Run The Planet Newsletter
INCORPORATING "THE PENGUIN TIMES"
THE INTERNET GUIDE TO BECOMING AN ATHLETE

AUGUST 2002 - VOL. 7, ISSUE N. 8 (N. 78) Visit the website at http://www.runtheplanet.com
and be part of the largest running community on the web

If you like the information presented in this newsletter forward it to other runners who may be interested
Also, please tell at least a couple of your friends to go and visit Run The Planet
spread the word around, and encourage interested people
to join our running & walking community and help us provide you a better information service Since March 1996 Run The Planet has gathered running course descriptions to offer as a free service to runners around the world. The information is ideal for runners who like to run a local course while away from home on business or pleasure.Run The Planet is a strong community that is made up by runners who use the service and by those who submit information. Thank you for being part of this Internet running community.

---

SIGN A FRIEND UP TO RECEIVE THE Run The Planet NEWSLETTER
Send info@runtheplanet.com an e-mail to request this newsletter to be sent to a friend. Include the following information in the text of your letter:

Sign my friend up to receive the Run The Planet Newsletter
Friend's name:
Friend's e-mail address:
My name:
My e-mail address:

Please note that your friend's e-mail address will not be used other than to send him/her a free monthly copy of this newsletter, nor will it be sold or given to anyone else, because basically we don't know how to. The best of all we will notify him/her that the free newsletter subscription is from you! So he/she will really know whom to thank (subscriptions can always be cancelled with a simple e-mail not accepting the subscription - imagine that).

---

CHANGE YOUR NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIPTION E-MAIL ADDRESS

Send an e-mail to info@runtheplanet.com with the subject "Run The PlanetAddress Change" and include the following text:

Change my Run The Planet Newsletter subscription address from old.name@example.net to new.name@example.net

Remember to replace the old.name@example.net with your old e-mail address and the new.name@example.net with your new e-mail address.

---

UNSUBSCRIBE FROM THE Run The Planet NEWSLETTER

Send an e-mail to info@runtheplanet.com with the subject "RTP Unsubscribe". Include in the text of your e-mail the following sentence:

Unsubscribe this address from the Run The Planet Newsletter youraddress@example.net

Remember to replace the youraddress@example.net with your address.

---

RUN THE PLANET ^TM http://www.runtheplanet.com
© 1996-2002
BY RUN THE PLANET INC. SEATTLE (USA)
FIRENZE (ITALY)

Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of this "Run The Planet" file provided the copyright notice and this paragraph is preserved on all copies. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in the website are those of the author(s) and don't necessarily reflect the views of Run The Planet.

---

Welcome to the August edition of our Run The Planet newsletter. Welcome to all of you who are current Planeteers, to your new ones, and all the Penguins who from this month on will join our subscribers' list. The largest worldwide running community on the Internet has in fact become even larger and it is welcoming the members of the worldwide Penguin community by incorporating for the first time "The Penguin Times".

It is a captivating addition, as it works in both directions: the Penguins will be exposed to our monthly news from all over the world, while the Planeteers may benefit from the words and tips by the team of John "The Penguin" Bingham, columnist for "Runner's World" magazine, regular speaker on the pre-race pasta dinner circuit, and teacher for all the "adult-onset athletes" at his popular Penguin Flight Schools.

With formal introductions behind us, back to the news.

August brings showers of new running course descriptions on Run The Planet. Find out this month where to run in exotic places like Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan, Minsk in Belarus or Nairobi in Kenya, exploit your joy-de-courir along the French roads of Saint-Jean Cap Ferrat, visit hot running island spots like Charlotte Amalie on the Virgin Islands, George Town on the Cayman Islands, Douglas on the Isle of Man, or travel to Europe to test the new running course descriptions we feature this month for Berlin, London, and Prague, just to name a few.

Those of you that are traveling in August should make sure to take along a personal running journal. You can easily create it by visiting the Runners' Travel Pocketbook webpage on Run The Planet. If your destination feature a language not yet available in our free running dictionaries collection, then don't forget to print also a copy of the "Universal Running Dictionary". This dictionary offers you visual aids to get your running related message across to anyone in the world. Do you need a safety pin at the next race? Just take the Universal Running Dictionary with you and point to the symbol. It is as easy as that. You will never have a running related communication gap again. You can even leave that travel partner that you brought along only for translation at home next time. See,Run The Planet makes your travel experience more pleasurable.

