California Track & Running News

ct&rn Spring 2014

After 29 years without an American winner and 31 years without an American male winner, Californian MEB KEFLEZIGHI won the 2014 Boston Marathon by 12 seconds.

See story on page 6.

California Track & Running News

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VOLUME 39 NUMBER 1 $3.95

SPRING SHOE REVIEW

MEB ENDS U.S. BOSTON MARATHON DROUGHT

Official Publication of the California/Northern Nevada Associations of USATF

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SACRAMENTO: BACK IN THE HOSTING BIZ

welcome to 2014

California Track & Running News Vol. 39, No.1 Spring 2014

FORTIUS Media Group, LLC Publishing Director Larry Eder Holding Space LLC Editorial Director Christine Johnson christinejohnson.wi@gmail.com CT&RN Contributors Editorial Cregg Weinmann Apparel, Footwear Reviews Dave Shrock Community Colleges Mark Winitz Northern California Photographers Victor Sailer www.PhotoRun.net www.supersportsphoto.com Association Consultants John Mansoor Pacific Lawrence Watson Central Wayne Joness, Rebecca Trahan Southern Mike Rouse San Diego/Imperial Proofreader Red Ink Editorial Services Madison, WI Website Chuck Bartlett

ADVERTISING Publisher Director Larry Eder FORTIUS Media Group, LLC ph 608.239.3785 caltrackads@gmail.com Advertising Production Alex Larsen

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C al ifo r ni a Tr ac kR unn in g N ew s

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After a short hiatus, California Track & Running News begins our 40th year! We’re finetuning how to provide you print issues, digital issues and mobile content, all in the right times and formats. In 2014, we plan for 5 print issues , 16-pages each, at the start, with digital editions planned as well. Keep an eye on www.caltrack.com and our Facebook page for more information on these.

The big news in the sport and the Golden State is that the U.S. Champs will be in Sacramento in June and you should be there! With LA talking about 2024 Olympics, and having won the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials–Marathon, California continues to grow in the running world!

Spring kicked off with the Boston Marathon on April 21st, with Californian Meb Keflezighi ending the American drought. After 29 years without an American winner, and 31 years without an American male winner, Keflezighi won the Boston Marathon by twelve seconds.

Meb took the lead early with Josephat Boit, around 8 miles and then took off alone at 25 kilometers. With 2 miles to go, Wilson Chebet, a 2:05:41 marathoner, was 6.2 seconds behind Meb. “Coach always told me to keep something for the finish.” And so Meb did, sprinting onto Boylston Street where he broke from Chebet, nearly doubling his margin by the finish line.

Keflezighi is the classic example of the American dream. His family emigrated from Eritrea, first to Italy, then to California. His father worked hard for his family, eventually getting all ten of his children to California. Education was valued and his siblings have gone on to college and are successful in their own right. A fine high school runner, Meb and his family were visited by UCLA coach Bob Larsen during Meb’s senior year. “The family was so wonderful and Meb was such a nice kid, I felt that [he] was worth a scholarship at UCLA.” Meb attended and competed at the same high school that Marc Davis had and after his Boston victory, Meb thanked Marc, telling the media about how much Marc meant to his own running. For his part, Davis told us later that his mom, Sharon, had been jumping up and down in her kitchen in San Diego as Meb was winning and ended up burning her chorizo omelet.

In a year when 33,000 runners helped the iconic Boston Marathon retake the streets on Patriot Day, Meb had focused for one year on winning Boston. #BostonStrong #MebStrong Regards,

Larry Eder California Track & Running News (ISDN #10986472), incorporating Pacific Athlete, is the official publication for the four USA Track & Field associations in California and Northern Nevada. It’s produced, published, and owned

by FORTIUS Media Group, LLC, P.O. Box 6450, San Jose, CA 95124, Larry Eder, Publishing Director. Email him at FortiusMedia@gmail.com or phone 608.239.3785.

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Copyright © 2014 by FORTIUS Media Group, LLC. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form with-

out prior written permission of the Publisher.

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in this issue

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Spring 2014

Shalane showed the Boston Marathon field she wasn’t messing around.

Though she later fell off the lead pack, she ran a PB and set the stage for a record-breaking women’s race.

Story on p. 14.

