Marathon You Can Do It

If you are age 50+ and you think you should start running as a new hobby, this story of 80 year old runner Bob Dolphin should inspire you.

Bob has finished 456 marathon, a total that includes 44 ultramarathons ranging from 31 to 101 miles.

Bob ran his first marathon in 1981 at a prime age of 51. An age when most naysayers would consider too old to think of running a marathon.

In an article in Seattle times Bob sums his love for the 26 miles, “I like the difficulty, the competition in my age class, the sociality among runners, the satisfaction I feel when I complete a race. That’s when I feel most of my runner’s high — when I can sit down and rest and don’t have to count down the miles anymore.”

written by Constantine Njeru \\ tags: Bob Dolphin, Boston Marathon, Columbia Mo, Dolphin, First Marathon, June 14, Location Time, Milestone, Milestones, Mo 3, Naysayers, Oct 11, Ore 3, Running A Marathon, Running Marathon, Seattle Marathon, Seattle Times, Sociality, Ultramarathons, West Seattle

Meb Keflezighi won the 2009 New York Marathon. Meb Keflezighi became the first US man to win the New York City Marathon since 1982. Meb has come a long way from being just a good runner to a great runner.

In 2000 summer Olympic games in Sydney he finished a disappointing 12th at 10,000 metres, a race that was won by Haile Gebrselassie.

After Sydney his coach, Bob Larsen realised if Meb is to compete with the East African runners he had to change his training tactics.

The Training Regimen That Boosted Running Speed and Power

According to an old New York times article of Meb Keflezighi, In 2001, Larsen persuaded Keflezighi to begin training at the 7,550-foot altitude of Mammoth Lakes to increase his oxygen-carrying capacity. Shortly after his first training regimen here, he set the American record of 27:13.98 at 10,000 meters.

Training at altitude took Meb from a good athlete to a great athlete

written by Constantine Njeru \\ tags: Altitude Training, Athlete, Bob Larsen, Coach Bob, East Africans, Foot Altitude, Haile Gebrselassie, Mammoth Lakes, Marathon Training, Meb Keflezighi, New York City Marathon, New york marathon, New York Times, Olympic Games, Oxygen Carrying Capacity, Realised, Runners, Summer Olympic Games, Training Regimen, York City Marathon, York Times Article

Actor and longtime conservation activist Edward Norton will run the NY Marathon as part of a team raising awareness and financial support for the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust, a Kenya-based conservation organization. Norton and 3 Maasai warriors will be leading 30 people from all walks of life running the ING New York City Marathon on Nov. 1st.

The three Maasais are Parashina, Parashi and Sunte. They usually run in sandals made out of off-road tires. They call them “Michelins” or “Thousand Milers.” While Parashina and Sunte will wear Puma running shoes Parashi intend to stick to his Maasai Running Sandals.

As part of preparation Edward travelled to Kenya where he ran with the Maasais. Most of the running was around Chyulu hills on the Northern slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Norton discribed the experience to runners world magazine: -

“We probably ran about 30 miles a week out there. It’s tough running. A lot of lava rock and rutted roads and thorn bushes. And there’s been a bad drought all this year so it’s very dusty right now, where normally it’s high green grass everywhere. I think it will make New York feel easy for these guys, as long as it’s not cold, which they are not used to.”

written by Constantine Njeru \\ tags: Edward Norton, Green Grass, Ing New York City Marathon, Lava Rock, Maasai Warriors, Marathon Training, Michelins, Mt Kilimanjaro, New York City Marathon, New york marathon, Northern Slopes, Ny Marathon, Off Road Tires, runners world magazine, Running shoes, Rutted Roads, Thorn Bushes, Walks Of Life, Wilderness Conservation, York City Marathon

When most people undergo surgery of knee, ankle, hip or any other part of the leg they wonder whether it is possible to get back running. The answer is Yes.

Inspiration for recovering surgery from Joan Samuelson

Joan Samuelson was the first woman Olympic marathon champion. Looking at her career you will see she had a record of surgeries but she was able to return to road running and win races at the top level.

