Catch the 100K Fever!
With the Mad City 100K only 15 days away, the excitement surrounding this year's event is building up.
On April 12, the nation’s top ultra runners will compete in our backyard as they run in the Mad City 100K (yes 100 kilometers, roughly 62.1 miles). The race will consist of 10 loops around Lake Wingra.
This is the second year the race has been held and, like last year, the Mad City 100K will serve as the 2008 USA 100K National Championships. With the national title, a spot on the USA 100K team and $9,650 in prize money on the line, the race draws the country’s best long, (long) distance runners.
One of the competitors, Mark Godale, picked his pre-race favorites on his blog. And Greg Cowther, last year's winner, has a great blog detailing his training and expectations for this year’s race. Michael Wardian, who recently won the 2008 USA 50K National Championship and will be racing the 100K in Madison, has a blog on Running Times Online.
The race features several Wisconsin ultra runners as well, like Kevin Setnes from Eagle. Kevin was the 100K National Champion in 1996, 1997 and 1998! And, at age 54, he is still considered a contender for the top spot. He finished third last year. Ann Heaslett, a native of Madison, will also be competing. Check out the race Web site to learn more.
Posted on Friday March 28, 2008
Lessons Learned from the Marathon (training)
#2: GU is a good thing
What a difference a packet of GU makes. I completed the longest training run so far in my marathon training plan and, thanks to a little GU and water, the run went very well.
Not even three inches of fresh snow could stop my friend Matt and I from getting in our 2 hours and 45 minutes of running. We took off early Saturday morning in hopes of completing two loops around Lake Monona. The bike path by Olin Park and all the way to the beltline was icy and slick, which was a little frustrating. And if we weren’t trying to stay upright on ice, we were running on snow-covered streets and sidewalks.
But we still maintained a great pace and—most importantly—we got in our time. As I mentioned in my last post, our previous long run did not go so well. I hadn’t been sleeping and eating like I should have and we didn’t take any GU or water on the run. Considering that the body can only store only a limited amount of energy, running over 2 hours without water, energy gel or anything, can be hard.
Right around 1 hour and 40 minutes we took a GU and water and around 2:20 we got some more water. The two short water/energy breaks were a great help. Energy-wise, I couldn’t have felt better. My legs were tired and sore and all of that good stuff but I felt well for having run so long.
So far I’ve learned that a solid marathon training plan not only gets your body in shape to cover great distances but also teaches you what you need to do to enable your body to cover that distance. Learning how to use energy gel and water or sports drink is a great case in point.
Not only did our run go well but we saw a number of runners on the Lake Monona loop. Despite the snow, all runners were in good spirits. Now is an exciting time for us runners. Marathon programs are peaking as race day comes closer and every now and then, the weather permits us to loose a couple layers and bask in the outdoors.
And it can only get better from here.
Posted Tuesday March 25, 2008
Lessons Learned from the Marathon (training)
#1: Long Runs are Hard
My friend Matt and I have May 25th highlighted on our calendars. And although his may be a Runners World calendar and mine a “Great Scenes from Wisconsin” calendar, we both have the date marked for the same reason: the Madison Marathon!
We’ve been preparing for the 26.2 mile journey since January. And, this being my first shot at 26.2, I’ve learned a lot so far. But my first big lesson has been that long (long!) runs are hard. I should have known.
Matt and I have already knocked off several 2 hour runs and even one over 2 hours. To say the least, I’ve really learned to respect the distance. Or, I should say I learned to respect the distance after our last long run.
Two weekends ago, Matt and I were aiming for about 2 hours and 45 minutes of running. In the days leading up to the run, I didn’t sleep or eat like I should have and I paid the price.
I felt fine at 1 hour when we ran past Oscar Mayer. And I felt okay—not great not bad—at 1 hour 40 minutes when we ran down State Street. But then, heading up Manitou Way towards the Arboretum at around 1 hour 50 minutes, it hit me. I was done.
Matt said something about feeling okay and pushing it a little bit and I watched him dash up Manitou Way like a kid chasing an ice cream truck. Meanwhile I tried to calculate exactly how far I was from home. The conclusion? Not good. I knew I wasn’t going to make it.
My legs were pretty much shot but that wasn’t the worst part. I was completely dehydrated. I had no energy in the tank. Up to this point, Matt and I hadn’t used gel or water during our long runs. We’ve just toughed them out.