Publisher’s Letter

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WHO? Keflezighi Wins Boston Women’s Race at Boston

6 14

WHERE? Sacramento: Back in the Big-Time Hosting Biz

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WHAT? Spring Shoe Reviews

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Central California Association: lawrencewatsonus@yahoo.com — www.central-california.usatf.org Pacific Association: 916.983.4715 — heikemansoor@aol.com — www.pausatf.org San Diego/Imperial Association: 619.275.6542 — sdi_trackandfield@sbcglobal.net — www.sdusatf.org Southern California: 562.941.2621 — info@scausatf.org — www.scausatf.org

Spring 2014 • ct&rn

California Track & Running News is a magazine for members of the California and N. Nevada associations of USA Track & Field. Contact your region regarding changes of address and missing issues.

5

Boston Marathon Meb Keflezighi

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and an American win. Though the U.S. didn’t get the win, there were three women under the course record, two of whom went under 2:20!

In a performance reminiscent of Frank Shorter’s in Munich, Meb Keflezighi took the lead at eight miles, and gradually built up a lead of as much as 35 seconds. What Shorter didn’t have to contend with—runners who came back after him— Meb did. The chasing pack, which included Wilson Chebet, Frankline Chepkwony, Dennis Kimetto, Markos Geneti, and Ryan Hall, just watched from afar. When it came time to attack, only Wilson Chebet and Frankline Chepkwony broke away from the pack. Keflezighi managed to hold off his challengers for the last two miles.

Early on, Keflezighi ran with Josephat Boit and they passed the 5K mark in 15:09 and 10K in 30:28. Desisa Lelisa was running with Meb and Josephat at 10K, but by the time they hit 15K in 45:46, it was back to the duo of Boit and Keflezighi.

Meb looked good as he ran, reminding me of what his coach, Bob Larsen had told me earlier this week.

“Meb had some good weeks of training and he’s fit.” Bob never talks like that. Heck, Meb never has more than 6–8 weeks of healthy training.

This time around, Coach Larsen, who is about as smart as they come, made sure that Meb had some good solid training, but also made some accommodations for Meb’s age by decreasing the mileage and focusing on recovery between the hard workouts.

“Muscle memory” is how David Murphy, the second-placer at the 1984 NYC Marathon and longtime press room announcer at the BAA Boston Marathon, talks about what a runner needs to do well. “The marathon takes a lot out you, all the way to the mitochondria level.”

Keflezighi has run 13:11 for 5000 meters, 27:18.81 for 10,000 meters (long time AR), and finished fourth in the 2012 London Olympic Marathon, in 2:11:06. Since then, Meb has only run a 2:22:47, essentially with only one good leg, at the 2013 ING NYC Marathon. Given that, what he did here was a surprise.

By Larry Eder

The 118th Boston Marathon will be remembered for so many reasons and high on that list will be Meb Keflezighi’s stunning victory over the best field ever assembled in Boston history.

And not much farther down on the list, will be the women’s result. Mary Kate Shea, John Hancock’s elite athlete field developer wanted a woman under 2:20

No American male has won the iconic Boston Marathon since 1983, when Greg Meyer, a Midwesterner with the legs of a steeplechaser and the arms of a wrestler, won the most American of marathons.

In 2014, Meb Keflezighi, an Olympic silver medalist and victor of New York City added the olive branch crown of Boston Marathon winner to his CV!

and happiness at 2:08:37, a new PB. Chebet held on to second place and Chepkwony finished in third.

Keflezighi had just ended the drought. American men had not won here since 1983. Meb, the American dream, had found the open arms of this country as a child, and after seeing a FootLocker cross country race, built himself from a fine high school runner to a four-time NCAA champion at UCLA, to an Olympic silver medalist. He is the first American male to win the Olympic Marathon silver medal, then win NYC (2009) Marathon, and now the Boston Marathon (2014).

“Winning one medal in the Olympics or one Marathon Major can be put off to a fluke, but winning Boston, NYC, and an Olympic medal— that is a true talent,” commented TV announcer Toni Reavis.

For Meb, it was more than that. “I had achieved 99.9% of my goals with the Olympic medal and NYC wins. With Boston, I have achieved 110% of my goals.”

In the post-race press conference, Keflezighi hugged Marc Davis, BAA press room manager.

Marc preceded Meb at their high school, and Meb noted how much Marc was a role model for him.