Joan Story story of overcoming surgeries

Born in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, Benoit took to long-distance running to help recover from a broken leg suffered while slaloming. At Bowdoin College she excelled in athletics and then entered the 1979 Boston Marathon as a relative unknown. She won the race, while wearing a Red Sox cap,[1] in 2:35:15, knocking eight minutes off the competition record. She repeated that success with a victory again in 1983 that took more than two minutes off the world’s best time, set by Grete Waitz in the London Marathon just the day before, despite having had surgery on her Achilles tendons two years earlier.

At the 1984 Summer Olympics she won the first Olympic women’s marathon in a time of 2:24.52 in hot and smoggy conditions, more than a minute ahead of her rivals; again despite surgery, this time arthroscopic surgery on her knee 17 days before the trials earlier that year.

From Joan story, you can see it is possible to recover from surgery and get back to running. To get back to running you have to allow a full recovery. Make sure your Doctor is informed with your intention so that he can monitor your recovery because he alone has the authority to give you a green light to start running again.

Once your doctor gives you a go ahead start running on soft surfaces  first such as treadmills, oval track and grass before hitting the tarmac.

Happy healing

written by Constantine Njeru \\ tags: 1984 Summer Olympics, Achilles Tendons, Boston Marathon, Bowdoin College, Broken Leg, Cape Elizabeth Maine, Competition Record, First Woman, Joan Samuelson, Knee Ankle, london marathon, Marathon Champion, olympic marathon, Olympic Women, Oval Track, Runnign, Slaloming, Soft Surfaces, summer olympics, Treadmills, Waitz

Peter Jackson the Director of Lord of the rings trilogy was once overweight. But following the release of The Return of the King, Peter Jackson lost a large amount of weight (over 50 lb/22.5 kg) to the point of being unrecognizable to some fans.

How Peter Jackson Lost weight

In the British Daily Telegraph he attributed his weight loss to his diet. He said, “I just got tired of being overweight and unfit, so I changed my diet from hamburgers to yogurt and muesli and it seems to work.”

written by Constantine Njeru \\ tags: Daily Telegraph, diet, Director Of Lord Of The Rings, Fans, Hamburgers, Kg, Lord Of The Rings, Lord Of The Rings Trilogy, Lose Weight, Lost, Peter Jackson, Return Of The King, Weight Loss

In my Inbox today morning I found the story of Albert Gordon. The twice oldest london marathon runner died in New York aged 107. Now that’s a long time to be alive.

More amazing fact about these veteran of London marathon. At 105, he was still working four days a week at Deltec Asset Management! He made calls to prospective clients well into his 90’s.

According to the New York times story Albert started marathon running in his 80’s.

Albert Gordon Secret To Long life

• Dedication to physical fitness that meant marathon running.
• He took one puff of a cigarette in his life.
• Didn’t salt his food.
• Limited his alcohol intake to a glass of Champagne a year.
• If you can walk? walk. He sometimes walked from the airport to the office.

written by Constantine Njeru \\ tags: fitness, Inspiring Stories, london marathon, Marathon Running, Salt

As 36,000 london marathon runners disappear over the horizon, they will be hoping to finish the 26 agonising miles as first as possible and be home for lunch; but for Phil Packer, an  iraq veteran,  it will be the beginning of a 2 week crawl to the finish line.

Following a rocket attack in Basra, Iraq, the Royal Military Police officer was left with a severe spinal injury. The major had been told he would never walk again, let alone complete a marathon. The wounded Iraq veteran will attempt to walk London marathon in crutches.

One painful step at a time, the marathon will take him almost two weeks, mirroring the feat of brain-damaged former boxer Michael Watson in 2003. It will be two miles a day for Phil.

His story is remarkable!

