World Junior XC: German Fernandez - 11th / Chris Derrick - 15th / Luke Puskedra - 30th

Amman, Jordan – Digging deep into his reserves up the final climb towards the finish, Ethiopia’s Ayele Abshero wasn’t going to settle for a second successive silver medal at the 37th IAAF World Cross Country Championships at the Bisharat Golf Club here today. And Abshero’s strength duly saw him go one better than he had in Edinburgh last year as he took the gold from Titus Mbishei (Kenya) and Moses Kibet (Uganda).

Mbishei had perhaps deserved more for it was he who had pushed the pace along for much of the 8km race. But Abshero lived up to his billing as the pre-race favourite, taking control with a surge up a short hill with some 600m to go and never looking back. Mbishei stuck to Abshero’s heels briefly but fell away to finish 25 metres down.

At least Mbishei had the satisfaction of leading Kenya to team gold, although Ethiopia came mightily close to ending Kenya’s run of 10 successive titles, a figure which now moves onto 11. Backing up Mbishei was Paul Tanui (4th), Japheth Korir (5th) and John Kipkoech (9th) for a total for 20 points. Ethiopia scored 22 with Abshero followed home by Atalay Yirsaw (6th) Gashaw Biftu (7th) and Debebe Woldsenbet (8th).

While Abshero was runner-up last year behind his compatriot, Ibrahim Jeylan, Mbishei was fifth. The Kenyan ran like a young man who knew he had to draw the finish from Abshero and, after the Eritrean squad had made the early running, Mbishei took charge. He led through the second and third laps as Abshero buried himself in the lead group outside the top three.

As the bell for the fourth and final lap sounded, the number of contenders was down to seven: Mbishei, Yirsaw, Biftu, Abshero, Kibet and Korir bunched close together with Tanui five metres back. But, once Abshero had made his surge, taking Mbishei with him, only the bronze was left to fight for and it was Kibet who edged out Tanui to become the first athlete from outside Kenya or Ethiopia to take an individual medal in this event since his fellow Ugandan, Boniface Kiprop, took bronze in 2004.

Abshero had laid down markers which pointed to his victory here with a series of fine performances during the winter. He won the Cross Internacional Juan Muguerza, in Elgoibar, Spain, on 11 January, beating the last two runners-up from the senior World Championship – Moses Mosop and Leonard Komon.

One week later Abserho finished fifth in the IAAF permit series meeting in Seville but only a few strides behind the first two, Moses Kipsiro and Tariku Bekele. In the Ethiopian trial last month, Abshero was as comfortable winner of the Junior race. He should, however, be aware that history is not on his side when it comes to a prospective senior title. In the 36-year history of the World Cross Country Championships (pending today’s Senior Men’s race) only Ethiopia’s Kenenisa Bekele has gone on to win the class Senior Men’s 12km title having triumphed as a junior.

Mbishei now has a pair of individual silver medals at global level, having finished runner-up over 10,000m in the 2008 World Junior Championships, in Bydgoszcz, Poland. He is the latest of a long line of Kenyans to have developed his early fitness by running to and from school, 4.5km each way in his case. On top of that his running would be put to the test herding sheep and hunting rabbits with his father.

Team bronze medals went to Eritrea, their squad led home by Goitom Kifle (14th) and completed by Malue Andom (18th), Nassir Dawud (19th) and Merhawi Tadesse (21st).

Despite his concerns over a recent injury, German Fernandez the world’s fastest ever junior indoor miler was the first non-African across the line in 11th place.

After breaking the record for the second time this season, Fernandez suffered what he described as “a stress reaction” to a foot and had been running for the last two weeks in pain. While he achieved the top 15 place he had been looking for, he leaves without the team medal he had his eye on. The US had to settle for fifth place behind Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Uganda.

MY TAKE ON IT: DISAPPOINTING... DISAPPOINTING... ANOTHER BAD SHOWING FOR US DISTANCE RUNNING ON THE WORLD STAGE

P.S. EARTH HOUR TONIGHT 8:30 TO 9:30!! 

Haile Gebrselassie on a treadmill... crazy

DARK CHOCOLATE

Good for You 
Dark chocolate is rich in antioxidants that can reduce high blood pressure and inflammation. But don't overdo it: Researchers reported in the July 2007 Journal of the American Medical Association that a mere 30 calories a day of dark chocolate (or one and a half Special Dark Hershey's Kisses) was all it took to reduce blood pressure.


Get the Best 
Dark chocolate is differentiated by the percentage of cocoa it contains. "The higher the percentage, the more cocoa and the less sugar it has," says Sternau. Choose a percentage of 70 or more for the most antioxidants. Chocolate stored in a cool, dark, dry place will keep for several months.