Marc Davis texted the comments from Meb to Marc’s mother, Sharon, who remembers Meb

2014 BAA Boston Marathon U.S. Men in the Top 10 7. Nick Arciniaga, 2:11:47 PB 8. Jeffrey Eggleston, 2:11:57, PB

See page 14 for Dave Hunter’s account of the women’s race.

as a junior high student. She texted back that while Meb was winning Boston, she was so excited, she was jumping up and down in her kitchen, and burned her chorizo omelet! Such is the price of victory.

While I was editing this piece, I came upon Coach Bob Larsen, Meb’s longtime coach–advisor. This is how he described Meb’s plan: “We knew Meb could run 2:07 or 2:08, as he had run 2:09 here twice with injuries. His hamstring was an issue in the NYC Half, so we decided on an even pace. I knew that he could run a 2:08, I am surprised he could win with a 2:08.”

Meb Keflezighi, a near-perfect example of the American dream, just ended one the longest droughts in American sports. n

Spring 2014 • ct&rn 7

But as usual, I have digressed. Back to the race.

Keflezighi and Boit hit the half in 1:04:20, not a pedestrian pace but not fast by any standards.

The chasing pack, lead by Ryan Hall and Nick Arcianaga, was 35 seconds behind at this point.

Then at 25K, Keflezighi took off. In mile 14, Meb ran 4:48, then 4:53, then—BOOM!—4:37.

Meb had 8 seconds on Boit!

Keflezighi is a seasoned competitor. Give him 5–1/2 weeks (his average healthy training over the past six years prior to a marathon), and the guy delivers. It didn’t click when Coach Larsen told me on Saturday that Meb had done some pretty good training. Not one to brag, nor one to underestimate, Larsen is prone to honesty. He’s not a good bs artist.

Meb just kept running, hitting 30K in 1:31:09 after having run the fastest 10K of the race (30:36). Hitting the 20-mile mark in 1:37:52, Meb ran strong through all of the hills, getting through Heartbreak Hill and 21 miles in 1:43:04, with a 5:12 mile up the last hill.

Now, it was virtually all downhill for the final 8K. But where was the chasing pack?

“We were following Meb, and I heard the 25K split, but no one would go with me. So I ran after Meb,” noted Wilson Chebet later.

At 23 miles, Keflezighi started to grimace and was looking over his shoulder a bit, but as other observers would tell you, he was looking back the entire race to assess the field.

At this point, the chasing pack was 40 seconds back. What had happened to them? Did they go bowling or something?

Au contraire, mes amis. Both Chebet and Frankline Chepkwony were chasing Keflezighi.

Chebet eventually cut what had been a 40-second lead at 23 miles, to 12 seconds at 24 miles, and then 6.2 seconds at 25 miles. Chebet, a 2:05:36 marathoner (with three marathons between 2:05:51 and 2:05:36), was gaining fast. Meb was fighting furiously.

“Coach Larsen had told me always to keep something in reserve. I knew that Wilson was very fast and that he and Frankline were close,” said Meb. This is where a champion shows his or her stuff.

From 40 kilometers to the finish, as Keflezighi was experiencing “the miles of trials and trials of miles,” to quote John Parker (author of the cult classic Once a Runner), he found another gear and took that 6.2-second lead, built it back to 8 seconds, and then to 12 seconds.

With a kilometer to go, Chebet started looking back over his shoulder. Chepkwony was charging down the road, going for second place, hell-bent on catching Chebet.

Keflezighi, he of the 2004 Olympic silver medal and 4th place in the 2012 Olympics, owner of a 27:13.81 PB, poured it on giving it the best he had.

At 42 kilometers, as the Boston crowds, seemed to sense that their Meb Keflezighi was about to make history, Meb started to wave and then crossed the finish line in tears of exhaustion

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sacramento

by Bob Burns

Back in the Big-Time Hosting Biz Less than a month later, Sacramento will play host to its sixth national championship meet.

Sacramento previously hosted the U.S. championships in 1968, 1981, 1995, 2000, and 2004.

USA Track & Field assured local organizers that it will award the 2017 USA Championships to Sacramento if this year’s championship meet attracts at least 22,500 spectators.

“We’re excited to be back in the game,” said Sacramento Sports Commission Director Mike Sophia. “Hosting major track and field events is obviously one of Sacramento’s strengths, going back to the 1960s and reaching its peak with the 2000 and 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials. Sacramento was considered the track capital of the United States. This is a major step toward claiming the mantle again.”

