Catch Up

Playing catch up a bit here with reports from past events.

What a difference a year makes.  In 2012 the Chevron Houston Marathon was the US Olympic trials, the weather was warm and dry, and the times were fast.  This year it was cold and rain, and the times were slow for those who were able to finish. Twin Cities Track Club's Mike Reneau went to Houston in hopes of improving the PR he set there at the trials by around two minutes, hoping for a time in the 2:12 range.

Teammate Joe Moore went with him to pace the 2:12 group through the first half of the race.  Things did not go well from the start.  By five miles the pace was not the 5:04 per mile as planned, but closer to 5:16/5:20 and Reneau was so cold that he could hardly pick up his fluid bottles and couldn't twist the cap to get the fluids.  His leg muscles were tightening up, especially along his IT band, and the race had become a survival test, rather than an attempt at a PR.

Team USA Minnesota's Andrew Carlson made it to the finish, six minutes off the PR he set in Houston the year before, but in seventh place.  "People don't appreciate what an effort that was," says Reneau.  They'll look at the slower time and think it wasn't much of an accomplishment, said Reneau, but people probably won't appreciate the difficulty of the effort, both mental and physical, he said.

Like Reneau, Carlson was hoping to knock about two minutes from the 2:11 PR he had set in Houston in 2012, but was able to recalibrate in the conditions and not only finish, but finish in the top ten of a highly competitive event.  That is even harder to do when you go into the event looking at a specific goal that becomes unattainable early, forcing you to change everything and cope with what you can handle on the day.

Reneau tried to do that, but his body would not let him.  His legs were tight and "locking up," Reneau said.  His body was so cold, the fine motor skills, such as opening containers, had ceased to function, and the decision was made at 14 miles to drop out, a first for Reneau.  But he still had to go two more miles to get to the aid station with a medical tent.  He waited there for an hour before transport arrived, and Reneau's temperature was down to 92 degrees, hypothermia territory, despite having blankets and fluids.

Despite the setback, Reneau is trying to regroup and try again in the Fidelity Investments Woodlands Marathon on March 2.  His body didn't recover as quickly as he anticipated, however, and he stepped on some broken glass and gashed his heel, but if no more setbacks get in his way,  Reneau is still planning on taking a second shot at 2:12.

Former Team USA Minnesota runner, Chris Lundstrom also had to drop out of his event--the US 100K Trail Championships that started in Bandera, Texas the day before the Houston Marathon.  Lundstrom writes about his experience HERE.

Joe Moore talks about his experience on the US team in Scotland for the BUPA Great Edinburgh Cross Country Challenge  HERE.

Honors

The first MIAC Indoor Track and Field Athlete-of-the-Week awards were presented this week. The men's track honor was claimed by Bethel's Zach Haskins, a senior, who set a new personal indoor best of 4:19:24 to win the mile at the St. Thomas Opener Meet. St. Thomas' sophomore Erika Tipp claimed the women's track honor winning both the 60(7.97) and 200-meter(26.76) dashes on her home track. Hamline senior Becky Culp won both the shot put and the weight throw(15.39m) at the Carleton Triangular- setting a new PR of 13.86 meters and a Carleton Fieldhouse record in the shot - to claim the second indoor field honor of her career.

University of Minnesota women's coach Gary Wilson will be given the President's Award at the Minnesota State HS Track and Field Coaches Association(MTFCA) annual clinic February 1.  The honor is for his contributions over the years to the sport of track & field and cross country in Minnesota, says Mark Alcorn, girls track coach at Holdingford HS and president of the MTFCA.

Concordia Moorhead's Levi Bachmeier Talks Vaulting

Levi Bachmeier, a junior pole vaulter from Concordia College Moorhead talks about vaulting. 
Who has been the most influential person in your athletic career?
My high school pole vault coach, Adam Christensen (West Fargo HS). The passion he possesses for the sport is contagious, his love for pole vaulting rubbed off on me. He is without a doubt one of the most encouraging individuals I’ve ever had the opportunity to meet.
 
If you could meet any athlete, who would it be and what one question would you ask them? 
I’d love to sit down with Surgei Bubka and ask him why he loves track and field, pole vaulting specifically.
 
What is your most embarrassing sports moment?
I’ve definitely had my fair share, but I’d say getting stuck in the pole vault pits and having to have someone help pull me out.
 
Do you have any pregame/pre-event rituals? If so, what are they?
I like to eat the same things and listen to the exact same play list, followed by the same warm up I’ve done since high school.
 
If you have been involved in community service projects, which project has been the most rewarding and why? 
I had the opportunity to help advise a group of high school students as they’ve attempted to raise as much food as possible for those in need. In the two years I’ve advised the group, the students have raised nearly a million meals. It’s been more rewarding than I can say.

Gophers Sweep Team Titles at Jack Johnson Invitational

The Golden Gopher women’s track team won six events, the men eleven to sweep the team titles at the Jack Johnson Invitational on Saturday at the University of Minnesota Fieldhouse.  

Todea-Kay Willis won her second event of the weekend after winning the long jump on Friday. She ran a personal record time of 7.50 seconds in the 60-meter dash, the fifth fastest time ever by a Gopher woman.  Kylie Peterson was second in 7.59.

Alena Brooks won the 600 meters in 1:31.49. Bria Halama won the triple jump with a PR of 39-3 1/4 (11.97m). The Gophers’ “A” 4x400m relay, which included Brooks, finished first in 3:47.48.

The women milers had a solid showing with Laura Docherty(4:53.08), Becca Dyson(4:53.93), Molly Kayfes (4:54.49) and Maggie Bollig(4:57.97) claiming the top four spots. Christina DeLakis won the shot put with a season-best toss of 49-9 3/4 (15.18m). Devin Stanford (58-5 1/4) and Jeri-Johnson Chambers (57-7 3/4) set new PRs in finishing second and third in weight throw.

“I was really pleased about this weekend,” director of track and field/cross country Matt Bingle said. “Everyone competed well, and there were PRs across the board. But we can’t be satisfied. Everyone has plenty of things to fix going forward. We need to keep having a good attitude and working hard.”

