Marathon You Can Do It

One way to make a statement at a marathon is to turn up dressed in a fancy costume. If you cant come up with an original running costume idea you may steal ideas from fellow runners.

Two popular marathon running costume ideas

Elvis costume

Spiderman costume

Save the rhino costume

Save the rhino costume at Flora London Marathon

Running 26 miles is hard and what about bringing the Eiffel tower along with you

This Parisian was spotted at 2009 New York Marathon

More costume ideas can be seen at elite feet

written by Constantine Njeru \\ tags: Costume Idea, Costume Ideas, Eiffel Tower, Elite Feet, Elvis Costume, Fancy Costume, Fellow Runners, Flora London Marathon, london marathon, Marathon Running, New york marathon, Rhino, Spiderman Costume

When Meb Keflezighi won 2009 ING New York marathon, he was proclaimed to be the first American to have won the NYC marathon in 20+ years. But murmurs started going around saying that Meb wasn’t American Enough.

The truth is he immigrated to the United States when he was 12 years old from Eritrea, and even though the 34-year-old spent most of his life in USA, he isn’t being considered a true “American runner.” Some Fans and commentators consider Keflezighi just another elite East African runner.

Meb Keflezighi true birth Place

But it is not just Americans disputing about his heritage, some Ethiopians are even claiming Meb is an Ethiopian not Eriterian.

I found this hilarious thread from you tube

It was a civil discussion on Mebs win until a contributor posted this;

Actually he was born in Ethiopia. Eritrea used to be a colony of Ethiopia at the time he was born.?

Not so fast, from an Eritrean came this quick response

Go and screw urself you worthless ethiopian tree hugging moron…he? is eritrean and he blongs to the people of eritrea…..does he look like he is begging or asking for a handout???ethiopian worthless monkeys.

Ouch!!!!!

Read the you tube thread here

written by Constantine Njeru \\ tags: Birth Place, Commentators, Contributor, Elite, Eritrea, Ethiopians, Heritage, Ing New York Marathon, Meb, Monkeys, Murmurs, New york marathon, Nyc Marathon, Quick Response, True Birth, Truth, United States

The following groups are eligible for guaranteed entry to the ING New York City Marathon.

• Members of New York Road Runners, who completed at least nine NYRR-scored, qualifying races, and who have volunteered for one event, during the calendar year.
• Entrants in the ING New York City Marathon the previous year who canceled prior to the race.
• Those who have completed 15 or more New York City Marathons.
• Those who have applied but been denied entry for the last three years in a row
• Runners who meet the following NYC marathon qualifying time standards.
• Charity runners : Runners who commit to raise money for charities listed by organisers.
• Guaranteed entry for overseas runners, (For those who live outside the United States) Guaranteed entry along with the purchase of a marathon package may be available through an Official International Travel Partner [ITP] in your country or territory.

Source ; ING New York Marathon Official Site

written by Constantine Njeru \\ tags: Calendar Year, Charities, Ing New York City Marathon, Ing New York Marathon, International Travel, Itp, marathon runners, New York City Marathon, New York City Marathons, New york marathon, New York Road Runners, Nyc Marathon, Nyrr, Overseas Runners, Previous Year, Qualifying Races, Time Standards, Travel Partner, York City Marathon, York Road Runners

If you’ve never run a marathon or you’re trying to run your fastest time ever, you may consider registering and running in one of these flat marathon courses around USA. Most of this marathon allow you to qualify for Boston marathon.

Chicago Marathon.

Chicago is a flat and fast marathon. Many of over 30,000 runners run it for its speed. The only downside is that the weather can be unpredictable some years, too hot of too cold defeating the flat course advantage.

Philadelphia Marathon

This Pennsylvania marathon has a flat course, the fact that the marathon is ran in late November when the weather is cool gives it an ideal marathon environment for a fast race.

Carlifornia International Marathon

Held in Sacramento California, the marathon is touted as “The Fastest Course in the West.”

Cleveland Marathon

Held in cleveland Ohio in Mid May.

Flat marathons around New York

Mohawk-Hudson River Marathon

This Albany New York marathon, Running Times magazine calls it one of the fastest marathon routes in the country.

Wineglass Marathon

The marathon is held in Corning New York. The Wineglass Marathon yields one of the highest percentages of runners qualifying for the Boston Marathon.

written by Constantine Njeru \\ tags: Albany New York, Boston Marathon, chicago marathon, Cleveland Marathon, Corning New York, Fastest Time, Hudson River, International Marathon, Late November, Marathon Chicago, Marathon Running, Marathons, Mohawk Hudson, New york marathon, Philadelphia Marathon, Qualifying For The Boston Marathon, Running Times Magazine, Sacramento California, West Cleveland, Wineglass Marathon

The 2009 New York Marathon was as colorful as always. Although we celebrate the runners we forget the spectators who equally do a magnificent job of taking photos.

For me, two Images stood out from the 2009 NYC marathon.

This Frenchman who came along with the Eiffel tower.

