Notes on an '08 Calendar latest Feature Article
'Here's something you won't hear everyday: The best distance runner in the world today is Sammy Wanjiru'...
Courtney Carter's Live Falls Journal Monday, December 29, 2008
Runners Tribe editor Courtney Carter is keeping a live journal of his two weeks at Falls Creek. Check back here daily for updates...
A Disappointing Footlocker: Tuesday, December 16, 2008
I woke up in time to get online and watch the Footlocker National Championships live over the Internet, but I have to admit I'm a little disappointed in what I saw. Primarily on the men's side, but a little bit with the women, too. (If you missed it, check out this site for a review and videos. Girls results here . Boys here .)...
Thoughts on Jordan Hasay and Footlocker: Thursday, December 11, 2008
This Saturday marks the 30th anniversary of the Footlocker Cross Country Championships (or as you old-timers still call it, "Kinney"). If you go to their site , you can see a nice video about those 30 years with interview clips from the numerous Olympians and NCAA Champions who participated in the meet. As you watch the video, you can't help but wonder what the future holds in store for this year's competitors, which include an amazing three former champions in the girls' race: Jordan Hasay (2005) , Kathy Kroeger (2006), and Ashley Brasovan (2007)....
A Tribute to Kerryn McCann: Monday, December 8, 2008
It's a sad day indeed. Kerryn McCann has lost her battle with cancer. A wonderful lady, the perfect family, a stellar running career, living in a coastal town in a comfortable home with ocean views. Kerryn had it all and was entering a stage in her life when she could rest on her laurels and focus "all" of her energy on her family...
Economic Crisis is an Olympic Opportunity?: Thursday, November 27, 2008
I wasn't supposed to watch the Opening Ceremonies for the Beijing Olympics. I was supposed to meet a friend at an observatory and see the stars, galaxies, solar systems. I made a wrong turn, drove 30 miles away from where I was supposed to be, missed the event at the observatory, and decided to grab some dinner at a pizza parlor in a town whose name I never even caught. They had the Opening Ceremonies on. I remember sitting with a bunch of strangers as we took turns saying, "Wow!" followed by wide-eyed incredulous laughing.....
Marty Dent: One Hell of a Year: latest Interview
2008 has been a stellar year for 29 year old Martin Dent. A win at the world's biggest foot race, the Sydney City to Surf, a victory at the Australian Cross Country Championships, and gold in the 3000m Steeple at the Australian titles, to name just a few of his victories. We catch up with Marty as he gears up for a crack at the Fukuoka marathon this December....
Comparing Debuts - 'One Small Step': latest Feature Article
I can't exactly say I was surprised by Kara Goucher's performance in the New York City Marathon on Nov 2. I figured anything in the range of 2:24 to 2:26 was likely, simply because she seemed too good to run much slower than that. Then again, prior to the race I didn't know Deena Kastor's debut was 2:26:58 in New York City in 2001. Yes, ignorance is bliss....
Michael Hillardt: 1985 World Indoor 1500m Champion: Thursday, November 6, 2008
The nineteen eighties decade was a rich one for middle distance running. In Britain the likes of Cram, Coe and Ovett dominated, whilst in Africa, Said Aoutia was the man. Down under, there was one man who had a stranglehold over Australian 1500m and mile running for most of the eighties, his name, Michael Hillardt...
"The Workout" - 'One Small Step': Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Galen Rupp is currently the favorite to win the individual title at the NCAA Cross Country Championships, and his Oregon Ducks are the favorite to defend their team title from last year. Despite being just 22 years old, he's ranked 7th all-time in the US for 10k (27:33.48) and he's run that distance at the 2007 World Championships and the Beijing Olympics....
"The Jarrow Arrow" - Cram's Top 5: Sunday, October 26, 2008
Steve Cram was born in Jarrow, Tyneside, England in 1960, with a whole lot of talent. Over a 19 day period during the European summer of 1985 Cram, nicknamed "The Jarrow Arrow", set the running world alight, clocking world records in the 1500m, 2000m and the mile. Still considered one of the best middle distance runners ever, Cram had the honour of being the first man to run under 3:30 for the 1500m. Here we take a look back over Cram's career and rank his five top performances of all time....
Craig Huffer: World Junior Diaries: Monday, October 13, 2008
After twelve years of training; two 1500m races under the qualifying time of 3:47.5; a pre departure qualifier at Aberfeldie, Melbourne; a win in the Leonora Golden Gift Mile, W.A.; two pre departure camps at the Gold Coast; and over 30 hours of travel from Brisbane airport; I landed in Bydgoszcz for the 12th IAAF World Junior Championships...
