Dellinger

Bill Dellinger's personal bests may not impress some people today. But when looking at personal bests you have to look at the time in which the runner ran. Dellinger was in his running prime in the 1950's. This is well before the in depth knowledge and technology and nutrition for running that we have today. His times may not match today's standards but it certainly matched the standards of when he was running. In fact, he rose above some of the standards. He held several American and World records during his time. Perhaps even more impressive in Bill Dellinger's career is what he did after his retirement. He first became the assistant coach at Oregon behind legendary coach Bill Bowerman and became head coach after Bowerman's retirement. As head coach, he won five NCAA titles. He coached many great runners at Oregon like Steve Prefontaine. He even coached post-collegiates such as Alberto Salazar.

Dathan Ritzenhein Breaks American 5k Record!

12 minutes 56 seconds. That's how long it took Dathan Ritzenhein to run 5000m on Friday at a track meet in Zurich. How good is that performance? Well, it's a new American record! He is only the third American to break 13 minutes at 5000m. He didn't win the race but put on an unbelievable performance and came close to catching the great distance runner, Keninise Bekele from Ethiopia, who won the race at 12:52. This is great news for American distance running. Ritzenhein is coached by the great Alberto Salazar.

The Running Blog of the Week: 6amrunner

Click here for the blog of the week

Author is a dedicated runner. Has some good ideas. Interesting stories. Provides videos with descriptions of his running story. One recent video describes a project he's perfoming in which he only eats organic food. He is looking to see if there is an added benefit for runners who eat organic food as opposed to non-organic food. I am looking foward to following this blog and seeing what results he comes up with. Solid running blog. Be sure to check it out and see what you think.

Mr. Patrick's Top Ten Steve Prefontaine Quotes

1. "I'm going to work so that it's a pure guts race at the end, and if it is, I am the only one who can win it."
2. "To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift."
3. "Somebody may beat me, but they are going to have to bleed to do it."
4. "I run to see who has the most guts."
5. "What I want is to be number one."
6. "How does a kid from Coos Bay, with one leg longer than the other win races?"
7. "Over the years, I've given myself a thousand reasons to keep running, but it always comes back to where it started. It comes down to self-satisfaction and a sense of achievement."
8. "Some people create with words or with music or with a brush and paints. I like to make something beautiful when I run"
9. “The only good race pace is suicide pace, and today looks like a good day to die.”
10. “I don't just go out there and run. I like to give people watching something exciting"

Small Miracle

Small Miracle

Have you ever felt like giving up? Have you ever been so frustrated with how things are going and just not want to deal with it anymore? Well quitters never win and winners never quit. Read this weeks running story and you will be amazed by the fact that this girl never quit and never gave up on her dreams. She had more setbacks than you can imagine but she still persevered. Before you give up on some of your goals, read this story. You may think twice. If anyone had a reason to give up, it was Scout Bassett. But she didn't. Truely inspirational!

Shorter

Frank shorter graduated from Yale University and obtained a law degree from the University of Florida College of Law. But nobody who reads my blog really cares about this do they? Ok. Let's get to the interesting stuff. How about...Frank Shorter, the winner of the marathon in the 1972 Olympic Games (The last American to do so). Now that's more like it. Yes, Frank Shorter is a running legend. The olympic gold medal he won for the marathon in 1972 was probably his best feat but he also had many other remarkable perfomances in his running career. Examples are his first place finishes in both the marathon and the 10,000m in the 1971 Pan American Games and his first place finishes in four straight Fukuoka Marathons from 1971-1974. A true running legend.

The Running Blog of the Week: Run Bulldog Run

Click here for the blog of the week

Follow the training log of this dedicated runner on his blog. Very informative. The runner has a good understanding of running and provides some good tips with training. I recommend following this blog for some new fresh ideas in your training.