 Minnesota's women scored 203 points. North Dakota State (135) and Western Michigan (128) finished second and third. Minnesota men’s team finished with 236.50 points. South Dakota(105) and North Dakota State(84.5) were second and third.

Gophers John Simons and Bobby Nicolls went one-two in the mile. Simons ran 4:08.74 while Nicolls ran  4:09.26. Other Gopher winners in running events were:  400-meter dash (Jacob Capek, 48.49), the 600-meter dash (Goaner Deng, 1:19.90), the 800-meter dash (Nick Hutton, 1:51.00) and the 60-meter dash (Sean King, 6.75).

In the field events as Mark Jennings and Emmanuel Onyia finished first and second, respectively, in the shot put. Jennings bested threw 17.64 meters while Onyia 's best toss was  17.52 meters. The Gophers also earned individual titles in the high jump (Danny Schiller, 2.06 meters), the triple jump (Olapido Fagbemi, 14.83 meters) and the weight throw (Jon Lehman, 20.26 meters). In the  heptathlon, Kenny Schofield placed second in the event with a score of 4,930, narrowly trailing  Laquone Robinson of Minnesota State-Moorhead who scored  4,961.

Second day women's results are HERE. Men's results are HERE. 

Team USA Minnesota's Jamie Cheever talks to Flotrack about her PR in the 3K and upcoming US Cross Country Championships HERE, and a video of the men's 3K won by Jon Peterson a few seconds shy of the meet record is HERE.  Peterson post-race interview is HERE.

Catching Up on Ultras

On November 15-18, 2012 in Grapevine, Texas they had an ultra extravaganza called the Ultra Centric Experience.  Ultra races from six to 72 hours were held.  Several Minnesotans were involved.  Full results are HERE.

Highest finish was a second place by Hopkins' Scott Koepp in the Six Hour run.  The 46-year-old Keopp completed 36 miles, six miles behind the winner, 31-year-old Brent Robinson of Texas. 50-year-old Joan Radde from Apple Valley was the second female finisher in the 12 Hour competition and was seventh overall, completing 52 miles.

73 year-old "Fast Eddie" Rousseau finished fifth in the 72 Hour run, completing 188.2 miles. Rousseau has set an American record at races in the Ultra Centric Experience in past years, and says that his result in the 72 hour run this year was the fastest in the world during 2012 for runners 70+.

Jack Johnson Invitational Day One

Todea-Kay Willis leaped a season-best 19-6 1/4 (5.95m) to win the long jump for the second week in a row to highlight the womens' Golden Gophers’ opening day of the Jack Johnson Classic Friday afternoon at the Minnesota Fieldhouse. Willis’ winning jump came on her first attempt in the final round. Chidera Obasih finished third. Stephanie Solfelt, second in the 5,000 meters (18:03), was the Gophers’ other top-three finisher on Friday

.

Director of track and field/cross country Matt Bingle noted improvement by the pole vault group. Katie Murgic improved her mark from last week to 11-11 3/4 (3.65m) and finished fourth. Sara Tseng and Stephanie Oleson competed for the first time this season. Amanda and Alex Beckman made their debuts in the pentathlon, finishing fourth and sixth, respectively. Alex and Amanda posted a one-two finish in the shot put portion of the pentathlon.

“Overall, it was a good day,” Bingle said. “I’m excited to compete tomorrow and hopefully have a good day in front of our home crowd.”

The Gophers lead the meet with 56 points. Western Michigan (43) and South Dakota (42) round out the top three teams after the first day of action.

Women's day one results are HERE.

Minnesota men's track & field team picked up two individual event titles on Friday.The Gophers currently sit in first place with a team score of 36, ahead of Augustana with 13 and South Dakota with 12.

Minnesota's Sam Kettenhofen leaped 7.24 meters in winning the men's long jump, while Cameron Boy won the 200-meter dash in 21.69. 

Men's day one results are HERE.

Heather Kampf Wins KPMG Front Street Mile

Team USA Minnesota's Heather Kampf started off 2013 with a win in the KPMG Front Street Mile in Bermuda.  Kampf ran 4:49, nearly two seconds ahead of runner-up Sarah Brown of the US who was timed in 4:50.79.    Full results of all the mile races are HERE. Photos from the races are HERE  The Royal Gazette story on "birthday girl Heather" is HERE.

2003 Gopher Men's Big Ten Outdoor Champs Honored at Jack Johnson Invitational

Minnesota will honor its 2003 Big Ten Men's Outdoor Championship team on Saturday during the Jack Johnson Invitational and celebrate the 10th anniversary of Minnesota's fifth outdoor title.  

The two-day event kicks off on Friday at 3 PM  with day two set to begin at 10 AM. on Saturday. 

The Gophers paced last year's Jack Johnson Invitational -- finishing first overall with 202 team points. Harun Abda andDavid Pachuta set UM Fieldhouse records in the 600m (1:16.38) and the 800m (1:49.90. respectively. Abda and Pachuta earned two-of-seven individual event titles at the event. 

 The Gophers set a Big Ten record for points at an outdoor championship in 2003 with the Gophers scoring in 20-of-21 events in the three-day competition held at the university's Bierman Track. Event champions included Mitch Potter (400m; 4x400m Relay), Mikael Jakobsson (4x400m Relay), Adam Steele (4x400m Relay), Andy Wohlin (4x400m Relay), and Karl Erickson (Discus). 

Meet results are HERE.

TCM Announces Charity Fund Raising Totals

Twin Cities In Motion (TCM), together with its Community Partners and Charity Program teams, raised a grand total of $759,462 for charity in 2012, exceeding its 2011 fundraising total by nearly a quarter of a million dollars.  The funds were raised via race entry fundraisers, individual donations and contributions to the Friends of TCM program which supports youth fitness.

The majority of money raised came through the efforts of teams participating in TCM’s Charity Program. Twenty charity teams used the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon for their fundraising efforts, using race entries and pledges to gather more than $586,000 for their respective causes.

