10/29/05 - My Microsoft FrontPage software is not functioning, so I am not able to easily update this page.  You won't see any updates here, but you can check out my log at www.athleticore.com.  In sum, I haven't run consistently in over one year and am just getting back into easy running. 

01/01/05 - Dathan Ritzenhein placed 3rd in his professional debut at the Silvesterlauf 10km, running 28:24.  Ritz finished in excellent company behind Olympic Gold Medallist Stefano Baldini and XC star Sergiy Lebid. 

12/05/04 - Here's a good article about sprinter Kelli White's career and demise.

10/08/04 - I haven't updated in a while...  I bruised my ribs a few weeks ago and have only been running easy mileage since.  I probably won't update my training log until 2005.

08/29/04 - USA Marathoner Meb Keflezighi earned the silver medal in the marathon today...  He ran a smart race, losing out to eventual winner Stefano Baldini over the last 2 miles.

There have been a few celebrity sightings on letsrun lately.  Click here for a post by Joetta Clark Diggs about leaving Jearl Miles Clark off the 4x400 relay team...  And here is some training info from marathon great Benji Durden.

08/19/04 - Marathoner Deeja Youngquist has reportedly tested positive for synthetic EPO. She is a member of Eddy Hellebuyck's training group in Albuquerque.  She had a dramatic improvement in her performances after arriving in Albuquerque.  Eddy tested positive in January of this year, but it didn't reach the public until last month.

08/16/04 - I finally updated my links page... added a couple interesting websites.

Did you know that 1984 Olympic Marathon silver medallist, John Treacy ran a 13:16 5000 meter race just prior to his Olympic success?  Coincidentally, that is exactly the same time the US Olympian Dan Browne has run this summer.  In addition, Treacy completed the 10,000 / marathon double at the '84 Games, which is Browne's plan for 2004.

Dathan Ritzenhein is planning on competing in the 10,000 meters in Athens despite a stress fracture in his foot.  He has built up to running 25 minutes on grass in his recovery process.

08/13/04 - There is so much drug related news, it's hard to keep up...  Irish distance runner Cathal Lombard, who dropped his 10K best almost 3 minutes in less than 2 years, tested positive for EPO.  In a refreshing change, Lombard admitted he was guilty even before his 'B' sample was tested.  

Greek sprinters Costas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou missed a second drug test in one week...   Kenteris shocked the world by winning the Olympic 200 Meter Gold Medal in 2000.   Rumours were rampant that he was taking banned substances even four years ago.   Now both athletes have conveniently been hospitalized for 3 days (enough time to clean drugs from their systems) because of a mysterious motorcylce accident.  The Greek athletic officials have characterized the injuries as minor...  Reasonable people ask why are the athletes being hospitalized (and unavailable to drug testers) if the injuries are minor??

On the US front, Torri Edwards got a 2 year ban for testing positive for the stimulant nikethamide.  Calvin Harrsion also received a 2 year ban for testing positive for the stimulant modafinil.

08/01/04 - There were a few notable track performances from US runners this past week.  Tim Broe ran 13:18, which has put him on the Olympic 5000 meter team with Jonathan Riley.  In a surprising run, marathoner Dan Browne ran 13:16 for 5000 which shows he's in great shape...  That's a big PR for him.  Browne will be running the 10K and marathon in Athens.  Incidentally, EPO cheat Mohammed Mourhit finished the same race in 13:44... I guess that indicates what he's able to run when not on the "juice".

07/17/04 - I ran the Dash and Splash 5 Mile in 28:40... details in my races.

07/15/04 - The USA Network showed the entire women's 5000 meters at the Olympic Trials commercial free.  In addition to that, the race itself was excellent, with Shalane Flanagan forcing the pace for over 2 miles only to have both Marla Runyan and Shayne Culpepper to pass her in the final lap.   Culpepper surged past Runyan just before the finish line and Flanagan held on for the final Olympic spot. 

In other news, master sensation Eddy Hellebuyck and 100 meter sprinter Torri Edwards have tested positive for banned substances.  Edwards, who has earned a place to the Olympics tested positive for a stimulant and Hellebuyck's was an EPO violation (the exact details of which are unclear).

06/24/04 - As I predicted, the BALCO scandal is taking down some BIG names.  World-Record Holder Tim Montgomery is facing a lifetime ban because of evidence he took as many as 5 different illegal substances.

In more positive news, Paula Radcliffe has recovered from sports hernia surgery to run 14:29 for 5000 meters.  After a rough past year, Paula looks ready to challenge anyone either on the track or in the marathon in Athens.

06/09/04 - Alan Webb continued his solid season, winning the Ostrava 1500 in a time of 3:32.73 and in the process defeating several world class milers.

04/30/04 - Dathtan Ritzenhein of Colorado University ran 27:38 for 10,000 meters tonight at the Cardinal Invitational.  That is the 3rd fastest collegiate time ever, I believe.  Meb Keflizighi won the race in 27:24, with Kiplitan 2nd in 27:32.30, Lombard of Ireland 3rd in 27:33.53, Abdi Abdirahman 4th in 27:34.24, Bob Kennedy next in 27:37.45 then Ritzenhein 27:38.50, followed by Dan Browne in 27:42.  All were under the Olympic 'A' standard for the event.  Quite an impressive race...

04/23/04 - The results of my MRI were negative.  Nothing seems to be structurally wrong with the area.  I've got a prescription for PT to help strengthen my back and core.

04/17/04 - I had an MRI taken of my SI joint and hip area...   I saw the doc at 1:30PM and I was getting the MRI 5 hours later.  Now that is quick service...  I know of a fellow runner who had to wait for 3 months to get an MRI - he lives in Canada, the land of socialized medicine.  I should have the results early next week.

04/13/04 - Since I'm cheap and am using a free web hosting service, they feel free to put ads at the top of the page... I cannot control the content of the ads, and I do not approve of what they purport to be selling.  I'm going to remove some stuff on this page to see if that changes what ads are displayed.

04/04/04 - Thirty-nine year old Colleen DeReuck pulled an upset, winning the women's Olympic Trials Marathon over heavily favored Deena (Drossin) Kastor.  Jen Rhines secured the last Olympic spot by running a smart race and catching fast starter Blake Russell in the last mile.  A three-time Olympian originally from South Africa, DeReuck brings a wealth of international experience to the US team.  Click here for a good recap of the race.

Competitive runners must read "Runners" by Roger Hart.

04/03/04 - For the record, the price of gasoline is cheap.   In 1981 gasoline cost about $1.00 per gallon. If the price had just kept up with the rate of inflation, gas would cost over $2.90 per gallon today.  Click here for a concise article about gas prices.  This is basic Econ 101 stuff, people!   Gasoline is a very cheap product... It bugs the heck out of me that our political "leaders" either don't understand this (frightening) or even worse, ignore the facts because the truth might get in the way of their "class-warfare" political campaign.  For those of you who like graphs, click here for a graph of how the inflation-adjusted price of gas has fluctuated since 1980.

03/28/04 - I injured my lower back again moving some boxes in the attic.  It hurts to run.  I'll be heading to the doctor soon...

I've updated my NJ Road Racing page with highlights of the USATF 8K Championships.

03/11/04 - To peruse the training logs of some solid runners, check out run-insight.com journals.   There are about a dozen elites and almost elite whose logs you can review.

02/21/04 - Check out www.athleticore.com (free registration required)- it has training logs of some decent runners, including Jim Akita and Michigan All-American Mark Pilja.

I ran 5 times last week, 4 miles each time.  Everything seems to be normal... normal hamstring and adductor pain, normal knee pain... However, my lower back seems to be completely pain-free.

02/17/04 - Although it's already old news, Alan Culpepper, Meb Keflizighi and Dan Browne finished 1-3 at the Olympic Trials Marathon.  Browne's race was back up to his high standards after a frustrating fall season.  Surprise 4th place finisher Trent Briney, ran 2:12:35 which is an PR by over 8 minutes.  He is a member of the Brooks Hanson's Project.