Speaking about traveling, a quick note on Phil the Frog, our "running ambassador". Phil safely made it to London, England. Stay tuned to find out how Phil's World Tour unfolds.

In your preparation to travel and Run The Planet finally do not forget to check out the latest addition to our "World Crossroads", a webpage highlighting the road signs for runners, walkers, hikers and pedestrians in different countries, an entertaining glance to the blend of cultures worldwide.

New additions can be found also in the "Rtp Shoes" webpage featuring an article on an interactive running shoes project by the Responsive Environments Group of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Laboratory. Also don't forget to visit the "Rtp mailbag", and find out a great substitute for energy bars.

We ran out of space for this month, and it is time to go out running anyway.Run The Planet is steadily growing and expanding, thanks to you and your constant and precious contribution that helps pave the road to easy traveling for other runners like you and us. A sincere thank you.

Enjoy your run, and keep running the planet.
RTP Staff

The Internet guide to becoming an athlete

Welcome to the new "Penguin Times". I'm very happy to report that Run The Planet will now be the official source for all news about "The Penguin" and all Penguin activities. If this is your first visit to RunThePlanet.com, I encourage you to take a few minutes to look around. You'll find a world of information here.

The next few weeks will be a very exciting time, beginning with my first adventure race and the "Runner's World" magazine Alaska cruise. At the end of August, you'll find me sunning myself in Virginia Beach where I'll be at "Elite Racing's Rock and Roll Half Marathon".

The fall marathon season is nearly upon us. This year, I'll be at the "Fox Cities Marathon", the "Portland Marathon" in Oregon, "The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon", the "Columbus Marathon" in Ohio and the "Marine Corps Marathon". I'll also be appearing at the new "City of Trees marathon" in Boise, in early November. You can find more information about all of these events at www.JohnBingham.com.

I'll be heading back to Antarctica in early 2003 to participate in the "Last Marathon". You can view the slide show from the 2001 journey at www.WaddleOn.com. There are still a few openings on the tour, so if you're interested in the trip of a lifetime email me at ThePenguin@JohnBingham.com and I'll put you in touch with Thom Gilligan at Marathon Tours.

And be sure to watch this space in the coming months for more news, special events, and announcements.

Waddle On, friends...
John Bingham

WaddleOn.com • JohnBingham.com • Coach Jenny

Run The Planet Statistics

0033  New running course descriptions this month
1957  Cities activated on Run The Planet
2476  Running course descriptions on Run The Planet
0000  New nations or territories activated this month
0210  Nations and territories activated on Run The Planet 
0016  New links on "Running links" this month
1609  Links on "Running links"

From where are runners visiting Run The Planet? The following 151 countries and territories (and the list keeps growing!): American Samoa, Andorra, Antigua & Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaidjan, Bahamas, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, Cayman Islands, Chile, China, Cocos (Keeling Islands), Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Faroe Islands, Fiji, Finland, France, French Guyana, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Guam, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldavia, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Niue, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Polynesia, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America, Uruguay, former U.S.S.R., Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vatican City state, Venezuela, Vietnam, Virgin Islands, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Alphabetical index of new and updated cities

New and updated cities this month
Ann Arbor (Usa/Michigan), Belo Horizonte (Brazil), Berlin (Germany), Binningen (Switzerland), Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan), Charlotte Amalie (U.S. Virgin Islands), Costa Mesa (Usa/California), Dallas (Usa/Texas), Douglas (Isle of Man), Florianópolis (Brazil), Fortaleza (Brazil), Frankfurt am Main (Germany), George Town (Cayman Islands), Groton (Usa/Connecticut), Hoboken (Usa/New Jersey), London (United Kingdom), Maplewood (Usa/Minnesota), McAllen (Usa/Texas), Minsk (Belarus), Nairobi (Kenya), Onchan (Isle of Man), Panama City Beach (Usa/Florida), Prague (Czech Republic), Recife (Brazil), Saint-Jean Cap Ferrat (France), São José do Rio Prêto (Brazil), São Paulo (Brazil), Southington (Usa/Connecticut), Wilkes Barre (Usa/Pennsylvania).

New nations and territories this month
None.

Nations still missing to complete Run The Planet
(Africa) Algeria, Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Chad, Eritrea, Guinea, Western Sahara; (Central America) Antigua and Barbuda; (Asia) Iraq, Syria. Besides these nations, other territories may be missing.