Farewell to the Maputo Express: Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Rewind to 1991, a lifetime ago. For an 18 year old from Mozambique, mature beyond her years, it marked the beginning of the road. 17 years have gone by, not a short time for an athlete of any sport to spend at the top of their event, but a complete eternity for a middle distance runner (especially when considering the number of accolades jammed into the years). Olympic gold, three outdoor world championship golds, seven indoor world championship golds and countless golden league victores. Not too shabby. So we take a look back over the career of one of the greatest 800m runners to ever live, Maria Mutola.....
Abebe Bikila Remembered: The First African Great: Wednesday, October 1, 2008
If there was just one person who has influenced the distance running world the most, it would have to be the great Ethiopian, Abebe Bikila. Bikila was the catalyst who showed the whole of Africa that it was possible to be a world beating runner....
A Kiwi in America: Thursday, September 25, 2008
A New Zealand athlete travelling to the United States is nothing new, However the topic is one that is frequently debated, with several arguments, often using hypothetical examples about the pro's and cons of leaving. I read the discussions; spent the better part of a year searching for what I thought was the right school, and fundraised to make it possible...
Youcef Abdi: Olympic Steeplechase Finalist: latest Interview
If you were looking to find a story of inspiration, hard times and persistence, which finished with a happy ending, you would need not go further than that of Youcef Abdi. After fleeing his home country at a young age, he switched allegiances to Australia, and has represented his adopted country with pride...
And the Winners Are: World Athletics Final Tipping Competition!: Monday, September 15, 2008
The Runner's Tribe would like to thank Skins for Sponsoring this unique and successful tipping competition. The competition turned out to be a huge success. Amazingly, the winner, Joseph Katib, picked a massive 14 winners, only narrowly beating Javier Blazquez who had 13 correct picks...
World Athletics Final Tipping Competition!: Sunday, September 7, 2008
The Runner's Tribe, along with Skins, are running a World Athletics Final Tipping Competition! This is a tipping competition with a difference. You're trying to pick the winning athlete only, check it out, there are some great prizes on offer!...
James Thie: Globe Trotting Welsh Miler: Saturday, September 6, 2008
UK Middle Distance Runner, James Thie, has been a Great Britain team member since 1998. As well as Welsh Record holder in the Indoor 1500m, 1 mile and 2000m. James has made a name for himself as a fearless competitor who's never afraid to travel the globe to gain success. We catch up with James a few months after he narrowly missed an Olympic berth and a few months before he ties the knot.......
Flash Chat with Olympic Champion: Brimin Kiprop Kipruto: Saturday, August 30, 2008
Steeplechase running in Kenya is a matter of honour and pride, Kenya have dominated the event for decades. Right now, the man leading Kenya's charge and the new Olympic 3000m Steeplechase champion, is the one and only Brimin Kiprop Kipruto. Kipruto hails from Korkitony, a village in the Rift Valley, and trains with the Global Sports group in Kaptagat near Eldoret. Kipruto has an impressive range of talent finishing 11th at the 2006 World Cross-Country Championships (short course), and he has also run a 3:35.23 for 1500m.....
Kathrine Switzer: The Face of Women's Marathon Running: Sunday, August 24, 2008
Kathrine Switzer will always be best known as the woman who challenged the all-male tradition of the Boston Marathon and became the first woman to officially enter and run the event. Her entry created an uproar and worldwide notoriety when a race official tried to forcibly remove her from the competition....
Haile Gebrselassie, Runner's Tribe Exclusive: Thursday, August 14, 2008
To say that Haile Gebrselassie’s world runs a little faster than most could be the understatement of the year, it seems all eyes in running are constantly fixed on the tiny Ethiopian great. We catch up with Haile just days before his Beijing Olympic 10,000m showdown with Kekenisa Bekele...
Brett Cartwright: Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Writing an intro for three time winner of the Sydney Morning Herald Half Marathon, Brett Cartwright, is truly a pleasure. Reading about Brett's story is a refreshing experience, an old school runner who juggles full-time work with training and a family. Brett shows that it is possible to be a top class runner, still hold down a job, be an all-round good bloke, get married, and start a family. With a 63:02 to his name for the half marathon and a 2:15.02 marathon Brett is knocking on the door of bigger things, we catch up with Brett and discuss pretty much everything we can think of...
Aussie Olympic Track & Marathon Mens Team Bio: Latest
So here it is, the Runnerstribe.com's run-down on the Australian Olympic Team. We have compiled this list over the last few weeks to give the rest of the world an idea of what to expect...