The BALCO net is starting to get tighter around Barry Bonds...

01/28/04 - Thirty-eight year old Rod DeHaven injured his SI joint at the New Haven Road Race last year, and will not be competing in the Olympic Trials.  It seems that his career might also be over, as well.

01/23/04 - Click here to read a diary entry from Kevin Collins as he prepares for the Olympic Trials Marathon on February 7th.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention... I'm injured.

12/27/03 - I actually ran 2 miles last week and my back didn't feel too bad.  I'm going to get back into running very gradually.

12/09/03 - Iona College All-American Richard Kiplagat is carrying a heavy burden.  Click here to read his story and see how you can help.

12/04/03 - Sadly, Khalid Khannouchi is injured and will not run the Olympic Trials Marathon in February.

Here's a nice article about Chad Worthen's last attempt to run sub 2:22:00 and qualify for the Olympic Trials.

12/01/03 - Here's a sweet article about NCAA XC Champ Dathan Ritzenhein and his injury struggles.

11/26/03 - After not running all summer because of a stress fracture, U of Colorado runner Dathan Ritzenhein won the NCAA XC Championships in a very close finish over Ryan Hall of Stanford.  Hall's race is a big breakthrough for him as he led the Stanford men to a dominating victory.

In Division III, Calvin College coached by Olympian Brian Diemer, destroyed the competition in winning the title over Stevens Point and North Central.

In the wake of the revelation that Regina Jacobs has used illegal performance enhancing drugs (THG), here is a good article that discusses how the positive test has affected Regina's nemesis, Suzy Favor-Hamilton.

11/24/03 - At the Philadelphia Marathon yesterday, Edward Callinan of Cherry Hill finished 3rd in an Olympic Trials qualifying time of 2:21:22.   Running Company teammate and northern New Jersey road racer, Gary Rosenberg finished 16th in 2:32:37.  Complete results here.

11/22/03 - We're approaching the Christmas shopping season, so I have included a list of great books that any serious runner should love. 

11/21/03 - Recent US Marathon Champion and NCAA 10K Champ Ryan Shay details the running exploits of the entire Shay clan (scroll down for Ryan's account).

11/15/03 - Regina Jacobs' B sample has tested positive for THG.  Now I know how her body became so ripped after the age of 35.   Speaking of BALCO, THG and transformed bodies, I've updated My Thoughts page regarding Barry Bonds (he was a BALCO client).

On the local scene, Gary Rosenberg is trying for a PR at the Philadelphia Marathon in 2 weeks.

11/03/03 - All around good guy and New Jersey native Joe McVeigh ran his "last competitive marathon" in 2:28:30 finishing 6th among US men.  Click here for a good article about Joe.

Here are the results from the ING NYC Marathon... times were slowed because of the unseasonably warm weather.

My back still hurts.

10/27/03 - Here's a good NY Times article about Clint Wells.  Regina Jacobs has shut down her website... 

10/24/03 - For those of you who love to watch T&F, check out this video of the 2002 Commonwealth Games.  Day 6 has most of the final track events.

10/23/03 - Regina Jacobs' tremendous breakthroughs appear to be a bit tarnished.  According to the Washington Post, Regina has tested positive for the designer drug THG, which is at the heart of the BALCO drug scandal.  Regina's positive is in addition to that of shot putter Kevin Toth and sprinter Dwain Chambers.  Two more US track athletes are rumored to have tested positive.

On a personal note, I had a bone scan last week which revealed the beginning of a stress fracture near my SI joint.  I can't run for at least 6 weeks or so.

10/21/03 - Keep an eye on the BALCO / THG drug story... I have the feeling lots of big names are going to be involved.  Here's another article about the impact on T&F.  Do you think track and field has a drug problem?  The situation in baseball is much worse.  They don't even announce if anyone tests positive and there aren't any repercussions after they do.

10/16/03 - There were several notable NJ finishers at this past weekend's LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon. Edward Callinan of Cherry Hill finished 44th in 2:22:03, painfully missing an Olympic Trials qualifier. Two local northern NJ road race standouts, Carlos Martins (86th place / 2:28:17) and Elliott Frieder (99th place / 2:29:12) were the second and third New Jersey finishers. Among the US elites, Meb Keflezighi secured his Olympic "A" standard by placing 7th in 2:10:03. Regarding the Olympic qualifier, Meb says it's "It's off my back". The second US finisher was a resurgent Todd Reeser who placed 14th in 2:15:11.

10/11/03 - In case you missed it, last weekend 42 year old Eddy Hellebuyck won the Twin Cities Marathon in 2:12:47.  That time is a US Masters Record.

The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon is on tap this weekend, and has announced bonuses for any US runners who exceed the Olympic Trials standards.  Race director Carey Pinkowski has always gone the extra mile to help US runners, which has distinguished LaSalle Bank Chicago from the other major US marathons.

10/07/03 - My back is slowly improving.  I tried to shuffle down my driveway and it still hurts, but I guess it hurts less than it did 2 weeks ago.

10/01/03 - I've updated  My Thoughts page...

Bernard Lagat's 'B' sample tested negative for EPO.  Although the IAAF didn't say he's innocent, they said he has been cleared to compete.

09/22/03 - Here's an interview with John Zupanc, coach of DIII powerhouse UW-Oshkosh.  Check out more interviews and other good collegiate stuff at www.trackshark.com.  

09/21/03 - My lower right back and upper gluteal muscles (near the SI joint) are really messed up.  I can't walk without a limp and while ART treatment makes it feel a little better that only lasts for a day or so and then I'm back to walking around like a crippled old man.  Once I've got my health insurance situation stabilized (I'm starting a new job soon), I'm going to get some more doctor and PT opinions on my injury.  Needless to say, I'm not planning on running any races for the foreseeable future.

09/10/03 - My lower right back is really sore.   It hurts to walk and really hurts when I try to run.  I'm going to get some more treatment for it this week.  I've already been to my ART guy twice.

Here's a good interview with Brian Sell, who finished 2nd at the New Haven 20K with a breakthrough performance of 59:18.

09/08/03 - Eddy Hellebuyck ran a US Master's record of 14:13 for a road 5K at the CVS / Downtown 5K in Providence, RI this past weekend.  He broke the previous record of 14:19 held by John Tuttle.

09/06/03 - My lower back was a bit sore yesterday, but I decided to go for a run anyway...  sometimes those aches loosen up during the run.   Well, that decision was a big mistake.  I was able to run about 6.5 miles and then the pain was so bad I had to stop.  I walked about 1.5 miles home.  Today it hurts just walking around the house.  Bummer.  I've been icing and taking Voltaren.  I saw my ART guy yesterday and will go back on Monday.

09/04/03 - Click here for a picture of me at New Haven.

09/02/03 - According to the IAAF, Kenyan mile sensation Bernard Lagat has tested positive for EPO. 

On a more personal note, I finished 46th at the New Haven 20K yesterday in 1:06:20.  I don't take EPO.  I'll write up a summary for my races section soon.

08/21/03 - Chad Johnson of the Nike Oregon Project trains 160 miles per week.   Click here for an interview with Chad.

I'm thinking of running an early December marathon.  Possibilities include California International (CIM), Jacksonville and Memphis.  I'm leaning toward CIM because it will have the deepest field.

08/14/03 - Steve Spence recently ran 23:47 for 5 miles.  That time seems to be a US Master's Record.

08/10/03 - Here's a cool picture of my bashed foot.  Click on it to enlarge. 

08/07/03 - I ran 5 miles today.  It hurts to run on a broken toe, but it feels much better than last week.

Mike Mykytok has written a book about running, Pushing Through.  I have not read it yet.  As long as I'm discussing books, I recommend everyone browse through one of the many pictoral books about 9/11.  It is critical that our memories of that day remain fresh.   I have read One Nation (Time Life)and A Nation Challenged (NY Times) - both are excellent.   I was  impacted all over again as I paged through and relived that day.  If you read them, you'll be surprised at how much you've already forgotten...