Kitchen Simple 
Make chocolate-dipped goodies, such as strawberries, dried apricots, or pretzel rods, by melting a half-pound of baking chocolate with a tablespoon of vegetable oil in the microwave; heat in 10-second intervals and stir in between. "The oil keeps the chocolate shiny," says Sternau. Dip the fruit or pretzels so they're two-thirds covered. Place on wax paper. Refrigerate for five minutes. Serve immediately.

MY TAKE ON IT: I HATE DARK CHOCOLATE... GO MILK!!!

Old video of Trevor Dunbar of Alaska running a ridiculous 2-mile time trial IN THE SNOW

Caffeine and its effect on YOUR RUNNING

Wake up, make a beeline for the coffeepot. it's a routine most of us can relate to. In fact, nearly 60 percent of Americans drink coffee every day. And why not? A cup of joe has long been credited with stimulating the nervous system, helping us feel more alert, better able to concentrate--not to mention more energized for a five-miler. On top of that, coffee's high antioxidant content has been attributed to reducing the risk of diabetes and heart disease, and caffeine has been linked to aiding fat metabolism and easing postworkout pain.

Then last year a new study came out that struck fear in the hearts of java junkies everywhere. The study seemed to suggest that caffeine could actually hinder performance, and one of its authors was widely quoted as saying, "Do not drink coffee before doing physical activity." What, no joe? "Caffeine may not be as harmless as we thought," says Philipp Kaufmann, M.D., a professor of cardiology in Switzerland and one author of the study. Here's what all this means for those of us who can't get out the door without a caffeine connection.

CAFFEINE JITTERS

Working at the University Hospital Zurich, Kaufmann and his colleagues found that 200 milligrams of caffeine (about two cups of coffee) decreased blood flow to the heart during exercise by 22 percent. That percentage increased to 39 for people exercising in a high-altitude chamber, which the researchers used to simulate the way coronary artery disease (CAD, or hardening of the arteries) limits the amount of oxygen that gets to the heart. No such effect occurred at rest. "When energy is used, a substance called adenosine opens the arteries to facilitate increased blood flow," says Kaufmann. "Caffeine partly blocks the effects of adenosine." Scientists have known about this relationship for a long time, but the Zurich team was the first to find that the effect was strong enough to measure, and it published the findings in the January 2006 issue of Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Since an increase in blood to the heart is necessary for aerobic activity, the findings, theoretically, suggest that caffeine could slow you down. The study's purpose, however, wasn't to look at whether caffeine could help athletes go faster or farther. Instead, it set out to investigate the effect caffeine has on blood flow to the heart. "Patients with CAD usually have decreased blood flow reserve already," says Kaufmann. "A further decrease could, in theory, be a problem for them." Furthermore, their findings suggest to Kaufmann that reduced blood flow "cannot be considered favorable" during exercise for anyone.

TAKE HEART

As frequently happens with nutrition news, the pendulum then swung back in caffeine's favor. An April 2006 Journal of Sports Science study found that caffeine had a positive impact on the performance of male distance runners. A group of caffeine drinkers, who downed 1.4 mg of caffeine per pound of body weight (a 12-ounce coffee for a 150-pound person), had a 1.2 percent improvement in an 8-K race. "They were able to maintain a higher intensity without undue fatigue," says study author Michelle Jones, Ph.D., an associate professor of exercise science at Edge Hill University in England. In the November 2006 issue of the same journal, a study examined whether or not caffeine could improve cyclists' times for a one-kilometer sprint (lasting about 60 seconds). The researchers reported a 3.1 percent improvement compared with a noncaffeinated group.

CAFFEINE + YOU

So is caffeine friend or foe? It can be both. The Zurich study does carry a message of caution, says Bernard Clark, M.D., a cardiologist at St. Francis Hospital in Hartford, Connecticut. People with CAD or those at a high risk for heart disease should avoid loading up on caffeine before a run, or at minimum, check with their doctors first. "If you're not a coffee drinker," says Jones, "studies that find a positive connection between caffeine and performance aren't meant to encourage you to start." 

That said, if you're a regular latte sipper, there's probably no need to stop. Despite his findings on blood flow, Kaufmann says caffeine "seems not to be a problem for healthy people." And it doesn't turn 100 years of scientific research on caffeine's ergogenic properties on its head. "Caffeine's effect is both psychological and physiological," says Lawrence Armstrong, Ph.D., a leading researcher on caffeine at the University of Connecticut. "Even a little bit can make a difference. Especially after the 18-mile mark of a marathon."

MY TAKE ON IT: EHHH SOUNDS FISHY... ALTHOUGH I WILL PROBABLY TRY IT FOR MY 1 MILE AND 2 MILE RACES ON THE TRACK AND CAN'T SEE ITS BENEFIT FOR LONGER DISTANCES THAN 2 MILE... ALL I KNOW IS NOTHING ENERGIZES YOU LIKE A GOOD MEAL BEFORE A RACE

German Fernandez's prospects for medaling in World Junior XC 2009

Let's be honest here. While we're trying not to incite the hype around German Fernandez to even more ridiculous levels, the fact of the matter is there is probably no chance I'd be in Amman covering World XC if it weren't due to our excitement about seeing how German Fernandez and the US junior men perform.

