Sunday, September 4, 2011

Year Two of Production: Shamrock Shuffle 8K Shoot Tomorrow!

The very first day of production on our film was at last year's Shamrock Shuffle 8K in Chicago. Tomorrow (April 10), WendyCity Productions returns to the Shuffle to follow our ladies as they ramp up for the 2011 racing season... a season each woman hopes will result running the qualifying standard for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Marathon Team Trials in Houston, TX.

Although the Shamrock Shuffle segment shoot is tomorrow, there's still time to contribute to our film fund! Once we've shot the footage, it will need to be organized and stored on external hard drives. Of course, we'll need to duplicate the video and store it on duplicate drives in the event that one of the drives crashes, so you can imagine how expensive that can be! That being said, we really need your help! Your donations directly support this film by expanding our resources. Any amount is appreciated and each dollar will help. (Ex: $15 will allow us to rent a clip-on lavalier microphone for interviews. $45 pays for our tripod.) Please click on the Paypal link to the right if you'd like to help us get this film made. Thanks!

(p.s. We've added some new athletes to the film - see photos below - and are very excited to see how they do tomorrow!)


Source: http://milesandtrialsfilm.blogspot.com/2011/04/year-two-of-production-shamrock-shuffle.html

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Saturday's staple: call a spade a spade...

Life has taken over this week, so I had to adapt my training accordingly. I still trained three times this week, but my classical lifts were down. The upside to this is that my squats were a lot better this week and I was able to match my Front Squat double and triple pb's for the first time in a year and a half.

On Monday, I Snatched up to 100 and I did Clean doubles up to 130. I tried for 134, but I could only get the first rep in on two attempts; my mind won over and I did not even go under the second attempts. It was very frustrating because I wanted to get it badly. My training was affected quite a bit by a gash in my left leg that has been very slow to heal, but it affected my Snatch a lot more. I Front Squatted afterwards, and worked up to a double with 150 and then I hit a double with 155kg which matched my pb from 18 months ago. Embarrassing, yes, but I was happy to get it. I had a four second sticking point to get through, but it was worth it.

On Wednesday, I Power Snatched up to 95 for two singles and one No Man's Landed Snatch 98kg. I was unable to Clean and Jerk at all and ended up missing 130. Very strange and very frustrating. It has been a long time since I have missed that weight. Anyway, I had to accept it and move on to the Back Squat. Last week I was unable to hit 167. This week I hit 160 and 165 for a triple. I then hit 170kg for a double, which I was happy with because I think that was a first. I was pleasantly surprised, because I felt so empty in my lifting and devoid of any momentum.

Today, I was knackered again and I was happy to hit 108/134. Not impressive weights at all, but a year ago I would not have been able to hit them when I had been this drained. I then worked up to a single with 160 in the Front Squat and then I hit 150kg for a triple. Harry Leech was training a few lads in Santry gym and I was able to get out there for a session. it was great training with him again and he also gave me a Chinese-style weightlifter's massage where the coach walks up and down the lifter's back and legs.

I finished off with some shoulder mobility drills also and I felt tired, but happy.

So, I finally bit the bullet and I started following Kelly Starrett's MWOD. I was taking bits and pieces, but I decided to actually follow someone who knows far far more than me. I went all the way back to day one and I am now finished day 30. Generally, I do two mobility of the day workouts and I am really enjoying them. I thought my shoulders were flexible, but I was wrong. It takes around ten or twelve minutes for each MWOD, so sometimes I do two, sometimes three. I am following Starrett's direction for general health as much as for weightlifting. One thing I know for certain is that I am getting more flexible generally and I am also enjoying the process.

Here is an awesome old school Bulgarian weightlifting video:



Here is an outrageously impressive physical performance of a different kind:



And lastly, Ray Lewis's speech to a team before kick off is probably up there with Jim Telfer's 1997 Lions' pre-games' speeches:





Which do you prefer?

Source: http://weightliftingepiphanies.blogspot.com/2011/05/saturdays-staple-call-spade-spade.html

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Usain Bolt ultimate competitor for our time

While racing in Saturday's 200-meter final at the world championships, Usain Bolt appeared to briefly glance up at the stadium's video board to watch himself running. If so, who can blame him? The man has provided track's most exhilarating performances since the opening beach-running scene in "Chariots of Fire."

We missed out last weekend when the new false start rule disqualified Bolt from the 100 final and provided us only with the image of the world's fastest man whipping off his jersey and stomping off the track in frustration. But he did not jump the gun Saturday in Daegu, South Korea. Bolt was the last out of the starting blocks but quickly passed the rest of the field and continued full-out to win the race in 19.70, the fourth-fastest time ever and .21 seconds shy of his world record.

Bolt immediately celebrated the victory by slapping his chest and performing an arm-weaving, hip-rolling and finger-pumping dance to the crowd. All he was missing was Len Goodman grading him on his performance. He knelt on the track to briefly catch his breath while a ludicrous mascot also took a knee beside him and placed its hand (paw? hoof?) to its mouth as if deep in contemplation.

Would it be inappropriate if I asked him to sign an autograph now?

Bolt gave the crowd his signature lightning gesture and the crowd replied with thunder in its applause. According to The Associated Press, he later told the crowd "I am still the best" before taking off his shoes and dancing barefoot. He also pretended to run away from photographers, but that was just a joke because the camera is the one opponent he doesn't out-distance.

He did, however, stop short of a fog machine, but maybe we'll get that if he leads Jamaica past the United States in Sunday's 4x100 relay finale. That race will be somewhat reduced because Jamaican teammate Asafa Powell dropped out due to a groin injury and American Tyson Gay has been out with a hip injury since June.