TCM’s Youth Fitness Partners raised money through late entry fundraisers, donations given during registration as well as with fundraising teams. Bolder Options, Girls on the Run, MIGIZI Communications and the YWCA of Minneapolis work together with TCM to promote health and fitness not only through their youth programs, but also through their reach into areas of the Twin Cities most in need of resources.  Athlete Development Partner Team USA Minnesota also raised funds to develop post-collegiate long distance runners through TCM.

In addition to monetary donations, goods were donated to TCM’s In-Kind Community Partners.  TCM donated over 36,000 pounds of food to the Emergency Foodshelf Network.  Over 3,600 pounds of clothing was donated or recycled through WearEver Recycling, while $15,000 worth of new shirts were shipped overseas through Hand In Hand Together.

Yes/No: Will 300 runners brave the cold in International Falls?

The extreme cold will return this weekend, just in time for the Freeze Yer Gizzard Blizzard Run in International Falls.  It is the thirty-third year of FYGBR, held during the four-day winter festival known as "Icebox Days."

In 2012, there were over 300 runners that braved the cold (2012 temperatures ranged from 11 to 13 degrees for the races) to run the 5k and 10k races.  It appears that the temperatures will be a bit lower this year.  We know the hardy  runners in Northern Minnesota will still turn out...but the question is how many?

Yes/No: Will there be 300 or more finishers in the 5k and 10k races at Freeze Yer Gizzard Blizzard Run on Saturday?

For this contest, each finisher in the 5k and 10k will be counted, even if it is the same person.  Some runners run both the 5k and 10k and he/she would be counted as two finishers in this contest.

Weather.com is predicting a high temp of 10 degrees in International Falls on Saturday.  The low is set at negative 21 with winds of 22 miles-per-hour.

Here are the 2012 FYGBR results for 10k and 5k.

A 2006 Running Times article about the race - HERE.

Online Race Results has results from the years 2007 - 2010 - HERE.

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 9:30 A.M. CDT, Saturday, January 19th.  Please put your answers in the subject line of the e-mail and make sure your full name appears somewhere in the e-mail.  We will offer a bonus for participants making their 2013 debut in Yes/No - a correct answer will be worth two points for anyone who has not played yet this year.

My Answer:  Yes

Last week's questions was:  Will Michael Reneau run faster than 2:15:00 at the Chevron Houston Marathon on Sunday?  The answer was no.  The weather did not cooperate - it was cold, windy and raining and Reneau ended up dropping out.  Thirteen players answered correctly and we now have a thirteen-way tie for first place with one point.

For all the results, please visit DtB Fantasy Corner, HERE.

Just in Time for Sub Zero Temps, Heather Kampf Heads to Bermuda; Peterson Second in San Fran

Since next week's weather forecast promises a dip to below zero temperatures, former Gopher Heather Kampf might be thinking of rescheduling her flight back to the Twin Cities from Bermuda.  She's not on the island for a  holiday, but rather to run in the KPMG Invitational Front Street Mile on Friday.  You can read about the race HERE.

In other Team USA Minnesota news, Jon Peterson ran in the Bay Area Cross Country Challenge in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco last Sunday.  He finished second in 23:38, two seconds behind winner Yosef Ghebray.  FloTrack post-race interview is HERE.

Gary Wilson Awarded Jimmy Carnes Distinguished Service Award

Minnesota head women’s track & field and cross country coach Gary Wilson was presented with the Jimmy Carnes Distinguished Service Award at U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association's annual convention in Orlando, FL last month.

The USTFCCCA’s Jimmy Carnes Distinguished Service Award is presented to individuals who have gone above and beyond the call of duty in their service to the Association and to the sports of Cross Country and Track and Field.

As an advocate of the track & field and cross country community, Wilson served as an officer for the Women’s Intercollegiate Cross Country Coaches Association – a predecessor to the USTFCCCA Division I Cross Country Executive Committee – for six years, including as president from 1993 to 1995. In that capacity he spearheaded the movement to expand the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships. He has also served on the USTFCCCA Board of Directors.

Wilson will retire in the summer of 2013 following 28 years of coaching the Golden Gophers, and 45 years of coaching overall. He has served as a track & field assistant coach specializing in distance running for the Gophers during the past eight seasons. He is a member of the Drake Relays Coaches Hall of Fame and the USA Track and Field Minnesota Hall of Fame.

PAST WINNERS
2008 – John Copeland, Rhode Island
2008 – Bill Thornton, St. Olaf College (retired)
2009 – Doug Watts, Edinboro University
2010 – Jim Sackett, Cal Poly Pomona
2011 – Dave Harris, Emporia State

Gopher's Jon Lehman Co-Big Ten Field Athlete of the Week

The Big Ten Conference announced that Gopher weight thrower Jon Lehman's NCAA-best 20.74m throw at the Northwest Open last weekend earned the junior a share of the Big Ten Indoor Field Athlete of the Week award.

The honor marks the first career award for Lehman, who just missed a personal best (20.79m) with Saturday's throw, and the first Gopher to earn the honor since Micah Hegerle on February. 20, 2012. 

Lehman's throw ranks as the fifth-best in the Gopher indoor track & field record boo, and he shares this week's honor with Nebraska's James White (high jump) while Casimir Loxsom of Penn State earned the Big Ten Indoor Track Athlete of the Week (800-meter run) Award.

The Gophers host the Jack Johnson Invitational on Jan. 18-19 with the Snowshoe Open following on Feb. 15.

Unique Race Series for Endurance "Multitaskers"

The Upper Midwest Endurance Challenge(UMEC) – a new running and skiing race series –will test their mettle in the region’s premier marathons as well as in the country’s largest cross country ski race. The UMEC will offer participants in this year’s Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth, the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon in Minneapolis and St. Paul, and the 2014 American Birkebeiner, which races from Cable to Hayward, WI, the chance to compete against one another in an event series that spans the seasons.

Registration for the series opens online today.  For the $30 UMEC entry fee, (plus registration fees for the individual events) runners and skiers can compete for the honor of earning a Brooks® UMEC finishers’ jacket as well as open and age-group awards and prizes.  All UMEC participants will receive a free pair of running socks from FITSOK®.