The 2014 USA Championships begin Wednesday, June 25, with junior multi-events. The main part of the schedule opens June 26 and continues through Sun., June 29. Tickets are available at www.sacsports.com In keeping with the comeback theme, the Golden West Invitational high school meet is re-

Bershawn Jackson

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Among the athletes expected to compete at this year’s national championships are alumni of the Golden West Invitational like Bershawn Jackson, Galen Rupp, Ashton Eaton, and Allyson Felix.

Two U.S. Olympic Trials, four NCAA Division I championship meets, one world record, six American records, 13 collegiate records—that’s quite a run for a track, and for a town.

From 2000 through 2007, Sacramento was the epicenter of U.S. track and field. But time moves on, and tracks age, which leads to the story of how California’s capital city resurfaced on the national scene in 2014.

With the 2014 USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships available, the Sacramento Sports Commission and its parent organization, the Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau, expressed a desire last year to get back in the game. USATF officials said the Mondo track at Hornet Stadium would need to be resurfaced.

The Convention & Visitors Bureau quickly secured pledges from local hoteliers and businesses to help foot the $1.4 million bill. The resurfacing of the warm-up and competition tracks at Sacramento State with Mondo’s new Super X 720 model. The project began April 14 and will be completed by the end of May.

Ashton Eaton In 2000, Stacy Dragila, the world champion from nearby Auburn, broke her own world record in the women’s pole vault. Gail Devers set an American record in the 100-meter hurdles. Additional U.S. records were set in the women’s 5000 meters and the 3000-meter steeplechase, proving that Sacramento’s warm days and temperate evenings make it one of the few locations in the United States that offer excellent weather for both sprinters and distance runners.

Sacramento’s successful hosting of the 2000 Olympic Trials led to a return visit in 2004. A new group of stars, led by Felix, Jeremy Wariner, and Justin Gatlin, thrilled crowds that averaged more than 20,000 each day.

The two Olympic Trials were preceded by national championship events in 1968, 1981, and 1995. The 1968 AAU Championships at Hughes Stadium featured the “Night of Speed” in which the world record in the men’s 100-meter dash took a wholesale beating. The 1981 TAC Championships showcased the dizzying talents of a rising star named Carl Lewis, and the 1995 USA Championships featured Michael Johnson’s wins in the 200 and 400 meters.

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turning to Sacramento after a one-year stopover in Berkeley. The 55th annual GWI will be held Sat., June 28, following the conclusion of Saturday’s open competition at Hornet Stadium.

Many of the top professional athletes expected to compete in the USA Championships are Golden West alumni, including Allyson Felix (200 meters), Ryan Whiting (shot put), Bershawn Jackson (400 hurdles), Ashton Eaton (decathlon), and Galen Rupp (distances).

“The opportunity to hold the Golden West Invitational in conjunction with the USA Championships was too good to pass up,” said John Mansoor, the executive director of USATF’s Pacific Association, who is serving as co-meet director of the USA Championships.

“The high school athletes will compete in front of thousands of fans and have a chance to be seen by the top professional coaches and athletes in the country at the same time,” Mansoor said.

The 2000 and 2004 U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials at Sacramento State were the best– attended Trials in history, attracting approximately 360,000 spectators.

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Galen Rupp

Allyson Felix

Visit www.usatf.org for information about the upcoming national championships.

Information about the Golden West Invitational can be found at www.pausatf.org

Spring 2014 • ct&rn 9

sacramento

Continued from page 9

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Stacy Dragila, who hails from nearby Auburn, broke her own world record in the pole vault at the 2000 USA Olympic Trials—Track & Field.

Hornet Stadium also served as the site of the 2003, 2005, 2006, and 2007 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Five collegiate records were set at the 2003 event, and the 2005 NCAA meet featured two collegiate records that still stand: Kerron Clement’s 47.56-second clocking in the 400 hurdles, and LSU’s 2:59.59 in the 4x400 relay.

Ten years after the 2004 Olympics Trials, Sacramento is back in the track game.

“This wouldn’t be possible without the support we received from our stakeholders,” said Steve Hammond, CEO of the Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau. “Knowing that economic impact of events such as the 2013 USA Track & Field Championships on the regional economy is significant, they bought into our plan.”

For more on the 2014 USA Championships, visit www.sacsports.com n

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women@boston

[4th in 2:20:41] also bettered the course mark.