But forget Powell and Gay, or even Walter Dix, the American who finished second in the 100 and 200 here. The guys I want to see Bolt compete against come London are Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco for the most outrageous, over-the-top victory celebration. Even the opening ceremonies would pale in comparison.

Bolt's theatrics are why the Jamaican sprinter is so popular and so important to a sport that desperately needs the wattage of his star power. The perfectly named Bolt is so electrifying, the stadium could lose power and he still would light up the track bright enough to be seen from Pluto. He is the ultimate competitor for our time, mixing the oldest, most elemental sport there is (who can run the fastest) with the modern competitions that so obsess us ("Dancing With the Stars" and "American Idol").

Not only is Bolt the fastest man on earth, but he puts on such a show that the London organizers may need Simon Cowell as a track referee.

Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/olympics/post/_/id/1766/usain-bolt-ultimate-competitor-for-our-time

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Saturday, September 3, 2011

Make This Time Count!

In light of yesterday's sad news about the death of top U.S. marathoner, Sally Meyerhoff, I thought I'd post some words of inspiration and motivation from my very good friend, Janeth Salazar-Ohst. Janeth qualified for and competed in the 1996 U.S. Olympic Marathon. Now a wife and mother of two, she continues to run competitively and is a source of inspiration for many young (and not so young) athletes.


Someone asked me why I was training so hard for the Olympic Trials if I didn?t have a realistic shot at making the Olympic team.  I simply said, ?Because it IS my Olympics.?  The Olympic Trials represented the very best I could be.   It may have not been the international stage but it was a grand stage nonetheless.  I worked hard to qualify, I met the standard and I was going to give that race everything I had. 
Watching your video about Heather reminded me of this.  I think she is right on the money when she says she has to keep her focus on the race that she will attempt to use to qualify for the trials.  All steps lead to a possible qualification and the focus needs to be on the here and now.  I?m sure it is different for the top professional elites in our country as making a qualifying mark is not a big concern for them.  Heather isn?t responsible for them, she?s responsible for herself.  You can dream big but the details of the work involved must be attended to, day in and day out.  
My advice to potential qualifiers is, for this short time in your life, make all the necessary sacrifices to make this dream your reality.  The Trials only come around once every four years.  You want to be there and you want to be on that line with the very best you have.   Life has a way of really changing in four years when you don?t necessarily make your living off of racing.  MAKE THIS TIME COUNT!

Source: http://milesandtrialsfilm.blogspot.com/2011/03/make-this-time-count.html

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Saturday's staple: call a spade a spade...

Life has taken over this week, so I had to adapt my training accordingly. I still trained three times this week, but my classical lifts were down. The upside to this is that my squats were a lot better this week and I was able to match my Front Squat double and triple pb's for the first time in a year and a half.

On Monday, I Snatched up to 100 and I did Clean doubles up to 130. I tried for 134, but I could only get the first rep in on two attempts; my mind won over and I did not even go under the second attempts. It was very frustrating because I wanted to get it badly. My training was affected quite a bit by a gash in my left leg that has been very slow to heal, but it affected my Snatch a lot more. I Front Squatted afterwards, and worked up to a double with 150 and then I hit a double with 155kg which matched my pb from 18 months ago. Embarrassing, yes, but I was happy to get it. I had a four second sticking point to get through, but it was worth it.

On Wednesday, I Power Snatched up to 95 for two singles and one No Man's Landed Snatch 98kg. I was unable to Clean and Jerk at all and ended up missing 130. Very strange and very frustrating. It has been a long time since I have missed that weight. Anyway, I had to accept it and move on to the Back Squat. Last week I was unable to hit 167. This week I hit 160 and 165 for a triple. I then hit 170kg for a double, which I was happy with because I think that was a first. I was pleasantly surprised, because I felt so empty in my lifting and devoid of any momentum.

Today, I was knackered again and I was happy to hit 108/134. Not impressive weights at all, but a year ago I would not have been able to hit them when I had been this drained. I then worked up to a single with 160 in the Front Squat and then I hit 150kg for a triple. Harry Leech was training a few lads in Santry gym and I was able to get out there for a session. it was great training with him again and he also gave me a Chinese-style weightlifter's massage where the coach walks up and down the lifter's back and legs.

I finished off with some shoulder mobility drills also and I felt tired, but happy.

So, I finally bit the bullet and I started following Kelly Starrett's MWOD. I was taking bits and pieces, but I decided to actually follow someone who knows far far more than me. I went all the way back to day one and I am now finished day 30. Generally, I do two mobility of the day workouts and I am really enjoying them. I thought my shoulders were flexible, but I was wrong. It takes around ten or twelve minutes for each MWOD, so sometimes I do two, sometimes three. I am following Starrett's direction for general health as much as for weightlifting. One thing I know for certain is that I am getting more flexible generally and I am also enjoying the process.

Here is an awesome old school Bulgarian weightlifting video:



Here is an outrageously impressive physical performance of a different kind:



And lastly, Ray Lewis's speech to a team before kick off is probably up there with Jim Telfer's 1997 Lions' pre-games' speeches:





Which do you prefer?

Source: http://weightliftingepiphanies.blogspot.com/2011/05/saturdays-staple-call-spade-spade.html

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London 2012 Prepares - BMX


BMX-20110820-IMG_7632, originally uploaded by catfordCelt.

Watching the BMX Event with the Velodrome for a backdrop.

