The Global Telegraph - December 2004

DECEMBER 2004 - VOL. 4, N. 12 (N. 41)

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.

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This month we feature running news from: Canada, Connecticut (Usa), Japan, Monaco, Netherlands, Spain.  

FEATURED WORLDWIDE RUNNING NEWS

• NETHERLANDS / Nippert places seventh in 100K World Championships
Howard Nippert of Pembroke (Usa/Virginia) placed seventh overall and was the top Usa runner in the 2004 International Association of Ultrarunners 100K World Championship held in Winschoten on September 11. His time of 6 hours, 43 minutes and 12 seconds is the fastest he has ever run for the distance. That is a per mile average of 6 minutes and 30 seconds for 62 consecutive miles. The 62 mile race is the longest recognized World Championship event on Earth. "I really felt I was ready for a big race. My training has indicated that I was on top of my game. People don't realize that I've trained for this day and this performance for nearly twenty-five years. I'm really very happy with the result. It shows that years of hard work, intelligent training and serious intensity day in and out will pay off. Coming in my goal was to finish in the top 10 over-all and I met that goal", said Nippert. "It was hot and windy early on, but once the sun went down conditions became a little better but the wind slowed performances. I was able to roll through the field the second half of the race. My time as fast but that wasn't the most important thing to me. Representing the United States and getting a top 10 finish was all that I thought about. My crew was awesome and it is hard to explain how I really feel at this moment. If you were sitting on the Moon looking back at Earth there were only six men on the planet that ran faster today". Nippert's training program has included four consecutive repetitions of an 8 mile long ascent of a mountain (Mountain Lake's Bald Knob) near his home.

• JAPAN / Kobe Women's Half Marathon results
The 2003 World Marathon Champion Catherine Ndereba won the "Kobe Women's Half Marathon" in 1:12:10. The race was run on Sunday November 7 on the point to point course under a sunny sky. Esther Wanjiru of Kenya, who was fourth in the Sydney Olympic Marathon, led in the early part of the race. The pack of eleven runners led by Wanjiru passed 5Km in 17:16. By 10Km (34:18), while the lead pack was reduced to nine runners, Ndereba moved to the front to control the race. Yamazaki and Terada moved into the lead momentarily around 13.5Km but Ndereba soon took back the lead. After passing 15Km in 51:48, the race of attrition started in earnest. Esther Wanjiru was the first casualty. The real racing started at 17.5Km, when Maya Nishio, who was shadowing Ndereba for the last 4Km, surged into the front. The pack was reduced to four runners - Nishio, Ndereba, Okunaga and Yamazaki. A kilometer later Okunaga fell behind, followed by Yamazaki 500 meters later. Soon after, Ndereba surged away from Nishio. By 40Km, Ndereba led Nishio by five seconds. At the end the 2004 Olympic silver medalist won by fifteen seconds. Source: www.arrs.net

• SPAIN / A duel between Juan Carlos de la Ossa and Yelbetal Admassu
On a sunny, cool November 14th in Torredonjimeno, "The Cross Del Aceite" featured a duel between Spanish cross champion Juan Carlos de la Ossa and IAAF World Cross Country Championship 8th-placer Yelbetal Admassu (Ethiopia). De la Ossa earned the men's 9K title in 25:06, with Admasu second in 25:11, Chema Martínez third in 25:19, David Chemweno (Kenya) fourth in 25:41, and Ricardo Serrano fifth in 25:48. Nancy Kiprop (Kenya) followed her Quintanar de la Orden win with a women's victory on this 5.7K course. Kiprop was clocked in 18:33, with Ayabei Jepkorir (Kenya) second in 18:36, Analia Rosa (Portugal) third in 18:37, Jacqueline Martín fourth in 18:39 and Dolores Pulido fifth in 18:44. Reprinted with permission from "Running Stats" (www.runningstats.com)

