Vega, McGregor to Power NYC's USA Field

Organizers of the ING New York City Marathon have confirmed that Team USA Minnesota's Katie McGregor and Antonio Vega will compete in their event on November 7.

The race, which last year served as the USA Men's Marathon Championships, will serve as the 2010 USA Women's Marathon Championships.

Along with a stellar international field that includes Kenyan World Half Marathon Champion Mary Keitany, New Zealand star Kim Smith, and Ethiopia's Werknesh Kidane, McGregor will face marathon debutante Shalane Flangan, the American record-holder at 10,000-meters, Mary Akor, winner of three straight Grandma's Marathons, and Blake Russell, the winner of the 2003 Twin Cities Marathon.

Vega, the 2010 USA Half Marathon champion and the current USA Running Circuit points leader, joins fellow Americans Meb Keflezighi, the 2004 Olympic Marathon silver medalist and defending NYC champ, Dathan Ritzenhein, the former American record-holder at 5000m, and debut marathoner Tim Nelson in the field.

Top men's international runners at the ING New York City Marathon include marathon world record-holder Haile Gebrselassie of Ethiopia, countryman Gebre Gebremariam, Arata Fujiwara of Japan, Kenyans Abel Kirui, Peter Kamais, and Emmanuel Mutai, and Canada's Simon Bairu.

Barbora Špotáková Talks About Winning Diamond League

Former Gopher javelin thrower and Beijing Olympic champion, Barbora Špotáková writes in her IAAF diary about winning the Diamond League competition in her event, her season, her injuries, and her summer vacation. You can read the story HERE.

USATF Minnesota Annual Meeting Sunday

The Minnesota Association of USA Track & Field will hold its Annual Meeting this Sunday, September 12th, at 6:30 p.m. at Broadway Pizza on west River Road in Minneapolis.

All members are encouraged to attend and participate.

The Annual Meeting will feature election of officers (President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer) for the upcoming year. Nominations for those offices will be accepted from the floor.

The agenda for the meeting can be found HERE.

There will be a free pizza buffet for all USATF Minnesota members at the event.

The regular monthly meeting of USATF Minnesota will follow the adjournment of the Annual Meeting.

For more information contact office@usatfmn.org.

Eden Prairie Tops Both Class AA Polls

Eden Prairie's boys and girls cross country teams find themselves atop the Class AA ranking in the latest polls released today.

The Eden Prairie boys, the defending Class AA champions, maintain the top rank they held in the pre-season season poll. The Eden Prairie girls, the 2008 Class AA champions, jumped from #3 to the top ranking.

In Class A, the Adrian girls replaced Waseca atop the rankings, while the Plainview-Elgin-Millville boys continue to pace their poll.

Complete Class AA and Class A rankings can be found below.

Class AA Girls

Teams:
1 Eden Prairie
2 Monticello
3 Roseville
4 Lakeville South
5 Minnetonka
6 Prior Lake
7 Hopkins
8 Andover
9 Elk River
10 Wayzata
11 Moorhead
12 Edina

Individuals:
1 Maria Hauger, 10, Shakopee
2 Jamie Piepenburg, 11, Alexandria
3 Erica Seidenkranz, 11, Monticello
4 Abbi Aspengren, 12, Elk River
5 Kayla Urick, 12, Chaska
6 Kaelyn Williams, 11, Cooper
7 Laura Lawton, 12, Eden Prairie
8 Taylor Scholl, 11, Prior Lake
9 Megan Bailey, 12, Minnetonka
10 Becca Dyson, 12, Roseville
11 Haylie Zenner, 11, Fergus Falls
12 Julia Harrison, 11, Mound Westonka Teams


Class AA Boys

Teams:
1 Eden Prairie
2 Wayzata
3 Edina
4 Stillwater
5 Rosemount
6 Owatonna
7 Burnsville
8 White Bear Lake
9 Moorhead
10 Redwing
11 Eastview
12 Hopkins

Individuals
1 Aaron Bartnik , 12, Eden Prairie
2 Josh Thorson , 11, Wayzata
3 Bryant Blahnik, 12, Redwing
4 Cole O'Brien, 11, Burnsville
5 Adam Zutz, 12, St. Francis
6 Steven Dado, 12, Totino Grace
7 Mohamed Mohamed, 12, Eden Prairie
8 Lukas Gemar, 12, Moorhead
9 Jan Ketterson, 11, Bloomington Jefferson
10 Tom Linner, 11, Stillwater
11 Bjorn Thompson, 12, Edina
12 Trent Lusignan, 12, Shakopee