I hope it was made of fibre glass!!!…….From Jim @ Flickr

And this one,

Serious Men at Work

Image courtesy of Randy Lemoine, See his flickr collection by Randy lemoine

written by Constantine Njeru \\ tags: Effel Tower, Eiffel Tower, Flickr, Frenchman, Images Pictures, Job, Magnificent Job, Marathon Photos, Marathon Pictures, Men At Work, New york marathon, Nyc Marathon, Photos Images, Photos Pictures, Race Images, Race Photos, Runners, Spectators, Taking Photos, Work Image

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

Marathon business is a competitive business. In the USA alone over 400 marathons are organised each year targeting something like 400,000 runners.

The big marathons such as New York Marathon, Boston marathon and the Chicago marathon have no problem attracting runners, they dont even need to spend alot on marketing because it is the runners that come to them. But for many marathon races how to attract runners is a big headache.

Any race director who is organising a marathon and is wondering how he can attract more runners needs to read the following case studies. I read them from raonoke dot com.

Case Studies of formers struggling marathons and how they solved the problem

The Country Music Marathon in Nashville, Tennessee

The race started 10 years ago with hilly course, and participation fell off from 7,500 the first year to 6,300 the second year, said Adam Zocks, the race’s general manager. Organizers flattened the course and added a half-marathon. Last year, the races had a combined 31,000 participants.

The Mount Rushmore Marathon.

The mount Rushmore marathon in the black hills of South dakota which had a mountainous course has seen steady growth in recent years, says Steve Kurtenbach, president of All Sports Central, which organizes the race. He attributed part of that to adding a second, easier marathon course that now draws more runners than the original.

From this two case studies is clear that if the marathon course is hilly and tough a marathon race will find it difficult attracting willing runners, if a race directors manages to convince some novice local runners to participate, they will have a hard time such that they will not participate again.

But what about a race that with an easy flat course but struggles to attract runners.

Few marathon race can survive on local participation. The race director and the organisers must target runners from out of town. To get out of town runners to come the organisers must give them a good reason, rather than the marathon alone, as to why they should visit the town.

Like the organisers of country music marathon added “part of the Country Music Marathon’s success was people realizing that Nashville was a great destination apart from the race.”

Another well market marathon is the Suntrust Richmond marathon, the marathon targets first time marathon runners with the tagline “America’s most friendliest marathon”

written by Constantine Njeru \\ tags: Black Hills, Black Hills Of South Dakota, Boston Marathon, chicago marathon, Country Music Marathon, half marathon, Hilly Course, Marathon Boston, Marathon Course, Marathon Race, Marathon Races, marathon runners, Marathons, Mount Rushmore, Nashville Tennessee, New york marathon, Race Director, Race Directors, Sports Central, Zocks

ING New York Marathon is held on the first Sunday of November. With 37,000 entrants who get a place based on a lottery, the number one tip should be apply for registration early.

New York Marathon Training Tips

1. Train hard but remember to take a rest.
2. If a day or two of training is missed due to injury or illness or other reason, don’t try to cram two days of training into one. Lost days are simply days.
3. Train at your projected marathon pace.
4. Try to train at the time of the day the race starts and in the predicted weather condition as much as possible.
5. Do the long runs.
6. Remember to stretch
7. Do speed works round a track, it just makes your legs feel better.
8. Listen to your body, If you feel tired take a rest, if you feel pain go easy, if the pain is too much stop running.

The good thing about NYC marathon is that it si held in November which means you can have a whole year for marathon training. 10 months of marathon training is more than enough to get you ready to finish a 42 marathon with a descent time.

written by Constantine Njeru \\ tags: 10 Months, Ing New York Marathon, Legs, Lost Days, Lottery, Marathon Pace, Marathon Training, New york marathon, Nyc Marathon, Time Of The Day, Train, Weather Condition

If you are training to run New York  marathon you should keep in mind the following marathon training principles:

When to start training for New York marathon

The early you start your marathon training the better. 4 months prior to the marathon is a good idea. Training early has advantages, you get enough time to train and most importantly you have time to recover from inevitable running injuries.

The 10% rule of marathon training.

Never increase your weekly mileage, by more than 10 percent a week. If you do you will drastically increase the risk of running injury.

The long runs for New York  marathon

The long runs can be up to 20-23 miles (for the experienced runner) for the inexperienced runner this can be 5 – 15 miles depending on your level of experience. The long run should be done at least once a week.

Easy weeks

We love going  full speed on our training but it is a good Idea to slow things down between your training weeks. This will allow you to stay fresh as you build on your overall workload.

Rest.

Taking a complete break from running is as important as running itself. Two to three days of complete rest will allow you body to recover from the stress of marathon running. Don’t take a long rest as you will lose all the gains from your training.

Hydration for New York marathon

Keep drinking enough water. Water helps in preventing running injuries.

Nutrition for New York marathon

Eating the right foods is important! You need to eat plenty of carbohydrates to give you energy. Eating foods rich in protein will help your body repair small tears that happen during training.

Taper for New York  marathon

Avoid over training by reducing your weekly mileage during the final two weeks before New York marathon. This will ensure you arrive at the starting line feeling fresh and energised.

Good luck!!

written by Constantine Njeru \\ tags: Marathon Running, Marathon Training, New york marathon