So I did my best to tough it out. At around 2 hours, I turned onto Arboretum Drive (or whatever it’s called) and ran, or shuffled for about ten minutes until I got to the visitor center. I was hoping for a drinking fountain but only got an old man with a sack lunch standing outside the locked doors. “Gonna open any minute,” he promised me. I considered grabbing his sack lunch and making a dash for it but figured he could probably run me down in my state of exhaustion.
So I did the only thing I could. I trudged on. I do most of my runs by myself but I was glad I ran with Matt that day. Because about a half hour after leaving me in his dust, he drove back in his car and picked me up. And there on the front seat was a bottle of PowerAde and a banana for me. I’ve always considered Matt a pretty good friend but after that act of kindness I’m thinking about naming my first born child after him. It was the best PowerAde I ever had in my life.
Tomorrow we’re shooting for 2 hours and 45 minutes. We are going to run around Lake Mendota not once but twice! But I’m confident this time. I’ve been eating and sleeping better and we’re stashing gel and water on the course before the run. But if you see a runner trying to flag down traffic on John Nolen Drive tomorrow morning, please stop because it will probably be me trying to get a ride home.
Posted Friday March 21, 2008
Sea o' Green at the Shamrock Shuffle
On Sunday at the Madison Shamrock Shuffle, you couldn’t take a step without bumping into a runner or walker decked out in green. Bagpipers were also around every corner ready to blast you with a loud, high-pitched note at 9:00 in the morning.
It was a festive atmosphere and my friend Matt and I were excited about running a good 10K. And we did. Or at least I did until I hit the hills coming back up Observatory Drive.
For the last mile of the race, what I feared most came true. Us 10Kers, having battled through five miles of questioning our self worth, hit a sea of 5kers/walkers at mile five that would not part.
Actually, at first it wasn’t all that bad. It was kind of fun whizzing by walkers who cheered us on and sometimes offered encouraging words. And it’s always great to see thousands of people get up at the crack of dawn to run or walk a couple miles.
But, as the finish neared, the crowd got thicker and the road got narrower. This was when I went into survival mode. At first I tried yelling, “10K! Look Out.” But, running low on oxygen, I found I could only make heavy gasping noises that scared the spectators and children on both sides of the street. So, with less then one mile to go, I was “politely” nudging my way between unsuspecting walkers and 5Kers.
At one point, faced with baby strollers three wide, I had to jump up on a sidewalk and tip toe across a glacier of snow and ice. But, hey, I finished and even caught another 10k runner in the last quarter mile.
Looking back at the situation, the race organizers did a great job with what they had to work with. At the last minute, they had to re-map the course to avoid the snow and ice still in abundance on the Lakeshore path. And the runner's guide even told people to take it easy and enjoy the race. Mission accomplished.
Posted Monday March 17, 2008
Welcome!
Hi everyone! My name is Shelby Anderson, I am 25 years old and I work as a communication specialist here in Madison. Let me tell you a little more about myself.
After years of striking out in little league and dribbling basketballs off my foot, I started running in seventh grade and have been running, more or less, since then. I ran cross country and track in high school and then for a couple years at UW-Oshkosh. But now, settling into a career and life complete with car payments, I’ve found that running helps balance out all that other stuff.
For me, running is an escape but I also love pushing myself to that next goal, whether it is to run a new PR or to just participate in a race.
I hope other runners find this blog to be fun and who knows, maybe even informative at times! I plan on posting about area races and offering the best running encouragement and support I can.
Thanks to David for offering me this space on his wonderful Web site!
Posted Sunday March 9, 2008
A Little Wind is No Match for Crazylegs
Awesome is about the only way to describe the Crazylegs experience.
Let’s face it, there are a lot of great area road races but none of them compare to the raw energy and excitement of the 8 kilometers of Crazylegs. There are the UW cheerleaders, there’s Bucky Badger and members of the UW football team giving high fives and there’s Barry Alvarez up on the platform at the starting line staring out runners with the same expressionless look he used on the sidelines. Awesome.
Not even cool temperatures and hurricane force winds could keep runners and walkers away from this year’s event. The race even ended up setting a new record with 17,296 runners and walkers.
No other race is so quintessentially Madison. What other race starts on the Capitol square and ends on the field in Camp Randall Stadium?
Taking off the starting line on the Capitol Square and running through the barricades with rows of people cheering you on was deffinitely one of the highlights of the race. But then heading down Langdon Street with a group of other runners, we began to get a reality check. It was a little windy.