In the post-race press conference and in a nod to Flanagan’s aggressive early running, the soft-spoken winner acknowledged she was glad the race was spirited right from the starting line.

“I am happy because the race was run the way everybody trained—nobody pushing or everybody just looking for me.” After a pause to collect her thoughts, a big smile spread across Jeptoo’s face as she admitted, “I’m happy.”

Shalane Flanagan—basically running in a 26-mile, 385-yard sound tunnel as she was constantly inundated by cheers from the raucous crowd—didn’t waver even when her dream of victory slipped away. Staying on task, Flanagan fought hard, captured 7th, and set a huge 3+ minute PR with her 2:22:02 finish.

Emotional at the finish line, Flanagan held back the tears as she shared her feelings. “I love Boston so much. I really wanted to win this for this city,” the three-time Olympian explained. “I am proud of this city and I am proud of myself,” perhaps appreciating that her aggressive pacing set up the women’s race for record-breaking performances. “I believe in my training,” offered Flanagan in explaining her quick-paced strategy. “I wanted to set the tone and that’s what I did.” She quickly acknowledged that the incredible spectator gatherings—cited by many as one of the largest Boston crowds ever— played a big role. “In the last 2 miles, I actually felt like I was hyperventilating. There was so much love out on the course. It was a moment I will treasure forever.”

When asked if she plans on running future Boston Marathons, the runner they call The Cold Executioner coolly promised, “I'll be back here until I win it.” As Flanagan reflects on her new 3+ minute PR and appreciates the men’s race victory by nearly–39-year-old Meb Keflezighi, the oldest winner in more than 80 years, she should be encouraged that she can make good on that vow. n PhotoRun.net

The deepest and most talented field of women in the history of the Boston Marathon—featuring the top four 2013 finishers and ten who have run under 2:23—set sail from Hopkinton under crisp and windless conditions to race for the coveted laurel wreath. As the elite women freewheeled downhill out of Hopkinton, several questions lingered. Would defending champion Rita Jeptoo, seeking her third Patriots’ Day victory, be able to fend off expected challenges from 2011 Boston winner Caroline Kilel and Sharon Cherop, the 2012 Boston titlist? Could one of the top U.S. hopefuls, Shalane Flanagan, 4th in last year’s race, or Desi Davilla Linden, the American course record holder, be the first American woman to win Boston since 1985?

Flanagan, running her 6th Boston, made her intentions known early. There would be no cat-and-mouse games with the Africans today as she boldly took the lead pack of 12 women through the opening mile in 5:11. The Marblehead native kept the pressure on, splitting 10K in 32:32, a pace 48 seconds ahead of Margaret Okayo’s 2002 course record time of 2:20:43. By 15K, passed in 49:05, an expressionless Flanagan had melted the lead pack down to 8 which included Jeptoo, Cherop, and Ethiopia’s Mare Dibaba and Buzenesh Deba. Course record pace continued as the 2008 Olympic 10,000m Bronze medalist remained relentless, meting out the punishment as she passed halfway in 1:09:27.

As the lead pack turned into the Newton Hills, speculation reigned. Would the new American half marathon record holder–with a PR of 2:25, only the 16th fastest in the field–be able to maintain the sub-2:19 pace she was laying down?

The Newton Hills almost always thin the field and this race was no exception. By the time the women’s leaders crested Heartbreak Hill, only four women remained in the lead pack— and Shalane Flanagan, 13 seconds back, was not one of them. Deba had taken over the lead, followed closely by two-time champion Jeptoo, Mare Dibaba, and Meselech Melkamu.

Shortly thereafter, Jeptoo showed why she’s widely regarded as the best closer in the business. In the 23rd mile, the Kenyan—actually catching and passing the Boston T, which parallels the course—threw down a mile that would make even the elite men smile: a withering 4:48 which basically secured her third Patriots’ Day victory. Game over. The final 2K quickly became a coronation cruise for Jeptoo. Her winning time of 2:18:57 destroyed Okayo’s course record of 2:20:43 as Jeptoo joined Rosa Mota, Uta Pippig, Fatuma Roba, and Catherine Ndereba in the women’s Three-Time Winners’ sorority.

Battles raged back up the race course.

Deba—62 seconds back in 2:19:59—claimed second by a comfortable margin as she, too, slipped under the former course best. Mare Dibaba [3rd in 2:20:35] and Jemima Sumgong

by Dave Hunter

Rita Jeptoo

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