08/01/03 - I tried to run today...  An excellent podiatrist assured me that if I could run without limping it would be OK to continue training.  Unfortunately, after about 1/4 of a mile the pain was too great (and I was limping) so I had to pack it in.  I'll try to run again in a couple of days.

07/28/03 - New Jersey athlete Ryan Grote finished 6th at the IronMan Triathlon in Lake Placid, NY.  He finished one place behind Olympian Ryan Bolton.   Click here for results. 

X-rays indicate that I have a fractured proximal phalanx on my fifth toe.  That explains why I haven't been able to put any weight on my fifth (pinky) toe without excruciating pain.

07/27/03 - I smashed my little toe while running to answer the phone Friday evening.  I'm in job hunting mode, so I really try not to miss any phone calls.  Anyway, my toe really hurts.  I saw a doctor who thinks I should get an x-ray because he thinks I might have "chipped a bone".  I'm icing my foot several times per day and taking anti-inflammatories.  I can't put any weight on the toe and I'm hobbling around the house.  And I was just getting into pretty good shape, too. 

07/24/03 - Here's a good article on the current status of Adam Goucher.

07/19/03 - I'm reading the Kenny Moore's book, Best Efforts.   It's a great read with details about the lives and training of many world class runners.

07/15/03 - Click here for an interview with Notre Dame grad and All-American Luke Watson who will run for adidas and train at Team USA in California.

07/13/03 - Here's a good article about Mary Decker Slaney, who is being inducted into the Distance Running Hall of Fame this weekend.

07/01/03 - I won the Montville Firecracker 5K in 15:43.  It's my fastest time on that course.

Gene Mitchell, owner of the New Jersey Running Company stores finished the Grandma's Marathon in 2:22:55.  He missed qualifying for the Olympic Trials by 55 seconds. In the warm temps he became dehydrated, threw-up and was forced to walk late in the race.  Gene ran his last 10K in over 36 minutes... ouch.  That's unfortunate because he was in excellent condition.  He is tentatively planning on running a fall marathon to get his OT qualifier.  The first US finisher was the infamous Teddy Mitchell, who finished 4th in 2:16:00. 

06/16/03 - Daniel Lincoln of Arkansas won both the 10,000m and Steeplechase at the NCAA T&F Championships this past weekend. Daniel was a 4:16 miler and 9:31 2 miler in HS.

06/15/03 - I didn't get the job in Newark.  That kind of stinks that I didn't even get a job offer after what I went though...  oh, the total bill to repair my Jeep was over $1000.  That's an expensive interview, no?

06/08/03 - Click here for a good article about steepler Anthony Famiglietti. 

Tim Broe was the top US runner at the Steamboat Classic.  He covered the 4 miles in 17:50 and placed 4th...  Marathon world-record holder, Khalid Khannouchi was 7th in 18:11. Shadrack Kosgei ran 17:34 for the win.

06/02/03 - My car was stolen in broad daylight while I'm on an interview in Newark, NJ.  That's actually not a big surprise...  What is surprising is that the perpetrators left a lot of evidence in the car (clothes, the tools they used to gain entry, etc) and yet the police don't even want to look at the evidence.   They basically said that they don't have time to pursue minor infractions like CAR THEFT and VANDALISM.  So, the message being sent is... "It's OK to steal cars, we won't punish you for that crime."  If you don't enforce the laws, you end up with cities like Newark - where no one wants to live (except criminals).  The car was recovered in neighboring Elizabeth, NJ... another town with a high crime rate.

05/28/03 - Pamela Chepchumba, a Kenyan runner, tested positive for EPO.  Click Here for the news article. 

05/26/03 - I ran 32:12 at the Ridgewood 10K to finish 11th.   Details in my races.

05/23/03 - Check out Running Company's new website.

05/18/03 - I finished 3rd in 49:26 at the Midland Run 15K.  Details in my races.

05/15/03 - I've started a new job as a contract recruiter for Wells Fargo Home Mortgage.

05/11/03 - Dan Browne won the Fifth Third River Bank Run, which serves as the USATF 25K Championships.  Complete results are here.

05/05/03 - Rich Byrne, manager of the Ridgewood Running Company continued his excellent 2003 road racing, running 48:28 at the Broad Street 10 Mile placing 3rd.  Click here for full results.

05/02/03 - Mike Fish of Sports Illustrated writes a good article about David Kimani.

04/26/03 - I finished 4th in 16:18 at the Main Street 5K in Sparta, NJ.  Of course, the first 3 got prize money...  Details in my races. 

04/23/03 - Here's a good article about Jason Bodnar.. a must read for the serious runner.  Here's a link to US Youth T&F... looks interesting.

The top 2 NJ finishers at the Boston Marathon, Michael Danahy and Elliott Frieder are both former NCAA Division III All-Americans.  Danahy graduated from Bates College and Frieder from Haverford College.  Danahy is currently a grad student in Chemistry at Princeton, while Frieder works in Public Relations at KPMG.

04/22/03 - At yesterday's Boston Marathon, Robert Cheruiyot of Kenya won in 2:10:11.  In a race slowed by unusual warm temps and a strong headwind, Cheruiyot pulled away from countryman Timothy Cherigat in the 22nd mile.  Kenyans swept the first 5 places.  Last year's winner, Rodgers Rop struggled to finish seventh.  Eddy Hellebuyck led all US finishers in 2:17:18, finishing in tenth place.  The second US runner, Ken Pliska ran 2:30:12... most of the top US runners had recently run the US Championships or are preparing for a fall marathon.  The first local (NJ) runner was Michael Danahy of Princeton who ran 2:32:03 for 30th place.  Elliott Frieder was the next NJ runner placing 57th in 2:39:11.

On a personal note, I plan to race this Saturday at the Main Street 5K in Sparta, NJ.   It's a fun race with a formerly fast guy Andy Ball as race director.  He puts on a fun event.

04/18/03 - David Kimani, Alabama's 13:10 5000m runner died Wednesday.  Click here for a tribute from fellow elite runner, Tim Broe.

04/17/03 - Chris Lear's new book about Alan Webb, SUB 4:00 is due to be released June 1.

Deena Drossin was training 140 miles per week in preparation for the London Marathon where she ran a US record of 2:21:16.

04/15/03 - Click here for a picture of Andrew James.

04/14/03 - I've updated My Links page...  In related note, I spotted Drew Ryun posting on the Letsrun.com message board (yes, that Drew Ryun).  I actually met the Ryun family when Jim dedicated the new track at my high school.  I own a huge poster of Jim Ryun standing in a field... autographed, of course.

04/13/03 - Paula Radcliffe won the London Marathon unchallenged  in 2:15:25!!  Former WR holder  Catherine Ndereba, finished second in 2:19:55.  Deena Drossin set a new US record running 2:21:16 for third place.   On the men's side, Gezahegne Abera won a very close race over Stefano Baldini, Joseph Ngolepus and Paul Tergat.   The top six men finished within 7 seconds of each other.  Abera seems to specialize in winning very close races.  He has won his last 4 marathons by a combined TOTAL of 6 seconds.   Full results here.

04/11/03 - Chris Graff won his first USATF Championship by running 47:09 at the Papa Johns Ten Miler last weekend.  Full results here.

I've started my NJ Road Racing page...  it needs some work.

04/10/03 - Andrew James Cross was born on April 9, 2003. Baby and mother are healthy and happy.

03/21/03 - At the recent World Indoor T&F Championships, the USA had several impressive performances.  In the distance races,  Regina Jacobs won gold in the 1500m and David Krummenacker won gold in the 800m.  This is redemption for Regina as her last few opportunities competing on the world stage have been disastrous.  She got sick before the 2000 Sydney Olympics and did not compete, had a very poor showing at the World Indoor T&F Champs in 2001, declined to run the 2001 World Cross Country Championships, dropped out of her 1500m heat in the 2001 World Outdoor Champs and then opted out of the 2002 World Cross Country Championships after she had dominated the US Championships.   Krummenacker looked impressive pulling away from the favorite, Wilson Kipketer in the final straight and Jacobs was never challenged in her win.

