All-Time American Top 10 Performers

800M
1:42.60, Johnny Gray ('85)
1:43.20, Mark Everett ('97)
1:43.35, David Mack ('85)
1:43.38, Rich Kenah ('97)
1:43.5, Rick Wohlhuter ('74)
1:43.62, Earl Jones ('86)
1:43.92, John Marshall ('94)
1:43.92, David Krummenacker ('02)
1:43.97, Jose Parilla ('92)


1500M
3:29.77, Sydney Maree ('85)
3:30.64, Bernard Lagat ('05)
3:31.01, Jim Spivey ('88)
3:31.52, Steve Holman ('97)
3:31.76, Steve Scott ('85)
3:31.93, David Krummenacker ('02)
3:32.73, Alan Webb ('04)
3:33.1, Jim Ryun ('67)
3:33.6, Joe Falcon ('90)
3:33.72, Seneca Lassiter ('99)

1 MILE
3:47.69, Steve Scott ('82)
3:48.38, Bernard Lagat ('05)
3:48.83, Sydney Maree ('81)
3:48.92, Alan Webb ('05)
3:49.31, Joe Falcon ('90)
3:49.80, Jim Spivey ('86)
3:50.34, Todd Harbour ('81)
3:50.40, Steve Holman ('97)
3:50.84, Tom Byers ('82)
3:51.1, Jim Ryun ('67)
3:51.34, John Gregorek ('82)

3000M
7:30.84, Bob Kennedy ('98)
7:33.37, Sydney Maree ('82)
7:34.96, Adam Goucher ('01)
7:35.84, Doug Padilla ('83)
7:36.69, Steve Scott ('81)
7:37.04, Jim Spivey ('93)
7:37.70, Rudy Chapa ('79)
7:38.03, Marc Davis ('93)
7:39.23, Tim Broe ('02)
7:39.28, Alan Webb ('05)

3000M STEEPLE
8:09.17, Henry Marsh ('85)
8:09.76, Mark Croghan ('93)
8:12.65, Daniel Lincoln ('05)
8:13.16, Brian Diemer ('84)
8:14.26, Marc Davis ('93)
8:14.82, Tim Broe ('01)
8:15.77, Pascal Dobert ('00)
8:16.59, Ivan Huff ('86)
8:16.88, Daniel Lopez ('92)
8:16.92, Tom Nohilly ('92)

5000M
12:58.21, Bob Kennedy ('96)
13:01.15, Sydney Maree ('85)
13:10.19, Adam Goucher ('05)
13:11.77, Mebrahtom Keflezighi ('00)
13:11.77, Tim Broe ('05)
13:11.93, Alberto Salazar ('82)
13:12.91, Matt Centrowitz ('82)
13:13.32, Abdihakem Abdirahman ('05)
13:13.49, Bruce Bickford ('85)
13:14.71, Bernard Lagat ('05)


10,000M
27:13.98, Mebrahtom Keflezighi ('01)
27:20.56, Mark Nenow ('86)
27:25.61, Alberto Salazar ('82)
27:29.16, Craig Virgin ('80)
27:31.34, Todd Williams ('95)
27:33.34, Abdihakem Abdirahman ('05)
27:33.93, Alan Culpepper ('01)
27:37.17, Bruce Bickford ('85)
27:37.45, Bob Kennedy ('04)
27:38.50, Dathan Ritzenhein ('04)

MARATHON
2:05:38, Khalid Khannouchi ('02)
2:08:47, Bob Kempainen ('94)
2:08:51, Alberto Salazar ('82)
2:08:53, Dick Beardsley ('82)
2:09:00, Greg Meyer ('83)
2:09:27, Bill Rodgers ('79)
2:09:31, Ron Tabb ('83)
2:09:32, David Morris ('99)
2:09:35, Jerry Lawson ('97)
2:09:38, Ken Martin ('89)

Lasse Viren

"Dream barriers look very high until someone climbs them. Then they are not barriers any more."

When I think of Lasse Viren, I think of a champion. I think of the ultimate peak racer. I think of a silky smooth stride. I think of pamper-like racing shorts. I think of magic; I think of "the fall" that epitomized the man.