It was around here that someone cheering yelled, “Wind builds character!” That may be but we all know that running in Wisconsin any time between November and late April is bound to build character in any number of ways. Be it wind, cold, sleet, tornadoes, lighting, thundering, errant college kids on mopeds, whatever, it’s an adventure out there.
To be honest, I don’t remember much of the middle part of the course. I remember running along Lake Mendota for a stretch on the Lakeshore Path and then looping through the western edge of the UW campus through that big open field by the softball diamond. One thing I do remember about this stretch was that is was windy no matter which direction we were running.
But once we went under Campus Drive and turned left onto University Avenue, the wind was at our backs! And for that final mile, I finally felt like I could open up my stride and let things go. And then there's the finish. There's no better finish then turning into the Camp Randall parking lot, running up and down that little hill and suddenly being on the nice soft artificial grass at Camp Randall with thousands of people watching you finish.
I don’t care if it’s snowing (let's hope not) next year, I’m there!
Posted Monday April 28, 2008
Interview with Kelley Hess
Kelley was the top Madison female finisher at this year's Boston Marathon. In her first marathon, with the temperature hovering around 95 degrees, Kelley ran and won the 2006 Madison Marathon. She is a former varisty soccer player at UW where she is currently a graduate student in astronomy.
When/how/why did you start running?
I started running cross country in high school to stay in shape for soccer. I turned out to be pretty good so I joined the track team as well. I played varsity soccer in college, but started running again in grad school because I didn’t have a soccer team to play on and I wanted something competitive that I could focus on—I felt a little lost, or at least very antsy if I didn’t have a definite goal to work towards. Running road races, 5 and 10 K’s, gave me something to work for when I went on my daily run.
First, I run because it helps me to clear my mind and escape from school work and other stress. Going out for a run can help me keep, or put the rest of life back in perspective. But I also run because I love to race!—either against others, or against myself and the clock.
When did you run your first marathon? How did it go?
My first and, until last weekend, only marathon was the Mad City Marathon in 2006—the one everyone remembers as heating up to ~95 degrees. It went pretty well. I ran 3:24 which was good enough to be the overall women’s champion. It was also the slowest winning time in the marathon’s 26(?) year history! But this is definitely where I caught the marathon bug.
Were you happy with how the Boston Marathon went?
You bet! This was my second attempt at Boston. My first was thwarted by a stress fracture last March. That was healed by last August, but even up until ~2-3 weeks before Boston I was dealing with leg/ankle/foot issues. This Spring I had to cut back the training to running 3 times a week, but was supplementing that with lots of cycling training, and racing. As a result, I’ve become a HUGE proponent of cross-training: on some level any kind of endurance training: anaerobic or aerobic is interchangeable—running, biking, or swimming! <Stepping off the soap box...>
However, as a result of my new (to me), unorthodox training, I really had no idea how I would do at Boston—I had no sense for where I was. My longest run was only 12.5 miles (as opposed to the recommended 18-20). What may have saved me was the UW cycling team’s Spring Break training camp where I got in a few 5 hour rides. They were as good for the mental aspect of a long race as they were for the physical challenge. My friend, Rebecca, and I decided we’d stick together for the first half of the marathon and try to run 7:30/mile. This sounded okay when I thought about it mile-by-mile, but sounded quite daunting when I thought about the cumulative time (3:16). We went out a bit faster than 7:30’s, but were feeling really good. In fact, we kept a really steady pace the whole time; we were able to chat a bit and encourage one another. We stuck together through mile 20+ and the bottom of Heartbreak Hill, where we split up, but we were both able to pick up the pace again in the last several miles into Boston, and finish the race—easily the toughest marathon course either of us have run—with PRs!
Do any moments from Boston stick out as especially memorable?
That’s a tough question. There were quite a few memorable, or amusing moments from Boston—it was a fun race. But those moments that stick out the most were when I passed my friends and family who were in the crowd cheering. The last mile went by really fast, but it was also one of the most satisfying because I knew I’d finally conquered something that had been the root of a lot of frustration and tears over the last year—and I knew I had raced better than I could have anticipated.
What would you say has been your best running moment so far?
There are a couple important races from high school that I like to look back on because I won despite being the underdog. But those seem like a long time ago, and my peak years are supposed to be ahead of me, so I don’t like to dwell on those as my best. I don’t think there’s any one moment... but having a motorcycle escort for the last two miles of Mad City was really cool. Boston this year is probably my biggest accomplishment, but given my limited training going into it, how well I actually did, and how I felt afterward, I know that I can run a lot faster—my best running moment is still in my future.