Class A Girls

Teams:
1. Adrian
2. Waseca
3. Annandale
4. Perham
5. St. Cloud Cathedral
6. LaCrescent
7. Esko
8. Albany
9. Park Rapids Area
10. Blake
11. Dover-Eyota/St. Charles
12. Fairmont

Individuals:
1. Clare Flanagan, Blake
2. Jordin Kopplow, Adrian
3. Lauren Friese, Fairmont
4. Courtney Alama, Annandale
5. Elena Danielson, St. Cloud Cathedral
6. Victoria Alexander, Lake of the Woods
7. Gabi Swoboda, Redwood Falls Area
8. Ahna Buntrock Dover-Eyota/SC.
9. Taylor Alama, Annandale
10. Morgan Larson, Waseca
11. Sally O’Brien, Waseca
12. Emi Trost, Cannon Falls


Boys Class A

Teams:
1. Plainview-Elgin-Millville
2. Perham
3. St. Cloud Cathedral
4. Holy Family Catholic
5. Waseca
6. Esko
7. Mora
8. Eveleth-Gilbert
9. Fairmont
10. LaCrescent
11. Minnehaha Academy
12. Blue Earth Area

Individuals:
1. Mubarik Musa, Worthington
2. Mason Ferlic, Mounds Park Academy
3. Oj Ojulla, Worthington
4. Grant Wintheiser, St. Cloud Cathedral
5. Troy Koivisto, Dassel-Cokato
6. Cullen Shanrock, Wabasha-Kellogg
7. Aaron Haley, Plainview-E-M
8. Grant Timm, Plainview-E-M
9. Brendan Skime, Thief River Falls
10. Andrew Gerdts, Le Sueur-Henderson
11. Keith Schornack, Perham
12. Byron Schuldt, Nevis

Short-Cut: Results' Links for September 1-6

Time to blow the dust off DtB's Short-Cut feature!

Here are results' links for all the Labor Day weekend action ...

Wednesday-Friday:
Bethany Lutheran Invitational: Results
Update: Gustavus men tip Carleton 27-44

Carleton/UW-Superior Dual: Recap
Update: #13 Carleton women skunk UW-Superior 15-50

Ole/Macalester Time Trial: Results
Update: Emma Lee wins in 15:20

NDSU Bison Open: Men's Results * Women's Results
Update: Concordia-Moorhead's Sederquist wins

Rosemount Irish Invite: Boys' Results * Girls' Results
Update: Un-ranked Rosemount wins over #6 White Bear Lake
Update: #6 Minnetonka girls tie for victory

Dakota Classic: Boys' Results * Girls' Results
Update: Eagan boys, Lakeville South girls win.

Rolf Melby Invitational: Results
Update: #4 Roseville girls and #9 Owatonna boys win.

Saturday:
Minnesota Intrasquad Meet: Results
Update: Price leads team as Gold tops Maroon

BYU Autumn Classic: Results
Update: #17 BYU tops Mead-less Gopher men 20-44.

Augsburg Triangular: Men's Results * Women's Results
Update: Donohue leads Bethel women's sweep

St. Mary's Alumni Open: Men's Results * Women's Results
Update: St. Mary's men top Luther at home

St. Olaf Alumni 5K: Results

Marshfield Columbus Invite: Results
Update: #2 Wayzata boys win, #8 Stillwater 3rd; #8 Wayzata girls 2nd.

Sunday:
World Mountain Running Championships: Results
Update: Lundstrom 59th for silver medalists Team USA

Monday:
Victory Labor Day Races: Results
Update: Erichsen and Albertson-Junkans win 10K

USA 20K Championships: Results
Update: Moen 13th in 1:02:30

Yes/No: Twelve Women Sub-40 at Victory 10K?

Labor Day. Time to get the kids ready for school, take that last chance to hit the state fair, and of course, run in the Victory Labor Day races. The Minnesota Distance Running Association's 28th annual Victory Races will take place in Minneapolis on Monday morning.

Locals know Victory as a great place to run fast. The course is flat and straight, and there is a high likelihood of good running weather.

How deep will the women's 10k field be this year? Let us know what you think with an answer to this question...

Y/N: Will twelve or more women break 40:00 at the Victory 10k on Monday?

In 2009, twelve women broke forty minutes at Victory 10k. In 2008, there were only seven. 2007 - twelve, 2006 - thirteen, 2005 - thirteen.