Source: http://insidelondon2012.blogspot.com/2011/08/london-2012-prepares-bmx.html

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U.S. crew close to locking up Olympic spot

The United States women's quadruple sculls crew set itself up to become the first U.S. boat to qualify for the London Olympics.

In a furious race through choppy water on Tuesday, the U.S. crew overcame an early lead by Great Britain, then exchanged leads with China through the final 50 meters of the race before crossing the finish line 0.12 seconds ahead of China for the win.

They will race in the finals at the 2011 World Rowing Championships on Thursday. The only way the crew does not qualify for the Olympics is if it does not finish Thursday's race. The world championships are the first opportunity for nations to qualify crews for the 2012 Games. But, specific athletes won't be selected until next spring.

"Obviously, it's an honor to qualify the boat, but there is still a lot of work to be done Thursday and a lot of work to be done in the next year," Natalie Dell said in a statement released by US Rowing. "[Great Britain] was up for probably the first half of the race and then China came up in the last 500 [meters]. I don't know what happened after that.

"It was crazy out there. I thought, if it's this bad and we're leading, we must be doing something right."

Crews that fail to qualify for the Olympics at worlds will have another opportunity at the Olympic Qualification Regatta in Lucerne, Switzerland, from May 20-23, 2012.

Also qualifying for the semifinals on Tuesday was the arms and shoulders men single sculls, the legs/trunk/arms mixed four with coxswain, the men's pair and the women's double sculls.

Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/olympics/post/_/id/1713/u-s-crew-close-to-locking-up-olympic-spot

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Monday's mutilation

I woke up in a haze of pain and body confusion, but thankfully I ended the day well. Myself and Sami had our best sessions of the trip and these were needed very badly. All the guys were sore and tired from the competition on Saturday and there was a general sense of fatigue.

Our first session was 25 Snatches every 90 seconds. I had to Snatch off the blocks and Sami joined me there. I started off struggling to hit 90kg, but around 15 Snatches in, I worked up to 95 and then a few Snatches later, I worked up to 100; a few later I went up to 105 and for my last Snatch I worked up to 108kg; not a heavy weight but it felt far better Snatching this than Snatching 90kg for my first one or two singles. After the session, I chilled out and rested. It was actually a struggle to force myself to eat because when you are that tired, it is the last thing you want to do. It is quite weird because it is the same when I need to sleep very badly: it is really hard to go to bed and sleep and when I am feeling very tight and inflexible, the last thing you want to do is stretch. Counter-intuitive it may be, but it is still there.

The second session had us start off with Back Squats and we were all going for pr's with our five rep maxes. Jon hit 220kg for five reps which turned out to be a 10kg pr. Sami hit 150kg, Kevin hit 222kg for four reps. Spencer just missed squatting 280kg for a single. I went up to 170, but only hit 3 reps with it; I could not get through the sticking point with the fourth. I went back down to 162.5kg and got my five for a 2.5kg pr. Embarrassingly small, but 2.5kg less so.

We then moved onto Clean and Jerks and we had 20 to do every 90 seconds. I worked up to 130kg and started from there. I needed to hit this figure and try to get over my fear with the Clean. Everyone really pushed it in this session and it was the most intense training session I have ever had in the sport of weightlifting. It felt far longer than the Snatches and everyone's legs were already shot from squatting to maximum. After 15 Clean and Jerks, the fatigue really started to creep in and I had to switch off the mind completely in order to get through the lifts. Every now and then just at the mid point of my pull, that little doubt would creep in and try to screw me over. I had to try and not think about it at all. On my last Clean and Jerk, I worked up to 135kg and forced myself to lift past the point were that devil whispered in my ear that I can't do it.

Here is a video of the Clean and Jerk part of the session. Everyone was sweating really badly and everyone was hurting from the squats; it is only really in the last ten minutes of the video that you can tell people were hurting.



I did a massive amount of active recovery after the session again, with an ice bath and later that evening some contrast water therapy also.

Source: http://weightliftingepiphanies.blogspot.com/2011/06/mondays-mutilation.html

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The 2012 broadcast balancing act

I was surprised to read newspaper stories a couple of weeks ago that a BBC executive was "admitting" Olympic coverage would dominate every service next summer. I was even more surprised to see that the person alleged to have said this was me.

That's because I've always tried to be clear that we want to do two things. Yes, we want to do justice to the biggest sporting event on the planet and to the story of 2012 as a truly exceptional year.

But we also want to make sure that we don't remove other people's favourite programmes and that there are sanctuaries for people who don't want to go Olympic-crazy.

It's the usual point about balance in all things.

Today there's a set of announcements by the BBC Trust about how we intend to achieve that. And they reflect how we're helped by the expansion of digital services that allow us to offer more choice for everyone: the Olympics in greater depth than ever before, but the preservation of non-Olympic zones too.

The sun seen behind the Olympic Stadium at London's Olympic Park

Coverage will bring viewers close to the Games from dawn until dusk. Picture: Getty Images.

There are three key steps that have been approved by the Trust.

1. We will extend BBC Three's hours during the Games so that it can offer a daytime sport service alongside our earlier decision that BBC Three would be one of the channels carrying Olympic coverage in peak.

This means that for the key moments from the start of the morning sessions onwards we will have both BBC One and BBC Three in play as flagship services delivering the best live action.

This is being achieved partly by using the BBC Parliament bandwidth as we did in Beijing, but making it easier to find by putting it under the BBC Three banner rather than as an additional red button stream.

2. Radio 5 Live will add another digital service, again as a temporary measure during the Games.

This means it can deliver its customary mix on 5 Live but also in-depth coverage on DAB alongside the regular 5 Live Sports Extra - which will be able to maintain its commitment to cricket and other non-Olympic action.