Viren was the consummate Flying Finn. In 1972 at the Munich Olympics, Viren entered the 10,000 meters having raced over 40 times prior to the race, including setting a World Record of 8:14.0 over 2 miles. He entered the race with personal bests of 7:43.2 (3000m), 13:16.4 (5000m), and 27:38.35 (10,000m). In other words, he was pretty much a mixture of Dathan Ritzenhein, Ryan Hall, and Bob Kennedy- he displayed the range necessary to win the gold.

When I think of Lasse Viren, I think of fartlek training; of training three-times a day; of training by heart-rate; of a youth with tremendous potential fulfilled. Running Times has a great breakdown of Viren's training prior to '72 here: http://www.runningtimes.com/issues/04sep/viren.htm .

Viren would go on to win the 10,000 meters at the 1972 Munich Olympics in a World Record, 27:38.4, after falling early on in the race, only to get up, surge and catch the pack, and then drop a last 800m in about 1:55 to win going away. Viren would retun later in the week to compete in the 5000 meter race against the now famous "Prefontaine Race", where Pre started a long drive from home a mile out.. only to be over-taken by the Flying Finn, as he won in an Olympic Record time, 13:26.4.

But the 23-year old policeman was not done. He would disappear for a couple of years only to re-emerge in 1976 at the Montreal Olympics. There he would win the 10,000 meters once again, easily winning the race in 27:40.38 over Carlos Lopes of Portugal. However, in perhaps his most amazing feat (other than "the fall"), Viren entered the 5000m and lined up against the most fearsome set of kickers of his time: Quax and Dixon of New Zealand. I want to stop writing so you can take in the picture. Here is Viren, coming off a 10,000m victory and the 5000m heats, fatigued, tired, but understanding that he must run the legs off the fresher athletes, that he must drive from way out in order to win. And what does he do? Viren smoothly accelerates to a disgusting 2:29 final kilometer to hold off the kicks of Quax, Dixon, and Hildenbrand (FRG) in a most amazing drive to the finish. The finish line was a complete disaster with the world class athletes strained and pushed to the limit. Viren was a master-strategist, as he won in another Olympic Record time of 13:24.76.

But he was not done, again. Viren wanted to emulate history's greatest champion of all, and perhaps history's greatest athletic feat... the feat of the legendary Emil Zatopek, who won the 5000, 10,000m and Marathon events at the 1952 Helsinki Olympic Games.

But, alas, Viren would finish 5th in the Marathon in 2:13:10 against the world's best (including American Frank Shorter's 2:10:45 Silver Medal).

Lasse Viren would retire soon after the Moscow Olympics in 1980, where he tried to produce his peaking prowess once more over 10,000m, but this time he faded to 5th in a respectable 27:50.5. But by then, he had cemented his legendary status as a double-double winner of Gold Medals, just completely dominating the 5000 and 10,000m at the 1972 & 1976 Olympic Games. Mirus Yifter, the winner of the 1980 Olympic 10,000m race was able to duplicate Viren's 5000 & 10,000 victories in one Olympic Game, but he could not repeat the feat four years later, leaving Viren as the ultimate Olympic Distance Champion, in my mind.

Forget the Reindeer milk, Viren has sisu running through his veins.

Norwich Union London Grand Prix Videos

Lagat, Webb, Bekele & Mottram

The Norwich Union London Grand Prix took place today in England and there were some fascinating results, including some great performances from the brave Americans that entered this prestigious meet.

American distance runners, in the past, have been reluctant to travel to Europe and compete in these high quality track meets, which sometimes don't even have a non-African in the distance events, but this weekend the Americans proved they belonged with the USA taking 1st and 2nd in the 1500 meters, as Alan Webb (2nd- 3:33.16) almost caught Bernard Lagat (3:33.12) at the line, beating World 5000m Champion Eliud Kipchoge (4th- 3:33.80) in the process. Rob Myers (former Ohio State Buckeye) punched his ticket to the World Championships with his 3:34.89 personal best breakthrough for 6th place, while Webb's sometime training partner, Chris Lukezic of Georgetown, placed 8th in 3:35.22 to earn his trip to Helsinki. This means the United States will be sending three athletes in the 1500 meters come August- Webb, Myers, and Lukezic.