03/15/03 - Click here for a picture of another of my favorite training shoes...  Here's a good article about the greatest distance runner of all-time, Haile Gebrselassie.

My current rotation of training shoes includes Adidas Supernova Classic, Asics Tiger Paw 99 and the Mizuno Wave Phantom.  I just got a pair of Nike Streak Spectrum Plus, I'm going to try them out as racing flats.

03/09/03 - Deena Drossin won the USATF 15K Championship (Gate River Run) in 47:13.  That's 59 seconds better than her previous US record.  Local NJ runner, Carlos Martins, ran 49:59.  Full results here.  42 year old Eddy Hellebuyck won the master's division with an impressive 45:43 clocking.

02/20/03 - Good interview with 2003 US Marathon Champion, Ryan Shay.  On a personal note, I'm doing too much "thinking" and not enough running...   

02/09/03 - Ryan Shay, Kevin Colllins and Clint Verran earned berths to the 2003 World Championships Marathon by being the first 3 finishers at the US Marathon Championships in Alabama yesterday.  It was a big PR for Kevin Collins and only Shay's second marathon since graduating from Notre Dame, where he was a perennial NCAA All-American.

02/08/03 - run-insight.com has posted several "journals" of good runners (Slattery, Brannen, Cordes, Bak, Flanagan, etc).

02/03/03 - Iraq is being investigated by the International Olympic Committee for allegedly torturing and murdering its own athletes. 

02/02/03 - Forty mph winds ruined any chance for fast times at the Las Vegas Marathon... The winner ran 2:33.   Click here for an interview with Tony Young, a 40 year old who has recently run a 4:08 mile and 1:53.89 800 meters.

01/23/03 - Here's a good interview with marathoner Clint Verran.

01/11/03 - Part 2 of Naoko Takahashi interview.

01/09/03 - Read this interview about Olympic Marathon  Champion and the first woman under 2:20:00, Naoko Takahashi.

01/05/03 - Here's a picture of my favorite training shoes.

12/28/02 - Check out this article about recent Olympic Trials Qualifier, Jason Mayeroff.

I ran twice this past week on the treadmill.  Just an easy 3 miles each time, and my abdomen feels OK.  I won't know if the surgery was successful until I get my miles up and try some harder running.  I hope to be training consistently by the end of January.

12/11/02 - I figured I'd report in 2 weeks post surgery.   I'm healing up nicely now after a very painful initial week.  There is still moderate discomfort and I certainly am in no shape to run, but I can actually walk pretty much pain free.

In running news:

Here's a nice article about a guy who won a marathon after turning his life around.  Check out   www.runningmovies.com, if you like running and movies (duh).  Jon Sinclair, road racer extroadinaire, has his own coaching services at: http://anaerobic.net/index.html.    Chad Worthen finished the California International Marathon in 2:22:03, missing the Olympic Trials qualifying mark by 3 seconds (bummer).   The winner, in 2:11:56 was the indomitable Elly Rono, who seems to win a marathon every 5 weeks or so!  US Olympian, Rod DeHaven finished 3rd in 2:13:19 in his effort to run under the new IAAF Olympic qualifying time of 2:12:00.    

11/28/02 - Happy Thanksgiving!

I had my abdominal surgery two days ago, and I'm pretty sore.  I arrived at the hospital at 7:30, filled out paperwork, I was being cut open by 9:00 and by 10:30 Jen was driving me home.  Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital runs a smooth "operation".  The surgeon said that my tendons were split as he suspected, but there was not evidence of a classic hernia.  He repaired the split tendons and they should take about 4 weeks to heal.  So, I'll try running easy at the beginning of January.  At that point, I'll know if the surgery was a success. 

11/11/02 - I saw Dr. Andrew Boyarsky today, he thinks I have a "split tendon" and we've scheduled surgery for November 26th.  He's pretty confident that he'll be able to fix the injury.  After all conservative treatments have failed, I'm excited to try something new.  If it doesn't work, I'm not much worse off since I am not able to train now anyway.

11/09/02 - 3:40 1500m runner Terrance Armstrong has his own web page, complete with training log.

11/06/02 - Sweet run by Meb Keflezighi at the NYC Marathon - he ran his debut marathon in 2:12:35.  Meb ran an aggressive race staying with the leaders before fading over the last 6 miles.

10/23/02 - Check out Keith Dowling's training. He's a 2:13 marathoner who placed 6th at the 1996 Olympic Trials Marathon.

Click here for a picture of Paula Radcliffe and Rich Byrne running the Chicago Marathon.

There were a couple of solid performances at the Steamtown Marathon.  Top finishers include Matthew Sandercock at 2:21:20 and Maurits Van Der Veen at 2:21:40.  

10/19/02 - There were some excellent performances at the Chicago Marathon last Sunday.  Alan Culpepper, one of the top 5000/10000 track men in the US ran his debut marathon in 2:09:41.  That's a solid performance based on his recent track times.   Kyle Baker, who has been racing frequently and fast this summer ran his debut marathon in 2:14:30.  Additionally, my former college buddy Bill Kabasenche qualified for the Olympic Trials by running 2:21:35 and the manager of my running team (Running Company), Rich Byrne got his "A" Olympic Trials qualifier by running with Paula Radcliffe most of the race before "fading" to finish in 2:19:12.  Congrats to all.

I've updated My Thoughts page.  Beware, it's about the NJ Senatorial race...

I'm still doing PT for my injury, but I'm starting to think that I've got a "sports hernia".   That can be confirmed by exploratory surgery.  I'm going to give the PT a little more time before I go back to the doctor.

10/07/02 - The Yankees lost. HAHAHAHAHA. HAHAHAHAHAHA.

09/30/02 - Dan Browne, who has been the most consistent US road racer over the past 2 years, ran a great debut marathon in 2:11:35 in humid conditions at the Twin Cities Marathon this weekend. The race featured 11 American men under the 2:22:00 Olympic Trials Qualifying Standard.  10,000 / 5,000 meter specialist Brad Hauser was also successful in his debut marathon, finishing in 2:14:15.  Click here for the first 100 finishers. 

At the Berlin Marathon on the same day, the US produced one more Olympic Trials Qualifier, Jason Mayeroff in 2:18:27.  Click here for searchable results.

09/17/02 - From personal experience, Voltaren is a much stronger anti-inflammatory than Celebrex. In defense of Celebrex, it's claim to fame is that it is a COX-2 inhibitor. Although I have no real idea of what that means, it is supposedly much better for your stomach while retaining the desired anti-inflammatory effects.

On a related topic, I am definitely not running the Chicago Marathon. I hope to just get running again consistently.

09/13/02 - I've been taking Celebrex (anti-inflammatory) to see if that will help my abdomen and hamstring injuries.  The abdomen hurts when I sneeze or sit up, so I figured I'd try the Celebrex in addition to physical therapy.  I'm pretty certain that I won't be running the Chicago Marathon in October.

09/09/02 - Check out http://www.tilastopaja.net/ for the most comprehensive track performance lists on the internet.  Also, you can view the end of the 1964 Olympic Men's 5000m at the following link:  http://www.runningpast.com/media/1964olympic5k.mpg

09/04/02 - There are 2 pictures of me from New Haven.   Click here for picture #1 and here for picture #2 or go to www.mensracing.com and follow the links to the 2002 New Haven 20K photos.

My left ham is still painful and I haven't run in 3 days...

09/02/02 - I placed 29th at the New Haven Road Race 20K in 1:06:25.  I was cruising along around 5:11 pace when my left hamstring cramped up on me shortly after the 6th mile marker.  I slowed and eventually stopped to try to stretch the ham - it improved enough to finish the race, but well off my goal.   Details in my races.

09/01/02 - I'll be racing the New Haven Road Race tomorrow which serves as the USATF 20K Championship.  My next race will be the Philadelphia Distance Run on September 15th.