3. As part of our commitment to bringing you live Olympic sport from every venue from first thing in the morning to last thing at night, the Trust has agreed to a temporary expansion of our video online hours - recognising that some sports will be accessed principally via our website.

What this adds up to, we believe, is something that will greatly add to the enjoyment we can offer to sports fans. This is building towards our most ambitious Games-time service ever, recognising our role as the host nation broadcaster in 2012.

But it also means significant areas of the schedule - like BBC Two peak and BBC Four or our other network radio services - will not be over-run by athletes, and they can focus on what they do best including some of the Cultural Olympiad.

Now that the Trust has approved the management plans, we can sharpen the day-by-day planning - and we'll report back here in the coming months on the detail.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/rogermosey/2011/08/i_was_surprised_to_read.html

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World's athletes dreaming of London 2012

Over the last year it has been a real privilege to follow the journey of 26 athletes hoping to come to London to compete at next year's Games. Each story is unique, as is each athlete's prospects for next summer. Some will play a small part in their event, some will become Olympic champions but some will fail even to qualify.

In order to see this content you need to have both Javascript enabled and Flash installed. Visit BBC Webwise for full instructions. If you're reading via RSS, you'll need to visit the blog to access this content.

The World Olympic Dreams series has taken me to places I never imagined I would end up - Iraq and Afghanistan come to mind. Here are a few of my highlights so far:

Haider Rashid and Hamza Hussein - rowers from Iraq

Iraqi rowers Haider Rashid and Hamza Hussein are based on the Tigris river in Baghdad. They embody the Olympic spirit - they will make up a significant portion of the Iraq team should they qualify and yet they have very little chance of a medal. As I found out when I visited them last year, Haider and Hamza's recollections of having to row among floating corpses are arresting.

Jehue Gordon - 400m hurdler from Trinidad and Tobago

We met Jehue Gordon in Port of Spain at carnival time. He was not tempted by the partying, preferring to put in the hours on the track. Jehue often told us how grateful he was of our attention. Apparently, we were taking more interest in him than his local media were. They should buck up - he was fourth in the world at 18 and he is getting faster all the time. London 2012 may not be his time for gold but he is definitely one to keep an eye on over the next few years.

Usain Bolt - 100m sprinter from Jamaica

Usain Bolt is a global superstar and there isn't much left to say about him that has not been said countless times before - the world record times, the 'Lightning Bolt' dance and, of course, those chicken nuggets. We decided to take a look at what turned Bolt the boy into Bolt the fastest man on the planet - by hearing from his former sports teacher.

Rohullah Nikpai - taekwondo fighter from Afghanistan

I hadn't heard of Rohullah Nikpai before World Olympic Dreams. Shame on me. Rohullah, the taekwondo fighter, is a national icon in Afghanistan and is feeling a lot of pressure to repeat his 2008 bronze medal display. Now, more than ever, his country needs him.

Merlin Diamond and Achieng Ajulu-Bushell - sprinter from Namibia and swimmer from Great Britain

The joint travails of Merlin Diamond and Achieng Ajulu-Bushell. They don't know each other but both are in a similar pre-Games dilemma. Press forward with training for the Olympics or focus on school and a future career? It is difficult to watch them in such a tight spot.

Majlinda Kelmendi - judoka from Kosovo

Majlinda Kelmendi, a judoka from Kosovo will almost certainly have to fight under the flag of some country other than her own. Alternatively, she could represent the International Olympic Committee (IOC) itself. Kosovo is not recognised by the IOC and probably won't be before the Games start. As we found out, if Majlinda wins a medal she won't be able to see Kosovo's flag on the pole. Nevertheless, Kosovo knows that she is a local hero.

Luol Deng - basketball player from Great Britain

Luol Deng is a massive British star you may not have heard of. He is one of the highest paid stars of America's NBA basketball league. He might be a superstar but sitting safe, rich and happy in Chicago was not really on his agenda. Luol Deng's trip to Sudan was a privilege to air. He had not seen the country from which he and his parents fled since he was a very young child. To see him go back, partly to fund a new start for some of Sudan's next generation, was awe-inspiring.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/matthewpinsent/2011/07/worlds_athletes_look_forward_t.html

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IOC bans needles from Olympics because that will stop dopers

The IOC announced Friday that athletes at the 2012 Olympics will be banned from possessing needles and syringes. The announcement is part of the IOC's ongoing efforts to rid the event of performance-enhancing drugs.

Athletes and doctors will need medical clearance to bring needles in living areas, locker rooms, practice sites and competition venues.

Some thoughts:

1. Have athletes been openly flaunting their needle possession? Because that's the only way this rule would have any impact. Of all the things that cheating athletes have to do to cover-up steroid use, hiding the needle is probably the easiest thing. This is like DUI enforcement teams banning empty beer bottles from cars.

2. "We won't accept medical equipment like syringes and needles in the field of play." -- IOC medical commission chairman Arne Ljungqvist

Finally! There have been far too many instances in past Olympics of sprinters shooting themselves up with deca durabolin during races. Remember when those East Germans would get on the starting blocks wearing bathing suits, goggles, caps and fanny packs filled with syringes and vials? Or that infamous 1988 incident in which Soviet doctors injected a boxer with anabolic steroids in full view of reporters and his wife/manager before a big fight? (Note: This may have been "Rocky IV.")

3. What's the next step, banning all pills that look similar to steroids? All shady-looking doctors? Words that contain the letters E-P-O?