The men's 5000 meter race also showcased some of America's brightest young stars, with marathoner and American 10,000 meter Champion, Abdi Abdirahman having the race of his life to breakthrough with his wicked 4th place, 13:13.32 personal best, chopping nearly 6-seconds off of his personal best. He is a training partner of 1500 meter specialist, Bernard Lagat, in Arizona, and has quite minimal leg-speed and an awkward running form. However, following Abdirahman was American 5000 meter Champion, Tim Broe (formerly of Alabama and an old nemesis), with a steady performance at 13:13.93 (6th), which was within a second of his personal best. I was expecting Broe to run closer to 13:07.20 in this race, but perhaps this race just shook out the rust and the time will follow in the near future, as he is one of the best 5000m specialists in the world. Ryan Hall followed in 9th place with a steady 13:23.20, which is slower than what he ran at the USATF Championships, but at least the performance establishes some consistency over the distance for the young Stanford graduate. 11th place went to US Marathon Champion, Alan Culpepper, as he rolled to a modest personal best of 13:25.75 while mixing it up with the track boys and leading a struggling Ian Dobson to 13th in 13:28.42.

Below is a link for videos of the Men's 1500 & 5000 meter races, courtesy of time-to-run.co.uk... leaving me wishing for coverage like this in the States...
http://www.time-to-run.co.uk/track/crystal-palace/2005/

Wonderful World-Class Video

Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) versus Craig Mottram (AUS) over 5000m

This is wonderful footage of two world-class runners, the great Haile Gebreselassie of Ethiopia, and past triathlete, Craig Mottram of Australia. Mottram has wonderful form, such a beautiful and fluid stride, not to mention his tremendous frame. And then there is the little Geb, with his tremendous track experience and legendary kick. Mottram became the fastest "white" athlete over 5000m with his 12:55 national-record clocking. What great footage:
http://www.bbcmotiongallery.com/customer/common/search/searchDetails.jsp?detect=true&clipItemId=prod530002

Enjoy!

Papi Rodriguez con las hebas, my wife Perla (left) and her sister Lilly (right).. 

The gang heading to Mexico vs. Colombia for the CONCACAF quarter-final match at Reliant Stadium 

Finally, the real deal, as Madelyn soars hundreds of feet above the ground on a lonely balance beam all by herself.. 

Working on her closing presentation... 

Madelyn warming up for her first day of gymnastics.. 

Saroy.net

http://www.saroy.net

I came across this wonderful gem of website by Sarah Graybeal who took this most beautiful picture of my daughter, Madelyn, at the Kid's 1K at the RunWild 5K on the 4th of July. Check out her impressive array of pictures and her humorous blog.

Peachtree Road Race 10K

35th Place in 32:10

Well, this past 4th of July I attended the prestigious Peachtree Road Race 10K in Atlanta, Georgia, to open my season of summer racing and to check my fitness level. I had always heard about Peachtree and fortunately this was the year I was able to attend the world's largest 10K, with over 55,000 participants.

First off, Atlanta has to be the hilliest city in America. I arrived on Sunday morning and was scheduled for a 10-mile training run the day before the race, so I as left from my hotel room, I tried to keep in mind what my Coach had said, "find some flats to run on..," meaning, "stay away from the hills, you flat-lander to minimize the damage on your muscles." After about 5 minutes of running, I was just about walking up an incline. Every street I turned onto to avoid hills, just brought more and more hills. Finally, I had to call it a day, as I was afraid I was trashing my legs prior to the race. My simple 10-mile run was turning into quite a workout, and all I could think about was how unfair it would be to train in such a hilly environment. The strength-advantages gained from such inclines and declines could be nothing but positive, and I started hating the fact that I lived in Houston...

