The Global Telegraph - January 2004

JANUARY 2004 - VOL. 4, N. 1 (N. 30)

Publisher:Run The Planet., Seattle (Usa/Washington). Editor: Indro Neri. Associate editor: Jennifer Walker. All correspondence and suggestions are welcome. Unsolicited articles will be considered. To advertise on "The Global Telegraph", contribute to or reproduce its content please contact us via e-mail at info@runtheplanet.com. "The Global Telegraph" is published 12 times a year. The next issue will close the last day of this month. © by Run The Planet., Seattle.

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This month we feature running news from: Latvia, Mexico, Nigeria, Singapore, Texas (Usa).  

FEATURED WORLDWIDE RUNNING NEWS

• THE GLOBAL TELEGRAPH NEW LOOK
"The Global Telegraph" welcomes the new year with an improved look and feel. Run The Planet has in fact standardized the layout of the publications produced every month, to match the newly featured "ePodismo" (http://podismo.runtheplanet.com), the most complete Italian calendar of events available for subscribers only. The new look of this running publication will improve the ease in navigating the content. Happy new year and enjoy your reading!

• SINGAPORE / Singapore Marathon results
On December 7th in Singapore, the "Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon" presented a new resident doing well. A year ago John Kelai (Kenya) came to Singapore to run this event (seventh in 2:23.46) and decided to stay on and make the city famous for its Raffles Hotel his part-time home. Favorites Commonwealth Games gold medalist Francis Naali, and 1998 medalists Simon Mrashani and Geway Suja of Tanzania were never factors, complaining of fatigue from travel and the high humidity in Singapore. Kenyans David Simukwo and Barnabas Kenduiywo were the leaders until 37k. But then Kelai caught and eventually left them to win in 2:19.02, with Simukwo second in 2:19.25 and Kenduiywo third in 2:20.35. "At 32 kilometers, I felt so bad that I almost dropped out" Kelai told IAAF reporter Pat Butcher. "At 35 kilometers I felt ok, and put in an effort to catch them. I was a bit nervous of my Kenyan friends, but it was an advantage to me to know the couse so well". China's Wang Yu triumphed in just her third 26.2 miler. The 19 year old clocked a 2:43.51 to Poles Aniela Nikiel's 2:46.48 and "Marathon Wroclaw" titlist Violetta Uryga's 2:47.55. Reprinted with permission from "Running Stats" (www.runningstats.com)

• TEXAS (USA) / Hunter-Galvan breaks 50km record
Liza Hunter-Galvan won the women's 50km title in course-record time on Saturday December 13 at the "Sunmart Texas Trail Endurance Run". A San Antonio native, Hunter-Galvan won in a course record of 3:35.48. Dave Terris, also of San Antonio, won the men's title in 3:24.37. Marco Oliveria of Santos, Brazil (4:33.42), and Traci Admunson of Fort Worth, Texas (7:16.40), won the men's and women's 50-mile titles, respectively. The largest ultramarathon event in the United States attracted more than 1,000 competitors from 38 states and six countries. Source: www.splittimes.com

• MEXICO / Running with the Tarahumara indians
The Tarahumara indians live in the canyons that make up the Copper Canyon and run against neighboring villages in teams during festivals. They kick a wooden ball in front of them as they run. They have come to the United States to run and have won races like the "Leadville 100 miler". CaballoBlanco.com, the website of Micah True on November 23, 2003 offered to run with the Tarahumaras. The "run" was listed as 27-29 miles with a 4,000-foot elevation gain plus another 2,000-foot gain/loss as you cross the 6,000-foot elevation plateau. Micah did a fantastic job communicating all kinds of insight about the race and logistics associated with it. The weather was quite hot (around 80 degrees Farenheit) climbing the plateau in the morning and descending it in the afternoon. Hospitality and contacts provided made it for a truly wonderful experience. These are the results: 1. Manuel Luna 5:20; 2. Martin 5:25; 3. Herbalisto 5:49; 4. Florencio 5:50; 5. Maurilio 5:51; 6. Caballo Blanco 6:35; 7. Mel Downs 9:59.

• NIGERIA / Lagos Half Marathon results
On November 29th in Nigeria, the "MTN Lagos Half Marathon" had a Kenyan defeating the Tanzanian pre-race favorite. When defending champion Paul Kosgei could not participate due to injury, Hervis "Prague Half Marathon" third-placer and "Marvejols-Mende 22.4k" fourth-placer Elijah Nyabuti topped "Zanzibar Half Marathon" titlist Martin Sulle. And in the women's it was "Cross International Memorial" Juan Muguerza third-placer Hawa Hussein (Tanzania) who claimed victory. Reprinted with permission from "Running Stats" (www.runningstats.com)

• LATVIA / The best Latvian megarunners
Here is the 2003 list of Latvian megarunners (participating in marathons and ultramarathon) updated to November 30: Akerbergs Gunars (born in 1947) 244 marathons + 14 ultramarathons = 258 total events; Jermolajevs Georgs (1942) 135 + 74 = 209; Latisevs Valentins (1926) 141 + 40 = 181; Karklins Gunars (1935) 145 + 16 = 161; Valdmanis Voldemars (1941) 149 + 7 = 156; Berzins Juris (1945) 106 + 8 = 114; Fedotovskis Normunds (1962) 97 + 10 = 107; Kavtaskina Nadezda (1936, female) 83 + 20 = 103; Suborins Viktors (born in 1951) 57 marathons + 43 ultramarathons = 100 total events.

• ACTIVE.COM IS SPONSORING ATHLETES
The Active Sports marketing group is now recruiting for the 2004 Active Elite Teams! The past three seasons have been filled with great success, as members of the 2003 Active Elite have achieved staggering athletic accomplishments on the road. Active.com is looking to build on the team's momentum in 2004 by bringing in more top-quality athletes dedicated to personal achievement and sponsor success. Are you a top age-grouper or overall performer in the field of running, triathlon or adventure racing? Are you at least 18 and a U.S. resident? Will you pro-actively promote your sponsors' products? If so, Active.com wants you! In exchange, they require that you conduct yourself in a professional manner while wearing your sponsor-branded apparel and that you perform your very best in competition. For any questions about the application or sponsorship criteria, send an e-mail to sponsoredathlete@active.com. The application deadline is January 8, 2004.