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Savannah is the last fabulous eccentric southern city. Charming is the word that comes to mind. If you are planning a last minute weekend getaway to Savannah why not check out the Enmark Savannah River Bridge Run while you are there. If you are planning on running in the 5K or 10K get ready for a bumpy ride. Savannah markets itself as the toughest bridge run in the south. You will be up and down the entire time, and the bridge itself is a rough incline. On the upside, the race begins on historic Montgomery Street and moves through this fabulous little city. It should be a fun race.
The running world has been buzzing about the Men's Olympic trials for weeks now, and I want to congratulate Ryan Hall, Dathan Ritzenhein, and Brian Sell for making the team. Unfortunately, the celebration was marred by the loss of Ryan Shay. One of the most experienced and hopeful runners in the country. Ryan collapsed at mile 5 ½ and was taken to Lenox Hill Hospital. He was pronounced dead at 8:46 a.m. Ryan was 28 years old. I will keep you all posted as more information as it comes in.
The Philadelphia Marathon went off without a hitch this Sunday, with Timothy Psitet taking the win with a 2:25:01. Just seconds ahead of running club mate Solomon Too at 2:26:03. Out of the 16,000+ individuals that registered, 6785 people finished. As expected, it was chilly, but the wind presented a problem to the runners. It was unpredictably gusty, but any seasoned marathoner will tell you that weather on race day is always unexpected. Philly native Kristin Price took the lead for the women, (2:42:05) with Paige Miller (2:43:57) in close second. All in all a pretty great race
A friend of mine noticed that I tend to favor southern races, especially Florida. Well I do not do it intentionally. Partly it is because I live in Florida and I get to talk with many Florida race promoters. Also, it is winter and winter is the racing season in Florida. While the Spring and Fall fill up with northern races, we couldn't pay people to run in a 95 degree 110% humidity race. Though some of these races may be far away, it is a great way to add some excitement to the family vacation. Visiting Bubbe in Palm Beach for Hanukkah, why not plan to run the Marathon of the Palm Beaches while you're down. Taking the family to Disney for Turkey Day next year, don't loose precious running hours; sign up for the Space Coast Marathon. If Gasparilla is more your style you can always come run the 5K with me this February (maybe in a few years I will be ready for the marathon). From October on dozens of races are planned in Florida and if your holiday plans include a stop in the sunshine state why not take advantage of some of these great races, and Boston qualifiers. It is a much better way to spend the day then playing a seven-hour Monopoly game with the in-laws now isn't it.
The running world is gearing up for another big race, the New York Marathon. I use the word big on purpose, four times as many people participant in the marathon as the population of my hometown. That's not the only exciting event that will be happening in the world of running on race weekend. The men's Olympic trials for the marathon will be held on November 3rd. The best runners will be competing for the coveted spots. All the superstars with be there James Carney, Khalid Khannouchi, and Meb Keflezighi. I have to say I'm really cheering for Fasil Bizuneh. No one knew about this runner till a few months ago and he is certainly the black horse of the trials. The thing I love about road racing is that a relative unknown can, on occasion, come to the big times. So go Bizuneh and good luck to all the Olympic hopefuls. Check out everyone at the Men's Olympic Trials
The Philadelphia Marathon is less then a week away, and will surely be a great race. This race has, and usually does, sells out months in advance. If you are thinking of running a nice marathon or half marathon next year, plan to register for the Philadelphia as soon as you can. Philly is a very cool town and the race laces through the most scenic parts of the city. You'll start at the art museum, cruse around city hall, the liberty bell, the Schuylkill River and even Betsy Ross' house. This year they will be separate corrals and start times for the half marathon and marathon. The corrals and finish line are planning to be larger this year to accommodate a big turn out. Historically the 7:00am start is a little chilly so if your running (or a spectator for that matter) wear a few layers to peel off during the race as you warm up. The course is relatively flat with only about 100 feet of elevation, so it is sure to be a fast fun race.
The Florida Gulf Beaches Holiday Halfathon is coming up on December 9, 2007. This is a really fun local run, which is great training for those planning on doing Gasparilla in a few months. The Madeira beach area is very pretty and it will be decked out for the holidays. Plan on seeing Santa keeping pace. For registration info, visit Holiday Halfathon.