The question is: Does Fernandez have a chance to medal?

Junior Men's Analysis
Americans in recent years have yawned at World XC as many of America's top talents have skipped the meet to focus on other events. Not this year. The great news is that one of America's best talents is here in German Fernandez and World XC is obviously a huge priority for him, as he just skipped NCAAs to get ready for this race The better news is he is still a junior so his medal prospects are at least in the realm of theoretical possibilities.

The question (rephrased) is: How realistic are those possibilities?

Fans need to realize the simple math says they are very unlikely. In the 24 years since 1985, American Dathan Ritzenhein is the only non-African to win a medal on the junior boys side. It's actually been easier for a non-African to win a medal in the senior men's race, as four non-African born people have medalled since 1985 with Portugal's Paul Arpin in 1987 (bronze), Britain's Tim Hutchings in 1989 (silver), Portugal's Paula Guerra in 1999 (bronze) and the Ukraine's Sergey Lebid in 2001 (silver).

Africans Mature Early
Whether it's the fact that African runners advance at an earlier age or perhaps discrepancies in birth certificates or more likely a combination of both, the fact is that the African runners are truly very advanced at a very early age. For example, Kenenisa Bekele won the junior title in 2001 and then came back and won the first of 5 straight senior titles in 2002. Similarly, Kenya's Leonard Komonwas 4th in the juniors in 2007 and then took 2nd in the seniors in 2008. 2007 junior champion Asbel Kiprop could have run in the junior meet last year but he ended up getting the Olympic 1,500 silver instead. The junior world records at 3k 7:28.79, 5k (12:52.61), and 10k (26:41.75) are all significantly better than the US overall records.

Will German Be Smiling on Saturday?

Further supporting this point is the fact that at the age of 22, Tariku Bekele is the 2nd oldest member of the senior Ethiopian squad.

So the stats say it's going to be tough and that only the very best American seniors would probably have a shot at medaling in the junior race. But general stats are meaningless. Who is German's big competition?

The junior men's race appears to have a "clear favourite" according to the IAAF in 18-year-old Ethiopian Ayele Abshero. This guy ran 29:21 for 10k in 2007 at the Great Ethiopia Run at altitude in Ethiopia. Last year, he got the silver in the junior XC race and then went on to run 13:35 for 5k last summer in Berlin.

Big deal you say? Yes, American junior Chris Derrick did run 13:44 indoors on January 30th but he didn't defeat some of the finest runners on the world in January like Abshero did. On January 11th, Abshero crushed the last two silver medallists from the senior race in Moses Mosop and Leonard Komon in Elgoibar, Spain. A week later, he was 6th in the Seville IAAF meet - only 12 seconds behind Moses Kipsiro and Tariku Bekele, who have shots at a medal in the senior race.

So it certainly looks like Abshero is going to be basically impossible to beat if he's on top of his game.

Looking At The Kenyans
As for the Kenyans, the good news is not a whole lot was known about most of them. Additionally, the Kenyan junior trials were fairly close as 1st through 5th finished less than 7 seconds apart. Optimists might take that as meaning there isn't one Kenyan who is leaps and bounds better than anyone. Below, we'll list the known track PRs of the guys that finished 1st through 4th and 6th at the Kenyan junior Trials.

1. John Kemboi (25:22.9 at Trials) - No known track PRs.
2. Paul Tanui (25:23.6 at Trials) - No known track PRs.
3. Japhet Korir (25:25.9 at Trials) - 14:11.39 for 3rd at Commonwealth Youth Games in 2008.
4. John Chekpwony (25:29.3 at Trials) - No known track PRs.
6. Charles Chepkurui (25:35.1 at Trials) - No known track PRs.

So the fact that 5 of the top 6 from the Kenyan trials have been listed probably means German Fernandez fans are probably getting real excited now. You're thinking, "The Kenyans are down!!! The Kenyans are down!!! The Kenyans are down!!!"

But the more rational fan might be saying, "Wait a minute, why did he skip #5."

And there is the problem. Titus Mbishei, who was 5th in 25:29.5 at the Kenyan Trials, ran 7:50.23, 13:27.65 and 27:31.65 last year. No chance in hell Fernandez could have run any of those times last year.

And while we don't know much about John Kemboi Cheruiyot other than the fact that he's the best in Kenya we do know that he trains at times with 2006 senior World Cross runner-up  Isaac Songokand Commonwealth 5000m champion Augustine Choge. That says a lot.

Will The Africans Make Fernandez Squirm In Pain?

And take the 14:11.39 run by Japhet Korir at the Commonwealth Games. That was a sprint finish which was won by Uganda's Moses Kibet in 14:10.89. Kibet ran 8:05.04 for 3k last year which is nothing to sneeze about (The second placer from the Commonwealth Youth Games last year is also Ugandan in Dickson Huru and he's also running in Amman).