4.�How is enforcement of this rule going to work anyway? Unless the IOC is proposing random room and bag checks, there's no way to catch violators unless they're really dumb, in which case they probably wouldn't be able to evade testing in the first place.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/vancouver/blog/fourth_place_medal/post/IOC-bans-needles-from-Olympics-because-that-will?urn=oly-wp421

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OregonLive Article

Here's a nice article about our film online at OregonLive! Thank you to Eric Davis of the Bowerman Athletic Club & Nike for writing this :)


Source: http://milesandtrialsfilm.blogspot.com/2011/01/oregonlive-article.html

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Born This Way

I stumbled out of the hotel at 6:00 am to find hundreds of other runners with bibs on. We stood around in the chilly pre-dawn air waiting to start our event. As my watch neared 6:30 we surged ahead toward the starting line. Any runner certainly knows the drill, and it’s always a challenge to [...]

Source: http://www.lamarathon.com/2011/02/born-this-way/

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London 2012 Paralympics: IPC encourages athletes to use social networking during Games

[fivefilters.org: unable to retrieve full-text content] The International Paralympic Committee is encouraging athletes competing in next year’s Games in London to embrace, and use, social media during the Games.

Source: http://london-2012-olympics.net/News/london-2012-paralympics-ipc-encourages-athletes-to-use-social-networking-during-games/

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London 2012 can legacy by verbing the noun | Harry Pearson

It has been all bubbling exuberance at the World Athletics Championships in Daegu. Records have been broken, races have been dedicated, dreams have been dreamed, starts have been falsed and nouns have been verbed. In the last case we should expect nothing less. Track and field leads the world in the important business of converting [...]

Source: http://london-2012-olympics.net/News/london-2012-can-legacy-by-verbing-the-noun-harry-pearson/

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Friday, September 2, 2011

Bye Bye Beijing

The Olympics are over, and most of the athletes have returned home to be paraded in front of adoring crowds. Now it is Bob’s turn to do the same (minus the crowds), back in Shanghai again now and the UK tomorrow. However this is not the end of the events in Beijing, or the Beijing [...]

Source: http://beijingolympicsblog.wordpress.com/2008/08/29/bye-bye-beijing/

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5km run At Offenburg SUPER Sprint by rich02murray at Garmin Connect ? Details

5km run At Offenburg SUPER Sprint by rich02murray at Garmin Connect – Details.

Source: http://richardmurray.wordpress.com/2011/07/12/5km-run-at-offenburg-super-sprint-by-rich02murray-at-garmin-connect-details/

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Volunteers are the lifeblood of London 2012

Test events are absolutely essential to our preparation for the London 2012 Games next year. As the London Prepares series continues ? with Basketball and BMX among the latest test events ? I wanted to say a few words about the importance of volunteers.

Source: http://www.london2012.com//blog/2011/08/volunteers-are-the-lifeblood-of-london-2012.php

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Snowboard qualifying process OK'd by IOC

The IOC has officially approved the qualification processes for all FIS events, including ski and snowboard halfpipe and slopestyle, in the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi. The qualification-process was submitted to the IOC Executive Board for approval by top-level members of the International Ski Federation (FIS) on Friday in Korea, and it looks to be virtually identical to the one in place for the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver.

This news indicates that the FIS executive committee has chosen to disregard the work of a joint task force that was established this past May by members of FIS Snowboarding, FIS National Associations, athletes, judges and the TTR to address the Olympic qualification processes for snowboarding. According to the official FIS Snowboard Freestyle Task Force timeline, the group had planned on submitting its recommendation for a new qualification system to the FIS Council during the FIS fall meetings in October.

"While we believe FIS snowboarding staff had/have the best intentions," says USSA Program Director and Task Force Chairman, Jeremy Forster, "it also is the case that these [Olympic qualification] discussions are strictly between FIS/IOC directly and no input from sport committees or our group will be solicited."

Of the decision to submit its proposal to the IOC in August rather than October, FIS General Secretary Sarah Lewis (who is, essentially, second in command at FIS) states that, "there appears to be a misconception that one of the tasks [of the Task Force] was to advise the Snowboard Committee or even the IOC about the qualification systems for the Olympics, which is not the case."

The Olympic qualification process has been the center of a hot-button debate in the snowboard community ever since speculation over slopestyle's inclusion in the Olympic program first began. Among the issues is what many competitors believe to be an already-overcrowded competition calendar that promises to become unmanageable when mandatory Olympic-qualifier FIS contests come into direct scheduling conflict with long-established, important snowboard events like those in the TTR World Tour, Dew Tour and X Games.

Read more »

Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/olympics/post/_/id/1733/snowboard-qualifying-process-okd-by-ioc

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It's 1 Year to go

Although the Opening Ceromony is on the 27th July 2012, the London 2012 Games begins on the 25th July 2012, 1 year from today !

Oh yes, there are two Olympic events taking place before the Opening Ceremony on Friday 27th July 2012. One of these is the Archery, whose preliminary ranking round starts that morning at 9am. And the other is the Football, poor old unloved Football, whose matches kick off even earlier.

Thanks to DiamondGeezer

Source: http://insidelondon2012.blogspot.com/2011/07/its-1-year-to-go.html

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Make This Time Count!

In light of yesterday's sad news about the death of top U.S. marathoner, Sally Meyerhoff, I thought I'd post some words of inspiration and motivation from my very good friend, Janeth Salazar-Ohst. Janeth qualified for and competed in the 1996 U.S. Olympic Marathon. Now a wife and mother of two, she continues to run competitively and is a source of inspiration for many young (and not so young) athletes.