Additionally, one UMEC participant chosen at random will earn free entries into the 2014 Grandma's Marathon or Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon, the 2014 Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon or Medtronic TC 10 Mile, and the 2015 American Birkebeiner or Kortelopet.

The Upper Midwest Endurance Challenge is a partnership between event organizers Grandma’s Marathon, Inc., Twin Cities In Motion, and the American Birkebeiner.  This year’s Grandma’s Marathon takes place on June 22.  The 2013 Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon is set for October 6, while the 2014 American Birkebeiner is scheduled for February 22.

“The Upper Midwest Endurance Challenge is a natural partnership among three great endurance events in the region,” Grandma’s Marathon Executive Director Scott Keenan said.  “We share a common purpose and similar histories, so it was only natural to team up for the Upper Midwest Endurance Challenge.”

All three UMEC events have deep roots and long histories in the region.  The American Birkebeiner was first contested in 1973.  Grandma’s Marathon was established in 1977, followed shortly thereafter by the Twin Cities Marathon in 1982. 

“We wanted to offer an opportunity for marathon runners and long-distance skiers to differentiate themselves and highlight their achievements,” American Birkebeiner Executive Director Ned Zuelsdorff said.  “It’s a special breed that runs 26.2 miles and skis 50-kilometers or more, so we’re glad to recognize them.”

Series organizers also hope the Challenge resonates with athletes with more modest aspirations.

“Endurance exercise is great for living a healthy lifestyle,” Twin Cities In Motion Executive Director Virginia Brophy Achman said.  “We think the Upper Midwest Endurance Challenge will highlight some of the most popular ways people in our region stay fit.  No matter the season, there’s a way to stay active and stay healthy.”

Details on the race series can be found at www.runrunski.org.

Kenyan Running Advantage: Connective Tissue Elasticity

This will be "science day" on Down the Backstretch.  Two sports scientists I've met while visiting Chicago are South African natives Ross Tucker and Jonathan Dugas.  Both studied under Tim Noakes in South Africa.  Jonathan works for a South African company in Chicago.  Ross consults for various sports teams and writes from his base in South Africa.

Several decades ago I wrote a piece for The Runner on the Achilles tendon.  The thing that stuck with me from the research for that article was how little we know about connective tissue and its role in sports performance as compared to muscle fibers.  That hasn't changed much, but every now and then an interesting research project gets published.

One of those studies was published recently and Amby Burfoot included it in one of the Twitter links he often posts on sports science research.  A conclusion of the study was that Kenyan runners may have more elastic Achilles tendons, which may help them run faster.  This coincided with something I had noticed in my own running of late.

I would run a loop on the five mile course I do normally four days of the week and discovered with the same effort--perceived exertion--I would be running significantly faster--sometimes ten to twenty seconds a mile.  The only theory I could come up with that made any sense was that is that the amount of force I was generating with each stride had increased without an increase in perceived effort. My respiration stayed the same.  No major stride changes or application of force that I could feel.

Somehow I was generating more power with the same amount of perceived effort.  When I read the abstract that Amby linked to regarding tendons it noted that one of the findings was that connective tissue--the Achilles tendon in this case--was found to generate more force without utilizing more oxygen.  In other words, an athlete could go faster without breathing harder or feeling the stress the same way it would if the muscles were working harder.

I sent off the article Amby had sent me to Ross and Jonathan.  Today Ross wrote a piece on their blog about the topic.  You can find it HERE. As with most science the paper creates more questions than answers, but it does appear to show that tendon elasticity is an important component in elite athlete performance.  The questions it raises is whether or not the elasticity of the tendons is a genetic trait or whether it is merely an adaptation to training.

Does it help explain why East Africans, Kenyans, are more successful in elite distance running?  Or, stated more simply, is it something you are born with or can any athlete develop this adaptation with the right training.  All interesting questions waiting for answers.

The Products of A Curious Mind

One of the benefits of running is the people you meet.  One of them who has been particularly interesting over the years, not so much for his running, but rather for his "day job,"--is Bernd Heinrich  Heinrich is an emeritus professor of biology and has written extensively on nature and even one book on running.

Heinrich was a top ultra runner in his prime.  I met him at one of the AMJA ultra championships Dr. Noel Nequin used to organize in Chicago many years ago. In 1980 at one of those races, Minnesotan Barney Klecker set the world record.

Heinrich has used the discipline and dedication that made him a successful ultra runner to good use as an observer of nature.The topics he has tackled don't get a lot of attention, but he has had an interesting life, and made a great contribution to his chosen field.  You can read about his latest project HERE.

USATF Minnesota Athletes of the Month for December 2012

Grant Wintheiser and the Wayzata High School girls' cross country team are USATF Minnesota's Athletes of the Month for December 2012.

Wintheiser, a sophomore at St. Olaf College, is honored for his third-place finish at the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships held in Terre Haute, Indiana in late November. The Sartell native ran the 8K course in 24 minutes, 36 seconds, leading the Oles to a 14th-place finish in team competition.

The Wayzata girls' cross country team is recognized for its 7th-place finish at Nike Cross Nationals, a national  championship competition for high school teams held in early December. The 2012 MSHSL Class AA state champions tallied 232 points at the meet in Portland, Oregon.

Andrew Carlson Seventh at Chevron Houston Marathon

Team USA Minnesota's Andrew Carlson finished seventh in a rain soaked Chevron Houston Marathon on Sunday in 2:17:16.  Carlson was the first American to finish after the top six places were taken by Ethiopians led by race winner Bazu Worku, who ran 2:10:17.  Marathon and Half-Marathon results are HERE.  Video of Carlson's post-race press conference is HERE.  Post race FloTrack interview is HERE.

Gopher Track Teams Open Indoor Season

The University of Minnesota men's track & field team won ten individual titles in their first meet of the indoor season,  Saturday's Northwest Open at the Fieldhouse. The University of Minnesota women’s track team started off their indoor season at the Bison Classic in Fargo, ND and at the Northwest Open.