So what does it all mean? It means all of the Kenyans on paper can't be ignored. The fact that all but one don't have big-time track times to their names doesn't necessarily mean much, as being the Trials champ was enough to vault Kiprop to stardom in 2007.

Looking at the other Ethiopians besides the favorite Abshero, Yetwale Kende was the runner-up at the Ethiopian champs. Last year, he ran 8:06.00 and 14:03.29. Don't think for a minute that the 14:03 is indicative of his maximal ability, as that was run in the Berlin Golden League meet, which was the fastest on the planet last year and won in 12:50. If his agent thinks he's good to run in Berlin, he's certainly super-talented.

As with the Kenyans, it appears that there is quality all the way down the line for the Ethiopians, however, as Legese Lamiso was only 6th in their Trials. Last year, he ran 8:30 for the steeple and 13:53. The year before that, he was the World Youth champion in the steeple.

Fernandez Catches A Big Break
Fernandez's medal hopes did get a big boost by the fact that many of the top juniors eligible to return from last year aren't entered in the race. Seven of the top 15 were eligible to return based on age but only two of those seven are here are here in Abshero (2nd) and Mbishei (5th).

Third-placer Lucas Rotich didn't make the Kenyan team nor did 7th-placer Peter Some nor 15th-placer Charles Kibet.

More significant is the fact that last year's 9th placer, Amanuel Mesel of Eritrea, who has a 13:25 PR to his name, isn't running.

But the biggest break of all is the fact that the Ethiopians opted to run Feyisa Lilesa in the senior race even though he's only 19. Lilesa was only 14th last year but he's a total stud. His PRs are 13:34.80, 27:46.80 and 62:26 (half marathon). Plus he just got 2nd in the Ethiopian senior trials. It's basically a certainty he'd have at least medalled had he run in the junior race since he might medal in the senior race, so this development is huge.

There are other African-born athletes in the field whom we couldn't find any info on, including three from Bahrain, four from Uganda and six from Eritrea and the Sudan. Morocco also has six in the field and it's known that Youssef Nasir has run 29:19 and Adil Rachid 13:47.

What About The Non-Africans?
Looking at the non-Africans, the biggest competition that Fernandez may face in Amman as he "goes for a medal in the fans' eyes" may very well come from his own teammates in Chris Derrick and Luke Puskedra. Remember last fall, people were wondering whether Fernandez could somehow win the NCAA cross-country and in the end, he ended up as a DNF as Oregon's Puskeda and Stanford's Derrick ended up in the top 10.

Of the two, Derrick has looked the best this winter as he was the runner-up to Fernandez at USAs and he pulled off a nice double at NCAAs when he was 4th in the 5k and 5th in the 3k after running the 13:44 that we mentioned earlier. Puskedra has run 13:46 and was 6th at NCAAs in the 5k.

The IAAF has rightly made a lot of the juniors from Australia. But the fact of the matter is their star inRyan Gregson has zero chance of medalling. His 3:37 is insane and basically equivalent to Fernandez's 3:55 mile, but Gregson himself admitted he was shocked he was able to run that fast given he's coming back from a stress fracture. He's more of a middle distance runner and he's coming back from a stress fracture. Not a good combination. The fact that he only ran 13:56.83 at their national champs for 5k proves he's not fit enough to contend in Amman. The truth is Gregson won't hold a torch to Fernandez in Amman.

The runner-up at the Australian trials, Richard Everest, has run 13:49 and 8:00 and, considering he was only 5 seconds behind Gregson at the Australian Trials, he might actually be Australia's top finisher.

Looking at non-Africans not from Australia, Japanese prodigy Hirotaka Tamura can't be totally ignored as a top 10 threat. Even though he just turned 17 a little over three months ago, he was 20th last year as a 16-year-old. 20th was 5 spots ahead of Fernandez and Tamura's track PR is only 3:47.

The stats are definitely stacked against Fernandez. But if you are optimist, he did catch a good break as many of the top potential returnees aren't in the field, including Eritrea's 13:25 runner Amanuel Meseland, more importantly, Ethiopia's Feyisa Lilesa, who is in the senior race as the Ethiopians are a bit thin in that race.

Regardless, the fact of the matter is for Fernandez to have any chance of medaling, he'll have to run really, really well.

But What About Fernandez Himself?
The fact that Fernandez popped a 3:55.02 solo mile is insane. The fact that he could come back a few hours later and run 7:57 is very impressive. But Fernandez last year proved that he's amazingly good at running by himself and doubling on the same day. That by no means assures he will medal in Amman.

Given the fact that Fernandez failed to win the 2008 Foot Locker High School championships and given the fact that even if he had not been injured at NCAAs in XC, he might not have been the top freshman at NCAAs; the fact of the matter is Fernandez hasn't proven himself to a top notch XC racer or a top notch racer in a real crowded race with a ton of contenders.