• CANADA / Moreworld records set on Toronto Waterfront
It was another remarkable day on the flat, fast, scenic "Toronto Waterfront Marathon" course on September 26, with a mystical, celebratory atmosphere. Last year, 92-year-old Fauja Singh of the United Kingdom and 72 year old Canadian Ed Whitlock thrust the race onto the international stage with new age-group world records on what was hailed as "the marathon's greatest day". The Fauja and Ed Show, Part 2, took things over the top this year, with some wonderfully joyous side-bars. This year's the race saw a record 9,000 runners from 25 countries and 38 U.S. States - up a whopping 54% from 2003 - and a sunny, clear morning. More than $300,000 was raised for 45 different charities. A relatively-unknown local young man, 21-year-old Danny Kassap, a refugee from the Congo, struggling hard to make ends meet with part-time jobs in Toronto while learning English, surprised an experienced international field with a come-from-behind win in 2:14:50 for a true Cinderella story at the front of the pack. On the women's side, strong pre-race favourite, Lioudmila Kortchaguina, herself a "new Canadian", moving to Toronto as an immigrant from Ykaterinburg (Russia) three years ago, faded badly over the last 7 kilometers, but hung on to win in 2:36:32. The sun shone, the bands played along the course, John "the Penguin" Bingham and coach Jenny Hadfield ran the 5k then regaled the large crowd at the finish line from the announcer's stage. Michal Kapral, a Torontonian with a 2:30 marathon PR, set a new "Guiness Book of World Records" mark for "running a marathon while pushing a pram" (baby jogger) when he crossed the line in 2:49:38, pushing his 20-month-old daughter Annika. But the day truly belonged to Whitlock and Singh. If Whitlock impressed the world last year when he became the first septuagenarian on the planet to break the 3-hour barrier with an agonizingly close 2:59:10, this year, he astounded us with a 2:54:49. Gone was the agonized look of marathon-exhaustion as he struggled to make it across the line in 2003. Yesterday, Whitlock looked strong and comfortable all the way. Now 73, he should have run 2 or 3 minutes slower, due to aging, if the form-book is to be believed. Instead, he ran perfectly even splits, passing the half in 1:27:31, smiling and looking strong to the end. Not to disappoint in the Whitlock and Singh Show, Fauja was up next to run the half, in what he has said was his final full or half marathon until he reaches 98, when he will hopefully take a run at being the oldest person ever to complete a marathon. This then, was "Fauja the Farewell Tour". Could he surpass his own half-marathon age-group record of 2:33 set in Glasgow this summer? Again, the large crowd that included a sizable contingent of Toronto's South Asian community, was on its feet as he made it home in 2:30:02. He then helped members of his Canadian charity, the Guru Gobind Singh Children's Foundation, serve free samosas, chapatties, and other Indian delicacies to all 9,000 fellow-runners, underscoring his commitment to charity and community, while sharing his secret recipe for his favourite ginger curry. It was a magical, almost mystical "day for the ages" at the "Toronto Waterfront Marathon", a day where "Impossible was Nothing", where Cinderella stories and many marathon dreams came true. Book early for next year, 25th September 2005.

• JAPAN / International Chiba Ekiden in Japan
Team Usa men's and women's squads both placed in the top ten at the 2004 "International Chiba Ekiden" in Chiba. The contest was held over the marathon distance of 26 miles, 385 yards, and is divided into stages - two of both 10,000 meters and 5000 meters, with the final leg being run as a 12 kilometers for the men, and the final two stages run as a 4.767 kilometers and 7.428 kilometers for the women. The men's team placed seventh overall out of 15 teams in 2 hours, 3 minutes, 45 seconds. Ethiopia won the event in 1:56:57, with Kenya the runner-up in 1:59:03 and Japan third in 2:01:43. Jason Hubbard led off for Team Usa running his 10 kilometers leg in 29:40, followed by Matt Gabrielson's 5 kilometers trek in 14:14. James Carney then donned the sash to run his 10 kilometers leg in 29:19, before Luke Watson posted a 14:14 5k. Chad Pearson ran the anchor 12 kilometers leg in 36:18. Team Usa women's squad placed tenth out of 15 teams, covering the marathon distance in 2:23:36. Ethiopia won the women's race in 2:11:54, followed by the runner-up Japan squad in 2:14:15. Kenya was third in 2:15:17. Kelly Keane led the Americans with her opening 10 kilometers leg in 33:43. Next was Sharon Dickie, who covered her 5 kilometers stint in 16:18 prior to Kathy Newberry's 10 kilometers of 34:55. Melissa Gulli ran her 5 kilometers leg in 16:37 prior to Carrie Messner's 4.767 kilometers run of 16:28. Dana Coons ran the 7.428 kilometers anchor leg in 25:35. For more information on the 2004 "International Chiba Ekiden", visit www.chiba-ekiden.jp/race.html. Source: www.splittimes.com