To play our game, simply type "yes" or "no" into the subject line of an e-mail and send it to us at DtBFantasy [AT] gmail [DOT] com before 8:00 A.M. CST, Monday, September 6th. Please put your answer in the subject line of the e-mail and make sure your full name appears somewhere in the e-mail. We will continue to offer a bonus for participants making their debut in Yes/No - a correct answer will be worth two points for any first-time players.

My answer: No

The fantasy contest question from last week was: Will Antonio Vega finish in the top two at the USA Men's 10 Mile Championship on Saturday? The answer was yes. Vega ran 47:43 for second place. Twenty players answered correctly last week. Gregg Robertson moved up one spot and is now tied for first with twenty-one points. The Y/N winner for August was also Robertson. He was the only contestant to go a perfect four-for-four in the month.

For all the results, please visit DtB Fantasy Corner.

Carleton Women #13, Ole Men #16 in D3 Poll

The Carleton College women's cross country team, 11th-place finishers at the NCAA Division III Championships last November, will open this season as the #13-ranked team in D3.

Carleton is the topped-ranked Minnesota Division III program in the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association poll released yesterday.

Also making the preseason D3 top-35 for women are #22 St. Thomas and #32 St. Olaf.

The University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire, the defending NCAA Division III women's champions, top the preseason national rankings. The Blugolds are powered, in part, by Burnsville High School graduate Alyssa Sybilrud and Robbinsdale Cooper alum Jenna Smith.

St. Olaf College leads Minnesota's small college men's teams in the preseason rankings. The Oles, 21st at the NCAA Division III championships last year, are tabbed as the #16 team in the country.

Hamline University, the MIAC men's champs in 2009, are ranked #24 in the poll.

Washington University of St. Louis is the top-ranked men's squad.

Find the complete D3 preseason rankings HERE.

Nationally, it's #21 and #26 for Gophers

On Monday, we learned where the NCAA pollsters ranked the University of Minnesota cross country teams in the Midwest Region.

Yesterday, we learned where the Gophers rank nationally.

The Gopher women will open their season ranked #21 in the NCAA Division I; the Gopher men will start the season ranked #26.

Defending NCAA women's cross country champions Villanova top the pre-season NCAA poll, followed by Florida State and 2008 NCAA champions Washington.

The Gopher women are the top-ranked Big Ten team in the national poll, although #23 Michigan State, #24 Penn State, #26 Wisconsin, #27 Michigan, and #29 Iowa lurk close behind.

Stanford University, thanks in part to Winona High School alumnus Elliott Heath, are the #1-ranked D1 men's team. Defending champion Oklahoma State is ranked #2; Northern Arizona is ranked #3.

The Gophers men are the third-best Big Ten school according to the rankings. Wisconsin is ranked #7 in the poll; Michigan State is ranked #21. Indiana is pegged at #27, one slot behind the Gophers.

Find the complete NCAA Division I rankings HERE.

Gopher Harriers Ranked #2, #4 in Midwest

The University of Minnesota cross country teams will be underdogs in the NCAA Division I Midwest Region, if preseason rankings are valid.

The Gopher women, Midwest Regional champs in 2009, are ranked #2 at the start of the 2010 season, behind I-35 rivals Iowa State. The Cyclones finished third regionally last year.

Iowa and Nebraska are ranked #3 and #4 in the women's poll.

The Gopher men are looking up at three regional teams in their rankings: #1 Oklahoma State, #2 Oklahoma, and #3 Iowa State. The 2010 rankings reflect the order of finish at last year's Midwest Regional through the first four places.

The Gopher women open their 2010 season on Saturday when they host their intrasquad meet at Bolstad Golf Course in Falcon Heights.

The Gopher men open on Satuday at the BYU Autumn Classic in Provo, Utah.

Griak to Enter Duluth Hall of Fame ... Former University of Minnesota men's cross country and tack coach Roy Griak will be inducted into the Hall of Fame at the Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center on September 15.

The Duluth News-Tribune wrote a nice piece, HERE, about the 86-year-old Duluth native still serves as an administrative assistant to the Gopher program.

Macalester Mourns Coach, National Champion

Macalester College is mourning the recent death of assistant coach and former NCAA Division III javelin champion Janis Rider.

Rider (pictured) died unexpectedly on August 23 while swimming in Hawaii during a vacation with her niece and nephew.

In 1988, Rider won the NCAA Division III javelin title as a Macalester senior, the same year she placed fourth nationally in the shot put. She was a four-time track and field All-American for the Scots.

Rider also excelled in volleyball and basketball while at the St. Paul school.