Someone asked me why I was training so hard for the Olympic Trials if I didn?t have a realistic shot at making the Olympic team.  I simply said, ?Because it IS my Olympics.?  The Olympic Trials represented the very best I could be.   It may have not been the international stage but it was a grand stage nonetheless.  I worked hard to qualify, I met the standard and I was going to give that race everything I had. 
Watching your video about Heather reminded me of this.  I think she is right on the money when she says she has to keep her focus on the race that she will attempt to use to qualify for the trials.  All steps lead to a possible qualification and the focus needs to be on the here and now.  I?m sure it is different for the top professional elites in our country as making a qualifying mark is not a big concern for them.  Heather isn?t responsible for them, she?s responsible for herself.  You can dream big but the details of the work involved must be attended to, day in and day out.  
My advice to potential qualifiers is, for this short time in your life, make all the necessary sacrifices to make this dream your reality.  The Trials only come around once every four years.  You want to be there and you want to be on that line with the very best you have.   Life has a way of really changing in four years when you don?t necessarily make your living off of racing.  MAKE THIS TIME COUNT!

Source: http://milesandtrialsfilm.blogspot.com/2011/03/make-this-time-count.html

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Everything is Bigger in Texas!

Houston, here we come! Thanks to the generous donations from folks around the country who want to help me get this film made, I will be leaving for Houston tomorrow to shoot the next segment at the USA Half Marathon Championships on 1/29 and the Chevron Houston Marathon on 1/30.

As a lifelong fan of distance running and track & field, there is nothing more exciting than being at the start to witness so many talented elite athletes toe the line. What makes this even more special is that the 2012 U.S. Olympic Marathon Team Trials will be held on this very course a year from now, and many of our top distance runners and Olympic hopefuls will be testing it out in advance of the Trials. I plan to interview a handful of the top Elite Women, including Magdalena Lewy Boulet, Zoila Gomez, Dot McMahan, Katie McGregor and Tera Moody (who has a cameo in our film), among others. I also hope to meet and interview some of the sub-elite women from across the U.S. who are also racing, so if anyone knows of a talented woman who is racing in Houston this weekend, please post their name and info here.

Stay tuned to this blog for updates from Houston as I'm able to post them. You can also check in on our Facebook Fan Page!

Source: http://milesandtrialsfilm.blogspot.com/2011/01/everything-is-bigger-in-texas.html

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Seven Day's 'til the Eugene Marathon & Christina's on her way!

Christina Overbeck departed Chicago yesterday and is getting ready to qualify for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Marathon Team Trials in the Eugene Marathon. (Her goal time is 2:45:00, one minute under the B qualifying standard.) Two weeks after Eugene, she'll be getting married and settling in Portland, Oregon, where she'll be sure to make new running friends. Go, Christina, go!!

Source: http://milesandtrialsfilm.blogspot.com/2011/04/seven-days-til-eugene-marathon.html

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50 More Day's 'til Eugene!

Christina and Heather are five weeks into their training cycle for the Eugene Marathon, where both hope to qualify for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials by running under 2:46. The marathon's on May 1st, which is only 50 days away! If you'd like to support the production of this film and help our crew get to Oregon to film the ladies, please click on the Donate link on the upper-right side of this page.

Here's a little video of Christina in her first running event of 2011...

Source: http://milesandtrialsfilm.blogspot.com/2011/03/50-more-days-til-eugene.html

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How wonderful and random to meet one of our "Miles & Trials" film fund donors and supporters while on location shooting at the Cleveland Marathon on 5/15. Even cooler was that she recognized me while she was on her way to a big PR in the half marathon! Thanks, Maryclare!

Source: http://milesandtrialsfilm.blogspot.com/2011/05/how-wonderful-and-random-to-meet-one-of.html

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Olympic Security ? Knives, bombs and the Welsh Dragon

Queuing up to pass through one of the many security check points at the Olympics on one occasion there was a recording being played over the PA system: ?Flags of non-participating countries and regions, and sharp objects are not permitted into the Olympic Green?. At first this seemed like a strange combination ? why should [...]

Source: http://beijingolympicsblog.wordpress.com/2008/08/26/olympic-security-%e2%80%93-knives-bombs-and-the-welsh-dragon/

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?I don?t know who she is!? The tale of Waitz?s first NYC Marathon win

Grete Waitz didn't even know she was running her first marathon until a few days before she stepped to the starting line at the 1978 New York City Marathon. The diminutive Norwegian runner, who held the world record in the 3,000 meters, was a late entry into the race and had never competed in a race longer than 10 miles.

She went on to win and then duplicated the feat eight more times throughout her career, making her the most decorated female runner ever to compete in the famed road race. The former physical education teacher set the world record numerous times in the event and also won the silver medal at the 1984 Olympics.

Waitz died on Tuesday at the age of 57. She had been battling cancer for six years. Read her obituary here.

The story of Waitz's first time in New York is a classic tale in running circles. From the Oct. 23, 1978 edition of The Washington Post:

Because of her late decision, Waitz was given number 1173 and was not even listed in the official program - the startled public address announcer at the finish line said, "No. 1173 has overtaken Martha Cooksey for the women's lead at 20 miles, but I don't know who she is" - but her time bettered by 2:17.7 the previous women's record of 2:34:47.5 set earlier this year by Christa Vahlensieck of West Germany.

Waitz, who arrived only Thursday for her first visit to the United States, was asked if she could run faster.

"It is difficult to say. I don't really know the distance. I haven't trained for it. I have been running only 17 to 19 miles a day," replied the cheerful Norsewoman. "I just wanted to try running a marathon because so many girls are doing that here. Only a few in Norway, but I read so much about the marathon in the Track and Field News."