08/28/02 - Check out Hal Higdon's account of the epic duel between Salazar and Beardsley at the 1982 Boston Marathon. It's a great read.

08/17/02 - I placed 8th at the NYRRC Club Championship in 25:15.   The race is an improvement on my performance at the Sheehan Classic.  Details in My Races.

08/10/02 - Finished 13th at the Sheehan Classic 5 Mile in 25:47.  I went out in 5:11 and it felt fast.  I got more comfortable as the race progressed, and was able to pass 2 runners on the final hill and finish strong.  I think the week's miles and two hard workouts made my legs feel sluggish.  I had no snap in 'em.  I'm happy I was able to average under 5:10 per mile after how I felt early in the race.   I think the hard training now will result in better performances in September and October when I'm more rested.

08/05/02 - Went to the wedding of Scott Wilson in Anderson, Indiana this past weekend.  Scott is a XC and track coach at Anderson University and was my roommate for a few years in college.  A 4:13 miler in high school, he sports PRs of 3:51 (1500m) and 14:41 (5000m).

07/31/02 - Paula Radcliffe ran 14:31 to win the 5000m at the Commonwealth Games.  That performance, added to her 2:18 marathon debut and World XC Championship mandates that she be considered one of the greatest women runners of all-time.  Her vocal and persistent anti-drug stance also makes her one of my favorite distance runners. 

07/25/02 - My internet access has been limited lately due to a lightning strike that hit very near our home recently. I apologize for the delay in updating my training logs - I'm sure I left many of you on pins and needles. ;-).

07/12/02 - Regarding Alberto Salazar's contention that "Until you can run significantly under 28 minutes for a 10K, and under 13:20 for a 5K, you shouldn't even think about running a marathon".  I guess it's a real good thing that Bill Rodgers, Dick Beardsley, Ronaldo DaCosta (former WR holder), Josiah Thugwane (Olympic Marathon Champ), Gert Thys (2:06:33), Tesfaye Jifar (NYC Marathon Champ) and scores of other very successful world-class marathoners didn't believe that.  The marathon and 5K/10K are two totally different animals.

07/11/02 - Excellent interview with Franklyn Sanchez (13:38 5000m) on mensracing.com - Franklyn is coming back after 12 months of injury.

06/29/02 - Finished 1st at Montville 5K in 15:51.   Running Company teammate Angelo Harasts took second.  This is my hometown race and is in conjunction with a carnival, parade, etc.

06/22/02 - I finished 2nd at the Denville Run for the Roses 10K in 33:12.  My right ham/butt hurts some, but my back feels fine.  Details about the race (not my butt) in My Races section.

06/01/02 - I've decided that complete rest not only does not heal any nagging injuries I have, it usually makes them worse!  After I dropped out of Ottawa because of my hamstring problem, I took 2 weeks off completely from running.   On my first run back, my right hamstring was more painful than at any time leading up to, and including the marathon.  I think when I stop running my muscles must contract so that when I return I'm more tight than ever.  This is not the first time I've noticed this phenomenon.  Hopefully I've learned not to stop running completely during my break between "seasons".  I still have the annoying psoas/abdomen pain - I'm seeing my ART guy and also have an appointment with a massage guy who treats a lot of runners.

05/12/02 - I dropped out of the Ottawa Marathon just past halfway.  I'll have more details later, but here's the short version: My upper right ham started hurting around 10k and just kept getting worse.  By 15k, I was getting occasional sharp pains which was forcing me to change my stride.  By 20k, I was fighting to run without a limp and my pace was slowing.  I went through the half in 1:13:05 and stopped shortly thereafter.  I think I'll need some good massage and PT for both my hamstring and abdomen muscle strains before I begin serious training again.

04/20/02 - Tom McArdle of Dartmouth finished 2nd in the 10,000m at the Mt. SAC Relays in 28:18.  That's a 52 second PR for him.  On a related note, Shawn Found ran 28:40 in the same race.  Using my impeccable logic, since I beat Found at the Gate River Run last month, I clearly can run a sub 28:40 10K... in my dreams.

04/13/02 - I finished 2nd in a disappointing 1:09:24 at the Queens Half Marathon.  I got a slight sidestitch around mile 8, slowed from 5:10 miles to 5:20+ and allowed eventual race winner Julio Chuqui to open up a 10-15 second gap on me.  I was able to close the gap over the last couple of miles and had a decent kick, but my mental lapse left me too far out of contention to catch him.  It was a classic case of needing to suck it up and go with Julio when he pulled away, but I was mentally weak and let him get away.   More details in my races.

Khalid Khannouchi beat an outstanding field and ran a world-record 2:05:38 in winning the London Marathon.  I'm very happy for him after his disappointing showing at the 2001 World Championships.

04/11/02 - The London Marathon is this Sunday and the field is loaded.  It should be a good race between Geb, Tergat, Khalid, El Mouaziz, Pinto, Jifar, Tola etc.

04/02/02 - I'm starting a new consulting job at Sony Electronics as a Technical Recruiter.  My first day will be April 8th and the position should last at least 4 months.  I'm happy to be working again.

03/26/02 - I've been struggling with an abdominal muscle strain for almost 2 weeks now.  I haven't noted it in my log because I think that maybe if I don't write it in my log, it doesn't exist (or it might go away).  Well, it hasn't gone away and really bothers me when I have to run fast (and sit up quickly).  I don't think it's smart to run an 8K race and risk really hurting myself for my goal race, the Ottawa National Capital Marathon.  So, I'm backing out of the USATF 8K Championships and taking this week very easy.  I'll resume full training next week - I'll have 4 full weeks of good training before I need to start my taper.

03/19/02 - I'm running the Powerbar 20 Mile this Saturday (3/23).  I'm going to run the first 10 miles easy (~6:45/mile pace), then attempt to run the next 10 miles at marathon pace (5:30/mile).  I'll wear my training flats so I don't get tempted to run the entire thing as a race.  My next competitive effort will be the USATF 8K Championships in Central Park on April 6th.  There is a real possibility that I will finish dead last in that race.  That's fine with me, as long as I run a PR.

03/17/02 - Jen, Ryan and I just got back from vacation in Florida.  So, although it's now old news: on March 9th, I finished 28th at the Gate River Run 15K in 47:17.   It serves as the USATF 15K Championship.  Details in my races. 

03/03/02 - Gabriel Muchiri of Kenya won the Newark Distance Classic 20K.   The first NJ finisher was Terrance Armstrong. 

I'm planning to race the Gate River Run 15K this Saturday, March 9th provided my various aches and pains don't worsen. 

02/25/02 - There's a new picture of Ryan on the Family Pictures page.

02/19/02 - At the Motorola Marathon this weekend, Greg Wenneborg was the first US finisher and qualified for the 2004 Olympic Trials with his 2:18:47 clocking.  Greg is the director of Craftsbury Running Camp in Vermont.

02/18/02 - Joe LeMay continued his mini-comeback after disappointing showings at the Olympic Trials and the NYC Marathon.  He won the Al Gordon 15K unchallenged in 46:33.  This follows a solid 1:05 performance at the Naples Daily News Half-Marathon.  Khalid Khannouchi finished 13th at the World's Best 10K in Puerto Rico in 29:47.  That's a very slow time for him, I hope he's not injured.   Paula Radcliffe of Britain won the women's race in a very impressive 30:43.   She is preparing for her debut marathon this April in London.

As for me, I'm dealing with the left leg pains that invariably crop up when I visit 100 mile weeks.  Nothing serious, though.

02/08/02 - So, Mary Slaney is planning on running a marathon... read this New York Times article about Mary and try to explain to me how they could fail to mention that she tested positive for a banned substance and was suspended from competition for 2 years.  It's as if it never happened...

My hamstring is getting tight on me, so a visit to my ART practitioner is in order.  

02/06/02 - The running community lost a good man recently.   Andy Palmer died while on a long run in North Carolina.  Click here to read about Andy's life.

02/05/02 - I finished 4th at the Pomoco Group Half Marathon.  Details in my races.