Rider had been an assistant track and field coach at her alma mater since 1999. Her full time job was as an attorney for the Minnesota State Legislature, helping craft the language of proposed bills as an employee in the Office of the Revisor of Statutes.

Macalester College published an obituary for Rider HERE.

The Duluth News-Tribune's Kevin Pates has a short obituary remembering Rider's Duluth Denfeld days HERE.

The News-Tribune also published THIS story about the aftermath of Rider's death on her niece and nephew who were left in Hawaii without adult supervision.

Macalester College plans a memorial service in Rider's honor at 10:00 a.m. September 11 at the Macalester College Leonard Center.

Photo courtesy of Macalester College.

Defending Champs Top Class A Rankings

Defending Minnesota State High School League champions Plainview-Elgin-Millville and Waseca top the pre-season Class A Cross Country rankings released on Friday.

The Plainview-Elgin-Millville boys, who edged Perham by a slim two points at State last fall, lead the #2 Yellowjackets and #3 St. Cloud Cathedral in the rankings.

Among small school girls' teams, 2009 Class A champs Waseca hold the top spot in the rankings over #2 Adrian and #3 Annandale.

In the individual rankings, 2009 Class A boys champ Mubarik Musa, a junior from Worthington, is ranked #1, followed by Mason Ferlic of Mounds Park Academy and Aaron Haley of Plainview-Elgin-Millville.

2009 Class A girls' runner-up Kayla Woltz, a Chatfield sophomore, is ranked #1, above Clare Flanagan of Blake and Lauren Friese of Fairmont.

Find complete rankings below ...

Boys

Teams:
1. Plainview-Elgin-Millville
2. Perham
3. St. Cloud Cathedral
4. Holy Family Academy
5. Eveleth-Gilbert
6. Jackson County Area
7. Waseca
8. Esko
9. Mora
10. Winona Cotter
11. Fairmont
12. Mesabi East

Individuals:
1. Mubarik Musa, Worthington
2. Mason Ferlic, Mounds Park Academy
3. Aaron Haley, Plainview-E-M
4. Oj Ojulla, Worthington
5. Grant Wintheiser, St. Cloud Cath.
6. Troy Koivisto, Dassel-Cokato
7. Grant Timm, Plainview-E-M
8. Andrew Gerdts, Le Sueur-Henderson
9. Byron Schuldt, Nevis
10. Brendan Skime Thief River Falls
11. Andrew Thies Sibley East
12. Keith Schornack Perham

Girls

Teams:
1. Waseca
2. Adrian
3. Annandale
4. Perham
5. LaCrescent
6. Park Rapids Area
7. Esko
8. St. Cloud Cathedral
9. Albany
10. Blake
11. Chatfield
12. New London Spicer

Individuals:
1. Kayla Woltz, Chatfield
2. Clare Flanagan, Blake
3. Lauren Friese, Fairmont
4. Courtney Alama, Annandale
5. Kaia Bierman, Cannon Falls
6. Elena Danielson, St. Cloud Cathedral
7. Jordin Kopplow, Adrian
8. Victoria Alexander, Lake of the Woods
9. Emi Trost, Cannon Falls
10. Taylor Alama, Annandale
11. Morgan Larson, Waseca
12. Megan Sauer, Adrian

Vega Runner-Up at 10 Mile Championships

Team USA Minnesota's Antonio Vega took second place in this morning's USA Men's 10 Mile Championships held at the Crim Festival of Races in Flint, Michigan.

Fasil Bizuneh won the race with a time of 47:29. Vega clocked 47:43. Justin Young was third in 47:49.

2008 Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon champion Fernando Cabada finished fourth in 48:30.

A video replay of the race is available HERE.

Watch the finish of the race HERE.

There's a post-race interview with Vega HERE.

Official results can be found HERE.

More details to come ...

Former Moorhead Coach Shocky Strand Dies

Former Moorhead High School track and field coach Hartvick "Shocky" Strand died Wednesday at age 87.

Strand, a Concordia Moorhead alumnus and member of the school's Athletic Hall of Fame, coached and taught at Moorhead High School from 1949 until 1968. His squads, which amassed 17-straight district titles during his tenure, won consecutive MSHSL boys track and field titles in 1967 and 1968.

Strand was a 2004 inductee to the Minnesota State High School Coaches Association's Hall of Fame.

The Fargo Forum published two obituaries for Strand -- one HERE and another HERE.

Visitation hours for Strand are today from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m., with a prayer service at 4:00 p.m., at Wright Funeral Home, Moorhead.