His main mission is to raise a million pounds for injured service men. To support Phil Packer run london marathon visit Phil Packer website

From here at dailyrunningtips, I wish Phil all the best!

written by Constantine Njeru \\ tags: celebrity runners, london marathon, Marathon Running, Running Injuries, Training

The biggest draw/celebrity at 2008 Boston Marathon was Lance Armstrong. For those who may have missed it, Lance finished 2008 Boston Marathon on a time of around 2.50s. He then surprised us with the announcement that he is quitting running and getting back to his first love, Cycling!

The 2009 Boston Marathon is just a few days away and I thought you need to be aware of the hero at this year’s boston marathon; Serge Roetheli. His name might not be as famous as Lance but Serge has an inspiring story. He has run around the world.

Serge on His African Leg of the Run Around the World

Serge and Nicole Roetheli (from Switzerland ) sold all of their belongings to run around the world. Serge ran and Nicole, his wife, followed behind him on a small motorcycle and filmed their entire journey. Serge ran more than 25,000 miles over five years with Nicole behind him. They traveled through 37 counties on six continents. While they were running through Africa , they both caught Malaria and almost died, but Serge and Nicole kept on tuckin.

A movie about their adventure has been made. The film is tiltled “Beyond The Epic Run” It will be out in springs. It’s an amazing story of an athlete –and a loving wife’s–physical and mental strength. They risked everything for this experience. Very inspiring for anyone trying to overcome any challenge!

For 25,000 runners at Boston marathon,Serge will be attending and will be available at the Runner’s World booth.Drop by and shake a hand.

To watch trailers of the movie visit serge’s bog.

written by Constantine Njeru \\ tags: Boston Marathon, Inspiring Stories, Running

So, what are your plans for your 95th birthday? I thought about that question after reading the life story of 95 year old athlete Leland Mcphie.

At last weekend US masters indoor championship Leland Mcphie competing in the weight toss,threw a 35-pound mass nearly 22 feet. It wasn’t a record, but it was good enough to win his age group.

That age group? 95 years and older. His is a story of 78 years athletic career.

According to a story of Leland Mcphie in the San diego tribune,

• Born in Salt Lake City in March 1914, the oldest of nine children
• a self-taught pole vaulter at Colton Union High School from 1929 to 1933.
• At San Bernardino Valley College in 1935, using a bamboo pole, he set a vault record (12-10) that endured until 1961.
• In 1973 he began playing tennis.
• In 1994 he discovered the track out of curiosity. Dressed in tennis clothes and shoes, he tackled the 50-meter dash – and won his first race.

Mcphie training plan

He trains five days a week, he’s either toning muscles on the weight machines at the YMCA or practicing throws and jumps.

“He does a crossword puzzle each day,” McPhie’s granddaughter, Rochelle Michaels, told the Trib. “He has continued to exercise all his life. He has a strong spirit. He’s amazingly inspirational.”

written by Constantine Njeru \\ tags: Athletes, Exercise, fitness, Inspiring, Inspiring Stories, Training

One of the best medicine for a runner who feels low is a good inspiring book. The following is a list of four inspiring books that I have come across.

1. “My Life on the Run,” by Bart Yasso. The book chronicles experiences of the icon from Runner’s World magazine, providing humor and perspective any runner can appreciate.
2. “Running with the Buffaloes,” by Chris Lear. An All-American runner in his college days, Lear set out to follow the 1998 cross country team at the University of Colorado. Lear takes the reader behind the scenes as the team faces adversity and tragedy.
3. “Bowerman and the Men of Oregon,” by Kenny Moore. The author, a two-time Olympic marathoner, gives readers an exhaustive look at Bill Bowerman, the legendary track and field coach at the University of Oregon, his coaching philosophies and the program’s rise to national prominence.
4. “Duel in the Sun,” by John Brant. The David versus Goliath tale of the 1982 Boston Marathon, which pitted America’s distance running star, Alberto Salazar, against gritty underdog Dick Beardsley, the Minnesota native and former Detroit Lakes resident.

written by Constantine Njeru \\ tags: Inspiring, Inspiring Stories, Marathon, Marathon Running