeld Kim BEL 0:22:28
Claes is a legendary runner in Sweden who has been running for the ages at a National standard - he rules the Swedish short course XC, and has run an excellent 5,000m. Currently runs for a club called Gota I think, though used to race for Moldnal - a club that Mats Erikson ran for when he #4 in the European Championship 10,000m… Mats was working for Reebok the last we heard, and survived a very nasty head on car crash a few years ago.

Anyway we highlight this race because stuck in the shadows, a week before her birthday, is the Princess making her comeback! 4-time Silver WXC star - Catherine McKiernan. Anyone who has been reading these pages for a while will know the Princess stories from 1998 and 1997. Very happy to see her back on the scene.

Back to Swede-News! This weekend was the famous Snow 10km race. Our Editor is particularly fond of this race as he won it 93,94, & 95. The race is run on a course similar to what New Yorkers call a Cross Country - on park paths. Participants get an extra bonus at the finishing line if there is a covering of snow. The year I ran that I remember the best I fell on the first bend as I tried to negotiate a turn. Half the field were kind enough to jump over me as I lay forlorn and half dead in the snow.

Anyway I jumped back up, recovered and won in 30:29 which I believe is still the course record. After the race Bosse Engwall (a 2:16 Swedish Marathoner, and a nice guy who trades the stock market with great success) measured the course with the wheel and found the course to be 10.11-km - ouch! Anyway the last year I ran this race two days prior to the race I did the Groucho Marx walk with weights… come race day the gun went off and I was left behind! I simply could not run - a hobbled like a piglet on a barbeque stick over a roasting flame… I had used muscles for the first time in my life in that exercise - not a wise move. The guy who won also won again this past Saturday - Eric, a very good 5,000m runner who ran 13:31 this Summer I do believe:
Erik Sjöqvist och Annika Nyberger visade god höstform när de på lördagens försvarade sina titlar på Snömilen. That simply says Eric and Annika retained their titles.. sounds like Eric has been winning for a while.. and Annika? That is our Swedish Legendary Marathoner Anders Szalkai’s ‘wife.’

Another Kenyan, Charles Kamindo, was second in 2:19.16, with Darrell General of Mitchellville, Md., next in 2:19.34. Conditions were nearly perfect, with a light wind and temperatures in the low 50s.

Tatiana Maslova of Russia pulled away from Cassy Byrne of Pottstown, Pa., in the final mile to win the women's division. Maslova covered the 26.2 miles in 2:39.47, Byrne in 2:40.27. Kate Fonshell of Ardmore, Pa., was third in 2:40.55.

Another great race is the Asics Midnight Run here in Central Park - last year Shaun Creighton, an Olympian won, the year before Janko Bensa, and the year before that Joseph Kariuki won.

Hm this list again highlights the poor, poor, oversight of David Barrett’s comments about the poor standard of runners in the park these days compared to the good ol’ days - Creighton ran 27:31 for the 10,000, Bensa 28:03, and Kariuki, well he was only A world record holder for 25km!!

ITEN, Kenya, Nov 23 (Reuters) - Seventeen-year-old Tanzanian Josephine Deemay beat a strong field of elite athletes on Saturday to win a high-altitude road race.

Deemay defied the thin air of the 2,300 meters-high venue 450 kilometers northwest of Nairobi to finish the women's race in 34 minutes 37 seconds.

Kenyans Irene Kosgei and Hellen Kimaiyo finished second and third respectively. Uganda's Margaret Nankintu was fourth.