Strand's funeral is Sunday at 1:30 p.m., with visitation one hour before, at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Moorhead.

Yes/No: Vega in Top Two at the USA 10 Mile?

In 2009, Minnesota running fans were given a treat: The USA 10 Mile Championship was hosted by the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon/TC 10 Mile. Spectators were able to watch Josh Moen give Abdi Abdirahman everything he could handle down Summit Avenue while eventually finishing second in 46:38.

A strong field has assembled for the 2010 USA 10 Mile Championship, but unfortunately we will have to travel to Flint, Michigan to watch this version. The race is hosted by the Crim Festival of Races on Saturday.

Moen won't be racing, but his teammate Antonio Vega will be on hand to try to extend his lead in the 2010 USARC Standings. Let us know how he will fare by answering this question...

Y/N: Will Antonio Vega finish in the top two at the USA Men's 10 Mile Championship on Saturday?

Antonio Vega has been on a roll in 2010. To this point, he has been the best American male road racer, at least as defined by the USA Running Circuit Standings. Vega is the 2010 USA Half Marathon Champ. He also finished third at the USA 15 Championships and fourth at the USA 7 mile Championships. Vega ran 2:13:47 at the Boston Marathon in 2010 as well.

You can find the entry list for the USA 10 Mile HERE. Favorites include 2008 Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon champ Fernando Cabada, Scott Bauhs, Fasil Bizuneh, and Ryan Sheehan.

To play our game, simply type "yes" or "no" into the subject line of an e-mail and send it to us at DtBFantasy [AT] gmail [DOT] com before 7:00 A.M. CST, Saturday, August 28th. Please put your answer in the subject line of the e-mail and make sure your full name appears somewhere in the e-mail. We will continue to offer a bonus for participants making their debut in Yes/No - a correct answer will be worth two points for any first-time players.

My answer: Yes

The fantasy contest question from last week was: Will five or more runners break 20:00 in the Buttered Corn Day 5K? The answer was yes. Six runners broke 20:00 in a race won by Joe Goettl (17:05). Only eight contestants answered correctly last week. Gregg Robertson moved up one spot and is now tied for first with twenty-one points.

For all the results, please visit DtB Fantasy Corner.

Gopher Harriers Reporting to Camp

The University of Minneesota cross country teams begin their preparations for the 2010 season this week. The Gopher men returned to campus on Tuesday, while the U of M women gather today.

The Minnesota sports media folks are producing a series of videos to kick off the season ...

Hear men's coach Steve Plasencia talk about the start of camp HERE.

See scenes from the Gopher men's first day on campus HERE.

Hear Gopher women's associate head coach Sarah Hesser talk about the start of the season HERE.

The Gophers kick off their racing season on September 4 at the BYU Autumn Classic in Provo, Utah. The Gopher women open on the same day with their Alumni-Intrasquad Meet.

St. Olaf Men Ranked #1 in D3 Central Region

The St. Olaf men's cross country team will open the 2010 cross country season ranked #1 in the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Division III Central Regional rankings released yesterday.

The Oles, who finished runner-up in the MIAC last fall and third in the Central Region, lead #2 Grinnell College of Iowa and #3 Hamline, the 2009 MIAC champs and the 4th-place team at regionals, in the rankings.

Other MIAC men's teams earning regional notice are #6 St. Thomas, regional co-champions in 2009, and #8 St. John's.

In D3 Central Region women's rankings, Carleton, the region champs last year, rank #2 behind Nebraska Wesleyan.

Other MIAC squads in the Central Regional top-10 are #3 St. Thomas, #5 St. Olaf, #6 Gustavus Adolphus, #8 St. Benedict, #9 Concordia-Moorhead, and #10 Bethel.

Complete D3 regional rankings can be found HERE.

Division II ... The University of Minnesota -Duluth women will open the 2010 season ranked #2 in the USTFCCA Division II Central Regional rankings. The 2009 NSIC runner-up Bulldogs finished 6th in the regional meet last year.

Adams State of Colorado tops the Central Region rankings. Winona State is ranked #9, while Minnesota State, Mankato is ranked #10.

In the D2 men's poll, Minnesota State, Mankato is ranked #7 in the region. St. Cloud State is ranked #9.

Find full D2 regional rankings HERE.

Update ... The University of Minnesota - Duluth women are ranked #6 in the USTFCCCA national poll released on Wednesday. Central Region power Adams State tops the national rankings for both women and men.

The UMD women are the sole Minnesota program ranked nationally in the D2 women's and men's polls.