What race are you planning on running next?
In August, I’m competing with 11 other amazing women in a 197 mile relay race in Oregon called Hood-to-Coast. Thinking about the running friends we knew, a friend of mine and I came up with the idea of creating an all-women, (nearly) all-scientist team, called “Girls Heart Rockets”. (I’m an astronomer; she’s a physicist.) Last year 8 team members ran the 80 mile River-to-River Relay in southern Illinois and placed 2nd in the all-women’s division.
I haven’t figured out what my next marathon is, although Rebecca and I are planning on doing Chicago in 2009—it’s a flat course with the potential for some very fast times.
In the meantime this summer, I’m interested in checking out the triathlon scene (I’m always looking for suggestions and advice on this stuff!), and I plan on riding in a lot of the Wisc Cycling Assoc (WCA) races. I’ve been told I have some potential as a cyclist too.
Where’s your favorite place to run in Madison?
Any bike path, or trail I can find—especially around the lakes or through the arb. I love hills, so if I can find one on my route, I’ll do it!
Posted Friday April 25, 2008
It's Time to Get Crazy!
This Saturday, one of the state’s best road races will take runners and walkers from the Capitol square through the UW campus and to the finish line inside Camp Randall Stadium.
The race is Crazylegs and this will be the 27th year of its running.
I don’t know about you but I have been waiting for Crazylegs weekend for a long, long time.
When I signed up for the race in February, there were still piles of snow that stood head and shoulders above most SUVs and oh yeah, it was a little chilly too.
We’ve come a long ways since then. The snow is gone, the glaciers have receded and we runners have hit the roads and trails in scores, blinding people with our bright white, pale legs.
Crazylegs, which is set for Saturday, drew around 15,000 participants in last year's event. However, in an article on madison.com, race organizers said they believe there could be as many as 18,000 participants at this year's Crazylegs!
Each year the race has grown in numbers and it has been recognized as the best 8K race in the country by USATF. It draws some of the state’s best runners and probably has the state’s best post-race party.
For those of you who haven’t experienced Crazylegs, it’s pretty much just a big running party. There’s always a celebrity grand marshal (in 2006 I think it was Suzy Favor Hamilton). According to the Crazylegs web site, this year’s grand marshal is Ron Dayne.
Although there is no prize money awarded, the top men’s and women’s finishers receive very sleek (and expensive) Trek road bikes. But, hey, even if you’re not in the running for a bike, it’s still an awesome time!
Posted Thursday April 24, 2008
David vs. Lance
On the bike, it might not be much of a race but when Lance Armstrong and Berkeley Running Company owner David Meixelsperger lace up the running shoes, well we’ve got ourselves a race.
The seven-time Tour du France champion and our own friendly running shoe specialist faced off with about 25,000 other runners at the 112th Boston Marathon.
In addition to the David versus Lance race, it looks like there were lots of great results from this year’s Boston Marathon. The weather looked like it was nearly perfect and several Wisconsin runners placed very well.
In the men’s elite race, Robert Cheruiyot of Kenya pulled away from the field with a 4:37 mile split at around mile 17 and never looked back. He won his fourth Boston Marathon in 2:07.46.
The women’s race was much closer. Dire Tune of Ethiopia and Alevtina Biktimirova of Russia battled the whole way. They were still neck and neck as they made the final turn on to Boylston Street. They exchanged the lead a couple times in the final 600 meters but then with about 200 meters left, Tune took the lead for good and won by two seconds in 2:25.25. It was the closest finish in Boston Marathon history.
Wisconsin runners also represented well in Boston. Nathan Weiland of Milwaukee, who has run in the 2:20’s, charged through the half marathon mark in 1:10.45! Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to maintain that blazing pace. He finished with a respectable 2:45.11. Benjamin Kirmse of River Falls was the top Wisconsinite with a 2:44.26.
On the women’s side, Sue Pierson of Appleton took top honors for Wisconsin women. She ran a 2:55.31, which earned her third place in the master’s division.
Kelley Hess was the top female Madison finisher with a 3:13.33. The Madison men were led by Joe Marks. He finished in 2:48.02.