In North Dakota, the Gophers posted one-two finishes in two events. Becca Dyson (9:48.59) and Maggie Bollig(9:51.15) took the top two spots in the 3,000 meters. Kylie Peterson (5.02) and Todea-Kay Willis (5.10) finished first and second in the 40-yard dash.

Alena Brooks won the 800 meters in 2:11.10. Willis took the long jump title with a leap of 19 feet, two inches (5.84m). Bria Halama (38-9, 11.81m) won the triple jump.

“Overall, it was a good meet,” director of track and field and cross country Matt Bingle said. “We ran a lot of odd events today, but next week we’ll go full force. We need to have a good week in practice.”

At the Northwest Open Gopher event winners were Jessica Schmidt (3,000m), Becci Osterdyk (shot put) and Caitlyn Dongoske(weight throw).

"We had some solid performances to start our indoor season, and now we have some things that we can build off of as the season continues," director of men's track & field Steve Plasencia said. "Next week, we have a more competitive meet with the Jack Johnson, and our guys have to be ready for it."

  

Among the individual titles was Jon Lehman's weight throw of 20.74m, the top throw in the NCAA so far this season and an NCAA qualifier. The Gophers finished 1-2-3 in the event with Lehman besting teammates Quentin Mege (18.31m) and Justin Barber (17.76m).

Minnesota also posted a 1-2-3 finish in the pole vault with Jack Szmanda, Zach Siegemeier and Logan Markuson leading the day's competitors. Szmanda paced the event with a vault of 5.08m.

Additionally, the Gophers featured 1-2 finishes in the 600m run with Jacob Capek (1:20.89) edging Kevin Bradley (1:21.10) for top honors, the high jump with Danny Schiller (2.1m) topping Trevor Yedoni (2.05m) and the shot put with Mark Jennings picking up first place at 17.08m to Emmanuel Onyia's 17.01m.

The Gophers will host the Jack Johnson Classic at the University of Minnesota Fieldhouse Jan. 18-19.

Men's results are HERE. 
Women's results are HERE
Bison Classic results are HERE.

USA 100K Trail Running Champs

from Roy Pirrung 
Sage Canaday won his first ultra championship, to go along with last year's Mountain Running title, at the USA 100K Trail National  Championships in Texas on Saturday.  Canaday was timed in 8:13:49 on a tough, hilly, and rocky trail topped off with mud. Finishing second in 8:53:27 was first-place Masters finisher, Dave Mackey,  who held the course record until Canaday boke it by two minutes, 59 seconds. Paul Terranova, who completed the Grand Slam and an Ironman last year, placed third in 8:55:41. 

In the woman's race Michele Yates, took the lead from the start, winning her second trail title in less than two years after a win at last year's 50-mile at Nueces. Yates' time was 10:08:48. Melanie Fryar took second in 10:17:30, Sabrina Little, known for her fine 24-hour performance in 2012, took third in 11:00:03. Liza Howard finished fourth.

‎50K splits
Male: Canaday 3:51:45, Mackey 4:00, Terranova & Stanley two seconds apart at 4:13:57, & Lundstrom at 4:17:31: 
Female: Yates 4:43:24, Fryar 4:52:17 & Howard 4:54:56. Several top runners have dropped out. Trail conditions continue to deteriorate with high humidity. 

Full results are HERE. Note that Chris Lundstrom finished 50K faster than the winner of that event, but was entered in the 100K.

Beth Alford Sullivan to Become President of USTFCCCA

Former Minnesota high school and Gopher standout, who is currently Director and Head Coach of Penn State track and field and cross country, Beth Alford-Sullivan,  will become President  of the US Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) in the summer of 2013. Sullivan was nominated and elected during the opening session at annual USTFCCCA Convention in December of 2012.  

Alford Sullivan ran for Hopkins High School and the University of Minnesota.  In 2007 she was inducted into the Hopkins HS Hall of Fame.

Yes/No: Michael Reneau under 2:15 at Houston?

Yes/No returns in 2013 and with a clean slate for all Yes/No participants.  You could say that everyone is currently tied for first place (and last place).  This is your chance to try and dethrone the 2012 champion, Heather Jelen.

The Chevron Houston Marathon and the Aramco Houston Half Marathon are often considered the race of choice for folks looking for a fast race in the middle of winter.  The weather generally cooperates, the competition is top-notch, and the course is flat and fast.

A few of our own Minnesota marathoners, including 2:11 Team USA-MN runner Andrew Carlson and Twin Cities Track Club's Michael Reneau, are looking to take advantage of this opportunity.  Another TCTC member, Joe Moore has been contracted by the Houston Marathon to rabbit a group through the half marathon point at 66 minutes.

We will focus on Reneau with the first question of 2013...

Yes/No: Will Michael Reneau run faster than 2:15:00 at the Chevron Houston Marathon on Sunday?

Michael Reneau has a marathon personal best of 2:14:37.  He talks about his goals for the 2013 marathon in this article on runblogrun.com.  For more information on Reneau, check out this 2007 Washington Post article.

The Chevron Houston Marathon boasts a strong field including 2:05 marathoner Bazu Worku.  The top American runners include Carlson, Reneau, Fernando Cabada, Tommy Neal and Sergio Reyes.

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. CDT, Sunday, January 13th.  Please put your answers in the subject line of the e-mail and make sure your full name appears somewhere in the e-mail.

My Answer:  Yes

Heather Jelen won the 2012 version of the Yes/No contest.  She finished two points ahead of Mike Henderson and Jesse Schoen.

For all the results, please visit DtB Fantasy Corner, HERE.

News Items

The story behind Stillwater's orange and green uniforms from the Stillwater Gazette is HERE.

More on Nicole Porath's indoor women's world marathon record from the Northfield News is HERE.

Brent Hanson's Video of Perham boys' and girls' XC teams is HERE.

Andrew Carlson Will Run the Chevron Houston Marathon

Team USA Minnesota’s Andrew Carlson will run in the Chevron Houston Marathon on Sunday.

“I am definitely racing on Sunday,” said Carlson.

Some 13,000 participants are expected for the Houston Marathon which will start at 7 AM  The prize purse features $40,000 for first place with additional money for American runners, including $5,000 for first place.