But if there is a positive to living in Houston, it is the acclimitazation to heat. I had been training in up to 110-degree (heat index) weather, so on race morning, when the thermometer read 73-degrees, I found it quite pleasant. Now, I could have done without the 93% humidity (actually, I am sure everyone could have done without that), but I had to take what was given on race day. All the locals were complaining about how hot and humid it was and I was standing there reveling in how nice it was... but complaining about the HILLS!

Peachtree has a phenomenal wheelchair race. I have never seen so many wheelchair competitors. Peachtree completely caters to the three-wheeling road racers and they were sent off in waves on Monday morning. After warming up in a parking garage (the only flat land I could find), I headed to the starting line where I met up with Australian Andrew Letherby. Letherby and I both competed in the now defunct Trans America Athletic Conference and he won the Cross Country championships for Georgia State my freshman year at FIU where I placed 11th and I just remember him destroying the field and running so easily on the muddy course (he is about 5'3). Letherby went on to win Bronze at the Commonwealth Marathon Championships in 2002. Anyhow, we both lined up on the women's side of the starting mats, chatting, as I soon noticed that course record-holder (30:32!) Lornah Kiplagat was lining up...

Lornah Kiplagat is a running goddess. Her 30:32 course record at Peachtree is as stout as course records come, and I knew I would not have a chance if she was in such shape. Kiplagat entered this race on a 7-race win streak to start 2005, and was a 3-time champion of Peachtree. After checking her out, I decided to key off of her, because I knew she was fit. How fit, I would soon find out...

The gun sounds and we're off. My goal for this race was to approach 32:00, as close as possible. 5:05-5:10 miles. Granted, the course gradually heads downhill to 2.5 miles before you begin on the unforgiving hills. Within 100 meters of the start, Kiplagat is gone, as she would lead the entire field through the opening mile in 4:31! I tried to run steady and relaxed and was running well as I passed through the Mile in 4:55, fast, but comfortable even though I was behind about 10 of the lead women. I did not catch my 2-mile split, but hit three miles in high-14:40's, passing 5K in 15:26 and actually thinking I may have an opportunity for a road best, as I was feeling good, but then the hills started, and that was my unraveling. I remember thinking about Lance Armstrong, as before I had left for Atlanta, my family and I had watched his amazing individual time trial and that inspired me. So, I started thinking, "Lance's time trial.. catch Ullrich (Kiplagat).. push yourself, if he can give the effort, so can you." Perhaps I got too aggressive at this point, but..

I am usually a strong hill runner, as I perform best on challenging courses, but I had gone out too hard and my legs were beginning to feel that "trashed" sensation. I passed 4 miles in 20:20 and than really started struggling, as my left leg just shut down. Passing 5 miles in 25:45, the hills never stopped and I just wanted to finish, though I was having some good battles within the race with a couple of other Americans. All I could wait for was the finish line to be in sight and for my leg to come alive, but it almost didn't until I got passed by some guy in a pair of Nike Pegasus, like he was on a training run. That startled me into a wild kick the last .2 miles, as I caught one last runner before the line. I didn't even know my time. My legs were trashed, I was soaked and tired, and it was a lonely walk to get the coveted Peachtree T-Shirt.

Seriously, the Peachtree T-Shirt is a huge deal, as they even had an "American Idol-like" cellphone voting. Being one of the first to finish (35th I would later learn), I was amazed how many people stopped me on my walk to the MARTA (train station that was close to 3 miles away and I was in no mood to jog there) to look at the shirt, "wow, that's THE shirt! Can I see it.." Sure.

I ended up having breakfast at Dunkin' Donuts (wish Houston had them) and then just lying in bed, physically sick. I had really pushed myself almost beyond my fitness, especially with that final sprint to the finish and with the 93% humidity perhaps I had dehydrated and been too confident in my Houston-heat training, but I laid in bed feverish, shaky, and just feeling like I could die. I took as much a nap as I could before awaking and heading out to the airport to head home and spend the 4th with Perla and Madelyn, for I knew they would make me feel better.

And, of course they did, as Perla had plenty of stories about Madelyn's 1K at the RunWild 5K... but more on that, later...