Michael Rimmer: Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Twenty-two year old British middle distance runner, Michael Rimmer, is one of the most promising middle distance runners England has seen in quite some time. Rimmer is part of a contingent of British runners, including Andy Baddeley, who are hoping to return Britain to the forefront of world middle distance running.....
Deena Kastor: Wednesday, July 23, 2008
With an Olympic bronze medal to her name from the Athens Olympics, there is no doubt that Deena Kastor hopes to climb back onto the Olympic podium in Beijing, hopefully standing just a little higher than four years ago. Kastor, the American record holder over the half marathon (67:34) and marathon (2:19.36) as well as winner of the 2005 Chicago marathon is definitely America's greatest hope for Olympic marathon gold since Joan Benoit-Samuelson won in 1984. We catch up with Deena to find out what's happening and what's new.....
World Junior Diaries 2008, Bridey Delaney: Sunday, July 27, 2008
Bridey Delaney is an Australian junior middle distance runner with a big future. She recently represented the green and gold at the World Junior Athletics Championships in Bydgoszcz. Here, Bridey shares her travel diaries with all...
Mike Aish: Saturday, July 19, 2008
Two-time Olympian and Commonwealth Games representative Kiwi Mike Aish is New Zealand's flagship distance runner. At 31 he is the nations 4th fastest man ever over 10'000m running an impressive 27:46.37 at the Cardinal Invitational at Stanford in 2007, while his 13:22.64 is the 6th fastest ever by a New Zealander over 5000m, run his last year of College in 2002.....
Nick Willis: Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Star Kiwi miler, Nick Willis, needs little introduction. At 25, Nick has had an impressive career to date. His achievements include gold at the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games, first at the 2005 NCAA indoor mile and a 1500m finalist at the 2007 World Championships. With Beijing fast approaching we catch up with Nick and discuss the launch of his new website, his training, lead up to Beijing, as well as reflecting upon his career to date....
Tour de Olympics: Sunday, July 13, 2008
Being a French citizen, it would be easy to believe that cycling is the world's most dominant sport. At this time of year parts of France pretty much cease functioning. Gross domestic product must surely take a plunge during July - I would love to see the stats. On a global level, there must surely be only two other sporting events which compare, that being World Cup football, and the Olympics....
The Contenders : Women's Olympic 800m: Sunday, July 6, 2008
Let's get right to it, there is one big favorite on most people's radars and a few others that should be. Beyond that, it'll take some folding, exploding, and/or injuries to see anyone else to the top step of the podium.....
Lachlan Renshaw: Monday, June 30, 2008
At this year's World Athletics Tour meet in Melbourne a bomb was dropped by twenty year old Sydney-sider, Lachlan Renshaw. Renshaw won the 800m race in emphatic fashion in a time of 1:45.79. The time was a huge personal best and more importantly, an Olympic A qualifier. Renshaw thus catapulted himself into the spotlight as Australia's most promising 800m talent since the likes of Grant Cremer and Kris McCarthy...
Yuriy Borzakovskiy: From the clouds: Thursday, June 26, 2008
Yuriy Borzakovskiy, the introverted Russian defending Olympic 800m champion and sixth fastest 800m runner of all time will surely go down in history, no matter what the outcome in Beijing, as being one of the most flamboyant and unpredictable 800m runners to ever grace the track. With Beijing fast approaching we take a look back over his career, and briefly assess the main contenders standing inbetween him and successive Olympic golds....
New life breathed into Australian Half Marathon Champs: Saturday, June 21, 2008
In a move that it is hoped will resurrect the declining fortunes of state representative running, IMG, the organisers of the Samsung Melbourne Marathon and Asics Half Marathon will be subsidising teams of three men and three women from each Australian State and Territory to participate in the Australian Half Marathon Champs...
Mary Jo; 'Rien Ne Sert De Courir' : Wednesday, June 18, 2008
By Alexandre Durande. 'Rien Ne Sert De Courir' : 'There's no point in running,' is the title of the recently released biography of Marie-Jose Pérec, arguably one of the greatest athletes to ever live. Throughout a turbulent career Pérec managed to win two successive Olympic 400m gold medals as well as the 200m/400m double at the Atlanta Olympics and two world championship gold medals....
Mike Power: Saturday, June 14, 2008
It's not everyday that you get the opportunity to catch up with a man who has not only achieved some speedy times on the track, but also experienced life inside collegiate America from two different perspectives, as athlete as well as coach. Melbourne born middle distance runner, Mike Power moved to the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas in January 1996 as the fastest miler of the freshman class (3:58.03). However, with the big move from Australia to the United States came many problems and adjustments.