In her first time ever running the race, Waitz broke a record by over two minutes, all because she had been reading about it in a magazine. Given her later history in the event, it must have been a really good article.

More marathon coverage on Y! Sports:
? Why the fastest marathon ever won't be considered a world record

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/vancouver/blog/fourth_place_medal/post/-I-don-t-know-who-she-is-The-tale-of-Waitz-s-f?urn=oly-wp116

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Thursday, September 1, 2011

Man runs 99 miles home after completing London Marathon

Sam Robson did what most people do after completing a marathon: He went home and fell asleep. Except rather than drive to his house, 99 miles away from the finish line of the London Marathon, Robson ran back. All the way.

The 28-year-old from Central England finished Sunday's official race in 3 hours and 45 minutes before starting on the 99-mile second leg. He arrived to his home in St. Ives Cambs about 25 hours later, greeted by a cheering crowd. In total, he ran 125 miles in 29 hours, a pace of around 13 minutes per mile.

That number sounds insane, but it's even more mind-boggling if you really think about it. Think back to what you were doing five hours ago yesterday. Now imagine you've been running since then. I don't know if most people could stay awake that long, let alone do anything remotely physical.

Robson, a medical researcher, completed the super-marathon to raise money for the UK Epilepsy Society. In all, he raised a little more than $5,000 for the charity. Robson has suffered from the condition since he was a teenager.

He told reporters that the running itself was easy, but staying up, keeping hydrated and ingesting calories (to make up for the 15,000 he burned) was the hard part.

"I had to have regular breaks to refill my water and whenever I stopped my legs seized up so I couldn't rest for long. In terms of tiredness, my legs felt pretty good and the worst bit was I had to keep eating to replace all the calories I was burning.

One day after his mega-run, Robson said he was doing fine except for some soreness. That's to be expected. It wasn't just his first 99-mile run, it was his first marathon too.

Follow Yahoo! Sports on Facebook and be the first to know about the most interesting stories of the day.

Other popular Yahoo! Sports stories:
? MLB team puts adds a gigantic golf club to field
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? Soccer trophy celebration goes really wrong

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/vancouver/blog/fourth_place_medal/post/Man-runs-99-miles-home-after-completing-London-M?urn=oly-wp125

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Wednesday's wiping of our floor

We did two sessions today. All last night and this morning I did some active recovery things that made my back feel good going into the morning session. All the guys trained really hard and were pretty wiped after the day was out.

In the first session, we all started off with a Snatch High Pull followed by a Snatch from below the knee. I only worked up to three of these with 90kg and Sami got some excellent technique work done with Glenn. Kevin Cornell was the beast of the morning and hit a high pull and Snatch from below the knee with 140. It was awesome and he has impressed myself and Sami massively since we arrived. Himself and Jon are going to push each other massively over the next few months. Donny Snatched 160, Clean and Jerked 185 and Back Squatted 270kg in the morning session alone. He is a machine.

The guys then went on to do the same with Cleans, but I skipped that to protect my lower back. I went on to do Jerks from the blocks and I ended up hitting 150kg for a pr. Once I get used to this exercise, I should be able to put up a good bit more weight because I have power to spare in the Jerk. The rest of the lads then went on to do Jerks from behind the neck off the blocks and Sami hit an easy 110 for a triple. Jon hit 160kg for four reps. Kevin hit 160 for five reps and 170kg for three.

For the second session of the day, everyone was having their last maximum intensity session before the competition on Saturday. It was intense and there were some big weights. Myself and Sami struggled in our first afternoon session because it would be three or four in the morning at home while we were training. It was a strange sensation feeling like you should be asleep but adrenaline coursing through you at the same time. Jon Snatched 147kg and Clean and Jerked 175kg, which was impressive because he was working for hours before the second workout and had eaten very little all day. Kevin Snatched 140 and I am not sure what he Jerked. Donny had 195 overhead in the Jerk and Snatched somewhere over 160kg. Spenser Clean and Jerked 180 which was impressive considering he has had a sore knee all week. Rob hit 120/140 and Brian just did pulls because he has a sore wrist.

Sami was zonked and hit 95/115kg despite being practically asleep. He finished off with an easy 160 squat and called it a day. I had a decent second session. In the Snatch, I worked up with one Power Snatch and a full Snatch with 50, 50, 50, 70, 90, 100 and then I hit 110 and 115 twice for two singles in the Snatch. I was happy to get them considering my turnover and lifting in general was pretty slow. My first 115 was like a delayed high pull followed by a dive under to catch. I hit it again and it felt like that was the end of the road. I intend to open with this on Saturday, so I was happy to hit it twice. In the Clean and Jerk, I did doubles with 50 and 70. I then did singles with 95, 105, 115, 130 and 140kg. I wussed out of 145kg which was embarrassing because it was there and I could not control my mind. I finished up with some Back Squats and did a double with 100 and singles with 120, 140, 160 and I missed 180 twice which I found surprising. Maybe the jump was too big, but I will get it next time.

All in all, it was a good session in that I got a lot of work done; I hit a pb in the Jerk from the rack and I hit my openers for Saturday. It is funny for myself and Sami, because our lifting is literally in slow motion compared to the other guys and it is awesome watching guys lift so quickly from the floor to the catch. We are both enjoying training here immensely and are enjoying the Cal Strength hospitality from Glenn and the boys.

Source: http://weightliftingepiphanies.blogspot.com/2011/06/wednesdays-wiping-of-our-floor.html

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Why was Michael Phelps wearing Australian swim trunks?