Gopher Women Track Preview: Throws

Minnesota's throws group graduated two seniors in DeAnne Hahn and Shanna Campbell. Hahn, a former Big Ten champion in hammer, qualified for the NCAA preliminary meet in hammer last spring. The Gophers return eight throwers from last year's roster, including two redshirt freshmen, and sophomore Christina DeLakis, who had a breakout season in her redshirt freshman year. GopherSports.com sat down with throws coach Lynne Anderson to talk more about her group of student-athletes.

GopherSports: Can you talk a little bit about who will be stepping into DeAnne Hahn's place in the hammer throw?

Lynne Anderson: Right now our seniors are Amy Kubat and Jeri Johnson-Chambers. Those two will stepping up and taking over for Dee's place. They're training really well right now. Caitlyn Dongoske's working on it. Those guys are really working hard right now. Jeri and Amy seem to really be catching on to what we're trying to do, so it's working out for them.

GopherSports: Talk about Christina DeLakis's development over the past couple years, and about what you expect to see from her in the spring.

Lynne Anderson: She's learning the hammer from square one just like everyone else. She has excelled greatly in the shot. She placed third at the outdoor Big Ten meet in her freshman year. Right now we're just working on her strength levels to get her up there. She has very good technique, so the variables we work with are the strength, the speed, the understanding of being able to repeat it more and more with heavier shot puts. That's what our training is, and she's responding pretty well to it. She's still very young, though.
GopherSports: Which other returners should we watch for this upcoming season?

Lynne Anderson: I think Devin Stanford did a good job last year. She held herself together in a lot of the meets. She came back ready to go. She and Tina and Jeri and Amy and our redshirt freshmen, Lyndsey Thorpe and Becci Osterdyk, are working very hard also. My true freshmen are learning everything, from a new event to enhancing what they already have. I have a really nice group of people.
GopherSports: Tell us a little bit about those incoming freshmen.

Lynne Anderson: Angie Guenther is from White Bear Lake. She was a runner-up in the discus several years in a row. She's been a very big surprise and very happy surprise for me in that she learns so quickly. She is extremely fast, and sometimes when they're fast like that, it's very hard to adjust. But she's doing a great job. Another freshman is Autumn Miller. She's recovering from surgery, so it's been slow go, but she's making some progress every day. And Kailee Kamps has probably been my biggest surprise in the freshman group. She's from Wisconsin, learns very quickly, and is also very fast. She is learning the hammer, and Angie Guenther is learning the javelin. Angie and Kailee are both discus throwers, and they're each learning a new event. It's going to be very interesting to see how they do this freshman year. They're very, very athletic.

Gopher Women Indoor Track Preview: Sprints & Hurdles

In the outdoor season, the 4x100-meter relay was the Golden Gophers' best event, advancing to its second straight NCAA Championships meet. Minnesota returns some of that relay team as well as several other promising athletes in addition to bringing in some exciting newcomers. GopherSports.com sat down with head coach Matt Bingle to talk about the sprints, jumps and hurdles.

GopherSports: Who are some returners you are especially excited about right now?

Matt Bingle: To be honest, I'm excited about a lot of people, just because we were so young last year. You can see huge growth in them. There's a long list of people I'm excited about. One of the biggest things I'm telling them is, "We've just got to get better, and everybody has to do their part on and off the track." That's what they're focusing on right now. Everybody's moving forward together. Relatively, we're still young. We have a good group of seniors. We have Kylie Peterson, who's having a great fall in the weight room and on the track. Those seniors--Alena Brooks, Kylie, and Todea-Kay Willis--are all doing a good job.

GopherSports: What are you looking for from each group?

Matt Bingle: In the sprints, obviously we're excited to have Kylie and Alena back. And TK was the Jamaican national champion in long jump this summer. She went 6.37 meters. She's doing well, and we're just starting to work on long jump now. She's very focused right now. She just needs to stay the course, keep trying to get better, and work on little things that are going to help her improve her jumping. She will have a more prominent role in the sprints this year. She's going to focus on the long jump and doing the 60 meters indoors.

Alena Brooks represented Trinidad in some meets this summer, and she's also having a good fall. She's healthy. She was injured for most of last season, but she's really doing a good job off the track right now and on the track. She's being a great teammate and working really hard. I'm very excited for her for her senior year.

Te'Shon Adderley is new from Iowa Central College. She's had a very good fall. She's transitioned well with the team. She's been running with the cross country team this fall, and now she's transitioning to be with the 600 and 800 meters group with the sprinters. We're kind of going back and forth with her. She represented the Bahamas at the World Junior Championships, where she ran 2:07 in Spain. She's fitting in well and we're excited about her potential. The potential to have her and Alena indoors in that 600 and 800 group has us excited to see how they turn out.

We're also excited about the development of Frances Conlin, Jessica Waldvogel, and Madison Smith. Megan Geyen has had a great fall and she's ready to take the next step. Chidera Obasih had a good indoor season last year and she's coming back better. Erin Hawkins, a really talented freshman, is doing well right now. I'm excited about that group.

In the pole vault, Katie Murgic returns. She had a good freshman campaign last year and looks a lot better this fall.Stephanie Oleson is having a good fall. We're excited about the addition of Cami Gilson, who went over 13 feet in high school last year.

In the multi-events, we return Nicole Murphey and Jess Herauf. They really committed over the summertime. They're doing a lot of work and doing what is necessary. We also have the addition of Alex and Amanda Beckman, who redshirted last year. They're off to a great start. We added Audra Winter in that group as a freshman, and she has been doing even better than I thought.

In the long jump we'll have Todea-Kay. Nicole Murphey is coming along in the long jump. She went 19 feet at the end of the last year. In triple jump, I'm excited about Bria Halama. She went close to 40 feet last year as a redshirt freshman, and she was pretty beat up. With the addition of Shani Marks coaching her, I feel excited about that.

GopherSports: Can you talk about the overall improvement of this group?

Matt Bingle: Of course we won't know exactly how much better they are until competition starts, but they are all doing a great job this fall and you can definitely see improvement. I think we'll be better this year. Our goal is to score a lot more points at the Big Ten meet. We'll hopefully be healthier this year, which will give us a lot more depth. I'm cautiously optimistic. 

