The Global Telegraph - April 2006

APRIL 2006 - VOL. 6, N. 4 (N. 57)

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 Inc., Seattle. 

FEATURED WORLDWIDE RUNNING NEWS

• CANADA / Marathoner to win a new car
On Sunday May 28th, one lucky "ING Ottawa Marathon" or half marathon participant could cross the finish line and get a lot more than a medal. Organizers today announced that the key to a new 2006 Hyundai Accent, courtesy of Pathway Hyundai, would be awarded to a finisher for the first time in 32 years. "This brings marathon running to a whole new level", says Susan Longbottom, president of the Ottawa Marathon. "Our goal has always been to offer more to runners and today, because of Pathway Hyundai, we are able to offer the biggest prize in Canadian marathon history ever offered to a non-elite runner!". The winner of the new vehicle will be chosen on race day with the prize awarded at the finish line when he or she completes the race. Any runner crossing the finish line of the marathon or half marathon could be the winner. Pathway Hyundai will also award a 2006 Hyundai Tucson to an elite athlete, regardless of citizenship, who sets a new record for the fastest marathon run on Canadian soil. Athletes will have to break the current records held by Waldemar Cierpinski who ran the marathon in 2:09:55 in the 1976 Montreal Olympics, and Lidia Simon who set a marathon record of 2:26:01 at the 2001 IAAF World Championships in Edmonton. Participants must be 18 years or older to win the prize and must be registered for and complete either the marathon or the half marathon. Other contest details and regulations are available at www.runottawa.ca.

• JAPAN / Ongori Phyles of Kenya wins Matsue Ladies Half Marathon
Ongori Phyles, a Kenyan who attended a Japanese high school and now runs for the corporate team Hokuren, won the "Matsue Ladies Half Marathon" on Sunday March 19. The race started under sunny sky at the start, but the rain came down in part of the course. The lead pack passed the first kilometer in 3:20, and when the pace picked up during the second kilometer to 3:06, the lead pack was reduced to four runners - Ongori Phyles, Miki Oyama, Mika Matsumoto and Mikiko Hara. "I was going to run with the pack until 1Km and if the pace was slow I was going to take off. But the pace was relatively fast, so I stayed with pack longer," said Phyles after the race. After passing 3Km in 9:53, Phyles broke away from the lead pack. By 4.7Km Phyles was seven seconds ahead of the chase pack of three runners. By 10Km Phyles was alone in front, while Miki Oyama, Mika Matsumoto, and Mikiko Hara were in the second pack. At 13Km, Nami Matsuda broke away from the third pack of five runners and started to chase the second pack. By 14.5Km, Matsuda passed the second pack to move into the sole possession of the second place. She then started to chase Phyles. Matsuda was getting close to Phyles. By 17Km she was 25 seconds behind Phyles. Two kilometers later Matsuda cut the Phyles' lead in half. At 20Km Phyles noticed the presence of Matsuda, who was only six seconds behind her. Phyles was able to stay ahead of Matsuda and won by five seconds in 1:11:18. "It was my first half marathon. It was quite hard. On my next half marathon, I would like to run faster," said Phyles. When asked about the marathon debut, she said, "not for five years". Source: www.arrs.net

• CHINA / National Cross Country Championships results
On March 11-12th in Qingzhen, the Chinese Cross Country Championships women's 4K was won by Dong Xiaoqin in 13:24, with Bao Guiying second in 13:29, Sun Wenqin third in 13:34. Mirko Jalava reports for "Athletics International" that Dong Xiaoqin won the 8K, as well, in 27:32, with Sun Wenqin second in 27:49, Bao Guiying third in 28:00 and Xi Qiuhong fourth in 28:02. Reprinted with permission from "Running Stats" (www.runningstats.com)

• ARIZONA (USA) / Adopt-an-Ironman
An Ironman triathlon is one of the most grueling events in the world of sport, and one of the most inspiring. The event features a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike, and a 26.2-mile run (a full marathon) all in succession. The Adopt-an-Ironman that has been developed by Ford Ironman Arizona helps to bring schools closer to the event and its athletes by educating students on the benefits of leading a healthy and fit lifestyle. Research has shown that participation in sports leads to improved physical, mental and social well being as well as a positive self-image and good citizenship. The focus of the Adopt-an-Ironman is to improve health while developing positive personal characteristics in terms of discipline, courage, integrity, fairness and respect. In the Adopt-an-Ironman program each participating classroom will be paired up with an Ironman athlete who is competing this year in "Ford Ironman Arizona".This activity program begins with the first visit of the athlete to the classroom and ends with the "Ford Ironman Arizona Kids Fun Run" the day before Ironman in downtown Tempe. Athletes will share with the class how they train for an Ironman event and help them to plan the activities that they will participate in during the program. Each student uses an activity log form to keep track of the number of hours of activity they have completed. Children who complete the most hours of activity are given Ironman gear. All children who run in the "Kids Fun Run" are awarded a medal to recognize their achievement. This is the first year for the Adopt-an-Ironman program at "Ford Ironman Arizona" and it has been well received by teachers and students in the area. For more information on this program visit www.ironmanarizona.com. Source: www.transitiontimes.com

• SPAIN / New course for the Barcelona Marathon
On March 26th a new course greeted the competitors of the "Barcelona Marathon". Included as scenic highlights were Las Ramblas, Camp Nou, Plaça Espanya, Plaça San Jaume, Sacred Family and Passeig de Gracia. Kenyans swept the top five, with Joseph Nguram winning the overall title in 2:12:36, Benjamin Pseret crossing second in 2:13:46, John Kipkorir third in 2:13:58, Hosea Kimutai fourth in 2:14:18, and Benjamin Yarangura fifth in 2:17:15. Ethiopians claimed the top-three women's placings, with Kebelush Haile first in 2:41:23, Muliye Lemma second in 2:42:30 and Etaferatu Cherkos third in 2:52:34. Reprinted with permission from "Running Stats" (www.runningstats.com)