Michael Phelps is a proud member of Team USA. During the Beijing Olympics, he won eight gold medals for the U.S., so why was he spotted wearing Australian swim trunks at the world swimming championships in Shanghai?

Phelps told the " Today" show that he was in the warmup area, and he didn't have his swim trunks with him. Australian Eamon Sullivan, Phelps' competitor and friend, had an extra pair. That set up this picture, with Phelps talking to teammate Ryan Lochte while representing for the Aussies.

Sullivan tweeted this picture, joking, "About as close as you will ever see @MichaelPhelps swimming for Australia!" He added that he hoped the shorts brought Phelps luck, and that there is no need to return them.

They did bring him luck, as Phelps won his first gold of the world championships on Wednesday. He won the 200m butterfly over Japan's Takeshi Matsud and China's Wu Peng. Earlier this week, Phelps took silver behind Lochte in the 200m free.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/vancouver/blog/fourth_place_medal/post/Why-was-Michael-Phelps-wearing-Australian-swim-t?urn=oly-wp509

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Britain?s women?s rowing quad fails to make world championships final

Britain’s Olympic rowing squad suffered its first major disappointment at the world championships when the women’s quad failed to make the A final after finishing third in their repechage. The British world champions were heartbroken as the American and Chinese crews narrowly beat them. For Annie Vernon and Debbie Flood, the result was particularly tough. [...]

Source: http://london-2012-olympics.net/News/britains-womens-rowing-quad-fails-to-make-world-championships-final/

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An Important Message from Producer Wendy Shulik

We are now in the final seven months of filming ?Miles & Trials?; however, we are still desperately in need of funding and sponsors! The generous donations we?ve received along the way have been really made a difference but the majority of the production costs have come out of my (the Producer?s) own pocket.

Unfortunately, I have just lost my full-time, day job and this is a *huge* problem. Aside from being extremely bummed out about unemployment, I?m worried about not being able to complete the shooting portion this documentary. Without footage, we have no movie!


We?ve only three more marathons left to shoot: the Chicago Rock ?n Roll Half Marathon (8/14), the Chicago Marathon (10/9), and the Olympic Trials in Houston (1/14/12). Anything you can do to help us film our female Trials hopefuls at these races will be greatly appreciated. We now have over 700 Facebook fans?if each of you donates $10, we?ll have enough to cover costs to shoot all three races! Please click on the "Donate" button on the upper right-hand side of this page to contribute to our Film Fund through PayPal. Help support running films and female athletes!

Sincerely,

Wendy Shulik

Source: http://milesandtrialsfilm.blogspot.com/2011/07/important-message-from-producer-wendy.html

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Friday?s Olympic noteworthy

? Track and field agent and coach Mark Block received a 10-year suspension after an American Arbitration Association panel determined that he trafficked performance-enhancing drugs in the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative (BALCO) scandal. The panel found that Block, the 24th person with links to BALCO who has been sanctioned in a case brought by the [...]

Friday?s Olympic noteworthy is a post from: Higher, Faster, Stronger

Source: http://gazetteolympics.freedomblogging.com/2011/03/18/friday%e2%80%99s-olympic-noteworthy-4/4191/

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Everything is Bigger in Texas!

Houston, here we come! Thanks to the generous donations from folks around the country who want to help me get this film made, I will be leaving for Houston tomorrow to shoot the next segment at the USA Half Marathon Championships on 1/29 and the Chevron Houston Marathon on 1/30.

As a lifelong fan of distance running and track & field, there is nothing more exciting than being at the start to witness so many talented elite athletes toe the line. What makes this even more special is that the 2012 U.S. Olympic Marathon Team Trials will be held on this very course a year from now, and many of our top distance runners and Olympic hopefuls will be testing it out in advance of the Trials. I plan to interview a handful of the top Elite Women, including Magdalena Lewy Boulet, Zoila Gomez, Dot McMahan, Katie McGregor and Tera Moody (who has a cameo in our film), among others. I also hope to meet and interview some of the sub-elite women from across the U.S. who are also racing, so if anyone knows of a talented woman who is racing in Houston this weekend, please post their name and info here.

Stay tuned to this blog for updates from Houston as I'm able to post them. You can also check in on our Facebook Fan Page!

Source: http://milesandtrialsfilm.blogspot.com/2011/01/everything-is-bigger-in-texas.html

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One Year Out From the 2012 Olympic Trials Marathon!

INDIANAPOLIS - Friday marks one year until the Team USA marathon squad for the London 2012 Olympic Games will be selected in Houston, Texas. With the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Marathon a mere 365 days away, USA Track & Field will host a live web chat featuring 2008 Olympic marathoners Ryan Hall (Big Bear Lake, Calif.) and Magdalena Lewy Boulet (Oakland, Calif.) to discuss their preparations for the upcoming USA Half Marathon Championships in Houston. The 2011 championships will be held on January 29, and will be used to preview the 2012 Olympic Trials marathon course.

Earlier this week, the Houston Marathon Committee and USA Track & Field announced that Hall, the 2007 USA Half Marathon champion and American Record holder, and Boulet, the 2009 USA Half Marathon champion, will be returning to Houston for the 2011 championships and will face other 2012 Olympic Trials contenders such as Patrick Smyth (Mammoth Lakes, Calif.) and Katie McGregor (Saint Louis Park, Minn.).

Fans and media can participate in the live web chat beginning at 2:00 p.m. EST by visiting www.usatf.org/events/2012/OlympicTrials-Marathon/fans/index.asp.



Source: http://milesandtrialsfilm.blogspot.com/2011/01/one-year-out-from-2012-olympic-trials.html

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