It's been a great Fall. They're working their tails off. They're committed. They're making changes off the track. They're making mental changes. As I tell them all the time, it's not enough. I need more. They understand that, and they're working their butts off. It's really fun going to practice because they're committed to getting better. There's a lot of learning going on. It makes you feel good every day. I love going to practice, and I think they feel the same way. 

That's what I like about this group. This is what it was like in '06, '07, '08, '09. I couldn't wait to get to practice because those guys were ready to work. This group is a very blue collar group, too, because they want to do great things. You tell them what to do, they'll do their best to do it.

Gopher Women Indoor Track Preview:Distance Runners

The final installment of GopherSports.com's indoor track preview series focuses on the distance group. Minnesota's season begins this Saturday with meets at North Dakota State and at home in the University of Minnesota Fieldhouse.

After a 22nd-place finish at the NCAA Cross Country Championships, the Golden Gopher distance runners have been transitioning from running on outdoor courses to a flat indoor track. Sophomore Molly Kayfes and junior Laura Docherty were consistently the team's top two runners throughout the cross country season. In addition to the Gophers' NCAA and Big Ten competitors, a lot of runners with shorter distance focuses will enter the mix during track season. Coach Sarah Hesser sat down with GopherSports.com to talk about the distance group.

GopherSports: Talk a little about the transition from cross country to indoor track.

Sarah Hesser: The most important thing between the national meet and now is that the girls got a nice two-week break where they really got away from the sport for a little while, which I think is important to mentally refresh. The cross season can be kind of long and mentally challenging, just to keep your emotions going at that point. To take a little break is really important.

And then, basically from the time of their break until now, they've been doing a lot of base work. They've been getting miles in. They've been doing maybe one or two workouts a week, but nothing too crazy. The way we look at it is, the indoor season is really only about six weeks long. It's really hard to crunch everything in, especially after cross country. It's hard to then peak for the indoor season, come back down, and peak again for outdoor. We try to look at it as one elongated season. We want to run well at the indoor Big Ten meet and maybe get some people to nationals, but we also want to still have legs and be running our fastest in May and June. 

As a distance coach, you have to be a little bit careful, coming out of that intense fall, in how you build for the indoor and outdoor seasons. But we've always had people that can perform well indoors and keep the momentum going into outdoor. It helps that sometimes the outdoor events are a bit different than the indoor events, so you can train a little differently and adjust going from indoors to outdoors.

Having the great fall that the girls had, they've got a lot of confidence and that's the biggest thing for indoors--knowing that they're fit, knowing that all the stuff they did all fall is going to build into their indoor season. It doesn't just disappear and start over.

GopherSports: Who besides the top cross country group should we watch for in the indoor season?

Sarah Hesser: When you start to add the mid-distance group indoors, you definitely pull in some more people that aren't necessarily 6K runners. For example, freshman Te'Shon Adderley can run the 800 meters and 600 meters, and she's kind of a hybrid between the sprinting and distance groups. Katie Hill, who had a very good cross country season for her while not necessarily in our top group in cross, is primed and ready to have a good track season in the 800. Heather Brunn is another one who scored last year indoors. I think she's ready to rock and roll. Freshman Haylie Zenner got through cross, but her passion and skill level is really suited for the 800. Those are some of the names you didn't hear as much in cross country.

Becca Dyson was an alternate for Big Tens in cross, but she's more of a miler, so I think you'll see her name move up higher on the totem pole. I think Maggie Bollig is going to make a big impact in that mile group. The 3,000- and 5,000-meter group is going to be very much the same as what you saw in cross. Molly Kayfes, Laura Docherty, Ashlie Decker, Jamie Piepenburg, Katie Moraczewski, Liz Berkholtz--I think they will be the big players in the 3,000 and 5,000 indoors.

News Items(includes some Monday updates)

A few of the news items that appeared over the Holiday break:

Andrew Carlson has an Achilles injury that may alter his plans for running the Houston Marathon is HERE.

Masters champion Ralph Maxwell still going strong despite cancer scare is HERE.

Gopher All American Barbora Špotáková ranked number one in the World in the javelin by T&F News is HERE.

Joe Moore thanks Alan Webb is HERE.

Interview with Steve Thomas, Minnesota age-group Runner of the Year is HERE.

Augsburg press release on Dennis Barker, who was the coach for the US team that competed this weekend in Scotland, is HERE.

Coach Barker's report on the races in Scotland: "Senior Women:  The Europeans had a strong team and were in control of the race.  The US and GB/NI were neck and neck through three runners but they put their 4, 5, and 6 just in front of ours and that was the difference.  Ladia ran very well. She started a little too far back maybe, but finished strong.  She outkicked Julia Bleasdale, a 15:02 5K and sub 31 10K runner who finished 10th in the Olympics last summer. 

"Senior Men: Team depth won it for our senior men.  The Europeans and GB/NI had some tough guys up front but our 2-6 guys  made up a good pack and broke up those teams a bit.  Jon Peterson ran in that pack.  He wanted to do a little better, but I thought it was a solid race for him."

Another article remembering Johanna Olson is HERE.

Reports on a record run in the Zoom! Yah! Yah! indoor marathon are HERE and HERE.. Race results are HERE.

Launch of second Explore Minnesota Challenge running series for 2013 is HERE and HERE.

Mike Reneau talks about his goals at this weekend's Chevron Houston Marathon HERE

Lydiard Foundation article on running shoes is HERE

Gabriele Anderson makes Competitor. com top ten American runners to watch in 2013 is HERE.. .

US Men Win BUPA Great Edinburgh International Cross Country Team Challenge

The US men's team won the team title at the BUPA Great Edinburgh International Cross Country Team Challenge Saturday in Edinburgh, Scotland.  The US women were third.  A race report is HERE.