Januszewski on Her First Year as a Pro

The 800 meters has always been considered more of a sprint than a distance race and this year it certainly looked like a sprint in most of the women's races. One small mistake could be the difference between finishing first or seventh. It was a great training lab for someone like Laura Januszewski, who was making the transition from college to the professional circuit. She had some nice wins and a few disappointments, but in all it was a year of learning that she hopes will pay off in 2012 in the run up to the London Olympics.

DtB contributor Jim Ferstle talked to the Burnsville High School alumnus recently.

Down the Backstretch: This has been the year of close races where in the 800 it seems like a crowd of people is finishing within seconds of one another. You said in a FloTrack interview after the USATF 800 that you thought you were in good position and had a shot at winning, but it didn’t work out that way. What’s it like to be involved in an event where it often comes down to fractions of a second?

Laura Januszewski: You know, in some regards it’s exciting because one right move just might put you into the right spot. In most cases, I have been pretty lucky not getting boxed in and having that cost me the race. At USAs, it just came down to me getting a little too excited at the 500 mark and using too much energy to try and get position too early in the race. It ended up costing me a better result, but I’d rather learn these things now than in two years at the trials.

DtB: This is your first year on the “pro circuit,” how has that been? What sort of adjustments have you had to make?
LJ: Instead of trying to balance school and training, I have been trying to juggle my schedule between working full-time, training, and being a wife. My husband finished Physical Therapy school this spring, but we spent the fall semester in Grand Forks. I commuted every day to Fargo to work and train. My days were pretty long – If I had a morning run, I’d wake up at 6:45 so I could be on the road by eight and wouldn’t get home until 8:30 at night. Luckily, I had dinner waiting on the table for me every night!

In the spring, Jake (my husband) finished his clinical rotations in the Twin Cities, and I moved to Fargo. It was a much better situation for training, but living by myself was tough again. I am fortunate that I have a job that allows me to travel whenever I need to, but it still an adjustment to have to make sure that the checking account has money in it. At NDSU, we would get our schedule, jump on the bus or the plane and have all of our travel plans laid out for us. This year, I was scheduling my own flights, renting a car, and booking hotel rooms. Little bit of a role change, but Ryun (my coach) has been a great coach and friend in helping me make travel arrangements.

Other than lifestyle changes, training went pretty well. I decided to stay with Ryun Godfrey, my college coach. Things went really well while I was at NDSU, and Ryun was willing to continue to coach me, so to me, it was a no-brainer decision. I will never complain about my situation, I fully believe you are given what you can handle. I still managed to have a great season, where I consistently ran 2:01 at the end of the season and had great results - time and place wise.

DtB: How do you choose when and where you’re going to race? How hard is it to get into meets here in the US, in Europe? Especially with the event so full of talented runners, it’s almost like the sprinters who have to fight to get a lane at major meets, I would assume.
LJ: A few races, luckily, fell into my lap this year. I was able to get out to Occidental College (Pasadena, CA) and NYC for a couple of great meets. Oxy was a small meet, just 800s and 1500s, but a great chance to get a fast race in. The race in NYC was part of the Adidas Grand Prix and just a great atmosphere and tune-up race for USAs.

I also traveled with the NDSU team to Arizona State and Mt. SAC for some time to train and race … felt like I was back at home with my team.

Europe … Europe is a different world that we (Ryun and I) are still learning. I had a short tour last year (nine days/three races) between USAs and getting married, but this year I was there for three weeks and learned a lot. We plan to base out of the Netherlands next year and get into the fast races in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany. It’s trial and error, and Ryun was able to make some great contacts this year, so hopefully, next year will only get better. One thing is for sure, the less we fly, the better.

DtB: You’ve stated that one of the goals is the two-minute barrier in the 800. You’re getting close, but aren’t there yet. You’ve won at NY and in Europe. How important is the time goal as opposed to placing well, establishing yourself as one of the top 800 runners?

LJ: They obviously are both very important, in two years at the trials it will be about placing in the top three to make the Olympic team. The experience and confidence I can gain from racing and placing well in loaded fields now will only help my chances in the future. However, we all know that track is a sport of racing well on the day it matters most. The time you ran yesterday doesn’t guarantee you a win today.

Right now for me, I am chasing that Olympic “A” standard. Chasing pretty hard. This year, I let that 2:00 mark loom over my head a little too much. I went into races worrying too much about time rather than just getting out and racing. Getting into the right races is key and when you get in the mix with good competition, the times usually follow. I just need to remember that.