Yes, he destroyed people at the California state meet last year but he didn't win Foot Locker. Yes, he destroyed two very good runners in Puskedra and Derrick at USAs, but we have no idea if they were going all out, do we? Yes, he destroyed everyone at Big 12s with a fantastic double, but none of those guys even really made NCAAs and didn't Fernandez do that at Big 12s in XC, kick-starting the ridiculous hype at NCAAs?

When I was talking to Dave Smith, Fernandez's coach, after NCAAs about Fernandez's injury, he indicated to me that while Fernandez loves XC way more than track, the stats so far indicate that he's a better track runner than XC. I have to agree.

Is he really a top notch XC guy? We'll start to find out on Saturday.

Rojo's Final Overall Take: I'd be the first to admit there is no chance I'd be here in Amman if Fernandez wasn't here, but the facts state that Fernandez faces a huge challenge if he is going to medal. I think Dave Smith talking about a top-15 finish as being the goal is very smart even if that's lower than where I think he'll finish.

(Editor's Note: Dave Smith has told RunnersWorld Fernandez has a "stress reaction" and has been training on an Alter G treadmill. Message board thread here)

People need to remember Fernandez was only 25th in the junior champs last year and some 1:13 away from medaling. Fernandez is much improved this year, but that's a lot of ground to make up.

An honest analysis of the odds would state that his chances of medaling might be about the same as the chances he gets beaten by Puskedra or Derrick. What percentage is that? I have no idea. I just know that every time I lower expectations for Galen Rupp's performances, he surprises me. Let's hope that Fernandez does the same on Saturday.

PS - As for an actual prediction, I might make one before the race, but I want to talk to the Kenyan press first.

MY TAKE ON IT: GERMAN FERNANDEZ WILL MEDAL, I REPEAT: GERMAN FERNANDEZ....WILL...WIN...A....MEDAAAL!!! WHILE HIS SPECIALITY CERTAINLY IS NOT LONG DISTANCE RUNNING, BUT RATHER THE 2 MILE AND MILE ON THE TRACK, I AM A STRONG BELIEVER IN THE POSITIVE EFFECTS OF CONFIDENCE AND SELF-ASSURANCE: TWO QUALITIES GERMAN MUST HAVE AFTER HIS RECENT INCREDIBLE FEATS.

Lisbon Half-Marathon: Kinda weird......

With Olympic Marathon Champion Sammy Wanjiru unexpectedly out of the picture, Martin Lel did what we all expected and surged to the Lisbon Half Marathon win in the final meters.

Emerging from a pack of four men's runners that included World Marathon Majors Champion Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot, Lel and Moroccan Jaouad Gharib sprinted to the line with no more than 500m left. Gharib took the lead, hoping he could win in a prolonged kick, but Lel was immediately stuck to his side and back. Heading into a 90-degree turn with about 150m to go, Lel beat Gharib to the inside track and raised his speed considerably, powering home for one of his trademark road wins.

Lel's time, approximately 59:54, was well off Wanjiru's world record of 58:33 set in 2007, but may have reflected what looked to be relatively humid and warm conditions on the course.

Kenya's Sammy Wanjiru was well-beaten, dropping from the lead pack relatively early in the race. We believe Emmanuel Mutai was the other Kenyan in the lead pack of 4 that was together for almost the entire race before the final kilometers separated the leaders.

Women's Race: Goucher Dominates ... Until The Final 5k

American Kara Goucher was alone for much of the day, well, except for three male pacemakers surrounding her almost the entire way. Goucher was almost exactly on pace for an American record in the half marathon through 15k (~48:20, shooting for Deena Kastor's 67:34), but she began to show signs of distress in the final kilometers. Goucher's pace slowed considerably, especially in the final 1,000m, as her grimace became more pronounced. She finished in ~68:29.

Coming into the race, Goucher sported the 9th-best half marathon personal best of all time. Her 66:57 from 2007, set on a net downhill course in Great Britain, established her as the race's clear favorite. However, it did not look like a fun day out on the course for Goucher, who along with coach Alberto Salazar had remarked on her fantastic fitness heading into the race, even hinting at a possible world record attempt on Lisbon's IAAF-certified course (Lornah Kiplagat's 66:25 stood as the mark to best).

The wheels came off, so to speak, for Goucher in the final kilometers (we think her last 1,000m may have been 4:10). In fact, though it appeared she had the race easily won from the early stages, Goucher was fortunate to win the race as Kenyan Alice Timilili came into the picture just in the final moments. Had the race been just another 400m, Goucher may have finished lower down in the standings.