Berkeley Running Company owner David Meixelsperger went out strong, covering the first 5K in 18:48. At the 10K he had a nearly three-minute lead on Armstrong. But as the race progressed, Armstrong picked up his pace. It looks like around 22 miles, Lance caught up with David. However, David still ran a very strong 2:53.35. Lance finished in 2:50.58. Next time David.
Berkeley employee Chris Dahlk of Verona also finished in a solid 3:55.14.
Posted Monday April 21, 2008
Madison Runners Taking on Boston
The running world is focusing its attention on the Northeast as the historic Boston Marathon is set to go next Monday.
According to the marathon web site, 396 runners from Wisconsin are signed up for the 112th running of this famous race.
Of those 396 runners, an astounding 66 are from Madison and another 28 hail from Madison-area cities like Verona and Sun Prairie.
Wisconsin’s top finisher from last year’s race was Paul Laeseke who just happens to be a Madison resident. He ran a 2:34.38 in the wet, windy weather that dominated last year’s race. Rebecca Peebles was the top area womens finisher with a time of 3:17.48.
Last year’s race was nearly cancelled because of a strong Nor’easter that rolled through New England. This year, the weather forecast looks better with temperatures in the upper 50’s. However, there is a 30 percent chance of precipitation.
The excitement surrounding this year’s race is especially intense. On Sunday, the Women’s Olympic Marathon Trials will take place in Boston. Deena Kastor is the favorite but it’s anyone’s guess who might take the other two possible spots.
For those of you who will not be in Boston, the Boston Marathon will be web cast for free this year on WCSN starting at 9:25 a.m. eastern time.
Good luck to those area runners tackling the Boston Marathon including Berkeley Running Company owner David Meixelsperger and employee Chris Dahlk!
Posted Thursday April 17, 2008
No Wimps at Mad City 100K
I feel like a wimp complaining about the horrid conditions at the Oshkosh Half Marathon when runners here in Madison battled through similar conditions for 100 kilometers at the Mad City 100K.
Despite, rain, wind and cold, it looks like the race went well. Michael Wardian of Virginia won by about 17 minutes in 6:56.57. That is around 6:42 per mile for over 60 miles. Not bad considering the wind and cold. His impressive time also set a new course record.
Carolyn Smith of Milwaukee won the women’s race in 8:25.26, which translates to about 8:08 mile pace. Ann Heaslett of Madison placed third in 8:52.07.
Both winners earned automatic berths on the 100K national team that will compete in Italy at the IAU World Cup championship 100K in November.
Read the complete race report here.
Posted Wednesday April 16, 2008
It Can Only get Better, Right?
This was the first major weekend around the state for road racing. Unfortunately, the weather was completely miserable for most of the weekend.
I ran in the Oshkosh Half Marathon on Saturday and despite the cold, rainy wind, about 1,000 runners took part in the half marathon or 5K.
It looks like the bad weather didn’t keep too many people away from the South Shore Half Marathon either.
Looking at NOAA.org, the weather looks like it is taking a turn for the better. And, considering it’s the middle of April, we have probably gotten the worst weather behind us (Yes, I’m vigorously knocking on my wood desk as I type this).
Even if we get hit with a number of rainstorms, which we surely will, (it is spring after all) I will be happy just as long as the temperature stays above 40 degrees.
I love to run in that 40-60 degree area. Let me know what your preferred running temperature is by responding to the survey on the right hand side of the screen (who might have to scroll down a little to see it).
Posted Monday April 14, 2008
"I Just Felt Like Running"
The only time I’ve been quoted in a newspaper for a race was after last year’s Oshkosh Half Marathon. Since the race is coming up this weekend, the experience of being interviewed popped into my mind last night.
Let me make it clear, I was not quoted because I had placed well. No, it was simply a matter of me standing in the right place at the right time. Or the wrong place at the wrong time. I’ll let you decide.
A reporter from the local newspaper was wandering around the finish area talking to runners, any runners. I had just finished with a new PR so I was excited and willing to talk about running with anyone.
The reporter, seeing me as another giddy runner, asked me a couple questions. Or rather, he asked the same question over and over. It was soon apparent to me that this reporter already had an article written in his head and he just needed a few runners to add quotes to it.
Here was the reporter’s question: “Why do you run?”
I’m sure many runners would have been able to come up with a thoughtful, eloquent quote on this subject but I couldn’t, and still can’t, think of anything better than: “Because I like to run.”
This wasn’t what the reporter was looking for and I knew it. So he asked me the question again in a different way and I tried to answer his question in a different way but it didn’t really work out for either of us.
