Every time the Olympics roll around, there is plenty of buzz about new world records being set on the world's stage. Despite a decade's passage since Michael Johnson was on the top of his game, he still holds dominant world records in the 200 meters and 400 meters, and he shares the 4x400-meter world record (videos below).
Michael Johnson 200m World Record
1996 - Atlanta Olympics - 19.32 seconds - Johnson DOMINATES
Michael Johnson 400m World Record
1999 - Sevilla, Spain - 43.18 seconds - Johnson DOMINATES
USA 4x400m World Record
1998 - New York City - 2:54.20 - Jerome Young, Antonio Pettigrew, Tyree Washington, and Michael Johnson DOMINATE
This is an old video clip, but well worth a revisit. Maurice green recorded a wind-aided 9.86 seconds, winning the 100-meter event at the 2004 Home Depot Invitational in California.
You can't call him humble, but he did win. A lot. This is the same man who had "GOAT" tattooed on his arm - an acronym for "Greatest Of All Time". Greene announced in February that he was retiring at age 33 and not competing at Beijing. His indoor 60m world record (6.39 s) still stands.
Usain Bolt has literally run 100 meters faster than any human in history. On May 31, 2008, the 21-year-old Jamaican sprinter Usain "Lightning" Bolt broke the 100 meter world record with an official time of 9.72 seconds (with a favorable but legal wind of +1.7 m/s). Bolt lowered the previous world record of 9.74 seconds, set by compatriot Asafa Powell in Italy last September. Video below.
The world record holder of the 100 meter dash is generally bestowed the title of "World's Fastest Man." Although it really depends on the length of the race, that is an amazing title to have. I look forward to seeing Bolt at the Beijing Olympics.
Last night I joined thousands of other people across the nation to see Spirit of the Marathon in theaters. Entering the movie, I expected it to be about the history of the marathon and some of it's epic moments and the training and hard work that goes into one. It did capture much of this but essentially the movie was a documentary revealing the personal highs and lows of running a marathon. It followed 5 people, 1 elite (Deena Kastor), and 4 other age groupers. A few were first timers and one was a regular marathoner shooting for Boston.
Without going into too many details, the movie did an incredible job of showing the emotions before, during, and after a marathon. As a runner I kept thinking "So true, so true." There were laughs from the audience that only a running crowd would give. One of my favorite scenes was a moment we've all been through: when you tell someone you're going to run a marathon and they ask you, "Do you think you're going to win?"
It's a beautiful movie to a runner and a motivational movie for a non-runner. It spans everything from the agony of injury to the exhilaration of completion. I had the sense that everyone around me in the theater and those in the film understood what I feel about running. It's often hard to explain to others why you do what you do, why you put yourself through the early morning runs just to torture yourself for 26.2 miles. This movie helps answer those questions. It will be my answer to those who think I'm crazy. I'll simply hand them a copy of the movie and say, "Watch this, you'll understand."
Spirit of the Marathon is screening at select theaters throughout 2008 and will be on DVD sometime after that. Below is the trailer.
Small-town bus boy Chris Bryant managed to get on his local news channel for his unusual hobby of jumping over cars. Next thing you know, he has his own Nike commercial. See below.