MY TAKE ON IT: WOW... THIS DIDN'T GO ACCORDING TO PLANS... WANJIRU/GOUCHER (ALTHOUGH YOU DID WIN, PROPS FOR THAT) WHAT HAPPPPEEENNNNED. I'D LIKE TO CALL OUT ALBERTO SALAZAR, SPECIFICALLY... I SEEM TO REMEMBER YOU SAYING HOW GOUCHER WAS FOR SURE GOING TO THREATEN THE AMERICAN HALF-MARATHON RECORD AND MAYBE EVEN THE WORLD RECORD.... uhhh yeah, no... atleast this is an excuse to put up another picture of Kara Goucher!!

Fantastic Interview with RYAN HALL by RunningTimes

On April 20, Ryan Hall will try to become the first American man to win the Boston Marathon since Greg Meyer did so in 1983. In late February, Hall won the Gasparilla Distance Classic, a 15K in Florida, in a solo run of 43:23. He had been scheduled to run the City-Pier-City Half Marathon in The Netherlands on March 14 against Haile Gebrselassie, but then decided to stay in Mammoth Lakes, Calif. Hall is part of the Mammoth Track Club and is coached by Terrence Mahon. On the day before we talked, Japanese marathon legend Toshihiko Seko had been in town. On the morning of the day we talked, Hall did a workout of kilometer repeats at roughly 4:30/mile pace at just under 5,000 feet of altitude. Running Times: A lot of people are interested in the fact that you were going to run the half marathon in Europe against Gebrselassie and then didn’t. Is that related to Gasparilla? Ryan Hall: It’s more related to seeing the Boston course that same weekend as Gasparilla. The next day we went to Boston to check it out. Once we saw it, we realized we hadn’t really done anything back home to get ready for that type of course. It was really helpful. I’m glad we went and took a look at it, because it allowed us to come back here and make some changes. Gasparilla, you’re out there running all by yourself. First time out, I wasn’t expecting it to go super easy or to go out and stroll through any records. I just think my heart was more in preparing for Boston than going and traveling halfway across the world to run a half. Not that racing against Haile wasn’t an exciting opportunity, but I was just more excited about preparing for Boston at that point. Other than course-specific stuff, is there anything different in your preparation for Boston compared to your other marathons? RH: We’re doing some longer tempo runs. I’d say the quality’s getting better. My overall mileage is about the same as it’s always been. But whereas before, I’d do a couple 12-mile tempo runs and a 15-mile tempo run, this time I’ve already done two 15-mile tempo runs, I’ve already done an 18-mile tempo run, and I’ll do another 18-mile tempo run and another 15-mile tempo run, and I’ve also done a couple 12-milers. How are you defining “tempo run”? RH: For me, it’s a little bit harder than marathon effort for 10 to 18 miles. So effort based on doing some of them at 8,000 feet? RH: Yeah, pace-wise it’s not going to be the same pace, but the effort is going to be a little harder than marathon effort. Do you base that on heart rate or just intuitive feel? RH: Just feel. You race pretty seldom. How do you deal with that—that in a month you’ll be running against some of the best in the world, and other than Gasparilla, your last race was in Beijing? RH: What I love about running is training specifically for a race. I’m a very focused guy. My training is very marathon-specific, meaning that I’m not going to be great at 10Ks and half marathons, but I know that once I get out there for the marathon distance, I’m going to be in the best form possible because I’ve sacrificed fitness at 10K, even the half marathon, so that I can be totally A game for the marathon distance. That actually gives me more confidence than, say, running 27:30 a couple weeks before. I’d rather not go out and do that, in the same way that Khalid [Khannouchi] and some of these guys will go out and run 61 minutes for a half. I mean, {Marilson] Gomes dos Santos, he was coming off his 62:whatever he ran at world champs, compared to the year before, he ran 59:something and didn’t win New York, and then last time he’s in 62 shape and comes to New York and looks great. That’s been my experience, too. You gotta choose your battles. So for me, that battle is the marathon in Boston. Now that you’ve been up here awhile, do you have benchmark workouts and/or courses that you used to gauge how ready you are? RH: Yeah. My training’s been going way better than before Beijing, that’s for sure. It’s been just as good as any of my marathon build-ups. We’ll see how it goes this last month. And then, you gotta kind of realize that every workout comes in the middle of a cycle of training, so you can’t just compare one tempo run to the same tempo run you did last year. I find when I start comparing like that, I get myself in trouble. I’ve been feeling really good and my times have been good, so I have no complaints. Yesterday you talked with Seko. When you heard some of the stuff he did, were you like, “No, thank you” or more like, “Hmm, maybe I should look into that.” RH: For the most part, having already run 2:06, I feel confident in the training that Coach has me doing. So we don’t need to go out and try some crazy stuff. We’re still tweaking our program and adjusting, especially as I mature as a runner. But I don’t feel the need to go out there and slog out 50-mile runs. I think now the training is more toward quality. I’ve been talking about doing tempo runs, and Seko did some of that, too, like 4 by 5K. He definitely trained hard, so that part of it is inspiring. You chose to go to Boston instead of going back to London. What was the appeal of winning a cross-country type race like Boston instead of a trackish race like London, where you could get your PR even lower? RH: I think the biggest appeal is the appeal of Boston itself as a race, the history behind it. I feel like all the great marathoners have run that course and established themselves as marathoners on that course. I’ve always wanted to run Boston. And racing in the States is a big deal for me. I want to run in front of the people where I’m from. I want to generate more interest in the marathon in the U.S., and I feel like that’s pretty difficult to do over in Berlin. If you do it in the Olympics, that’s one thing. But I think to generate a lot of interest in the U.S., you gotta race in the U.S. Would you see that also as part of using running to glorify God, doing it in places where you’ll get more attention? RH: Right. That’s definitely one of the reasons to run here, to help share with people. You look at a guy like Lance Armstrong. The Tour de France was his platform to shine, to help a lot of people with cancer. I’m hoping that, for me, Boston, New York, Chicago, these major marathons in the U.S. could be my platform, so that we can raise awareness and support for something like kids in Africa who are hungry. World Vision has been a huge thing for my wife and I. That definitely goes into choosing races. You want to run somewhere where you’ll get the attention. Sometimes you want to go to something like Gasparilla and just kind of hide out; there’s different seasons for different opportunities, but I feel like I’ll be well prepared at Boston to shine on that platform. MY TAKE ON IT: VERY INTERESTING INDEED... A COUPLE PORTIONS OF THE INTERVIEW I FOUND INTERESTING: 1- WHEN HE SAID "YOU GOTTA CHOOSE YOUR BATTLES", THIS ASSURED ME THAT HE DIDN'T MISS THE MULTITUDE OF RACES HE HAS MISSED BECAUSE OF AN INJURY = REASSURING/ 2- HE SAID HIS TRAINING IS GOING BETTER THAN IT DID BEFORE THE OLYMPICS, THANK GOD!! I DO NOT WANT TO SEE ANOTHER AMERICAN RUNNER BE HYPED UP BEFORE A RACE AND THEN CRASH AND BURN/ 3- I LOVED HOW HE SAID THAT HE WANTED TO RUN BOSTON B/C IT WILL GENERATE MORE AMERICAN INTEREST IN RUNNING AND SPECIFICALLY THE MARATHON.. ALSO I LIKED HOW HE BROUGHT UP LANCE ARMSTRONG.