DtB: You’ve also noted that your coach likes to mix it up a bit in workouts, try new things. Is this just something he believes is necessary? Is it to fit your personality? What do you learn from doing it this way as opposed to the more traditional approach of following a fairly uniform formula and modifying it when it doesn’t appear to be working?

LJ: We tried this fall to incorporate doing striders during some of my easy runs. Just something to change up the run a little bit. We don’t have ANY hills in Fargo or Grand Forks, so it was a nice way to get the body working differently throughout the run.

But, for the most part, my training doesn’t drastically change from year to year. Volume continues to increase. I plan to continue to increase my mileage this fall and hit some 70-mile weeks. For the most part though, I put full faith in Ryun. I’m sure he sits at home thinking of ways to change my training (and put me through more pain, just kidding). He takes care of on-the-track things, I do my part off-the-track. Eat right, sleep enough, rest enough.

DtB: What are your plans for the rest of this year and next year?

LJ: I have hung it up for this year. I left Europe feeling like I still had a fast race left in me, but the opportunities just weren't there. I left Europe July 19, but finished racing on the 15th. I was on the waiting list to race in Lignano, Italy, but didn't make the final cut. It was pretty frustrating after I saw that I had a faster PB and faster 2010 mark than other runners, but I learned this year that track is just as political as the next sport. Sometimes it’s who you know. We didn’t know the right people this time.

2011 will be very exciting. I will be training in Fargo again with Ryun and I hope to continue to build my base this fall and get ready for 2011. Ryun and I were already talking on the plane home from Europe about getting into some more 1500s earlier in the season. My PB is 4:15 right now, and just doesn’t reflect what I am capable of, so I’d like to get some more chances to bring that time down.

DtB: Was racing in Europe to try and find good conditions for a sub-two time, get experience on the international arena, a bit of both?

LJ: I went to Europe last year for nine days after USAs and before Jake and I got married in July. It was a quick trip, but something that definitely helped calm the nerves a little bit for this year.

This year, my tour lasted a little bit longer – I was there for about three weeks. I left the Monday after USAs and raced on Wednesday; not the ideal situation and needless to say, I was a bit jet-lagged and tired. I raced five times during those three weeks. Better schedule than last year, but still not ideal.

Going over to Europe, for me, is a chance to get into fast races and let the times drop. It offers great racing atmospheres and pacers that help keep the paces honest and fast. Ryun and I just keep learning where the best races truly are. We’re still newbies.

Photo of Januszewski at USA Outdoor Championships by Gene Niemi.

Duwell Signs with Adidas-McMillan Elite

Former University of Minnesota All-American Megan Duwell will begin her professional running career as a member of the Flagstaff, Arizona-based Adidas-McMillan Elite program, the training group announced late last week.

Duwell (pictured), a West Bend, Wisconsin native, finished 7th at the NCAA Cross Country Championships last fall and finished 12th in the 10,000-meters at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships this spring.

The Adidas-McMillan Elite program, founded by Greg McMillan, is entering its 4th year of existence.

Photo courtesy of the U of M.

Remembering Lloyd "Forever" Young

When DtB learned the sad news last week that 87-year-old masters distance running legend Lloyd Young had died, we asked Dan Carlson, who got to know Young over the years, to share some of his memories of the man known to many as Lloyd "Forever" Young.

Carlson, a fellow masters runner (albeit one from a different generation than Young), attended last week's funeral and offered the following thoughts on the man he came to know and admire.


I met Lloyd for the first time after Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon in 1995 ... I remember because I was beaten (3rd) that day after having won the previous three, and he had a marvelous race (I think sub-1:35...for a guy past 70!!).

We both raced quite a bit back then so it was common to end up at the same races, and I think that the spirit of a man who might best be described as "elfin" was infectious not only for me but I'd be willing to guess many others ...


As many know, Lloyd's personal license plate on that dark blue 1992 Ford Escort read "FOREVER". The plates were displayed in a flower arrangement yesterday, and I feel they summed up his life at more than one level.

Obviously the optimism that being "forever young" is something that all of us may dream of, but I think that through his running, his writing, the relationship he found with Christ, and the work he put into improving himself as a person after some earlier-in-life laments/regrets that he truly needed to be around a long time to accomplish all the plans he had in store for his life. We all fall short at times, and it's only through some level of atonement that we make things right ...

Lloyd's last race was Mora 5K ... August 15, 2009. I had ended my racing season a few weeks before, after Lumberjack 10-mile as my body (hamstring) gave out yet again, but I was heading through Mora en route to the Snake River to fish and wanted to wish him well, since he hadn't been able to race in quite some time. (He was battling a dry, scratchy throat that sometimes embarrassed him when speaking, and which was the harbinger of something far worse, something that would end his life.)

