US Olympic Marathon trials

Friday- 9.5 miles 1:14- hilly roads
Saturday- 8.5miles- 1:05- hilly roads
Sunday 10.25miles 1:35- with Anne

The big news of the weekend comes out of NYC where the Us Olympic marathon trials took place yesterday and the NYC marathon was run today. I watched the trials live on the Internet and was blown away by the incredible performances on the hilly course. I was super excited to see three of my favorite elite guys make the team, and to see the incredible negative splits they were able to lay down. ( Ryan Hall put in a 14:28 -5k on hills after running 20 miles!!!) USA distance running future is shinning brightly and I believe at least one of our guys will medal next summer in the games.

The tragic collapse and death of superstar Ryan Shay is sad and shocking. Mortality sucks. Although an autopsy is being done today it appears that a genetically enlarged heart was the culprit (hypertrophic cardiomyopathy). This Hank Gathers type of condition is thankfully rare, but it is still amazing to me that a 28 year old running phenomenon who has been putting in intense training and racing (including 5 USA national titles at distances from 10k-marathon) for the last 12+ years would fall to this condition now. Why didn't it happen sooner?

It is eye opening and scary. Life is precious, fleeting, and short. We must live it fully each and everyday because you never ever know.

Congrats to ultrarunner coached (Howard Nippert) Mike Cox on his PR 2:20 a mere month after qualifying for the trials race in the notoriously hot Chicago marathon. To Brian Sell- a guy who ran at about the same level as I did in high school and only marginally well in college- for running solid consistent splits and working in to the 3rd position by mile 22. I guess 6,000 training miles per year for the last 5 straight year is beneficial!!! And finally congrats to Paula Radcliffe on her stellar 2:23 NYC marathon win after having a baby. Amazing

I am really inspired of late and can't wait to lace em up for the JFK 50 in 2 weeks. I am not in 6:24 shape but feel confident I can break 7 hours and would like to place top 10 in this 1200 runner field once again.