• MONACO / The Marathon de Monaco et des Riviera
On a very windy November 14th in Monte Carlo, the hilly course of the "Marathon de Monaco et des Riviera" in the principality housing the IAAF was dominated by Russians. The IAAF Results Service reports that after four Kenyans including pacemaker Nicholas Kimaiyo held the front for much of the race, debutant Philip Kibet Kiptoo still led at 37K. But the breezes got to Kiptoo, who slipped to fifth in 2:36:21. Meanwhile following them had been Andrey Chernychov, the Russian Champs third-placer (2:18:25), and compatriot Konstantin Permitin, the pair finishing 1-2 in 2:22:13 and 2:22:42 to Abderrahim Benredouane's (Morocco) 2:26:13 and another Russian, Serguei Kaledine's fourth in 2:30:57. After her win of two years ago, Russian Maria Fedosseva was familiar with the course. Although fellow countrywomen Lylia Yadzhak and Elana Deriabana, as well as last year's third-placer Krystyna Kuta of Poland stayed with her for much of the race, Fedosseva gained her second women's title. Feosseva was clocked in 2:41:18, with Yadzhak second in 2:43:04, Deriabana third in 2:43:05, Kuta fourth in 2:43:46, and Angelique Averkova (Ukraine) fifth in 2:44:48. Reprinted with permission from "Running Stats" (www.runningstats.com)

• HAPPY FEET HEALTHY FOOD PROGRAM GOES GLOBAL
Before the recent research findings confirming that U.S. kids are overweight and unhealthy, Carol Goodrow was miles ahead. In March, 2004, the teacher at Tolland's Birch Grove Primary (Usa/Connecticut) began the Miles of Math Club that encouraged kids to set goals for exercise and healthy eating while learning math in a fun atmosphere. Now called the Happy Feet Healthy Food Club, after Goodrow's book by the same name, the program has 100 kids and is quickly becoming a model for other schools in the U.S. and across the ocean. The Happy Feet Healthy Food Kids' Club is a ten-week program for first and second graders. Goodrow runs the program two days per week, with 50 students on Monday and 50 on Thursday. Students use the Happy Feet Healthy Food journal to chart their progress on exercise and healthy eating. During the fall program, Goodrow keeps the kids going with outdoor activities such as nature walks, running and leaf tracing. Last year the students tracked 500 cumulative miles and Goodrow expects to have even greater success this year. "This year the kids are totally engaged in the club and we are doing some different things. With the beautiful colors of fall, we are bringing in the idea of nature observation by recording the change of seasons. We are incorporating some new games and activities and the kids are having a great time while they get hooked on healthy eating and exercise", said Goodrow. The "Happy Feet Healthy Food" book was first published earlier this year and is on its way to a second printing. Teachers in Tennessee, Colorado, Illinois, Wisconsin, Canada and even the United Kingdom are purchasing the book and starting their own clubs. A group in Pennsylvania has applied for a grant to purchase 600 books for their school system and a club in Connecticut recently purchased 50 for their club. Goodrow said that some clubs can only afford to buy one or two copies and are sharing the material. In the advent of tight school budgets, Goodrow encourages other clubs to seek out business sponsorship. She also gives out free ribbons to new clubs that sign up and provides a website at www.KidsRunning.com, that provides curriculums, games, nutrition advice and news and events from other clubs.