NEW TYSON GAY: Disappointing Tyson Gay STILL battling injuries

CARSON, Calif. -- A knee injury cost sprinter Tyson Gay six weeks of training at the beginning of the year, and with the 2009 season starting soon, the American record-holder still hasn't set his schedule.

He is aiming to be 100 percent for the world championships in August, which could be his next chance to line up with three-time Olympic gold medalist and world record-holder Usain Bolt.

Gay said he hurt his left knee while training last November, trying to get in shape after a disappointing Beijing Olympics in which he didn't win a medal and didn't even make the finals in his signature event, the 100 meters.

"The first week of training, I think I was going too hard," Gay said this week. "I felt good the first week. We were doing great and I was going hard. But probably too hard for the first week. It was just a mistake I made knowing it was a big year, trying to step it up when I just should have relaxed and eased into it."

The injury means it will be at least a few more months before he's completely healthy — and that will mark the first time since he was in the starting blocks of the U.S. Olympic trials in the 200 preliminaries. As he entered the first turn, he sprawled to the track, victim of a hamstring injury that essentially ruined his season.

"I didn't think it was going to be that bad because the initial pull really, really hurt, but the next day it felt better," Gay said. "But a little later, when we got a second opinion, I noticed a little bit of the tendon was torn, as well. That's what made the process take so long."

But Gay kept pressing on, knowing he wasn't in race shape by the time he reached the Olympics but not wanting to bow out of what was supposed to be a history-making race between three men — himself, Bolt and Jamaica's Asafa Powell.

Gay didn't make it out of the semis. He felt his hamstring tighten as he was getting ready for the race, "and I thought I could fight through it but I couldn't." The final ended up being between Bolt and Powell — but not even really that. Bolt cruised his way to a world record time of 9.69 seconds.

"I was in the stadium, but I didn't watch it," Gay said. "I watched on the big screen in the back room. I took it all in and was amazed and started preparing myself mentally to say, I've got to get on top of my game."

First, though, there was one more disappointment. The dropped baton in the relay.

Gay told American coaches he had always been more comfortable running the third leg of relays, receiving the handoff with his right hand. But they put him on the anchor leg and when he couldn't grab Darvis Patton's handoff with his left hand, Gay had to deal with the unbelievable: The 2007 world champion in the 100 and 200 would leave Beijing without a medal.

"The 100 was a shock, but I thought, I've still got a chance to win a medal, so let's focus on that," Gay said. "Then that happened. I couldn't run in the (4x400) and I'm sitting there and it's like, 'Gosh, I can't believe this is over.'"