Mr. Patrick's Top Ten Fartlek Tips

Here's a list of 10 things to remember when performing a fartlek workout:

1. Warm up before the pick-ups start (I usually jog for 12 min; then begin the pick-ups)
2. During base training (high mileage well before what you are training for) perform many repititions of the pick-ups but only at race-pace
3. As you get closer and closer to what you are training for perform less pick-ups but at faster and faster paces (the intervals should be shorter too)
4. Take each pick-up one at a time...always keep track of how many you have done but never think about how many you have left.
5. Have a desired distance...after you complete the warmup and pick-ups, finishing up your desired distance will be your cooldown
6. Focus on turn-over...fartleks are speed workouts to get your legs out of distance running mode
7. Make sure you don't lose your form during the last few pick-ups (fatigue is generally the cause for bad form)
8. Try to make each pick-up your best one (meaning your pace is right on the mark, your form is perfect throughout the pick-up, you're focusing on turn-over, etc.)
9. Recovery runs are great for workouts following fartleks...your body will get the most out of the fartlek.
10. Use a watch that can tell you when to start picking it up and ease up (you can get watches that you set so that it beeps every 30s or 45s or 60s so that you know when to pick up and ease up without looking at your watch...you can get cheap ones that work just fine)A perfect example below

The Strangest/Best 5K?

The Strangest/Best 5K?

Check this story out. I bet you never heard about a race quite like this one!

Beardsley

Well last week I talked about Alberto Salazar so I felt it was fitting to talk about Dick Beardsley this week. Beardsley is famous for his neck to neck race with Salazar in the 1982 Boston Marathon. A race that is known as the "Duel in the Sun"

Beardsley's running times speak for themselves. You can look them up if you want and you will be impressed. What I would like to talk about however,is the man Beardsley has become after his best running days ended. Beardsley has become a motivational speaker across the country. After his prime, Beardsley had a few near fatal accidents that led to him receiving pain medication. Beardsley became addicted to the pain killers but has since fought off his addiction. This is the main topic of many of his inspirational speeches he currently gives across the country. The Dick Beardsley Foundation is an organization that teaches young people to avoid drugs and become healthy and active.

I greatly respect Dick Beardsley for his running career but I have an even greater respect for what he became afterwards. His knowledge of knowing how to give everything you have can be very inspiring when talking about overcoming drug addiction which is something that sometimes takes great amount of will power to overcome. Beardsley, being a runner, knows all about will power and can therefore be of great help to people fighting an addiction.

It's great to hear stories of people who turn a mistake they made in their life into something remarkably positive. Dick Beardsley certainly accomplished this.

The Running Blog of the Week: Half-Marathon Mania

Click here for the blog of the week.

Half-Marathon Mania is an extremely well done blog. All runners should check this blog out for great tips on all kinds of running. I love the articles about running that the author finds. If you are like me...a runner who's always looking for ways to improve and constantly trying to learn more and more about running...then this is the blog to check out. Very imformative!

Mr. Patrick's Top Ten Running Tips

1. Drink water all day (easy on the water right before runs though)
2. Drink sports drinks after runs (TRY ACCELERADE! CLICK HERE!)
3. Stretch before AND after runs
4. Take your training one day at a time and make the most out of every workout
5. Run Fartleks (best workout you can do)
6. Push ups and Sit ups and then more Push ups and Sit ups (The more fit you are, the better the runner you become!)
7. Try a different workout everyday...don't bore yourself
8. EVERY runner has bad days...move on and don't let bad days depress you (break through the wall!)
9. FOCUS!...don't think about how long the race is...focus your mind on your form and keep moving foward
10. Have fun...remember how fortunate you are to be able to run

Saving a Runner's Life

Saving a Runner's Life

After reading the story above, I realized something very important. I realized that sometimes I am too selfish when I run. For instance, there have been numerous times where a driver would see me running, pull over, and ask me for directions and I would completely ignore the driver. "Listen buddy", I would say in my head, "I'm training here. I can't stop my training because you're lost." But after reading this story it made me rethink my position. I realize now that running is a gift. Not everyone can run. What made me deserve the ability to run. What made that guy with no legs not deserve the ability to run. The answer is nothing. This is just how we were created. It's nothing I did for myself that gave me the ability to run. By realizing this, I see that ignoring drivers looking for directions, not picking up something a lady just dropped on the sidewalk, or not assisting that old lady across the street, who can barely walk, all because I "need" to train is one of the most selfish things I could do. Maybe I should realize that I been given I great gift through no effort of my own. I have no right to not do the right thing and help people even if it means stopping my training for a few minutes.