Sydney University 130th Anniversary Black-Tie Dinner: Sunday, June 15, 2008
Sydney University Athletics Club is celebrating its 130th Anniversary by holding a glamorous Black-Tie Dinner. It will be held on 13th September 2008 in the Great Hall at Sydney University, commencing at 6:30pm....
RT's Favourite running commercials: Monday, June 9, 2008
Here is another top notch selection of videos compiled by the Runner's Tribe. This time we focus on the top 12 running orientated commercials for some humorous entertainment...
Mark Tucker's thoughts on outback racing Friday, June 6, 2008
By Mark Tucker. 'Skimpies' - a word not usually associated with a running race but on one weekend in June, in the remote mining town of Leonora, the two collide and 2008 did not disappoint!...
2008 Leonora Golden Gift: Results Thursday, June 5, 2008
The 2008 Leonora Golden Gift will long be remembered for the desperate finishes that were required to take the biggest pay cheques in Australian middle distance running... Results have now been posted, and videos have been added to video page...
Donna MacFarlane: Monday, June 2, 2008
Donna MacFarlane has seen it all: the high of a Bronze medal at her home Commonwealth Games, the low of losing her shoe in the first round of the World Championships, and the joys of motherhood. In a little under three months, Donna will lead the Australian charge at the Beijing Olympic Games where she will compete in her pet event, the 3000m steeplechase, and if past form is anything to go by, she may just come home with some extra luggage. Donna currently has run the fastest time in the world this year (9:29.93).
RT's Favourite 1500m (Men) race videos of all time: Thursday, May 29, 2008
Alright! So we thought we should put our huge collection of race videos to use and come up with our favourite all time lists for each event. So over the next few months we will rank our top 5 videos for numerous events (for both male and female) and give a brief explanation as to the reasons behind the selections. We start with the men's 1500m.
Mark Fountain: Monday, May 19, 2008
3:33 1500m man, Mark Fountain, is one of Australia?s fastest ever 1500m runners. Currently based in Arkansas, in the USA, Mark has had an impressive career which culminated in him winning a bronze medal at the 2006 Commonwealth Games 1500m in Melbourne. Although not as well known, Mark has a better personal best than Craig Mottram over 1500m. We catch up with Mark as he prepares for his assault on a Beijing qualifying standard.
Olympic Trials : Are Australian Athletes peaking too early?: Friday, May 23, 2008
Unlike many countries fielding teams in Track and Field, the Australian Olympic Trials are traditionally featured at the end of the Australian summer athletics calendar, which can be up to six months before the Olympic Games themselves. This raises the question, are Australian Athletes peaking to early?
2008 Lenora Golden Gift: Monday, May 19, 2008
The Lenora Golden Gift is a unique and prestigious athletics carnival held May 31st to June 2nd Australia's outback. The event carries $53,000AUD in prize money and has attracted the cream of Australia;s middle distance runners in its 5 year history.
Ryan Gregson: Monday, May 12, 2008
It took only 8 minutes and 1 second for Ryan Gregson to go from being a solid young distance runner; to the best junior 3000m runner this country has ever seen. Since breaking that record of Craig Mottram's, Gregson has gone on to compete at the World Youth Championships, finishing 5th in the 1500m final, the World Junior XC Championships in Edinburgh, and finished his track season with the Australian u/18 1500m (3:43) and 5000m (14:14) records, just for good measure.
Sarah Jamieson: Monday, May 5, 2008
Sarah Jamieson is arguably Australia's best ever female 1500m runner. Sarah is the current Australian record holder over 1500m (4:00.93) and ended 2007 ranked 7th in the world. Sarah's story is one of resilience, toughness and hard work: After much success as a junior she was injured between 1994 and 1998 and had a total of five surgeries on her legs.
Chris de Boer: Monday, May 5, 2008
Chris de Boer (CDB) burst onto the scene in late 2007- early 2008, winning the Ron Clarke Classic 800m (1:51.3) and the Zatopek classic (1:48.89). He also placed 4th in the Sydney track classic (1.48.78), and 3rd in the Canberra Grand Prix ( 1.48.26 ). Chris finished the year ranked 6th for the 800m and stands as being perhaps the biggest improver on the domestic scene, he ran a total of 9 straight personal bests. Furthermore, his PB for the 800m fell from 1:53 to 1:48.26 and his PB for the 1500m fell from 3:58 to 3.47.