01/27/02 - The Naples Daily News has a good article about the state of US distance running.  Men's results of the Daily News Half Marathon are here.  The first New Jersey finisher was Carlos Martins in 1:10:26 (14th place).

I'm tentatively planning on racing the Pomoco Group Half Marathon in Hampton, VA on February 2nd.

01/23/02 - Click the link for track's top 10 annual performances since 1909.   On a completely different topic , here's an article on Plantar Fasciitis.

01/12/02 - I got a Petzl Duo headlamp from my mom for Christmas.  It has a low and high beam and it's not heavy.  Very useful for running at night.

01/10/02 - I've added www.ryunrunning.com to my links page.  If you scroll to the bottom of his site, you can watch the video of 3 of his races in their entirety.

01/09/02 - Check out the training log of Tom McArdle, All-American at Dartmouth.  Another example of what it takes to be a good runner.

01/07/02 - I'm reading The Silence of Great Distance, by Frank Murphy.  It's a combination of a short history of women's distance running and also a biography of former U of Wisconsin star Stephanie Herbst.  The book is very good on several levels and I highly recommend it.  You can get it at Amazon.com - I haven't seen it in regular bookstores.

12/30/01 - Ryan has his first cold and I was up to 1AM last night trying to get him to go to sleep.  He was pretty miserable and gets worse at nighttime.

12/17/01 - Check out www.onrunning.com - it has good running info and since it's based in the UK, coverage of international track and XC as well.

After some down time this week (and lots of ibuprofen), my knee is feeling much better.  There's a new picture of Ryan on the Pictures Page.

12/12/01- I was running with Elliott Frieder on Saturday and he mentioned that I probably should increase my mileage more gradually to avoid injury.  I was completely healthy and pain-free at the time.   Just 2 days later tendons in the back of my left knee started to hurt and now I've had to curtail my training a little because of the pain. I guess he was right. I got a little greedy, trying to increase the mileage that fast.

On the local yokel front:  Carlos Martins and Fouzi Aloui entered this past weekend's USATF-NJ 10 Mile Championship tied for the lead in the New Balance USATF-NJ Grand Prix competition.  Carlos defeated Fouzi soundly, finishing 2nd behind Dave Slavinsky.  Although I don't understand the intricacies of the Grand Prix scoring system, I assume he has won the overall title.   Carlos is a former Division I All-American and a 9:07 HS 2 miler.  My Running Company teammate Gary Rosenberg finished 6th in 54:27, only one second slower than the aforementioned Fouzi Aloui.

12/09/01 - Scott Fry (former U of Wisconsin star, current coach at Tiffin University) sounds off on the Letsrun.com message board... here is a quote from one of his posts:

"What's wrong with being a little crazy? Everyone said I was crazy when one time I did 2 months at 140 miles a week just to see what would happen (this was 10 years ago before mileage came back in style) And these were serious runners. Off of high mileage and no running under 5:30 pace I ran 29:17 and then 1:03:48."

12/01/01 - I finished 11th at the Chase Corporate Challenge in NYC.  Although my time wasn't good, I'm satisfied because I'm really just getting back to consistent running after the marathon and haven't run anything fast.   Why did I even race if I know I'm not in shape?  Because this may be my only opportunity to run a race on Park Avenue in Manhattan.  As I mentioned earlier, I'll be a man without a corporation in just a few days and the Chase Corporate Challenge limits participation to teams comprised of employees of corporations.  By the way, running on Park Avenue in 60 degree weather was great.  I really enjoyed the race experience.

11/30/01 - My last day at work will be December 7th.   Isn't that Pearl Harbor Day?  How fitting.  My company, a division of Intel Corporation, announced that they are laying off about 20% of the employees at our site.  I have the least amount of seniority and was "chosen" along with 4 others in the 13 person HR department.  I'm not bitter because I know that our division was losing a lot of money and something had to be done.  This was the second "redeployment action" in the 12 months that I've been with the company.  I survived the first one, but I couldn't dodge the bullet the second time around.  The company hired aggressively during the late 1990s when profits were good - now that there are no profits, they can't sustain the headcount.  Understandable.  As a recruiter, I know that the holiday season is not a good time to find a job, but I'll be trying...  On the bright side, training is going well after I recovered from a nasty cold/sinus thing.  I'm tentatively thinking about running a spring marathon.

There's a new picture of Ryan on the Pictures Page.

11/18/01 - Jen and I got up at 5:00AM and watched the meteor shower.  Very cool. 

Last week I went into NYC for the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall.  The show was fun, but what really hit me was walking past the Ladder 4 Fire Station in Manhattan.  They had the pictures of 15 firefighters they lost on September 11th posted outside the building.  The entire outside of the building was covered with flowers, signs of support and pictures of those firefighters who lost their lives.  I was angry and sad all over again...

11/05/01 - Clint Verran, 2nd place US finisher at 2001 NYC Marathon, has his own website.

10/31/01 - I just finished reading Frank Shorter's autobiography, Olympic Gold.  Did you know that he averaged over 120 miles per week for 10 years??  That includes downtime for injury and rest after marathons...  It was a very good read.  He's pretty honest about his rivalry with Bill Rodgers and his feelings about the Olympic boycott of 1980.  This is a guy who never wanted to be rich.  He just wanted to earn enough money so he could train full-time.  In just the past month I've read books about Buddy Edelen (former marathon WR holder), Ron Daws (Olympic marathoner), Rob De Castella (former marathon WR holder) and Frank Shorter (Olympic Gold and Silver medallist in the marathon).   I recommend them to any serious runner who wants to gain a better grasp of training principles in addition to understanding the history of the marathon.

10/28/01 - There's a new picture of Ryan on the photo page.

10/22/01 - I ran 2:26:38 at the Columbus Marathon, finishing 6th.  Of course the top 5 got prize $$...  Details in my races.  My legs are sore.

10/07/01 - Rod DeHaven ran his second PR of 2001, running 2:11:40 at Chicago.  If you haven't seen his training log, click here.  There are no secrets, just talent and hard training.  Catherine Ndereba ran the 2nd half of her world record marathon in 1:08:33... amazing.  There are perhaps a handful of women world-wide who could race a half marathon in that time - and she ran it after a 1:10 first half.

10/02/01 - It looks like the next airing of New Balance Elite Racing will be October 27 at 5:00AM.  They show me briefly while covering the latter half of Ndereba's race. 

Lynn Jennings has some tough words for former distance queen Mary (Decker-Tabb) Slaney.  Read her comments at Runner's World Daily.

09/30/01 - I won the Harvest Festival 5K in 15:02, details in my races.   Terrance Armstrong, who has only been training for 3 weeks, was second.  

09/26/01 - I got some camera time on New Balance Elite Racing.   They covered the Philadelphia Distance Run and they showed me late in the race just ahead of Catherine Ndereba.  The commentator said I was "a fine, excellent local runner" and then said I was going to be left in "the wake of Ndereba".   I think NOT!  I valiantly held her off and I don't even get credit for it...   Oh, the next airing is scheduled for October 3rd on ESPN.  Check your local listings.

09/16/01 - The Cow Harbor 10K was cancelled, so I ran the Philly Distance Run Half Marathon in 1:08:26.   Click here for full results.   I was expecting sub 1:09, so I'm pleased.  Great race, good course - very enjoyable time.  Very good weather, about 55 degrees at the start and low humidity.   Ronald Mogaka won in 1:01:25, first American was Mike Cox in 1:05:42, good for 9th place.  Catherine Ndereba ran 1:08:30 to win the women's race in a course record.   Yes, I finished just barely ahead of her.  Details in my races.  Jen and I got to see some of Philadelphia the night before and the afternoon after the race. 

09/11/01 - I just finished re-reading A Cold Clear Day by Frank Murphy.  It's a biography of Buddy Edelen who was an American distance runner in the early 60s and held the world record in the marathon.  Great book, I highly recommend it to any serious runner. 