Salazar

Alberto Salazar. A great American runner. Every runner should know about Alberto Salazar. Currently, he is coaching American runners such as Galen Rupp who recently ran in the Beijing olympics. But his own running career is one of remarkable achievments. Perhaps his best achievement, Salazar won the New York City Marathon 3 consecutive times from 1980-1982. He also won the Boston marathon in 1982. To me this is incredible. To dedicate so much time with training to win one marathon is amazing to me but to do it so frequently in such a short amount of time shows what kind of man Alberto Salazar is. To be able to win such a grueling race as the marathon is (4 times in 3 years!!!) takes rediculous dedication to training day and night every single day. What makes Alberto Salazar my hero is the fact that he was known for collapsing at the end of numerous races and even sent to the hospital! This may sound alittle crazy to admire him for this, but it shows he gave everything he had during his races and that is something I greatly appreciate and try to immitate in my running.

Salazar is the last American to win the NYC Marathon.

The running blog of the week: The Road to Wright-Patt

Click here for the blog of the week.

The Road to Wright-Patt is a blog that I find very interesting. Not only because it's a blog about running, but because the author is very detailed and is clearly a very dedicated runner. I have great respect for runners such as this author. Take a look through his blog which is about his training for an upcoming half marathon and you will soon see someone who has a goal and is doing the hard work that it takes to reach such a goal. One thing I like so much about following this blog is that the author details exactly how he feels during each stage of his training and often he reports feelings that I myself go through in my training. It's somewhat encouraging to know others go through the same thing.

Mr. Patrick's Top 10 Running Songs

Here's my list of top 10 running songs which for one reason or another get me pumped for a run or during a run:

1. This is Your Life - Switchfoot
2. Enter Sandman - Metallica
3. Crawling - Linkin Park
4. Numb - Linkin Park
5. Viva la Vida - Coldplay
6. Aenima - Tool
7. Stronger - Kanye West
8. Bat out of Hell - Meatloaf
9. Lose Yourself - Eminem
10. Violet Hill - Coldplay

Running Your Own Race

Running Your Own Race

If you click on the link above you will read a short little article that I thought was great. Take a quick look...it'll take only a couple minutes to read.

The title and theme of the story is running your own race. In my opinion this is the most important thing all runners should understand. Runners come in all shapes, sizes, and talent levels. The best performance of one runner might be no where near the best performance of another runner. The most important thing is that both runners gave their best performance. Running is a sport that comes down to self satisfaction. To get the most satisfaction out of yourself, all you can do is give it YOUR best. Don't compare yourself to others. Just do the best that YOU can do. If you do that, you should be completely self satisfied.

Prefontaine

Steve Prefontaine. What runner has not heard of him? A man who's life ended way too early but was able to accomplish so much in the short time he had. He gave it everything he had every time. He showed this by his front-running style. Normally front-running is considered a bad strategy if you want to win a race because it takes more energy to lead the pack. But this isn't how Pre (as he was called) felt. He felt that races weren't won by coming in first but the winner is determined by who gave it their best. He couldn't stand winning a race by not using everything you had. He is truely an inspirational story for all runners. I would suggest watching the movie Without Limits. It is a great depiction of the life of Pre.

Personally, Prefontaine is one of my biggest heroes. I love how he was able to give it everything he had everytime he raced. I always try to imitate his ways. When I find myself struggling in my training, I ask, what would Pre do right now? The answer is usually get off his butt and run.

Here is a list of some of Prefontaine's PRs:

1 mile - 3:54
3K - 7:42
5K - 13:21
10K - 27:43

Pre also had some inspirational quotes that also help me with my training. Here is the Pre quote of the day:

"Most people run a race to see who is fastest. I run a race to see who has the most guts."

2009 IAAF World Championships

Get ready running fans!!! The 2009 IAAF World Championships will begin on August 15 in Berlin, Germany. The most interesting part of these championships I think will be the men's 100m race. Usain Bolt of Jamaica currently holds the world record of 9.69s which he accomplished in the 2008 olympic games in Beijing. Bolt will be racing at this meet in the 100m race and several sprinters will be out to not only beat him, but also break his world record.