The US's Bobby Mack won the men's individual title by one second in 24:27 for 8K. Team USA Minnesota's Jonathan Peterson was twelveth in 25:08, the sixth man on the US team(the top six score in this meet). Joe Moore was fifteenth in 25:11, the US's eighth man to finish. Mattie Suver finished third in the women's 6K race in 21:00. Team USA Minnesota's Ladia Albertson-Junkans finished seventh in 21:08; Meghan Peyton was eighteenth in 21:38;  Jamie Cheever finished 20th in 21:41; Stephanie Price placed 21st in 21:43; McKenzie Melander was 29th in 22:58.

Report on the races from Dennis Barker, Augsburg/Team USA Minnesota coach, and coach of the US teams that competed in Scotland: "Senior Women:  The Europeans had a strong team and were in control of the race.  The US and GB/NI were neck and neck through three runners but they put their 4, 5, and 6 just in front of ours and that was the difference.  Ladia ran very well. She started a little too far back maybe, but finished strong.  She outkicked Julia Bleasdale, a 15:02 5K and sub 31 10K runner who finished 10th in the Olympics last summer.

"Senior Men: Team depth won it for our senior men.  The Europeans and GB/NI had some tough guys up front but our 2-6 guys  made up a good pack and broke up those teams a bit.  Jon Peterson ran in that pack.  He wanted to do a little better, but I thought it was a solid race for him."

A few video clips from the races are HERE.

Remembering Johanna Olson

Photo courtesy of Photo Run

Minnesota native Johanna Olson's courageous battle with recurring brain cancer is over.  You can read about Johanna's life HERE, HERE,  and HERE.

Midnight Run Photo Album

The leaders early in the race
Photo by Jim Ferstle

NYRR president/CEO Mary Wittenberg(blue hat) welcomes
finishers
Photo by Jim Ferstle

Wittenberg cheers runners as they finish
Photo by Jim Ferstle

Runners cross the finish
Photo by Jim Ferstle

Many have unique costumes
Photo by Jim Ferstle

Runners and spectators get a post-race concert
Photo by Jim Ferstle

Midnight Run entertainment by jferstle

The photos and videos were all taken with an iPad.  The videos being recorded from the back of a pickup truck in front of the race.  For a more professional view of the race start and you can watch Ambrose Salmini's clips of the start and finish HERE.

Happy New Year

2013 began with bright light and thunderous explosions in Central Park when the clock hit midnight on New Year's Eve.  As the 4,000 runners in the Emerald Nuts 4-mile took off from the starting line on the 72nd Street traverse that bisects the Southern portion of the Park, a fireworks show began over the starting line and behind the spectators gathered along the slight ridge adjoining the course.  

Fueled by the adrenalin rush generated by the pyrotechnics, the elite field flew through the opening stages of the race with the more experienced racers quickly adjusting so as not to spend too much of their energy in the first mile.  Woman's winner Delilah DiCrescenzo, a NYC resident who warmed up in her in her plain white long-sleeved T, said she consciously took her foot off the throttle at the beginning because she was concerned about getting sucked into too fast an early pace. 

NYRR Emerald Nuts Midnight Run by jferstle
The men settled into a group of nearly a dozen in the front pack who were watching one another and waiting for someone to make a move. That move came at around a mile and a half when two-time Olympian at 1,500 meters, Ethiopian Mulugeta Wendimu, who now runs for the NYC-based West Side Runners, surged to the front. Wendimu, who eventually finished third, was followed by his West Side teammate Tesfaye Dereje Girma and the Boston Athletic Association's Tim Ritchie, as that pack of three separated themselves from the field. 

Wendimu kept throwing in surges for the next half mile and looking around to see the impact of his tactics on his companions.  As the pace slowed a bit in the third mile, DiCrescenzo's NJ-NY Track Club teammate,  Christian  Johnson, who had been left behind by the Ethiopian's early accelerations, gradually worked his way back to the front pack. 

Ritchie and Johnson then became the aggressors, one or the other alternately making the pace too hot for Wenimdu to handle.  By the time the duo reached the final half mile, Johnson had taken control, even though he had continually expended extra energy by running in the center of the road, while Richie hugged the curbs and ran the tangents.  

As the pair neared the final quarter mile, the firework finale began with a machine-gun-like burst of concussive thunder as the aerial explosions began coming in rapid succession.   Ritchie finally wilted from Johnson's relentless pace and the red-haired Pennsylvania resident outran Ritchie by five seconds in the last quarter mile to win in a  time of 18:49.  DiCerscenzo had a much less contested victory, cruising to a 17 second win in a time of 21:07 over runner up Frances Koon, and 34 seconds over third place finisher Ashley Higginson.

NYRR president and CEO Mary Wittenberg was at the finish to great the elites and stayed to congratulate the rest of the finishers.  Some sharing  a high five, others receiving plaudets for their efforts.  Despite having access to the latest in timing technology, the Midnight  Run elites were timed with stopwatches not computerized scoring systems and chip timing.  It's in keeping with the the purpose of the event being a "fun run" to provide runners with an alternative celebratory activity for New Year's Eve.

While a burgeoning crowd of revelers filling the streets from just below the Park to past Times Square in an attempt to view the annual ball drop and accompanying fireworks, the race site was filled with runners,  some of whom sipped the sparkling apple cider at the race's aid station, and joined the spectators at the post-race concert at the bandshell near the baggage claim area where runners picked up their warm up clothing after finishing.  By the time the New Year had passed its first hour, many of the participants were on their way to boarding nearby subway trains to take them back to their homes or hotels.  

A young couple from Pennsylvania, who traveled to the city to run their third Midnight Run said that it had become their way of celebrating on New Year's Eve.  An IT manager from the city, who took up running in high school as a way in getting in shape for his first sport, hockey, has been running the race for the last seven years.  "It's become a tradition," he said.  Another young couple who live in Alphabet City on the lower East side of Manhattan, said it was their first time running the race, and that they planned on coming back.  They were hooked by the fireworks and the festive atmosphere.  

Just as the famed Midnight Run in Brazil inspired the NYRR to create their New Year's Eve event, other US cities are trying similar events in their cities. A variation on that theme that takes into account Minnesota winter weather being the January 1 Lifetime Fitness Commitment Day 5K run/walk in the Metrodome.