On a separate note, regarding the terrorist attacks today - someone should pay and pay BIG TIME.  I'm aware it's not an original sentiment, but once the guilty parties are identified, punishment must be swift and severe.  The bombing of Libya during the Reagan years comes to mind as an example of the type of retaliation that is warranted.

09/09/01 - Adidas has brought back the "old" Supernova - it's now called the Supernova Classic.  Smart move, it's a great shoe (basic, a little stability, not too much cushioning and not stiff).  I can run in them without my orthotics and I have no problems.  With other brands of shoes (Nike) I get sharp pains in the arch and sole if I don them sans orthotics.  On a related note, I'm going to my podiatrist on Wednesday to pick up my new orthotics.  I only wear them when my arch is giving me trouble - I don't want to become dependent on them.   More injury musings - I've heard from more than one source that wearing Birkenstock sandals can prevent and even cure plantar fascitis.  I'd normally be skeptical, but I've heard that from 3 separate runners. 

09/05/01 - Interesting quotes from an interview with Steve Spence (bronze medallist at 1991 World Champs Marathon):

"The roads now are a lot harder than it was back then. At that point there
were few foreign athletes over here. Those who were here, I knew who they
were, we raced often, and we were friends. Three weeks ago the 8k had 400
bucks for the win and like 25 bucks for eighth. Eight Kenyans, a couple
Russians, showed up. It was crazy. I was 8th in 23:41. I thought I could be
competitive for the win in a 400 dollar race."

"It is really competitive and difficult to make money on the roads. When I
came into the sport, it wasn't easy but it was very feasible to do. Now,
outside of the US championship races, you are really limited in what you can
make. It's tough. I don't envy guys out there now trying to do it for sure."

09/03/01 - Ran the New Haven 20K in 1:04:36 and finished 17th.  I felt strong throughout, details in my races.

Check out www.stolzfamily.com - the running section has some good reading from elite US distance runner, Gary Stolz.

There is a new picture of Ryan in the Pictures page.

08/21/01 - The Track & Field World Champs were quite enjoyable...  The marathon finish was incredible as was the men's and women's 10,000 meters. 

My next race will be the New Haven 20K on Labor Day.  I still have to decide if I want to run Columbus (flat course, 6000 runners) or get in 2 extra weeks of training and run NYC (more prestigious, close to home, slow course and 30000 runners).  Must think...

08/13/01 - I'm getting over a sinus/throat infection - just about finished with my antibiotic.  I've missed some training lately, and am considering whether to run the NYC Marathon on Nov. 4th instead of Columbus on October 21st.  I probably could use the extra 2 weeks to train. 

I ran 25:41 in humid conditions at the George Sheehan Classic on August 11th.  Details in my races.  I need to get in more consistent training...

08/07/01 - I raced the Impact Unlimited River to Sea Relay on the NJ Meatmasters team.  We won "Fastest Elapsed Time" (we ran the relay in the fastest time).  The relay consists of a maximum of  7 runners, each running 2 legs.  Check out my races for details.

07/29/01 - Josh Cox's latest training log is online:

http://www.competitor.com/story.cfm?story_id=1803&departmentid=20

07/26/01 - Lots of drug news lately... 2 Chinese distance runners and a German high jumper test positive, and Olga Yegorova of Russia tests positive for EPO.  Yegorova of Russia has made a vast improvement this year, running 8:23 for 3000m and defeating the seemingly invincible Gabriela Szabo.  She has the distinction of being the first athlete to test positive for EPO.  Now we know how she improved so dramatically...  EPO improves the oxygen carrying capability of the blood and has been used by world-class cyclists for years.  Many observers of track have suspected that EPO use is widespread among elite distance runners.  International track and field federations have just begun testing of athletes for EPO.

07/22/01 - I've updated my races page with details on the Chase Corporate Challenge where I finished 2nd.

07/15/01 - I'm planning on running the Columbus Marathon this fall, so I hope to increase my mileage over the next months.

07/12/01 - Rod DeHaven's training log until the Chicago Marathon.

07/09/01 - Click here for a picture of Ryan.    

06/21/01 - Visit www.cyberscoreboard.com or the USATF Website for USATF Championship results.

06/14/01 - Ryan Douglas Cross was born on May 17th. He's real cool, however I'm not the one who has to wake up in the middle of the night to feed him. If I knew what I was doing I could post a picture, but I don't think FrontPage Express has that capability. I think I need to upgrade ($$) to Microsoft FrontPage (FrontPage Express is free)... If I'm wrong about this, and I should be able to post .jpg or .gif files, someone send me an email.

05/30/01 - I've been trying to think of what to say about Webb's 3:53.43... Yeeoowwwwsaa!! The fastest mile time by ANY American since 1998.

05/28/01 - I ran 31:29 at the Park Ave. BMW Ridgewood 10K for 3rd place. I was hoping for 31:00. Details in my races.

05/25/01 - "I think many people underestimate how much speed comes from strength." - Dathan Ritzenhein. Read the entire interview with Dathan at mensracing.com.

05/20/01 - I raced the Midland 15K in 48:29, good for 8th place. Details in my races.

Note to Hazel Clark and other athletes: Many cold medicines contain a banned substance known as Pseudoephedrine (ie. Sudafed, Sinutab). This substance has been proven to enhance athletic performance. Please check the "Active Ingredients" before you take any medicine.

05/13/01 - On 5/11, I ran 31:11 for 10,000m on the track.

05/09/01 - Check out joshcox.com - training log and race reports of the rising US marathon star

05/01/01 - Click here for an analysis from Kevin Beck (2:24 PR at Boston Marathon) about the effect of his 120-130 miles per week training.

04/28/01 - Finished 6th in 15:39 at Main Street 5K in Sparta, NJ.

04/14/01 - Check this tidbit from Todd Reeser:

"This year, I've only run five days a week, but on those days I'm running 26, 27, 28 miles, and both workouts each day are very, very hard. But on my days off, I devote the entire day to resting, and to my strengthening and stretching routine. I don't think it was my hard workouts that got me hurt; I think it was being a slave to going out and running on my easy days, and pushing the pace on those too hard. The best thing is to rest; I'm not going to gain anything from running on my easy days."

Wow, that's still 130 miles per week. On FIVE days. I'm impressed.

04/06/01 - Click the link for good interviews: http://hometown.aol.com/jgwinling/interviews.html.

In a recent interview, Rod DeHaven reiterated that his key workout for the marathon is a 10 mile "tempo" run at about 5:00 pace. Based on his fitness, that looks to be a classic marathon pace workout.

I'm a little beat up from my weekend race and long run. My left kneecap has flared up and now I've got a sore upper quad/hip thing. I'm getting some PT, so hopefully it won't curtail my training too much. Speaking of training, I got in my first VO2 workout of the season yesterday.

04/02/01 - 5000m race in 15:05 on Saturday (3/31). I went 4:49, 4:53, 4:49 - read my races for details.

03/25/01 - I ran 8:45.44 for 3000m on Friday. I was shooting for 8:40, but fell off the pace toward the end. I followed that race with an 800m relay leg on Saturday in 2:08.8 - I felt really flat during the 800.

03/19/01 - I'm running a 3000m indoor race this Friday at the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston. The next day, I'm running a leg of a 4x800m relay for my team, Running Company.

03/15/01- Regina Jacobs has withdrawn from the World Cross-Country Championships. In a related item, I've updated "My Thoughts" page.

03/13/01 - Good interview with Rod DeHaven at www.mensracing.com. And a good one with Kevin Collins at www.runnersworld.com.

03/11/01 - I've decided to run a 3000m on March 23rd at the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston. Kevin Beck and I are going to try to run 8:40. If you are interested in running excellence, peruse the training log of Bob Hodge (PRs: 2:10:59 / 28:24). Also, I've added a new link to the website of my ART practioner, Dr. Rob DeStefano. It was designed by Joe LeMay, top US distance runner and Lotus Notes guru.

03/04/01 - I ran 8:52.04 for 3000m at the MAC Open Champs today at The Armory. I was shooting for 8:45, but I went out too slow and had too much left at the end. Live and learn...