The article came out the next day and there my quote was, along with quotes from other equally confused runners, in an article on the front page of the sports section.
I’m not sure what the reporter was looking for. Part of problem may be that the experience of running and, more importantly, the journey of training and accomplishing goals is not something that can be condensed into a sound bite.
I think the best way for a non-runner, or anyone, to understand why people run is to stand at the finish line of a marathon and see the runner’s expressions as they cover the final meters of the race.
I had this experience two summers ago as I watched runners come in at the Paavo Nurmi Marathon in Hurley. I had never run a marathon before but after seeing the runners’ looks of fatigue, redemption and overall exaltation; I knew I had to do run a marathon. Just don’t expect me to explain why.
Posted Tuesday April 8, 2008
The New Shoe Shuffle
Tomorrow afternoon my friend Matt and I will depart on another long run. This time our goal is 3 hours.
Our last long run went great but it was only 2 hours and 45 minutes long. Plus, I was able to rest up a little before that one. This time my legs haven’t quite recovered from my previous runs and my left foot has had a nagging soreness the past couple of days.
I admit that I’m partly to blame for this minor discomfort. It could have been easily avoided if I had taken the time to buy some new running shoes. I currently have three pairs I rotate throughout the week but I’ve gotten to the point where two of them are worn out but I don’t want to admit it.
One thing running will teach you is that even if you don’t want to admit you need new shoes, your body will certainly be the first to tell you.
In high school, one of the seniors on the team was proud of the fact that he could get through summer running, cross country, winter running and track on only one pair of shoes. By the time track came around, the rubber soles would start to separate from the foam on the bottom of his shoes. During workouts on the track, you could always tell where he was and how fast he was running by of the sound his loose soles slapping the track.
As far as I know, he no longer runs, which is probably a good thing.
For those of us still running, we need new shoes and we need them regularly. Of course, the result of constantly burning through shoes is that they soon pile up in your garage, storage closet or, if you are like me and don’t have a garage or storage closet, they pile up in the middle of your living room.
I would never consider simply throwing these away, not after all we’ve been through. But after awhile, usually when it gets hard to see the TV, I work up the energy to bag them and drop them off at a thrift store. But even this doesn’t seem quite right. I would certainly feel bad for anyone who would try wearing my old running shoes after my sweaty feet have been in them for a couple hundred miles.
Luckily there are programs like Shoe 4 Africa that takes old running shoes, fixes them up a bit and hands them off to runners in Africa. However, this requires shipping your shoes across the Atlantic Ocean.
If you don't want to foot the bill to send your shoes to another continent, you can simply drop off worn athletic shoes at the Berkely Running Company. There is a Nike Reuse-A-Shoe receptacle just inside the door waiting for your old shoes. Nike takes these old shoes and reuses the materials for playground surfaces and rubberized tracks. Not only will you help the environment but you will also help your old running shoes live on forever as a new track. How perfect.
Posted Thursday April 3, 2008
Tegenkamp featured in Running Times
Madison runner, Matt Tegenkamp, graces the cover of this month’s Running Times. The magazine includes a great article on Tegenkamp and the emergence of Madison as one of the country’s major running hubs.
It's great to see Madison get some respect in a major running magazine. While the focus is usually on Colorado or Oregon (both also featured in the same issue of the same magazine), Madison has a host of top-caliber runners. Chris Solinsky, Tegenkamp, Simon Bairu, Jonathan Riley, Matt Downin, Dan Sutton, Corey Stelljes, and a bunch of up and coming distance guys on the Badgers cross squad.
As an amateur runner, it’s fun to see some of these guys out on the same roads and trails that we amateurs traverse. That’s the great thing about running. Most adult league softball players are not going to have a chance to play alongside Prince Fielder but runners of all skill levels thrive on the same roads, trails and, in some cases, the same races, as elite runners.
The issue of Running Times also has an interesting study on the nation’s best running cities. The article includes cities with the best and worst average marathon times and cities with the highest and lowest percentage of marathoners.
Madison is 10th in the nation with 3.96 marathon finishers per every 1,000 residents. And Green Bay is fourth in the nation for top marathon times. According to the article, Green Bay marathoners average 4:08.23. I’m guessing the flat Cellcom Green Bay Marathon course has something to do with this. La Crosse is up there too. No explanation for this one. Must be all those good carbs they get compliments of the La Crosse Brewery.
Posted Wednesday April 2, 2008