Description of the month - Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan)
By Susan - Bishkek offers surprisingly good running for men and women. Prospekt Mira, which runs south out of the city, offers a broad sidewalk that runs for several miles along the road to the mountains. From the Pinara Hotel, head towards the mountains on the moderate uphill climb past the United States embassy and up to the Business Trade Park for a 5-6-mile out-and-back course. You may even see a few locals in track suits and tennis shoes on their morning runs. Trail runners with a free day on their hands should consider taking a bus or taxi to nearby Ala-Archa National Park (further south of the city) for spectacular views of mountain streams, snow-capped peaks, and juniper stands... even the presidential yurt! Run The Planet Satellites

• Asia - Bahrain: Bahrain Cross Country & Road Runners Club, September 2001. China/Hong Kong - Hong Kong Runners, July 2001.

• North America - Usa/California: East Bay Striders, July 2001. Usa/Illinois: Chicago Distance Classic, February 2002. Usa/Illinois: Second Wind Running Club, March 2002. Usa/Georgia: Race Pace, June 2001. Usa/Nevada: Las Vegas Marathon, July 2001. Usa/Tennessee: Chattanooga Track Club, July 2001. Usa/Texas: Cross Country Club of Dallas, June 2001. Usa/Texas: Fort Worth Runners Club, July 2001. Usa/Virginia: Williamsburg Area Running, May 2002.

• South America - Brazil: Run The Planet Brasil, May 2001. Brazil: Copacabana Runners, March 2002.

• Europe - Ireland: Crusaders Athletic Club, August 2001. Italy: Run The Planet Italia, May 2001. Italy: Correre nel deserto, May 2001. Italy: Dead Runners Society Italia, May 2001. Italy: Penguin Brigade Italia, May 2001. Italy: Podismo, May 2001. Malta: Sovereign Running Order of Malta, May 2001. San Marino: Drs San Marino, May 2001. Switzerland: Drs Svizzera, May 2001. Vatican City: Drs Vaticano, May 2001.

• Oceania - Australia: Adelaide Running, February 2002. Australia: Melbourne Marathon, July 2001. Guam: The Guam Running Club, July 2001.

Should you want your website to become part of the Run The Planet satellites, simply apply by sending us an e-mail message (info@runtheplanet.com) requesting more information.

Running related links added to Run The Planet this month

Forstlauf der LG Sempt - The official website of the Forstlauf, a 5 km and 10 km race featuring premium for new records.

Mount Rushmore International Marathon and relay - Imagine running against a backdrop of towering pine trees, sweet-smelling spruce and fresh mountain air. This is the way running was meant to be. You, a fast course and Mother Nature. The Mount Rushmore International Marathon and relay begins in the heart of the scenic Black Hills and ends in Rapid City. An absolutely breathtaking course... in more ways than one.

Auburn New York - Running information for Upstate New York.

RacingThePlanet, Inc. - An expedition classic - the Marathon des Sables ("Marathon of the Sands") - is known as the toughest footrace on Earth. Six-hundred competitors from about 30 countries on six continents take part in this annual event. Men and women will traverse nearly 150 miles across the Sahara Desert of Morocco over seven days while carrying all their food and gear. Only a ration of nine liters of water and an open-sided Berber tent are provided daily to competitors.

Sydney Marathon - The website details the "Sydney Marathon" and the event components. It allows for entrants to enter online and is updated regulary. The site offers the various competitions and proposals that the event offers at any one time.

Qlogger.com - Qlogger.com's running web log allows you to keep track of your runs online and view powerful charts and graphs. Minutes per mile, running summary graphs, temperature vs. speed, shoe summary, total distance, terrain vs. speed, distance by day of the week, running calendar. Free and easy setup. Get your own url to publish your log or keep it private.

The Barron Area Community Center Annual Lyndon Ellefson Memorial Run/Walk - This website is the main website for the Barron Area Community Center which in a non-profit organization. The Center benefits from this annual race. On the main website there is a page for the annual Lyndon Ellefson Race.

Media Maratón Guayaquil - In the website you can see the description of the course, tips for runners, the results of the last race, the sponsors, the map of the course.

The Greater Pittsburgh Road Runners Club - Provides information on monthly club races, race results, race pictures, group runs around the city, links to other clubs, running discussion group, information on places to run in the city and area, weather conditions, pace calculator, and running articles.