Tyson Gay, the American, is one of Bolt's biggest competition. Since Gay is an American, I myself will certainly be rooting him on to beat Bolt and his record. Recently, Gay has made comments that after the race the headlines will be, "'Tyson Gay shocks the world.'" His confidence is certainly there, but will be able to walk his talk?...or rather, sprint his talk?

Bolt will also have to watch out for his fellow countryman Asafa Powell who can also pull off the upset. Powell is part of the world record 4 X 100m team which includes Usain Bolt.

The 100m finals are scheduled to be held on Sunday August 16 at 9:35 P.M.

2009 USATF National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships

The USATF National Junior Olympic Track and Field Championships are over. The events were held from July 28 - August 2 and it sure was full of excitement. Being a runner myself, I love reading about events such as these, especially this event which is filled with youth. It is encouraging to see such great participation and great talent by our youth in a sport that I love so much.

Here Are the Age Divisions for the Championships
Bantam (B) (BORN: 1999 and later)= Ages 10 and under
Midget (M) (BORN: 1997-1998)= Ages 11-12
Youth (YT)(BORN: 1995-1996)= Ages 13-14
Intermidiate (I) (BORN: 1993-1994)= Ages 15-16
Young (Y) (BORN: Aug 3, 1990-1992)= Ages 17-18

Anybody familar with track and field should be amazed by the following performances at these championships:

Ashley Aldredge: Female (Y)Ages = 17-18
- Javelin Throw 600g of 45.27m (New Record)

Kendall Baisden: Female (YT)Ages = 13-14
- 100m in 11.73 (New Record)
- 200m in 23.69 (New Record)

Ciarra Brewer: Female (I)Ages = 15-16
- Triple Jump of 12.94m (New Record)

Lauren Chambers: Female (Y)Ages = 17-18
- Hammer Throw of 53.55m (New Record)

Erik Garcia: Male (YT)Ages = 13-14
- 3000m in 9:08.13 (New Record)

Aaron Hanna: Male (M)Ages = 11-12
- Discus Throw 1kg of 39.32m (New Record)
- Shot Put 6lb of 15.77m (New Record)

Lauren Loader: Female (B)Ages = 10 and under
- Long Jump of 5.13m (New Record)

Bryce Love: Male (M) Ages = 11-12
- 200m in 23.37 (New Record)
- 400m in 50.75 (New Record)

Daesha Rogers: Female (B)Ages = 10 and under
- 800m in 2:23.16 (New Record)

Raevyn Rogers: Female (YT)Ages = 13-14
- 800m in 2:08.17 (New Record)

I find it wonderful that so many young kids are working hard and breaking so many records. The future of American running is looking promising! Congratulations to all the competitors!

'Lone Survivor' Touches the American Heart

Recently I finished reading Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of Seal Team 10, by Marcus Luttrell with Patrick Robinson. What an amazing story! I think it is important for every American to read this book.

First of all, I find it very encouraging that there are great men like Marcus Luttrell in the world. He tells his story of the incredible journey that he took to become a Navy SEAL which would lead to him being sent overseas to fight in the Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. He describes various missions his SEAL teams went on. One such mission, Operation Redwing, is one that went terribly wrong. A team of Marcus and three of his close SEAL friends were sent to take down one of the Taliban's biggest leaders. When reading about Operation Redwing, there is no way you could put the book down and your American pride will reach new heights. The way Marcus describes the bravery and selfless, remarkable acts of his three friends, I must say tears were brought to my eyes.

And then there was Marcus himself, who after the operation failed, found himself badly hurt and all alone with enemy Taliban fighters trying to hunt him down. His story of survival which includes him using every, and I mean EVERY ounce of energy he had inside of him is one you will never forget. It is truely inspiring to read about his fight for survival so that he could go back home and tell the amazing story.

From the bottom of my heart I would like to say thank you to Danny, Mikey, Axel, and Marcus.

This book is a MUST-READ! You can purchase this great American story from amazon.com by clicking the link below.