He did bounce back enough to get to Mora for one last shot at a single-age MN record, however. (Duly noted, mission accomplished). It took me longer than usual to find him because he wasn't in any of the parking spots closest to the start, and anyone who knew the man who got to races VERY early would likely find him there.

I didn't bother him too long because I know a bit about race day a half hour before showtime, and perhaps the extra angst he felt having been away from racing for awhile. Did he maybe sense also that this could be his last race? I'll always wonder about that. He even wrote a poem about Mora ...

Last fall, shuttling between home and the VA Hospital, he was still filled with plans, and his writing continued to flourish. I think as running got away from him he used the power in his writing to fuel the sense of accomplishment he got from running, even as the illness welling up within him began to take away his strength.

We exchanged Christmas cards, and a few days later I got the letter from him I knew would come someday, but to get this from the man dubbed "FOREVER" ripped at me. The problem with his throat had a name ... cancer. He said as he went to see the doctors he knew it was bad just by the feeling he got entering the room.

Options? Do nothing and fade away, or we can take your larynx out, you'll never speak again, and we may be able to keep you around. Bitter medicine to take for a fiercely-independent man, who was shaken by this turn of events.

I remember the trouble he had with speaking at times before he really knew why, and the great comeback line he had for it when a comely woman was around as he spoke....something to the effect of "...this always happens when I talk to a pretty girl..."

He may have been getting "old", but only as a number.


Along with his memories of Young, Carlson shared these poems written Young ...

Masters of the Distance

Every marathon has its beginning, but at the end, some pain

and every runner runs for winning, if not, he'll try again;

and somewhere in the final miles legs may find some strife,

an older runner, in wisdom smiles, how a marathon is life.

A Living Legend

See the greybeard on faltered pace

his slender legs no longer strong,

his pride won't let him quit the race,

he struggles on, struggles long

Hard and seasoned, tough as nails,

he makes the most of what remains,

runs on experience when all else fails,

runs on empty and runs on pain.

In the glory days, in his prime,

he was the very best of another time.

For the Laurels
(Printed in the memorial service pamphlet)

In life we race to reach our end,

with little time to smell the roses.

To find our future we flee the past

and deny the present that holds us back...

so near the finish, our eyes on the prize,

laurels, the reward for the many hard miles.

But in midst of glory,

goals of life's quest

I pray the last mile will be my best.

Good Old Whatsizname

Good old Mister Whatsizname,

a man to our memory so dear,

I think he's from whatsitsname,

a town up north from here.

If we can't recall a name well-known just yesterday,

who's going to remember me after I've passed away?

So, when I'm lowered to my grave

my fame, to the world I'll give,

I ask that on my stone engrave

a name that will forever live:

Here lies Good Old Whatsizname, "Good Old Mister Whatsizname"

Photo courtesy of Dan Carlson.

Yes/No: The Buttered Corn Day Challenge!

Looking for a new road race to run? Sick of fighting the masses in metropolitan mega-races? Have a hankering for free buttered sweet corn?

Have we got the race for you!

The Buttered Corn Day Run and Fitness Walk will occur in Sleepy Eye, Minnesota on Saturday morning. There will 5K, 10K and 20K races starting at 7:00 A.M. The race is one of a summer full of little events that accompany small-town festivals.

So, we ask ...

Y/N: Will five or more runners break 20:00 in the Buttered Corn Day 5K?

In 2009, 427 runners, walkers or bikers turned out for the Buttered Corn Day events. The 20k offers a $100 prize for the male and female winners while the 5k/10k hands out plaques for age-group winners.

To play our game, simply type "yes" or "no" into the subject line of an e-mail and send it to us at DtBFantasy [AT] gmail [DOT] com before 9:00 A.M. CST, Saturday, August 21th. Please put your answer in the subject line of the e-mail and make sure your full name appears somewhere in the e-mail. We will continue to offer a bonus for participants making their debut in Yes/No - a correct answer will be worth two points for any first-time players.

My answer: No

The fantasy contest question from last week was: Will Barbora Špotáková win the javelin at the Aviva London Grand Prix on Friday? The answer was yes. The best female javelin thrower in the world proved it by winning the meet with only one throw. Lori Anne Peterson remains in first place with 21 points, followed by Gregg Robertson and Toby Hatlevig with 20.

For all the results, please visit DtB Fantasy Corner.