Jingle Bell Run for Arthritis - This website concerns an annual 5k run/walk event held in beautiful Pikeville, Kentucky (Appalachian mountains) to benefit the Arthritis Foundation! Please come and have fun with us! Santa Claus will be on hand for the kids! Free T-shirts and prizes!

Richmond Road Runners Club - General club and race info. Group runs. Message board. Links.

Luco dei Marsi - This site is about a little town of Italy, Luco dei Marsi, one hundred kilometers from Rome in a mountain region named Abruzzo. In this site you can click and see information on the race "A Luco di corsa".

Mr Price Celtic Harriers Running Club - A running club based in Cape Town, South Africa. The club hosts and organises the Cape's biggest and best race, the "Two Oceans". We cater for runners from beginners to the elite. The club also has a walking group.

GbrAthletics.com - Reference site containing deep United Kingdom athletics all-time lists, archive of British and international (including Olympic championship medalists, British and international athletics calendars, recommended athletics links and assorted records/statistics.

Adventure Network International - Adventure Network International is the only company in the world that provides airborne travel to Antarctica and the only company in the world that brings private travelers to the interior of Antarctica and the South Pole. We are the proud sponsors of the ANI South Pole Marathon.

RidgeRunners - A great site with a good cross section of recreational runners at the 5k, 10k, half marathon, marathon, and ultramarathon levels. The club also conducts for the Lake Ridge community a "May Day 5k" and a "Turkey Trot 10k" event.

Sponsor of the month

NO NEED FOR SPEED - John Bingham's new book "No Need for Speed: A Beginner's Guide to the Joy of Running" (paperback, 224 pages, Rodale Press, 2002, ISBN: 1579544290) explores both the why and the how of running for the rest of us. With information both practical (how to find the right running shoes for you, when to enter a race, what to eat before a run) and inspirational (focus on where you are instead of where you want to be, accepting the body you have, the beauty of being realistic about goals), John extends a trusted hand and expert advice to beginners and veterans alike. Click here to order this book at a special price.

Running events added to our worldwide calendar this month

Vancouver (Canada) "First Half" Half Marathon, Austin (Usa/Texas) Teddy Bear Picnic & 5k, Portsmouth (Usa/New Hampshire) Jingle Bell Run for Arthritis, Concord (Usa/New Hampshire) Jingle Bell Run for Arthritis, Freeport (Usa/Maine) Jingle Bell Run for Arthritis, Guayaquil (Ecuador) Guayaquil half marathon, Vancouver (Canada) Knee Knacker, Barron (Usa/Wisconsin) Annual Lyndon Ellefson Memorial Run/Walk, Geisenfeld (Germany) 24-h-Lauf Geisenfeld, Vamdrup (Denmark) Kongeåløbet, Richmond (Usa/Virginia) Richmond Marathon, Sydney (Australia) Flora Sydney Marathon, Snoqualmie (Usa/Washington) Ridge to Rails, Copenhagen (Denmark) Christianshavnermilen, Copenhagen (Denmark) Nykreditløbet, Swarthmore (Usa/Pennsylvania) Swarthmore Lions Independence Eve 8K Run and 2.5 mile Walk, Pikeville (Usa/Kentucky) Jingle Bell Run for Arthritis, Luco dei Marsi (Italy) Memorial Lucio Petra, Ouarzazate (Morocco) Marathon des Sables, Northeast Harbor (Usa/Maine) Annual Northeast Harbor Road Race, Navan (Ireland) South o Hanlon 5 mile road race, Latrobe (Usa/Pennsylvania) Heavenly Run, South Lake Tahoe (Usa/California) Lake Tahoe Marathon, Cogollo del Cengio (Italy) La Corsa del Trenino, Absecon (Usa/New Jersey) Pedal - Paddle - Run Triathlon, New York City (Usa/New York) Pontiac Manhattan Half-Marathon, New York City (Usa/New York) Nike Run NYC Fitness Series, New York City (Usa/New York) New York City Marathon Tune-Up, New York City (Usa/New York) Pontiac Fifth Avenue Mile, New York City (Usa/New York) Nyrr Bronx Half-Marathon, New York City (Usa/New York) New York Mets Run to Home Plate, New York City (Usa/New York) Nike Run Nyc Fitness Series, Raleigh (Usa/North Carolina) Annual Autism Ribbon Run 5k, Rapid City (Usa/South Dakota) Mt. Rushmore International Marathon, Bangkok (Thailand) Thailand Temple Run, Songkhla (Thailand) Songkhla Marathon, Louisville (Usa/Kentucky) Derby Marathon & Mini-Marathon, Charlotte (Usa/North Carolina) Dilworth Jubilee 8k, Bruges (Belgium) Guldensporen Marathon, Marbella (Spain) Marbella Half Marathon, Acapulco (Mexico) Medio maraton internacional Acapulco, Berea (Usa/Ohio) Cleveland Clinic River Run, Bay Village (Usa/Ohio) Annual James Dominic's Run for Wildlife, Cleveland (Usa/Ohio) Fox Sports Net Turkey Trot, Rocky River (Usa/Ohio) Salomon Smith Barney Reindeer Run 5k, Riva del Garda (Italy) Garda Trentino Half Marathon, Cincinnati (Usa/Ohio) Redlegs Run for Home 5k Run/Walk, Chula Vista (Usa/California) Annual Arturo Barrios 5k & 10k, Addison (Usa/Texas) 5k Run for the Children.