02/25/01 - An unexpected 7 inches of snow snarled traffic and ended any thoughts of driving into NYC to race on the 22nd. I'll run a 3000m on March 4th instead... weather permitting.

02/15/01 - I'm planning on running an indoor 2 mile race at The Armory on February 22nd and if all goes well, a 5000 meter race outdoors on March 31st. I had planned on running the Red Dog Half-Marathon on March 24th, but the race director cancelled it.

02/11/01 - Click here for a very good article about elite US running. My knee seems to be getting better. I was able to run 19 miles yesterday without much discomfort. By the way, the orthopedist I saw last week was useless. I get tired of wasting $$ on doctors, but the good ones I have found, I've found by trial and error...

02/01/01 - My knee is still not completely better. I can run for about 30 minutes before it starts hurting again. I believe it is patello-femoral syndrome where the kneecap is being pulled laterally because the vastus medialis muscle is too weak. I'm doing exercises to strengthen the vastus medialis, but unlike other times I've had this problem, it's not going away. I have an appointment on Feb 7th with a reputable sports orthopedist. I've added 2 new links with information about patello-femoral injuries. Scroll down to the bottom of my links page.

01/24/01 - I updated my links page and my knee is getting better with consistent quad exercises and a temporary reduction in mileage.

01/16/01 - Trouble in paradise! My left knee, which is periodically troublesome, has become a serious problem. The pain is on the medial side just under the kneecap. I've been reduced to walking on my recent runs because it hurts so severely. It seems like classic patello-femoral syndrome, so I'm doing the recommended quad exercises. I took one whole day off and it's still not better! I'm getting impatient.

01/12/01 - I ran a 3000m race last night at The Armory. I ran 8:56.6 and got lapped by the winner who ran 8:15. I thought I was capable of sub 9:00, so I'm pleased with my effort. It is a good start toward my goal of peaking in mid-late May. My training is also getting more consistent.

01/05/01 - I'm planning on running an indoor track race on 1/12. Probably the legendary 3200 meters. I also may run another indoor race on 1/19. After that, my first road race will be the Red Dog Half-Marathon on March 24th. I'm planning to peak in mid-late May for 10K road races and hopefully a 10,000 meters on the track.

11/23/00 - I'm building my mileage in preparation for spring racing season. I hope to run some fast 5Ks and 10Ks. I'm getting the usual knee pain whenever I start up training again after a layoff.

10/31/00 - Ran 2:34:33 at the Columbus Marathon which was good for 19th place. My quads are quite sore from my first marathon experience. I was shooting for 2:30:00, but I crashed after 18 miles. Check out my races for details.

10/22/00 - Excellent American performances at the Chicago Marathon. Kudos to Josh Cox, Eric Mack and Christine Junkerman especially.

10/09/00 - My hamstring is much better and I've decided to run the Columbus Marathon on October 29th. This will enable me to regroup after my hamstring trouble. Check out Josh Cox's training log - good stuff.

10/03/00 - In the aftermath of my half-marathon, I've slightly strained my right hamstring. I missed an entire week of training and the ham still isn't quite 100% yet. I'm thinking of running the Columbus Marathon on October 29th instead of Hartford on October 14th. Columbus, in addition to being a much further drive, is a bigger (6,000) and more competitive marathon. The extra two weeks will give me plenty of time to heal.

9/24/00 - In my final tune-up for the Hartford Marathon, I finished 6th at Liberty Waterfront Half-Marathon in 1:10:56.

9/07/00 - Finished 2nd at Warner Lambert 5K in 15:30. Considering the heavy training I'm doing, I'm satisfied with the effort, if not the final time.

9/06/00 - I'm in my final push for the Hartford Marathon on October 14th. I hope to get 3 more solid weeks of training before I taper for the race. I'm planning on running a 5K tomorrow evening and then a half-marathon on September 24th as my final tuneup.

8/19/00 - Finished 13th at NYRRC Club Champs in 25:15. This is the solid race I was hoping for last week. I was 2nd finisher on my team (Runner's Pace) behind J.R. Meloro who ran 25:11.

8/12/00 - Finished 14th at Sheehan Classic 5 Mile in 26:14. I was shooting for sub 26:00, check out My Races for details.

8/03/00 - I've decided what races I'm going to run before the Hartford Marathon on 10/14. I'm going to race the Sheehan Classic 5mi on 8/12, NYRRC Club Champs 5mi on 8/19, and the Liberty Waterfront 1/2 Marathon on 9/24. I might do the New Haven 20K on 9/04... but I haven't decided if the 20K and half-marathon are too much, too close together and too close to marathon day.

7/23/00 - This week will be an easy one for me- I try to take a "down" week about every 4th week. I believe it helps me recover and ward off overuse injuries. I've updated my thoughts page with a couple of observations regarding the Olympic Trials.

7/15/00 - I am very happy with the coverage of the Olympic Track Trials by PAX TV. I just finished watching both the men's and women's 10,000 meters. They showed most of both races, LIVE! The races were great, there were gutsy performaces by both winners and exciting drama for the remaining 2 Olympic qualifying spots. The commentary was weak, but I'm getting used to that... I just ignore it and watch the races unfold. If you're happy with the coverage, go to www.paxtv.com click on the "Feedback" tab and let them know that you approve of their coverage. Click here for the remaining Olympic Trials TV schedule. By the way, NBC owns 32% of PAX...

7/01/00 - Finished 1st at Montville 5K in 15:48. The time is a little slow, but since I ran a total of 26 miles the 2 days prior to the race, I'm satisfied.

6/30/00 - I've decided to run the Hartford Marathon on October 14th. When I ran in college, I never had a desire to run a marathon. But now I do. Go figure. I'm thinking that since I'm 31 years old, there is not much time to waste if I want to run a fast one.

6/17/00 - Finished 4th at Run for Roses 10K in 32:41.   This will be my last hard racing effort for a while. I'm contemplating running a fall marathon, so I need to build the mileage and racing doesn't fit in that picture. I've added www.runquick.com to my links page - looks like a good training and coaching site.

6/12/00 - Finished 7th at President's Cup 5K in 15:14.

6/04/00 - I added some cool links... Letsrun.com and Paragonrunning.com look pretty good.

6/03/00 - Finished 3rd at Stillwater Stampede in 25:54.

5/29/00 - Finished 4th at Ridgewood 10K in 31:17.

5/25/00 - Read the "Bell Lap" column about drug testing by Steve Holman. Marla Runyan has a website to go along with her new 15:07 5000 meter PR. She really has improved since she abandoned the heptathlon and began running middle distance races in the mid 1990s.

5/21/00 - Just ran Midland 15K in 49:03 and finished 9th.

5/15/00 - Check out www.AthletesVillage.com, you can sign up for free and then go to the "Mentor Athletes" section and peruse Rod DeHaven's training log since last summer.

5/06/00 - Just won Chilton Applechase 10K in 33:19. Solo effort, I was shooting for sub 33:00.  Also, I'm starting to add old training logs.

4/23/00 - Happy Easter! It's been a tough week. I got the stomach flu or something on Tuesday night (4/18) and was sick for 2 days. I had a fever of 102 degrees as well as the typical stomach flu symptoms. I'm starting to feel better today, so hopefully training will be on target this coming week.

4/15/00 - Today my wife and I were doing some spring cleaning out in the yard... I lost my balance while cutting up a dead tree and ended up cutting my hand open instead. 5 stitches, I think. There's a lesson to be learned here, but I'm not sure yet what it is. By the way, I went to the ER at Chilton Hospital in Pompton Plains, NJ and they were very efficient, pleasant and fast. I arrived at the hospital around 5:30pm and was out before 7:00pm.

4/08/00 - Finished 4th at St. Mary's 5K in 16:01.  My goal was sub 16:00. I went out a little too fast (5:03), then let my pace slow during mile 2, and let Elliot Frieder pull away from me in mile 3. I've got work to do.

4/07/00 - I've added Running Research News and Peak Performance Online to my Favorite Links.