Because he's the defending world champion in the 100 and 200, he has an automatic spot at the worlds this year, meaning he won't have to race at the U.S. championships in June. But he said he should be ready for that and will probably race in the 100 "just because I don't want to see anybody take my record away there."

He set the mark, a 9.77, in the semifinals at the U.S. Olympic trials last year, then bettered himself with a wind-aided 9.68 in the finals. Even though the time didn't count as a record, it was an impressive mark — only the second sub-9.7 ever run in any conditions.

As it turned out, it was the last great race Gay has run, the last time he could even be in the conversation for "World's Fastest Man" — a title that undisputedly belongs to Bolt now.

Could it change? Gay is pointing to the worlds.

"I believe so," he said. "Hopefully. That's where I want to be my best. That's where he's going to be his best. I'm looking forward to it."

MY TAKE ON IT: CAN THIS GUY'S SITUATION GET ANY WORSE? POOR GUY, YOU/I GOTTA FEEL BAD FOR HIM. HIS INJURY IN THE 200M IN THE OLYMPIC TRIALS AND NOW THIS.... MAKES YOU PRIZE WHAT YOU DO HAVE, AND CHERISH WHAT YOU USED TO HAVE. GAY USED TO BE THE WORLD'S FASTEST MAN, NOW HE'S THE WORLD'S MOST CRIPPLED/LESS LUCKIEST SPRINTER IN THE WORLD....OUCCCCHHH!

OLD TYSON GAY: Video of his U.S. 100m record

Usain "The Insane" Bolt to run 150m road race in Manchester

Manchester, UK - Triple Olympic gold medallist Usain Bolt, the world's fastest ever man, will be the star attraction at the Great CityGames Manchester, which will form part of a spectacular weekend of sprinting and distance running on this English city's streets in May.

The 22-year-old Jamaican superstar will compete on European soil for the first time this year before tackling some Grand Prix races on the IAAF World Athletics Tour circuit in June and July in his build up to the following month's World Championships in Berlin.
 
Now "Lightning Bolt" whose breathtaking performances in the Bird's Nest stadium will forever remain legendary sporting moments, is set to take to the streets of Manchester on the afternoon of Sunday 17 May.

Bolt, winner of his first 100m race last weekend in an impressive wind assisted 9.93 seconds without having done any real speed work - see 'Related Content' under photograph to the right - will contest an innovative 150 metres race on a specially constructed tartan track in the city centre. 

“I am very excited to compete for my first time in Manchester, my first time in a 150m race and my first time in a street race outside the stadium," said Bolt, a Manchester United football supporter.

"I love competing in the UK – it is like my second home as I usually stay in London during the European racing season. When I heard about the idea I thought it would be great fun and something new and exciting." 

Bolt, very eager to sample the atmosphere of racing away from the track, added: "Hopefully this event will be the start of many more similar events all over the world and inspire kids to take up athletics.”
  
"The IAAF World Championships in August is my goal for 2009 but I am looking forward to Manchester and my first European race of the season."

The Red Devils fan, added: “I am also looking forward to going to Old Trafford to support my team. I've wanted to come to a match for a long time and am delighted to get the opportunity.”
 
His presence is another notable sporting coup for the sports mad city as earlier in the day Ethiopia's World marathon record holder Haile Gebrselassie will be bidding to regain his Bupa Great Manchester Run title in a record field of 33,000 runners over 10 kilometres - see 'Related Content' under photograph to the right.

The BUPA Great Manchester Run is an IAAF Gold Label Road Race.

"Having the two fastest men on the planet competing on the streets of Manchester on the same day is an incredibly exciting prospect," said David Hart, communications director of event organisers Nova International.

Hart believes having staged a successful series of sprint races on Newcastle-Gateshead quayside last autumn, Bolt's presence will bolster Nova's plans to expand the concept of taking athletics to the streets. 

"In the past by definition, track and field athletics has taken place in a stadium or an indoor arena," added Hart. "The feedback from Newcastle-Gateshead where we experimented with the 100 metres sprints, told us that spectators were thrilled at being so close to world class athletes they normally can only see from a distance in a stadium environment.

"I'm sure in Manchester the atmosphere will be even more electric and remember not only Bolt will be competing but some top British sprinters and overseas stars who are already looking towards the 2012 London Olympic Games.”

“Hopefully it will also provide an inspiration to spectators and particularly for youngsters who may be inspired to take up athletics as a career."

MY TAKE ON IT: MONEY, MONEY, MONEY, MONEY... THAT'S ALL THERE IS IN THIS RACE FOR MR. BOLT, WHY WOULD HE RUN A RACE IN MANCHESTER?!?!?!? THERE'S NO POINT TO HIM RUNNING THIS RACE. THE ONLY THING THAT COULD COME OUT OF THIS RACE IS AN INJURY AS HE IS RUNNING ON A HARD, UNFORGIVING SURFACE (ASPHALT).