The Global Telegraph

 Visit the monthly edition of "The Global Telegraph" magazine, your on line monthly source of running & walking news from all over the world, to read the complete stories

• WISCONSIN (USA) / Masters athlete overrules Open Division
The overall winner of this year's "Cellcom Green Bay Marathon" on June 23, was 44 year-old Andrey Kuznetson of Russia who finished with a time of 2:23.33... read more online

• SOUTH DAKOTA (USA) / Running with wolves
The inaugural race was June 9, 2002 and the first "Deadwood - Mickelson Trail Marathon" was a huge success! The marathon started on the George S. Mickelson Trail at the Rochford Trailhead... read more online

• VIRGINIA (USA) / Ruiz wins second Yorktown Freedom Run title
Bryce Ruiz and Kristine Wilson won the "Yorktown Freedom Run 5k" for the second time, both having won initially two years ago. There were a record 766 entries in this fourteenth annual race, held to kick off the Yorktown 4th of July celebration... read more online

• AUSTRALIA / Run with Mona competition
Sydney's Olympic legacy event, the "Flora Sydney Marathon", has launched a competition that offers a unique opportunity to run the "blue line" course with Australian marathon hero Steve Moneghetti... read more online

Run The Planet library

 Visit the "Run The Planet Bookstore" webpage for hundreds of running, walking, and hiking related books, and links to running books dedicated webpages on the Internet

A passion to run, by Paul Boyette, paperback, 128 pages, Old Mountain Press (2001), ISBN: 1931575088

Standing at the start of his last regular season race, Jordan was in pain. He knew the race was going to hurt. His shape was not in question, his injury was. When the gun sounded, Jordan took off with only one thing on his mind, the coach's race plan. He noticed some of Tech East’ runners around him but their best, Steve Lash or Stan Newbern were not there. Instead, they were other runners possibly trying to force the pace. They played right into Jordan's hands. He picked the pace up and flew through the first mile in 4:52, faster than the week before by 3 seconds. By then, no one from Tech East was near him. Even Cliff Wills from Liberty who was in the race was not close. Jordan pushed his sore leg over the course, painful step after painful step. With every footfall of his left foot the pain would shoot through his leg. By the end of the second mile, not only did he have a good lead but he also had stomach cramps... A novel revolving around Jordan Myers, a cross country runner, and miler. The story showcases the struggles of his broken family and shattered self image as he tries to gain acceptance in his life through running. He replaces his family with his teammates, and his father with his coach, as he becomes a champion. But every level of running has its price as he finds out in the college ranks where injury and talent decide who runs tomorrow and who will be left behind forever. Before he is done though he finally decides to run for himself and makes a bet that will bring him lifelong fame. Freelance writer and track and field literature historian, Paul Boyette has been a runner for thirty years. This is his first book about the sport set in the era of the mid 1970's. He is presently working on his next book "The Essential Guide to Running Literature". He has also written a booklet for the RRCA 2002 Convention titled, "Guide Booklet to the best of Running Literature". He is a regular contributor to "The Rundown", a monthly newsletter of the Tidewater Striders. He lives, writes, and races in Tidewater, Virginia - Click on the cover to order this book at a special price Rtp Newsletter archive • The Global Telegraph • Run The Planet