For Midwest runners and those who are forever scared of the Chicago Marathon heat, there is good news. Indianapolis, IN is going to host a new fall marathon. Those who have run the Mini Marathon know that the city can handle big crowds and does a great job as host. The half marathon usually has over 30,000 runners in the spring.
The inaugural marathon and half marathon will be held on November 1st, 2008. This race is not affiliated with the ill-fated Indy Classic Marathon, which was delayed and then canceled last fall.
Total entries for the first year will be limited to 5,000 runners. Registration is now open and costs $60 for the full marathon and $50 for the half before June 30th.
The Indianapolis Monumental Marathon will benefit local public schools and offer a total purse of $10,800 in cash prizes.
It seems like scientists figure out another reason why running is good for us every week. Spark, a new book by John J. Ratey sets out to prove that exercise makes us smarter. He explains how muscle activity produces proteins that play a role in our brain development and daily thought processes. Case studies prove that exercise can change our mental state and boost our creative capacity. As a runner, I already realize this. After a run, I rarely feel tired; only invigorated and refreshed.
Spark demonstrates that exercise is a key combatant against a variety of ailments such as ADD, aggression, menopause, Alzheimer's, and depression, the leading cause of disability of the U.S. With the ever-growing list of bonuses, I don't know why anyone wouldn't want to run. Spark
has great reviews on Amazon and looks like a good read.
Just a quick reminder that registration for the Chicago Marathon starts today. The Chicago Marathon is very popular event and traditionally a fast course, so Boston hopefuls often try to qualify there. Other details:
- Race Date: Sunday, October 12, 2008
- Start Time: 8:00am (CST)
- Participant Capacity: 45,000
- Registration Fee: $110 for U.S. participants; $130 for participants outside the U.S.
Update: The race has reached its 45,000 runner capacity and general registration is now closed. That was fast!
For many runners, walking is a sign of failure; they only walk when they literally can no longer run. We have all walked at some point. In fact, a good method to build up mileage when you first start training is to alternate running and walking. You run a mile, walk a bit, and then run another mile and repeat. As we progress into our running career we tend to work more on time because we can run virtually any distance we need. But what if you could run a faster marathon by walking strategically?
For people who are completing a marathon in 4 hours or more, mixing some brief walks into your marathon can actually cut your time. What you do is plan to walk for 60 seconds after every few miles you run, even if you don't really feel like you have to. Although this is counterintuitive, here are some reasons it's not as crazy as it sounds:
- Walking 60 seconds doesn't actually lose you 60 seconds. The real loss is significantly lower because you are still covering ground while you walk.
- Run-walkers tend to go slightly faster in the run segments than they would if they ran without stopping. For instance, you may find yourself being passed by someone while you walk but then you actually pass them and gain ground on them while your run.
- Run-walkers tend to hold their pace longer. That one minute rest can save your legs and energy and push "the wall" deeper into the race.
- Psychologically, you know you get a break at certain intervals so those 26.2 miles don't seem quite so daunting anymore.
- Many runners have tried this and reported decreased finishing times. In particular, 4-hour marathoners and above see great improvements.
Think of those terrible last 5 miles where you walked at a 15-minute pace, barely able to stand up. Wouldn't it be better to walk a little throughout than to limp home?
There is an endurance race in Honolulu, Hawaii appropriately called the H.U.R.T 100. The race is hosted by the Hawaiian Ultra Running Team, is 100 miles long, and allows a maximum of 100 competitors. This year the eighth annual race was run on January 19 and 20 (the same race, keep in mind - it's that long). Of the 100 highly-conditioned entrants, only 24 finished the race.
The runners started out early Saturday morning, running all day, all night, and were required to finish by 6:00pm on Sunday. The route went from Makiki to Nuuanu and back five times.
Gordon Lau, the first local runner to finish, had this to say:
"Well, for like this weekend because of rain and stuff, the course is really nasty. The routes are slippery, the rocks are slippery, the mud is deep. I mean, look, it's a really, really hard course."
"This is the ultimate right here. This is the ultimate. The ultimate trail race."
Race director John Salmonson had this to add:
"This is the hardest one of all of them. We trained in these mountains for twenty five years, my club, the Hawaiian Ultra Running Team, and we decided to make something very very difficult."
"The elevation gain is the most difficult. Each runner gains a total of 27,000 feet over the course, so he runs up the equivalent Mount Everest in about 30 hours."
The top 2008 finishers from the race webiste:
|
Name |
Time |
| Male |
Paul Hopwood |
27 hrs : 17 min |
| Female |
Suzanna Bon |
31 hrs : 56 min |
I can't even stay awake for 27+ hours!
